Crosss My Heart and Hope to Spy

Title:

Carter, Ally. Cross my heart and hope to spy. Hyperion Books, 2007. ISBN 9781615585199.

Summary:

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy is a contemporary realistic fiction mystery book. Cammie Morgan is a sophomore at an exclusive all-girls school called The Gallagher Academy. It also happens to be a spy training school. This year, however, the school is invaded by…boys. In an attempt to train operatives to work with the opposite sex, Gallagher Academy has teamed up with Blackthorne, a spy training school for boys. During the semester, Cammie befriends Zach. When the alumni list, which contains all names of spies trained at Gallagher, is stolen, Cammie, Zach, and friends must team up to recover the disk before it is sold to the enemy. Can the Gallagher Girls and Blackthorne Boys discover the culprit before it’s too late?

Analysis:

I thought this book was a pretty good book. Even though the girls are at an exclusive school, they still go through situations that other girls do- such as shyness in meeting boys, jealousy, picking on each other, etc. One difference is, of course, the classes offered. A normal high school would not have classes on covert operations, leave girls in the middle of Washington D.C. with no directions except to make it to a designated location by 5:00 without any “enemy” operatives following you, or classes in explosives. One thing I did not like about the book is that it is a sequel. Some sequels can refer back to the first book, give enough relevant information about the story, and make it pertain to the second. This book did not do that. The references to the first novel gave little information, did not always pertain to the story, and were mentioned so frequently, that it was frustrating.

The characters were realistic enough in the way they talked to each other, tried to solve their problems, and even in Cammie’s relationship with her mother. Cammie’s mom is the head of the school and an ex-spy, so the relationship is not typical, yet they eat dinner together on a regular basis and try to maintain a sense of normalcy. The good vs. evil plot comes in to play when the list of names is stolen and Cammie is accused because she was not where she was supposed to be. Readers must work through the clues, conversations and actions of the characters to discover who the real culprit is. There is no real violence in the story. Role-playing, hand-to-hand combat techniques, and weapons training is part of the story, but no one gets hurt. One problem that is dealt with in an interesting way is the boy/girl relationship. Most girls and boys feel uncomfortable around the opposite sex. They usually feel as if they are the only ones that are experiencing the lack of confidence, strange feelings, etc. However, in this book, the boys and girls have been brought up in boarding schools, studying special curriculum. They have not had the chance to be around the opposite sex on a regular basis. This book shows that working together, trust, and learning about the opposite sex is a challenge to all.

Reviews:

VOYA April 2008

It is always a little nerve wracking to read the sequel to a book one truly enjoyed. Happily this reader was able to turn the last page with a smile and an excited, anxious feeling about waiting for the next Gallagher Girl book. There is still plenty of suspenseful action and supportive female friendships, but this time, how a girl spy can learn to flirt with a boy (spy) gets more attention. Because Cammie is a girl who has great spy skills, her awkwardness and cluelessness when she is around boys should give anyone hope. It is difficult to imagine what teen girl would not want to read-and reread-this second book in a butt-kicking series.

School Library Journal

Chick lit? You bet, but it's well written and well plotted. Cammie and her friends are admirable, and there's enough intrigue and G-rated romance to satisfy teens and tweens.

Awards:

New York Times Bestseller

Publishers Weekly Bestseller

Connections:

To read Cross my heart and hope to spy and other books online, visit http://www.onread.com/book/Cross-My-Heart-And-Hope-to-Spy-191684

To find out more about the author visit http://www.allycarter.com/

To learn how to become a spy visit https://www.cia.gov/

If you liked this book, you might enjoy:

Masterpiece by Elise Broach

The E-mail mystery by Carolyn Keene

The ruby in the smoke by Philip Pullman

Gilda Joyce, the ladies of the lake by Jennifer Allison

Sammy Keyes and the curse of Mustache Mary by Wendelin Van Draanen

Picture:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9781423100065&imId=34490428

Darkside

Title:

Becker, Tom. Darkside. CPI Publishing Solutions, 2007. ISBN 9780545037396

Summary:

Jonathan Starling is a 14 year-old boy who almost lives alone. His mother is gone, his father ignores him-when he isn’t “sick.” He is taken care of by a kind woman who lives down the street. Jonathan’s dad has “episodes” where he lays almost comatose for days. His dad calls it “the darkening” (p 21). During one of his episodes, Jonathan discovers that his dad has been looking for a place called Darkside. A man in the room next to Jonathan’s dad is murdered, Jonathan is kidnapped, and his house is trashed. Jonathan escapes to finds the entrance to Darkside, only to discover that he is in worse danger than before. Darkside is filled with evil of every kind. He meets a werewolf, a vampire, criminals and murderers. Then he discovers that he is half Darkside. Will he find his mother in Darkside? Will he ever get out alive? Why does everyone seem to want Jonathan and his dad dead?

Analysis:

I picked this book for several reasons. One is that it is the beginning of a serial, and I like to read serials if I can start with the first one. The second is that it sounded like a good story for my kids, both boys. Darkside is a modern fantasy book. It has an imaginary world, Darkside, that can be accessed through special portals from the “real world.” Supernatural beings exist in Darkside. Werewolves, vampires, and other creatures all live there. While it is difficult to do, some of the creatures can come out of Darkside, and some people can enter into it. It does have the six motifs of modern fantasy. Magic: Darksiders exhibit superhuman strength and speed and turn into werewolves and vampires. Other Worlds: Darkside is another world, although it exists on the periphery of the “real world.” Darksiders say that Lightsiders don’t see the entrance because they don’t want to see the evil. Good vs. Evil: Jonathan represents the good in the story. He wants to save everyone he can. Even when a Darksider tries to kill him, all Jonathan wants to do is escape alive, not get revenge. Evil is represented by the place, Darkside, but especially Vendetta, the vampire in the story. Heroism: Jonathan’s hero quest is to find Darkside to see if he can help his father’s episodes. He is helped on the quest by two unlikely characters- Carnegie, the werewolf, and Raquella, a servant of Vendetta. Special character types: Werewolves and vampires are main characters in the book. It also includes characters from the past. Jack the Ripper’s descendents are the leaders of Darkside. Fantastic Objects: Vendetta uses a special knife to cut his victims before he drinks their blood. It is supposed to protect him from diseases.

I liked this book. It was fast paced and exciting. Jonathan’s character was developed so that you would feel pity for him and cheer him on when he faced huge obstacles. The underdog must always win. Of course, there are a few totally unbelievable moments in the story like surviving the fall into a tank of starving barracudas and jumping off of an express train and living to tell about it. Overall, a good book to read.

Reviews:

Booklist February 1, 2008

This fast-paced, unrelentingly entertaining story has plenty of suspense and lots of scares; there are a number of side plots, but the narrative never becomes confusing.

Library Media Connection 2008

The drama is action packed, and the story will draw both reluctant readers and fans of dark action

School Library Journal 2008

The plot is engaging, but the descriptive prose is Becker's real strength. "Darkside" is imaginative and "Lightside" is a fine description of London.

Awards:

Winner of the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize 2007

Connections:

To learn more about the Darkside, visit http://www.welcometodarkside.co.uk/index.tao?PageId=home

To learn more about the author visit http://www5.scholastic.co.uk/zone/authors_t-becker_biog.htm

If you liked this book, you might enjoy:

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Mirror Mirror: Twisted Tales by Silverman

The Revenge of the Shadow King by Derek Benz and J.S. Lewis

Night Terrors by Jim Murphy

Picture: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9780545037396&imId=26299699