Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society #2) Review & Giveaway

Title: Uncommon Criminals
Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Hyperion
Published: June 21, 2011
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 304
Source: Publisher

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.

Kat's got a reputation to uphold since the Henley job. Now that her crew is renown as one of the best in the world, it's no wonder that she's being courted for more jobs. Kat isn't sold on any of them until one rings a bell for her. A family wants Cleopatra's emerald back, as it was once rightfully theirs. It's the heist of a lifetime, and if Kat can pull it off, she'll be a legend. But before she can steal the emerald, she must unravel the clever web of deceit surrounding the emerald that's made it such a commodity in the first place, and that might be more than she and her friends can do. Kat's not going to give up though, and she's certainly not going to be outplayed.

I don't know why I waited so long to read book one in this series, Heist Society, but when I was approached to read Uncommon Criminals, you better believe I brushed up on book one. Ally Carter has created a fun and entertaining premise of a girl living in a family of thieves that wants nothing more than to be out of the business until she finds a way to make some good of who she is. Uncommon Criminals raises the stakes with a bigger and riskier job with a reward far better than book one. Written with a distinct, energetic tone, Uncommon Criminals is pure entertainment at its best that strings you along on a whirlwind adventure from start to finish.

Uncommon Criminals was a refreshing balance between romance and action, which I find lacking in a lot of contemporary fiction, so that was the best part for me. The meticulous details, the planning and the set-up of every bit of the heist made the story that much more believable. Without it, this could very well have been an amateur sleuth book. I also loved how developed Kat, Hale, Simon and Gabrielle became in Uncommon Criminals. By fleshing out the characters, the book added a layer of depth that was missing in book one. Plus, it allows the reader to see deeper into Kat's mindset as she set up her elaborate scheme. The pacing flows well between action, planning, backstory and romance, which intermingles for a fun, flirty tone. The only real qualm I ended up having with Uncommon Criminals was the fact that it followed pretty much the same formula as book one, and I would have loved a bit more of a wrench thrown into the mix. Think Oceans Eleven with teenagers, throw in a splash of Robin Hood's "righting the wrongs" philosophy and add a snarky, likeable protag, and you have Uncommon Criminals.

All in all, Uncommon Criminals was a fun, fast-paced read that kept me guessing and reading well into the wee hours of the morning. I give it a very strong 4 out of 5, and I'd recommend it to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy contemporary fiction, mysteries and crime stories.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

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Thanks to the lovely folks at Hyperion, I have a finished copy of Uncommon Criminals to give away to one of my lovely readers. The rules are simple. You do NOT have to be a follower, but it's always appreciated! This international giveaway ends promptly at midnight EST on June 22, 2011. Winners will be informed by email. Ready to enter?

Click HERE to enter!