Julie's Review: Heist Society

Author: Ally Carter
Series: Heist Society #1
Publication Date: June 24, 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 304
Obtained: Gift from friend
Genre:  Young Adult, Adventure
Rating: 4/5
Bottom Line: A fun start to the adventures of teen cons
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab!

Summary: When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving “the life” for a normal life proves harder than she’d expected. Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring Kat back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has a good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help. For Kat, there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family's history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way. ~goodreads.com  

Review: Heist Society is a fun book about a group of teen cons trying to do the right thing. The right thing involves stealing back stolen paintings because Kat's dad's life is on the line. So Kat's old friend, Hale, breaks her out of the boarding school to bring her back into the fold.  Kat isn't quite happy to see Hale until she finds out that her dad is in trouble. 

I like Kat a lot. She's a typical teenager but she's whip smart. She needs to be if she's going to pull off a major heist and secure her dad's safety. Kat's team isn't rag-tag but they are young. These teens are experienced in their own line of work. She has assembled the best team she knows in the short amount of time she has but she still needs one more to make their con even better. So she brings new guy, Nick, into the team.

I liked how there was history with the team that we as readers don't fully understand but slowly learn how the relationships are interwoven. I also liked how their con didn't come off perfectly because this was the first time doing it on their own.

I will definitely be reading the other books in this series and I gave it to my almost 11 year old to read because I think she'll like it.

Jenn's Review



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Jenn's Review: All Fall Down

Author: Ally Carter
Series: Embassy Row #1
Publication Date: January 20, 2015
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 320
Obtained: purchased
Genre:  YA
Rating: 3.5
Bottom Line: An underwhelming start to a new series
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Just get it at the library

Blurb: This exciting new series from NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Ally Carter focuses on Grace, who can best be described as a daredevil, an Army brat, and a rebel. She is also the only granddaughter of perhaps the most powerful ambassador in the world, and Grace has spent every summer of her childhood running across the roofs of Embassy Row.

Now, at age sixteen, she's come back to stay--in order to solve the mystery of her mother's death. In the process, she uncovers an international conspiracy of unsettling proportions, and must choose her friends and watch her foes carefully if she and the world are to be saved.

Review:  I adore Ally Carter's books and couldn't wait for this one to come out.  Both Heist Society and Gallagher Girls are series I love so much that I enjoy re-reading them.  I was desperate to love the Embassy Row series too, the setting is fascinating, the premise has promise, but so far I just don't.

From the blurb, you know going into this that Grace is not a reliable narrator.  That would be okay if there was an anchor provided by the other characters but her friends flitted in and out of the story too much, mostly because Grace was busy pushing them away.   I think I was most disappointed with the lack of character development for the surrounding cast --- Ally Carter always has such a fascinating array of supporting characters and I felt as if I barely got to know them, which is a shame because it would have helped the story immensely.

The pace of the book went from frenetic to stumbling.  Perhaps it was meant to portray Grace's state of mind but it only succeeded in frustrating me.  I felt for Grace but I can't say that I ever connected to her character.  I understand that Grace is suffering from post traumatic stress, along with a myriad of other things, but she is out of control and there isn't a single adult in her life that steps in to take care of her.  (In fact, her grandfather puts her in her dead mother's unchanged bedroom!  That's not just negligent, it's cruel.)  Yes, her family is grieving too and at least they got her therapy but that was obviously not enough.  Without giving away the plot twist I will say that keeping the truth from her was not the best policy.  Especially when, after more than a year, they can see that it's not only not working it's making things worse.

The plot twist at the end comes suddenly and unravels everything in a snap.  I was more than a little incredulous over where things ended.  It was the ending of the book that solidified my interest in the rest of the series.  But the fact that the hook came in the last chapter reinforced the pervasive feeling that this book was just plot exposition for the rest of the series.  In retrospect, I suppose the first book of the Gallagher Girls series could also be considered in the same manner, but that was a far more enjoyable read than All Fall Down.  If anyone can pull this series together it's Ally Carter, so I will still be pre-ordering my next Embassy Row installment, but overall, I was underwhelmed.

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Julie's Review: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You

Author: Ally Carter
Series: Gallagher Girls #1
Publication Date: March 20, 2007
Publisher: Hyperion Paperbacks
Pages: 284
Obtained: gift from Jenn
Genre:  YA, Series
Rating: 3.5/5
Bottom Line: Cute, fun entry into a series I will continue to read
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Library

Summary: Cammie Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school-that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE and the latest in chemical warfare in science, and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class. The Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses but it's really a school for spies. Even though Cammie is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways, she has no idea what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she's an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, or track him through town with the skill of a real "pavement artist"-but can she maneuver a relationship with someone who can never know the truth about her? Cammie Morgan may be an elite spy-in-training, but in her sophomore year, she's on her most dangerous mission-falling in love. ~powells.com  


Review: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You came recommended from Jenn due to our love of the TV show ALIAS. After all it's how all of us on this blog came to be friends. I will say that it was a little too "cutesy" for me but Jenn assured me that the series grows more serious as the girls grow up. I'm happy to hear that because I really do like the characters.

Cammie Moran is a girl who is destined to live the life of a spy but first she just wants to be a "regular" girl. By regular, I mean she wants to go on a date and kiss a boy. As luck would have it as they begin their CovertOps class while on a mission she happens to meet a young, local boy named Josh. Unfortunately for Josh, he thinks she's a normal, home-schooled girl.

Cammie recruits her friends Bec and Liz to help her do reconnaissance on the boy and to help her sneak out of school at night to see him. I love the camaraderie with these girls. Cammie is an only child and these are her sisters. They always have each others backs and I'm hoping this will continue to occur during the entire series.  There is also the new girl, Macey and I'm interested to see how she continues to fit in throughout the series.

This isn't an edge of your seat spy book but rather it lays the foundation for the rest of the series. I loved how Ms. Carter described the mansion the girls live in. I would love to be there when the house of spies turns into a house for rich, privileged girls, how cool would that be to see secret compartments open and store some of the memorabilia?!

I will definitely keep reading the series and grabbing the next book when I'm in the mood for some spying. I also have Heist Society on my shelf to read too.


For more: Jenn's Review
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Jenn's Review: Perfect Scoundrels

 Blurb:  Katarina Bishop and W.W. Hale the fifth were born to lead completely different lives: Kat comes from a long, proud line of lovable criminal masterminds, while Hale is the scion of one of the most seemingly perfect dynasties in the world. If their families have one thing in common, it’s that they both know how to stay under the radar while getting-or stealing-whatever they want.  No matter the risk, the Bishops can always be counted on, but in Hale’s family, all bets are off when money is on the line. When Hale unexpectedly inherits his grandmother’s billion dollar corporation, he quickly learns that there’s no place for Kat and their old heists in his new role. But Kat won’t let him go that easily, especially after she gets tipped off that his grandmother’s will might have been altered in an elaborate con to steal the company’s fortune. So instead of being the heir-this time, Hale might be the mark.  Forced to keep a level head as she and her crew fight for one of their own, Kat comes up with an ambitious and far-reaching plan that only the Bishop family would dare attempt. To pull it off, Kat is prepared to do the impossible, but first, she has to decide if she’s willing to save her boyfriend’s company if it means losing the boy.

Review:  Oh, how I love this series!   It's difficult to pick a favorite... and they just keep getting better. Finally we delve into the life of Kat's mysterious Hale and it's more tragic than I ever imagined.  Hale finally found a home and a family with the Bishops, but now that his responsibilities have resurfaced, will he have to give it up completely?  Will he have to give up Kat?

Once again, Ally Carter has taken characters that I love and made me love them even more.  We are introduced to a handful of new characters and are revisited by some old favorites.  It's wonderful and sad to see the vulnerable side of Hale.  I love that Kat decides to be there for him, the way he has been for her, even if that means she will loose him in the process.  Perhaps the best surprise is Hale's man-servant Marcus, who has always been just as much of an enigma as Hale himself.  Ally Carter has a knack for giving characters their own time to shine and this is a beautiful example.   Marcus knows something is desperately wrong and out of love for his sister and Hale, he hires Kat to get to the bottom of things.  Learning more about Hale through his eyes made Marcus one of my favorite characters in the series.

I've seen a few reviews that state the ending was a little wild and implausible, but without getting all spoilery, I think it worked.  The best part of a con-book or movie is conning the audience, and it is another something at which Ally Carter is extremely good.  Did I know something was up?  Yes, but I wasn't sure what or how...  and I thought it worked out perfectly.

I know I keep saying it, but I just can't get enough of this series and I can't wait until my daughter is old enough so that I may share it with her.

Final Take:  4.75/5.0

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Jenn's Review: United We Spy

 Blurb:  Cammie Morgan has lost her father and her memory, but in the heart-pounding conclusion to the best-selling Gallagher Girls series, she finds her greatest mission yet. Cammie and her friends finally know why the terrorist organization called the Circle of Cavan has been hunting her. Now the spy girls and Zach must track down the Circle’s elite members to stop them before they implement a master plan that will change Cammie—and her country—forever.

Review: I should have written my United We Spy review a week ago, but I just wasn't ready to say good-bye to the Gallagher Girls.  I'm still not.  I'm going to miss them all something terrible.

Ally Carter writes strong women who still have vulnerabilities.  Cammie and company have grown so much through this series from freshmen girls who play at spying to have secret boyfriends, to experienced spies who can save the world as seniors.  And I love them for it.  Liz's graduation speech made me cry with pride.

Are the plot lines a little familiar?  Yes, but there have always been strains of ALIAS (and now Castle); that didn't mean I enjoyed it any less.    There was some mock-peril involved, but I thought it worked.  I felt that all the loose ends were tied up neatly with a few surprises along the way.

I am grateful that I stumbled across Ally Carter at the Teen Book Festival a few years back.  I am glad that there is more to come from her Heist Society series and I can't wait for her new Embassy Row series.  That said, the Gallagher Girls hold a special place in my heart and I can't wait until I can share these with my daughter when she is old enough.

Final Take:  5/5


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Jenn's Review: Out of Sight, Out of Time

Blurb:  The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family from the Circle of Cavan–an ancient terrorist organization that has been hunting her for over a year. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers months have passed, she must face the fact that her memory is now a black hole.  The only traces left of Cammie’s summer vacation are the bruises on her body and dirt under her nails, and all she wants is to go home.

Once she returns to school, however, Cammie realizes that even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers.  Cammie, her friends, and mysterious spy-guy Zach must face their most difficult challenge yet as they travel to the other side of the world, hoping to piece together the clues that Cammie left behind.   It’s a race against time.  The Circle is hot on their trail and willing stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.

Review:  I picked up the Gallagher Girls series a few years back after hearing Ally Carter tell an audience she was inspired by ALIAS.  That grabbed my attention, because we loved that show and it's why Girls Just Reading exists (the story of GJR).  Her premise, "what if there was a school for spies?"  While the series started out light and charming, it's gotten dark and twisty... and I love it.

I bring all this up because there is a very strong ALIAS theme to this book...  Julia Thorne (WAIT!  Don't freak out ALIAS fans.  This is Julia Thorne done right.  This is everything that storyline should have been...)  Cammie left to find answers and to keep her friends and family safe.  Unfortunately something or someone found her, because when she wakes up, it's October and she's can't remember the summer at all.

While everyone is glad Cammie is back safe and sound, they know they need answers.  What if she's a walking time bomb?  They want Cammie to take it easy though, some things are better not being remembered... but can a trained spy live with that?  Of course not.  Plus they need whatever is locked in Cammie's mind not only to solve her summer mystery but to unravel the larger mystery of the Circle of the Caravan.

What I love about this book is how much Cammie grows. Cammie the Chameleon is no longer invisible; she's the center of the investigation.  She has to learn that even though they live lives of danger, sometimes the best way to protect your friends and family is to let them help you.  I love that the girls aren't just over the moon about her being back (although some are still downright furious at her for leaving), they're cautious.  Cammie is damaged, how badly is yet to be determined, but they love her and they take care of her... and keep an eye out for her.  And then there's Zach. He loves her too... or does he?

The last book of the series, United We Spy (perfect title!) is out September 17, 2013 and I can't wait.  (Obviously, because I've added a count down timer to the side of the blog!)  I will be sad to see Gallagher Girls end, but there is still Heist Society (also awesome and movie optioned(!)) and Ally Carter has a new series project on the horizon.  What started out as a cute sometimes-read is now must-read.  I love the way this series has grown with the characters and it's audience. Ally Carter is one of those authors to whom I just keep coming back.

Until we meet again, Gallagher Girls...

Final Take:  5/5


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Jenn's Review: Uncommon Criminals

 Blurb:  Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life. Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners. 

There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long, and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous and that is simply… the emerald is cursed.

Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all she has her best friend—the gorgeous Hale—and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses, realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time.

Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules...

Review:  Oh, how I missed Kat and Hale!  I was actually saving this one because there weren't anymore out yet, but ever since Perfect Scoundrels hit the shelves last month, I've been itching to continue the series.

Uncommon Criminals picks up quite some time after Heist Society.  For Kat's age she is highly accomplished and a brilliant strategist, but she has come to realize that she doesn't like being responsible for the safety of others on big jobs.  Kat has been traveling around and dong jobs on her own and she returns to an unhappy Hale.  She may be a worldly, clever thief, but when it comes to boys Kat's a bit clueless.  

I love a good con and Ally Carter gives us several.  As with most good cons, when everything seems to be going wrong, you know there has to be more to the plan, but it doesn't make it any less enjoyable to read.  I love that Kat can take care of herself, but I also love that she learns to rely on her friends and family.  

Ms. Carter brings back the whole cast of characters from the Henley job and we even get to meet a few new ones. It felt like visiting with old friends and I can't wait to do it again. I may even re-read both before starting Perfect Scoundrels. I adore Ally Carter's writing and love both this series and the Gallagher Girls.   She's one of those authors whose releases I look forward to immensely. 

Final Take:  5/5

 

Jenn's Review: Only the Good Spy Young

Summary:  When Cammie Morgan enrolled at the Gallagher Academy, she knew she was preparing for the dangerous life of a spy. What she didn’t know was that the serious, real-life danger would start during her junior year of high school. But that’s exactly what happened two months ago when Cammie faced off against an ancient terrorist organization dead set on kidnapping her.

Now the danger follows her everywhere, and even Cammie “The Chameleon” can’t hide. When a terrifying encounter in London reveals that one of her most-trusted allies is actually a rogue double-agent, Cammie no longer knows if she can trust her classmates, her teachers—or even her own heart.

In this fourth installment of the New York Times best-selling series, the Gallagher Girls must hack, spy, steal, and lie their way to the truth.as they go searching for answers, recognizing that the key to Cammie’s future may lie deep in the past.

Review:  I still have two books to finish before the end of the year to complete two different challenges, but somehow I just couldn't help picking up the fourth book of the Gallagher Girls series.  I just couldn't wait to find out what was going on with the girls.  I know I said that the third book was the best yet, but this definitely tops that.

Things are getting progressively more serious for Cammie on many levels, and it's becoming exceedingly less clear who she can trust, besides her Sisters.  I love that there are threads of the story from the beginning of the series that are starting to tie through and move into the bigger picture.  The premises are being questioned and suppositions disproved.  While that makes for fabulous, suspenseful reading, it makes for a rough time for Cammie.  For once, I was behind Cammie all the way, even when she had tough decisions to make it seemed that she was finally making them responsibly... and her maturity as a teen and a spy is getting some notice from the adults in her life too, which is nice to see.

The series started as frivolous fun for me, but has turned into serious intrigue.  Of course there is always Ally Carter's wit to lighten things up, but even the clever banter has taken on a more somber tone.  I'm anxious to read Out of Sight, Out of Time, but that means I will have run out of Gallagher Girl books and will have to wait for book six like everyone else.  I'm not quite sure I can handle the suspense...

Final Take:  4.75/5

Jenn's Review: Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover

Summary:  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.

Review:  I had other reads planned for this week, but I suddenly found myself craving a visit with Cammie and the Gallagher Girls, so Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover jumped to the top of the pile.

Lots of important things happen your junior year of high school, SATs, college applications, driver's licenses... unless you're a Gallagher Girl, in which case it's covert ops, disguises, and code breaking. Cammie and Macey suffer a real attack from unknown assailants that puts their training to the test. It leaves both girls shaken and the school on high alert. Cammie is determined to figure out who is behind the attack and find a way to protect her friend.

This is probably the most serious of the books so far. But even trained teens get distracted by boys and have lapses in judgement. With Ally Carter's trademark wit and sarcasm, she brings levity to such a grave subject. It's one on the things I love about this series, but it's also one of the things that bothers me. I want them to be teens, but I want them to be responsible --probably just the mother in me, right? I got frustrated with some of the risks Cammie took, but I also understand her need to be involved.

The plot twists were unexpected and kept me guessing. I loved the new character additions too. All the little loose ends were tied up, but there are still some big questions that need answering, so I have a feeling I will be making another trip to the Gallagher Academy soon.

Final Take: 4/5

Jenn's Review: Heist Society

Summary:  When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving “the life” for a normal life proves harder than she’d expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring Kat back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has a good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.

For Kat, there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family's history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.  ~goodreads.com

Review:  I really enjoy Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls , but I adore Heist Society, probably because the only thing I love more than spies are cons.   I love the cleverness and outwitting. Actually, between the cover and the theme, I was reminded of one of my favorite Audrey Hepburn movies, How to Steal a Million and another favorite film, The Thomas Crown Affair.

It took me a few chapters to get back into Ally Carter's style of writing, but after that it as clear sailing. It was easy to like Kat, perhaps a little easier for me to like her than Cammie from Gallagher Girls. Kat is making her own way in the world when she gets unapologetically hauled back into a life she tried to leave behind.

Kat knows all the cons and all the criminals, but she's never been up against anyone quite so formidable before ...especially not all by herself. Kat's strong and capable of taking care of herself. She's also smart enough to know she can't do it herself. Well, at least she has Hale, even if she's not ready to let him in. I craved more about all of her characters, not because they seem underdeveloped, but because I was fascinated by them.

Another reason this series resonates with me more than Gallagher Girls is that it just seems more plausible. Don't get me wrong, the Girls are lots of fun, but Heist Society seems a little less... frivolous.  I want to know where Kat goes from here, so I will be picking up Uncommon Criminals soon. I will continue with both series, but Heist Society will be the more urgent read on my TBR pile. It will be the one I'll have trouble putting down.

Final Take:  4/5

Jenn's Review: Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy

Summary:  After the excitement of the fall, all Cammie Morgan wants is peaceful semester at school. But that’s easier said than done when you’re a CIA legacy and go to the premier school in the world...for spies.

Despite Cammie's best intentions, trouble crops up quickly.  Cammie, Bex, and Liz learn that the Gallagher Academy is hosting guests from another spy school -- a school that is known to the world as the Ethan Frome Academy--a secret spy school for boys.    After her fiasco with Josh last fall, Cammie isn't sure she's ready for daily encounters with boy spies – especially after she meets Zach -- an incorrigibe cutie who everyone thinks is just perfect.

Cammie is right to be worried about their new guests.  Soon after the boys’ arrival, she's blamed for a series of security breaches that leave the school's top-secret status at risk.  And the perfectly crushable Zach is her prime suspect.

The Gallagher Girls will need to use all their skills to investigate the Frome Boys. Even though they're confident about their guy-spying (as if they haven't done it before!), the playing field is level this time, and the stakes for Cammie’s heart—and her beloved school— are higher than ever.  

Review:  I truly love the Gallagher Girls series, and I'm sorry I waited so long to read it.  I have a few more promised reviews before March goes out like a lamb, but after my last book I needed something light and fun ~Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy fit the bill.

Cammie is done with boys.  And breaking the rules.  And spying on her friends.  That is until she discovers her mother is hiding things from her... and an entire contingent of boys is arriving at their exclusive all girls spy school.  Suddenly everything is more complicated... including getting glammed up for class in the morning.

I love that both Ally Carter and Cammie put the spying for the purpose of a boyfriend behind them.  While it was cute, and necessary foundation for the sophomores, the intrigue of real secrets is far more captivating.  I really wish I had attended the Gallagher Academy... it makes their adventures all the more exciting.  I love the classes they attend!  And the addition of the boys has definitely made things more interesting, are they duplicitous?  Sure, but all boys are.  Is it more important to know whose side are they on or is it more important to be able to take the leap of faith and trust them?

This is a great series, especially for a reluctant reader.  I know I will be revisiting the Gallagher Academy again soon.  I need my dose of spy life...

Final Take: 4.0/5

And the Winner Is...

Congratulations to Veronica for winning a copy of Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter.

An email should be waiting for you, please respond with your mailing address so we can send the book to you as soon as possible!

Thanks to everyone who entered. As usual GJR used Random.org to generate the winner.

Giveaway: Out of Sight, Out of Time

Happy Book Birthday to the fifth book in the Gallagher Girls spy series by Ally Carter, Out of Sight, Out of Time! To help celebrate we are giving away a brand new copy to one lucky winner in the US or Canada.

About the book:  The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family from the Circle of Cavan—an ancient terrorist organization that has been hunting her for over a year. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers that months have passed, she must face the fact that her memory is now a black hole.  The only traces left of Cammie’s summer vacation are the bruises on her body and the dirt under her nails, and all she wants is to go home.

Once she returns to school, however, Cammie realizes that even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers.  Cammie, her friends, and mysterious spy-guy Zach must face their most difficult challenge yet as they travel to the other side of the world, hoping to piece together the clues that Cammie left behind.   It’s a race against time.  The Circle is hot on their trail and willing stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.

To enter, fill out the form below by midnight EST, March 20, 2012.  You must be over 18 and a resident of the US or Canada.  One entry per person, please.

As always, Girls Just Reading uses Random.org to select our winners.

Good Luck!

Jenn's Review: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You

Summary:  Cammie Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school—that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE and the latest in chemical warfare in science, and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class.  The Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses but it’s really a school for spies.Even though Cammie is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways, she has no idea what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she’s an ordinary girl.  Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, or track him through town with the skill of a real “pavement artist”—but can she maneuver a relationship with someone who can never know the truth about her? Cammie Morgan may be an elite spy-in-training, but in her sophomore year, she’s on her most dangerous mission—falling in love.

Review:  Since I heard Ally Carter speaking about the Gallagher Girls series at last years Teen Book Festival, I have been really interested, especially since she mentioned that ALIAS was the inspiration for her teen spy series. All of us at Girls Just Reading have a special connection to ALIAS (more about that here), so this mention had me even more excited.

Perhaps the anticipation was a little too high. I'm not sure what I expected... 15 year old girls diffusing Rimbaldi devices and saving the world? Surely not, but I don't think a super trained teen spy using her skills to attempt to go on a normal date was anywhere on my list either. In some ways, I found the plot to be rather silly, yet in other ways it made complete sense. The nerd in me recognized the ring of truth to the situation - if I had the skill set, wouldn't I use it to over analyze the boy situation too?  Ms. Carter throws in lots of contemporary cultural references (like ALIAS and Buffy), and while I appreciate them, probably on a deeper level than most teens, I worry about how fast they date the series (though I suppose in this age of Netflix, nothing is out of reach).   Still I would have liked to read more about the school, the classes, and Cammie's friends. So many interesting things were mentioned in passing and I am really hoping Ally Carter uses the next four books to delve a little deeper.

Also, I craved a deeper sub-plot to anchor the story a little better and give it roots. Just when things seemed to be going in that direction, the action picked up and the intrigue shifted, things came to an abrupt end... and I found myself wanting to move on to the next book in the series, Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy.

In many ways the Gallagher Girls actually reminded me of Rachael Hawkins' Hex Hall series, swapping out the paranormal for the spies. Both are light, fun reads and I will enjoy working my way through both of them. Now that I know what to expect, I look forward to the journey.

Final Take: 3.75/5

PS.  You should check out Ally Carter's website and the Gallagher Girls Academy site for lots of neat stuff!

PPS.  The fifth book, Out of Sight, Out of Time was just released today... and we're giving it away here.  Happy book birthday!

Giveaway: Teen Book Festival

Gift Pack #1

I had such a marvelous time at the Teen Book Festival, that I brought a little piece of it home for you!  There are two YA giveaway packages and both come with bookmarks and other swag from the convention.  (There was a beautiful Hex Hall tote bag that I really wanted to snag, but it was for teens only...)

Gift Pack #1:
 - An autographed paperback copy of Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
 - A paperback copy of Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz
 - A Secrets & Shadows bookplate autographed by Shannon Delany
 -Various bookmarks, some autographed and some not

Gift Pack #2:
 - An autographed paperback copy of Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy (Book 3 in the Gallagher Girls series) by Ally Carter

 - An ARC paperback copy of Virals by Kathy Reichs

 - A Secrets & Shadows bookplate autographed by Shannon Delany

 -Various bookmarks some autographed and some not

Gift Pack #2

This giveaway is open internationally.  There will be two (2) winners.You may choose to enter for both packages, or only one, but please, one entry per person.  Just fill out the form below before midnight EST on May 23, 2011.

Good luck!


As always, Girls Just Reading uses Random.org to select our winners.

An Author Event: Rochester Teen Book Festival

This was my first time attending the Rochester Teen Book Festival and it was amazing experience. Even though I've never been "Ma'am"d so much in my life (stinkin' polite teens!), it was completely worth it to hear kids cheer authors as they were introduced as though they were rock stars. Not just the big names, like Heather Brewer, Svetlana Chmakova, Melissa de la Cruz or Ellen Hopkins either. Everyone received a stellar reception including the new authors in attendance. Seriously, it brought tears to my eyes.

The last time I met an author I was in third grade when Margaret Goff Clark came to my elementary school to read from her book, Who Stole Kathy Young? so I was more than a little excited myself, even if this was an event targeting teens.

Passing the mic to answer Qs

The opening panel with the authors was a lightening round of questions to all the authors.  ("Describe high school in one word" - answers ranged from "sucked" to "awesome" to "over".  "What's the hardest thing about writing?"  -to which Heather Brewer's response was my favorite.  The hardest part for her is to "follow the formula,  you know, 'Butt + Chair = Writing'." Oh! And never trap Selene Castrovilla on an island with Bella Swan!)  It was nice because we got to see glimmers of the author's personalities which, if you hadn't already decided who you wanted to go see during the four upcoming author presentation sessions, helped you make up your mind.

Blathering like a fangirl
at Shannon Delany

The first session I attended was the Paranormal discussion with authors Rachel Hawkins (Hex Hall series) and Shannon Delany (13 to Life series)  both of whom were genuine and easy going and there was lots of friendly banter between them.  Ms. Hawkins discussed her love of supernatural, which developed at an early age, as well as her love of Buffy.  Ms. Delany talked about how the early loss of her own mother sowed the seeds of her protagonist, Jessie, and how her fascination with Cold War government paranormal research blossomed into her series.   Both authors discussed their reader-frustrating cliffhanger habit (Hawkins' fans will be pleased to hear book 3 wraps things up "in a big bow", while Delany fans will be frustrated with a third delicious cliffhanger.)

Rachel Hawkins

As any frequenter of Girls Just Reading knows, I'm a huge fan of Shannon Delany's 13 to Life series (my reviews, etc.) and, in actuality, she was the reason I attended TBF.  However I was I was only aware of Rachel Hawkins on a cursory level,  her Hex Hall series being on my TBR wishlist, but after hearing her speak, I immediately downloaded it onto my Nook. She was clever, witty, and one of two authors who I was completely taken with at TBF.

Heather Brewer was
continuously surrounded

My next stop was to see Heather Brewer (The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod ) who was one of three authors presenting a panel on Bullying/Body Image, Jackie Morse Kessler and A.S. King being the co-presenters. Ms. Brewer opened the discussion with her own personal story of being victimized by bullies from Kindergarten onwards and her years in her 'dark place' when she struggled with thoughts of suicide. Jackie Morse Kessler told a candid story about her battle with bulimia. Ms. King talked about her experience with an abusive relationship and how abuse can be verbal as well as physical. It was a sombre atmosphere as they poured out some of their most personal struggles. While the reader and blogger in me would have liked to hear them discuss their works, the mother in me was thankful for the message directed to the teens. The authors encouraged them to talk to someone -anyone- including contacting the authors themselves, if they felt they could talk to no one else. The message was heartfelt and I found myself tearing up to the point where I did not stay for the question and answer period after the presentation.

A.S. King, who thanked
me for blogging

Only knowing of Heather Brewer going into this session, I again found myself impressed with all three authors, but especially with Ms. King. She has a personality that fills a room without overshadowing it's occupants and her self-assured manner eased the tension in an emotionally charged atmosphere. Ms. King was the other author that impressed me the most. I immediately picked up one of her books ...and one of Ms. Kessler's too.

Ellen Hopkins was also
swamped with signings

Next for me was Melissa de la Cruz (Blue Bloods series) who presented a panel called Author 2 Author with Elizabeth Scott, with whose work I was unfamiliar (Bloom, Living Dead Girl, Love You Hate You Miss You, Between Here and Forever) upon entering the discussion.   They interviewed each other during the forum before opening up the floor to questions. Ms. de la Cruz always wanted to be a writer, while Ms. Scott avoided creative writing like the plague. Both authors outline their books before starting, but whereas Ms. Scott needs to make sure she knows the beginning and the end of the novel before she starts, Ms. de la Cruz will flush out a 30 page outline. Blue Bloods is still on my TBR wish list, but as fascinating as I found Ms. Scott, her subject matter is a little serious than my tastes.

Ally Carter singing my book

The time had come for my only solitary author panel of the day and I had a tough decision to make. I wanted to hear Ellen Hopkins speak but considering that I find Ms. Scott's work too serious, Ms. Hopkins is way too serious for my pallate.  So I chose to see Ally Carter (Gallagher Girls series) whose Heist Society has been staring at me from one of my TBR piles for over a year ~ not to mention I've been dying to read the Gallagher Girls series too (A spy academy for girls?!?  I'm so in!).  Ms. Carter spoke a little of herself and turned the floor over to questions.  When asked why Cammie, the protagonist from Gallagher Girls, was so nondescript, Ms. Carter called her a chameleon explaining that real spies are average looking, not the James Bond types we see on the screen. Some of the questions were regarding interactions between characters that fans were displeased over and I loved her response.  "I don't work for the readers. I work for the characters, and you wouldn't want it any other way."  


Ms. Carter mentioned that Heist Society comes from her love of con movies and her interest in stolen Holocaust art.  I had to smile at this because those shared interests are the reason I picked up her book in the first place.  She also mentioned that she was supposed to be home thinking of a title for the second Heist Society book, but when I visited her website today, Uncommon Criminals was the title, so she must have done her homework on the fly.  When asked about movie rights Ms. Carter acknowledged that WB has Heist Society under option, but, though they have had many offers on the Gallagher Girls, they have yet to find the right fit.  All this talk about the Gallagher Girls definitely bumped it closer to the top of my wishlist, and I'm pretty sure you'll be seeing a review of Heist Society soon as well.

It was a long but glorious day followed by a frantic autograph session.  The line for Heather Brewer wrapped around the gym, and the line for Ellen Hopkins was out the door.  I babbled like a fangirl at Shannon Delany; the poor woman must have thought me addled.  I continued to be thoroughly impressed with A.S. King just watching her sign books and interacting with the teens as she did so.  I talked with fellow bibliophiles.  It may not have been as big as Book Expo America in New York at the end of the month, but for me, it was a wonderful day discovering new authors and watching kids be captured by the written word.  I even brought home some goodies for all of you...