Spy Society by Robin Benway

Spy Society by Robin Benway
Buy Spy Society by Robin Benway at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: Teens
Reviewer: Robert James
Summary: While it's slightly more romance-based than I was expecting, with the action not getting going until quite late in the book, this is still a real charmer with a wonderful central pairing and a great friendship story as well.
Buy? Yes	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 320	Date: July 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Childrens Books
External links: Author's website
ISBN: 978-1471116742
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Sixteen-year-old Maggie Silver is a spy, just like her parents. Well, not quite like her parents - she's far better than either at cracking safes. They've always worked as a team, though, so when the Collective - the mysterious organisation that give them assignments in righting wrongs - choose her for a solo run, she's not sure what to expect. Thrown into high school for the first time ever, she's got a clear mission - make friends with Jesse Olivier, stop a security leak, and get out. Making friends with Jesse is easy. It's the getting out witout anyone getting their heart broken which might be tough.

This was really different from what I was expecting, but I definitely enjoyed it. It's just that I thought I was going to get an action-packed spy caper, and for much of the book what I actually got was more of an extremely cute romance, coupled with a brilliant story of the growing friendship between Maggie and social outcast Roux. That's not to say there's anything wrong with it - in fact, Maggie and Jesse are such a lovely couple that I read the entire book with a massive smile on my face. And when the action part does get going, it may feel a little rushed, but it's exciting and rather less predictable than many books of its kind are. The focus on the relationships for much of it is definitely something to be aware of, though.

In addition, Maggie's voice is strong - her narration immediately made me think of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, with just the right mix of sarcasm and the occasional bit of vulnerability, while the dialogue stands out as being brilliant - I loved the exchanges she had with both Roux and Jesse when they first met, and throughout the book.

Recommended as a cute, light romance with added awesome action later on. I'm going to track down some of Benway's previous books to keep me going as I wait for the sequel to this one, which comes out in 2014!

While it's an obvious comparison, I think fans of this will really like anything by Ally Carter - start with either Heist Society or I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You.

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You can read more book reviews or buy Spy Society by Robin Benway at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
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