Book Review: Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter

Don't Judge a Girl by her Cover is the perfect saying for a Gallagher Girl.  Cammie and her friends go to the world's most secret school for teenage spies.  When her friend Macey's father runs for Vice President, she becomes the center of attention for the whole country - especially after a dangerous incident both she and Cammie barely escape from.  The rest of the year is difficult to deal with, what with Macey's safety uncertain and the memory of that traumatic experience.  Can Cammie and her friends keep Macey safe?

Things I Liked:
So much fun.  I love the spy aspect.  It is a delight to read a book that manages to have teen issues and mix it with spy details and espionage.  I love the sly and sometimes sarcastic humor that Carter manages to include on nearly every page.  Also, the story was really great - I didn't see most of the twists coming.  Plus I enjoyed how the characters I've come to love change throughout this book because of their experiences.  Here's a favorite part:

"Whatever the case, that didn't change the fact that a very cute, very mysterious spy boy was either out to save us, or kidnap us, or date us.  And I wasn't sure which one we were best equipped to handle." p174

Things I Didn't Like:
I actually got a little confused at the ending.  Stuff seemed to happen really fast and also to not be explained very well.  I think some of the details should have been smoother, even if we have to wait for another book to figure out where it is going and what exactly everything means.  It felt a little rushed maybe.

Read-alikes:
Definitely pick up the first two Gallagher Girls books, I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You and Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->
mild action sequences

Overall rating: ****

What do you like to read for a break from more serious books?

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