Review: Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Published: June 21, 2011
Pages: 304
Received: from publisher for honest review
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Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life: Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners. There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long — and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous, and that is . . . the emerald is cursed. Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all, she has her best friend — the gorgeous Hale — and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses and realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time. Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules.

Uncommon Criminals pretty much jumps in a few months after the end of Heist Society, where we learn that Kat has been on a mission to right quite a few wrongs by bringing back stolen items to their rightful owners. "Kat was more of a return artist, a repossession specialist. A highly uncommon criminal." Sadly, she has been doing so as a solo thief and her gang has not been happy about it one bit. Then it happens - the heist of a lifetime - return the Cleopatra Emerald to the rightful owners - the ultimate item to return!

I love that this mission brings Kat and her crew back together again - how could she work without the gorgeous man candy, Hale? And well, she just needs Gabrielle to set her straight once in a while when it comes to girly things. Watching the crew gather it's forces and work on this heist, while trying not to fall prey to the curse, was amusing. 

I love the little bit of a love triangle there is between Kat, Nick and Hale. Little bits of jealousy pop out here and there. Also, I loved that Kat seems to favour Hale more and stresses over the possibility of a relationship with him. It reminds me of what I was like in high school when I liked a boy. Though this relationship angle doesn't overpower the books main themes of the heist and the possible curse.

The one thing I really like about the way this book was laid out, is that the book is divided up by pages that show the countdown to when the emerald will be in certain places and that makes the whole thing seem that much more urgent and exciting. 

Oh and I love the different names for all the ways to do the heist/con like the Mary Poppins, the Cinderella - so clever - just like the last book. I love trying to figure out the meanings of some of the names and how the con would work.

This one quote stood out to me, about people and destiny: 

"As soon as he touched her, Kat knew there was no such thing as curses. People make and break their own fortunes—they are the masters of their own fate."

A great sequel and looking forward to more - if there will be more?!? It's a nice break from all the paranormal romance and dystopian novels out there.