Renaissance Ocean’s 11! And I know that I’m not reaching for that comp when the cover is literally the shot of all of them in front of the Bellagio fountains at the end.

Caitlin Schneiderhan does a wonderful job developing these characters as the heist comes together. This is such a great story and I love when the whole group forms for the heist.

Can’t wait to see what she writes next!

This book was fun and action packed! I love me a heist especially if it’s in an Italian setting with evil popes and priests! The author’s voice was engaging too! Would definitely recommend this book!

DNF@ 35%

I don't like anything about this. The dialogue and inner thoughts are.cringey to me and I don't see it getting any better.

This was slow-moving for a heist story, and I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters particularly strongly. I liked the overall arch and the ending, but I had to push through more than I want for a story whose premise promises intrigue and adventure.

Medici Heist follows a diverse group of misfits in 16th-century Florence, led by con artist Rosa Cellini, as they attempt to steal the Medici family's treasure. Joined by a tinkerer, fighter, and master of disguise, the crew faces dark pasts, complex motivations, and interpersonal conflicts that threaten their mission.

The novel’s structure mirrors a screenplay with quick transitions, short chapters, and a focus on action, which keeps the pacing fast but sacrifices character depth and emotional resonance. While the heist is thrilling, the lack of detailed execution and underdeveloped characters leave the story feeling flat and anticlimactic.

The book touches on themes of loyalty, betrayal, and redemption against a backdrop of political unrest, but these elements lack depth due to minimal character development and over-reliance on flashbacks. The two female protagonists, Rosa and Sarra, blend together, and the male leads, Giacomo and Khalid, are similarly underdeveloped. By the end, I found myself disengaged from the characters, unable to connect with their motivations or outcomes.

While the premise of a historical fiction heist is promising, Medici Heist ultimately fails to deliver. It may work better as a film due to its quick pace and action, but as a novel, it feels underwhelming. Fans of heist stories may enjoy the concept, but those seeking emotional depth and immersive storytelling will likely be disappointed. The book misses the mark on turning an intriguing idea into a memorable narrative.

Thank you, NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends, for the chance to read this book in exchange of an honest review.

Florence, 1517, a world filled with intrigue and opulence, when a young conwoman, Rosa Cellini arrives the same day the Medici Pope Leo X, returns to take up the reins of power. And that's not a coincidence, since the Pope is getting money from the Florence people to augment his power and influence and Rose has a plan to stop him. To pull off a great heist she will need the help of specialists: Sarra the tinkerer, Khalid the fighter, and Giacomo, the irrepressible master of disguise and to hide their access to Palazzo Medici the famed painter Michelangelo. But as the authorites get closer to them, the Medici keeps traumatizing Florence, old rivalries and secrets emerge in the group and Rosa and her allies could destroy each other or save their city.

Set in a brilliant and well written Renaissance Italy, Medici Heist is a clever YA novel, a debut with a daring heist with a group of misfits in a dream to free their city from a power-hungry Pope.
As Italian, I really appreciated how the author described Florence and the land and it was so funny, brilliant and adventurous following these skilled people in their heist, with Michelangelo too!, and their fight for freedom and happiness.
Genuinely stunning!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!
Nice little heist novel, with a fantastic cast of characters and an intriguing premise.

Thank you to the publisher for this eARC to review.

Unfortunately this has been a DNF for me. After looking at some other reviews, I do agree that this felt more like a movie script/having a movie described to me rather than a full novel. There was a lot of info dumping, and I found it kind of hard to get attached to the characters or really get involved with the plot of the story.

I wanted to like this book so much. As a lover of art and heist stories this felt right up my alley. However this book reminded me of playing Skyrim. Where I do all the side quests randomly before doing the main quest. We spent so much time following the crew members do random stuff that I found myself bored and unmotivated to keep reading.

While each character was interesting I did not feel any great desire for them to succeed. There was no urgency, no drive, and no stakes to invest in.

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.