[Book Review] Gallagher Girls Series

GALLAGHER GIRLS SERIES
by Ally Carter

BOOK 1: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You

A boarding school is cool (because I dreamt of attending one), but make it an espionage boarding school exclusive for girls is twice the fun! The idea of attending school to become a spy is just awesome. Who doesn't want to be a spy anyway?

I enjoyed reading I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You a lot. I smiled, giggled, got frustrated and held my breath along with Cammie.

What I like about Love You, Kill You is the retelling of the universal fact that no matter how smart a girl is there will always come a time when she'd do anything for a boy. No matter how many rules she break, she just have to do it.

I like that Ally Carter didn't push the idea of getting Cammie all madly in love with Josh to the point of forgetting herself and her duty. That there's a nice goodbye in the end. No matter how much I think about it, a romance between a spy girl and a normal boy is just not going to work and I will just have to deal with that.


BOOK 2: Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy


Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy is nothing short of exciting as I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You.

In Cross My Heart, Cammie met another boy named Zach and flirted with him but then end up knowing that he's also a spy-in-training (from Blackthorne Institute for Boys) who made her fail her CoveOps field assignment. To make matters worse she discovered that Zach, and some of his schoolmates, will attend classes for the spring semester at the Gallagher Academy. How exciting is that? For the first time they had boy classmates and school dances.

I just love the teasing and bickering between Cammie and Zach. I'll give it to Cammie for making me laugh when she's around Zach. It's so high school. I like how similar they are as spies and different as a boy and a girl. I hope Zach will become a major character in Cammie's life because this time I know it's gonna work.


BOOK 3: Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover

Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover has a mysterious plot that made readers think a lot. The story has introduced a secret that goes beyond the boarders of Gallagher School and maybe the secret behind the death of Cammie's dad. It is obviously the starting point for more revelations in the next books.

As did with Cross My Heart, I came to suspect Zach as a bad guy but in the end it made me think there is more to Zach than meets the eye. There is less giggle-inducing scenes between Zach and Cammie here than Book 2 but it allowed readers to grow with them. That there is more to love than butterflies in the stomach. I ultimately think they'll end up together.

What I like in this book is the friendship between Cammie, Bex, Liz and Macey. It is so strong I can feel the spark of a bondage beyond blood on these girls. How they protect each other is very heartwarming. It will hardly be a surprise that during the final battle (when that may be) I will see these girls kick some ass and I'll be cheering for them with all my girl gut.


BOOK 4: Only the Good Spy Young

Only The Good Spy Young is so action-packed I was on edge all the time. In this book the truth behind Mr. Solomon's and Zach's identity were darker than I expected. I was asking for a suspense plot and Ally Carter gave it in this book. At some point I was frustrated (because of Agent Townsend, I want to kick his butt) and did a lot of hair-pulling but it doesn't mean I didn't like the revelations. Dude, I like every piece of it. It were ingredients for much more action in the future.

Cammie and Zach grew up nicely in this one. Secrets were revealed about their parentage and I like how, even in their complicated lives, they are not afraid to confront their feelings. They're not the carefree teenagers anymore, they knew it and they decided to face the dangerous future head on. I'm still waiting for a happy ending but I can wait longer if it means more growing-up-into-man-and-woman-of-substance for my favorite couple.

I like how Cammie, Bex, Liz, Macey, Zach, Headmistress Morgan, Abby, and Mr. & Mrs. Baxter worked together to save Mr. Solomon. I freaked out and cried, go figure. I am just touched to see them all together in a mission.

I am so excited for the next book! 2012 come sooner!