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)

 

Fan Art Friday: Heist Society

I didn't find very much, but I found enough to showcase.

The last three are obviously by the same artist, but I liked them all, so I included them all. I wish I could have found more characters and scenes. My favorite is the one that says Stealing Art and Stealing Hearts. I like the word art and the depiction of Kat.

Which is your favorite?

The pictures are linked to the source, so you may click on them and go check out more from these artists.

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.