Review: Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks

Title: Evil Genius
Author: Catherine Jinks
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Date: May 1st 2007
Pages: 552
Genre: Young Adult, , Crime/Mystery 
Series: Genius #1
Source: Hardcover


Goodreads Summary:


Cadel Piggott has a genius IQ and a fascination with systems of all kinds. At seven, he was illegally hacking into computers. Now he’s fourteen and studying for his World Domination degree, taking classes like embezzlement, misinformation, forgery, and infiltration at the institute founded by criminal mastermind Dr. Phineas Darkkon. Although Cadel may be advanced beyond his years, at heart he’s a lonely kid. When he falls for the mysterious and brilliant Kay-Lee, he begins to question the moral implications of his studies for the first time. But is it too late to stop Dr. Darkkon from carrying out his evil plot?


An engrossing thriller with darkness and humor, freaks and geeks, Evil Genius explores the fine line between good and evil in a strange world of manipulations and subterfuge where nothing is as it seems.


Review:


I have had this on my TBR list for quite a while. A couple of years and just now found time to check it out. It was a good book. It was humorous read but also a very suspenseful read.

Cadel has been a genius all his life. He is adopted and his adoptive parents are not sure what to do with him. Cadel’s problem is he gets bored. Normal everyday stuff just does not keep his interest. He has skipped a couple of grades and really doesn’t have any friends. After being busted for hacking, his adoptive parents take him to a shrink and then enroll him in a private school. His shrink is a little off and doesn’t seem to have a problem with his hacking and nuisance crimes. He actually encourages them. Cadel graduates at a very young age and enrolls in a college that the shrink advises. That’s when things really start to happen. Before Cadel knows what’s going on he is thrown into a mess of murder, treachery, and lies.


I did have fun with this book; my only complaints are that I always saw Cadel as the 7 year old boy the book starts off with. By the end of the book he is 14 years of age but still acts and thinks (emotionally not mentally) like a 7 year old boy. I think he would have matured some. The other problem I had was the summary of the book states that book is about Cadel when he is 14; over half of the book is from ages 7-13. It seemed the beginning of the book was more for middle age and the end of the book for young adult.


I will however, continue to read the series because of the ending. The book ended on a very high note for me. There were some things in the book I could see coming but some were kept as surprises. The trouble never seems to cease for Cadel and I must finish the series to see how it all wraps up.


Rating: 

Review: Heist Society by Ally Carter

Title: Heist Society
Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Date: February 9th 2010
Pages: 287
Genre: Young Adult,  Crime Mystery 
Series: Heist Society #1
Source: Hardcover 

Goodreads Summary:

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 Kat back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has a 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 her family's history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

Review:

This book was exciting, thrilling, and a little bit emotional for me. I have to admit I am a softy and found myself really touched in some parts.

The book is about a teenage girl, Kat, who wants nothing more than to escape the life of crime her family has always been involved in. Seems simple enough and she was doing a great job until her father is suspected of robbing a mob boss. Now Kat has to involve herself once again in the family business and pull off the biggest job of her life. With the help of her family and friends, she puts the plan together and into action.

I found myself really engaged in this story. It was fun to see how all the young con artists minds work and how all the puzzle pieces fit together. It was thrilling to be on this side of the crime. Most of the books I read are from the good guys point of view not the bad guys. Even though Kat is attempting a huge robbery, I couldn’t help but root for her.

Kat is a good girl, she really doesn’t want to live the life of crime, but one the one thing that means more than a crime-free life to her is family. She may have not grown up with the best father, but she loves him. She will do what is needed to save him. She is smart, lovable, and witty. I pictured her as a girl next door with a tendency to be devious. She learns more that what she has bargained for in this story, and soon finds her abnormal gifts to pull off cons may have a purpose after all.

This book had me laughing out loud one moment and tearing up in the next all while on the edge of my seat. I am really looking forward to reading the next installment.

Rating:

Mailbox Monday #9

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

Library:

 

 

Purchased:

 

Audible:

Follow Friday #9

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Rachel of Parajunkee and Alison of Alison Can Read! 

Q: What is the best book you've read in the last month? What is the worst book you've read in the last month?

The best book I have read. Hard to narrow it down.... Here are a few of my faves....

The worst... Well the one I did not enjoy really at... but I think its still a good book. Just not my thing... It was a great concept for a story and the writing is well done. It was just slow and boring for me. The book is a bunch of little stories in an interview style sort of way. Too much talk not enough action.

 

Waiting on Wednesday #7 The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

This week I am eagerly awaiting the release of....  Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly 
event, hosted by Breaking the Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that 
we're eagerly anticipating.



The Calling by Kelley Armstrong 
Release Date April 10th 2012


 I really loved the first book and can't wait to continue the story. I have read many of Kelley Armstrong books. She is one of my favorite authors. Counting down the days! 





Maya and her friends--all of whom have supernatural powers--have been kidnapped after fleeing from a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set, and after a terrifying helicopter crash they find themselves pursued by evildoers in the Vancouver Island wilderness.