Book Review: Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Heist Societ by Ally Carter
Publication Date: 1st July, 2011
Published by: Hachette Australia
Source: Thanks to Hachette Australia


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.
Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules.

My Review:

Favourite Quote:  Luck is a strange thing in the life of any thief and halfway decent con man.  What is it that keeps the mark from counting the till or the guards from looking up at precisely the wrong moment?  Kat had learned at a very young age that luck is for the amateur, the lazy---those who are unprepared and unskilled.  And yet she also knew that luck, like most things, cannot be truly missed until it is also truly gone.

When it comes to sequels they can be a scary thing especially when you love the first book.  But Uncommon Criminals is just as good as Heist Society.  Once again Ally Carter offers all the right elements for another fun read - clever writing, a quick and suspenseful plot and entertaining characters.

Again there were plenty of twists in this cleverly constructed plot making it impossible to put Uncommon Criminals down.  And when I did I was thinking about all the ways Kat could possibly get herself out of trouble this time.   I also love how Carter brilliantly describes the settings.   She really knows how to capture the beautiful places like Monte Carlo the crew visits and you can picture everything perfectly thanks to Carter's wonderful writing.    

Kat is a genuine and likeable character.  She is independent, smart and stubborn.  In this instalment Kat has to learn to that she doesn't have to do everything on her own even if she doesn't need help.  That it is okay to want help from her crew.  Kat showed a lot growth.  I also love the distinctive bunch of secondary characters.  As soon as I started the book I was eagerly awaiting when Hale, Gabrielle, Simon or the Bagshaw brothers would pop up in the story and when they did they didn't disappoint.

I know fans of the first book will be wondering about the romance.   Does anything happen with Hale? Well all I can say is the spark is still there and you will have to read the book (I recommend immediately).

Overall, this is one addictive series that I highly recommend. I really hope Carter writes a Heist Society #3.

Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Plot: 5/5
Character: 4.5/5
Romance: 4/5
Cover: 4.5/5 - I love how the covers match perfectly.

For more info:  Visit Ally Carter's website or Date a Book.

For more reviews: I Swim For Oceans and holes In My Brain

STAY TUNED THIS WEEK FOR A GIVEAWAY FOR THIS SERIES!!!

44 comments:

Anonymous said...

I heard many great things about this series. It seems intriguing. I have only read one book about heist. It is Stealing Heaven and I quite enjoy reading it. I guess I will like this series too. Great review! I really have to read this.

Misha said...

I need to get the first in the series! I have never read a YA book with a thief as the main character :D Kate sounds like a great protagonist!

Ange said...

Great review! I can't wait to start this series!

Savannah said...

Thanks for this review! I been wanting ti pick up these books.They sound great!

Jenny said...

Oh yay!!!! I always get nervous reading second books two, I want so badly to love them as much as the first and I usually don't, but this seems to be an exception:) This series just looks like so much fun, definitely going to pick them up as vacation reads at the end of the month!

Leanna Elle said...

Sounds like another great read! I'm always nervous about sequels too, so glad to hear this lives up to the first book!

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad you liked it!
I liked the first book, though it took me a while to get into it. And I'm glad there is still a spark between Hale and Kat.

Missie, The Unread Reader said...

I've read some part of this book after reviewing and I still feel the same, underwhelmed. LOL

I guess I just wanted things with Hale to end a bit differently. But I still love the characters and would be willing to follow them for more heist adventures.

Great review. Glad you liked it so much.

Melissa (Books and Things) said...

Hm... I should get this series. I mean book one was good and now so was this one. Plus, I do like it when right/wrong are not so black/white.

A Canadian Girl said...

You can't even give me a teeny tiny hint if anything happens with Hale?! I've got a bunch of reviews to do for ARCs but as soon as I'm even a little free, I'm reading this one. I love all the characters and can't wait to see what they're going to do.

Alison Can Read said...

Great review. I'm glad you liked the romance in this one. I've heard another review say it wasn't as good. Nice to hear multiple POVs.

Teddyree said...

Haven't read this series but I'm glad to see that the sequel lives up to the first book :)

Rummanah Aasi said...

I've heard mixed reviews about this one, but I'm really glad you enjoyed it. I loved the first book, it was a fun, easy read that I finished in one setting. Can't wait to pick this book up!

kai (amaterasu) said...

Great review! I've been very intrigued about this Hale guy, and the romance of course, so I'll definitely be checking this series out. :)

Jammie said...

Great Review! I am looking forward to reading this series :D

Erin W. said...

Great review!

Cherry said...

I like twisty plots... the thing with serieses is that sometimes they get to be predictable... but with twisty and surpriseful plot, this book is looking like it's not gonna be boring :)

Unknown said...

this just makes me want this book more, I almost preordered it, but opted to pre-order Devoted by Hilary Duff instead, but everytime I see this book mentioned somewhere.. I cringe with jealousy!

Skye (In The Good Books) said...

Ooh, great review! I have a copy on its way to me and this just makes me all the more eager to start it! Ally Carter's books are definitely some of the most fun I've ever read.

Chey said...

Eek! I can't wait to read this. Thanks for sharing!!

Unknown said...

this series is really interesting! have heard lots about it! ;) thanks.

Zemira said...

Can't wait to read this one!

Nikita said...

Sounds great and I really want to read it! :) I hope there will be Heist Society #3 too!

Andra Lyn said...

Great review! This makes me REALLY wanna read it :D I am going to get the first one today, and probably reading all night and getting this one tomorrow lol

Wendy Darling said...

Wonderful review as always, Nic. :) You're responsible for so many of the books on my TBR list...

Kaye M. said...

I love this cover. And this author. And this book series.

Honestly, I think I like this cover a bit more than the first one. There's more of Kat to be seen, for one thing, not just her sunglasses. She looks really confident too.

Vivien said...

I'm glad you enjoyed the second one as much. That bodes well for the series.

Lyndsey Lore said...

Oh good. The sequel is good too! Now I'm even more excited.

Laura Hartness said...

This series is burning a hole in my shelf! Thanks for the review and giveaway!

Laura Hartness

Flannery (The Readventurer) said...

This series has so many things I love to read about--makeshift families (people who aren't related but grew up calling each other familial names), hot guys, rich people who can afford anything, snarkiness, and thieves. Oo la la!

I'm happy the second one is as good as the first. I'm so looking forward to reading it. And I'm very, very glad that Hale is in this one as well. (but a little sad you wouldn't give us any of the deets!)

Melissa @ Book Nerd Reviews said...

Excellent review, this series sounds awesome.

Rommel Fernandes said...

Need to read this book too. Thanks for the wonderful review.

WickedWillow said...

Nice review!!
I am totally planning on reading this book now!
Xx

Anonymous said...

great review nic . glad to hear that its as good as the first :)

Sapphired Dragon said...

Interesting. I have now seen two rave reviews for this book and one lukewarm one. I guess that gives me good eason to pick it up and see for myself :p thanks for yreviewing another book for me to put on my TBR list :-)

Anonymous said...

Great review! I finished Heist Society about a week ago, and can't wait to read the sequel! <3 Hale!

KimboSliceAus said...

Sounds interesting! :)

Book Passion for Life said...

It sounds an interesting book. I may have to put it on my tbr list. Thanks!

jayjay said...

I want to start this series soon after this review! great review!!

Small Review said...

Sequels really ARE scary! So glad to hear this sequel lives up to the first book. I like it when characters grow and the romance sounds like it's nice and realistically paced. Definitely going to check out this series now.

ZoeRainDasher said...

I don't know how I lived before Heist Society and Uncommon Criminals..

Honestly, Ocean's 11 with teens ... That's so cool!

I read it a few weeks ago and couldn't stop thinking about Kat and Hale and heists.

NatyGry said...

Thank you for the awesome review!

Anonymous said...

Great review!

I really want to read this book!

Unknown said...

I'm glad this wasn't a let down! Can't wait to read it!

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