Stealing Heaven

“My name is Danielle. I’m eighteen. I’ve been stealing things for as long as I can remember.”

Danielle was born a thief, trained a thief, and lived the life of a thief. There’s nothing she does better than stealing antique silver behind your back and getting away with it. Moving from town to town, Danielle and her mother made a living by stealing silver. They soon targeted the beach town of Heaven but they didn’t know the life they knew was about to change. Dani started doubting herself as a person; she started questioning whether or not this is what she wanted for herself. She had to choose where her loyalties lie: with the life she’s known or the life she’s wanted. Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott is a gripping story on growing up, making decisions, and breaking free.

The previous quote hooked me into the book and didn’t let me go until the very last word. It got me asking questions and flipping the pages, desperately trying to find the answers. The chapters of this books are short, which is a perfect way to create cliffhangers and keep the readers thinking. Fortunately, Scott never missed an opportunity to do so. Once my previous answers were answered, new questions will pop up and so will the answers later on. In a way, it is a cycle but it also allows readers to interact with the book.

Scott created Dani as a realistic and believable character that I was able to relate to in many ways. As I was reading, I would unconsciously compare my life with hers. From the way she interacts with her mother to the inner debates she had with herself. By writing the story in Dani’s point of view, Scott successfully reached out to her audience.

Stealing Heaven is easy to read, short, enjoyable and most importantly, relatable. If you prefer a story as such, Stealing Heaven just might steal your heart.

Reader reviewed by Nian

Trust me when I say I REALLY (notice the caps?) wanted to like this
book. So much that I broke my biggest rule when it comes to books: Give
the novel your attention until halfway through, and if you still cant
tolerate it, just skip over the rest to read the damn ending. Yes,
thats my messy philosophy on intolerable reads. I read Stealing Heaven
all the way through, though. Every damn word. Its because I know other
people are so blown awayokay, maybe not blown away, per seby
Elizabeth Scott, and having dismissed her previous two books as utter
disappointments (particularly Bloom), I REALLY wanted to know
what the fuss was about. And guess what? I STILL dont get it. Theres
nothing special, short for her creative mind. But isnt everyone
creative if they put their minds to it?


Ill at least give her props for that. Imagination. I was just
thinking about writing a story about a girl with a kleptomaniac for a
mother, and then Im browsing through amazon.com
and bam, I see the little blurb for this book. I liked the premise.
Very catchy: My name is Danielle. Im eighteen. Ive been stealing
things for as long as I can remember. It breaks another one of my book
rules: Dont even attempt to read a book that starts off with Hello! My name is ____ and I am currently ____ years old!.
Desperate, pathetic much? But the stealing part totally caught my
attention, so I went and borrowed it. (Buying books really depresses me
because blurbs lie. They tend to make things sound more interesting
than they are, and when I hate the book, I would have realized Id just
spent a good $15 on a damn hardcover that I didnt even enjoy. So now,
I stick to borrowing them, which explains why Im always so slow on
reading the new releases.)


Anyway, I enjoyed the first few chapters. They were serious and
provided a clear picture of the thiefs path. Even from the beginning,
however, I was only able to like Dani a little bit because Elizabeth
Scott turned her into an annoying girl who sighed every other page over
her mother (was this really necessary?).Its like this with other
Scotts protagonists: they never really DO anything until its too late
for me to start liking them. How can I show an ounce of sympathy or
appreciation like that? I mean, even if youre an author taking the
long road of discovery for your character, she cant complain and be a
pathetic mess all pages long, right? Another Scott signature:
repetition. Maybe no one has told her yet, but the repetition is SO
obvious. I didnt even have to re-read certain parts to see that fault.
Its like, right there. The words were trying to test my patience
again! Important things need to be mentioned, but PLEASE do not make a
habit of overdoing it. I have a hawks eye when it comes to criticizing
people about thisyet, I know I go and do the very same thing when I
write my essays and stories. But Scott has an editor and a publisher,
right? So, no excuses.


Things went downhill when Greg came into the picture. I liked that
he was so casual at first and broke most stereotypes for what a cop
represented, but oh my god, he drove me insane. Hes such a plastic cut
out character that I rolled my eyes at his entrances. The lines Scott
made him say was flat and forced. The latter being the worst problem.
Things that Greg said didnt match his personalitythe author put it
down just for the sake of strolling the conversation along. Some people
WILL notice the awkwardness of the words. Also, I just cant imagine
anyone talking like that. That meaning a twenty-something
year old guy trying to impersonate a friendly and innocent ten year
old. Because thats exactly how Greg appeared to me, despite Scotts
intention of turning him into this breezy cop that said what he wanted
and did what he wanted. He was just childish. And the fact that Dani
got her share of forced lines didnt help the matter: I could
practically see her transforming into this ditzy blonde (no offense to
blondes; Im just going with the wrongly pinned stereotypes here) when
they conversed. Im sure that wasnt the effect Scott was trying to
create. If that waswell, consider me speechless.


I just couldnt deal after that. It was unpleasant enough with the
flawed writing/editing and a protagonist that I didnt care for (yes,
once again)but on top of it, a failed male lead? That was just too
much for me. His childish speech got on my nerves, Danis lack of
doing something until the very end (see the connection to Lauren in Bloom,
anyone?) just made me rattle my head continuously, and those sighs that
escaped my lungs when I continually flipped the pages just made me more
aware of the fact that I was in for major disappointment. The slow
pacingIll even give this a title: a la Scott, because its yet
another of Ms. Elizabeths signatureswas just an additional blow to my
already tedious day.

Reader reviewed by Sara

From inside cover:
"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 thier next job and the cute guy is a cop, Dani must question where her loyalties like: with the life she's always known - or the one she's always wanted."

When I saw that Elizabeth Scott read this book I expected to love it, and I wasn't disappointed! Dani is a character that is easy to love and root for! I really liked Greg... my head I have always picture him kind of like Leo from Veronica Mars. This book not only was insightful, it was also romantic and funny. I can't wait for more book by Scott... she hasn't let me down yet! 10 out of 10 stars for Stealing Heaven

Reader reviewed by thea

Dani grows up stealing. Her whole
life revolves around silver. She never went to high school and has a
new name everywhere her and her mom go. Nothing is consistent and she
longs to own something permanent. Dani's mother is hesitant to love
after her husband left. Her motto is: "I believe in what I can hold in
my hand." Throughout the novel, it explores the differences between
Dani and her mother. She also meets a cop(a cute one) which completely
clashes with her lifestyle. I laughed out loud while reading this book!
The dialog was great between Dani and the cute cop. My only complaint
is that it was a bit predictable.
Overall,
I loved the plot and the chance to go inside a criminals mind. Turns
out, not everything's black and white. Criminals are not pure evil.
They have reasons for who they are and why they do what they do. Even
Hitler was abused by his father and was self-conscious of his
appearance. It does not forgive what they do, because they have a
choice. They control their actions. Yet, criminals and evil people are
human too.
The ending
was great and it was a quick short read. I find that every single book
by Elizabeth Scott I end up loving. Perfect You was another of her
great ones-check it out!

Reader reviewed by cosmicdustbella

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.

Elizabeth Scott tells the surprising story of a mature teen who longs to be on the strait and narrow even though all her life crime is all she knew and all she was taught. Dani has never spent long in one place, and nobody ever really noticed her, until now. As she makes her struggle trying to decifer what she should do, you find yourself rooting for the troubled teen and hoping for her to make the right choice. With a shocking end that you will not see coming, you will not be able to put this book down until you have finished it.

Reader reviewed by Stephanie

18-year-old Danielle lives with her mother and they are professional thieves. They move quickly from affluent town to affluent town, staying only long enough to find out the information they need and steal what they target, and then they move on. Dani has learned to keep invisible and not form any connections. It may not be the life she wants deep down inside, but its all she has, all shes ever known.

At the beach town of Heaven, however, things begin to be different. Dani meets several people she thinks she can actually be friends withif not more. Unfortunately, her and her mothers lives demand that she not make friends, not feel like she wants to settle down.

This puts stress on her budding relationships with two people: Allison, a talkative but genuine girl who lives in the mansion that her mother is targeting next; and Greg, a young and funny local cop who seems intent on making her smilebut hes a cop!

How can Dani not lose her mothers love and respect, while learning how to go for what she wants?

Elizabeth Scotts books remind me very much of Sarah Dessens. The characters are well-developed. Greg in particular is charming and will make every girl wish he was real. This is a fun and moving read.

Reader reviewed by c-alexis

If you like short reviews.. this is it: I LOVED IT.
However, for those of you who like to know more...
When I first read the description.. I thought of a couple of movies... Hearbreakers (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Lies My Mother Told Me (Hayden Panettiere). Movies and storylines that involve complex mother-daughter relationships where the mother decides to steal and shoplift as a way to support themselves. Like the two movies mentioned, I loved the novel. While touching upon the complexities of Danielle and her mother's relationship, it was also fun and witty. It teaches that sometimes doing the right thing may not be what we're taught to do our whole lives... but still.. there is that sense of loyalty to family. I found myself rooting for Danielle as she struggles with her own conscience and her wants in life.
Elizabeth Scott is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors; can't wait to read another one of her novels.

Reprinted here with author's permission.

Reader reviewed by graceface

All Dani has ever known was stealing. In fact, her first memory was in someone else's house, where Dani was bravely trying to be "extra super quiet." Dani never really thought she could live a life without her mom, and moving from place to place, stealing silver from the rich.
That is, until she came to Heaven, a small beachside town with lots of wealthy looking homes with lots and lots of silver.
At Heaven, Dani is known as Sydney. She befriends a girl named Allison Donaldson and Greg, a cute but intriguing guy who is, unfortunately, a cop. But when Dani's mom decides to hit the Donaldson house next, Dani must search deep inside her heart and decide between right and wrong and what she really wants.
This book kind of slowed down way too much at the end for me, but overall it was a great book. 5 stars!

Reader reviewed by Tasha

Danielle is a girl of many names. Depending on the town she and her mom are in the name changes. Why is it that Danielle doesnt want anyone to know her identity? Its simple really; she and her mom are thieves. They go from town to town pilfering silver from the rich families in the area. As soon as one job is done they are planning the next one. When they arrive in a little coastal town called Heaven Danielle immediately knows that this place is different. While her mother has always told her the only things to believe in are silver and things you can hold, Danielle begins to realize that there really is more to life than just stealing. While Danielle is scouting the town for her mother one day, she ends up meeting Allison and Greg. While it is common for Danielle to meet people from town to town, she has never really had a friend let alone a boyfriend. Allison seems to be one of the nicest girls Danielle has ever met and while she knows it wouldnt be a good thing for them to be friends; she cant help but love Allisons bubbly personality. Then theres Greg. Greg is cute, interested in Danielle, and a cop! Danielle knows he is totally off limits, but she cant help being attracted to him. They forge such a special relationship that Danielle cant help but tell him everything, even her name. When Danielle and her mom run into conflict, she will be tested to make the most important decision of her life; to follow what she has always known, or to walk out onto a branch and try something new.

WOW!! This is what was going through my head as I finished the book. It was amazing in every sense and Elizabeth Scott has out done herself yet again. Im really not sure how its possible, but her novels just get better and better as they come out! This is by far my favorite of her novels, though they are all excellent. The story was completely original and was beautifully written. There were no hitches between paragraphs where I felt myself wondering what was going on, everything just flowed. Danielles character was also one of a kind. She had so many emotions that she thrust upon the reader that I truly felt like she was telling me her story I wasnt just reading it. Also Elizabeth Scott has once again shared an important lesson, not accepting the life your parents had as your own, and made it clear to the readers in a fun way. I was really intrigued to read about how Danielle struggled deciding what kind of life she wanted to live, not just the life she was always used to. I think this is definitely a prominent issue with teens today and like I said before, Elizabeth made thinking about the importance of this decision very real and significant. I absolutely cannot wait to read more by Elizabeth Scott as she is truly a gifted, wonderful, and fabulous author.

Reader reviewed by ambeen

Stealing Heaven is a beautifully crafted novel. I loved it from the beginning and had trouble putting it down even when I had to.

The isolation and feelings of being trapped that Danielle experiences are very well written and seem so real. It's hard to say I've been in her exact position, but I could really relate to her feelings out helplessness and feeling as if nothing can change and you couldn't make it change if you wanted.

I love Elizabeth's style of writing as well. It is similar to Sarah Dessen but different at the same time. I really love it and can't wait to read more from this amazing author.