Pretty Sly

February 1, 2014

Gr 7-10-Willa Fox likes to steal things. She just got out of juvie for pilfering items from the rich, mean girls at Valley Prep High School, where she earned the nickname Sly Fox. That story was told in Pretty Crooked (HarperCollins, 2012), and this novel refers back to those events. As the story opens, instead of getting ready for her first day back at school, Willa is standing in the middle of her ransacked house looking for some trace of her artist mom. A cryptic email and a stash of cash are all she has to get her started. Along with her hunky friend Aidan, who has his own shady past; Tre, who is trying hard to walk the straight and narrow; and Cherise, who has become her ex-best friend, Willa determines to find out what has happened to her mother. She tries to follow her trail, but along the way loses the money, fights with Aidan, and runs into the seriously bad guys who are chasing her mom. Willa is a strong but impulsive character, more than willing to jump into the middle of the action before thinking through the consequences. The story moves quickly, with barely a break for readers to catch their breath. Fans of Ally Carter's "Heist Society" series (Hyperion) will enjoy this book. Be prepared to purchase the final installment in the trilogy as well.-Diana Pierce, formerly at Leander High School, TX

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2014
Suspense rules in this sequel to Pretty Crooked (2012), as Willa goes on the lam to find her missing mother. This fast-moving chase picks up in the middle of the action as Willa, on probation and fresh from juvie after her thefts in the first book, discovers that her mother has gone missing and an intruder has ransacked her home. The safe stands empty of her mother's money, and Willa finds hidden away the paintings that her mom had said she sold. Despite her probation, she and almost-boyfriend Aidan steal a car and take off in search of her mother. Willa uses her housebreaking expertise to find accommodations. They promise to repay everything they take, but Willa finds that successfully pulling off crimes gives her a rush that has become an addiction. Soon, she and Aidan learn that they have become the lead story in the national news; young people are rooting for them, but the police are closing in. Ludwig tries to mitigate the fun of Willa's crime spree by having Willa frequently reflect on its wrongness, but the emphasis is on action, not morals. The rapid-fire sequence of near misses and clever capers easily sets up the next sequel. Crackling-good adventure. (Thriller. 12-16)

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January 1, 2014
Grades 7-10 The siren call of a life of crimealbeit one in pursuit of higher idealshasn't abandoned Willa Fox, aka Sly, in this sequel to Pretty Crooked (2012). Here, her skills at breaking and entering are put to use in hopes of finding her runaway mom, who seems to be in some sort of deep and shady trouble. A hacker hunk and car-thief chum abet Willa's road-trip spree. Alas, what she finds at journey's end is not what she thought, and though all the answers to the mysteries surrounding her life are tantalizingly close, readers will have to wait, along with their heroine, for one more book to complete the puzzle.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2013
After stealing from rich classmates in Pretty Crooked, Willa goes on the run with crush Aidan in pursuit of her missing mom. They hotwire cars, break into homes, evade the FBI, and become celebrity outlaws. Though Willa's preoccupation with her and Aidan's relationship gets dull, this implausible middle volume's higher stakes make it more dangerous and exciting than its predecessor.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)