My first Danielle Banas novel is a blast to read. It's filled with laughter, action and adventure, friendship, tragedy, and a little bit of romance.  What more could you ask for?

Cora is part of the infamous Saros crime family of thieves and ne'er do wells. With her best friend Elio, the endearing and selfless robot who sees the best in others, she tries to prove herself to a greedy and unloving mother by attempting to steal a priceless treasure only to end up being thrown in the worst prison in the galaxy. In prison, she finds a couple of unusual friends: An Earthan pickpocket and petty thief named Wren, and a fierce and grumpy Andillian nicknamed Anders. Learning to trust is hard for all of them, and unfortunately, one of them will betray the others.

The banter between the four friends is LOL funny as they get to know one another's fears, likes, and dislikes. Watching Anders turn from grumpy and frightening to sarcastic and loveable is a sight to see. Not to mention watching Elio's obsession with food even though he can't eat it.  Wren is a treat as well with her sassiness, her longing for friendship, and her kleptomania. And Cora, who sees others' auras, is the narrator, the hacker, and bomb-maker, who thinks she is only a bad distraction for her crime family, but she ends up being a great friend to Cora, a good distraction to Anders, and a best friend to Elio. Let's not forget all of the evil and colorful characters they meet along the way.

Overall, this is a delightfully refreshing page-turner of a book. It's a caper with alien misfits on a mission to save their lives and finding true friendship along the way. If you are looking for a hilarious tale with bloodsucking plants, a pigman, shapeshifters, and lollipop-eating Andillians, give this book a try.  

Thank you to Ms. Banas for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.