Tag: kid spies

REVIEW: The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum by Lisa Yee

REVIEW: The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum by Lisa Yee

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Random House Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Olive is surprised when her parents’ latest business trip lands her at a boarding school called RASCH. Usually they treat her like she’s invisible. But her grandmother used to watch her, and now that she’s gone, they seem to have noticed that Olive has to go somewhere.

RASCH is more than it appears to outsiders, though. Olive discovers that it is secretly training kid operatives to help with secret missions. Olive and her new friends are going to track down a jewel thief called the Bling King.

But some bungled missions leave RASCH at risk of closure and Olive wondering if there’s any way to save a place that was starting to feel like home.

 

Review

I loved this journey for Olive! Reading how invisible she felt at home and at her original school was painful. I loved seeing her find her place – and her people –  at RASCH.

There’s something of a sub-genre of middle grade novels about kid spies – Gallagher Girls, Spy School, Charlie Thorne, Kid Normal, etc.. I really enjoy stories like this.  This one made me think strongly of Michael Buckley’s NERDS series from when my son was a kid. This has a similar vibe in both the gadgets and in the way the team comes together.

Dan Santat provides illustrations and cover art for the book. Final illustrations weren’t available in my review copy, but I don’t think you can go wrong with Dan Santat when it comes to art. I expect the illustrations will add a lot to this. Kids who enjoy mysteries and/or kid-spy stories will enjoy this series starter. Between the author, the illustrator, and the spy angle, this will be a staple for school classrooms and community libraries.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good +

 

 

REVIEW: The Spy Who Raised Me by Ted Anderson

REVIEW: The Spy Who Raised Me by Ted Anderson

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Lerner Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Josie Black thought she was just a normal kid… with some quirks. When she travels internationally with her mom for her job, the jet lag really hits her hard, leaving her exhausted when she gets home. And sometimes she loses track of hours in her day. But otherwise normal. Right?

In reality, Josie’s mom is a spy. And she’s trained Josie to be a spy too. With special verbal commands, Josie goes from average teen to complete bad***. But Josie is done being under her mom’s mind control. She’s going to uncover all her mom’s secrets so she can finally be free.

Review

This is a fun graphic novel adventure/suspense story. I enjoyed the surprises along the way. Josie has her ride-or-die best friend to back her up when she discovers the weird truths about her life. The ending leaves room for a potential sequel.

The art style didn’t work for me in this graphic novel. First, it’s just not my preference. But there were also places in the action where I didn’t think things were conveyed as clearly as they could have been through the art. The story is good for the most part, and the art supports it fine. But I feel like the illustrations could have been stronger.

Fans of spy stories and action/adventure comics should check this one out and see what they think.

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥=Good/solid/fine

BONUS REVIEW: City Spies by James Ponti

BONUS REVIEW: City Spies by James Ponti

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

When Sara Martinez is arrested, she knows it’s a big deal. She was caught hacking. She did it to expose her foster parents for the abusive charlatans they are. But of course nothing happened to them, and Sara was arrested.

But then the British guy shows up. Pretends to be her lawyer. Masterfully works the court case to Sara’s favor, getting her sentenced to a fictional facility until she turns 18.

All so Sara can become a spy for MI6.

MI6 has a team of young spies ready to go on a super secret, super vital mission. But their hacker up and quit the program. If Sara can cut it, she’ll be their new hacker.

They’ve never seen a computer whiz like her!

Review

This was an absolute treat! I loved Sara from the start. She’s crazy smart, fierce, and loyal. My favorite sort of protagonist. The other kids on the team are fascinating as well – talented and quirky with interesting back stories. Even some of the adults get backstories in this book!

The mission and mystery are top notch. No surprise, really. I expected that after the delightful FRAMED series by this author. (I totally need to read those again!) There were several fantastic twists along the way. And some unresolved threads will pull readers into the next book, which is City Spies: Golden Gate, scheduled to release next spring. I already have it in my shopping cart!

Readers who love mysteries, kid spies or found family stories should NOT miss this one!!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Nikki Tesla and the Ferret-Proof Death Ray by Jess Keating

REVIEW: Nikki Tesla and the Ferret-Proof Death Ray by Jess Keating

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Nikki is a brilliant inventor, but her brilliance often leads to trouble. Like the gaping hole in the floor of her bedroom so big she can see into the first floor. How could she have known her ferret would get a hold of the death ray she was building?

Nikki’s mom has done a lot to help her genius daughter – home schooling, shielding her from reporters, and moving whenever one of her inventions destroyed something and drew unwanted attention. The world knows Nikki’s father died working on a bomb he planned to use on innocent people. Too many folks would think Nikki was following in his footsteps.

The death ray incident gets Nikki invited to Genius Academy. It’s a school for kids like Nikki, and it has the resources to protect her – and others – from her inventions. If she doesn’t go, her mom could go to jail for a long time. Nikki would do anything for her mother – even risk the bullying and angst of going to a school with other kids again. She doesn’t need to be friends with these people. She just has to stay out of trouble, for her mom’s sake.

Review

I have been looking forward to this for months! And it did not disappoint. I loved the kids at Genius Academy, and I’m eager to see where things go in the series for Nikki.

There’s a lot of great science and history stuff here. Each of the seven kids is named for a real person – Nikola Tesla, Albert Einstein, Mary Shelly, etc. The book also highlights a variety of types of genius which I loved!

At the core, this is a kid-spy story and a friendship story. Nikki and her peers have a quest to undertake which involves surveillance and investigation. And through all of it, Nikki is trying to maintain the walls she lives behind so no one can embarrass her, hurt her, or betray her. That behavior makes sense with her history and her fears of being vulnerable. But it’s hard to build a team when one member walls herself off. I think there’s a lot here for readers to consider and explore. Don’t miss this one! Book 2, Nikki Tesla and the Fellowship of the Bling, releases in February 2020.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥