Perfect Scoundrels

Goodreads Synopsis:    Katarina Bishop and W.W. Hale the fifth were born to lead completely different lives: Kat comes from a long, proud line of loveable criminal masterminds, while Hale is the son of one of the most seemingly perfect dynasties in the world. If their families have one thing in common, it's that they both know how to stay under the radar while getting-or stealing-whatever they want. No matter the risk, the Bishops can always be counted on, but in Hale's family, all bets are off when money is on the line. When Hale unexpectedly inherits his grandmother's billion dollar corporation, he quickly learns that there's no place for Kat and their old heists in his new role. But Kat won't let him go that easily, especially after she gets tipped off that his grandmother's will might have been altered in an elaborate con to steal the company's fortune. Forced to keep a level head as she and her crew fight for one of their own, Kat comes up with an ambitious and far-reaching plan that only the Bishop family would dare attempt. To pull it off, Kat is prepared to do the impossible, but first, she has to decide if she's willing to save her boyfriend's company if it means losing the boy.

My Thoughts:

-    I love Kat and Hale's relationship. It is complex and full of tension. 

-    I love that these stories are about family, and the family business is theft! So great! It is so great to read about a family that is so loyal. Each member of the family watches out for each other and is always willing to step in and help.

-    I really enjoyed meeting other members of Kat's family.

-    I was binge watching White Collar while reading this, and it is a perfect companion for this novel. 

-    I wish I had some of Kat's skills.

-    This is a really fun series, and I'm excited that Ally is writing another one! 

Previous books in the Heist Society series:

(covers are linked)

 

Uncommon Criminals

Goodreads Synopsis:    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.

My Thoughts:

-    These books are really fun! I'm enjoying them a lot.

-    The tension between Kat and Hale gets ramped up a bit in this book. I loved it! 

-    I love that the story keeps the reader guessing. There is always a bit of mystery and suspense. I had no idea how Kat was going to pull off this particular "heist" until it was revealed. I also love the mystery surrounding certain characters.

-    The characters are so much fun! Not only is the main character awesome, but the supporting cast is equally as awesome. I usually don't like characters like Gabrielle, but she makes me laugh, and I can't help but love her. Hale is really winning me over, and I love Uncle Eddie and Charlie. Even the "bad guys" are fun. 

-    I think it is really clever that the author made up pieces of art and gems for these books. I would not be that creative. Ally describes these valuables in a way that makes you think they are legit too.

-    I can't wait to read the third book!

Previous book in the Heist Society series:

(cover is linked)

Heist Society

Goodreads Synopsis:    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.

My Thoughts:

-    This was a really fun story with great characters. It is very reminiscent of any "heist" movie like Ocean's Eleven and The Italian Job. I really enjoyed it.

-    Kat is a great main character. She is smart and has an awesome set of thief skills, but she also struggles with stealing things and how her family operates. 

-    I love Kat's family, and I love that the story is an all around family business. It is great to see a book with strong family ties. 

-    Some parts of the book felt a little slow to me, but I was interested the whole time, and I loved getting to the actual heist. 

-    I really enjoy Kat's relationship with Hale. There is tension there, and they've known each other for forever. I love romances that bloom from friendship. 

-    Very fun book, and it has Ally's humor and style all over it. I'm excited to read the rest of the series. 

Ally Carter

On Monday, I went to The King's English with Suey, Tori, and Jenni to see Ally Carter. She was promoting her newest Embassy Row book.

 

I haven't read the Embassy Row or Heist Society books, but I've read all of the Gallagher Girl books, and I enjoyed them.

Here is me and the gang!

Here is Ally giving her spiel. It was short and sweet, and she answered questions for most of the time. It was cool. She talks fast, but you can understand everything she is saying. She was really hilarious and highly entertaining. She had everyone laughing and smiling the whole time. She also had a fun Oklahoma accent that just made her more endearing. It was a fun event!

Here are some things she talked about:

 -    When she got the idea for her first Embassy Row book, she brainstormed the plot out with Holly Black.

-    She has always wanted to write a story about teens that live on Embassy Row. She was intrigued by kids having to grow up on a street with different languages, different culture, where everyone has diplomatic immunity, etc.

-    When asked who her favorite couple from her books was, she replied with Mr. Solomon and her. She would really like that. Ha!

-    The 10 year anniversary of the Gallagher Girl books is coming up, and they are getting new covers! Ally is in the middle of writing epilogues to add to each book. They will be from a different perspective than Cammie's. 

-    The hardest book she has had to write is Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy. She still had her day job at that point, and she had to write late into the night and into the morning. She talked about how hard it is to write a sequel. She wrote 3 completely different plots for that book. She kept saying how that book almost killed her.

-    Ally's advice for aspiring writers is to write! Don't be afraid of bad words. She related writing to an old hose. You have to let the water run to get the dirty water out.

-    She doesn't do a lot of research for her books. She makes up most of the gadgets and names them herself.

-    Ally loves to read historical romances. She thinks they aren't that different from what she writes.

Here is Ally signing books! She was so kind and talked to everyone in line.

Group photo with the author!

It was such a fun event! Thanks King's English!

United We Spy

From Goodreads:    Cammie Morgan has lost her father and her memory, but in the heart-pounding conclusion to the best-selling Gallagher Girls series, she finds her greatest mission yet. Cammie and her friends finally know why the terrorist organization called the Circle of Cavan has been hunting her. Now the spy girls and Zach must track down the Circle’s elite members to stop them before they implement a master plan that will change Cammie—and her country—forever.








My Thoughts:

-    This was a good and fitting ending to the Gallagher Girl series. This series started out as a silly and fun, but it turned into a thrilling spy adventure. It never lost the silly and fun though. 

-    I wonder how Cammie and her friends graduated with missing so much school, but I suppose what they were doing more than qualified them.

-    I loved the sisterhood of the Gallagher Academy. I want to be a Gallagher Girl.

-    I'm glad a few of the men came out as good guys. Not all boys are bad.

-    I love the relationship between Cammie and her friends. They are so loyal and fun. 

-    I loved Cammie's growth throughout the series. She became an amazing person and spy. I loved all the other characters development too. It was fun to watch them all grow up.

-    I'd recommend this book to my daughter, and I'm kind of excited for the day when I can share books like this with her. 

Previous Gallagher Girls Books

(click on cover to see my thoughts)

  
 

Out of Sight, Out of Time

My Thoughts:

-    Best book in the series by far!!

-    This book was more intense and mysterious. It was more of what I expect out of the spy book. I couldn't stop reading. 

-    The story reminded me of the Bourne Identity movie. 

-    Cammie is definitely not the the same girl she was at the start of this series. She has experienced a lot, and it has changed her. 

-    I LOVE LOVE LOVE that this book ties into the previous books. I want feel like I missed so many clues that became important. I want to re-read the series to catch everything. Very clever Ally Carter!

-    I'm glad I stuck with the series. It wasn't really going places, but things have changed! I wish it had gotten this good earlier, but I understand the build up now. 

-    Jury is still out on Zach. I think he is trust worthy, but I'm still not sure. 

Previous Gallagher Girls Books

(click on cover to see my thoughts)

  

Only the Good Spy Young

My Thoughts:

-    This is probably my favorite of the series so far. It was more intense with a lot of new twists and action. The stakes are getting higher. 

-    Cammie should be more worried about whether she can trust Zach or not and less about if she likes him or not. I don't trust him. He is shady.

-    So many questions, so little answers. I get frustrated with the "I can't tell you" answers. Grrr! Cammie has a right to know why her life is in danger.

-    It was fun to FINALLY see Blackthorne, at least part of it.

-    I feel like there are a lot of answers in Cammie's family history. I wish the books would delve into that more. 

-    I'm dying to find out what happened to Cammie's dad! 

-    I love Cammie's friends! 

-    I feel like the series is really taking off now, and I'm excited for the next two books.

Previous Gallagher Girls Books

(click on cover to see my thoughts)

  

Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover

From Goodreads:    When Cammie "The Chameleon" Morgan visits her roommate Macey in Boston, she thinks she's in for an exciting end to her summer break. After all, she's there to watch Macey's father accept the nomination for vice president of the United States. But when you go to the world's best school (for spies), "exciting" and "deadly" are never far apart. Cammie and Macey soon find themselves trapped in a kidnappers' plot, with only their espionage skills to save them.

As her junior year begins, Cammie can't shake the memory of what happened in Boston, and even the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women doesn't feel like the safe haven it once did. Shocking secrets and old flames seem to lurk around every one of the mansion's corners as Cammie and her friends struggle to answer the questions, Who is after Macey? And how can the Gallagher Girls keep her safe?

Soon Cammie is joining Bex and Liz as Macey's private security team on the campaign trail. The girls must use their spy training at every turn as the stakes are raised, and Cammie gets closer and closer to the shocking truth.

My Thoughts:

-    I didn't enjoy this one as much as the previous two.

-    Why does Cammie think she is more qualified to protect Macey than the Secret Service and other Gallagher Academy graduates? 

-    Zach bugs me. I think he is a jerk, and Cammie spends too much time worrying about him. He can't be trusted.

-    The ending seemed rushed and unfinished. I still have a lot of unanswered questions. 

-    The whole point of this book could have been done in a few pages. Did we really need a whole book to make us wonder who these Cavan people are? I would rather have read about Cammie trying to figure out who these Cavan people are and what their motive is. 

-    I really love the loyalty and dedication the Gallagher girls have for each other. I like that they refer to each other as sisters. 

-    Abbey was awesome! I liked her snarky and sassy attitude! 

Previous Gallagher Girls Books

(click on cover to see my thoughts)

 

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy

Back of the Book Says:    After staking out, obtaining, and then being forced to give up her first boyfriend, Josh, all Cammie Morgan wants is a peaceful semester. But that's easier said than done when you're a CIA legacy and go to the Gallagher Academy, the premier school in the world . . . for spies.

Despite Cammie's best intentions to be a normal student, danger seems to follow her. She and her friends learn that their school is going to play host to some mysterious guests - code name: Blackthorne. Then she's blamed for a security breach that leaves the school's top secret status at risk.

Soon Cammie and her friends are crawling through walls and surveilling the school to learn the truth about Blackthorne and clear Cammie's name. Even though they have confidence in their spy skills, this time the targets are tougher (and hotter), and the stakes for Cammie's heart - and her beloved school - are higher than ever. 

My Thoughts:

-    I really like this series. Cammie's personality cracks me up.

-    Well of course there is a spy school for boys! Where did they think Mr. Solomon and the other guys learned everything?

-    I really loved the relationship between the girls in the previous book, and I wish there had been more of that. The book focused a lot on Zach.

-    I don't trust Zach. He seems sketchy, and he doesn't seem hot. He is kind of annoying and arrogant.

-    Cammie and her mom have a weird relationship. It seems so strained and awkward.

-    I wish we could have gotten to know some of the other boys. Like I said, the book focused on Zach. 

Previous Gallagher Girls Book

(click on cover to see my thoughts)

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You

Goodreads Says:    The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women is a fairly typical all-girls school, that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE, the latest in chemical warfare in science; and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes computer class. So in truth, Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses, but its really a school for spies. Cammie Morgan is a second generation Gallagher Girl, and by her sophomore year she's already fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways (three of which involve a piece of uncooked spaghetti.) But the one thing the Gallagher Academy hasn't prepared her for is what to do when she falls for an ordinary boy who thinks she's an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, and track him through a mall without his ever being the wiser, but can she have a regular relationship with a regular boy who can never know the truth about her? Cammie may be an elite spy in training, but in her sophomore year, shes beginning her most dangerous mission; she's falling in love.

My Thoughts:

-    This is not the type of book I usually read, but it was a really fun and cute book. I'll have to add it to my guilty pleasure list. 

-    I loved Cammie's way of describing things sometimes. She is hilarious. I usually don't like over dramatic stuff, but the way Cammie dramatizes things is funny. 

-    Bex, Liz, and even Macey were all awesome! The close friendship these girls have is something any girl would want. 

-    I loved how the author captured the silliness and drama of being a teenage girl while still making them really smart and spies in training. 

-    I feel like the school system runs a lot like Hogwarts. I noticed some similarities anyway.

-    Josh was a really nice guy, but I really like that in the end, Cammie chose duty over cute boy.