Review: The Cruelty

The Cruelty
by Scott Bergstrom

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: February 7, 2017


Scott Bergstrom’s new book, THE CRUELTY, shines a whole new light on the YA spy genre. I feel that this book’s greatest strength is its realism, something that I feel other YA spy books simply don't have. The book is a series of shocking developments, each leaving you more astonished than the last. So when the main character, Gwendolyn Bloom, is thrown into the midst of spies and criminals just to get her father back, you'd better be ready for a page turner, where each page just leaves you hungry for more.

Review: Ryan Quinn and the Rebel's Escape

Ryan Quinn and the Rebel's Escape
by Ron McGee

Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: October 25, 2016

RYAN QUINN AND THE REBEL'S ESCAPE, by Ron McGee, is an action-packed thriller with tons of plot twists. The main character is a boy named Ryan Quinn who finds out his parents are part of an organization called the Emergency Rescue Committee. The ERC is an organization dating back to World War II; their charge, to save righteous people in danger. When, on a mission, his dad vanishes and his mother gets taken, Ryan has to figure out what's going on and save his parents from imminent death. I highly recommend reading this book if you are into constant action and a fast paced page turner. This is Ron Mcgee's novel writing debut and I think he started with a bang. I finished this book in one day; I couldn't bring myself to put it down!!

  

Review: Codename Zero

Codename Zero by Chris Rylander
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication date: February 4, 2014

Carson Fender leads a boring life in North Dakota until, one day, a man hands him a package containing instructions. Because of this package, he discovers a secret government agency that's been hiding within his small town and this agency needs his help.

This book, while admittedly written for a younger audience than me, was a very fun and entertaining read. Throughout the book, I could not put it down, anxiously hanging on the exploits of our two young boys, the main characters. Although the plot seems a little far-fetched at times, I know that it is the dream of many teenage boys to become spies or secret agents, and through this book, we get the chance to. There is not very much overt bloodshed or torture and the reading level is not extraordinarily complex. It is for this very reason that I would personally recommend this YA book for all children from ages 12-15. This book will provide hours of excitement and enjoyment for the reader as they follow the intrepid, newly minted secret agent on his path.