Heist Society Paperback – Big Book, 17 May 2011

Bought as a gift for someone that really wanted it

E' arrivato subito e in buone condizioni (come gli altri).Libro molto bello.

What do you get when you cross the Da Vinci Code, National Treasure, and Ocean's Eleven in a Young Adult Stew? Heist Society, by Ally Carter! I won't lie, I was turned off by the title- a bit to corny- but the picture made me think of Audrey Hepburn, so I gave it a shot. This was one instance where judging a book by its cover worked out for me!Kat has left the life. Her father, her great uncle, her cousins, even her family friends are all thieves: con artists, pickpockets, art thieves, jewel thieves- you name it, they can steal it. But Kat wants to live a straight life, so she enrolls (aka cons) her way into boarding school until her long-time billionaire, friend (also a thief), Hale sets her up for an incident involving the headmaster's car and the school fountain which gets her kicked out. hale didn't do this just for fun, though; Kat's father was in trouble. A very evil man had his five prized paintings stolen, and he is sure Kat's father is responsible. Now Kat, Hale, and a merry band of misfit teenaged crooks must find the paintings to save Kat from a very bad man and his gang of thugs.This story is very interesting, peppered with hilarious antics of supporting characters. Two of the crew, brothers Hamish and Angus, have me laughing from the moment they hit the stage until the very last page. Kat herself is a strong young woman who will go to great lengths to protect her family- even breaking into the most secure museum ever with only 6 other teens as her crew, despite the explicit instructions not to get involved from her father and her uncle. She isn't sure what she wants anymore in regards to "the life", but she knows how much her family means to her!This is a great book for middle school and early high school students, but the characters and action-packed fun are perfect for low-skilled older students. They won't be burdened by a high reading level, but won't be insulted by a watered-down, hokey story. This was a fun story that ends well, but has a sequel on the way. If you have a student who needs some action to keep them going and would benefit from a fun story to hook them, this is a great choice! And don't let the cover fool you- this would be a good story for boys or girls!

Ça se lit vite, c'est simple et mielleux. C'est plus une histoire d'amour sur fond de cambriolage que l'inverse. Une lecture d'ado ou de chicklit.

I really liked Heist Society because it was different from the books I had been currently reading, I had never read any books about thieves and con artists before and I found I really enjoyed it. It was a light easy read with lots of plot twists and it was really hard to put down once I had started reading.The characters were well written and they all had there own traits and secrets and it was fun getting to know each one of the characters. My favourite character is Hale but I am also a fan of geeky Simon.I liked how you could tell right from the beginning (well when we get introduced to Hale) that Kat and Hale obviously have feelings for each other by all the detail that is in the book and by the images you get while reading the scene between them.Kat has become tired of her life of crime and she now wants an education so she becomes a student at a respectable school. Without giving to much away, the book starts with Kat being expelled from the school for pulling a prank that she did not commit, her friends and family set her up because her dad is in trouble and they think Kat can help resolve the situation.Kat's dad however did not commit the crime he is being blamed for and has an alibi but this doesn't stop the mobster from blaming him and demanding Kat does something no one else has ever done before... steal from the Henley Museum.The best part of the book was the planning of the heist and pulling the heist itself. There are so many things that could have gone wrong while they were doing it that the book has you gripped to find out if they get caught or if they manage to get away with it.I would recommend this to my friends and to anyone who likes a good quick read with a lot of fun plot twists and I cannot wait to get started on Uncommon Criminals.