mixed feelings

Medici Heist has a strong opening that grabs you quick and gets you hooked. Unfortunately the pacing slows down dramatically and the stories direction becomes unclear. I don't mind waiting until past the half way mark to learn the motivation for the heist. I think the anticipation is half the fun. But once you get past the basic character and plan introduction the story drags until you ultimately find out the motive and see it play out. The world building is nice though, as is the palace setting. the characters are hit or miss, but I can't love them all so 🤷‍♀️.
The last few chapters where the heist finally takes place really had me at the edge of my seat - wondering how they were gonna pull it off. The twist is a bit unexpected. Okay for a debut novel, fun to read if you speed read. Good found family and world building makes up some for what is lacking in character depth.

I really wanted to like this book, but I just had a hard time getting through it. The premise is great- a group of ragtag teens pulling off a huge heist from the Medici family in Renaissance Italy, but somewhere I just didn’t connect with the story. The story did feel a bit slow, it took a while for the action to pick up. The heist itself happens in the last few chapters of the book, so most of the book is just build-up and world-building. I do think this is why I felt like nothing much was happening over the course of the book. This book just fell flat for me. It does deal with found family, and I did greatly enjoy that dynamic. I would say if you’re a fan of historical fiction or like the found family trope you might enjoy reading this one.

It had kind of a slow start but I got more into it as time went on. But for a book that has the word Heist in it the actual heist was for me underwhelming. The characters also felt a bit flat to me - they could be a bit more fleshed out

A fun heist that would appeal to fans of Leigh Bardugo and Stacey Lee. Schneiderhan's background in TV writing comes through with diverse, lovable characters and sparkling dialogue.

great for fans of six of crows but nothing all that special. It was a heist book that could have done more.

(3/5 stars) I have been looking for a good heist book for AGES and this one was a promising candidate. I definitely requested it partly after a trip to Florence because that setting always pulls me in. Another reviewer mentioned feeling like they had been pulled into the middle of a series and this is definitely what it felt like to me. The characters had histories that just weren't built on page that I would've liked more of. I can definitely see this as a TV show or movie, with more background and flashbacks to the characters' pasts.

Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. I don't really have much to say other than I literally had to claw myself through this book because I love the Medici family lore and really wanted to get through it. I managed to do that. In the end, I still love the Medici family but I didn't love the book so much. I couldn't get into the characters and just overall, the heist did not live up to the heist that was promoted, I guess?

Used to have an obsession with the medici family (essentially this entire era and the next 200 years) and this was such a light hearted and fun read

If you like heists and historical fiction, then the Medici Heist is one of the best new books you could read beginning this Fall. Caitlin Schneiderhan uses her screenwriting background to create a cinematic and fun debut that readers will be sure to devour.

MEIDICI HEIST by Caitlin Schneiderhan was a delightful, historical,heist novel that included some fun twists and heart-pounding adventure. I really enjoyed it, and highly recommend it to anyone who loves heist novels. Thank you to the author and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for the free eArc in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately I was not a fan of this book. Everything felt disconnected, and I had the hunch I was dropped into the middle of a series. The characters didn't mesh well for me, and It didn't seem like they had any on page chemistry.

I liked how this read like a script from each member of the crews perspective. It waas an intereting way to narrarate the story and drive the action forward. As a former history teacher, I loved the historical references and really immersed myself into the story, ever if some of it was far-fetched.

This was so good! I loved how each chapter focused on a different one of the crew as they slowly came together and then pulled off the heist. I love the reveals of information kept secret from the others (and the reader). I loved how engaging every character was. I loved all of them and wanted the story to continue. I would absolutely read a follow-up adventure where the crew gets back together.

From the beginning, I was instantly reminded of Ocean's 11 (which I love). The plot is very different, obviously, but the way the story unfolds is very similar. This is definitely one of my favorite heist novels. They're so hard to pull off successfully and Schneiderhan pulls it off flawlessly.

The relationships - both romantic and family / found family - are excellent as well. I love the way they weave around the plot.

Definitely one of my favorites of the year.

The audiobook was wonderfully performed. The characters each had a unique voice that felt authentic and immersed the listener in the story immediately. It was a pleasure to listen to from the beginning.

*Thanks to Feiwel & Friends and Macmillan Young Listeners for providing an early copy for review.

I read this in one sitting (except for trips to the fridge for caffeine) because I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! Absolutely masterful storytelling. I'm still processing that ending!

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publishers for providing me with a digital copy of this book to review.

A good idea for a novel, but I’ll echo other reviewers opinions that this reads more like a script.

The author is a scriptwriter by profession, so it’s not exactly surprising that this reads more like a movie, but it’s difficult to get enough out of it in this form of media when the characters are hollow and indistinguishable and the setting isn’t very well rendered.

The bones of the heist plot were decent, and I think I’d enjoy this as a movie or if it were fleshed out into a more complete novel. The pacing is fine and the story is enough to keep your attention, though in the end it’s hard to feel like this was complete as a book.

I might get to this book at some point - I have got to stop requesting books just because of pretty covers and other authors boosting them on insta...

This needs to be a movie and not a book. There were times that some characters came across more as quippy tropes than fully fleshed out characters. It needed more detail overall. I think there is great material here. It was just presented in the wrong genre.

It wasn't an easy read. The ideas were there but it felt written in monotone.
It's fast paced, full of action and it would make a great movie... not so much a great book

This was a big DNF for me. I think I made it about 10% into this book before I called it quits. It did not capture my attention or pull me into the story. Perhaps I wasn't the right audience for this, even though I typically love adventurous YA stories especially with a heist. This one just didn't hit for me and I was quite disappointed.

Medici Heist by Caitlin Schneiderhan is a thrilling rollercoaster from start to finish. The novel effortlessly combines historical intrigue with modern-day suspense, delivering a story that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Schneiderhan’s meticulous attention to detail brings the Renaissance-era Medici family and their art treasures vividly to life, while the contemporary heist plot is executed with precision and flair.