Heist Society

Title:  Heist Society

Author:  Ally Carter
Location:  YA Carter A.
Level:  11 year olds and up

Katarina Bishop is from a crime family.  No, not the mafia.  She is from a family of thieves.  Her parents started using her for a decoy when she was three.  Now she has pulled her own con to leave the family and get into a prestigious boarding school, but someone is trying to frame her to get her kicked out of school.  Why would anyone do that?

Her Dad, even though he says he doesn’t want it, needs her help.  A major heist, only a master thief could accomplish, puts him right at the top of Arturo Taccone’s list.  Arturo really is a bad guy, the kind who could make a person sleep with the fish.  He’s convinced Kat’s Dad has his belongings.  How is Kat going to be able to return something they did not steal?  She has two weeks to put together a crew and figure it out.

Bottom Line:  Although having your Dad’s life and your own threatened doesn’t seem like a light subject this is a fairly light, fun read.  It has just a touch or hint of romance, likeable characters, and suspense. It’s a great book to take to the beach or on vacation.  Plus it’s fine for tweens.

E. Aster Bunnymund and the warrior Eggs at the Earth's Core

Title:  The Guardians Book 2:  E. Aster Bunymund and the Warrior Eggs at the Earth’s Core

Author:  William Joyce
Location:  J Joyce
Level:  7-10 year olds

I’m just as enthralled with the second book of The Guardians series as I was with the first.  These are fantastic tales; great for reading aloud.  They are full of magic and imagination.

WARNING- This review will mention characters and possibly events from Book 1 Nicholas Saint North and the Battle of the Nightmare King.

E. Aster Bunnymund begins right where book 1 ended.  Katherine, North and Ombric are still with the Luna Llamas learning what they can from them and the Yeti.  Nightlight patrols each evening making sure Santoff Clausen is safe.  Just as they think they have learned something to help their quest Katherine discovers Nightlight is missing.  It can only mean one thing; Pitch, the nightmare king, has returned.  Join our heroes as they make unusual journeys to discover what happened to Nightlight, where Pitch might be, and what unusual creature might help them.  Do you believe?  Who can stop Pitch this time?

Bottom Line:  Before older reader’s turn up their noses at childhood myths I ask, Did your parents tell you the” Easter Bunny” was a pooka with an army of sword wielding mechanized eggs?  Find out for yourself.  I enjoyed the story, figuring out what happend to Ombric's books, and learning more about the myths.  I'll definitely look for the next book.

Note:  This series is being made into an animated movie, Rise of the Guardians, to be released in November 2012.  Book 3 will be published fall 2012.