Thursday, November 13, 2008

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter

Plot Summary: 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. 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 surveilling 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.

When I picked up this book, I was specifically looking for something fun to read. I wasn’t disappointed. This book was just as good as the first one I’D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU, BUT THEN I’D HAVE TO KILL YOU.

Actually, it was better because it had more oompf. The stakes were higher, there was more emotion, and the climax was absolutely gripping. And I absolutely love what the author did with the new girl from the first book: absolutely no cattiness, and she becomes a valuable ally.

As with all my book discussions, there are SPOILERS below.

There was one place that gave me pause, and that was near the beginning. Cammie goes on an assignment of Counter Surveillance, meaning she has to discover who is following her and then lose them. Her teacher stresses that this is much more difficult than Surveillance, which Cammie has a natural inclination for.

Turns out that Cammie isn’t a natural at Counter Surveillance, and she fails her mission by inadvertently giving up info to one of the Blackthorne boys. When she realizes she’s failed, she thinks the boy who beat her is actually better than she is. Except there’s a logic flaw here: her teacher had already told her that Cammie’s mission was much harder than Blackthorne’s mission. Plus, the Blackthorne boy had an advantage over Cammie: he knew about her but she didn’t know about him. I think Cammie is smart enough to be able to look at the situation for what it is, learn from it, and not make the same mistake again. Instead, she accepts that this boy is better than she is when it’s not clear that he really is. As good as, maybe, but not better.

But that was the only place that gave me pause. The rest was just as fun as the first book, only better. So, if you’re looking for fun, go read this book.

13 comments:

Keri Mikulski said...

This is on my TBR pile. Thanks for the review. :)

PJ Hoover said...

Definitely on my list! You read so much, and thanks for taking the time to do the reviews! They're really great.

Unknown said...

I'm glad you think this book is better than the first; I felt the first was a little oomph-less, so this makes me willing to give the second a try.

Anne Spollen said...

Great review. Every time I read your blog, my TBR pile gets a little heavier...

Kelly Polark said...

That does sound like a fun read!

Brenda said...

This sounds like a fun read...Thanks for the review...

Tabitha said...

Sorry, all, for taking so long to respond. Got a flu bug, I think. *blech*

Keri - did you read the first one? What did you think? Hope you enjoy this one! :)

PJ - guess which book I cracked open today, and am thoroughly enjoying?? :) Yep, The Emerald Tablet!! It's been comforting me on this truly yucky day. I might even finish it before bedtime. :)

Beth - I agree about the lack of oompf in the first book. This one definitely has more, and is set up quite well for a third book. Which I hear is on its way...

Anne - thanks! I wish there were more hours in the day to read...right now, my TBR pile is teetering so high I'm in danger of landing on my head and giving me a concussion. :)

Kelly and Brenda - it's a really fun book that doesn't take itself too seriously. It's great to curl up with when you want to relax. :)

PJ Hoover said...

Hope it helps you feel better! And thanks so much for buying it! I appreciate it.

Carrie Harris said...

It's on my TBR too. I really liked the first one and am glad to hear that this one measured up to your expectations!

C.R. Evers said...

Thanks for the tip! I'll have to check it out!

Tabitha said...

PJ - I didn't finish it last night because I konked out around 8:30. But I'm feeling better today, which is good because I'm registered for a local SCBWI conference tomorrow, and I'd really hate to miss it. :)

Carrie - I was a little worried because sequels can sometimes fizzle. But this one didn't. You'll like it just as much as the first. :)

Christy - sure thing! It's a really fun read. :)

Angie Frazier said...

Tabitha, this looks like a great read. I purposely skipped your spoilers (oh, it was hard!!), and haven't read the first book, so perhaps I'll start there. Thanks!

Tabitha said...

Definitely start with the first book - the second will make much more sense that way.

These are really fun books! You'll enjoy them. :)