Books4Tomorrow: REVIEW: "DOUBLE CROSSED: A SPIES AND THIEVES STORY"

Title: “Double Crossed: A Spies and Thieves Story”

Series: (Heist Society #2.5; Gallagher Girls #5.5)

Author: Ally Cross

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Publication Date: January 22, 2013

Genres: YA, Mystery, Thriller

Reviewed by: Books4Tomorrow

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley

My star rating: 5/5

SUMMARY

Macey McHenry—Glamorous society girl or spy-in-training?

W.W. Hale V—Heir to an American dynasty or master thief?

There are two sides to every coin. Whether these two can work together is a tossup.

Born into privilege, Macey and Hale are experts at mingling with the upper class. But even if they’ve never raised an eyebrow at the glitz, neither teenager has ever felt at home with the glamour.

When Macey and Hale meet at a society gala, the party takes a dangerous turn. Suddenly they’re at the center of a hostage situation, and it’s up to them to stop the thugs from becoming hostile. Will Macey’s spy skills and Hale’s con-man ways be enough to outsmart a ruthless gang? Or will they have to seek out the ultimate inside girl to help?

The worlds of Heist Society and the Gallagher Girls collide in Ally Carter’s fast-paced, high-stakes and tantalizing new story. Get a behind the scenes glimpse as Ally delivers an irresistible thriller that is full of her signature style and savvy twists.

REVIEW

Anyone who has read the Heist Society series or Gallagher Girls series by author Ally Carter will more than likely agree that this novella, which collaborates characters from both these series, are a genius idea. I, on the other hand, haven’t yet read either of these series’ but after reading three chapters from each of the first books as bonus material in Double Crossed, I am eagerly looking forward to getting started on both.

That said, I enjoyed the sneak peeks of Heist Society and Gallagher Girls and as this is the first time I’ve read anything by Ally Carter, I can see why her books receive so much hype. In Double Crossed her impeccable writing style had me hooked from the word go, and her characters are lifelike and authentic. The author strays from overused clichés when it comes to character descriptions, and gives readers freedom to use their imagination in immersing themselves in a high society setting as it suits them. Using details sparingly, but highlighting the important ones to ground the reader, she takes us into a world which feels convincingly real and makes you feel right at home as though you’ve always been a part of it. The witty banter between Macey and Hale is heart-warming and I’m so darn grateful the author didn’t set them up as love-at-first-sight or characters who are instantly attracted to each other. Each character gets a turn to shine and combining their individual “talents”, they make a kick-ass team. In the space of eight chapters I’ve gotten to know Hale, Macey and Kat so well, it feels as though I’ve known them forever.

A clever plot, three unforgettable characters, and a lot of imaginative twists, have me uber excited to find out what Heist Society and Gallagher Girls are all about! This is one read I’ll definitely be highly recommending to friends and fellow bookworms alike.

I received a free copy of this novella from the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.