Review: The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

Publication Date: 12^th March 2015

Huge thanks to Netgalley for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review

Book two of the dazzling Winner's Trilogy is a fight to the death as Kestrel risks betrayal of country for love.
The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement…if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret.
As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them.

So a few days ago I read ‘The Winner’s Crime’ and loved it. So much love. So hard. And so as soon as I finished it I leaped straight into the second book in the trilogy and re-immersed myself in Kestrel and Arin’s world once more.
The worry with the second book in a trilogy when the first book was just so good that you wanted to throw it at anyone and everyone and demand that they read it, is that it just won’t live up to your expectations. Luckily Rutkoski is an incredibly gifted writer and this instalment more than held its own against the first book.

The sequel is much darker than the first book, with Kestrel now hidden in the heart of the Empire and engaged to the Emperor’s son. No conversation can be guaranteed to be unheard, no secret uncovered and it gives the entire book a very tense and on edge feeling as you wait, breathlessly, for it all to fall apart. Because this is the point where everything inevitably falls apart. It’s tense and terrifying and I stormed through this book even faster than the first one, desperately trying to find out what happens. That said the pacing is quite slow, almost torturously slow at points, so that the tension has really hit breaking point by the end of the book.

I missed Herran terribly, just as Kestrel does, but at the same time it was wonderful to have the world expanded. To discover new territories and people and to find out more about the Valorians. As well as new places a whole host of new characters were also on offer, as well as some familiar faces from the first book. The Emperor is a truly terrifying man, and he seeps through the book even in the sections where he isn’t present. I was never quite sure how he might react or lash out next, and I cannot wait to see even more of him in the final instalment.

Kestrel is brilliantly expanded in this book and I loved watching her try and come to terms with herself, her choices and her culture. She is turning into a truly formidable woman and an incredible heroine. She isn’t strong in the physical sense, but she is sharp and quick and incredibly devious. She calculates, schemes, spies and above all, tries desperately to do the right thing in an increasingly difficult and shifting landscape, and I love her for that.
Arin takes a slight backseat in this novel – that isn’t to say that he isn’t present, he is and fighting his own battles and to become his own man and lead his people to a better future. His journey is simply quieter than Kestrel’s, and it takes him far longer to put the pieces together. With all the discoveries and revelations lining up by the end of the novel I am eagerly anticipating watching them all come together in what is sure to be a climactic finale.

Everything that I loved about the first book was abundant – the beautiful prose, the gut wrenching heartbreak, the intrigue, lies and spying. It was a fantastic continuation of the story and like a game of Bite & Sting sets up the final book to be even better than its predecessors. If you haven’t yet read ‘The Winner’s Crime’ I cannot recommend it enough. Go, read it and then launch straight into this book to delay the book hangover you will experience when you’re forced to leave this book and wait for the final novel.

Review: All Fall Down by Ally Carter

Publication Date: 5^th February 2015

Huge thanks to Netgalley for sending me a copy in return for an honest review.

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.

I absolutely love Ally Carter’s previous series, both Gallagher Girls and the Heist books, so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her latest offering and get to know a whole new world. Unfortunately my anticipated love affair with ‘All Fall Down’ didn’t quite go as I’d anticipated.

The concept is great, the world is wonderful, the writing is up to Carter’s brilliant standard, but sadly there were problems. The biggest one being Grace herself. I never really felt like I connected with Grace, which is I think due in part to the fact that Grace is the most unreliable narrator I have ever come across in fiction. By about a third of the way through the book I just didn’t trust her at all, which meant that my enjoyment of the book became severely compromised.

It comes across as for a much younger audience, perhaps on that transition line for those just coming into young adult fiction. In part due to the style, but mostly again due to Grace. She never struck me as a sixteen year old teenager, she felt as though she’d gotten stuck at age thirteen. Understandable given the circumstances, but a little bit frustrating to read.

It also reads more like a film script than a book in places, due to the flashbacks that Grace keeps on having. This sort of works, but it mostly just made me feel like it was meant to be a movie, and actually became a little bit frustrating the further in I read.

I absolutely loved the characters surrounding Grace, her oddball team of espionage amateurs were fantastic, and really I just wanted more of them! The only character I wasn’t really sold on was Alexei, because like Grace we never really got to see a huge amount of character – is he good, is he bad, is he just playing her or spying on her? All questions we may see answered at a later point in the series, but for a first book I felt entirely wrong footed by too many elements, that made me question whether I would really want to invest more time in the series.

All in all it was an intriguing premise that worked in some areas and fell flat on its face in others. It’s a good set up for things to come, but there were an awful lot of awkward parts and some serious issues with Grace and her likeability and general trust developing between her and the reader. There’s a lot to love though, and the pacing means that it’s a fast and tense read that will leave you with no idea where things are going from one page to the next.

Books I'm Squeeing About in February

Happy (very belated) New Year Guys!

Due to personal circumstances out of my control I ended up taking an impromptu hiatus (as you could probably tell from the lack of updates.)
However now I am back! With a new year and lots of new books, so we'll be back to regular scheduling again.

In the mean time there is a truly massive pile of awesome books coming out this month which I cannot wait to get my hands on...

5th - Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger

It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to finishing school.

Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners-and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. So she enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what her mother might have hoped. At Mademoiselle Geraldine's young ladies learn to finish . . . everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but they also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage - in the politest possible ways, of course. Sophronia and her friends are in for a rousing first year's education.

There are some authors who I love so much I don't even look at the blurb or anything when I see they have a new book coming, I just pre-order it then and there because I know it's going to be awesome.

And Gail Carriger is one of those authors! This is the start of her new 'Finishing School' series and it's going to be awesome. That blurb! That title! That cover! Be still my heart!

5th - City of a Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster

The girl with no past, and no future, may be the only one who can save their lives. Nisha was abandoned at the gates of the City of a Thousand Dolls when she was just a child. Now sixteen, she lives on the grounds of the remote estate, where orphan girls apprentice as musicians, healers, courtesans, and, if the rumors are true, assassins. Only when she begins a forbidden flirtation with the city s handsome young courier does she let herself imagine a life outside the walls. Until one by one, girls around her start to die.

Ever since Miriam first announced on twitter that her book was being published I have been desperate to get me hands on it. It just sounds so awesome and I am in awe, and this is one of my most anticipated reads of the year. Now I just have to make my patience last until I can read it!

7th - Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter

Katarina Bishop and W.W. Hale the Fifth were born to lead very different lives - her family are criminal masterminds, while he comes from an apparently perfect dynasty. But both families know how to stay under the radar while getting - or stealing - whatever they want.
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 is tipped off about an elaborate con to steal the company's fortune. Instead of being the heir, this time Hale might be the mark.
Kat is prepared to do the impossible, but first she has to decide. Is she willing to save her boyfriend's company if it means losing the boy?

I adore the Heist Society series, and so with this third book so tantalisingly in reach now I am going out of my mind to see where Hale and Kat end up next.

If you haven't discovered this series yet, start with the first book 'Heist Society' - they are a fantastically witty, fast paced and brilliantly written series.

12th -Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black
Dancing with someone is an act of trust. Elegant and intimate; you're close enough to kiss, close enough to feel your partner's heartbeat. But for Vanessa, dance is deadly - and she must be very careful who she trusts...

Vanessa Adler attends an elite ballet school - the same one her older sister, Margaret, attended before she disappeared. Vanessa feels she can never live up to her sister's shining reputation. But Vanessa, with her glorious red hair and fair skin, has a kind of power when she dances - she loses herself in the music, breathes different air, and the world around her turns to flames . . . Soon she attracts the attention of three men: gorgeous Zep, mysterious Justin, and the great, enigmatic choreographer Josef Zhalkovsky. When Josef asks Vanessa to dance the lead in the Firebird, she has little idea of the danger that lies ahead - and the burning forces about to be unleashed...

Oh this book is creepy! It's fantastic but there is this horrible sense of terror and dread that permeates the entire book and leaves you terrified!
It's got a fantastic premise, a beautiful cover and really good writing all in its favour, and a healthy dose of fear just to tip it into the truly brilliant.
Review to come soon.

28th - Darcy Burdock by Laura Dockrill
Ten-year-old Darcy Burdock is one of life's noticers. Curious, smart-as-a-whip, funny and fiercely loyal, she sees the extraordinary in the everyday and the wonder in the world around her.

In this first book, we are introduced to her family: Mum, who Darcy loves as much as her favourite fried egg and chips, Dad, who is kind and fair if a bit hopeless, and little siblings Hector and Poppy, who Darcy likes dressing up in ridiculous outfits and having dance-offs with, respectively. Plus there's her non-bleating pet lamb, Lamb-Beth and best friend, Will, to have adventures with.

Darcy learns that turning into an angrosaurus-rex and causing chaos just gets her in trouble, trying to run away from home with a reluctant lamb in tow leads to sore kneebows, it's best not to throw a massive strop just before your surprise birthday party, Hallowe'en is all about spider costumes and having a pumpkin with a wonky eye, and if she's ever in a situation at home or at school where she's not sure what to do, she should write a story around it and the truth will be illuminated by her imagination.

This book is a much lower age range than the ones usually reviewed on here, however it is too damn awesome to not be read.

Laura has created a fantastic heroine in Darcy - she's smart, sassy, incredibly funny and very believable. The book is absolutely brilliant (complete with illustrations!) and I cannot recommend it enough!

Review to come soon!

So those are my excitements for this month - it's stuffed full of awesome! But what books are you looking forward to most?

Review: Trickster's Choice & Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce

Trickster’s Choice:
Alianne has an oppressive heritage. She is the daughter of Alanna, Lady Knight and King's Champion - the foremost warrior of Tortall. After a stormy argument with her mother, Aly runs away, but she gets more than she bargains for when she is kidnapped by pirates and sold as a slave in the Copper Isles.

Trickster’s Queen:
Aly's adventure continues. . . . No longer a slave, Alanna's daughter is now spying as part of an underground rebellion against the colonial rulers of the Copper Isles. The people in the rebellion believe that a prophecy in which a new queen will rise up to take the throne is about to be realized. Aly is busy keeping the potential teenage queen and her younger siblings safe, while also keeping her in the dark about her future. But Aly, who is usually adept at anticipating danger and changes, is in for a few nasty surprises.

I read the two books in this series so quickly one after the other that I don’t really feel like I can split the review into two separate ones, so instead I’m just going to talk about the whole.

I love Tamora Pierce’s books. The first book I ever took out in my secondary school library was ‘In the Hand of the Goddess’ (book two in The Song of the Lioness Quartet, apparently I’m terrible at reading books in order and have no patience to wait for the first book to come back into the library. Shocking I know.) And that book choice (and the subsequent reading of every single Tamora Pierce book I could get my hands on) shaped the rest of my reading from that point on.

It is from her that I gained my love of fantasy, of feisty and strong heroines, of fantastic plots and sword fights with a healthy dose of magic thrown in for good measure. And so when I saw these two new books focusing on Alanna’s daughter I couldn’t resist.

And they are very good examples of why Tamora Pierce remains the queen of high fantasy. They don’t have quite the same magic and appeal as The Song of the Lioness Quartet, and they are a lot heavier going, but they were definitely worth the wait.

Aly was a fascinating character in her own right, never mind that she was the product of one of my favourite fantasy couples of all time. It was fascinating to see the little glimpses we got into George and Alanna’s lives now they’ve grown up and started a family (although the little girl in me really wanted some more of them…) She combines just the right amount of qualities of both her parents with enough individuality to keep her individuality.

Pierce has a formidable array of skills that she utilises in all of her books. Her world building is fantastic. It’s complex and rich, full of vibrancy and life and history and religion and utterly engrossing. There were some aspects that of this that bogged the book down a little in places, which is something I haven’t really experienced with a Pierce back before, but on the whole it was fantastic.

She creates a likeable and realistic heroine, and then surrounds her with equally fascinating and believably secondary characters. Everyone comes alive from the page, whether it’s some of the softer moments with Nawat or conversations with Dove, or the planning with the rest of the rebellion. The only thing that might put a damper on some people's enthusiasm is that like most of Tamora Pierce's heroines, you know that Aly is somehow going to save the day and come out on top, which may ruin some of the intrigue. However despite knowing there was a more than good chance things would end up ok, Pierce still manages to make the plot engaging and twisty so that I really couldn't see how some things would play out, and the emotional impact some of these events may produce.

There’s enough action to keep the whole thing ticking along quite nicely. and enough twists and turns that even I wasn't sure how things might turn out. Admittedly the first book was a lot more about the set up and establishing the characters and situation which meant that it wasn’t as high paced as the second book, but together they still clip along at a good pace.

Everything is believable, right from the characters and world to the motives the politics and the evil schemes that Aly comes up with to strike terror into their enemies. It was fascinating to see the strength of Alanna come through combined with George’s cunning and slyness, and I loved seeing her work as the Spymaster.

The thing that I love most about Peirce’s writing is her romances. They are never forced, there are never any triangles just for the sake of tension, but most of all there is never any insta love. In fact I don’t remember any paragraph where Aly suddenly realizes she’s in love, which is fantastic, because it’s a slow gradual process that is utterly believable. These books that have the sudden realization paragraph make a little bit of my soul die every time I read one, because they usually completely undermine any build up and turn what was progressing quite nicely into a be all and end all relationship. There is none of that here, and yet I completely believe that Aly loves Nawat. I completely believe that they are right for each other and five years down the line she isn’t going to run off with someone else. I completely believe that their commitment is real and durable, and that’s what makes it so special for me.

It isn’t the sort of series to gain the same praise as ‘Song of the Lioness’ but it’s still a very well written fantasy, engaging and fascinating, and a welcome break from the real world into the intrigue and plotting of the Raka revolution. For fans of Tamora Pierces other books, Maria V Snyder and Kristin Cashore, this is a brilliant fantasy series.

Author Q & A with Andrew Prentice & Jonathan Weil

The fabulous 'Black Arts' came out last week, and I am have been busy thrusting it under all my friends noses going 'Here! You Must Read the Fabulous!' And I am lucky enough to have the lovely (and highly entertaining) Andrew Prentice & Jonathan Weil here offering insights into their writing, the ideas and concepts, and what we might see from them next...

"First of all, I think the book is incredible, but how would you tempt people who don't know about it yet to read it?"

We set out to write the kind of story we love to read – a high-speed thrill ride through a dirty and dangerous setting. Black Arts is adventure cooked the old-fashioned way. First we mixed half a pound of revenge with a hefty pinch of diabolical evil, a spoonful of humour, several pints of human blood and a cheeky dollop of resourceful heroism. Then we baked the mixture in our oven of plot for five years.
When we took it out of the oven we glazed it with telling historical detail. It should be served lightly chilled and consumed in one sitting.

"How did the book come about? The concept and the collaboration?"

We have been collaborating since we were in the sixth form, when we edited our school magazine together. After university we embarked on a ludicrously ambitious, epic project – the re-explaining of all recorded history in comic-book form. We managed to finish fifteen pages of this before reality intervened and we had to get jobs.

Then, five years ago, we were sacked. We had been writing animation scripts for an aquarium tycoon/sushi restaurateur/would-be manga magnate, and for some reason we thought it would be a good idea to strike out on our own writing comic books. One of the scripts we prepared was set in Elizabethan England. It was going to be about the foiling of the Spanish Armada, set in a world of secret intelligence, religious persecution and fraudulent magicians. So certain elements of Black Arts were already there.

No one wanted to make the historical comic, it turned out – but a couple of publishers liked the idea of an Elizabethan spy story; we got a book deal out of it; and over the years, some of the stranger concepts from our first, deranged collaboration began to resurface. Weird magical rituals. Secret, world-spanning conspiracies. Immortal guardians charged with protecting the very fabric of History itself. The story mutated, like a fungus growing inside a nuclear reactor, into Black Arts.

"How did the writing process work?"

We have leaned that it is best to plan everything out very carefully. This takes many long walks, and cups of strong coffee.

We then go our separate ways. We realised long ago that writing in the same house is disastrous. We take alternate chapters (or several chapters at once, depending where the natural breaks are), and go away and write. After each of us has finished, we swap and edit. By the time a chapter is finished it has usually been edited and re-edited seven or eight times.

"Who was the voice of reason in the process?"

Both of us have our moments. The best thing about collaboration is that there is always someone there to talk to. The worst thing about collaboration is that sometimes they are right and you are wrong.

"How were the harder decisions made when writing, was there a nominated person who had the final say?"

Total gridlock doesn’t happen very often. There are battles, and it usually comes down to stubbornness: one person will almost always care more, and end up getting his way. In extreme moments we resort to the ultimate decider: paper-scissors-stone, best of seven.

"Can you tell me a bit about the research that went into the book? For example the lock picking tools, I'm curious, are they real names etc? And did you get to practise so it would be easier to write?"

Our research was almost entirely reading – both history books and original sources like plays, and letters, and demon-hunting manuals (they had them!). Quite a lot of terms we used in the book are accurate, although we’ve found that good research is all about making sure that the stuff you do make up feels right. Once you’ve written a few lines of authentic Elizabethan thieves’ cant, you get into a groove where you can invent the rest and it’ll sound good.

We never practised any lock-picking, but we do try to pick each other’s pockets from time to time. We aren’t very good at it.

"What was the most exciting part of the process for you?"

The most exciting part is seeing how the story evolves when we both are working on it. One of us will have an idea, which will then provide the solution to a problem the other was worrying about, changing along the way into something strange and different that neither of us would have thought up on his own. Chapters start off one way, go through several different phases and emerge a totally different beast at the other end. It’s always exciting to see what the other guy has done.

"And what was the most challenging?"

Accepting that what you thought was amazing needs to be cut. We have got much better at dealing with this over the years.

"Will you be working on anything together in the future? And what can we hope to see from you (either together or individually) next?"

The Books of Pandemonium is planned as a series of four books. We are very excited about where this story is going to go in the future. The second book is well underway, and is going to be better than the first.
After that, who knows? We are always thinking of more stories – and we can’t wait to tell them. 

I want to say a huge thank you to Andrew and Jonathan for taking the time to talk to me about the book - and for providing some of the most entertaining answers to questions I've ever been offered!

I will continue to shamelessly plug 'Black Arts' for the rest of the year (you have been warned) and will be onto the next book as soon as we know more... In the meantime, if you haven't already go and read the book!

Review: The Dark Enquiry by Deanna Raybourn

Partners now in marriage and in trade, Lady Julia and Nicholas Brisbane have finally returned from abroad to set up housekeeping in London. But merging their respective collections of gadgets, pets and servants leaves little room for the harried newlyweds themselves, let alone Brisbane’s private enquiry business. 
Among the more unlikely clients: Julia’s very proper brother, Lord Bellmont, who swears Brisbane to secrecy about his case. Not about to be left out of anything concerning her beloved—if eccentric—family, spirited Julia soon picks up the trail of the investigation. 
It leads to the exclusive Spirit Club, where the alluring Madame Séraphine holds evening séances...and not a few powerful gentlemen in thrall. From this eerie enclave unfolds a lurid tangle of murder, espionage and blackmail, whose tendrils crush reputations and throttle trust. 
Shocked to find their investigation spun into salacious newspaper headlines, bristling at the tension it causes between them, the Brisbanes find they must unite or fall. For Bellmont’s sake—and more—they’ll face myriad dangers born of dark secrets: the kind men kill to keep...the kind that can destroy a fledgling marriage. 

Reading a Lady Julia novel feels like coming home; if your home was filled with crazy people, intrigue, murder and the occasional high terror. I adore this series of books and find every opportunity to wax lyrical about them or shove them at unsuspecting friends.

They are all kinds of awesome. The writing is intelligent and beautiful, the characters incredibly drawn and remain three dimensional and multi-faceted no matter how many books are written – in fact I think they become even deeper the further we go. The research is astounding, and it truly feels as though you are a part of Julia’s world from the first page.

And this book was no exception. The cover – oh the cover! The blurb! And from the first page it felt like sinking into a warm bath. Relaxing, welcoming, and as though everything was alright with the world suddenly.

I loved seeing a plethora of old faces – no matter how briefly Daddy March! And was fascinated to see how Portia was taking to motherhood, and Plum to the enquiry business. And Val – I’ve missed him so since the first book, so I was particularly pleased to see him too. And then there were new faces, some I hope to see again, and others I’m fairly sure we won’t, but all of them intriguing.

However, as much as I love the host of characters surrounding them, I was particularly pleased to see Julia and Brisbane again. I loved watching their romance spark in the first three books, and have been fascinated with Raybourn’s skilled portrayal of the couple in their marriage. None of the spark is missing, and it hasn’t diminished the individuals in any way being finally united – in fact it’s raised more questions and issues, and I’ve loved to see how they’ve been tackled and over come. It was so good to finally see Brisbane acknowledging that Julia is just as capable as him of strong emotions and intelligent thought - and whilst he must have realized on some level, to see him truly acknowledge it and bring her further into his work and his life was brilliant after four books of him steadfastly pushing her away.

It was fascinating to see them back in London again – oh London how I’ve missed you too! Whilst I loved the travels and seeing the places the cases took them to, I did love to come back to London, the setting of the first book, and their first meeting. It raised old and new issues and ghosts, and stripped some characters back so that we saw them raw for the first time, and learned a little more about their pasts.

However, they never once lose their individuality, and I love seeing how far Julia has come, how much she has grown as a person, and particularly that she doesn’t lose it all now that she has Brisbane. She continues to grow, to infuriate and intrigue me, and I love watching her journey through each book. She is a fabulous narrator – skilled, witty and intelligent, and it’s a pleasure to be brought back into her life.

They made me laugh with them, and weep when everything seemed at its blackest, and truly lose all composure when all was finally revealed at the end. The book takes you on such a rollercoaster of emotion, and I loved losing myself in it for a few hours.

I cannot really talk further about the book without ruining it – and that would be a cruelty too far. All I can say is that I adore these books. They are my all time favourite series – one I come back to again and again, and this latest instalment is a beautiful continuation of the story – one I hope to continue reading about in Rome…

There are no words, for Deanna Raybourn has used all of them already. All there is left is to say that if you buy one book this month, or even this year, let it be this one – or the first in the series “Silent in the Grave” if you haven’t yet discovered Lady Julia.

Review: Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover by Ally Carter

Here's the thing about covert operations: the really bad things always happen when you least expect them. The enemies don't give you a heads-up. And they never let you stop to put on comfortable shoes.
A spy-in-training, Cammie Morgan has a cover for every occasion. But what happens when she is forced to lose her cover to save her best friend, Macey? Cammie and her friends are determined to hunt down the group that threatens to tear their secret sisterhood apart. This time it's personal.

So I’ve been raving about this series for a few days now – the first book had me in stitches, the second book was a good follow up, and I was keen to get to the third book.

Again, it’s continued the train of awesome, but it made me realize that it had a lot more to it than the second book. “Cross my heart and Hope to Spy” was genius, but the further I’ve got from reading it, the more I’ve realized that there was very little in the way of plot, and it frustrated me that there was no real follow on from the open ends left at the end of the first book “I’d tell you I love you, but then I’d have to kill you.”

It was the shortest book in the series, and when attempting to sum it up for a friend, all I could come up with was “well there’s this all girls spy school, and then some boys from another spy school come and do an exchange, and well, hijinks ensue?”

Don’t take this badly, I still loved it, but I was frustrated by that, particularly when Ally Carter has shown what genius ideas she has. It felt like it was all there, but there wasn’t enough follow through.

Which made me particularly happy about this book, the third in the series, because it was a lot deeper (and a lot darker) than the second book.

For the first time bad things happen, and it isn’t a test in school. Which made me do a little happy dance.

The plot really kicks off with that, and whilst there are some lulls where nothing much happens, and they’re effectively playing the waiting game, it otherwise doesn’t let up from there.

We learn more about the characters, we learn more about the history of the school, we get more awesome lessons, and more brilliant spy missions.
I have to admit, when Mr Solomon hands out that box of t-shirts, I actually did a little whoop, it was so cool!

However, despite all the awesome, there were moment when I felt a bit lost. I felt like I was missing something, or I hadn’t been told, or maybe I was just being lame and hadn’t picked up on it – but it makes me grumpy with a book when I feel like I’m being left out of something.
I’m hoping that it’s just a case that answers will be given in the fourth instalment “Only the Good Spy Young.”

So in summary, the first book remains my favourite in the series, but this is a great continuation of the story. There was a lot more to this one than the previous book, which was great – it was a lot darker, and a lot less funny. But it was still the character’s I’ve come to know and love, and a few new ones to add to the mix.

I’d definitely recommend this series if you haven’t already discovered Ally Carter, as she knows how to bring the funny and the awesome, and this series is a truly brilliant concept. Now I just can’t wait to get into the fourth book, and hopefully get some answers to some of my questions!

Review: Cross My Heart & Hope To Spy by Ally Carter

After staking out, obtaining, and then being forced to give up her first boyfriend, Josh, all Cammie Morgan wants is a peaceful semester. But that's easier said than done when you're a CIA legacy and go to the premier school in the world...for spies. Cammie may have a genius IQ, but there are still a lot of things she doesn't know. Like, will her ex-boyfriend even remember she exists? And how much trouble is she really in after what happened last semester? And most of all, why is her mother acting so strangely? Despite Cammie's best intentions to be a normal student, danger seems to follow her. She and her best friends learn that their school is going to play host to some mysterious guests--code name: "Blackthorne.” Then she's blamed for a security breach that leaves the school's top-secret status at risk. Soon Cammie and her friends are crawling through walls and surveying the school to learn the truth about Blackthorne and clear Cammie's name. Even though they have confidence in their spy skills, this time the targets are tougher (and hotter), and the stakes for Cammie's heart--and her beloved school--are higher than ever.

Oh my gosh you guys, I loved the first book in this series “I’d tell you I love you, but then I’d have to kill you” and I couldn’t wait to get my mitts on the rest of the series, and “Cross my heart and hope to spy” did not disappoint.

It was a different kind of awesome to ITYILYBTIHTKY (hereafter referred to as book 1…) There was less laugh out loud moments, although it was still extremely funny. It was a quieter humour, and a darker undertone throughout.

It was a great idea to bring in the boy’s school – because it was the obvious counter to the all-girls school, and also because it took the concept of how out of their depth the girls were when it came to boys, and spread it to the entire school. Whilst we didn’t get the personal humour from the experience as we did in book 1, it was still hilarious to see how the girls reacted on a larger scale – particularly when it came to events like the ball.
And oh wow, I swooned over that. It’s every girls dream to have a big ball like that – although of course with a spy school twist!

And the boys… I would have liked to get to know them a bit more, but I suppose that would have defeated the point of them seeming like the enemy. I’m hoping we do get to see them, particularly Zach, again. That was my only frustration, was that I wanted more. It felt like we barely skimmed the surface of some things, which was frustrating because I want more – hell I want everything when it comes to this series.
But in a way that’s a good thing, so whilst it’s a frustration, it’s also a compliment.

It didn’t grab me in the same way the first book did, but it was a brilliant instalment, and furthered the plot and the characters to set everything up for the next two books – and I can’t wait to get into them.
More Gallagher Girls, more spy lessons, more spy boys, and more drama – what more could you want?!

The third book in the series is “Don’t Judge a Girl by her Cover.” Followed by “Only the Good Spy Young.” Go and get the next books in the Gallagher Girls series now!

Review: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You by Ally Carter

Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses - but it's really a school for spies. Cammie Morgan is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways (three of which involve a piece of uncooked spaghetti). But the one thing the Gallagher Academy hasn't prepared her for is what to do when she falls for an ordinary boy who thinks she's an ordinary girl. 
Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, and track him through a mall without his ever being the wiser, but can Cammie have a normal relationship with a boy who can never know the truth about her?

I am going to give you all a nice big warning now, that this review may contain copious amounts of CAPITALS which I may use to express my LOVE for this book. It also may be a tiny bit spoilery although I’ve tried to keep it as light as possible.

I have taken way too long to read this book. I am ashamed of myself. When it first came out I saw the blurb and the title and the agent, and I said to myself ‘that looks hysterical, I must henceforth to the book store and purchase a copy!’ But alas! I got swept up in silly things like university, and I didn’t do it.
And then my Mum rang me up and said, I have just seen this totally awesome book, and she described this book, and I went, ah yes, I have been meaning to buy it.
And then I was actually in the bookstore and this book fell off the shelf at me. 

And you know what? This book is GENIUS. No really – screw Hogwarts, I want to be a Gallagher Girl. Cos they are way cooler. And the classes! Oh man, I so want to go!

 So basically, this book is brilliant. I was laughing out loud pretty much every page. And when there was a sad bit and I didn’t laugh for a few pages, Ally made up for it by putting such funny bits in that I actually snorted. I think this may be the first book this year to claim to do that to me.

Cammie is amazing. She is this brilliantly witty and intelligent fifteen year old, who can pretty much do ANYTHING in the spying world, but when it comes to analysing the words a boy has said to her she is CLUELESS. And I loved this because I felt her pain. Every girl has been there. The oh my god what does this mean – how do I interpret this? WHAT DOES HE MEAN WHEN HE SAYS MAYBE SEE YOU AROUND? Most frustrating thing in the world for a boy to say.

Seriously, best female character ever. Ok well maybe not ever, I like my strong females, but she certainly ranks really, really high.

And her friends. I want friends like this. I mean I like my friends loads and all, but they can’t do half the things that Liz does with a computer! And Bex would totally be an awesome side kick for anything. I can imagine ANYTHING would be fun if you were doing it with Duchess and Bookworm…

And Josh… Oh good lord is he swoony and dream worthy, and he totally turned me into a fifteen year old girl again and made my insides go all mushy.
I love it.

It just works. The premise is genius, the characters are brilliant. It’s funny and poignant, and totally makes you feel like a dorky teenager again – only less brilliant than any of the characters. Although I wish I was that intelligent.

I love the entire set up, the school, the little quirks, code red, the ridiculous things that you see the teacher’s doing. Every little ridiculous moment where Cammie does an aside and you just go OH MY GOD THAT WAS GENIUS.
And it so totally takes me back to school, because I went to an all-girls school, but it was not nearly as cool as this, and the uniform was terrible. But it really captures the whole idea that boys are a completely alien species, and no one ever taught you how to talk to them… Or swoon worthy teachers either…

I’ve never read any of Ally Carter’s work before, and I am kicking myself for not reading her books sooner. But on the other hand, I totally needed a cheering up, and that book did it for me.

To the point that I am heading out of the house, with the shops only just opening in the morning, to go out and buy the rest of the books. And probably not sleep until I’ve read them too.

So next on my list is the second book in the series, “Cross My Heart and Hope To Spy.” Followed by “Don’t judge a Girl by her Cover.” And I have obviously picked the right moment to obsess, because the fourth book is out in a few days on May 5^th “Only The Good Spy Young.”

I cannot recommend this book enough. I loved it, a quick brilliantly witty read, that I’m going to thrust at my Mum and go ‘OMG you were totally right, now read it and see how awesome it is!’ That’s right, I’m totally going to get my Mum to read a book about an all-girls spy school…

And then I’m going to go get the next books before the caffeine wears off…