Heist Society by Ally Carter

Heist Society is one heck of a book. I wanted to read it because it is so popular with teen girls, but I wasn't very excited about the prospect. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Ally Carter is a great, entertaining writer and Heist Society is a fast-paced, wonderful ride.

Kat Bishop comes from a notorious family of thieves, art thieves to be exact. When the book opens she is a resident at a posh boarding school, having left the family business to attempt life as a normal teen. When her friend Hale purposely gets her kicked out of school she rejoins her family and finds herself right back in the thick of the action.

An art collection has been stolen from a very wealthy, very scary Italian and he wants it back. Mr. Taccone believes Kat's father has stolen the pieces and if she doesn't recover them her father will pay. What should she do?

Teeming with lively teen characters and interesting adult ones, Heist Society is a clever page-turner that will appeal to girls thirteen and older. Carter has created a new series that will attract teens who enjoy adventure, romance and humor.

The second book in the series, Uncommon Criminals, hits the shelves in June.

My Swordhand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick

My Swordhand is Singing uses the origins of the vampire legend in Eastern Europe to create a chilling and dark story of the supernatural. Peter and his father Tomas have finally settled in as woodcutters in a small village in the forest after wandering for years. Their business is flourishing and they are beginning to be accepted by the villagers. After several mysterious deaths and the arrival of gypsies in the village, Peter realizes that strange secrets surround his family, several held by his own father. When he bravely violates village rules to help a friend, he encounters the horror among them and joins forces with a fiery gypsy girl to save the village. 
This is the third Sedgwick novel I've read and they've all been excellent. He writes the father/son relationship especially well and his depiction of the supernatural is terrifyingly believable. 
I really enjoyed reading about the original vampire legends and how much they differ from the vampire myth of today. 
Sedgwick is a master of atmosphere, describing the setting so well that I could feel the cold, the chill, the darkness of a winter in the forest.
His books are perfect for boys or girls who like setting and the supernatural over fast-paced, plot-driven novels.