I loved this book! The full review will be posted soon at kaitgoodwin.com/books! Thank you very much for this wonderful opportunity to connect books to their readers!

Well that was incredibly refreshing, imaginative, addictive and SO HERE FOR THIS!
This story follows a young girl named Sky and her family deals with wyverns. SURPRISE! She is actually a wyvern herself! More specifically a human who can transform into one. HOW COOL! The plot is mostly about Sky's mother who goes missing, which leads to Sky to go against her family's wishes and sets on a mission of her own to find her. One thing I really loved about the whole book was the author's ability to really capture a moment. The setting was incredibly vivid. You could completely feel the characters struggles and determination to persevere. I really liked them all. They have a very snarky banter among them that kept the book tipping toward comedy and honestly brought even more life to the plot.

This story is clever, the writing is like butter, and it definitly deserves your attention.

This was a fun mashup of heist story and dragon fantasy.

*Thanks to Netgalley for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

*Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review.*

I went in wanting actual fantasy and I got cheap contemporary instead. Upon closer reading of the description it doesn't sound like other fantasy books, but I still feel misled. I'm betting a lot of people will be expecting fantasy and end up confused like me.

Started skimming around 35%.

Aside from being completely thrown off by the genre, the story read way too juvenilely. Sky goes on and on about her boyfriend problems and how she's lost her friends and her love for pizza. I don't care.
The danger one would think accompanies stealing stuff is sidelined in favor of cutesy writing and cringey sarcastic observations about current/past events. And from what I read by skimming, it seems the planning for the heist lasts about three chapters 40% of the way into the book.
The story is painfully predictable. Sky's mother is missing and as soon as we find out what she was doing and one key element in the "world-building" I knew exactly where it was going. And Sky not only doesn't have a clue, she also doesn't ask the right questions. How can I say that when I didn't read the whole book? The perfect time for her to ask the questions came and went without her batting an eye. Back to the heist. How can I get invested in something when I know no one is going to die or become seriously injured? Where's the excitement in that?
The characters are desperately plain and shallow. The girl who's "strong and independent," aka stupid and lucky, the cute/hot boyfriend who has no other defining qualities, the obligatory new friend, the quirky salesman, and family drama. It also has one of my least favorite things: the I-can't-tell-you-what's-going-on-because-you-wouldn't-understand-even-though-the-truth-is-very-simple trope. Couple that with the I'm-trying-to-protect-you-but-won't-tell-you-what-the-danger-is-so-you-can-realize-you-have-no-hope-of-succeeding-if-the-plot-didn't-demand-it, and you have one of my most hated kinds of forced drama.
The whole were-dragon thing failed to impress me. Here I was expecting people to transform into dragons all the time and instead I get paparazzi dragons whose only love is being rich and having dumb council meeting things to look secretive and blah blah. They may as well be Kardashians for all the coolness they have. And then you find out something, and that something turns out to have the silliest fix by the end of the book. And I'm supposed to imagine a happily ever after with that new knowledge. I don't think so.
Overall it felt like the author wanted a heist and were-dragons but couldn't be bothered to create an original world or believably twist our world to support the ostensibly cool idea. If you can't bear the thought of reading real fantasy but want something that's not another high school drama fest, you can read this high school drama fest featuring were-dragons.
I have not/will not read any other books by this author. And the cover is kinda good.

I got this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The cover is what grabbed my attention. It is beautiful, don't you think? Such rich colors. And DRAGONS!! I have a soft spot for all things dragon. I've read many books with dragons in it and enjoyed them quite well. I have not read a book about a were-dragon before now.
Fire and Heist
by Sarah Beth Durst
Sky Hawkins is a teenage girl whose mom has just disappeared, her long-time boyfriend just broke up with her in a very public manner, and her family has been disgraced. Sky, her three brothers, and her father are still in shock from these events. They are trying to move on and accept their new life minus their mom, position in the were-dragons society, and half their fortune is gone. Nothing is the same as it was before. She is desperate to literally and figuratively put her family back together. Since money, specifically, gold is so very important to were-dragons, Sky plans her first heist.
In dragon society, leading a heist is a coming of age tradition. Sky cobbles together a team and a plan to pull it off. But of course, heists never go as planned.
Along the way, she uncovers family secrets and even societal secrets that will change her future forever.
The Writing
I devoured this story. The writing of this story is very clean and clear. The tone is fun and relatable. The pacing is quick but not breakneck speed. The characters are engaging and surprising, in a pleasant way. Durst has created an entire culture for these wyverns (were-dragons). These people, who used to be able to transform into dragons but have lost the ability over the last few centuries, are culturally more like dragons stuck in human form. The culture she has created seems extremely plausible given a dragon's love of gold. It makes sense that the wyverns would base their society on the size of their hoards.
Another thing I like about this book: It is not an angsty romance. Yes, there is a boy involved, but she does not spend pages and pages merely pining over the boy who rejected her. She regrets what happened and she does spend some time working through this rejection and her future, but the author weaves it into the story very well.
Who Will Like This?
If you like dragons, you are sure to like this! If you like Rick Riordan's stories about mythology with rich worldbuilding, then you are likely to enjoy this book too.

Blog post containing this review is scheduled for 9/9/18 on quillandbooks.com

I really enjoyed this book. I found this book to be such a fun read. I thought he world building was so fun and the magic system was so fun to read about. I found this book to be such a fun read. I really enjoyed the heist/dragon novel. I really loved the lead character so much and just love the heist side of this novel. I thought the various locations we went to was also so well crafted. I also love the complex family dynamics that was featured in this novel. I read this book so fast and it just made me smile. I really loved this as standalone but would love too see more stories told in this world!

I was provided an eARC of this in exchange for a fair review.
I wanted to like this book, I really did. It has pseudo-dragons and a family of thieves and a sassy female MC. However, I just couldn’t get into it. Something about the writing style, or maybe the plot holes, or just the fact that I never seem to like modern contemporary fantasy of this ilk. In many ways it reminded me of the Talon series by Julie Kagawa, but without her talents. I likely will not read more from this author.

This book took two of my favorite things to read about, heists and a fantasy world, and put them in the same novel. I had pretty low expectations for this book, but it was actually really cool. Wyverns, or dragon shifters, were a really fun fantasy species to read about. They all steal and have a horde of treasures, so theft is part of the culture and looked upon highly if properly pulled off without getting caught.

 The characters, in my opinion, were the downfall of this novel. They were rather vanilla, boring and felt run-of-the-mill. They weren't bad, but they weren't anything special either. I had a hard time finding this book as interesting as it should've been because the characters were so dull. 

 The plot was what kept me reading. The author said she wanted to write Ocean's Eleven, but with dragons, and she did. The planning of the heist takes up a good portion of this novel, but the execution of it is glossed over. There is a fun fantasy twist that helped keep some of the excitement, but I think the planning of the heist should have been explained less and execution of the heist explained more. The tension and excitement are not brought for what should have been a very interesting part of the book. 

 It was okay overall, but a lot of things could have been done better. When I think of combining fantasy with thievery I think of Six of Crows, this came nowhere near the heights that novel reached. Fire and Heist could have been done way better, but it was still a fun fast read.

I've read a few of Ms. Durst's books and enjoyed them -- as I did with Fire and Heist. I've tried reading other were-dragon (wyvern) themed books without being thoroughly invested but this book was so much fun to read and I read it in one sitting. To me, it just makes sense for were-dragons to be thieves! Sky's mother is missing, her boyfriend breaks up with her, and her family due to its secrets has lost rank among the wyvern community. As much as I had hoped for romance, this book was more about Sky coming into her own as a thief, beginning her wyvern hoard, as well as her family and the mysteries of the wyvern. I look forward to reading more by Ms. Durst (especially if this is a series :D).

This book was fast paced and I loved every minute of it! Can't wait to reccomend this book to all the avid readers that I know. THank you Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a digital ARC of "Fire and Heist" by Sarah Beth Durst. I loved this book and will likely be purchasing it for the library. It felt like a more conventional fantasy version of a heist story which will please fans of "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo. Also, the writing style of fantastic. The author has really grown as a writer since the last book I read by her.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange of my honest opinion.
Fire & Heist is, well, a heist story as evidenced by the title. Sky Hawkin is a teen Wyvern (dragon). Wyvern’s are like famous people in human society, and tend to have an affinity for shiny and expensive things, like gold. Wyvern’s pride themselves on their ability to steal such valuable objects, and it’s view as a big step into adulthood in Wyvern society if you are able to pull off a heist without getting caught.
Sky’s family was exiled when her mother attempted to steal something from another Wyvern and got caught and disappeared. Sky’s family does not want to know what happened to Sky’s mother, and instead, keeps their heads down and tries to move on.
So the one positive note this story has is that it’s a stand-alone. I’m tired of reading a book and finding out at the end that it’s the beginning of a series. Fire & Heist was a cue and light read, but I found myself wishing that it was more mature. Yes there are teen dragons and that likely comes with teen drama, but it lacked nuance and character development that would make me care about the characters. Unfortunately, I’d say to pass on this one.

A really cute stand alone YA fantasy, this is one you won’t want to miss. It’s got action, dragons, a hint of romance, and great characters.

Sky is a wyvern and her mother is missing. Having three older brothers, Sky is used to fending for herself. She takes it on her own to lead her first heist, and plans on using what she steals as leverage for info on her mom. Little does she know the secrets and conspiracies she’s about to unravel.

The highlight of this book is the relationship between Sky and her family. She’s got three older brothers who annoy her but are there when it counts, a dad who is missing his wife but still involved with his children. It’s refreshing to see family dynamics in YA fantasy, most of the time it’s an orphan who steals the show.

There is some romance, it’s not great but it’s also not the point of the book. The point of the book is the heist, which is a lot of fun. This book is firmly young adult, the voice is young but not grating. It will be a great addition to school libraries.

Oceans 11 with dragons. If that sounds like fun to you, this is a book you’ll want to check out.

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley and the opinions are my own.

I really wanted to like this book, and I really hate giving these type of reviews. Maybe the biggest problem I had with this book was too high expectations, I was hoping for this to be similar to Six of Crows. It was definitely no where near the Ocean's Eleven level of sophistication the author was inspired by. I felt like the entire thing was lacking. Sky's crew for instance wasn't really chosen by talents but more happenstance and convenience. Her ex boyfriend, who knew the system they were trying to break into. A wizard who only became part of the crew because they needed a potion from him and wouldn't get it unless they let him join. And then there's the human, who I liked but was only part of the crew for the fact that she was human.

The book seemed to spend more time talking about the reckonings than the heists. I didn't really understand the reckonings and the whole world Sarah created just didn't seem to work for me. Overall the book just felt juvenile and flat. There are some YA books that are written more like adult novels and those are the ones that I prefer. I don't like feeling like I'm back in high school. I think this book might appeal to a younger crowd but it definitely wasn't for me.

Having never read anything by this author, I was not exactly sure what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised by Fire and Heist. There is teenage drama, but it is tempered by real emotional depth in other situations. The heist scenes were well done and the world-building was too. I found the ending satisfying, but open-ended enough to continue if it becomes a series.

Fire and Heist by Sarah Beth Durst is a young adult fantasy read that is a standalone story. The author described her idea for this one as wanting to write Ocean's Eleven with Were-dragons so of course this odd description definitely got my curiosity aroused. It's safe to say when done too this doesn't really remind me of anything I've read before which for me is a good thing.

Sky Hawkin is a teenage Wyvern, a human with the ability to shift into a dragon, although the Wyvern here on Earth have lost the ability to shift and can only conjure fire. Wyvern's also have a fetish for shiny expensive things, especially gold so how do they go about acquiring it you ask? By stealing of course.

Sky's family however is on the outs in the Wyvern community after her mother went on a heist and didn't return. Obviously something went wrong but Sky's brothers and father refuse to do anything to find out what happened so Sky intends to plan her own heist to try to find her mother.

Now, with a book about dragons I wasn't quite expecting to jump into what reads more YA contemporary with family drama but the story started a little on the funny side and piqued my curiosity regardless. As the book went along and I'm beginning to wonder if the world is basically ours with these supposed "dragons" that aren't more than humans without a lighter to create fire what was the point to including Wyverns but thankfully the story eventually got around to more dragon-ish things to satisfy my curiosity. In the end I found it a rather cute mostly contemporary with a dash of fantasy read and would suggest giving it a try.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I read Fire and Heist by Sarah Durst because I love reading and watching stories about crime. This book sounded right up my alley and in ways, it was.

Let's start with the characters. I have both admiration and annoyance for the main character, Sky Hawkins. She is the "baby" of one of the were-dragon (called Wyverns) families. Sky and her family used to be super wealthy, and over this last year, it seems as if they lost everything. Their wealth and mother, which has made the family on edge with each other. Sky likes to take matters into her own hands, which I respect, but at moments, she does it and takes the lead in entirely unreasonable situations. If a character is like that in the beginning, I am okay with it. However, it never really seems like Sky learns the proper time to take the lead and when it is the right time to take a step back and allow someone to take the lead. So considering what she does and goes through in Fire and Heist, I expected some change in her tactical planning. As for the other characters, they are your typical run of the mill type. You have the older brothers who think they know everything but still care for their sister, the father who becomes distant when his wife disappears, and the ex-boyfriend who maybe still has feelings for his ex. While all these characters are essential, no one really stood out as remarkable or memorable.

For the most part, the world was pretty believable. I mean, as believable as a society with people who can transform into dragons is. I appreciated how Durst talked about how the Wyverns are seen in the community and how their kind effects "normal" life. There were definitely places where I had to pause and consider how somethings were possible considering how other things weren't. The balance of the world just seemed off, if you know what I'm talking about.
I do wish that the world was explained more as the book continued, it seemed like the information was dumped on the reader in the first couple of chapters and then the reader is expected to be an expert in everything Wyvern. Yes, there is a small bit of more description in the middle of the book, but I always feel like semi-constant bits of information about the world makes it much more cohesive and understandable.

I loved the premise of this book so much! A world where heists are considered milestones, a jewel that can restore a family's lost wealth and status, and a group of people that have the ability to transform into dragons. It sounds like such an action-filled book with lots of suspenseful moments, but it isn't. The story just fell short for me. Yes, there were some parts that were suspenseful, but I feel like a lot of the time in the book was busywork, getting ready for what is to come. There's maybe two or three chapters to get everyone ready and one chapter to execute the plan or action. While the story itself is unique, the storyline that it follows seemed pretty standard. I wanted so much from this book (which was a mistake) and ended up with something just okay.

To summarize, I went into Fire and Heist with huge expectations. I guess that I should know by now that if I set my expectations too high, the book always falls short. And unfortunately, Fire and Heist was no exception. I went into the book expecting an exciting book about heists and people who can breathe fire and change into dragons, and I didn't really get that from the story. I also wish there was more character development. It didn't seem as if the characters learned from their experiences and mistakes, which is infuriating. I can't say that I would recommend this book as the action and heist filled books as it is portrayed. I would say that if someone is looking for a lighter, somewhat quick read with slight suspenseful moments that this book might be for them.

Sky Hawkins and her family are earthbound wyverns--half-human, half-dragon beings that have been banished from their homeland and live with humans on earth. With three older brothers, Sky is the sheltered youngest. When her mother fails in a heist--the worst shame that can befall a wyvern--the entire Hawkins family is stripped of their high rank and wealth. The entire community shuns them, lead by none other than Sky's boyfriend! Now Sky is ready to embark on her first heist to find her missing mother and restore the family name.

Sarah Beth Durst's FIRE AND HEIST is a fun, light-hearted fantasy rooted in a modern but alternate earth. The story read a bit young at times, so it's perfect for readers who are moving from middle grade to young adult. The wyvern mythology that is uncovered throughout the story was a rich surprise, and the heist aspect was fun.

What a letdown for me. We got teenagers, disappeared mothers, family dishonor, and among other things, just super simplistic high school drama crap. This read like the books I read in middle school/high school before I started to really get into reading. I did not feel any connection to the characters and I can tell you right now that I don't remember any of this book other than it's about "dragons" and this heist.

Mind you this story might be more targeted towards the younger crowed, but unfortunately it was not for me which is sad because dragons are my favorite and I felt as if they weren't what they could have been.

This book, seems like it has it all. Were-dragons and heists, what more can you need? It turns out, you need characters that are more than one-dimensional stereotypes.

The premise is amazing . Dragons like shiny things, so it makes sense that in modern times they would have a hoard of gold. It also makes sense that they would be super paranoid and protective of that treasure, thereby employing high-tech security systems. Of course, dragons want more gold, so were-dragon thieves seems like just about the coolest thing ever.

Except I hated Sky Hawkins, the main character. Her mother disappears during a failed heist, and her family loses status and wealth as a result. So she moans about her loss of wealth as she and her brothers are driving recklessly in a Ferrari. It makes it a wee bit hard to empathize with the main character when really she's still better off than 99% of the human race and whinging about her lack of wealth.

Sky is just so bland. She's the only girl in a family of boys and that trope is played to the extreme. Really, that's all she seems to be. Gabriela is the smart one obsessed with magic. Except, you really never see Gabriela being smart, you just hear her described as smart. Ryan is perhaps the worst. I kept forgetting his name, he was that vanilla. Worm was the only character I was actually interested in, but we got almost no page time with him.

The book picks up a lot around halfway through, after Sky's heist, but by then I honestly had lost a lot of interest. It's not an unexpected twist, and I wish we would have spent more time focusing on that part of the book, rather than the parts that took place in Aspen.