Sealed with a Lie

August 1, 2014
This second installment in a new espionage-action series for girls (Two Lies and a Spy, 2013) provides suspenseful entertainment, although Kari Andrews is no Alex Rider. The story begins in Paris, where 16-year-old Kari studies at Generation Interpol, training to become a spy like her parents, who turned traitors and abandoned their family in the previous book. Although Kari has real talent in martial arts, it's difficult to imagine a character less suited to the spy trade. She's uninterested in and unable to learn languages or the technical aspects of her chosen profession. Throughout the book, Kari shows herself to be a walking bundle of rampant emotions. She can't control herself even in the most dangerous situations, and her emotional outbursts threaten the success of her mission over and over. Fortunately, handsome Evan keeps her in line, though with some difficulty, by reminding Kari that her little brother Charlie's life could be lost if she doesn't calm down. Shadowy enemies have kidnapped the 7-year-old genius, threatening to dismember and then kill him if Kari doesn't spring a thief from jail. She teams up with Evan and two other friends in a caper that takes the group across Europe and involves a nifty break-in to a highly secure company headquarters. Solid action, high stakes and a likable heroine keep the pages turning. (Thriller. 14-18)

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January 1, 2015

Gr 7-10-In the sequel to Two Lies and a Spy (S. & S., 2013), Kari and her little brother Charlie are living in Paris, attending GI (Generation Interpol) spy school, and still reeling from the discovery that their parents are double agents for Russia. Kari struggles with learning French, being away from her boyfriend and best friends, and coping with her feelings for Evan, the hottest boy at GI who kissed her. The only bright spot is Charlie, so when he's kidnapped and Kari receives a phone call threatening his life, she will stop at nothing to rescue him. Evan and Matthis, Charlie's friend, assist her as they fulfill the kidnappers' demands, first "rescuing" Gustav, a thief, from prison transport and then stealing jungbrunnen, the fountain of youth. Ultimately, Kari finds herself taken hostage along with her brother, and it will take all of her skills to make it out alive. This is a fast-paced ride, and those who haven't read the first title will be confused by some characters and Kari's throwaway references to her previous life and parents' betrayal. The cover seems designed to appeal to older readers, but other than some violence, the plot falls squarely in middle school territory. Purchase where the first book is popular.-Kefira Phillipe, Nichols Middle School, Evanston, IL

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