Review: Heist Society [Heist Society, book 1]

Title:    Heist Society (Heist Society, book 1)
Author:  Ally Carter
Rating:  ★★★★ 1/2

Just like my other books lately, I took a long time in picking The Heist Society from my print-books TBR. I hope I'm not the only one who fears picking up a book you bought because you're afraid to be disappointed - that it will turn out not to be as you expected and you'll feel like the book was a waste of money. This was my first time to read a book by Ally Carter; I shouldn't have been afraid. The Heist Society went straight into my list of books to auto-buy and read. I loved it!

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip 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 Kat back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has a good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. 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 history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

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This book just grabbed me by the horns from the start and I couldn't help but read and read and read because the plot is so different. It has the elements I like in a YA book: a kick-ass protagonist, a dash of romance, adventure, good friends, and in some cases, spectacular tricks. Plus, it talked about art! I love art, especially painting. I once stood in front of the original Spoliarium by Juan Luna for about ten minutes. It just took my breath away the moment I saw it.

I was halfway through the book when I decided that if ever I'll have a daughter in the (far) future, I want to name her Katarina. She's so...capable - and at her age, to successfully pull a stint just to get an education in one of the finest schools in the country? My oh my. I want my child/children to be as resourceful (but not become thieves) and determined as she was. She was able to make sound decisions on her own and face up to the consequences of her actions. Who wouldn't want a child like that?

Before becoming a book blogger, I never really bothered with book boyfriends. I mean, of course Mr. Darcy and Rett Butler top my list of ideal fictional men to date, but I'm not the type who would frequently wish for the men I read in books to become real people (i.e. Edward Cullen? Nope.) so I can possibly date them. And then Hale comes along and oh my, I want him. Why can't he be real, huh? A billionaire who follows whatever you do, accepts who you are, and does whatever you need done because he likes (loves?) you? Damn it, Ally Carter.

The secondary characters are all so endearing - the twins Hamish and Angus, Simon, and Gabrielle. I found it particularly funny when Gabrielle practiced her pick-pocketing skills on Simon. What is Simon exactly? Is he a thief as well? I feel like that part wasn't very clear in the book. I particularly like how Katarina and Gabrielle's relationship turned out. Aside from the amusing kids, Marcus was so funny in the museum! I could tell he really enjoyed playing that bit against W.W. Hale the Fifth. After all, all those years of being a servant, then you get to be the boss of someone who won't or can't retaliate against you because you're just being in character, after all. :p

Arturo Taccone was not as scary in my mind as I think the author wanted to express. Perhaps it's because I needed something more concrete that happened presently, but he is evil as several characters keep pointing out. I just didn't feel that shiver or that hatred for a villain like I do with others, such as Opal Koboi.

Readers are left hanging in the end with some unanswered story lines. Did Katarina go back to Colgan? What happened to her mother? What kind of family did her mother come from, why is she so respected? How did her father get out of prison? How come Interpol did not look for Melanie? So, is Katarina and Hale really a couple? What in the world does W. W. stand for? I look forward to hopefully reading in the sequels the resolutions to these unanswered questions.

The plot was fast-paced. Definitely no lulls, and there was not a single instance when my eyes would glaze over and I'd start wondering why I'm reading this. No sirree. I really enjoyed the book, I'm raring to start ordering and reading the rest of the books in the series. This book definitely gets 4.5 stars in my list.

If you haven't read Heist Society yet, I definitely recommend it to YA lovers, especially those who enjoy kick-ass protagonists in a light-hearted book that can make you forget everything else. :)

What are you currently reading? Have you read Heist Society yet? Have a nice day!