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Smash & Grab
Ocean’s Eleven meets the star-crossed lovers of West Side Story. Grab some popcorn and get ready for an adrenaline-filled heist!
LEXI is a rich girl who loves a good rush. Whether it’s motorcycle racing or BASE jumping off a building in downtown Los Angeles, the only times she feels alive are when she and her friends are executing one of their dares. After her father’s arrest, Lexi doesn’t think twice about going undercover at his bank to steal the evidence that might clear his name. She enlists her hacker brother and her daredevil friends to plan a clever heist.
CHRISTIAN is a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. The local gang has blackmailed him and his friends into robbing banks, and he is desperate for a way out. When the boss promises that one really big job will be the last he ever has to do, Christian jumps at the chance for freedom. In fact, he’s just met a girl at the bank who might even prove useful. . . .
Two heists. One score. The only thing standing in their way is each other.
Told in alternating points of view, this caper is full of romance and fast-paced fun. Hand to fans of Perfect Chemistry, The Conspiracy of Us, and Heist Society .
LEXI is a rich girl who loves a good rush. Whether it’s motorcycle racing or BASE jumping off a building in downtown Los Angeles, the only times she feels alive are when she and her friends are executing one of their dares. After her father’s arrest, Lexi doesn’t think twice about going undercover at his bank to steal the evidence that might clear his name. She enlists her hacker brother and her daredevil friends to plan a clever heist.
CHRISTIAN is a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. The local gang has blackmailed him and his friends into robbing banks, and he is desperate for a way out. When the boss promises that one really big job will be the last he ever has to do, Christian jumps at the chance for freedom. In fact, he’s just met a girl at the bank who might even prove useful. . . .
Two heists. One score. The only thing standing in their way is each other.
Told in alternating points of view, this caper is full of romance and fast-paced fun. Hand to fans of Perfect Chemistry, The Conspiracy of Us, and Heist Society .
384 pages, Library Binding
First published July 19, 2016
About the author
Amy Christine Parker
7 books324 followersAMY CHRISTINE PARKER is the author of the critically acclaimed duology, GATED and ASTRAY as well as the standalone thriller, SMASH & GRAB. GATED was a nominee for both the Sequoyah Book Award and the South Caroline Junior Book Award and was a YALSA Quick Pick for reluctant readers. Amy's latest novel--her first horror/thriller mashup, FLIGHT 171, releases in October 2022. She writes full-time from her home near Tampa, Florida, where she lives with her husband, their two daughters, and two very mischievous cats. Visit her at amychristineparker.com and follow her on Twitter @amychristinepar.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
September 12, 2016
Smash and Grab was a novel I was eager to have my hands on as soon as I saw the cover. And then I read the synopsis and my eyes practically formed into heart shapes. Really. This is no joke.
Just imagine all the fangirling that happened when the book finally landed on my doorstep.
All fangirling aside, I managed to really enjoy this book. I read it as I was traveling in summer and it was just what I needed. Something light and a lot of fun to read. The main character, Lexi, is a girl who doesn’t let the term ‘girl’ define her. She’s dropping off buildings, she knows her way to sneak around and she loves a challenge. And when that challenge is to help clear her father’s name, she’ll do anything. I love how she channels her anger to let it fuel her when it comes to her adrenaline rushes and getting revenge. I found her personality to be a lot of fun and I really liked the relationship she and her brother shared.
Then we also have Christian. He was another main character I really liked. You can tell he is part of the gang for all the wrong reasons, and really just wants to find a way out which is safe. But in those kind of scenarios, when you’re in it’s pretty hard to come back out again… He really was caught and you could tell that he loved his family and friends a lot. I liked that he had his affinity for reading and was quick on his feet. He was a pretty cool love interest.
The point of view switches between them two, but you still get to meet quite a few of the secondary characters. The relationship between Christian and his best friend Benny is incredibly nice. Lexi has her group of friends, and then Christian has his gang. We meet all of them, and get a bit of backstory on them, but it doesn’t go to deep… Which is just fine for a light quick read like this.
The plot of this book was pretty solid. Maybe you would question if this would ever really happen, but it is plausible and possible. I really liked the fun behind it, and all the undercover work that had to come with it. It was fun to follow and I always wanted to know what would happen next which is important for me to enjoy the book. I especially liked the ending. By that point I was hooked because we’d been building up to the heist throughout the whole novel, and so many things were going wrong that it seemed like they wouldn’t be able to pull it off!
On top of that, the romance was perfect. I liked the rising tension between her and Christian. They were both playing and using each other, which was a funny game that they were caught up in. There was plenty of banter and plenty of flirting to keep me entertained as well. I wondered if they would ever be able to get together outside of the heist and how they both needed to keep things distant but close at the same time to get what they wanted from the bank. I actually think that that the flirtatious romance was just what I needed. And they were so well suited to each other that I love idea of them together.
In conclusion this was the perfect light, cheeky romance with a wild plot to keep me intrigued!
Gif Summary: [image error]
This review and others can be found on Olivia's Catastrophe! http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...
Just imagine all the fangirling that happened when the book finally landed on my doorstep.
All fangirling aside, I managed to really enjoy this book. I read it as I was traveling in summer and it was just what I needed. Something light and a lot of fun to read. The main character, Lexi, is a girl who doesn’t let the term ‘girl’ define her. She’s dropping off buildings, she knows her way to sneak around and she loves a challenge. And when that challenge is to help clear her father’s name, she’ll do anything. I love how she channels her anger to let it fuel her when it comes to her adrenaline rushes and getting revenge. I found her personality to be a lot of fun and I really liked the relationship she and her brother shared.
Then we also have Christian. He was another main character I really liked. You can tell he is part of the gang for all the wrong reasons, and really just wants to find a way out which is safe. But in those kind of scenarios, when you’re in it’s pretty hard to come back out again… He really was caught and you could tell that he loved his family and friends a lot. I liked that he had his affinity for reading and was quick on his feet. He was a pretty cool love interest.
The point of view switches between them two, but you still get to meet quite a few of the secondary characters. The relationship between Christian and his best friend Benny is incredibly nice. Lexi has her group of friends, and then Christian has his gang. We meet all of them, and get a bit of backstory on them, but it doesn’t go to deep… Which is just fine for a light quick read like this.
The plot of this book was pretty solid. Maybe you would question if this would ever really happen, but it is plausible and possible. I really liked the fun behind it, and all the undercover work that had to come with it. It was fun to follow and I always wanted to know what would happen next which is important for me to enjoy the book. I especially liked the ending. By that point I was hooked because we’d been building up to the heist throughout the whole novel, and so many things were going wrong that it seemed like they wouldn’t be able to pull it off!
On top of that, the romance was perfect. I liked the rising tension between her and Christian. They were both playing and using each other, which was a funny game that they were caught up in. There was plenty of banter and plenty of flirting to keep me entertained as well. I wondered if they would ever be able to get together outside of the heist and how they both needed to keep things distant but close at the same time to get what they wanted from the bank. I actually think that that the flirtatious romance was just what I needed. And they were so well suited to each other that I love idea of them together.
In conclusion this was the perfect light, cheeky romance with a wild plot to keep me intrigued!
Gif Summary: [image error]
This review and others can be found on Olivia's Catastrophe! http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...
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September 8, 2016I can see this one being made into a movie easily. Loved Christian. These teens are way too cool and smart for me to ever have had a chance of being their tag along so this was fun. I could read and tag along without them knowing. ;) Also the taco truck made me crave Mexican food.
February 11, 2021
See more of my reviews on The YA Kitten! My copy was an ARC I got from Amazon Vine.
Saying my family is a fan of the 2001 film Ocean’s Eleven and its sequels is an understatement. WE LOVE THOSE FILMS (but not really Ocean’s Twelve because it’s not that interesting). By happenstance, my parents were staying in the Bellagio for a business trip while Ocean’s Eleven was being filmed there. They got to watch the “chaos in the casino” scene be filmed and my mom shook Andy Garcia’s hand! Sadly, her attempts to hunt down George Clooney were unsuccessful. He was hiding in one of the nightclubs.
ANYWAY. I was raised on those films. If you compare a book to Ocean’s Eleven, there’s a very high chance I’ll read it. Everyone loves a good heist book! Too bad Smash & Grab isn’t a good heist book.
I’m gonna need to use quite a few comparisons and examples from the aforementioned films to explain what Smash & Grab got wrong. For starters: its characters are flat and their one-note functions in the heist are easily mixed up.
Each member of the team in the Ocean’s trilogy is multifaceted in their skills. Though a character named Basher is the team’s munitions expert, he shows off his ability to successfully impersonate other people in the third film. He’s doing that because the team’s tech/hacking expert got arrested and he has to buy time for the team’s mechanics so they can hack into and alter some FBI files on the antagonist’s computer. Each team member has a specific function and the plan won’t succeed without them, but if one person is removed from the equation via an arrest or a delay, someone else can do just enough to keep the plan moving.
In Smash & Grab, each person has exactly one function in the heist plan and it hardly seems like anything would change if their places were switched around or if someone were altogether removed. Lexi and Christian and their friends are just bodies performing jobs, not individuals with skills that make them absolutely necessary to the heist. Put any other characters in the same position and they could do the same work, demonstrating a clear failure in characterization.
The lack of characterization is further demonstrated by how the heist succeeds mostly because events work out for the characters unrealistically often. Their own merits don’t make the plan succeed; rather, they succeed because they come up with just the right idea at the right time, such as figuring out a way to escape the building when security and police have them trapped in one room. You could argue all heists work on everything working out perfectly, but that undermines the importance of solid plans and the positioning of key people. Smash & Grab relies on a lot of successful improvisation during the heist proper.
In case all my talk of the heist is setting up expectations that the majority of the book is the event itself, it isn’t. It takes about fifty pages at the end of the book to cover the event itself, so about 300 pages of the book are build-up and time to develop Lexi and Christian’s boring romance. Their individual lives aren’t very compelling either, but Christian’s side of the story gets bonus points for providing more stereotypical rep of LA Mexican people as gang-adjacent or gangbangers.
We even get a single scene of the antagonist’s daughter being a mean girl for no reason at all. It showed off Lexi’s temper and desire to protect her family, but the following scene demonstrates the same qualities just fine! It’s an entirely useless scene and Exhibit A of how to write mean girls wrong. I’m honestly hoping it got cut between the ARC stage and final publication stage, but I doubt it.
I did enjoy the book when I began reading. Lexi and Christian’s initial flirtation was cute and the set-up is great, but the lack of characterization and genuine complications did the book in. I’d much rather someone watch or rewatch Ocean’s Eleven and Ocean’s Thirteen since it will leave them more satisfied and probably with more time to spare compared to reading Smash & Grab.
*Christian and his friends are Mexican stereotypes
*twins Elena and Whitney have "dark brown skin" and Oliver is Japanese
*Leo is gay
*as part of the stereotype, Christian and co. are poor
Saying my family is a fan of the 2001 film Ocean’s Eleven and its sequels is an understatement. WE LOVE THOSE FILMS (but not really Ocean’s Twelve because it’s not that interesting). By happenstance, my parents were staying in the Bellagio for a business trip while Ocean’s Eleven was being filmed there. They got to watch the “chaos in the casino” scene be filmed and my mom shook Andy Garcia’s hand! Sadly, her attempts to hunt down George Clooney were unsuccessful. He was hiding in one of the nightclubs.
ANYWAY. I was raised on those films. If you compare a book to Ocean’s Eleven, there’s a very high chance I’ll read it. Everyone loves a good heist book! Too bad Smash & Grab isn’t a good heist book.
I’m gonna need to use quite a few comparisons and examples from the aforementioned films to explain what Smash & Grab got wrong. For starters: its characters are flat and their one-note functions in the heist are easily mixed up.
Each member of the team in the Ocean’s trilogy is multifaceted in their skills. Though a character named Basher is the team’s munitions expert, he shows off his ability to successfully impersonate other people in the third film. He’s doing that because the team’s tech/hacking expert got arrested and he has to buy time for the team’s mechanics so they can hack into and alter some FBI files on the antagonist’s computer. Each team member has a specific function and the plan won’t succeed without them, but if one person is removed from the equation via an arrest or a delay, someone else can do just enough to keep the plan moving.
In Smash & Grab, each person has exactly one function in the heist plan and it hardly seems like anything would change if their places were switched around or if someone were altogether removed. Lexi and Christian and their friends are just bodies performing jobs, not individuals with skills that make them absolutely necessary to the heist. Put any other characters in the same position and they could do the same work, demonstrating a clear failure in characterization.
The lack of characterization is further demonstrated by how the heist succeeds mostly because events work out for the characters unrealistically often. Their own merits don’t make the plan succeed; rather, they succeed because they come up with just the right idea at the right time, such as figuring out a way to escape the building when security and police have them trapped in one room. You could argue all heists work on everything working out perfectly, but that undermines the importance of solid plans and the positioning of key people. Smash & Grab relies on a lot of successful improvisation during the heist proper.
In case all my talk of the heist is setting up expectations that the majority of the book is the event itself, it isn’t. It takes about fifty pages at the end of the book to cover the event itself, so about 300 pages of the book are build-up and time to develop Lexi and Christian’s boring romance. Their individual lives aren’t very compelling either, but Christian’s side of the story gets bonus points for providing more stereotypical rep of LA Mexican people as gang-adjacent or gangbangers.
We even get a single scene of the antagonist’s daughter being a mean girl for no reason at all. It showed off Lexi’s temper and desire to protect her family, but the following scene demonstrates the same qualities just fine! It’s an entirely useless scene and Exhibit A of how to write mean girls wrong. I’m honestly hoping it got cut between the ARC stage and final publication stage, but I doubt it.
I did enjoy the book when I began reading. Lexi and Christian’s initial flirtation was cute and the set-up is great, but the lack of characterization and genuine complications did the book in. I’d much rather someone watch or rewatch Ocean’s Eleven and Ocean’s Thirteen since it will leave them more satisfied and probably with more time to spare compared to reading Smash & Grab.
March 2, 2020
Full Review on The Candid Cover
Smash and Grab is a heist story with so much potential. It is action-packed, but too predictable and unrealistic. I also didn't enjoy the choices that one of the main characters made, which made me end up not liking the book as much.
I absolutely loved the concept of heists in Smash and Grab. I really enjoy action and crime novels and was very excited about the characters attempting to rob a bank. Of course, the characters have to have a plan before entering the bank, so one of them poses as an intern to gain insider secrets. Their plan has covered everything from uniforms to conceal their faces and the ideal exits. There are so many amazing layers to this story that make it an interesting heist book.
Though the concept of Smash and Grab really intrigued me, I found a lot of the story to be way too unrealistic. There are a lot of parts where the situation is ideal for the characters and things tend to turn out so perfectly that it ends up being pretty unbelievable. I also found the book to be pretty predictable, which was disappointing. I prefer surprise endings and plot twists, especially in an action novel.
I didn't really like Christian's character in Smash and Grab. He is a member of this Mexican gang sort of thing that he can't easily quit because they can kill his family. He also receives a full scholarship to a university and is invited to join the summer program. Christian is told that he can't go to the school as it will interfere with the bank robbery, so he essentially prioritizes a gang over his future. I understand the difficult situation, but I just didn't agree with many of the choices he made.
Smash and Grab is a unique story about heists, but ended up being too predictable and cheesy for me. One of the main characters made some really poor choices, which lowered my overall enjoyment. However, I would still recommend this to fans of books like Heist Society by Ally Carter, as both books have a theme of heists.
Smash and Grab is a heist story with so much potential. It is action-packed, but too predictable and unrealistic. I also didn't enjoy the choices that one of the main characters made, which made me end up not liking the book as much.
I absolutely loved the concept of heists in Smash and Grab. I really enjoy action and crime novels and was very excited about the characters attempting to rob a bank. Of course, the characters have to have a plan before entering the bank, so one of them poses as an intern to gain insider secrets. Their plan has covered everything from uniforms to conceal their faces and the ideal exits. There are so many amazing layers to this story that make it an interesting heist book.
Though the concept of Smash and Grab really intrigued me, I found a lot of the story to be way too unrealistic. There are a lot of parts where the situation is ideal for the characters and things tend to turn out so perfectly that it ends up being pretty unbelievable. I also found the book to be pretty predictable, which was disappointing. I prefer surprise endings and plot twists, especially in an action novel.
I didn't really like Christian's character in Smash and Grab. He is a member of this Mexican gang sort of thing that he can't easily quit because they can kill his family. He also receives a full scholarship to a university and is invited to join the summer program. Christian is told that he can't go to the school as it will interfere with the bank robbery, so he essentially prioritizes a gang over his future. I understand the difficult situation, but I just didn't agree with many of the choices he made.
Smash and Grab is a unique story about heists, but ended up being too predictable and cheesy for me. One of the main characters made some really poor choices, which lowered my overall enjoyment. However, I would still recommend this to fans of books like Heist Society by Ally Carter, as both books have a theme of heists.
August 25, 2017
This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/
I received an e-ARC of this book from Random House Children’s via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Critically
Plot – 4 out of 5 stars
This book is just a lot of fun. The plot is exciting and entertaining. It’s action packed and there are so many different facets to what’s going on in the story. I liked how it developed though I think the climax took a little too long to show up. There were times when it was extremely convenient, making it unrealistic and the resolution at the end was really easy. But this is the kind of book where you can’t take it too seriously, just experience the ride.
Writing Style – 4 out of 5 stars
Super fast paced writing style. It’s fun, engaging, easy to read and it was very easy to tell the distinction between the main characters since this book is told in dual point of view. However, it tended to play a lot with stereotypes, Hispanic in particular which I tried not to get too angry at. Sometimes it was unrealistic but that goes along with the story itself which is also a bit unrealistic.
Characters – 4 out of 5 stars
I really liked the two main characters in this book but one a lot more than the other. Lexi can be considered more of a protagonist but not by much. She’s spoiled, but tough and a little bit cold. She’s a huge adrenaline junkie but it’s more of like a game to her. However, she’s also really caring within her group of friends and is fierce in her protection of them. I just feel like she has more negative than positives in her characterization. Christian on the other hand, I just loved him. Not only because he’s representing the Latino and Hispanic community but because he’s just a genuinely nice guy. He’s determined and selfless. He’s really smart and sweet and funny. He’s got a shitty kind of life handed to him but he’s doing the best he can for his family and his close friends, I gotta give it up to him. Unfortunately, there are a lot of side characters and they’re not taken advantage of. They’re not developed, they’re just there to create a bigger dynamic but they’re underdeveloped. And then there’s this random moment when a guy named Noah shows up for two chapters and then disappears. So yeah, they should fix that.
Emotionally
I received an e-ARC of this book from Random House Children’s via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Critically
Plot – 4 out of 5 stars
This book is just a lot of fun. The plot is exciting and entertaining. It’s action packed and there are so many different facets to what’s going on in the story. I liked how it developed though I think the climax took a little too long to show up. There were times when it was extremely convenient, making it unrealistic and the resolution at the end was really easy. But this is the kind of book where you can’t take it too seriously, just experience the ride.
Writing Style – 4 out of 5 stars
Super fast paced writing style. It’s fun, engaging, easy to read and it was very easy to tell the distinction between the main characters since this book is told in dual point of view. However, it tended to play a lot with stereotypes, Hispanic in particular which I tried not to get too angry at. Sometimes it was unrealistic but that goes along with the story itself which is also a bit unrealistic.
Characters – 4 out of 5 stars
I really liked the two main characters in this book but one a lot more than the other. Lexi can be considered more of a protagonist but not by much. She’s spoiled, but tough and a little bit cold. She’s a huge adrenaline junkie but it’s more of like a game to her. However, she’s also really caring within her group of friends and is fierce in her protection of them. I just feel like she has more negative than positives in her characterization. Christian on the other hand, I just loved him. Not only because he’s representing the Latino and Hispanic community but because he’s just a genuinely nice guy. He’s determined and selfless. He’s really smart and sweet and funny. He’s got a shitty kind of life handed to him but he’s doing the best he can for his family and his close friends, I gotta give it up to him. Unfortunately, there are a lot of side characters and they’re not taken advantage of. They’re not developed, they’re just there to create a bigger dynamic but they’re underdeveloped. And then there’s this random moment when a guy named Noah shows up for two chapters and then disappears. So yeah, they should fix that.
Emotionally
August 31, 2016
Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Actual Rating: 2.5*
Full review on Books Are My Fandom .
I was really underwhelmed with this one. I thought there was a lot more that could have happened in it but it was all wasted potential. I wanted there to be more in terms of planning the heist and the two crews coming together. I wanted to be shown the training and all the aspects of the heist but in reality, the heist lasted two seconds and [spoiler]basically went off without a hitch so it ended up being kind of lame[/spoiler]. Considering this was supposed to be adrenaline junkie meets bank robber, I thought there would be a little bit more of each.
I thought separately, Lexi and Christian were really interesting people. They both had faults and their own set of issues but they didn't let that get them down. They played with the cards they were dealt and tried to make the most of them. I liked that Lexi was willing to do whatever it took to get that rush and protect her family. I also liked that Christian was willing to go to extreme lengths to protect his. And they both had greater hopes and dreams for themselves. I thought they were great characters and I was glad to be in both of their heads throughout the novel.
However, the other characters lacked any real qualities that made me care about them. At first I thought Lexi thought Leo was into her but then it was revealed that Leo is gay (and Lexi knew) and I thought maybe I missed that? I also wasn't quite sure what kept their adrenaline junkie group together because it was never really stated? Was it just that they were all rich and could do whatever they wanted? It wasn't really explained and they didn't feel like BFFs but rather just a bunch of characters that were needed for this story.
And the bank job was really ... easy? Like it seemed like it should have been a lot harder than what it ended up being. I thought they would have had a couple more issues or run ins but they didn't. And the actual job wasn't even shown (or told about), we got cut into the middle of it. Which sucked. Considering this was a heist book, it was less about the heist (or even PLANNING the heist) and more about Lexi and Christian's sucky lives. And while I enjoyed Lexi and Christina, I thought it was too much about them separately rather than them working together to get the information they needed to plan and pull off this heist.
I thought it took too much time to get started and it cleaned up really easily. But I loved both Lexi and Christian and their relationship; I thought they were good characters and a good match for one another. Lexi and Christian's relationship is the reason I continued to read the book. There are a lot of other heist stories that make it less predictable so this one is kinda middle of the road for me. I would recommend picking this up from your local library or borrowing it from a friend if you want to read it!
Books and Ladders | Books Are My Fandom | Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin'
Actual Rating: 2.5*
Full review on Books Are My Fandom .
I was really underwhelmed with this one. I thought there was a lot more that could have happened in it but it was all wasted potential. I wanted there to be more in terms of planning the heist and the two crews coming together. I wanted to be shown the training and all the aspects of the heist but in reality, the heist lasted two seconds and [spoiler]basically went off without a hitch so it ended up being kind of lame[/spoiler]. Considering this was supposed to be adrenaline junkie meets bank robber, I thought there would be a little bit more of each.
I thought separately, Lexi and Christian were really interesting people. They both had faults and their own set of issues but they didn't let that get them down. They played with the cards they were dealt and tried to make the most of them. I liked that Lexi was willing to do whatever it took to get that rush and protect her family. I also liked that Christian was willing to go to extreme lengths to protect his. And they both had greater hopes and dreams for themselves. I thought they were great characters and I was glad to be in both of their heads throughout the novel.
However, the other characters lacked any real qualities that made me care about them. At first I thought Lexi thought Leo was into her but then it was revealed that Leo is gay (and Lexi knew) and I thought maybe I missed that? I also wasn't quite sure what kept their adrenaline junkie group together because it was never really stated? Was it just that they were all rich and could do whatever they wanted? It wasn't really explained and they didn't feel like BFFs but rather just a bunch of characters that were needed for this story.
And the bank job was really ... easy? Like it seemed like it should have been a lot harder than what it ended up being. I thought they would have had a couple more issues or run ins but they didn't. And the actual job wasn't even shown (or told about), we got cut into the middle of it. Which sucked. Considering this was a heist book, it was less about the heist (or even PLANNING the heist) and more about Lexi and Christian's sucky lives. And while I enjoyed Lexi and Christina, I thought it was too much about them separately rather than them working together to get the information they needed to plan and pull off this heist.
I thought it took too much time to get started and it cleaned up really easily. But I loved both Lexi and Christian and their relationship; I thought they were good characters and a good match for one another. Lexi and Christian's relationship is the reason I continued to read the book. There are a lot of other heist stories that make it less predictable so this one is kinda middle of the road for me. I would recommend picking this up from your local library or borrowing it from a friend if you want to read it!
Books and Ladders | Books Are My Fandom | Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin'
July 25, 2016
I absolutely LOVED this book!
Here's why:
1. The writing. Fluid, effortless, and pace-perfect, Amy's writing allows yourself to lose yourself in the story without a hitch. Which bring me to...
2. The plot: So fun and FAST, this book will grab you and not let you go until you've read the very last page. Perfectly-woven and full of thrills, SMASH & GRAB gives you the adrenaline rush of POINT BREAK and the intrigue of OCEAN'S ELEVEN. Layers upon layers & heists within heists...I was SO invested because...
3. The characters! The two main MC's (Lexi & Christian) bring their own layers to the story, and the supporting cast is equally well-crafted. I loved hanging with them and all their mad skills!
Five stars from me!:)
Here's why:
1. The writing. Fluid, effortless, and pace-perfect, Amy's writing allows yourself to lose yourself in the story without a hitch. Which bring me to...
2. The plot: So fun and FAST, this book will grab you and not let you go until you've read the very last page. Perfectly-woven and full of thrills, SMASH & GRAB gives you the adrenaline rush of POINT BREAK and the intrigue of OCEAN'S ELEVEN. Layers upon layers & heists within heists...I was SO invested because...
3. The characters! The two main MC's (Lexi & Christian) bring their own layers to the story, and the supporting cast is equally well-crafted. I loved hanging with them and all their mad skills!
Five stars from me!:)
April 9, 2018
If you know me, you know it’s very rare that I read an entire book in one day. This book is freaking amazing, for all the right reasons. I read this book at the beach, and it’s exactly what I want out of a beach read—easy to read, engaging, suspenseful, and (of course) full of angsty romance. Not only does the girl find a dreamboat, she sets out to help him escape the Mexican mafia, rob a bank, and implicate a criminal mastermind in the process. A+ storytelling, if a little basic.
July 9, 2017
”If you’re deep in the hole, you aren’t scared of going deeper. But if you’re halfway out, man, the fall is freaking terrifying.”
Oh, dear. I didn’t know a heist novel involving base jumping and bank robberies could be so… boring.
Lexi, her brother Quinn, and their small group of friends love a good thrill. Whether it’s sky-diving off of the tallest building in LA or BASE jumping right in the middle of traffic, they love having a good time. But the dares they do are more of a release from the troubles they have back home.
First things first (and this has nothing to do with the actual book, BTW), the shoes the cover model is wearing look insanely comfortable. If you’re wearing shoes like that on an actual heist, you’re probably doomed to fail from the start because you’re walking on toothpicks.
But enough of stiletto slamming; back to the book.
There was this Shonda Rimes show on called The Catch. It was about a woman who was a private investigator who was dating a man who, unbeknownst to her, was a notorious con man she had spent months trying to track down. The pilot was shot, but then it got scrapped, recast, and repaired. Then after the first season, they totally changed the direction and theme of the show. It was doomed from the start, and it wasn’t that good (but then again, I’ve never been a Shondaland devotee).
Unlike that show, this book started out pretty strong. I loved the core friendship/partnership Lexi had with both her brother and her close knit group of friends. They truly cared about each other and their well-being. Their banter back and forth was fun to read, and you could easily imagine sitting in their tight-knit group chatting to them about movies and what not. There wasn’t anything innately unkilable about the characters, either. Lexi is an adrenaline junkie who thrives off the high of doing crazy stunts and riding her motorcycle well over the speed limit.
I’ve been pretty generous with the good elements of the book, so what made so snooze inducing. While this book’s tagline comparison has been Ocean’s Eleven meets West Side Story, it was all the latter and none of the former.
The heists on both sides were unbelievable and very unrealistic to imagine that a bunch of teenagers could pull off. There wasn’t a lot of heisting on Lexi’s part, and Christian’s end of the bargain wasn’t much better. Heists work as a team, but Lexi and her friends were like disjointed robot parts trying to do different things all at once. The ending heists, without giving too much away, was nothing compared to the heists shown in said Ocean’s Eleven.I did like the outcome of the relationships though, both platonic and romantic.
Second of all, this book literally had every single Mexican stereotype you could think of. There were so many it was ridiculous. I live in a town about 2 and a half hours from LA with a high population of immigrants from Mexico. And let me tell you, if they read this book, the whole barrio would be chasing after the author (and that hasn’t happened since Richard Ramirez, aka ‘The Night Stalker’ was on the run). Christian was the stereotypical Latino ‘bad boy with a heart of gold’ living in the poor section of LA (of course), with the requisite funny fat best friend who loves churros (le sigh), a obsessive love of telenovelas, etc. etc. It was borderline offensive and just plain tiring to read about, to be honest.
I have a feeling that this book could have been ten times more exciting that it set out to be. The heists were too convoluted and boring to even care about, and the extreme Mexican stereotyping was almost appalling. Despite the wonderful friendships and witty banter between the characters and their love interests (the author has a real knack for writing believable friendships), the stakes weren’t high enough or realistic enough for me to enjoy in their endeavors. For a really, REALLY badass story about heists and bank robberies, watch Baby Driver. It kicks serious ass and the stunts are AMAZING.
P.S.: A word about L.A. traffic…
When I said that I live in a town that’s about 2 ½ hours from LA, I was being generous. Some days, it does take that amount of time. But it’s really more like this.
1)If the sun is shining, the tank is clean, and Jesus loves you that particular day, it takes about 2 ½ hours to get to LA.
2)If the sun isn’t shining, the tank isn’t clean, and Jesus doesn’t love you that particular day… all bets are off on how long it’ll take you to get there. Once, it too my family 5 hours just to get to LA on what was supposed to be a day trip. What can I say? Traffic sucks most of the time. Anything goes on the freeway too, since literally no one in California knows how to drive a car (except me, of course).
Oh, dear. I didn’t know a heist novel involving base jumping and bank robberies could be so… boring.
Lexi, her brother Quinn, and their small group of friends love a good thrill. Whether it’s sky-diving off of the tallest building in LA or BASE jumping right in the middle of traffic, they love having a good time. But the dares they do are more of a release from the troubles they have back home.
”We started it to cheer up Oliver after his parent’s divorce, a sort of joke that over the years became something bigger. Now we have more than twenty pages of capers, most of them directly related to crappy moments in one or all of our live. Like my dad’s arrest. Or Leo’s mom’s breakdown.”Lexi and Quinn’s father has been arrested for embezzling funds from his cooperation, though Lexi is sure he was framed. So what better way to prove it than to go undercover at the very bank he worked at? On the other side of LA, Christian is in deep with the local gang, committing bank robberies and heists that are becoming more and more dangerous, with the stakes going up each time. His biggest job yet is during fourth of July weekend… at the very same bank Lexi’s spying at. And when their paths cross, the only thing that threatens what they’re trying to do is each other.
First things first (and this has nothing to do with the actual book, BTW), the shoes the cover model is wearing look insanely comfortable. If you’re wearing shoes like that on an actual heist, you’re probably doomed to fail from the start because you’re walking on toothpicks.
But enough of stiletto slamming; back to the book.
There was this Shonda Rimes show on called The Catch. It was about a woman who was a private investigator who was dating a man who, unbeknownst to her, was a notorious con man she had spent months trying to track down. The pilot was shot, but then it got scrapped, recast, and repaired. Then after the first season, they totally changed the direction and theme of the show. It was doomed from the start, and it wasn’t that good (but then again, I’ve never been a Shondaland devotee).
Unlike that show, this book started out pretty strong. I loved the core friendship/partnership Lexi had with both her brother and her close knit group of friends. They truly cared about each other and their well-being. Their banter back and forth was fun to read, and you could easily imagine sitting in their tight-knit group chatting to them about movies and what not. There wasn’t anything innately unkilable about the characters, either. Lexi is an adrenaline junkie who thrives off the high of doing crazy stunts and riding her motorcycle well over the speed limit.
”I can feel my whole body humming with a high that comes only from doing something outrageous, a high that most of the ground dwellers below never experience. No matter what maneuver we have planned- this jump or the motorcycle race we pulled off in the spillway last month- the thrill never weakens. These moments are the only times I ever feel truly alive.”She’s a protective little sister to her brother, and at times it feels like she’s the older of the two. Christian is pretty much the same way, with him being a protective big brother and all around sweet guy, if it weren’t for the little fact that he was embroiled in a gang. Their witty flirtations back and forth allowed for easy chemistry (almost too easy).
I’ve been pretty generous with the good elements of the book, so what made so snooze inducing. While this book’s tagline comparison has been Ocean’s Eleven meets West Side Story, it was all the latter and none of the former.
The heists on both sides were unbelievable and very unrealistic to imagine that a bunch of teenagers could pull off. There wasn’t a lot of heisting on Lexi’s part, and Christian’s end of the bargain wasn’t much better. Heists work as a team, but Lexi and her friends were like disjointed robot parts trying to do different things all at once. The ending heists, without giving too much away, was nothing compared to the heists shown in said Ocean’s Eleven.I did like the outcome of the relationships though, both platonic and romantic.
Second of all, this book literally had every single Mexican stereotype you could think of. There were so many it was ridiculous. I live in a town about 2 and a half hours from LA with a high population of immigrants from Mexico. And let me tell you, if they read this book, the whole barrio would be chasing after the author (and that hasn’t happened since Richard Ramirez, aka ‘The Night Stalker’ was on the run). Christian was the stereotypical Latino ‘bad boy with a heart of gold’ living in the poor section of LA (of course), with the requisite funny fat best friend who loves churros (le sigh), a obsessive love of telenovelas, etc. etc. It was borderline offensive and just plain tiring to read about, to be honest.
I have a feeling that this book could have been ten times more exciting that it set out to be. The heists were too convoluted and boring to even care about, and the extreme Mexican stereotyping was almost appalling. Despite the wonderful friendships and witty banter between the characters and their love interests (the author has a real knack for writing believable friendships), the stakes weren’t high enough or realistic enough for me to enjoy in their endeavors. For a really, REALLY badass story about heists and bank robberies, watch Baby Driver. It kicks serious ass and the stunts are AMAZING.
P.S.: A word about L.A. traffic…
When I said that I live in a town that’s about 2 ½ hours from LA, I was being generous. Some days, it does take that amount of time. But it’s really more like this.
1)If the sun is shining, the tank is clean, and Jesus loves you that particular day, it takes about 2 ½ hours to get to LA.
2)If the sun isn’t shining, the tank isn’t clean, and Jesus doesn’t love you that particular day… all bets are off on how long it’ll take you to get there. Once, it too my family 5 hours just to get to LA on what was supposed to be a day trip. What can I say? Traffic sucks most of the time. Anything goes on the freeway too, since literally no one in California knows how to drive a car (except me, of course).
July 14, 2016
The story: Smash and Grab is about bank robbers from two completely different worlds. Lexi and her group of wealthy friends, are a bunch of adrenaline junkies pulling off crazy stunts for fun. When her father is arrested for fraud, she does what it takes to clear her father's name from the bank he worked. Christian, has been threatened and blackmailed to rob banks and is only doing it because he's forced into it. The two cross paths when they end up at the same bank.
The likes: I loved how the story started with the Lexi and her friends on top of the building. It caught my attention from the very beginning. I like that the story was told from dual points of view. There were many points where I was biting my nails wondering what was going to happen and if they were going to get caught. I really liked Christian's character. He goes through so much and just wants to succeed in life and go to college. I like the chemistry between the two main characters. It was a very subtle romance, which was OK with everything going on in both of their lives. It was believable.
The dislikes: When I started reading I thought the author was going to go into more detail and development of Lexi's group of friends/family because of how tight they seemed but I was left wanting more. Another issue is the fact that they are all in high school....robbing a bank and doing crazy things. It was a little difficult to wrap my brain around that aspect to enjoy it fully. I didn't connect with Lexi as much as I did to Christian because of the whole "rich, spoiled girl" qualities that came out.
The rating: my rating for this book is 3.5. I really enjoyed this book and would read more books from Amy Christine Parker.
http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2016...
The likes: I loved how the story started with the Lexi and her friends on top of the building. It caught my attention from the very beginning. I like that the story was told from dual points of view. There were many points where I was biting my nails wondering what was going to happen and if they were going to get caught. I really liked Christian's character. He goes through so much and just wants to succeed in life and go to college. I like the chemistry between the two main characters. It was a very subtle romance, which was OK with everything going on in both of their lives. It was believable.
The dislikes: When I started reading I thought the author was going to go into more detail and development of Lexi's group of friends/family because of how tight they seemed but I was left wanting more. Another issue is the fact that they are all in high school....robbing a bank and doing crazy things. It was a little difficult to wrap my brain around that aspect to enjoy it fully. I didn't connect with Lexi as much as I did to Christian because of the whole "rich, spoiled girl" qualities that came out.
The rating: my rating for this book is 3.5. I really enjoyed this book and would read more books from Amy Christine Parker.
http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2016...
January 5, 2017
As soon as I saw the cover of this book, I knew I wanted to read it. I am one of those readers who love my teen adventure/spies type stories. Also when I originally saw this cover and book, I was still on a high from finishing the Pretty Crooked series, so I was all about "Heist and Robbery" type stories. The other thing that got me was that the tagline mentioned "Oceans Eleven" and I loved that movie series. The book starts out with wealthy girl Lexi and her group of friends jumping and parachuting from a building; they seem like a group of in the dark adrenaline junkies. For Lexi, it is an escape mechanism as she has just learned her father has gone to prison for bank fraud and her family have lost everything. On the other side of the tracks is Christian, he is a poorer neighborhood and has found his mates and him caught up with the local gangs. One thing leads to another, and they head to pull off a bank job which has the meeting of Lexi and Christian. Lexi believes her Dad was set-up by his boss and supposed friend, so she goes undercover as an intern for the bank to find out the truth and runs into Christian. One thing leads to another, and the pair finds themselves not only falling for one another but discovering that in a blackmail sort of way, that they can help out one another and so begins a joining of forces - each with their set of values, morals, and reasons behind what they are about to do. When the stakes get higher, will both teams still do their bit to pull off a successful heist or will Lexie's friends who have less to lose pull out? Find out in this awesome teen novel that fans of Heist Society by Ally Carter will love and enjoy as much as I did.
August 5, 2016
Amy Christine Parker’s Gated is one of the most interesting books I’ve ever read. So, there was no question that I was going to pick up Smash & Grab, especially since it was about heists. Sadly, this one fell flat for me.
– I liked that this one had dual POVs. We get both Christian and Lexi’s POVs and for the most part, those were written really well. Lexi and her friends enjoy robbing banks because they are bored and they like the rush they get from their heists. Christian, on the other hand, is poor and has to rob banks because he is being blackmailed to do so, but all he wants is to get away and go off to college. While both voices were strong, I didn’t find them to be particularly captivating.
– I really disliked the random Spanish in the middle of English conversations that this book had going on. Christian’s family is of Mexican origins and whenever they are conversing, they use one or two random Spanish words even though they are talking in English. Do Mexicans really talk like this?
– The heist part itself, I found lacking to be in action. I kept waiting for something epic to happen, but I ended up being bored for the most part.
– The romance was sweet and I liked it quite a bit, I definitely would have liked to see more of it and a stronger connection between Lexi and Christian.
Overall, I wasn’t a fan of this book and I didn’t think it was explored as deeply as it could have been.
May 31, 2016
Absolutely loved this book. The concept of two teens from different parts of life meeting up in an unusual way really connected with me. The characters were well developed and thought out. This is an action-packed book that will leave you guessing until the very end. Highly recommended.
July 27, 2016
Looking for a fun summer read full adrenaline, twisty plots, and angsty love attractions? Well look no further!
Sometimes I love to delve into NA/YA reads and this shiny cover and blurb appealed to me. I was curious to the synopsis and more to how the book will pull off the subject of a bank heist and revenge/redemption in a NA setting. All while not juvenilizing the book as a whole.
I loved both the privileged and eternally bored adrenaline seeking group that included our main Heroine Lexi who like her opposite Christian was the driving force of the group. Christian too has his own group, a group of high schools who have close ties to Mexican Mafia, who are successful bank robbers thanks to his brains and cautious planning. By total fate he runs into our Adrenaline Junkie Lexi while casing a new bank to hit. However, Lexi is up to no good herself as she is on a mission herself posing undercover to clear her father's name. It just happens her father was arrested for shady doings at his bank and Lexi is not convinced it was his doing entirely. So while the two try to play spy/robber they discover their attraction for each other is not the only thing they have in common. They both have plans to rob the bank but for all the different reasons. These kids might be HS kids but they are way mature and up to no good. Where are they parents??? Oh wait right nowhere around. In the end the only solution is to pair up both groups to create a mega group that can handle the biggest heist... but at what cost???
In the end, I was left satisfied. While some of the situations and problems that the group ran into got resolved rather quickly and conveniently, the story kept moving along at a fast pace. The most important for me when reading is not to get bored in pointless side story lines that do not drive the story and happy for me this book did not fall into that pattern. Each delve into character meant something. Each story while left you feeling "why so much overshare" made sense once all the pieces came together in the end.
While the story itself reads as a high fiction blockbuster movie heist it was still an awesome read. After all isn't that why we read fiction stories?
Some of My Favorite Quotes
We chase the thrills, but we don’t ruin people’s lives. ••••••
Alcohol and drugs can’t touch it. It’s 100 percent pure adrenaline and it’s amazing. Addictive. No matter what maneuver we have planned—this jump or the motorcycle race we pulled off in the spillway last month—the thrill never weakens. These moments are the only times I ever feel truly alive. ••••••
Sometimes people who are stuck in a really deep hole don’t see the point in trying to get out. The climb just feels too high. And when you want to escape, they get all freaked out because if you actually manage to get out, they’re stuck in the hole alone. ••••••
I kept wondering why she didn’t seem afraid of me and now I think I know. She’s not afraid of anything. This girl jumps off skyscrapers for fun. She’s successfully infiltrated the bank and managed to break into my phone without my knowing. She’s a force of nature. Forget the lions. I want to channel some of what she has. 
July 26, 2016
Originally Posted on Blue Books and Butterflies
If there is one thing I look for in a book, it is a good heist executed by intelligent teens. This book takes this up to a whole new level by having two groups of teenage con artists collide while they are in the middle of completing their most risky crimes yet. Plus, an unlikely star-crossed romance? Sign me up! If there is one thing I can say to describe Smash & Grab overall, it is that this book was a very entertaining, easy-going read that is perfect for anyone who likes YA books with a fun, unique plot.
In the novel, there is an alternating perspective from the two main character Lexi and Christian who come from completely different backgrounds, yet their lives still somehow intertwine. I was worried that this alternation of POVs would break up the story and make the book feel choppy, but this was definitely not the case. This style was done well by the author and maintained a nice flow to the plot. While reading, I could not help thinking I would love to see this book turned into a movie because it already felt like a movie even on paper, and I could easily visualize each scene.
The characterization in this book was done very well. These are not just kids who run around doing dangerous things "just because they can" which is a trope I have run into in quite a few YA novels. Each character has its own background story, dreams, and motivations for why they act in certain ways or even why they act out of their natural character sometimes. I felt very invested in the lives of the two main characters and really sympathized with them, but the side characters did feel a bit distant and I found I did not care as much for them. I enjoyed Christian's Hispanic identity in the book a lot. His character felt the most authentic in that he struggles to help his family and create a better life for himself, but in the process, gets stuck with the wrong people in a dangerous gang. I was really rooting for things to get better for him throughout the novel.
The plot itself was well paced and never felt slow or boring. I was especially looking forward to reading about the characters executing their crimes (which are my favorite scenes of these types of novels). I do have to say that a lot of the events in this book were predictable and very convenient, but this did not take away much from the story and I still always wanted to know what was happening next. The romance between Christian and Lexi kicks off right from the start with their immediate attraction towards each other upon their first...may I say unusual encounter, and it builds from there with each person wanting to try and use the other to ensure their cons work out smoothly. Overall, it was cute and I liked their relationship.
If there is one thing I look for in a book, it is a good heist executed by intelligent teens. This book takes this up to a whole new level by having two groups of teenage con artists collide while they are in the middle of completing their most risky crimes yet. Plus, an unlikely star-crossed romance? Sign me up! If there is one thing I can say to describe Smash & Grab overall, it is that this book was a very entertaining, easy-going read that is perfect for anyone who likes YA books with a fun, unique plot.
In the novel, there is an alternating perspective from the two main character Lexi and Christian who come from completely different backgrounds, yet their lives still somehow intertwine. I was worried that this alternation of POVs would break up the story and make the book feel choppy, but this was definitely not the case. This style was done well by the author and maintained a nice flow to the plot. While reading, I could not help thinking I would love to see this book turned into a movie because it already felt like a movie even on paper, and I could easily visualize each scene.
The characterization in this book was done very well. These are not just kids who run around doing dangerous things "just because they can" which is a trope I have run into in quite a few YA novels. Each character has its own background story, dreams, and motivations for why they act in certain ways or even why they act out of their natural character sometimes. I felt very invested in the lives of the two main characters and really sympathized with them, but the side characters did feel a bit distant and I found I did not care as much for them. I enjoyed Christian's Hispanic identity in the book a lot. His character felt the most authentic in that he struggles to help his family and create a better life for himself, but in the process, gets stuck with the wrong people in a dangerous gang. I was really rooting for things to get better for him throughout the novel.
The plot itself was well paced and never felt slow or boring. I was especially looking forward to reading about the characters executing their crimes (which are my favorite scenes of these types of novels). I do have to say that a lot of the events in this book were predictable and very convenient, but this did not take away much from the story and I still always wanted to know what was happening next. The romance between Christian and Lexi kicks off right from the start with their immediate attraction towards each other upon their first...may I say unusual encounter, and it builds from there with each person wanting to try and use the other to ensure their cons work out smoothly. Overall, it was cute and I liked their relationship.
July 18, 2016
I can’t think of a better comparison than the one that is on the summary… “Ocean’s Eleven meets West Side Story” encapsulates this story to a tee!
If you can suspend your disbelief for most of this story then you’re going to be in for a fun, adrenaline-filled story full of suspense, blackmail and characters who can’t help but fall for each other along the way!
Lexi loves the adrenaline rush she gets when her and her friends and doing a dare, but her father’s arrest puts their lives on hold. She’s determined to clear his name and get the evidence needed to prove that he wasn’t the one behind the crime that put him in jail and froze her family’s assets. With the help of her brother who is a master hacker and her other friends she has a plan… but she can’t do it without the help of Christian.
Christian is from the wrong side of town and he’s not exactly as he might appear. Threats against his family have forced him into robbing banks and he’s desperate to get out and pursue the future he never thought possible. He’s just got to do this one last job and then he can put it all behind him. When secrets are revealed and he’s worried he won’t make it past this one last job, he knows he can only do it with the help of Lexi and her friends.
Like I said, you need to use your imagination with this one because there are some things that you’ll just be thinking “no way… no way, no way, no way.” But if you can get past that, there’s a pretty great story here. I really enjoyed the star-crossed lover’s aspect of the story. Lexi and Christian are from two different worlds and neither are what the other expected. They are positive no matter how much they might be interested in each other, there just isn’t anything on the other side of this job for them.
I have to admit that it helped that Christian and his friends weren’t thugs… They each had their own story and reasons for being in the predicament that they were. Lexi and her crew were a bit more predictable and the dares that they did really seemed to come about from boredom and it really translated into what Lexi felt she had to do for her father and her family but again… suspend your disbelief because a lot of it just is unbelievable for anyone in the 16-18 age range.
If you’re looking for a fast, fun read… if you’re a fan of heist books and can put reality to the side for a couple of hours, I think you’re going to enjoy this one.
Thank you to the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
If you can suspend your disbelief for most of this story then you’re going to be in for a fun, adrenaline-filled story full of suspense, blackmail and characters who can’t help but fall for each other along the way!
Lexi loves the adrenaline rush she gets when her and her friends and doing a dare, but her father’s arrest puts their lives on hold. She’s determined to clear his name and get the evidence needed to prove that he wasn’t the one behind the crime that put him in jail and froze her family’s assets. With the help of her brother who is a master hacker and her other friends she has a plan… but she can’t do it without the help of Christian.
Christian is from the wrong side of town and he’s not exactly as he might appear. Threats against his family have forced him into robbing banks and he’s desperate to get out and pursue the future he never thought possible. He’s just got to do this one last job and then he can put it all behind him. When secrets are revealed and he’s worried he won’t make it past this one last job, he knows he can only do it with the help of Lexi and her friends.
Like I said, you need to use your imagination with this one because there are some things that you’ll just be thinking “no way… no way, no way, no way.” But if you can get past that, there’s a pretty great story here. I really enjoyed the star-crossed lover’s aspect of the story. Lexi and Christian are from two different worlds and neither are what the other expected. They are positive no matter how much they might be interested in each other, there just isn’t anything on the other side of this job for them.
I have to admit that it helped that Christian and his friends weren’t thugs… They each had their own story and reasons for being in the predicament that they were. Lexi and her crew were a bit more predictable and the dares that they did really seemed to come about from boredom and it really translated into what Lexi felt she had to do for her father and her family but again… suspend your disbelief because a lot of it just is unbelievable for anyone in the 16-18 age range.
If you’re looking for a fast, fun read… if you’re a fan of heist books and can put reality to the side for a couple of hours, I think you’re going to enjoy this one.
Thank you to the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
July 13, 2016
Smash & Grab is one of those books you're either going to love or hate, depending on how "real" you like your fiction. Some will scoff at teens pulling off bank jobs, but I love it. There's something so exciting, so thrilling, about reading about bank robberies and base-jumping and other adrenaline-filled pursuits. It just gets you so excited! I know, morally, that bank robbing isn't right, duh, but they do it without harm! It's all good! But if that's not your jam, don't read this book. It is so my jam, though, and I loved it.
What I liked most about Smash & Grab were the characters. In a book like this, you have to love the characters to really agree with what they're doing, and Lexi and Christian are amazing MCs. They come from completely different sides of the tracks, but they're sole goals are the same: to provide for their family. Although Christian's threat comes as an actual, physical threat, so it's not like either of them woke up one day, thinking they'd rob banks. There's way, way more to the story than that, and that's what makes this book so readable, so enjoyable, so hard to put down.
This is the kind of book you can pick up and lose yourself in when you don't want to be part of the real world for a day or so. Is it perfect? Probably not, but I just read it for what it was - a fun, heist-y, bank caper and I didn't think too hard about how hard (or easy, as the case may be) it is to rob a bank. Though I kind of feel like this book should come with a big warning, in neon writing that says "Do not try any of these things at home", just for any budding robbers or base-jumpers, looking to get a thrill, reckon they can do it themselves. Don't be silly.
I did for a long time wonder how Smash & Grab would end - because surely something so criminal cannot end happily? It cannot end with people walking into the sunset? Well you'll have to read and see, but it did give me pause for thought, and I actually kind of liked the ending. I would also really like either a) a sequel or b) a companion novel featuring the other characters in the book. I would so get behind that. I'd be first in line to read any sequels/companion novels. I really, really enjoyed this. This was such a cute, fun read, perfect for fans of Ocean's Eleven.
What I liked most about Smash & Grab were the characters. In a book like this, you have to love the characters to really agree with what they're doing, and Lexi and Christian are amazing MCs. They come from completely different sides of the tracks, but they're sole goals are the same: to provide for their family. Although Christian's threat comes as an actual, physical threat, so it's not like either of them woke up one day, thinking they'd rob banks. There's way, way more to the story than that, and that's what makes this book so readable, so enjoyable, so hard to put down.
This is the kind of book you can pick up and lose yourself in when you don't want to be part of the real world for a day or so. Is it perfect? Probably not, but I just read it for what it was - a fun, heist-y, bank caper and I didn't think too hard about how hard (or easy, as the case may be) it is to rob a bank. Though I kind of feel like this book should come with a big warning, in neon writing that says "Do not try any of these things at home", just for any budding robbers or base-jumpers, looking to get a thrill, reckon they can do it themselves. Don't be silly.
I did for a long time wonder how Smash & Grab would end - because surely something so criminal cannot end happily? It cannot end with people walking into the sunset? Well you'll have to read and see, but it did give me pause for thought, and I actually kind of liked the ending. I would also really like either a) a sequel or b) a companion novel featuring the other characters in the book. I would so get behind that. I'd be first in line to read any sequels/companion novels. I really, really enjoyed this. This was such a cute, fun read, perfect for fans of Ocean's Eleven.
July 21, 2016
I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
When Lexi’s father is arrested for mortgage fraud, Lexi cannot come to terms with the fact that her father was the only one involved in the financial scam. In order to find evidence against her father’s coworker, Lexi and her friends team up with a group of professional bank robbers.
If Christian and his friends are going to pull off a fifty million dollar heist, they are going to need help from Lexi and her friends. Although the situation may be less than ideal, they just might come out of their heist alive and richer then ever before.
This story is told from two points of views, Lexi’s point of view and then Christian’s point of view. I especially enjoyed these two points of views because they are so different from each other. Up until just recently, Lexi’s life has been easy and carefree, while Christian’s life has been anything but. In order to pay off his father’s gambling debts, Christian joins a Mexican gang. This gang has been forcing Christian to commit bank robberies. If Christian doesn’t do as he is told, the Mexican gang will not only kill him, but kill his family as well. Even though Lexi and Christian come from completely two different worlds, they quickly realize that they are more alike then they imagined.
Smash and Grab is such an easy novel to lose yourself in. This action packed story jumps right in, literally BASE jumping, and will leave you breathless from start to finish. The characters are fantastic and complement each other wonderfully. There are even a few surprises at the end that I did not see coming. If you are looking for a fast paced, action packed, and exciting read, Smash and Grab might just be the book for you!
When Lexi’s father is arrested for mortgage fraud, Lexi cannot come to terms with the fact that her father was the only one involved in the financial scam. In order to find evidence against her father’s coworker, Lexi and her friends team up with a group of professional bank robbers.
If Christian and his friends are going to pull off a fifty million dollar heist, they are going to need help from Lexi and her friends. Although the situation may be less than ideal, they just might come out of their heist alive and richer then ever before.
This story is told from two points of views, Lexi’s point of view and then Christian’s point of view. I especially enjoyed these two points of views because they are so different from each other. Up until just recently, Lexi’s life has been easy and carefree, while Christian’s life has been anything but. In order to pay off his father’s gambling debts, Christian joins a Mexican gang. This gang has been forcing Christian to commit bank robberies. If Christian doesn’t do as he is told, the Mexican gang will not only kill him, but kill his family as well. Even though Lexi and Christian come from completely two different worlds, they quickly realize that they are more alike then they imagined.
Smash and Grab is such an easy novel to lose yourself in. This action packed story jumps right in, literally BASE jumping, and will leave you breathless from start to finish. The characters are fantastic and complement each other wonderfully. There are even a few surprises at the end that I did not see coming. If you are looking for a fast paced, action packed, and exciting read, Smash and Grab might just be the book for you!
July 25, 2017
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Heist books are not something I've gotten into in the past, as I never found them quite as thrilling as mystery novels or psychological thrillers, and not as relatable (or entertaining) as your average contemporary YA book. This one is no exception -- neither the action nor the relationship dynamics were engaging or more than a little interesting. The writing was solid and had a great pace, and I did care about Christian and the struggle living under the Mexican Mafia's boot is.
"What was that about, exactly?" I ask. He exhales heavily. "It's nothing. They're just reminding me that doing this job isn't a choice."
"You don't rob banks because you want to?"
Dude, really? Not everyone (Especially a person of color) has the luxury of robbing banks because they want to. Get your privileged white attitude out of my face.
Honestly, the first 70% of the book was pretty all right, and the chapters really improved from the beginning up to that point, but the last chunk of the book was rushed in a non-thrilling way and then tied up with a bow at the end. It wasn't hard to guess that everyone would get a happy ending, but it just seemed too easy. Smash & Grab definitely isn't the worst I've seen this year, yet it fails to measure up to recent reads as far as enjoyment and satisfaction when finishing it. To be frank: it's one big 'meh'. I would recommend it to people who liked Heist Society and Perfect Chemistry, but I probably won't go out of my way to suggest it to others.
Heist books are not something I've gotten into in the past, as I never found them quite as thrilling as mystery novels or psychological thrillers, and not as relatable (or entertaining) as your average contemporary YA book. This one is no exception -- neither the action nor the relationship dynamics were engaging or more than a little interesting. The writing was solid and had a great pace, and I did care about Christian and the struggle living under the Mexican Mafia's boot is.
"What was that about, exactly?" I ask. He exhales heavily. "It's nothing. They're just reminding me that doing this job isn't a choice."
"You don't rob banks because you want to?"
Dude, really? Not everyone (Especially a person of color) has the luxury of robbing banks because they want to. Get your privileged white attitude out of my face.
Honestly, the first 70% of the book was pretty all right, and the chapters really improved from the beginning up to that point, but the last chunk of the book was rushed in a non-thrilling way and then tied up with a bow at the end. It wasn't hard to guess that everyone would get a happy ending, but it just seemed too easy. Smash & Grab definitely isn't the worst I've seen this year, yet it fails to measure up to recent reads as far as enjoyment and satisfaction when finishing it. To be frank: it's one big 'meh'. I would recommend it to people who liked Heist Society and Perfect Chemistry, but I probably won't go out of my way to suggest it to others.
August 10, 2016
Random House Children's and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Smash & Grab, in exchange for an honest review.
Lexi and her brother Quinn are preparing to base jump off the US Bank Tower with their friends Oliver, Leo, and Elena, coincidentally on the same day that their dad is arrested for bank fraud. This group of adrenaline junkies play fast and loose with the laws, keeping a book of their escapades that they lovingly call the BAM book. Christian and his cousin Benny are in the process of stealing a minivan to use as their getaway car for a bank heist with the rest of their crew: Eddie, Gabriel, and Carlos. When Lexi lands on the hood of their car, Christian is left to wonder whether seeing her near the bank is a sign. Ending up running headlong into a dangerous situation, will Lexi's luck finally run out?
Perhaps because the author references Ocean's Eleven, this book definitely captures the feeling of that movie and others like it. With an interesting plot, both fast moving and thrilling, and well developed characters, Smash & Grab will delight readers who enjoy YA thrillers and suspense. This book does not have a believable plot, but a plausible story is not a requirement within the framework of fiction. Lexi is my favorite character, as her intelligence, her ability to adapt to ever changing situations, and her mental and physical toughness give her depth. With elements of real world stories that many face, Smash & Grab touches on feeling of helplessness coupled with desperation. I definitely recommend this book and look forward to the next offering by author Amy Christine Parker.
Lexi and her brother Quinn are preparing to base jump off the US Bank Tower with their friends Oliver, Leo, and Elena, coincidentally on the same day that their dad is arrested for bank fraud. This group of adrenaline junkies play fast and loose with the laws, keeping a book of their escapades that they lovingly call the BAM book. Christian and his cousin Benny are in the process of stealing a minivan to use as their getaway car for a bank heist with the rest of their crew: Eddie, Gabriel, and Carlos. When Lexi lands on the hood of their car, Christian is left to wonder whether seeing her near the bank is a sign. Ending up running headlong into a dangerous situation, will Lexi's luck finally run out?
Perhaps because the author references Ocean's Eleven, this book definitely captures the feeling of that movie and others like it. With an interesting plot, both fast moving and thrilling, and well developed characters, Smash & Grab will delight readers who enjoy YA thrillers and suspense. This book does not have a believable plot, but a plausible story is not a requirement within the framework of fiction. Lexi is my favorite character, as her intelligence, her ability to adapt to ever changing situations, and her mental and physical toughness give her depth. With elements of real world stories that many face, Smash & Grab touches on feeling of helplessness coupled with desperation. I definitely recommend this book and look forward to the next offering by author Amy Christine Parker.
May 29, 2016
What a delightfully fun summer read. Smash and Grab has tons of heisty goodness. Sure, the plot is holier than a spaghetti strainer, but the lesson here is not to think too hard about it and just ride the roller coaster.
The premise:
After her dad is thrown in jail for mortgage fraud, Lexi - a high society adrenaline junky - goes undercover at LL National Bank to find evidence to convict her dad's former boss in the scam. Along the way, she meets Christian, a small-time robber trying to get out of the criminal lifestyle by running one last job for the gang that has him under their thumb. When the two end up targeting the same bank, they team up for the B&E of a lifetime.
Though the con itself my not hold water, the characters and quick-paced writing made this story a win. Lexi and Christian's voices alternate each chapter and before you know it, you'll find yourself completely wrapped up in their lives. I especially loved Christian as he fought to protect his family and free himself from the criminal life he was caught up in - even against monumental odds. You'll be cheering them on 'til the last page of their mission impossible.
Overall, a very fun read for anyone who likes their books feisty and heisty. If you're a fan of Heist Society or Burn Notice, put this on your TBR list.
The premise:
After her dad is thrown in jail for mortgage fraud, Lexi - a high society adrenaline junky - goes undercover at LL National Bank to find evidence to convict her dad's former boss in the scam. Along the way, she meets Christian, a small-time robber trying to get out of the criminal lifestyle by running one last job for the gang that has him under their thumb. When the two end up targeting the same bank, they team up for the B&E of a lifetime.
Though the con itself my not hold water, the characters and quick-paced writing made this story a win. Lexi and Christian's voices alternate each chapter and before you know it, you'll find yourself completely wrapped up in their lives. I especially loved Christian as he fought to protect his family and free himself from the criminal life he was caught up in - even against monumental odds. You'll be cheering them on 'til the last page of their mission impossible.
Overall, a very fun read for anyone who likes their books feisty and heisty. If you're a fan of Heist Society or Burn Notice, put this on your TBR list.
July 19, 2016
I was fortunate to read an advanced copy of this novel, and boy, was I blown away! I hate to use the cliche "on the edge of your seat," but when I literally found myself on the edge of my seat, I knew there would simply be no way to avoid it in a review. Not only is the writing airtight, but the characters are so fully fleshed out that I have to remind myself that they're not real people. I felt such a strong connection to them, that I didn't want the book to end. This book is actually told in alternating POVs, which is no easy task for a writer. I was thoroughly impressed with how distinct the voices were. This book has a little bit of everything: mystery, love, diverse (and deep) characters, and a lot of heart.
Read
July 11, 2016DNF at about 44%. Since I got this from NetGalley, I really wanted to finish it, but I just couldn't take any more. The characters are completely unlikable, the plot is unbelievable. While Christian is slightly more likable than Lexi, his POV included basically caricatures of Mexican culture and was honestly a little uncomfortable to read sometimes. I think heist books need to have a certain level of Fun, but I was completely unentertained. I just felt sad for the characters.
December 8, 2018
I started this book a few months ago and while the book started out with some action, I just didn't get into it. I decided to pick it back up a couple days ago and was instantly sucked in! Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood back in March because I ended up loving it. If you like thrills, heists (that took some serious research by the author), and a bit of dangerous romance - then you'll like this!
July 31, 2016
I enjoyed this so, so much more than I'd expect. Rocky start but it got better and better as it went along. RTC.
July 19, 2016
This review was originally posted on In Wonderland
**Any quotes in this review are subject to change, since they came out of the ARC**
"I'm breathless by the time we reach the helipad on top of the US Bank Tower--exactly 1.018 feet above L.A."
I thought that SMASH & GRAB was such a fun read! I mean the very first chapter is about a group of kids jumping off of a 1,000 foot building for crying out loud! I thought that this book was a great summer read. Yea, it's not totally realistic with a group of teens pulling off bank heists, but it was a lot of fun!
I really loved the characters within this novel! Lexi and Christian are so great and I love them even more together! When reading this book, I just got so lost and immersed in the story. Now obviously, the stuff that happens within this novel is not totally realistic. I mean it's not usual for a group of teenagers to go base jumping or get together to rob a bank (without harming people), but it's what makes this story so exciting!
I'd love to see more of these characters! Please let there be a sequel or make this into a companion series, because I want more! And if you want an exciting, thrill-seeking, and all around fun YA Contemp, then check this book out!
AMY CHRISTINE PARKER writes full-time from her home near Tampa, Florida, where she lives with her husband, their two daughters, and one ridiculously fat cat. Visit her at amychristineparker.com and follow her on Twitter @amychristinepar.
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3 Finished Copies of SMASH & GRAB (US Only)
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Week 1:
7/13: Bookish Escapes - Review
7/15: Bookiemoji - Review
Week 2:
7/19:
In Wonderland - Review
7/20: Live to Read - Review
7/21: Go Read a Book - Review
7/22: Bibliobuli - Q&A
July 29, 2016
This review, and many more, was originally posted on 125pages.com
Smash & Grab by Amy Christine Parker is a fun mash-up of the Ocean's and Point Break with a little Goodfellas thrown in. And did I mention that it is a YA? It is, and it seems like all of these elements should not work together, but they actually do. Lexi is a spoiled rich girl who only feels alive when she is pushing the limits to get an adrenaline rush. As we meet her, she is BASE jumping off of a skyscraper the same day her father is arrested for embezzlement. At the same time scrappy Christian is scoping out a new bank to rob. He is trying to keep his family safe from the local gang and sees no way out. After a chance encounter, Lexi and Christian team up and plan the heist to end all heists, and hopefully save both of their families at the same time.
I liked the plot of Smash & Grab. It was not a typical YA and I really loved that there was no insta-love. The stories of the two main characters felt like they fit together and there was no forcing a relationship. The writing of Amy Christine Parker was funny and sharp. She had a way of writing each character (the chapters alternated narrators) with a distinct voice, I always knew whose chapter it was. The pacing had a few blips where time would jump faster than it had, but it did not harm the story. The world created was interesting. I got much more of a feel for where Christian lived and worked then I did for Lexi. There was a nice emotional overlay to this read. The two teens doing whatever they can to save their families and their futures was one nice layer and then the romance was a great other layer. Now as for the characters, I loved Christian, he was a good kid doing what he felt he needed to do for his family. Lexi however, was pretty much a super spoiled brat. However, she grew during the book and also grew on me.
Smash & Grab was a fun read. Sometimes you just need a book that does not take itself too seriously. Like, teen bank robbing gangs are not a normal YA feature. Amy Christine Parker crafted a tale that was a nice change of pace for me and I loved the way she crafted the romance. This is a perfect summer read; a bit of intrigue, a bit of love and a smidgen of blockbuster action.
Favorite lines - Sometimes people who are stuck in a really deep hole don’t see the point in trying to get out. The climb just feels too high. And when you want to escape, they get all freaked out because if you actually manage to get out, they’re stuck in the hole alone.
Biggest cliché - Poor little rich girl.
This book was most likely received free from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Smash & Grab by Amy Christine Parker is a fun mash-up of the Ocean's and Point Break with a little Goodfellas thrown in. And did I mention that it is a YA? It is, and it seems like all of these elements should not work together, but they actually do. Lexi is a spoiled rich girl who only feels alive when she is pushing the limits to get an adrenaline rush. As we meet her, she is BASE jumping off of a skyscraper the same day her father is arrested for embezzlement. At the same time scrappy Christian is scoping out a new bank to rob. He is trying to keep his family safe from the local gang and sees no way out. After a chance encounter, Lexi and Christian team up and plan the heist to end all heists, and hopefully save both of their families at the same time.
I liked the plot of Smash & Grab. It was not a typical YA and I really loved that there was no insta-love. The stories of the two main characters felt like they fit together and there was no forcing a relationship. The writing of Amy Christine Parker was funny and sharp. She had a way of writing each character (the chapters alternated narrators) with a distinct voice, I always knew whose chapter it was. The pacing had a few blips where time would jump faster than it had, but it did not harm the story. The world created was interesting. I got much more of a feel for where Christian lived and worked then I did for Lexi. There was a nice emotional overlay to this read. The two teens doing whatever they can to save their families and their futures was one nice layer and then the romance was a great other layer. Now as for the characters, I loved Christian, he was a good kid doing what he felt he needed to do for his family. Lexi however, was pretty much a super spoiled brat. However, she grew during the book and also grew on me.
Smash & Grab was a fun read. Sometimes you just need a book that does not take itself too seriously. Like, teen bank robbing gangs are not a normal YA feature. Amy Christine Parker crafted a tale that was a nice change of pace for me and I loved the way she crafted the romance. This is a perfect summer read; a bit of intrigue, a bit of love and a smidgen of blockbuster action.
Favorite lines - Sometimes people who are stuck in a really deep hole don’t see the point in trying to get out. The climb just feels too high. And when you want to escape, they get all freaked out because if you actually manage to get out, they’re stuck in the hole alone.
Biggest cliché - Poor little rich girl.
This book was most likely received free from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
August 2, 2016
This review and more can be found at The Heart of a Book Blogger.
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
I’m a huge fan of heist novels, so I had high expectations for Smash & Grab. While Smash & Grab didn’t quite reach my expectations, it was still a fun and enjoyable read.
The story begins with Lexi and her crew BASE jumping off a building after her father was arrested earlier that day for mortgage fraud. She happens to land on the car Christian and his cousin stole for their upcoming robbery the next day. When Lexi and her family head to the bank the next day, she realizes that her dad’s old friend and colleague had to be the mastermind behind the fraud. She, her brother, and their friends set out to gather evidence against him to clear their father. To do this, Lexi poses as an intern at the bank.
Christian and his friends are being forced to rob banks by the local Mexican gang. While committing their latest robbery, Christian literally runs right into Lexi. They then encounter each other the next day, and Christian has Lexi retrieve evidence he left behind the day before. After such close call at being caught, the man who is blackmailing Christian and his friends tasks them with one last robbery—a heist bigger than any of them have ever committed. While staking out the next bank, Christian encounters Lexi again, but this time she’s disguise. Now they both have blackmail material against each other, and they need to team up in order to accomplish their heists.
There was a large cast in Smash & Grab. Lexi’s crew consisted of five other members and Christian’s crew included four. Add in a bunch of family members and bad guys, and there are a whole lot of names to keep track of. While I understand the need to have several people involved in the heists and stunts, it was still confusing at times who was who. There was also one part where an additional friend was added to Lexi’s crew for the middle of the book and then was never mentioned again (hopefully that was fixed in the final copy).
There was a lot of set up in the beginning to establish characters and motives. The actual action for the heist didn’t pick up until a little over half way through the book. Due to this, it took a while for me to really get into the story. However, once the action started to pick up, I was engaged. The ending was predictable but still satisfying.
I liked the contrast between Lexi’s rich group and Christian’s poor group. The romance between Lexi and Christian was cute but short. I would have loved to see more of the two of them together. One awkward part of the story was some of the Spanish slang. Some of the words just seemed to have been thrown in at random and a little unneccessary.
Overall, Smash & Grab was a fun read. I recommend it for fans of Maggie Hall’s The Conspiracy of Us.
*This ARC was provided to me by the author through The Fantastic Flying Book Club and NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.*
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
I’m a huge fan of heist novels, so I had high expectations for Smash & Grab. While Smash & Grab didn’t quite reach my expectations, it was still a fun and enjoyable read.
The story begins with Lexi and her crew BASE jumping off a building after her father was arrested earlier that day for mortgage fraud. She happens to land on the car Christian and his cousin stole for their upcoming robbery the next day. When Lexi and her family head to the bank the next day, she realizes that her dad’s old friend and colleague had to be the mastermind behind the fraud. She, her brother, and their friends set out to gather evidence against him to clear their father. To do this, Lexi poses as an intern at the bank.
Christian and his friends are being forced to rob banks by the local Mexican gang. While committing their latest robbery, Christian literally runs right into Lexi. They then encounter each other the next day, and Christian has Lexi retrieve evidence he left behind the day before. After such close call at being caught, the man who is blackmailing Christian and his friends tasks them with one last robbery—a heist bigger than any of them have ever committed. While staking out the next bank, Christian encounters Lexi again, but this time she’s disguise. Now they both have blackmail material against each other, and they need to team up in order to accomplish their heists.
There was a large cast in Smash & Grab. Lexi’s crew consisted of five other members and Christian’s crew included four. Add in a bunch of family members and bad guys, and there are a whole lot of names to keep track of. While I understand the need to have several people involved in the heists and stunts, it was still confusing at times who was who. There was also one part where an additional friend was added to Lexi’s crew for the middle of the book and then was never mentioned again (hopefully that was fixed in the final copy).
There was a lot of set up in the beginning to establish characters and motives. The actual action for the heist didn’t pick up until a little over half way through the book. Due to this, it took a while for me to really get into the story. However, once the action started to pick up, I was engaged. The ending was predictable but still satisfying.
I liked the contrast between Lexi’s rich group and Christian’s poor group. The romance between Lexi and Christian was cute but short. I would have loved to see more of the two of them together. One awkward part of the story was some of the Spanish slang. Some of the words just seemed to have been thrown in at random and a little unneccessary.
Overall, Smash & Grab was a fun read. I recommend it for fans of Maggie Hall’s The Conspiracy of Us.
*This ARC was provided to me by the author through The Fantastic Flying Book Club and NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.*
July 23, 2016
Huge thank you to the publisher for letting me read an advanced copy of this book!
I REALLY enjoyed this book! After falling into a little bit of a reading slump I needed something fun that would really drag me into the story and not let go. I didn't want anything TOO heavy and this was just the perfect balance. I LOVE heist movies and books, so I went into this with high hopes and was not disappointed.
Lexi and her crew are thrill seekers. They're young rich LA kids who have issues with their families and they all deal with these issues by doing crazy and wild stunts. The book starts out with them jumping off a building. I really loved how Lexi and her gang had actual problems and not just rich kid problems. Lexi's dad is in jail and her mother is falling apart. Lexi's friends (while not the MOST fleshed out group of side characters) are all personable and facing their own issues. We see glimpses of things that all people face: abusive parents, un-accepting parents, etc. This made the book feel real.
I also liked that Lexi was and wasn't a stereotype. She's a typical rich, blond, beautiful LA chick but she is also pretty bad ass. She holds her own and stays true to herself. She uses her looks and charm when she needs to, but she isn't vapid and vain, nor a mean girl. I really liked that she didn't quit fit any mold when she really could have.
Christian is the other voice in this book. It is a dual POV book, but the author does an AMAZING job with the two voices. I was never once confused as to who was speaking and that really helped me enjoy this book even more (because I do NOT like dual POV books with alternating chapters). Christian is from the hood and he and his own crew of friends are bank robbers. They were strong-armed into doing the robberies by the local gang which has ties to a much larger Mexican gang. Each friend is working the jobs to help their families/ save people they love. It's all very tragic and makes them not really BAD guys. Christian was an interesting character; he's smart, of mixed race so he doesn't always feel like he fits in with the rest of his crew, and he cares deeply about doing the right thing even when he's forced to do the wrong thing.
Christian and Lexi cross paths multiple times and sparks fly. They end up joining forces to rob the bank that Lexi's dad used to work for... to help prove his innocence and to set Christian free. There's a lot of double crossing, some kissing and swooning and some high action moments with crazy stunts. I very much enjoyed this book and would LOVE to see it as a movie.
I REALLY enjoyed this book! After falling into a little bit of a reading slump I needed something fun that would really drag me into the story and not let go. I didn't want anything TOO heavy and this was just the perfect balance. I LOVE heist movies and books, so I went into this with high hopes and was not disappointed.
Lexi and her crew are thrill seekers. They're young rich LA kids who have issues with their families and they all deal with these issues by doing crazy and wild stunts. The book starts out with them jumping off a building. I really loved how Lexi and her gang had actual problems and not just rich kid problems. Lexi's dad is in jail and her mother is falling apart. Lexi's friends (while not the MOST fleshed out group of side characters) are all personable and facing their own issues. We see glimpses of things that all people face: abusive parents, un-accepting parents, etc. This made the book feel real.
I also liked that Lexi was and wasn't a stereotype. She's a typical rich, blond, beautiful LA chick but she is also pretty bad ass. She holds her own and stays true to herself. She uses her looks and charm when she needs to, but she isn't vapid and vain, nor a mean girl. I really liked that she didn't quit fit any mold when she really could have.
Christian is the other voice in this book. It is a dual POV book, but the author does an AMAZING job with the two voices. I was never once confused as to who was speaking and that really helped me enjoy this book even more (because I do NOT like dual POV books with alternating chapters). Christian is from the hood and he and his own crew of friends are bank robbers. They were strong-armed into doing the robberies by the local gang which has ties to a much larger Mexican gang. Each friend is working the jobs to help their families/ save people they love. It's all very tragic and makes them not really BAD guys. Christian was an interesting character; he's smart, of mixed race so he doesn't always feel like he fits in with the rest of his crew, and he cares deeply about doing the right thing even when he's forced to do the wrong thing.
Christian and Lexi cross paths multiple times and sparks fly. They end up joining forces to rob the bank that Lexi's dad used to work for... to help prove his innocence and to set Christian free. There's a lot of double crossing, some kissing and swooning and some high action moments with crazy stunts. I very much enjoyed this book and would LOVE to see it as a movie.
August 26, 2017
I'm torn. I honestly don't know how to rate this book.
On the one hand I thoroughly enjoyed it (who doesn't like heists, drama, romance and excitement all packed into one?) but on the other I feel like I have never eye-rolled in my entire life as much as I did with this one.
Two things I love the most about Smash & Grab. First, it's different from all the usual YA contemporaries I read which is a relief. I love how it's so much more complicated than the typical teenage angst and family drama I encounter. All the "boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love but it turns out they can't be together because of so and so reasons" storyline just gets old real fast. So yeah bonus points to Amy Parker for venturing into the world of thieves, heists, highs, gangs, Mafia and... teenagers. I mean don't get me wrong I do not condone stealing or any form of crime for that matter but there's a reason I read books and that's to live and experience the world some other way. If I'm escaping reality I might as well go all out right?
Anyway the second thing I love about this book? The romance. Definitely the romance. The chemistry between Lexi and Christian just felt so natural. And considering the romance wasn't the main focus of the story and felt barely there I didn't think I would feel as strongly for them but I did. There was definite swooning on my part. SWOONING. Because Christian... just... *sigh*
What I didn't like however and I guess it affected me more than I realized (if my rating is any indication) is how over the top unbelievable everything was. The way they robbed the bank? They made it seem like anyone (and I mean ANYONE) can do it. "Wanna rob a bank?" "Yeah sure let me just go get my crowbar and mask. Oh and a change of black clothes too." I mean I would have been fine with it. If they were robbing a FREAKING VENDING MACHINE. I've read Ally Carter's Heist Society and I didn't end up feeling like I could steal anyone's precious painting whenever I want. This book however... I can't. I just can't.
Oh and the ending? That was too perfect and waaayy convenient. There are times that a perfectly wrapped up ending works for a book and this time is not it.
All in all I love the author's writing. It pulls you in from the start. I would definitely watch out for more books from her. But I just can't for the life of me get over how unbelievable and unrealistic this was.
I received an e-arc to read and review.
On the one hand I thoroughly enjoyed it (who doesn't like heists, drama, romance and excitement all packed into one?) but on the other I feel like I have never eye-rolled in my entire life as much as I did with this one.
Two things I love the most about Smash & Grab. First, it's different from all the usual YA contemporaries I read which is a relief. I love how it's so much more complicated than the typical teenage angst and family drama I encounter. All the "boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love but it turns out they can't be together because of so and so reasons" storyline just gets old real fast. So yeah bonus points to Amy Parker for venturing into the world of thieves, heists, highs, gangs, Mafia and... teenagers. I mean don't get me wrong I do not condone stealing or any form of crime for that matter but there's a reason I read books and that's to live and experience the world some other way. If I'm escaping reality I might as well go all out right?
Anyway the second thing I love about this book? The romance. Definitely the romance. The chemistry between Lexi and Christian just felt so natural. And considering the romance wasn't the main focus of the story and felt barely there I didn't think I would feel as strongly for them but I did. There was definite swooning on my part. SWOONING. Because Christian... just... *sigh*
What I didn't like however and I guess it affected me more than I realized (if my rating is any indication) is how over the top unbelievable everything was. The way they robbed the bank? They made it seem like anyone (and I mean ANYONE) can do it. "Wanna rob a bank?" "Yeah sure let me just go get my crowbar and mask. Oh and a change of black clothes too." I mean I would have been fine with it. If they were robbing a FREAKING VENDING MACHINE. I've read Ally Carter's Heist Society and I didn't end up feeling like I could steal anyone's precious painting whenever I want. This book however... I can't. I just can't.
Oh and the ending? That was too perfect and waaayy convenient. There are times that a perfectly wrapped up ending works for a book and this time is not it.
All in all I love the author's writing. It pulls you in from the start. I would definitely watch out for more books from her. But I just can't for the life of me get over how unbelievable and unrealistic this was.
I received an e-arc to read and review.
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