Review: Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

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.

Review:

Ally Carter- you are a genius! I adore each and everyone of her books and Uncommon Criminals is no exception. Packed full of intrigue, adventure, twists, and mystery this was one fantastic and addicting read. While I wasn't sure how this could live up to the amazingness of Heist Society, it truly did. The characters, the plot, the romance... all of these aspects of Uncommon Criminals kept me glued to the pages and laughing and gasping at random intervals.

The story line of Uncommon Criminals was entirely fresh and exciting. Kat is asked by an elderly woman to steal the Cleopatra Emerald that was stolen from her parents many years ago. Kat is all for stealing things to return them to their rightful owners so she jumps at the chance. Unfortunately, there are a few problems. For starters, the Emerald hasn't been seen in years and it is supposedly cursed. But Kat isn't backing down and soon she and her crew are involved in the heist of a lifetime. New characters, impressive tricks, and crazy destinations are all a part of this exciting new novel by Ally Carter.

The idea of the Cleopatra Emerald and it's history was incredibly interesting and it made for a great sub-plot. Kat and her friends were forced to make some difficult decisions and were faced with some hard choices. Nothing was ever as it seemed and there were so many twists and turns in the plot that I never knew how things would end up.

I love all of the characters in this series. Kat, Hale, Gabrielle, Simon, Hamish, Angus... they are such an inspiring and creative group of teenagers. They work well together and can pull off just about anything. Kat and Hale, of course, are my two favorites and watching their relationship develop in Uncommon Criminals was one of my favorite parts of the book.

The different settings also added an extra element to the story. Kat and her friends were able to travel to some exotic destinations and see some very interesting sights.

Overall, Uncommon Criminals was a captivating and edge-of-your-seat read that I devoured. It threw me for a loop several times and I never knew what was going to happen next. Kat and Hale are two of my favorite YA characters and I loved all of the plot twists and unexpected occurrences. I'm hoping she writes a third book and I can only imagine what Kat and the rest of the gang will experience next! If you enjoyed Heist Society, in my opinion, this one was even better! I highly recommend picking Uncommon Criminals up today!

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars

June 21, 2011/Disney*Hyperion/298 Pages/Young Adult/Book Two

Source: Publisher (Hardcover)

Other books in the series: Heist Society