Review: Heist Society by Ally Carter

Heist Society by Ally Carter

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Release Date: February 9, 2010

Received: Borrowed from library

Pages: 287

Get Your Copy: Amazon | Book Depository

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected. Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster's art collection has been stolen, and he wants it returned. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat’s father isn’t just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.
For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it’s a spectacularly impossible job? She’s got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family’s (very crooked) history—and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

I did come across this book so many times in the last year yet didn't pick up a copy until I received a copy of Uncommon Criminals in the mail from Disney Hyperion for review (review still to come). I dislike reading a series out of order, so I jumped over to my local library to borrow Heist Society to catch up on the craze.

Honestly, I'm super happy that I decided to give this series a try. It was such a refreshing change from all the paranormal and dystopian literature out there right now. It completely reminded me of a teen version of Ocean's Eleven, but with really cute boys.

Kat gathers a crew of the most mismatched teens you'll ever meet - Gabrielle (her sweet yet not-so-innocent cousin), Hale (the billionaire best-friend/love interest), Simon (the computer geek extraordinaire) and the Bagshaw brothers (double trouble). Will this team of misfits complete their mission undetected or will their cover be blown?

This book flows really well, which made for a quick read. It keeps your attention with all of it's twists and turns (Visily Romani?!?). Everything about this book was drawing me in, from the high tech gadgets and explosions to the inclusion of heist lingo (fun lingo like Princess Bride, Five O'Clock Shadow, Mary Poppins) and the smidgen of romance here and there.  You also see that family really matters to these people, family matters more than possessions themselves. It was a well put together book and I would definitely recommend this book to all ages really. I cannot wait to tear into Uncommon Criminals shortly - I want to see what kind of misadventures Kat and the gang can get themselves into next.