I do try to read a diverse selection of books and when possible I try to read at least one of a series before buying them for my daughter (to make sure the content is suitable). While on holiday this summer I decided to try the first of a series by Ally Carter: I’d Tell you I love you, but then I’d have to kill you.

What can I say? It’s got a school for girls of exceptional ability who are secretly being trained as spies, some fun girl characters, one poor unsuspecting boy for the girls to practise their skills on, some great spy adventures blended with teenage angst and romance, and a snappy sense of humour. What more could a girl want in a book? (except maybe a monster or two … I was forced to write that – I was!)

So entertaining was the story that I went straight on and read the second book, Cross my Heart and Hope to Spy, (even though I probably don’t fit the author’s intended readership) which was just as entertaining. My daughter devoured them in no time flat! I have since gone on and bought the others for her … though I may have to steal them at some point to find out what happens next!

The main character, Cammie Morgan, could certainly trade a few secrets with Femke, the main girl spy from my Imperial trilogy. Though Cammie has a lot more spy toys to play with than Femke did. I’d say that Femke was not so easily distracted by boys as Cammie, but that’s really the entire point of Ally Carter’s books, so it’s not a criticism – more of an observation. A great fun read for girls, though I’m sure there are plenty of boys who would be amused by the girl spy antics as well.

Trackback URL