Review: The Heist Society

The Heist Society (Heist Society, book one)
By Ally Carter
Published 2010 by Disney-Hyperion

Katarina Bishop did not have a typical childhood - well, maybe if you consider having well-respected thieves as parents typical it would be. At fifteen, Kat decided to leave her parents' world for the normal world, only things didn't work out quite like she planned. Now, she is pulled back into the world she so fiercely wanted to escape, as her father is the only suspect in a theft that's not sitting well with a very powerful mob boss.

My hesitancy regarding this book was great. It seemed fluffy and girly and kinda blah to me. It's not that I never want fluffy or girly books, just that I need to be in the right mood for them. I'd heard people rave about this series (and the Gallagher Girls, also by Carter), but that never convinced me to give it a try. Finally, when I was starting to get desperate about finishing the Hub Reading Challenge and a copy of this book was sitting on our shelves, I gave in.

Why was I so hesitant? This book was pure delight. I loved every second of it. Yes, it's pretty fluffy and girly, but it also goshdarn fun. I loved all the characters and how they interact - the wit and tension between Kat and her team is sparkling and just plain fun to read. Though I wished Kat were a bit more self-assured at times and I'm not entirely sold on any romantic developments that I can imagine occurring, overall I just plain enjoy reading about these crazy kids.

I've said before that I tend to enjoy mysteries, in large part because I'm pretty obtuse and almost never figure out the ending before it happens. This book was no exception. There were a number of twists that I didn't see coming and they definitely made me appreciate the book even more. I am excited when I think about more adventures for these kids in the future and I'm definitely looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

I recommend this to anyone looking for a fun read or an intriguing tale of art and thieves.