STING

Can four teens successfully steal three sapphires and then elude a determined FBI agent, a nasty international crime syndicate, and worse yet, the rare, supposedly caring adults in their lives?

In a suspenseful, action-packed sequel to Loot (2014), white twins March and Jules, children of thieves, 6-foot-2-inch African-American Darius, and tiny Latina Izzy put their admirable criminal talents to use. First they’re out to steal a valuable sapphire and diamonds in order to help a conniving adult friend, Hamish. Later, they find out that Darius has inadvertently lost the entire multimillion-dollar fortune they acquired in the first book, which was going to keep them comfortably out of crime forever. Now homeless and broke, they’re forced to go after the other two sapphires that belong with the first, all dangerously cursed as it turns out, to avoid being sent back into the foster-care system. The result is two edge-of-your-seat, challengingly sophisticated heists. Each kid brings a different talent to their joint endeavors, but it’s the action rather than character development that drives the plot. Very brief chapters, almost every one ending breathlessly with a cliffhanger, make this a perfect selection for reluctant readers. Enhancing the nonstop thrill ride, smart scheming and clever solutions to insurmountable problems never fail to amuse and impress.

Thrilling and exciting; the perfect choice for a quick read.