Sting

In LOOT, Jude Watson introduced readers to teens March, Jules, Izzy, and Darius as the four were brought together and forged into a family through various adventures. STING is a follow-up to that book, but it stands on its own quite well.

STING begins with a flashback to a past heist. An unidentified thief grabs three perfect—but curse--star sapphires, but has to change the planned exit strategy due to unexpected complications. The next chapter starts with a thrill as March and his crew go after those sapphires fifteen years later—only to find that there are others trying to steal the same gems. On the same night. At the exact same time. What follows is a breathless dash through the streets of Paris, Brooklyn, and Miami as March, Jules, Izzy, and Darius lose everything they own, try to regain their fortune, battle inner demons, and work to keep their family together all while making connections, planning heists, and putting together deals.

STING has short chapters that kept me engaged throughout the book. The action sequences and intricate plots were well described so that I was fully immersed in the story and never confused by ever-shifting events. The characters weren’t deeply drawn, but that could be the result of the book being the second in the series and the assumption that readers have read the first book (I haven’t). I would have loved to know more about Darius and Izzy as the brother-sister team of March and Jules is the focus of most of the backstory given.

All in all, this book is a great middle grades thriller with a bit of wit, a lot of thrill, a nod to the paranormal, and a warm take on what makes a family. Presuming the first book is as good as the second, I highly recommend the series to middle grade readers who like their books with a lot of action.

My thanks to the publisher and YA Books Central for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.