Tokyo Heist

Aug 11, 2012 Hwa Sun rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: disliked, review

*Review based on only the first 100 pages.*

Warning: There's a tad bit of ranting in this review, so please go away if you don't want to be offended. That is all. Read on at your own risk.

I am so disappointed by this book. I had pretty high expectations, and it didn't meet any of them.

Here's the thing about me: I love a good mystery. There was a time when mystery was all I would read (I love Case Closed), and Tokyo Heist just didn't cut it for me.

The biggest issue I had was the overall believable...more

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Dec 22, 2011 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Having taken an Asian Art course in college, and having spent my honeymoon in Tokyo and Kyoto, I was extremely eager to get my hands on TOKYO HEIST. I recently had the opportunity to read an ARC of this terrific YA mystery, and I enjoyed every moment of it, particularly the vivid descriptions of Japan, the clever mystery, and the complex, realistic family dynamics. Without giving away too much of the plot, I'll just say this book involves stolen artwork, a summer trip to Japan, sleuthing teens,...more

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Jul 10, 2012 Kelly Leigh rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-thriller, young-adult

Started off fine, but then began to drag and drag and drag and was way too Scooby Doo for me. Also, this book felt more like MG than YA. If you are a fan of Heist Society, then I'd give this book a go.

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Jul 15, 2012 Sophie Riggsby rated it 4 of 5 stars

*review published on Mundie Moms on 7/15/2012*

http://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/2012/0...

I love heist plots. They’re my absolute favorite and what I like best about reading them is the anticipation in wondering just how all the pieces of the puzzle will fall. My favorite theme in stories is anything involving families. Diana Renn combines both of those in Tokyo Heist and boy, does she do it well.

What I loved most about Diana’s book is that it’s not told from the traditional heist point-of-view (us...more *review published on Mundie Moms on 7/15/2012*

http://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/2012/0...

I love heist plots. They’re my absolute favorite and what I like best about reading them is the anticipation in wondering just how all the pieces of the puzzle will fall. My favorite theme in stories is anything involving families. Diana Renn combines both of those in Tokyo Heist and boy, does she do it well.

What I loved most about Diana’s book is that it’s not told from the traditional heist point-of-view (usually the people pulling off the heist), rather it’s told from the character who is trying to solve the mystery of who stole the sketches. The character of Violet, the sleuthing protagonist, is downright adorable. I loved her voice and her inner determination. I also loved how her skills in drawing her graphic story, Kimono Girl, gave her a better understanding of her artist father. Her father, a single dad who is paid handsomely to create a mural for a wealthy, Japanese businessman (the very one whose Van Gogh sketches were stolen), immerses himself in his art and demands no distractions. This leaves Violet and her quirky friend, Reika, free to pursue leads on the investigation.

Diana also creates believable stakes. After all, Violet and Reika are teenagers and yet, they find themselves stumbling upon and logically connecting clues that the adults investigating the crime missed or simply didn’t know existed. I liked the fact that they worked hard at finding the logic thread in the mystery.

I must admit that I fell for a red herring or two and when the crime was solved by Violet, I did breathe out a relieved, “HA! I knew it!” I think that’s all part of the fun of second guessing this type of plot.

As for art, well, the theme is handled so well. The book is carefully researched and the Author’s Note in the back explains how Diana was inspired to write the history of the artwork mentioned.

For those of us who love a little romance, don’t worry, there’s just enough of it in Tokyo Heist to make it interesting. And those moments are presented with a sweetness that still makes me smile when I remember it.

If you’re looking for a good mystery with a great setting (it makes me want to visit Tokyo even more), and an artistic protagonist who will not give up until the right criminal is found, you will love Tokyo Heist. This heist story is beach-bag worthy. Be sure to pick it up at your favorite bookstore or library.
(less)

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Jan 20, 2012 Rene Kirkpatrick rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thought Tokyo Heist was great fun- I especially like the whole Seattle connection: Fremont troll, Space Needle, art galleries, comic stores...

When Violet, a manga reading, comic creating artist, goes to stay with her mural painting dad for the summer, she is plunged into an international art theft. Her dad has been commissioned to paint a mural for a Japanese company, the owner of which has had two small Van Gogh's stolen from him.

On the night of her dad's gallery showing, Violet sees two lar...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Kay rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, own, mystery, art, ya-and-children, travel

From Seattle to Tokyo, Tokyo Heist takes you to beautiful Japan to solve the case of a missing Van Gogh. Art, squid chips, kimonos and a touch of romance are on the menu for this colorful adventure, in this novel by debut author Diana Renn.

A missing painting in Tokyo? If that doesn’t sound like the makings of a fun YA mystery, I don’t know what does! And sure enough, Tokyo Heist took me on a journey that entertained me from beginning to end.

I’ll get the bad out of the way right away and say that...more From Seattle to Tokyo, Tokyo Heist takes you to beautiful Japan to solve the case of a missing Van Gogh. Art, squid chips, kimonos and a touch of romance are on the menu for this colorful adventure, in this novel by debut author Diana Renn.

A missing painting in Tokyo? If that doesn’t sound like the makings of a fun YA mystery, I don’t know what does! And sure enough, Tokyo Heist took me on a journey that entertained me from beginning to end.

I’ll get the bad out of the way right away and say that the one thing I enjoyed less about the book was its predictability. I know, I’m repeating myself this week, but what can I say, I like being surprised! I can only half blame the author though; I’m not the target audience here, and my age certainly plays a big part in the fact that almost every twist in the book was guessed early on. What can I say; I read a lot, and the more you read, the easier it becomes to guess where the author wants to take you. So you can take my “negative observation” with a grain of salt here!

Apart from that, I loved the book. It was pleasant and fun, with just enough intrigue. I really enjoyed Violet’s descriptions of Kimono Girl and I am hanging on to the hopes that this manga will one day exist. The concept was fun, but I also liked how the author used it as a parallel for Violet’s investigation.

The mystery unveiled itself bit by bit instead of in a huge final revelation, which I enjoyed. Sure, Violet stumbled on information and clues a bit conveniently, but the plot still flew at a great pace and I was never bored. I liked discovering Tokyo and Kyoto with Violet, and I liked how the author mixed traditional elements of Japan into the mix. The characters surrounding Violet were varied and interesting, and the hints of romance were minimal (which was refreshing, to say the least!)

I also learned about squid chips, which I didn’t know was a thing, but apparently, yes! So now you know what is at the top of my list the next time we go to the Asian specialty shop. I promise a full report!

In the end, I really enjoyed this one. It was cute, and fun, and colorful. If you feel like reading a feel-good mystery and exiting your daily life for a foreign one, Tokyo Heist might the book you are looking for!(less)

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Jul 13, 2012 KM rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-debuts, mobsters-and-mysteries, globe-trekkers, penguin

Similar Books: Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday, The Liar Society by Lisa & Laura Roecker

I'm not big into mysteries. But there was just something about this blurb that made me want to read this book. Maybe it was the mention of a protagonist who reads manga, or maybe it was the fact that 2/3 of the book takes place in Japan - I don't know, but I had to read this book when I saw the blurb last year. And thankfully, I wasn't disappointed.

This is one of my first ventures into YA mystery territory,...more

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Feb 18, 2013 BAYA Librarian rated it 3 of 5 stars

Violet can’t believe her luck. What promised to be a boring few weeks with her self-absorbed artist father is turning into a trip to Japan! Violet loves all things Japanese from the manga to the fashion. An added bonus is that her father’s clients the Yamada’s are given her an internship in their print archive at the corporate headquarters where her father is painting a mural. Before leaving Seattle Violet gets caught up the mystery of who stole Van Gough sketches from the Yamada mansion. Her no...more

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Mar 15, 2013 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: art, bullies, cultural-identity, death, families, friendship, ncbla2013, romance, travel, urban-life, writing, mysteries

Although some parts of this mystery were hard to believe--many of the coincidences and the fact that two teens could solve an art puzzle that no one else could--but I still enjoyed it thoroughly. Sixteen-year-old Violet Rossi was an interesting character, unsure of herself in many ways, partly due to her father's absence from her life, but also because her former best friend abandoned her years ago and her interests didn't mesh with those of most of her classmates. She spends her free time readi...more Although some parts of this mystery were hard to believe--many of the coincidences and the fact that two teens could solve an art puzzle that no one else could--but I still enjoyed it thoroughly. Sixteen-year-old Violet Rossi was an interesting character, unsure of herself in many ways, partly due to her father's absence from her life, but also because her former best friend abandoned her years ago and her interests didn't mesh with those of most of her classmates. She spends her free time reading manga and creating storyboards for a character she calls Kimono Girl. (I really enjoyed reading the passages describing Kimono Girl's adventures and Violet's creative process. I also hated how some of her classmates called her Manga-loid because of her extracurricular activities. Clever? Not so much, Mean Girls.)Since her mother must travel overseas, the plan is for Violet to spend the summer living with her father in Seattle while working in a comic store. But things change when the Yamadas, the wealthy couple who have decided to patronize her father and support his budding art career, discover that some van Gogh sketches they own have been stolen. They decide that he needs to complete his commission for a building in Tokyo earlier than had been planned, necessitating that he and his daughter travel there. This thrills Violet a great deal since she loves all things Japanese and hopes the trip will give her a chance to bond with her father. But she and her best friend Reika, who is visiting family in Japan, are drawn into the shady side of Japan as yakuza working for a powerful gang lord keep popping up in unexpected places. The author describes various parts of Japan quite well, even the inn near Kyoto where the Yamadas and their entourage stay. While some may enjoy the book more for the romantic possibilities that exist between Violet and her other good friend, Edge, I relished it for its marvelous sense of place and time. I felt as though I had taken a trip to Tokyo and then been whisked on a bullet train to Kyoto. (less)

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Mar 07, 2013 James rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

An excellent debut novel for young adults. It combines mystery, romance, and Japanese culture (manga) all in one. 16-year-old Violet spends time between her mother and father, who never married. Her mother is in Rome for a research fellowship, so she is spending the summer with her absentminded artist father in Seattle. When she arrives, she finds that some newly discovered van Gogh drawings owned by her father's patrons, Kenji and Mitsue Yamada, have been stolen. Worst yet, the thieves believe...more

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Mar 20, 2013 Kimmy rated it 3 of 5 stars

The cover of this book caught my eye while I was at the library, and then I was intrigued by the synopsis (from Goodreads):

When sixteen-year-old Violet agrees to spend the summer with her father, an up-and-coming artist in Seattle, she has no idea what she’s walking into. Her father’s newest clients, the Yamada family, are the victims of a high-profile art robbery: van Gogh sketches have been stolen from their home, and, until they can produce the corresponding painting, everyone’s lives are in

...more The cover of this book caught my eye while I was at the library, and then I was intrigued by the synopsis (from Goodreads):

When sixteen-year-old Violet agrees to spend the summer with her father, an up-and-coming artist in Seattle, she has no idea what she’s walking into. Her father’s newest clients, the Yamada family, are the victims of a high-profile art robbery: van Gogh sketches have been stolen from their home, and, until they can produce the corresponding painting, everyone’s lives are in danger – including Violet’s and her father’s.

Violet’s search for the missing van Gogh takes her from the Seattle Art Museum, to the yakuza-infested streets of Tokyo, to a secluded inn in Kyoto. As the mystery thickens, Violet’s not sure whom she can trust. But she knows one thing: she has to solve the mystery–before it’s too late.

This was an interesting book. I was really excited to read a book that takes place in Japan – I love reading books set in other places, places I’ve never been but would love to travel to – and the mystery sounded intriguing. Throw in an art theft? Yes please!

I’ve never really traveled, and Japan is definitely on my list of must-visit places, so I loved reading about Violet’s experiences in Japan, with the language, customs, food, etc.

The mystery itself was entertaining, but it was a little implausible at times in the way that Violet made some important discoveries based on hunches or coincidences. Also, the fact that she was able to figure things out before the FBI was a little difficult to believe, but if I could just suspend my sense of belief, I enjoyed it. While I did figure out who the culprit was early on, part of the fun was seeing Violet figure it out herself (a little too late, almost).

I liked the characters, and for a while, I was looking at pretty much everyone but Violet as a suspect. The relationship with her dad was interesting, as they seemed very distant and rarely saw each other. While her dad is reluctant to take her to Japan, where he’s been hired to paint a mural for the Yamada family, it turned out to be an experience that brought them closer together, in the end. I liked seeing the progression of their relationship. I also liked Violet’s friend Reika, who was staying in Japan over the summer and helped her piece things together.

I believe this is Renn’s first novel, and I would be interested to read her next. This book was well-written, and I liked the characters. I also appreciated that by the end of the book, Violet had developed some courage, and was able to go after things she wanted (the boy she liked, submitting her manga to a show, etc.).

Ultimately, while I don’t think this is a book that’s really going to stay with me, this was a fun read. If you’re looking for a fun, light-hearted YA mystery, I recommend this book.

(From www.pingwings.ca)(less)

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Feb 25, 2013 Chandra Rooney rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013

3.5 stars.

If I was 14 or 15, this probably would've been a 5 star book. There is so much to appreciate about it: the obvious love and devotion the author has put into writing it, the research, and the great sentiments about how life inspires art and art inspires life. It's a really great concept and I'm thrilled that it exists.

Also, I found Violet to have an incredibly authentic voice. She sounds like a manga-loving teenager. I appreciated her insecurities as part of her character arc, and her m...more

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Feb 25, 2013 Jennifer Rayment rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mini Review: A delightfully fun mystery read that is perfect for the YA lover who either is sick or or dislikes any paranormal/dystopian type of read. Violet is is a charming heroine that many young girls will feel a connection to. This is also a book that the manga lover will thoroughly enjoy as the Japanese animation is an integral to the plot of the story. I did find the constant manga mentions and Japanese expressions a little irritating at times but than again I am not the intended audience...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Paul rated it 5 of 5 stars

Awe. Some!!!

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Aug 15, 2012 edh rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen

Good for older children or younger teens, this debut by Diana Renn is going to help lots of young folks become fans of Japanese culture. 16 year old otaku Violet loves manga and is trying to create her own story (Kimono Girl) when she is thrust on her father for the summer. He's an artist on commission for the well-off Yamada family, who's just been robbed of some valuable van Gogh sketches. There is rumored to be a finished painting connected to the sketches, and the Yamadas are being threatene...more

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Apr 26, 2013 PickyReader rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure, real-life, lone-books

Actual rating: 2.85 I am not a fan of this book much really at all. That may be just because it's not my style or whatever.

Many things in this book annoyed me, but I guess I should write positive things first, so I can pretend to be nice... The Japanese culture was depicted interestingly and clearly in this book. It was new and fresh and quite unlike any other book I've ever read before. She really did a great job capitalizing on the culture and the artistic things in the book. I just wish she...more Actual rating: 2.85 I am not a fan of this book much really at all. That may be just because it's not my style or whatever.

Many things in this book annoyed me, but I guess I should write positive things first, so I can pretend to be nice... The Japanese culture was depicted interestingly and clearly in this book. It was new and fresh and quite unlike any other book I've ever read before. She really did a great job capitalizing on the culture and the artistic things in the book. I just wish she had foucused on other aspects as well, which I will now go into.

OK! First off! This character was obscure... In the first part of the book, she was quirky, funny and extremely nerdy. She seemed like an innocent puppy, excited to be around her dad for the summer. But unfortunately, her dad seems to have no time for her. So that gets her annoyed, so I guess that is why she went from immature, quirky/cute nerd, to immature, sullen middle schooler in the next 2 parts. I have no idea why she went from one personality to the other so quickly though. Not a smooth transition.

Violet meets up with her bestie Reika in Tokyo and brings her along for the ride to help "solve" the mystery. She is also a 16 year old. If I ever met two 16-year-olds who acted this immature...They were not realistic teens. They seemed more middle school-ish as the book continued. I'm not entirely sure how to peg down why I think they acted this way, show some proof from the book, but I can't pick out an example. These 2 girls were given an enormous amount of credibility from the adults around them, like Violet with the FBI. She creates an idea, mainly for a book she's writing, then realizes that it sounds almost believable and tells the authorities, who AUTOMATICALLY believe her. Really? The FBI is going to take full consideration in what a teen says? This is one reason why I feel this is a book for middle schoolers- because the characters say one thing and it is immediately believed. This is usually found in younger-aged books.; in older teen books, the characters have to fight a little for credibility.

(Let me say right here that this book is not an attack on middle schoolers; I like them, they're nice kids, BUT when an author says that they are 16, when they act 13-14... That's not accurate, because high schoolers and middler schoolers are very different in the realms of maturity.)

The other characters were confusing because the author did not spend enough time developing the characters enough so the reader could recognize them, especially with relatively confusing names. The writing style is light, but annoyingly so. I was expecting a teen-thriller book. This book is not a thriller. The pace of this book crawled at the pace of a centipede with 99 legs broken; the last 80 pages picked up the speed a tad, but it was still incredibly SLOWWWWWW. I felt that the mystery should be more highlighted than a short random clue every now and then. Even when the mystery is slightly developed, it was hard to disinguish fact from Violet developing her Kimono Girl manga book.

Which brings me to another thing: I think if a character likes something, it should be brought out well in the book! Like if a character like cooking, recipes are at the end of each chapter. If she likes drawing, some drawings should be included scattered in the book. And if Japanese words are scattered about often in this book, a glossary of those words should be included in the back of the book.

To me this book was like going to a restaurant with a lousy wait staff (you're just going to have to go with me on this). You sit down and order some mashed potatoes, but you instead receive an ice cream Sundae! You like ice cream, so you decide to eat it anyway, but you were REALLy craving something salty. At the bottom of the Sundae is a HUGE pile of chocolate syrup that you must drink to finish the Sundae. Why must you finish it? Because you hate leaving things unfinished.
EXPLANATION: I was expecting a deep, gripping mystery for older teens. I got a cheesy middle school book. The ending was SUPER Disney-like! Everything being tied up so the character lives happily ever after.

Yick.

I'm not a fan of this book because the plot was slow and the mystery wasn't really capitalized. But I do think others will enjoy this book, if they like art and would like to learn about Japanese culture. I think if the author focused more on the mystery than the relationships and the culture, that this would be a fine book. I don't really like this book, but I'm sure others will enjoy it.

Not my favorite book ever, I wish it was.

ON to the next book!(less)

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Feb 11, 2013 Aira rated it 3 of 5 stars

SQUEEEEEEAAAAAL ALERT FOR THE ENDING.

Ever since Heist Society anything ANYTHING at all with the word 'heist' will grab my attention so it's no surprise when this book arrived on the bookshelves in Malaysia bookstores I gots to have it. Okay, let's be honest. I am not a fan of first POV. Few has succeed in capturing me to read the whole book. (All These Things I've Done is a great example because just like this book the character felt real with her surroundings and situations)

Is our main characte...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Amanda (Vivalabooks) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Check out the review on Vivalabooks!

I read Tokyo Heist back during summer and I really enjoyed it! It was a great nicely paced mystery that really kept me entertained.

Violet is our socially awkward, magna obsessed main character that is determined to figure out who stole the missing Van Gogh sketches. I liked how Violet had the same insecurities that the everyday teen has because it made her a very relatable character. Plus, I loved how passionate she was about art and she was a really fun char...more Check out the review on Vivalabooks!

I read Tokyo Heist back during summer and I really enjoyed it! It was a great nicely paced mystery that really kept me entertained.

Violet is our socially awkward, magna obsessed main character that is determined to figure out who stole the missing Van Gogh sketches. I liked how Violet had the same insecurities that the everyday teen has because it made her a very relatable character. Plus, I loved how passionate she was about art and she was a really fun character to read about.

A unique part of Tokyo Hesit is that Glenn, Violet’s dad, plays a big role in the story. Usually in YA’s novels, parents are mostly absent, so it was a bit strange to see one play such a big part in the book. Glenn is obsessed with his artwork and he doesn’t really know how to act like a father. It was cute to see Violet and Glenn’s relationship grow to the point where they understood each other much better.

I really loved the mystery aspect of Tokyo Heist. I was in the mood for a fun, YA mystery and that’s exactly what I found with Tokyo Heist. I loved how Violet incorporated her magna, Kimono Girl, with the mystery. It was a fun, unique way to tell the story. Also, throughout Tokyo Heist I was always coming up with new suspects which I love in a mystery! You don’t quite know who the real culprit is, but there were a few hints along the way to the real thief. Even though, I had a guess of whom the culprit was it still was a good twist. I loved the way Renn allowed the mystery to unfold and I would not have been able to guess where the Van Gogh sketches were hidden.

Another big part that I liked about Tokyo Heist was the setting. I’ve never been to Tokyo, but I’d love to visit it now! I learned lots of new, interesting information about Tokyo itself and the Japanese culture. Tokyo sounds like such a beautiful place and I hope I get to visit it sometime in the future.

Although there was some romance in Tokyo Heist it wasn’t a big chunk of the plot line. I actually really enjoyed that there was barely any romance in the story. It was a refreshing breath of air to read about just a girl solving a crime without any romance complications.

Overall, Tokyo Heist was a nice-paced, fun mystery that I would definitely recommend to fans of Nancy Drew. If you enjoy books with a strong, passionate, determined main character without much romance, Tokyo Heist is the book for you! Plus, if you’d like to learn about Tokyo while being entertained, you should give Tokyo Heist a try!

- Amanda, Vivalabooks (less)

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Jul 20, 2012 Elena rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Tokyo Heist by Diana Renn is exactly what you expect it is: a fun, breezy mystery with the subtle and vibrant culture of Japan as its backdrop. It reminded me of those old Nancy Drew or Cam Jansen mysteries I used to read. A mystery where the adults are stumped and the intrepid teen girl saves the day with the help of her sidekick.

Violet is very much a young, sixteen year old girl. Her only friends are Reika and Edge, she works at a comic shop, and spends a lot of her time reading manga or sketc...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Alexa Yupangco rated it 4 of 5 stars

First Thoughts: I think I wanted to give it a 3.5 mostly because (1) it features Japan and (b) manga references! The story was quick and action-packed, but the coincidences were a little to convenient for me.

(Originally posted on Alexa Loves Books)

When I first heard of Tokyo Heist, I just knew it was a book that I needed to get my hands on! With its promise of featuring Japanese culture and even a few references to manga, I certainly enjoyed reading this book - but not as much as I thought I wou...more First Thoughts: I think I wanted to give it a 3.5 mostly because (1) it features Japan and (b) manga references! The story was quick and action-packed, but the coincidences were a little to convenient for me.

(Originally posted on Alexa Loves Books)

When I first heard of Tokyo Heist, I just knew it was a book that I needed to get my hands on! With its promise of featuring Japanese culture and even a few references to manga, I certainly enjoyed reading this book - but not as much as I thought I would.

It is no secret that I'm fascinated by other places and cultures, and it just so happens that Japan is one of them. I love that the author managed to sprinkle in Japanese references and bits of manga and the whole visit to Japan - it definitely made me smile, as I loved reading about the culture! I gained a little bit more knowledge about Japanese culture, especially when it came to the arts.

That was another thing I absolutely loved about this book. Art played a very important factor, both as the object of this little mystery, as a career for certain characters and even as a pastime (and possible career) for our main character, Violet. Any book that highlights the beauty, importance and even significance of art automatically hits a sweet spot with me, and this book did just that.

The mystery itself is where I'm slightly hesitant to lavish praise. While it reminded me of Nancy Drew in some ways, I felt like everything about this mystery was just a tad too convenient. It didn't bother me as much as you'd think, but I knew from the start that Violet would be able to figure things out because of all these clues laid like breadcrumbs before her.

Also, Violet is a character that I couldn't particularly connect well with. I did appreciate her love for manga and her desire to create one of her own, but apart from that, it felt like she was someone else entirely the whole time I was reading the story. As a strong fan of good characters, I always prefer characters who I can feel a personal connection to and sadly, Violet was not that for me, though she was perfectly likeable.

This novel took me on a quick-paced, action-packed adventure. While the too conveniently solved mystery and a lack of connection to the main character made it fall short of my expectations, this book was still entertaining and quite fun to read.(less)

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Jul 06, 2012 Alison (AlisonCanRead) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrenyalit

If you love manga and enjoy fun, twisting mysteries, Tokyo Heist is the book for you. If you prefer realistic plots with complex, believable characters, Tokyo Heist is probably not the book for you. Tokyo Heist is a flawed novel, but has enough going for it, that I enjoyed flipping through it.

Let's start with the good. The main character Violet is obsessed with manga, anime, and Japanese culture. She dreams of getting her own manga published. As a fellow lover of manga and Japan, I loved seeing...more If you love manga and enjoy fun, twisting mysteries, Tokyo Heist is the book for you. If you prefer realistic plots with complex, believable characters, Tokyo Heist is probably not the book for you. Tokyo Heist is a flawed novel, but has enough going for it, that I enjoyed flipping through it.

Let's start with the good. The main character Violet is obsessed with manga, anime, and Japanese culture. She dreams of getting her own manga published. As a fellow lover of manga and Japan, I loved seeing references to my favorite manga series and to the unique style and culture of manga. It was even better when violet traveled to Japan. I got to read about so many parts of Japanese culture and food that I love.

The mystery is fairly standard. I didn't guess the bad person but I almost never do. Still the culprit wasn't that shocking. There are plenty of twists and turns as the stolen art takes us to two different continents - everywhere from art galleries to bathhouses.

Now onto the not so good. Starting with Violet. She is supposed to be 16 years old but she felt much younger. She showed a level of immaturity that would make many a 12 year old blush. For example she railed at her jerk boss for actually making her work during her shifts and then quit without a thought as to whether some notice might be considerate. Many 16 year olds would be upset by a fathers new girlfriend, but her reaction struck me as especially childish. What I noticed most of all about violet was how she lived in the manga world. Like don Quixote she lost the ability to distinguish reality from fiction. This prompted her to do many a stupid, dangerous thing on her quest for stolen art simply because she thought that's how her favorite character would act.

Violet's crazy stunts is a major reason why I had trouble taking the mystery seriously. In general, the plot was just too standard. There are too many coincidences. Too littler depth. Violet is rewarded for her actions instead of brought back to the real world. Add to that a love interest element that was seemingly just inserted to fit the stereotypical "It's YA so there must be romance" concept, and there were too many eye rolling incidents for me.

Tokyo Heist is great for its manga and Japanese cultural references. As a story, not so much. Actually, I wish the author had written violet as 11 or 12. The story would have worked very well as an MG story.

Rating: 2 / 5(less)

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Jun 29, 2012 Brandi Rae rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-fiction

With her mom spending the summer in Italy, Violet is stuck staying in Seattle with an artist father she barely ever sees and slaving at her comic book shop job with a boss who doesn’t see manga as a “serious” art form. Even her friends have deserted her; Edge (who may be the love or her life but doesn’t know it) is off to film camp and Rieka is off to Japan with relatives. At least she still has her manga story, Kimono Girl, to work on.

Things change quickly though when her father’s clients are r...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars

TOKYO HEIST, available today, is Diana Renn's first novel. It's a mystery that takes protagonist Violet Rossi from the streets of Seattle to the ryokan of Kyoto. At first, I was very, very worried that I would hate TOKYO HEIST. The press release claims, "[I]t's the Di Vinci Code for the teen generation with an exotic Asian twist." That description made me cringe. Violet doesn't make the best first impression either. This is going to make me sound so old, but her bad work ethic annoyed me.

But the...more TOKYO HEIST, available today, is Diana Renn's first novel. It's a mystery that takes protagonist Violet Rossi from the streets of Seattle to the ryokan of Kyoto. At first, I was very, very worried that I would hate TOKYO HEIST. The press release claims, "[I]t's the Di Vinci Code for the teen generation with an exotic Asian twist." That description made me cringe. Violet doesn't make the best first impression either. This is going to make me sound so old, but her bad work ethic annoyed me.

But the Asian part of TOKYO HEIST is more than an exotic background. The book begins shortly after a set of Van Gogh sketches are stolen from the Yamadas, who are employing Violet's father to paint a mural in their main office in Tokyo, Japan. Once Violet and her father go to Japan, almost all of the other characters are Japanese. Violet's fellow lady sleuth is Reika, a friend who is half-Japanese, half-American, and all happy to have someone she can speak her first language with. Even before the acknowledgements at the end of the novel, it is clear that Renn did her research. She pays attention to cultural detail.

As for Violet, she never realizes that her comic book store boss was normal rather than overbearing. (Seriously, being asked to stock the store and not spend your time doodling or talking with a friend? Totally reasonable. Her former boss even tells her about a comic contest she can enter.) Fortunately, that's a very minor character quibble and most people aren't going to care about it like me. Plus, she proves her mettle in other ways. She's dedicated to solving the mystery and protecting her father. She keeps working on her own comic, Kimono Girl, (including revising!) and helps the Yamadas catalog their art collection.

Kimono Girl often proves helpful to the investigation. As Violet creates a plot loosely based on real-world events, she makes connections she wouldn't have noticed consciously. I am a fan of stories-within-stories, so I liked following along with the fantastical action of Kimono Girl as well as the more realistic TOKYO HEIST.

The book does really get moving once the action moves to Japan. You see, the sketches were stolen, but the painting they were practice for is still missing. It should be somewhere in the Yamadas' possession, but they haven't found it. And a yakuza boss wants the painting - or else. The FBI does what they can to help, but the Yamadas prefer not to involve the police and undercover investigations are illegal in Japan.

The Japan section is also where Violet's love interest drops out of view. Edge is a hipster and filmmaker wannabe who barely shows up. I don't think TOKYO HEIST would've suffered by cutting the obligatory love interest. TOKYO HEIST a mystery, yakuza, and a cool (female) best friend. Who needs a boy?

I thought TOKYO HEIST was fun. It's a good summer read, especially if you have a long plane ride ahead of you. (Just don't start thinking everyone around you is in on an international art heist.) I'm interested in reading whatever Renn does next, because she shows promise. (less)

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Jun 12, 2012 Pamela Kramer rated it 5 of 5 stars

"Tokyo Heist" by Diana Renn is a shining success, from the cover of the book, with its title encased in what looks like neon yellow police tape, to the final page with its satisfying and touching conclusion.

The story is about Violet, who is a different kind of 16-year-old. She loves manga, wearing scarves made from kimonos, and anything Japanese.

So when her artist father (with whom she's spending the summer) is offered a job painting a mural in Japan, she is thrilled that she gets to go, too.

Bef...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-100-book-challenge, 2012-release, 2012-debut-author, arcs-i-own, mundie-moms-reviews, books-i-own

reviewed by Sophie:

I love heist plots. They’re my absolute favorite and what I like best about reading them is the anticipation in wondering just how all the pieces of the puzzle will fall. My favorite theme in stories is anything involving families. Diana Renn combines both of those in Tokyo Heist and boy, does she do it well.

What I loved most about Diana’s book is that it’s not told from the traditional heist point-of-view (usually the people pulling off the heist), rather it’s told from the...more reviewed by Sophie:

I love heist plots. They’re my absolute favorite and what I like best about reading them is the anticipation in wondering just how all the pieces of the puzzle will fall. My favorite theme in stories is anything involving families. Diana Renn combines both of those in Tokyo Heist and boy, does she do it well.

What I loved most about Diana’s book is that it’s not told from the traditional heist point-of-view (usually the people pulling off the heist), rather it’s told from the character who is trying to solve the mystery of who stole the sketches. The character of Violet, the sleuthing protagonist, is downright adorable. I loved her voice and her inner determination. I also loved how her skills in drawing her graphic story, Kimono Girl, gave her a better understanding of her artist father. Her father, a single dad who is paid handsomely to create a mural for a wealthy, Japanese businessman (the very one whose Van Gogh sketches were stolen), immerses himself in his art and demands no distractions. This leaves Violet and her quirky friend, Reika, free to pursue leads on the investigation.

Diana also creates believable stakes. After all, Violet and Reika are teenagers and yet, they find themselves stumbling upon and logically connecting clues that the adults investigating the crime missed or simply didn’t know existed. I liked the fact that they worked hard at finding the logic thread in the mystery.

I must admit that I fell for a red herring or two and when the crime was solved by Violet, I did breathe out a relieved, “HA! I knew it!” I think that’s all part of the fun of second guessing this type of plot.

As for art, well, the theme is handled so well. The book is carefully researched and the Author’s Note in the back explains how Diana was inspired to write the history of the artwork mentioned.

For those of us who love a little romance, don’t worry, there’s just enough of it in Tokyo Heist to make it interesting. And those moments are presented with a sweetness that still makes me smile when I remember it.

If you’re looking for a good mystery with a great setting (it makes me want to visit Tokyo even more), and an artistic protagonist who will not give up until the right criminal is found, you will love Tokyo Heist. This heist story is beach-bag worthy. Be sure to pick it up at your favorite bookstore or library.(less)

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Jan 15, 2013 Karen Yingling rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Violet loves reading and drawing manga, and is not happy that her mother is going away for the summer and dumping her on her father, whom she does not know well. When she finds that her father will be spending the summer in Japan working on a mural for the Yamada's corporation, she feels a little better, especially since her friend Reika is there for the summer as well. Things become complicated when the Yamadas have some sketches supposedly done by Van Gogh stolen from them, and are under press...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Originally posted here.

Tokyo Heist is my first and last experience with DAC ARC tours. I signed up a couple of months ago, I think, and have since withdrawn from the Debut Author Challenge (though I continue to do my own non-age-specific debut challenge). Since that is a requirement for the tours, I am not going to be joining any more of them. However, I have NOTHING against DAC ARC Tours. They have been very professional and nice, even though this experience was more drama-filled than some, sin...more Originally posted here.

Tokyo Heist is my first and last experience with DAC ARC tours. I signed up a couple of months ago, I think, and have since withdrawn from the Debut Author Challenge (though I continue to do my own non-age-specific debut challenge). Since that is a requirement for the tours, I am not going to be joining any more of them. However, I have NOTHING against DAC ARC Tours. They have been very professional and nice, even though this experience was more drama-filled than some, since the first ARC disappeared somewhere along the way. So thank you to DAC ARC Tours and to Penguin for making it possible for me to read this ARC.

Tokyo Heist would make an excellent read for younger readers looking to transition to YA or for middle graders. The content, writing, and characters definitely would fit with that age group well. Violet definitely felt like a young 16 to me. There were definitely times where she would be trying to figure something out and I would be headdesking at how obvious this particular part of the mystery was. This was not the case with every single clue by any means, but did happen more than once. I also couldn't believe that the FBI was impressed by some of her suggestions, since most of them seemed pretty obvious; maybe they were just being nice.

Of course, Violet does do some serious sleuthing too, along with the Scooby Doo variety. Where Violet and Tokyo Heist really shine are in the sections focusing on artwork. As the mystery progressed into more art-based research and sleuthing, the pace definitely picked up and I was less able to point out the obvious solution.

It's also great that you can totally tell how passionate Violet is about art, both other people's and her own. In fact, the artistic descriptions were so vivid that I occasionally sort of felt like I was reading a manga rather than a novel. This would have made a stellar manga or graphic novel, btws. It would have been like Inception, when it got into the Kimono Girl scenes!

Part of what made Violet seem so young was her manga obsession, which was also something I enjoyed, being a lover of manga as well. However, Violet takes it a little too far, as a young teen might do. Whenever she's stuck in her mystery-solving, she asks herself "WWVSD?" (What would Vampire Sleuths do?), because that is her favorite manga. She also tries to figure out how to handle her crush on her best friend by looking to manga for advice. Friends, I adore manga, but DO NOT DO THIS. No wonder she's having so much difficulty with her romance, poor dear.

Tokyo Heist is a fun read full of Asian culture (ftw!). If you're looking for something light with an entertaining mystery and some diversity, Renn's book is definitely worth picking up. (less)

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Oct 30, 2012 Hannah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-finished-copy, 2012

I wanted to love this book - the concept sounds cute and fun. But there were just too many things that bugged me, so Tokyo Heist ended up being pretty hard for me to get through.

When I first read the description, I thought I'd love all the stuff about Japanese culture because it's such a unique backdrop for a YA novel. And I did like finding out stuff about Japan. A friend of mine is kind of obsessed with all things Japanese, and it was fun seeing things she'd told me about in this novel. But af...more I wanted to love this book - the concept sounds cute and fun. But there were just too many things that bugged me, so Tokyo Heist ended up being pretty hard for me to get through.

When I first read the description, I thought I'd love all the stuff about Japanese culture because it's such a unique backdrop for a YA novel. And I did like finding out stuff about Japan. A friend of mine is kind of obsessed with all things Japanese, and it was fun seeing things she'd told me about in this novel. But after a while, it got too much. I lost track of all the Japanese terms, and it just got annoying. The same thing goes for everything related to art and manga - it was interesting in the beginning, but I got bored by it towards the end.

I know not every book has to be character-driven, but characters are what make books worthwhile for me, and I was not a fan of the ones in Tokyo Heist. Violet is a flat main character - she's the typical quiet girl we've read about a million times, the only thing making her stand out being the manga. It also bugged me how immature Violet is - she's sixteen, but she acts younger, and her immaturity and naivete had me rolling my eyes quite a few times. The rest of the characters don't have real personalities, either, they're just kind of... there.

I was expecting a fun, fast-paced mystery, but that's not what I got from Tokyo Heist. The mystery somehow managed to be both predictable and confusing - it was predictable because the villain was obvious from the start, and confusing because there were so many minor details that I found hard to keep track of, although the latter might have been because I read the book so slowly. Either way, the story dragged on, and the mystery bored me.

Then there's the romance. To be honest, I thought that whole storyline was unnecessary. It's the predictable girl-liking-her-best-friend story we've all already read countless times. Don't get me wrong - I love romances like that, when they're done well. But there was nothing unique or entertaining about this one. I don't think the book needed romance at all; it felt kind of forced on the story.

What frustrated me most, though, was the plausibility of it all - as in, there is none. None of this is believable; everything is just too convenient for Violet, for everything to work out and make her the star who solved it all. The details don't add up, and when things aren't realistic, it bugs me. A lot.

I know my review sounds really negative, but it's not all terrible. If you just read through it quickly, I guess it could've been kind of fun. But seeing as it took me weeks to get through because I've just had no time to read, it dragged on, and I didn't end up enjoying it. I also feel like Tokyo Heist is geared more towards the younger set of YA readers because of the immaturity of the main character. It could be a cute read for younger YAs, but it wasn't for me.

Reviewed at http://www.paperbacktreasures.blogspo...(less)

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Jun 12, 2012 Lena rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-have

I love, love, love VIOLET!! Yes, Violet is more of an outcast character because she likes manga and all-things-Japanese but Violet proves to herself that she can be brave (like her manga character, Kimono Girl), especially towards the end of the book. Diana Renn developed an amazing main character, and let her unfold into the story. Violet became a strong tree rooted in the dirt. Violet did the same with her manga character, Kimono Girl. So I think Renn was trying to show the process of creatin...more I love, love, love VIOLET!! Yes, Violet is more of an outcast character because she likes manga and all-things-Japanese but Violet proves to herself that she can be brave (like her manga character, Kimono Girl), especially towards the end of the book. Diana Renn developed an amazing main character, and let her unfold into the story. Violet became a strong tree rooted in the dirt. Violet did the same with her manga character, Kimono Girl. So I think Renn was trying to show the process of creating a character within her story. So this novel is techincally an story within a story because Violet, the main character in Tokyo Heist, was writing her own story, Kimono Girl. (Ok, that was me rambling a bit...sorry)
It was a slow beginning, but once Violet was in Japan, you could tell that she was in her element which is all-things-Japanese. Now, why am I saying "all-things-Japanese" because you are fully immersed into the Japanese culture in this book. Violet is not Japanese but she loves everything in the Japanese culture. I love seeing and learning about the Japanese words, customs, art, fashion, and food in this book.
Violet writes her manga story to figure out the art heist. Renn did a wonderful job at transitioning between Violet's manga world, and the real world. Renn also describes the different art pieces in the beautiful prose. Violet has a interesting/hard relationship with her father. Her father doesn't always listen to Violet, and he does not show up on time. However, the father-daugther relationship improves throughout the book. At the ending, it somewhat foreshadows that their relationship will get better. I think that the father-daughter relationship was one of the things that I didn't like. Maybe because I have such a great relationship with my dad- it was hard for me to connect with Violet in that way.
The Japanese culture and Violet's strong character was what I liked the most. The mystery component of book was great as well. Renn did a great job at keeping up the suspense in this novel. This book was exciting and a must read for anyone who loves mystery, manga, Japan, and yahoos!! (hahaha-joking! on pg.142 it explains this) Tokyo Heist has 4 stars from me!! (less)

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Feb 27, 2013 Michele rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre-young-adult, own, 2013-50bookpledge

This, and other reviews can be found on Just a Lil Lost

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ (3.5/5 stars)

Manga-loving Violet is to stay with her artist dad for the summer while her mother is away. The Yamadas, his latest clients, find their priceless van Gogh artwork to have been stolen and everyone is a suspect. Her dad’s job, and the investigation, takes them overseas to Japan where he has been commissioned to do a large scale painting by the Yamada’s nephew. Violet turns to her manga drawing and, with the help of...more This, and other reviews can be found on Just a Lil Lost

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ (3.5/5 stars)

Manga-loving Violet is to stay with her artist dad for the summer while her mother is away. The Yamadas, his latest clients, find their priceless van Gogh artwork to have been stolen and everyone is a suspect. Her dad’s job, and the investigation, takes them overseas to Japan where he has been commissioned to do a large scale painting by the Yamada’s nephew. Violet turns to her manga drawing and, with the help of her friends, attempt to solve the crime before the Japanese mafia, or yakuza, get their hands on it – and them.

Art heist in a foreign setting? Very intriguing. I was really excited for this book as it’s not that often that YA reads are set outside of North America. Not only does it mostly take place in Tokyo, Renn has infused so much Japanese culture into the story as well. With elements of manga, traditions and vocabulary, I felt like I was learning a bit about the culture while going along with Violet’s crime solving. Another element I really enjoyed was the reference to actual works of art. That was one of the main reasons why I enjoy Dan Brown’s novels, because he makes use of actual landmarks & artwork. I found myself searching online to see for myself what the van Gogh paintings looked like, to get an even better idea of how it fit into the story.

While I enjoyed the cultural aspect, as well as the story itself, many of the characters really irked me. Save for maybe Violet and a handful of others, everyone else felt a bit one dimensional and wasn’t overly relatable. Her dad and gal pal bugged me immensely. Reika & Violet are supposed to be teenage BFFs yet Reika’s behaviour speaks otherwise. In Violet’s narration, she speaks of her best friend constantly abandoning her when a hot guy is around, even so much as plotting to chat up Yamada’s much-older (I’d imagine 30′s or 40′s) nephew rather than reconnect with a friend she hadn’t seen in a while. Her actions just didn’t seem to suit the age she was supposed to be.

That being said, Renn is like a magician in that she does a really good job of misdirection. By keeping the reader constantly guessing and suspecting different people, it allows the narrative to keep moving and the story to keep unfolding. There were times when I could have sworn I had it all figured out only to be swayed in another direction moments later. Tokyo Heist is an entertaining whodunnit book that is a fairly quick & easy read. At over 360 pages, it flies by because you want to keep reading to find out what happens.(less)

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