reviews!

Heist Society

by Ally Carter

Young Adult fiction

due February 2010

If you like books about spies, criminals, art heists, and/or smart young people, this is the book for you. As in Carter's Gallagher Girls series, the characters in this book come from an extraordinary background: they all belong to an age-old family of thieves. Kat was among the best, but then she pulled off her biggest job yet--she left the criminal world and decided to go to school. It doesn't last long, though. After a few months she is called back among the thieves to save her father from a threat bigger than any she's ever seen.

I loved this book. The characters are believable, despite the fact that they're completely unbelievable. The action was intricate enough to make it good, but it wasn't too confusing. I hope there's going to be a second book--I can't wait to read it.

The Fire Opal

by Regina McBride

Young Adult fantasy

due March 2010

I come from a big Irish family, and I grew up hearing tales about selkies, the sidh, the tuatha de Danaan, Finn MacCool, and all the other myths. This book was written in the vein, with all the old lore worked into a pretty fantastical plot. Maeve O'Tullagh encounters a mysterious woman one day, and the woman gives her two small bottles to protect her mother and herself. However, soon after giving birth to Maeve's sister Ishleen, Maeve's mother falls into a strange sleep that she cannot be woken from. When Ishleen suffers the same ailment years later, Maeve must rescue them. During her journey she encounters all manner of strange creature, including a handsome Spanish sailor. I liked how faithful this book was to Irish lore.