Challenge: 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: Already Released.
Number of Pages: 307 (Paperback)
Number of Pages: 307 (Paperback)
Description from Goodreads:
My name is Danielle. I'm eighteen. I've been stealing things for as long as I can remember.
Dani has been trained as a thief by the best--her mother. Together, they move from town to town, targeting wealthy homes and making a living by stealing antique silver. They never stay in one place long enough to make real connections, real friends--a real life
In the beach town of Heaven, though, everything changes. For the first time, Dani starts to feel at home. She's making friends and has even met a guy. But these people can never know the real Dani--because of who she is. When it turns out that her new friend lives in the house they've targeted for their next job and the cute guy is a cop, Dani must question where her loyalties lie: with the life she's always known--or the one she's always wanted.
I've read a few of Elizabeth Scott's books before reading Stealing Heaven, and they are always quick, addictive, and enjoyable reads. Stealing Heaven was no exception. I started it as something to read between my classes, and soon found myself unable to put it down.
Dani was a great main character, although the "character" of her mother was extremely questionable, I really enjoyed reading Dani's story. Her conscience more than made up for her mother's lack of one. Her mother and father were both thieves, and Dani grew up stealing things. She didn't go to school, she didn't have friends, and she didn't talk to cops...or at least she wasn't supposed to. :P
My favourite part of Stealing Heaven was Dani and Greg's relationship. :) A thief and a cop...it was priceless, and I loved how Dani just couldn't help but want to be around him because I wanted to be around him. He was such a nice guy, and he was so determined to know her...there's nothing like persistence and a sense of humour to make you like a character. :D
Pushing aside the fantabulous little romance, the dynamics between Dani and her mom were always entertaining. Most of the time Dani acted more like the parent, and I really liked getting to see her try and make decisions for herself. She wanted to go to school, to get a "normal" job (i.e. not as a thief), and I liked that she had different dreams for herself than what her mother wanted for her. Her mother wanted her to never have to work, although for Dani stealing as an alternative to work didn't really appeal. While it may have made her seem week, I actually liked that Dani didn't want to say no to her mom about robbing people...not because I wanted her to, but because it made me identify with her. She didn't want to disappoint her mother, and she felt indebted to her mom, because of her love and also because her mom hadn't abandoned her like her father had. I identified with that...because let's face it, who hasn't been afraid of disappointing their parents??? I certainly have.
So, in short, I'd recommend Stealing Heaven to anyone who wants a quick, fun read that makes you think, and also makes you wonder how some people get into the situations they're in. Are they born into them? Did some lure them into a certain lifestyle? Should we really judge others when we could have easily been born into a similar position? And, one of those great philosophical questions, nature or nurture? Are we born a certain way, or is the way we're raised what shapes us into who we are?
Okay, I'm done all my crazy questions, now for an easy one, have you read any of Elizabeth Scott's book before? And if you have, what'd you think? :)
Dani was a great main character, although the "character" of her mother was extremely questionable, I really enjoyed reading Dani's story. Her conscience more than made up for her mother's lack of one. Her mother and father were both thieves, and Dani grew up stealing things. She didn't go to school, she didn't have friends, and she didn't talk to cops...or at least she wasn't supposed to. :P
My favourite part of Stealing Heaven was Dani and Greg's relationship. :) A thief and a cop...it was priceless, and I loved how Dani just couldn't help but want to be around him because I wanted to be around him. He was such a nice guy, and he was so determined to know her...there's nothing like persistence and a sense of humour to make you like a character. :D
Pushing aside the fantabulous little romance, the dynamics between Dani and her mom were always entertaining. Most of the time Dani acted more like the parent, and I really liked getting to see her try and make decisions for herself. She wanted to go to school, to get a "normal" job (i.e. not as a thief), and I liked that she had different dreams for herself than what her mother wanted for her. Her mother wanted her to never have to work, although for Dani stealing as an alternative to work didn't really appeal. While it may have made her seem week, I actually liked that Dani didn't want to say no to her mom about robbing people...not because I wanted her to, but because it made me identify with her. She didn't want to disappoint her mother, and she felt indebted to her mom, because of her love and also because her mom hadn't abandoned her like her father had. I identified with that...because let's face it, who hasn't been afraid of disappointing their parents??? I certainly have.
So, in short, I'd recommend Stealing Heaven to anyone who wants a quick, fun read that makes you think, and also makes you wonder how some people get into the situations they're in. Are they born into them? Did some lure them into a certain lifestyle? Should we really judge others when we could have easily been born into a similar position? And, one of those great philosophical questions, nature or nurture? Are we born a certain way, or is the way we're raised what shapes us into who we are?
Okay, I'm done all my crazy questions, now for an easy one, have you read any of Elizabeth Scott's book before? And if you have, what'd you think? :)
I think this was actually the first Elizabeth Scott book I read! I felt sort of borderline about it at the time, but I think I'm going to have to re-read it, and I have a feeling I'll like it even more now. Plus, bonus for a nice guy character!
ReplyDelete