I love historical fiction but I can be a little wary of heists - the cast of characters has to be perfect (or near to) for me to enjoy it, or else someone inevitably starts grating on me, making me want to put the book down. Luckily, that wasn't the case at all with Medici Heist and I enjoyed every single character.

It's easy to see Caitlin Schneiderhan has a background in Hollywood based on the way she writers - so visual and electric. Even when the pace is slow at the beginning, the visual descriptions were lush and kept me hooked.

Honestly, I wish there was more fun historical YA fiction like this, especially when they feature real historical figures doing things completely inaccurate to what we know of them. It's a lot of fun!

Thank you Netgalley for the arc in exchange for a review.

My rating : 3.5 stars

This book showed great premises and I was looking forward to it. A heist? Set in 16th-century Florence? Immediate yes!

Overall, I thought the heist was well-executed, with good tension and intriguing twists. I loved the setting, and I was drawn by the atmosphere of the Italian Renaissance right away.

I will say, however, that my biggest issue was with the characters. I couldn’t connect with them or empathise with their stories. Seeing as they were the one moving the story and particularly considering the motivations driving some of the characters to pull off the heist, it was definitely one of the things that prevented me from becoming truly invested in the story. There were several main characters, each of whom seemed to fit into a certain role or category, and I wish we got to know them better as persons, as some of them hardly had any interaction with one another, and what we learned about their backstories and past seemed to come mostly from info dumps.

That being said, it was a very enjoyable story, and the fact that it is a standalone makes it a nice, fun read!

Medici Heist took me by surprise and I ended up really enjoying this book! I don’t often reach for historical fiction, but felt this had a really promising premise and I think it was a little lax on the historical accuracy (which I thought added to the fun, but may be a negative for some readers).

The pacing was quite slow in the beginning, but once we got going it started to really pack a punch. Heists almost always guarantee a good time and I loved the tension and mix of characters. I fell in love with Rosa and all of the crew to be honest, and really enjoyed watching their dynamics shift and develop as the story progressed. I think the characterisations in the book are what sealed the deal for me and helped me stay engaged as the heist became slightly secondary or like an afterthought at certain points.

It could be a little predictable at times, but overall I had fun and would definitely recommend this as an entertaining, light-hearted read.

What a great debut book for this author and one that I enjoyed immensely. Set in Florence in 1517 this is a story about the a pope extorting money and a con-woman who wants to take it back with the help of her band of misfits.

This is such a great read and I just couldn't put it down. It is easy to read yet action packed. It has a great story and wonderful characters that made me want to read more. The women in this book are women with spunk and strength. They bring such excitement and intrigue to the story and you just want them to achieve the goal they have set.

This is a book you will want to read as it is marvellous and fun, exciting and thrilling and there is even a bit of humour amongst the pages as well.

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

«Medici Heist» is by far one of the best heist-themed novels I have read in a long time. It gave me the same “WOW” factor feeling that I got when I read The Founders Trilogy Series by Robert Jackson Bennett.

Sometimes, reading a book, you know you are reading the next big thing. This feels like that. This book feels like the next massive thing that will be made into a movie and be a worthy bestseller for years. It has that feeling because this writing made my pulse skyrocket.

“Medici Heist” was a spectacular read and it felt like I was right there as I read. The author writes in a very visual way, making it easy to “see”
Rosa is such a great character, and I love that the woman in this book has brains and smarts – not dull-witted “what do we do now” behavior.
The way Caitlin writes, is to read a master class in “show, don’t tell.” The plot dances around, connecting side characters, plot bunnies and the heist itself. Rosa is the main character, but her whole crew was in the spotlight, even when things started to go awry.

I need book 2 yesterday or now. Caitlin Schneiderhan is now permanently added to my “One click buy” list of authors I am now addicted to. I had so much fun reading this.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK | Atom for the ARC.

3,5 stars,

The setting and the concept are curious 5/5.
Characterisation 3.5/5
Writing style 3/5 - not for me

Plot: 2.5/5
Mood and themes: 3

I had high expectations and hopes,
Despite the interesting idea and my personal interest at the time period, I found that this book lacked layers, depth, and a fresh take.

I can see that it can be a more engaging and entertaining read for many readers, and I highly recommend it.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and the publishers for the e-arc of Medici Heist. I absolutely loved this book it is so well written. The characters are brilliantly written with all of their stories interconnected.

Slow burn heist novel (think Ocean’s 8 set in Medici Florence). Although the number of characters is very daunting, and the pace begins slow, Schneiderhan really hits her rhythm around the 40% mark. Atmospheric and well-characterized, I think this is one worth sticking with. The romance beats were charming and subtle, and while the details of the heist sometimes felt like an afterthought, the character relationships were engaging enough that I didn’t mind. Real crossover potential here!

A heist novel set in 1500s Florence. I wanted to love this but it does very little to differentiate itself from similar novels, of which there recently have been many trying to establish themselves as the next Six of Crows. The setting, historical detail and the heist itself are strong, and the writing style is pacy. However there were too many characters, most of whom felt one-dimensional, and lacked any chemistry or cohesiveness. I probably would have preferred it if it wasn't YA. Not for me.

This book is beautifully written. A gorgeous thriller with an action packed plot to rob a very strong family of Florence. What could go wrong? The characters were relatable and very lovable. The novel is a standalone, filled with themes of love, betrayal, trust, family and friendship Reminiscent of Ocean's Eleven, the book is engrossing and dazzling. The book is a little slow, but it makes up for it.
Excellent for fans of Heists and fun crews robbing the rich.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of Medici Heist by Caitlin Schneiderhan!

Heist? Found family? Renaissance FLORENCE?! Count me 100% in!

I loved the whole cast and their relationships, and it was particularly refreshing to see a teen girl in the 'mastermind' role. The genre tropes were executed smoothly, both fitting the expectations of a heist story while coming with enough surprises and fun twists to keep the story feeling fresh and new.

3.5 stars. The book is set in Florence in the early 16th century. A teenage thief named Rosa gathers a crew of outcasts to pull off a heist and take revenge on the Medici family, including Pope Leo X. The premise of this book sounded great, and I was very excited to read it. However, at the end of the day, I have mixed feelings. I really liked the general concept, the characters, and the overall atmosphere of Renaissance Florence, but there are elements that bothered me.

On the positive side, this is the best YA novel I have read in quite some time. Most of the credit for that goes to the characters, who I think are the brightest aspect of the book. The whole heist team—Rosa the thief, Sarra the tinkerer, Giacomo the master of disguise, Khalid the fighter, and the two painters, Domenico and Michelangelo himself—really appealed to me. Considering the large number of characters, each had a fairly solid plot. I rooted for them both as a group and as individuals.

That said, my biggest problem with this book is that it is very uneven. Until the middle, the pacing was very slow for me, and I was generally disappointed. Even though the author was building character motivations (which is a good thing), I felt it could have been done better. However, from the middle on, the action really picked up and I couldn't put it down. I really liked the ending. I must point out, however, that for a book with "heist" in the title, the heist itself takes up very little space, beginning about 75% of the way through.

The Medici Heist is certainly not without its flaws. However, as a reader who enjoys character-driven stories even more than plot-driven ones, I am willing to overlook shortcomings if the characters are memorable. I was not enchanted by this read, but I will definitely remember its found family vibes.

My review will be published on Goodreads and on retailers' websites within two weeks prior to the release day.

As usual in my reviews, I will not rehash the plot or publisher's blurb...

Overall I enjoyed this book. There were some great characters (including a fictionalised version of Michaelangelo himself!), all well described and some likeable.

The overall "heist" doesn't actually take up that much of the book - a lot of the plot is spent establishing the characters and motivation for the heist. At times I found the pace a little slow, but overall it was a good read.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

The good: the setting for this is delightfully well done, with a richly drawn fictional version of Renaissance Florence that draws heavily on the powerful Medici family and their dramas. The world is well thought out and developed, with some truly beautiful descriptions of the city and it's inhabitants. I also thought the found family aspect was well done and believable.

The not so good: there's just far too many characters and as a result I found that all of them weren't quite well developed enough. Of them all, I probably liked Rosa the most as she has a clear vision for the heist and has the motivation and drive to propel the story. The others less so.

Overall a pretty fun read with a nice atmosphere but I'm unsure if this will stand out amongst the sea of other YA novels.

This was an entertaining jaunt through renaissance Florence.

Rosa is a conwoman who wants revenge on the new Medici Pope, Leo X. She plans the heist of a lifetime, along with a colourful blend of new found friends. This was well written historical fiction, introducing actual historical characters alongside the fictional ones. Thanks to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC in return for my honest review.

Oceans Eleven meets the renaissance!

The above is the perfect tagline for this captivating read.

In 16th century Florence, amidst a backdrop of opulence and political intrigue, sharp-witted con-woman Rosa Cellini hatches a daring plan to rob the powerful Medici family of their ill-gotten wealth. With a ragtag team of misfits, including a tinkerer, a fighter, and a master of disguise, Rosa sets out to execute the Renaissance's greatest heist.

Along the way, they enlist the reluctant help of famed artist Michelangelo, and as tensions rise and secrets unravel, the heist evolves into a bid to save Florence itself.

With a rich tapestry of characters and a refreshing embrace of LGBTQIA+ representation, the story offers a dynamic blend of heist intrigue and historical flair.

While some sections could have benefited from a quicker pace, the payoff is worth the wait, culminating in a thrilling finale.

A team of misfits unite to steal from one of the most powerful and dangerous families in Italy in this historical heist. Fast paced and well executed, Medici Heist is an easy and engaging read.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

This book is completely compelling stuff. The easy prose were totally and pleasantly unexpected. The story a crashing action packed assembling of a crew to make a robbery of the most powerful family in Florence in 1517. The Medici. It felt intense in places, tingling and magnificent.

Themes include: family, trust, friendship, deceit, religion, betrayal, love, robbery, heist, violence, riot.

I enjoyed every moment of this story. I rooted for the group to be successful, I cared for each character. So, when things started to implode, I wondered what would come next. Captivating and dazzling, you won’t want to miss this book.

I highly recommend Medici Heist by Caitlin Schneiderhan.

I really enjoyed it at the start , the characters were interesting with a thread of humour running through. I felt it a bit slow in the middle and a bit confusing. Then the story picked up to an exciting finish. I thought as I was reading that it would make a good movie .

A heist like no other - we follow a team of young ‘players’ as the scheme to steal all the Medici’s money. An apt title for an easy read.

In a multi perspective novel it’s atypical for me to like all the characters equally, but Medici Heist pulls it off well - keeping the reader entertained and engaged in all the points of view with the characters keeping enough secrets from the reader til the end.

Very much a found family novel, I enjoyed getting a look into Florence in this time period, whilst still feeling like it was a modern story. It balanced the gap between realism and voice well.

All that said, it didn’t really woo me. It was a good read, but probably not something I’d pick up again or die on a hill defending.

3/5