I never would have thought to combine Ocean's Eleven with were-dragons, and yet here this novel stands. Fire and Heist not only has a well-written and super interesting premised, but it was really fun to read!

I'm not sure what I was expecting going into this as far as the setting, but when I read that it was set in an alternative-modern day, I found myself pleasantly surprised. The beginning of the book was a bit confusing, however. The story and the protagonist, Sky, continuously mention the "family business" and heists, but it was never actually explained what exactly the family business was and why they needed to go on heists. You kind of learn and make assumptions as the book goes on, but I think it needed to be expounded upon a little more.

The writing was great! This is my first novel by Sarah Beth Durst and I found her writing to be light, witty, and quirky - which fit this book perfectly. I also really enjoyed the heists and the way they were written: it was easy to follow along with the action and thrilling to read about! Another aspect of the book that I give huge props to the author for was the romance. Fire and Heist is a standalone, and one of the issues with standalones is balancing a love interest with good pacing in a short period of time without it turning into insta-love. The love interest in this book is an ex-boyfriend, and so the feelings were not only already established, but it added a new and unique kind of angst to the story.

Fire and Heist is a standalone that can most accurately be described as Ocean's Eleven + were-dragons. If you enjoy quick, light-hearted, thrilling stories full of were-dragons, gold, and fun heists, than I suggest checking this out!

Fire & Heist was a truly unique read! The introduction to were-dragons was a really cool and unique idea that i haven't seen. Overall the basis of the book was a heist like Oceans 11 meets dragons and is a wild ride from start to finish!.

Website: http://www.sarahbethdurst.com/
Title: Fire and Heist
Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Genre: YA, fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5

Sky Hawkins’s family fell from grace and lost some of their wealth and most of their good name when her mother disappeared after a heist gone bad. Sky lost her mom, her friends, and her boyfriend all at the same time, as well as becoming a social media and paparazzi pariah. Sky is a wyvern (a were dragon), after all, and the media is fascinated by her family and culture.

No one will talk about her mother’s disappearance, and Sky wants to know what really went down, so she starts to plan her first heist to find out. The first heist is a coming-of-age for wyverns, and Sky is determined to succeed at hers, and save her family’s good name, her mother, and her relationship at one time. Until she learns more about the mysterious jewel her mother was after—and realizes someone has been hiding dark secrets about wyvern history for years

This is a clean read, and suitable for even younger YA readers. The wyvern society is intriguing and well-thought-out. It makes sense for were-dragons, and I loved how it tied in historical figures to the wyvern worldbuilding. Sky is kind of an innocent about life, so I’d say this is skewed a bit towards younger readers, and a few things seemed a little too easy, but it was a an entertaining and fun read.

Sarah Beth Durst writes fantasy books for all ages. Fire and Heist is her newest novel.

(Galley provided by Random House Children’s/Crown Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.)

I was excited for this book once I read the blurb, and extra excited when I got the ARC.



As I dived into the book...I realized it wasn't all that exciting after all. It's a mix of Ocean's 11 with were-dragons. That combo sounded amazing but the execution just wasn't there.



Sky and her family can't shift into dragons anymore, but they can still blow fire and always need shiny things. So the family does heists to get their hands on all the shiny stuff they can.



Sky returns home early, she plans to just have her popcorn and burning session at home. Instead she walks into a heist going on in her home. She should go to the safe room, but ends up trying to stop the thieves instead. Only to find out the people stealing the piano happen to be her brothers. Yup, so much for an easy night.



The book started off slow. Learning about Sky, her family, the family business, etc. However, a huge chunk of the book just talked about planning the heist they have in mind to pull off. I don't think is should have taken so long to go over the plan and finally lead up to some actual were-dragon action.



Overall, I found the book to be okay. It wasn't as exciting as it sounded. The story was too slow, the characters weren't impressive and not enough of the fantasy elements.

Think The Italian Job, but pulled off by teenage dragon shifters.

Sky Hawkins is a wyvern, distant were-dragon descendants of a race of dragons that were exiled to earth in ancient times. No wyvern has actually taken dragon form in hundreds of years, but they all still have a singular dragon obsession: gold. Wyverns are essentially professional thieves. Their lives revolve around planning and pulling off elaborate heists to increase their hoards. But the Hawkins family are outcasts after Sky's mother disappears during a failed heist. Sky is determined to find out her mother's fate, and her plan involves going after the very same jewel that her mother did.

This was a fun standalone story, but it definitely is more geared towards a younger teenage audience. There's a lot of high school relationship angst. BUT that doesn't mean it's not a good story! I really liked the plot and thought the author built a cool wyvern mythology. So I can easily recommend it, but older readers might feel it lacks the layers and emotionally complexity found in other YA series.

Fire & Heist reminds me somewhat of Durst’s Drink, Slay, Love. If you liked that book, you’ll probably enjoy this one, too.

As in the earlier novel, the main character is a rather snarky teen with family and boyfriend issues. Sky Hawkins is a wyvern, a race descended from dragons. While they are no longer able to shift into dragon form, wyverns can breathe fire and build hoards (with a special fondness for gold). To do so, they pull off elaborate heists were they (mostly) steal from other wyverns. Sky’s mother recently disappeared trying to pull off a heist, and the scandal has damaged Sky’s family’s reputation and destroyed her relationship with her boyfriend, Ryan. To fix things, Sky decides to complete her mother’s mission. It’s when Sky’s heist goes sideways that things really start to get interesting, however.

This novel is much less serious than Durst’s recent adult fantasies. I was in the mood for a fun read, and it was perfect for that. Sky is much too practical to be very angsty, so even though her mother is missing and she broke up with her boyfriend, the tone of the story is mostly light. In the afterword, the author describes the book as “Ocean’s Eleven with were-dragons,” which pretty much sums it up.

If that sounds like your jam, read this book!

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

Best heist story I've read since Six of Crows!
Loved's sky's voice, the Wyvern community, and the plot, which was full of conflict and high stakes.
I would definitely recommend Fire & Heist to my friends and family.

I liked the cover and title, but the premise of the book did not grab me. I decided to read it because we are screening books for a best of 2018, but I was not very engaged.

Fire and Heist introduces the Hawkins family, who are wyverns, humans descended from dragons. They are obsessed with hoarding and stealing gold. Since her mother's disappearance, the main character Sky and her family are outcasts in the community. Now Sky is determined to steal a jewel from the leading wyvern family and in the process find her mother and restore her family's credibility. She gathers her crew, including her estranged boyfriend, who still loves her, but was forced to abandon her by his father, who owns the jewel. In attempting the heist, she uncovers a secret about the dragon society that changers her family's fortunes forever.

Sarah Beth Durst is an automatic pre-order author for me. I’ve loved all her books and Fire & Heist was no exception. I adored the MC here, refreshingly independent without being cold, endearing and intelligent. I enjoyed the concept of this family of wyverns and the organised crime aspect. And as always, Durst has peppered the story with her trademarked humour – which is what really makes her YA novels stand out. Funny, engaging and refreshingly fun. Highly recommend.

One of my favorite things to do is sit down an enjoy a good heist. I've been a long fan of Ally Carter and when I grabbed this book, I was really excited.

The main character Sky is an amazing. Her voice is actively present and from the minute I started reading I knew she was a fully realized character for the author. The blend of fantasy and the thrill of a good chase is really great. By the time I finished reading, I was ready to recomend this to half the teenagers who come into my libary.

I just don't think this book was for me. It sounded fantastic and interesting but for me I found myself not caring for 75%. That being said I was still interested in that other 25%, mainly when the heist was taking place but it seemed to basically just gloss over it, after a lot of explaining and planning, it just happened and that was that. The characters were just bland, I didn't care what happened.
I really believe if this was billed as a Middle Grade book it would be fantastic. YA, not so much.

In Sky Hawkins’s family, leading your first heist is a major milestone… It’s a chance to gain power and acceptance within your family, and within society. But stealing your first treasure can be complicated, especially when you’re a wyvern–a human capable of turning into a dragon. With a handpicked crew by her side, Sky knows she has everything she needs to complete her first heist, and get her boyfriend and mother back in the process. But then she uncovers a dark truth about were-dragon society–a truth more valuable and dangerous than gold or jewels could ever be.


The short review...

I can't believe how seriously I enjoyed this little gem!! It's not a perfect book by any means but dragon books meant for YA (and not middle grade) are quite rare so I was really hopeful that I would like this one. And I really did. I read it quickly because it is really exactly as advertised... A quick heist book except these are were-dragons that are going after the goods and not a pretentious group of somewhat young thieves.

This is an alternate reality story where our world is our world except there are some differences, namely that there are dragons in human form who can't remember how to shift like there ancestors used to be able to do. I really enjoyed the little mini-history that was developed and the cute thief culture that was a part of being a were-dragon. It's not the most ethical of stories but Sky wasn't doing it for wealth so most will give her a pass. I enjoyed the twist even though I saw it coming... really if you are jonezing for a quick, fun dragon heist then this is your book!


Cover & Title grade -> B+

I was certainly drawn to the cover because dragon!! The title gave me pause because I'm not a fan of heist books as they are so predictable, but decided to give it a go anyway. And I find this quite an attractive cover despite it having little to do with the story. There was fire, a heist and dragons, but the museum like feel to the cover isn't really the vibe in the story. Though there is a sense of the ultra-wealthy and privileged to the Hawkin's family life.


What did I enjoy in Fire and Heist so much that I could overlook its flaws?

-The Hawkins Family!
Yes, the Hawkins are extremely wealthy and read like privileged white people even though they were technically dragons. But GAHHHHH her brothers were so adorable and protective and like real brothers! She's the youngest so of course they treat her like older brothers do but I just loved the interactions between Sky, one on one and as a group. Her dad felt real, even if misguided.

-Gabriela, the Unicorn obsessed!
This girl... what a friend! We learn when she first noticed Sky, how she was there for Sky when Sky didn't even see her. She over came her fears to help Sky with her heist and I just loved what a research fiend she was!! And her obsession with magic was so adorable and I just wanted a friend just like Gabriela!! If you're going to lose all of your friends then this is the girl you want standing by.

-The Heist Mess...
This is no Six of Crows, as it is firmly written for YA and not for adult YA where adults pretend to be YA. That is okay though because this heist was still really good! I liked how Sky worked things out and got together a crew that could take care of each of the problems... Of course the heist only got fun when it all went to hell in a hand basket!


The Writing...

So in the beginning I said this wasn't perfect. And it wasn't. You can see from my rating that nothing really reached sublime level... Actually I put it perfectly in my goodreads thought...

"Wow! This is a little corny, a bit predictable and a touch easy but very fun, different and full of dragons! Love the world building and the characters, especially her family. Everything is shallow in a way, but enjoyable."

You may read a review that talk about the characters being rather shallow. And then you see above that that is what I liked most about the book. Let me explain. The characters are a touch shallow... i.e. there could have been a whole lot more interaction with them. Like many more scenes could have been developed that would have rounded out their characters a touch more.

However for a 300 page book with 5 family members, an ex-boyfriend, his parents, a new girl friend, and a dragon wizard plus at least 3 more additional mysterious characters this is really great characterization! There was still quite a lot of plot in those same pages too! Quite a feat and I really applaud at how fleshed out I felt the characters all were.

The only one that felt a little cookie cutter was her ex-boyfriend and really I still felt he had a little mini-arc and wasn't nearly as shallow as love interests tend to be. Sure this was a little predictable... but there would have needed to be a ton more pages (like almost double) written to feel more specific to itself and fully fleshed out.

Fire and Heist is a fun, quick were-dragon heist story with a fun twist that even if you predict it will still be enjoyable. We meet tons of different characters, some dragons and some supernaturally obsessed but all equally good enough to go on this adventure with!

This book is so much fun! As a long-time fan of both heist novels and dragons, I knew that a heist story with were-dragons would be the perfect fit for me, and I wasn't disappointed. There's tons of humor and action, the heist itself is exciting, and the fantasy elements were interesting. It took several turns I wasn't anticipating, which only heightened the story for me. For readers who are looking for fast-paced stories with humor, action, romance, and a dash of fantasy, Fire and Heist is a fun, light page-turner.

Full review to come closer to publication date.

Fantasy. Family. Stealing. Heist. Were-Dragons. A girl showing here male family she needs to be counted as a threat. There definitely need to be more, please.

Is there anything better than curling up on a chilly fall evening with a light-hearted novel featuring dragons? If there is, I have no earthly idea what it might be. Dragons have always fascinated me, and so, when I learned that author Sarah Beth Durst had written Fire and Heist, a standalone novel featuring these mythical creatures, I knew I had to read it at the earliest possible opportunity.

Sixteen-year-old Sky Hawkins is a were-dragon. At least, that's what she likes to call herself despite the fact that her father and three older brothers absolutely hate the term. They prefer she refer to herself as a Wyvern, the proper name for a human who has the ability to transform into a dragon. For Sky, all of this is just semantics. No one she knows has ever mastered the art of changing shape, and Sky has begun to wonder if this particular part of her Wyvern heritage has been lost forever. She spends her days attempting to perfect the art of breathing fire, dreaming of the day her overprotective father will allow her to lead her first heist, and lamenting the fact that her mother has recently disappeared without a trace. Surely, that's enough for one girl to deal with. But the universe has something else in store for Sky, something that will make everything else seem utterly inconsequential. You see, Wyvern society is quite competitive, and the disappearance of Sky's mother has tarnished the Hawkins family's good name so much so that Sky's long-time boyfriend has publicly dumped her, and Sky's father has been forced to give up more than half the wealth he has amassed over the years. Now, Sky's family is on the verge of total ruin, and Sky wants nothing more than to set things right.

In the months since her mother vanished, Sky has tried unsuccessfully to discover what really happened on the night she went missing. She knows only that her mother was attempting to execute an extremely difficult heist, one with the power to greatly improve her family's social standing. Wyverns are quite fond of gold and other symbols of wealth, and learning to successfully steal valuable items is one of the skills Wyvern youngsters must master if they ever hope to be successful adults. Unfortunately, the heist Sky's mother was planning went horribly wrong, and she never returned. Sky's father and brothers seem content to act as if none of this ever happened. They want to keep their heads down and avoid further scandal, but Sky can't let it rest. She is desperate to find her mother and bring her home again, for only then can things go back to the way they used to be.

Sky knows she can't uncover the truth on her own, so she enlists the help of a group of very unlikely allies, and together this rag-tag group embarks on a mission that turns out to be more dangerous and far-reaching than any of them could have imagined. It seems that some truths are better left undiscovered, and Sky's inability to leave well enough alone could just cost her and her friends everything they hold dear.

I'm usually drawn to fantasy novels that contain a healthy dose of darkness, so I wasn't sure how enjoyable I'd find Fire and Heist, but it turned out to be exactly the light-hearted romp I didn't know I needed in my life. The story is gripping, and the characters practically leap off the page. It's the kind of book that doesn't take itself too seriously, but still manages to be utterly immersive.

Ms. Durst's portrayal of Sky is one of the best things about this book. She's undeniably a teenager, someone who acts rashly and regrets it later, someone who gives into her emotions a little more often than she should. So much of today's young adult fiction is filled with teenagers who act much older than their years, so it was refreshing to spend time with a heroine whose thoughts and actions screamed adolescence. I wasn't always a fan of Sky's hair-brained schemes, but I found myself cheering her on all the same.

Some readers might find the novel's ending a bit too neat and tidy for their liking, but I honestly can't imagine Sky's story being wrapped up any other way. Sure, the author could have made things a bit more complex, but that would have detracted from the overall charm of the book. Fire and Heist is a feel-good read filled with laughter and mayhem, and I read the whole thing with a huge smile on my face.

Buy it at: Amazon/Apple Books/Barnes & Noble/Kobo
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When I saw a mention that Durst had gotten the idea of writing a story that combined Ocean's 11 and wyverns, I couldn't sign up fast enough.

And what fun it was!

Sixteen-year-old Sky Hawkin is a normal teenager emotions-wise--her grief is quite real at the beginning, in which we learn that her beloved and feisty mother vanished, her family has been disgraced, her friends unfriended her with prejudice, and most hurtful at all, her boyfriend, who'd been her bestie since they were three, publicly dumped her.

Sky is also a wyvern, in a family of wyverns. In wyvern society, you gain credit among the other wyverns by executing heists to build and expand your hoard. A wyvern youth isn't allowed to attend the council until they execute their first heist.

Sky's dad is overprotective of her now, and extra paranoid. Her three older brothers are annoying and endearing by turns, the way older teenage brothers can be. He closes Sky in the more when she expresses her wish to find out where Mother is--and to execute a grand heist against the family who lead the pack in disgracing them.

But Sky builds her team, meaning to go for it anyway . . .

The first person voice is so much fun. I loved the characters--the brothers reminded me so much of my brothers when we were all younger, and I especially loved Sky's human friend, Gabriella. Sky learns about her unconscious prejudice against humans in a refreshingly non-preachy way, and the romantic relationship was lovely and lightly done.

The worldbuilding disclosed plenty of surprises as well as interesting characters. I couldn't predict what would happen with the heist, furnishing a second half that accelerated the pace even more.

This book is aimed more toward the younger end of YA--which is getting harder to find, it seems. There is romance, but no sex, only smooches. There is threat, but no horrific torture or blood and guts, the way many YA novels have been trending these days.

In other words, it's more Oceans 11 than Game of Thrones--which I consider a strong plus. That plus vivid characterization and a wry, fun voice makes this one a book for the keeper shelf.

Posted to Goodreads: Sky Hawkins is a wyvern, a human that is able to turn into a dragon. In Sky's family to be successful you have to have a hoard of treasure and to get that hoard you have to plan your own heist. Sky family's status has been recently destroyed because of her mother recent disappearance during a break-in. Sky is going to finish what her mother was planning and restore her family's status and wealth while maybe finding her missing parent.

Sky and her adventure into a life of crime was a fun fast read. However, this book is being marketed for teens but the stories and the characters are more likely to appeal to tweens.

I enjoyed the concept idea of were-dragons and it’s not often I come across a story with dragon mythology, especially when the setting of the story is in the present day. Normally they take place in medieval times and are a dying breed/race. Durst however gave were-dragon status among social media era and all the celebrity allure that grounds this concept that could have turned into a cheesy story.
What I liked most about Fire & Heist was the family unity and how were-dragons are treasure hunters who thrive and rise in rank based on their love for gold. Gold is their way of life and how they value worth based on conquering prize jewels. Sky Hawkins is a spunky character who meld perfectly with the intriguing and clever Gabriela. Their relationship was just so fresh and funny it was charming. The humor really held the story together and balanced all the other tones that maybe didn’t rise to the occasion. I did feel like the antagonist and climax was a bit lack luster the stakes never seemed to high or propel the story anywhere. Overall, I enjoyed the story and really liked all the characters personalities.

Sky’s mother has disappeared. Assuming that their mother is dead, Sky, her three brothers, and their father feel unmoored. Especially because their mother disappeared in the midst of a heist she was committing – heists are fairly normal for wyverns as they are always trying to increase their horde, but this heist was a direct attack on Sky’s boyfriend’s family. As Sky learns more about the failed heist, she realizes that her squeaky-clean-now- ex-boyfriend’s family might be hiding something. And Sky’s going to find out what it is, and save her mother…or suffer her mother’s fate.

I wanted to read this book as I’ve read Durst’s adult fantasy series, Queens of Renthia, and I really enjoyed it! When I was approved for Fire & Heist on Netgalley, I was pretty excited. And I liked the book – it’s a solid YA standalone fantasy. The worldbuilding and plot are cool, though the characters are a little one dimensional. My biggest complaint was that the book straddled two worlds and tones, and I think it would’ve been a bit better had it leaned into one a little more. The book was part quirky middle grade fiction, part dark YA fantasy. Had it gone full bore in either direction, it would’ve been a higher quality book. As it is, it’s a fun heist fantasy with some dragon flavorings which makes for a fast, amusing read.

This one would be a great read for younger teens and mature tweens who aren’t quite yet ready for Bardugo’s Six of Crows or Hartman’s Seraphina. I liked it! 3 stars.