Book Review: Don't Judge a Girl By Her Cover

Written by: Ally Carter

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Release Date:

Source: Purchased

Buy: Indie Bound| amazon | Barnes and Noble |

5 stars - Simply spy-tastic. It's a Must Read. 

Synopsis:  When Cammie "The Chameleon" Morgan visits her roommate Macey in Boston, she thinks she's in for an exciting end to her summer break. After all, she's there to watch Macey's father accept the nomination for vice president of the United States. But when you go to the world's best school (for spies), "exciting" and "deadly" are never far apart. Cammie and Macey soon find themselves trapped in a kidnappers' plot, with only their espionage skills to save them.

As her junior year begins, Cammie can't shake the memory of what happened in Boston, and even the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women doesn't feel like the safe haven it once did. Shocking secrets and old flames seem to lurk around every one of the mansion's corners as Cammie and her friends struggle to answer the questions, Who is after Macey? And how can the Gallagher Girls keep her safe?

Soon Cammie is joining Bex and Liz as Macey's private security team on the campaign trail. The girls must use their spy training at every turn as the stakes are raised, and Cammie gets closer and closer to the shocking truth…

As I thought about this review, I kept wondering what I really wanted to say about this series. And I think it all boils down to this – these stories are incredibly well written and they’re definitely not just for tweens and teens to enjoy. Here’s why: Ally writes her main characters in such a way that you remember what it’s like to be in that awful moment when you’re expected to act like an adult but you just haven’t had the practice and therefore your confidence is kaput. Like zero. Nothing there. Yet, you find yourself remembering what you were told to do and you perform perfectly much to everyone’s surprise, most of all yours. Cammie gets to experience those moments over and over again. And as reader, who just happens to be a mom, I understand them and my heart aches doubly for her. In my opinion, this is the very essence of gorgeous writing.

So, what else do I have to add (keeping in mind Mundie Moms’ No Spoilers policy)? Well, in a lot of YA books, the parents/adults are absent because the plot line isn’t about them. Here’s where Ally’s different. She brings in the parents and teachers and makes you understand their motivations just as much as those of the main characters. This makes you care for the entire cast of characters – every single one of them. Ally also brings in a key figure who was missing from Cammie’s life for many years. I won’t even drop a hint here, because you’ll meet her fast enough. The dynamic she brings into the relationship between Cammie, her mom and even swoony Mr. Solomon made me laugh and yes, even tear up for a moment. You’ll see why. Real tears.

Now, okay, you know me far too well. Every page I turn, I look for a mention of Zach. You won’t be disappointed, Mundie Moms, on pages 162-166 is one of the best romantic-action scenes I’ve ever read (period). I literally didn’t breathe for those four pages. Not a single breath.

I will warn you that the stakes are higher in this story and you will worry about who will survive each action scene. But, Zach and Cammie are, yes still, Zach and Cammie (page 206):

     The announcer was talking over the loudspeaker, saying something about the homecoming queen and her deep love of puppies or something, but I just looked at Zach, trying to shake that feeling that I hadn’t really seen him in months. If ever. “Why do I feel like I can’t trust you anyomore?”

     I wanted him to lash out. I wanted him to fight, to protest, to argue – to do anything but look deeper into my eyes and say, “Because the Gallagher Academy doesn’t admit fools.”

Can you can guess what I’ll be doing this weekend? In fact, I’m sitting on my patio right now, with a tall glass of iced tea and my copy of Only the Good Spy Young right next to me. Don’t wait for next March when the fifth book, Out of Sight, Out of Time comes out. Won’t you join me in reading this series right now?