Double Crossed: A Spies and Thieves Story (Novella) by Ally Carter

Ally Carter has released a new free novella that brings together the worlds of her two New York Times bestselling series: The Gallagher Girls and Heist Society! Eeep! I can't really explain how much I adore Carter's books. I'm more than a little obsessed with female spies and thieves plus these books are hilarious. And I love, love, love the idea of characters from the two books meeting!

Double Crossed: A Spies and Thieves Story is now available as a free ebook at all online retailers and here. Check out the description below:

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. 

The third book in the Heist Society series, Perfect Scoundrels, goes on-sale February 5th (FINALLY) and she’ll be on tour for two weeks! Click here to see if Ally will be in a city near you!

Review: Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter

Title: Only the Good Spy Young
Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Hyperion CH
Pub. Date: 6.29.10
Genre: Contemporary YA
Keywords: Spies, Romance, Family, Secrets, Lies, Action
Pages: 240
Description (from GoodReads):
When Cammie Morgan enrolled at the Gallagher Academy, she knew she was preparing for the dangerous life of a spy. What she didn’t know was that the serious, real-life danger would start during her junior year of high school. But that’s exactly what happened two months ago when she faced off against an ancient terrorist organization dead set on kidnapping her.

Now the danger follows her everywhere and even Cammie “The Chameleon” can’t hide. When a terrifying encounter in London reveals that one of her most-trusted allies is actually a rogue double-agent Cammie no longer knows if she can trust her classmates, her teachers—or even her own heart.
In this fourth installment of the New York Times best-selling series, the Gallagher Girls must hack, spy, steal, and lie their way to the truth as they go searching for answers, recognizing that the key to Cammie’s future may lie deep in the past....


The Gallagher Girls books are my guilty pleasure reads. Ally Carter never ceases to impress and ONLY THE GOOD SPY YOUNG is a wonderful addition to the series!


Sometimes, in series, there will be a book or two that serves as a bridge between more exciting installments, but this isn't the case with Carter's books. Each one is as action-packed as the last, there are more hilarious discussions and one-liners, and the plot is always twistier than ever. OTGSY delivers everything that I've come to expect from a Gallagher Girls novel... and more.


There were definitely some twists that I didn't see coming. And there were some twists that I thought I saw coming, but I was totally wrong. And while some readers might be disappointed after realizing they've jumped to the wrong conclusions, I was thrilled! I'm rarely surprised by novels and Carter's twists had me turned completely around.


For those of you who haven't read these novels, I assure you that there are always plenty of scenes with cute, smart boys. For those of you who have read the books, you know I'm referring to Zach. We learn a lot more about this spy boy in OTGSY, much to my delight! I can never get enough of his and Cammie's poking at one another! The tension and chemistry between the two is always fun and is definitely one of my favorite aspects of the novel.


Carter always ends each Gallagher Girl novels on a note that will torture me in months I spend waiting for the next book. She's always sure to wrap up what's just happened in the current novel and then she introduces something huge and then promptly ends the book. Which leaves me all wound up because I must know what happens next! The ending of OTGSY is no exception and I'm extremely interested to see how the next book will turn out. It's going to be so much different than the previous books... there are so many options for what could happen next!


I highly recommend all of Carter's novels, including the first in her new series, HEIST SOCIETY. They're always fun and filled with strong female characters and cute boys!


Grade: A+


Cover Notes:
I love the covers of Ally Carter's books! The titles are always clever and the ransom-note style is definitely fun. They look so pretty together on my shelf!

Review: Heist Society by Ally Carter

Title: Heist Society
Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Pub. Date: 2/9/10
Genre: YA
Main Themes: Thieves, Love, Family, Heists, Mystery
Pages: 304
Plot (from Good Reads):
When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own--scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected.


Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat's dad needs her help.

For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in history-or at least her family's (very crooked) history.

HEIST SOCIETY is absolutely amazing! When I heard that Ally Carter was writing a new book that wasn’t a Gallagher Girls book, I was intrigued. And, after reading the premise, I was unbelievably excited. Carter continues to write books that rock my socks off. For readers who love the GG books, HEIST SOCIETY is a must read and won’t disappoint. For those of you who haven’t read an Ally Carter book, for goodness sake, what are you doing!? Go out and pick one up now!

First off, I have to start off by saying that one of my favorite movies of ALL TIME is The Italian Job. So Ally Carter writing a book about a teenage thief who pulls off intense heists while attempting to solve a mystery definitely appealed to me. I mean, it would appeal to most people, but I was so excited that I literally jumped up and down. If HEIST SOCIETY wasn’t amazing, my heart would have been broken. Thank you, Ally Carter, for not breaking my heart.

The action in Carter’s novels has never disappointed me before, and HS was no exception. Carter includes all the little quirks that you would expect to find in this type of novel, but doesn’t fail to make it her own. I love stories about thieves because even though you know stealing is wrong and you would never do it. You want to hear about it, especially when it is so epic it can be called a heist.

The characters in Heist Society are fun and realistic. Kat was a great main character. I liked that she had all the skills and is one of the best, yet she wanted out of the family business. It added a twist to the story and, I think, made her easier to relate to. I main character who wants to steal from people is a bit hard to relate to. A girl who doesn’t really want to steal from people, but does it to save her father and just happens to be amazing at it is a lot more relatable.

And, of course, there is a boy. The boys in the GG books were good, but, in my opinion, they don’t hold a candle to Hale. He is definitely swoon-worthy! He always says the perfect thing and it is so obvious that he adores Kat… My favorite scenes in the novel were the ones with Kat and Hale!

Ratings (Out of 10):
Plot: 10
Characters: 10
Writing: 10
Romance: 10
Originality: 10
Total: 50/50 (A!)

Cover Comments: I'm a big fan of Heist Society's cover! I think the cover model looks gorgeous and the reflection of in her sunglasses fits the novel perfectly! (A)

Heist Society is one of my favorite 2010 novels that I've read so far. I can always count on Carter’s books to make me laugh, fall in love, and keep me on the edge of my seat and I'm so glad that HS maintains that truth. Heist Society is definitely a book that I'll be buying hardcover - because I just can't wait for the paperback!

Cover Alert: Heist Society by Ally Carter

Heist Society by Ally Carter (2/9/10, Disney Hyperion)

Any other student might have flinched in that bright spotlight, but from the moment Katarina Bishop had set foot on the Colgan campus, she'd been something of an enigma. Some said she'd gained her last-minute slot because she was the daughter of an incredibly wealthy European buisnessman who had made a very generous donation. Some looked at her perfect posture and cool demeanor, rolled her first name across their tongues, and assumed that she was Russian royalty--one of the last of the Romonovs.

Some called her a hero; others called her a freak.
Everyone had heard a different story, but no one knew the truth...

I adore Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls books and cannot wait until Heist Society is released. There aren't many authors that I love so much that I will rush out to get their books as soon as their book hits shelves, no matter what I've heard about it or how much it costs: Ally is one of those authors for me! It doesn't hurt that her books always have great plots, titles, AND cover art!

Ally Carter Book Tour: Bring Ally to Michigan!

Some of you may know that I love Ally Carter's books. Some of you may also know that she has a new book coming out next year, which will be the first in a new series, called Heist Society.

Need proof? Check out the links to my reviews of her books and my WoW post about Heist Society!
I'd Tell You I Love You, but Then I'd Have to Kill You
Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy
Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover
WoW post

Those first two reviews were done in my early days of blogging - so yes, they are horribly written. But still, proves my love for Ally's books right? :)

So, I implore you, all of you in Michigan and other Lake States, bring Ally to Kalamazoo, MI as a stop on her tour! Just click the handy button below!

View all Kalamazoo events on Eventful

Waiting on Wednesday (11)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine!

Heist Society by Ally Carter (2/9/10 from Disney Hyperion)
"When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own--scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat's dad needs her help.

For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in history-or at least her family's (very crooked) history."

I can't even describe how much I NEED this book! I love Ally Carter's Gallagher Academy books and this one looks just as amazing. I'm a hugh fan of Alias and her books are basically Alias for teens! Eeek!

Review: Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter

Title: Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover
Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Pub. Date: 2009
Genre: YA
Main themes: Spies, Spy School, Elections, Love, Family, Friendship
Pages: 263
Plot (from book jacket):
"When Cammie "The Chameleon" Morgan visits her roomate Macey in Boston, she thinks she's in for an exciting end to her summer break. After all, she's there to watch Macey's father accept the nomination for vice president of The United States. But when you go to the world's best school (for spies), "exciting" and "deadly" are never far apart. Cammie and Macey soon find themselves in a kidnappers' plot, with only their espionage skills to save them.
As her junior year begins, Cammie can't shake the memory of what happened in Boston, and even the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women doesn't feel like the safe haven it once did. Shocking secrets and old flames seem to lurk around every one of the mansion's corners as Cammie and her friends struggle to answer the questions Who is after Macey? And how an the Gallagher Girls keep her safe?
Soon Cammie is joining Bex and Liz as Macey's private security team on the campaign trail. The girls must use their spy training at every turn as the stakes are raised, and Cammie gets closer and closer to the shocking truth..."

I've been procrastinating doing this review for few days now... It isn't because it was a bad book, quite the contrary actually! I loved it! It is the perfect blend of boarding school drama, spies, romance, and mystery! It is just difficult to write a review for this book without saying: "Go read the first two!" I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You and Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy are both amazing books, but I think that this may have been my favorite one so far!

Cammie's aunt is a present throughout this installment of the series. Not only was she a pretty awesome character, I welcomed the knowledge and glimpses she gave the reader into Cammie's family and past. I feel like we will find out even more about that in the next book.

Speaking of the next book - I need to know what happens with Cammie and the guy in her life! I can't even give a name because if you haven't read book one and two, I don't want to ruin it for you! I'm totally in love with their love story. It is important to point out at this point that I am pretty much obsessed with the show Alias - so obsessed that I own all 5 seasons and have watched them multiple times. I may have cried when I watched the last episode... :S Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls books are basically Alias for a little bit younger crowd. Vaughn and Sydney from Alias? I'm as obsessed with Cammie and her love interest as I was with Vaughn and Sydney. There is just so much TENSION!

Ratings (Out of 10):
Plot: 10
Characters: 10
Writing style: 10
Romance: 10
Originality: 10

Total: 50/50 (A!)

Go out and read the Gallagher Girls books - they are some of my absolute favorite books! There is another book coming, but I haven't the slightest clue when (which drives me crazy because Ally Carter leaves you with questions and wanting more)!
I do know that Ally is writing a new series though. The first book is called Heist Society and comes out February 2010 from Hyperion. Here is a little blurb from GoodReads:
When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own--scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat's dad needs her help.

For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in history-or at least her family's (very crooked) history.

I want this book so badly! Perhaps if I were a thief/con man (or possibly a spy) I could just slip into Hyperion headquarters and steal the manuscript... alas, I am not... darn.

In My Mailbox (7)

IMM is hosted by Krisi, aka The Story Siren!

This week was a pretty good week in books: one book for review and a few from my awesome new library! :)


Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter
"When Cammie Morgan arrives at her friend Macey's five star hotel for the Democratic National Convention-where Macey's father is about to receive the vice presidential nomination-she thinks she's in for an exciting end to her summer break. But if you're a Gallagher Girl, "exciting" and "deadly" are never far apart.
Things quickly go south when Macey is summoned to the hotel roof to shoot a PR piece with the presidential candidate's son. But instead of cameras, attackers descend from a helicopter and swarm the girls, commanding, "Grab her." After a narrow escape, Cammie and Macey find themselves at a top secret hideout owned by the Gallagher Academy. and thus begins Cammie's junior year at spy school.
Cammie doesn't need her genius IQ to see that the kidnapping attempt has changed everything, especially now that Macey is a major celebrity, and the school has been besieged by news crews. More disturbing, Cammie can't shake the suspicion that her mom and Mr. Solomon know more about the attack than they're letting on. After all, why weren't the attackers surprised to find themselves in combat with two teenage girls who handled themselves like seasoned pros?
But these suspicions won't stop Cammie from jumping at the chance to join Bex and Liz as Macey's private security team on the campaign trail. Before long, the girls are using their espionage skills at every turn, as Cammie gets closer and closer to the shocking truth... "
I love the Gallagher Girls books - they are awesome! Look for my review for this one next week! I read it the day I got it... :)


Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog (out now from Delacorte)
"Morgan Sparks and Cam Browne are a match made in heaven. They've been best friends since birth, they tell each other everything, and oh yeah- they're totally hot for each other.
But a week before their joint Sweet Sixteen bash, everything changes. Cam's awkward cousin Pip comes to stay, and Morgan is stunned when her formerly perfect boyfriend seems to be drifting away.
When Morgan demands answers, she's shocked to discover the source of Cam's distance isn't another girl- it's another world. Pip claims that Cam is a fairy. No, seriously. A fairy. And now his people want Cam to return to their world and take his rightful place as Fairy King.
Determined to keep Cam with her, Morgan plots to fool the fairies. But as Cam continues to change, she has to decide once and for all if he really is her destiny, and if their “perfect” love can weather an uncertain future."
I'm so excited about Cyn Balog's upcoming novel, Sleepless, so I wanted to check out her first novel!


Swoon by Nina Malkin
Sin is Coming...Prepare to Swoon!
Torn from her native New York City and dumped in the land of cookie-cutter preps, Candice is resigned to accept her posh, dull fate. Nothing ever happens in Swoon, Connecticut...until Dice's perfect, privileged cousin Penelope nearly dies in a fall from an old tree, and her spirit intertwines with that of a ghost. His name? Sinclair Youngblood Powers. His mission? Revenge. And while Pen is oblivious to the possession, Dice is all too aware of Sin. She's intensely drawn to him—but not at all crazy about the havoc he's wreaking. Determined to exorcise the demon, Dice accidentally sets Sin loose, gives him flesh, makes him formidable. Now she must destroy an even more potent—and irresistible—adversary, before the whole town succumbs to Sin's will. Only trouble is, she's in love with him.
I've been wanting to read this one FOREVER! I fell in love with this cover of Swoon long before it came out and am so excited that I FINALLY get to read it!


Nothing But Ghosts by Beth Kephart
Ever since her mother passed away, Katie's been alone in her too-big house with her genius dad, who restores old paintings for a living. Katie takes a summer job at a garden estate where, with the help of two brothers and a glamorous librarian, she soon becomes embroiled in decoding a mystery. There are secrets and shadows at the heart of Nothing But Ghosts, symbols hidden in a time-darkened painting, and surprises behind a locked bedroom door. But most of all, this is a love story-- the story of a girl who learns about love while also learning to live with her own ghosts.
I haven't heard very much about this book, but I read a really good review for it once and was intrigued.


My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent
She doesn't see dead people, but…
She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.
Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next…
I've been waiting for a Harlequin Teen book to come out and I found this one at the library and snatched it!


Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink
Sixteen-year-old Lia Milthorpe and her twin sister Alice have just become orphans, and, as Lia discovers, they have also become enemies. The twins are part of an ancient prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other. To escape from a dark fate and to remain in the arms of her beloved boyfriend James, Lia must end the prophecy before her sister does. Only then will she understand the mysterious circumstances of her parents' deaths, the true meaning of the strange mark branded on her wrist, and the lengths to which her sister will go to defeat her. Debut novelist Michelle Zink takes readers on an unforgettable journey where one sister's fateful decision could have an impact of Biblical proportions. Prophecy of the Sisters is the first of three books.
I've been waiting to get this book for so long - and the Kzoo library totally had it!I am so happy! Can't wait to read it!!


Undead Much by Stacey Jay
Even Zombie Settlers with Super Hot Boyfriends get the Blues...
A few months ago I was a normal girl with a normal life. But that was before my power to Settle the Undead returned and someone tried to kill me with zombies.
Now I work magic and practice kicking butt while trying to find time for pom squad and my boyfriend, Ethan, and trying NOT to think about how freaky my life has become. It can be tough. Still…things could be worse…
Oh yeah, right:
1. Feral new super-strong zombies. Check.
2. Undead psychic hottie predicting a zombie apocolypse. Check.
3. Earth-shattering secrets that could land me in Settler prison for life. Check.
4. Cheerleader vs. pom squad turf war threatening the end of the half time as we know it. Check.
I’m going to need therapy (and a cookie) if I live through the week. Unfortunately I’m learning that’s not something Zombie Queens can take for granted.
Words cannot express how excited I am about this book! I'm am so excited to review it - I've was so sad when I read You Are So Undead to Me and found out how long I was going to have to wait to read the next one! Thanks Razorbill for the copy!