Aces Wild: A Heist

By: Jamie Steinberg

I need this book to be made into a movie. Since finishing Aces Wild: A Heist I’ve been trying to picture who would portray each character in the film version. We meet Jack Shannon whose mother owns and runs the Golden Age casino in Las Vegas while he attends a private high school across the country where he runs a secret blackjack ring in the basement. That is until his mother winds up in jail because of her shady dealings and Jack must return back to the place he grew up to see if he can salvage his family’s legacy. What happens from there is a tale that shows the bonds of true friendship are as tight as any family bonded by blood.

With Jack’s mother behind bars not only is Jack back in Vegas but so are his sisters Beth and Kerry and his undependable father. The family is low on funds, but there is one credit card left that remains active. Beth offers it to Jack and encourages him to invite some school buddies over for one last hurrah as family frenemy Peter Carlevaro, a rival casino owner, has his eyes on taking over the Golden Age. A loner in real life, Jack turns to his friends Remy, Georgia, Gabe and Lucky whom he met on a message board for asexual (people who have little to no sexual attraction to others), to come help him with a plan he has to take down Carlevaro.

Author Amanda DeWitt does a wonderful job of capturing the reader into Jack’s plight and investing in his efforts to take down the bad guy by including us as almost a sixth crew member. You want Jack to succeed. You trust this band of buddies to be the support he needs. Your fingers are crossed that Jack can infiltrate a secret high stakes gambling club and save his mom then his world will return to “normal.” No big deal, right?

Aces Wild: A Heist is truly a great read for anyone who is a fan of family and friendship. It’s a young adult story, but even us grown folks will enjoy and invest in Jack’s adventures. For those looking for a page turner and a bit of Vegas pizzazz, be sure to explore this wonderful read. And then help me figure out who should be in this movie!