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

Author: Ally Carter
First Published: April 2006
Publisher: Orchard Books
Series: Gallagher Girls #1
309 pages (paperback)

Cammie Morgan is a student at The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women. To the outside world, this is a school for rich young heiresses, elite and snobby young girls. But the truth is, the Academy is a school for training secrets agents -- spies.

Cammie's mother is the headmistress and her family (as most other girls' families at this school) have a long history with working for the CIA, MI6, Interpol, etc. Cammie's entire life has revolved around training to become a spy. She's not an ordinary girl, she lives no ordinary life, and she knows that.

During an exam in the field where she and her classmates must tail one of their teachers, Cammie is shocked to have a civilian boy named Josh who notices her and tries to talk to her. She's not supposed to be noticed when she's on a mission, she's supposed to totally blend in! At first, she and her classmates are freaked out that this and begin utilizing their secret agent knowledge to dig up all sorts of information about him. Is he working for someone sinister and trying to use Cammie in some way, especially since she is the headmistress' daughter??

But no ... actually, it turns out he is a very ordinary person. He talked to Cammie because he thought she was cute and wanted to ask her out! Cammie is suddenly in a completely new world -- boys? Dating? She has no idea what she's supposed to do, but decides to try out this new relationship anyway. Everything seems to be going well until she realizes she can never ever tell Josh that she's a secret agent in training, and not only because it, well, wouldn't make her a very good secret agent but because Josh and the rest of his friends hate the girls who attend the Gallagher Academy.

I randomly read book three years ago, when I didn't realize it was a part of a series. I don't really remember what happened in that book, but I think I liked it. Anyway, I recently acquired the entire series in paperback format so I'm going to read them all in order this time. I'm determined to read the entire series because I have re-fallen in love with Ally Carter's Heist Society series and wanted to read her other YA book series. To that end, I am a tad disappointed in this first book for the Gallagher Girls because I simply do not think it is anywhere as good as her Heist Society series. However, I liked it enough that I will definitely keep reading it (especially since I jumped the gun and  bought all 6 books already ...)

It's marketed more for young teenagers, and I thought the story was perfect for its age group (guess I'm a young teen at heart, hahaha). It was  a very solid story that was fun to read, and funny to boot. Whizzed through it pretty quick! This was a very cute story. I think cute is the right word for it. It is fairly short, it has a very simple story and concludes well. The characters all have their own personalities. Overall, I liked the story. The thing is, I'm not particularly impressed or in awe or whatever over any part of the story. Nothing really stuck out. At the same time, I don't have anything serious to complain about it either.

Well, this isn't really a complaint per se, but the book can be rather unbelievable. Not that I ever thought a secret spy school for teenagers was in the realm of reality, but sometimes it was really hard to believe these were 15 and 16 year old genius IQ girls who could take down a full grown man but can't handle socializing with a teenage boy. I think I aged them up in my mind. Anyway, have to go into this with an open mind and almost think of this story as a cartoon.

My Rating: 3/5

Perfect Scoundrels

Author: Ally Carter
First Published: February 2013
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Series: Heist Society #3
349 pages (paperback)

I love the Heist Society series, and I'm ashamed to say, I didn't realize book three had been out for so long already. I didn't really remember a lot of the details of books one and two, so I spent a whole day re-reading Heist Society and Uncommon Criminals (which are still as fabulous and fun to read as ever) to prep myself for Perfect Scoundrels.

Perfect Scoundrels was a brilliant read, but it was definitely different from the first two books. The first two books had memorable, huge heists. The Henley job. The Cleopatra Emerald job. But in this book, I don't think there was a true heist, though of course, there's a lot of conning and thieving still. In book three, things get personal.

The story begins with Hale unexpectedly discovering that his beloved grandmother, Hazel, has died. To his (and everyone's) surprise, her will states that Hale Industries will be left entirely to Hale, with the family lawyer, Mr. Garrett, as the trustee until Hale becomes of age. As Hale copes with the loss of his grandmother and his new role as the CEO of a mega-corporation, Kat makes a startling discovery: Hazel's will was forged!

Kat's put in an awkward position. How is she supposed to tell her maybe-boyfriend that he might not actually be the CEO? That somebody is using him?

With the help of her usual crew, Kat tries to find the real will without alerting Hale's suspicions. The search leads to a much larger mission where the entirety of Hale Industries is at stake. One wrong move and Kat and her entire thieving family may also be exposed to the world for what they really are.

I personally feel that this story was less heist-y than the previous two. It was more like a mystery novel to me. Not that that's a terrible thing; I actually really enjoyed this book and it's sort of nice to have a different experience from the typical big heist stories. Also, Hale. My favourite fictional character ... heh. Enough said about that.

This book expanded on Kat and Hale's relationship much more, and each one as individual characters. Kat's not sure if the two of them are a couple or not for a majority of the story, but by the end, Kat and Hale have reached a firm conclusion on their relationship status. I really love how it took them three books to figure out whether or not they want to be with one another. In a lot of YA novels, the leading female and male just to get together way too quickly, way too much in love too fast. Usually it's unbelievable. But Kat and Hale's relationship is just perfect to me. Nothing too cheesy, nothing too quick.

I also loved how this third book finally brought Kat's entire family into the spotlight more. You know, in the first two books, you hear a lot about how the rest of the family are infamous thieves, legends even. But it's not until this third book that you see them in action. Really, it's quite touching, everyone banding together for one of their own. Oh I know, Hale is not really related to any of them by blood, but as the character reiterate over and over again, Hale's a part of their world; he is family. And yes, he also happens to fund a lot of their thieving adventures, but that's besides the point, haha.

As for the actual plot, like I said, this was not a true heist story in my opinion, but I did like the mystery and the chase. There's a lot more conning in this book, which is always fun. And the Henley makes a brief cameo again, haha. I was mildly disappointed that they didn't steal anything in this book, because that's what I've come to associate the Heist Society series with, but overall, I'm very satisfied. A fun, fast read.

Now I must go catch up with the rest of Ally Carter's books ... apparently she's also released an entirely new series while I was, I don't know, hiding under a rock or something.

My Rating:

Uncommon Criminals

This post first published July 14, 2011.

Author: Ally Carter
Published: June 21, 2011
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Series: Heist Society #2
298 pages (hardcover)
 
If you’ve read my old review on Heist Society, the first book, back in August of 2010,  then you’d know that, while I thought the book was overall an awesome book, I also said the ending was a little disappointing because Kat and Hale’s relationship was just left hanging and we never figure out the identity of Romani. So I’d like to sort of preface this review by saying I had NO idea, at the time, that Heist Society was going to be a series. After discovering the existence of Uncommon Criminals, it has become clear that Kat and Hale’s relationship, as well as Romani’s identity, are part of an overarching plot of the entire series. My point is — scratch out what I said at the end of my Heist Society review.

Uncommon Criminals is book two of the Heist Society series. And I loved it! Love love loved it. This is one of those kinds of books where once I sit down to read it, I don’t get up from my seat until I’m done. I think it is even better than the first book. I had kind of expected the second book to basically be about another heist Kat pulls with her crew, and while Kat of course, does pulls a heist or two, the plot is not as straightforward as it was in book one.

Katarina Bishop is not an ordinary fifteen year old kid. She is a master thief, a part of one of the world’s best criminal families who have turned grand larceny into an art form. Unlike her family though, Katarina is not stealing masterpiece artworks for herself though. Katarina acts like a modern day Robin Hood, returning lost or stolen artworks to their rightful owners. After the events of Heist Society, though, Katarina has been pulling more and more heists — alone. She attributes her desire to pull more heists to the high she gets from stealing. When she is approached by a vulnerable old woman who asks her to steal the largest emerald in the world, the Cleopatra Emerald, because it was stolen from her family, Kat agrees, despite Hale telling Kat not to. Reluctantly, he helps her with this heist, along with Kat’s cousin Gabrielle.

Kat’s feeling great after helping the old woman out but her feelings quickly do a one-eighty when she realizes she’s been conned. Despite verifying the woman’s story, it turns out that woman had fed Kat a cock and bull story and that she is the real thief. Embarrassed at first, Kat doesn’t know what to do, but with the help of Hale and her friends and family, Kat is determined to steal the world’s most un-steal-able emerald … again. As Kat plots and plans, she realizes her adversary, this old woman, is not who she appears to be. She’s possibly the greatest con artist in the world and perhaps an even better thief than Kat.

It’s another Ocean’s 11-esque plot, but I personally found this one much more exciting than the first heist in the first book, even if a little predictable. The story moved at a quick, brisk pace; it’s thrilling and exciting and I was kept at the edge of my seat, figuratively speaking. The heist(s) are still as large scale as ever (and most likely completely implausible, but hey, it’s fiction). I was fully immersed into the story, and I can’t wait for more books to come out.

I did say Kat and Hale’s relationship wasn’t exactly resolved at the end of Heist Society, and it isn’t resolved in Uncommon Criminals either, but it does move forward. A little bit, baby steps. Kat and Hale’s relationship is one of my favourite things about this series … okay, admittedly, this is mainly because I think I am in love with Hale (whose first name we still don’t know and he still won’t tell Kat and I have a feeling we may simply never know. I am most definitely attracted to his mysteriousness). Still, I really love how Kat and Hale’s relationship isn’t carelessly slapped together, and isn’t based on something as superificial as looks (though I still imagine Hale as super hot in my mind); there is care in constructing it. And they’ve got a good backstory too.

Now, with all that said and done, I do want to point out that while you can most certainly read Uncommon Criminals without first reading Heist Society, it’s definitely not something I’d recommend. Yes, you will understand the plot and figure out who’s who pretty easily, but I don’t think you will fully appreciate the characters’ relationships and motivations. For example — Kat and Hale’s relationship. Or why Kat wants to return stolen items rather than continue the “family business” of stealing for themselves. These are things you don’t need to understand book two, strictly speaking, but I think you will be robbing yourself of the full experience of the book.

So, if you haven’t read Heist Society and Uncommon Criminals yet, go grab yourself a copy now! And if you’ve already read Heist Society but not Uncommon Criminals … well, what are you waiting for?

My Rating: 5/5

Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover

This post originally published September 19, 2010.
 
Author: Ally Carter
Published: June 2009
Publisher: Hyperion Books
Series: Gallagher Girls #3
263 pages (hardcover)
 
Having read and enjoyed Ally Carter’s Heist Society very much, I decided to read some other books by her and came across this one (at the library). Unfortunately, at the time, I didn’t realize this book was part of a series as the book didn’t give any hints of being part of one. This book is actually the third book in a series about Cameron Morgan and her special school that trains spies. I kind of figured out that I was reading a book that was a part of a series a chapter or two in, but luckily, I discovered you don’t need to have read the previous books to understood and enjoy this one. (I mean, I’m sure it helps and adds to the experience, but I got through this book just fine without the prior knowledge).

Cameron Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, an elite finishing school to the outside world, but is secretly a school for training female spies. Cammie is on vacation at the moment though and supporting her friend Macey as Macey’s father accepts the nomination for Vice President of the United States. A political convention goes wrong though when a team of seemingly trained operatives trap the girls and attempt to kidnap Macey! Fortunately, they manage to escape but as Macey’s father continues his campaign, it appears that the kidnappers are determined to succeed in their mission and it is up to Cammie to make sure her friend stays safe.
Despite not having read books one and two, like I mentioned before, didn’t hinder me from enjoying this one. It’s my first time being exposed to Cammie and the Gallagher Academy, and I have to say, I really like the idea of a secret school that is training spies! And when I say secret school, I don’t mean secret like Hogwarts where only people of magic can see and visit it; the Gallagher Academy, like the spies, are good at disguises and whenever the school needs one, it’s ready! Bookshelves turn around and are filled with ‘normal’ books, classroom plaques flip over to read normal things like ‘Biology’ instead of ‘History of Espionage’, secret classrooms built underground … I loved immersing myself into the world. I wish Cammie wasn’t so rebellious and trying to escape all the time, I would have loved to got to know the school more and how they educate spies-in-training! (Maybe the first two books do that, I don’t know).

I really liked the book, although something about the plot didn’t seem as ‘secret-spy-story’ as it could be, to me. I guess, when I pick up a book about spies, I expect something a little more on the drama/epic side. Cammie and her fellow students are all around sixteen years old, so the story also touches base a lot with things like friendship and of course, boys and the ever puzzling question of ‘Does he like me, or doesn’t he?!’. Don’t get me wrong, there’s action and there’s fun, but there’s a slight juvenile element to it all. Then again, it is a book for teenagers (teenage girls, to be exact). I haven’t read the first two books so I can’t compare them and tell you if the this book deviated from a norm set by the first two, or stayed the same, but that’s the way I felt about this one.

Anyway, this is the perfect book to read if you want something fun and fast. The plot is entertaining and, while not exactly jaw-dropping, it is also unpredictable. The characters are all fairly likeable; nobody stood out for me, but at least nobody annoyed me so much that I want to reach into the pages and hit them over the head with a frying pan either. A book that I feel mainly (or perhaps, only) girls or females that are young-at-heart can enjoy, but yeah, if you fall in those categories, you should definitely try it out! (Maybe you’d want to read the series in order though, unlike me). I’m going to hunt for the first two books before continuing on to the fourth!

My Rating: 4/5

Heist Society

This post originally published August 24, 2010.

Author: Ally Carter
Published: February 2010
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Series: Heist Society #1
287 pages (hardcover)
 
If you like stories about con artists and thieves in Ocean’s 11 style, then this is the story for you. It certainly entertained me; I think this book is brilliant and I’m really glad I plucked it off the library book shelf first, haha. (Admittedly, I was intrigued by the cover. It’s a pretty gorgeous cover)!
Fifteen year old Katarina Bishop is trying something new — boarding school. Prior to this, she has never been to school; instead, she had been traveling all around the world with her family doing ‘jobs’, ever since she was three. You see, Katarina’s family are professional thieves, stealing famous artworks, statues, jewels, and the like. But Katarina wants out and thus, conned her way into the best boarding school — her last con, of course. That is, until her dear friend W.W. Hale the Fifth (she (and the reader) never find out what the W’s stand for) took the liberty in getting her expelled from school so that she has to come back to the life. Kat’s father has been accused of stealing five of the most priceless paintings in the world, although for once he is actually innocent. Unfortunately, the victim of the crime is extremely upset, and is threatening Kat’s father’s life unless the paintings are returned. Thus, Kat is needed to plan one more heist job — stealing the stolen paintings — in order to save her dad.

I really loved this story, it was fun to read about Kat and her crew of thieves planning and preparing for the big heist job. It’s supposedly an impossible job because the real person who stole the paintings is even more talented in their profession than them and anyway, I just loved reading about how they get through various types of security systems, how they “borrow” equipment that they need, how they dress up in different identities in order to con information out of people. I love this kind of stuff, it was like this book was written for me! Stories with puzzles of some sort that need to be solved (in this case, how to break in to X place and steal Y) really intrigue me.

The only weird thing was that the crew, including Kat, are all supposed to be around fifteen years old, and I don’t know, I just have a really difficult time envisioning any fifteen year doing these things. Not to mention they just seem way too mature for fifteen (well, most of the characters). Wasn’t a problem though, I just kept imagining them as twenty-something year olds in my head, haha. I really, really loved W.W. Hale’s character (or just Hale, as he is called). First of all, he is sort of mysterious because you never find out what the W’s stand for in this name. Secondly, he is a billionaire whose parents are never home at all, and all he has is his old butler to keep his company, and I don’t know why but that sort of reminded me of Batman (???). Thirdly, he is witty, charming and good looking. He is actually not a thief per se, but he does co-operate with Kat and her crew and help them along (it’s always nice having a billionaire on your side). He and Kat met when Kat tried to steal something from his mansion years ago, I thought that was a cute story. It’s so obvious Hale likes Kat too. Ahh, I really love Hale …

A few scenes were a bit confusing if you read too fast (as I do all too often), but it’s all really exciting. The ending was a tad disappointing because there’s no ‘conclusion’ to Kat and Hale’s relationship and you never find out who stole the paintings originally (which felt like a huge let-down, as if as huge part of the story is just left unexplained) but if you exclude the ending, well, the rest of the book is fabulous.

My Rating: 4.5/5