2014 has already come and gone and I have yet to share with you my favorite reads of the year. For those who don’t follow me on social media, the answer as to why is simple: I was dying of the plague. Okay, not really. I REALLY had the flu. And not just one. I had TWO different strands. So for my Christmas vacation, I spent 16 days in bed. Sleeping. Barely moving. Barely reading—which is the real tragedy. But now that we have enjoyed a full two weeks of 2015, let me share with you my favorite reads of 2014. First, I met my Goodreads goal of 115 books. As a matter of fact, I didn’t meet it—I spanked it. By year’s end I read 144 books (mostly YA and mysteries). I really like rounded up numbers, so I am bummed I didn’t reach 145, but hey, since I spanked my original goal, I will take it. Of those 144 boys, below I am sharing with you 15 of my favorite tween/YA reads in no particular order. Enjoy! ‘The Impossible Knife of Memory’ – Laurie Halse Anderson I did...
I absolutely loved, loved, loved this sequel to Heist Society. These novels always make me think of To Catch a Thief, and if you have not seen this movie, you must do so immediately! It's Cary Grant and Grace Kelly - you cannot go wrong.
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| LOVE the cover |
Summary (from Goodreads):
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 simply… 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, 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.
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 simply… 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, 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.
My thoughts:
Thievery, intrigue, and romance make up this sequel.
Kat has decided to give up the thieving business. Now she will only steal in order to restore something lost back to its owner. Her latest case? The Cleopatra Emerald. There is one slight problem. Her uncle has forbidden her to steal it – and not just because it is cursed. Kat wants to stay true to her new principles, but she does not want to let others down. There are decisions that have to be made, rules that must be broke, and new strategies that must be created.
Kat will be pushed to her limits in this latest novel, questioning everything about her life as well as those she calls family. With quite a few twists and turns, readers will remain engaged as we travel around the world in search of the ultimate heist.
And let’s not forget Hale – the hotty Mchotty friend of Kat’s who wants to be more than friends. Since Kat seems to not be “interested” he will settle on helping her in her latest adventure, no questions asked. It is his unconditional trust and faith in Kat that make him a suitable foil for her.
While reading I found myself thinking, more than once, “Are these two going to get together or what?!” I remember hearing Myra McEntire talk about editors asking authors to save the kissing for later in the book to keep readers wanting more. For this reason, I do not fault Carter for this plot device, but man I was ready for the kissing – and I wanted a lot of it.
The traipsing around the globe to obtain the Cleopatra Emerald was a wild ride. One thing I really enjoy about the Heist books is how Carter moves the audience through time within the plot with a countdown. It is on these pages that I could hear music and special effect sounds playing in my mind. This novel is no different. Think Mission Impossible meets James Bond meets Jason Bourne. These combinations create the soundtrack I hear when I read these novels.
The heist itself challenges Kat and all she knows about the thieving world, and her uncle, but it brings out the best in our young thief. She must step beyond the current bounds of heisting to find and create her own style, one that will leave fellow thieves in awe of her skills. After all, she is just a “child” who discovers that she is quite an uncommon criminal. I really enjoyed the twists with this part of the plot. On more than one occasion I found myself thinking, "Now that's clever."
This series will appeal to adventure readers, those looking for a bit of action, and for those who just love a solid story. Kat is a likeable thief with a heart of gold, and the minor characters help provide the perfect backdrop to an intriguing, page-turning story.
The plot is clever and well-developed, the characters are a riot, and the Cleopatra Emerald is worth the heist.
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