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United We Spy by Ally Carter. Final book in The Gallagher Girls series (and oh, how it pains me to say that.) Disney Hyperion. 2013. Personal copy.

Previously, in The Gallagher Girls:

In I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have To Kill You, Cammie Morgan had to balance boyfriend and school. Not too simple when you're at the local snooty private boarding school and he's a townie; when your mom is the headmistress; and, oh, yes, when the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women is actually a school for super spies.

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy introduced a new layer to Cammie’s world: boy spies from the Blackthorne Institute including a maddening, heart pounding, annoying, (and so cute!) Zach. Cammie and friends prevent a kidnapping in Don’t Judge a Girl by Her Cover.

More secrets about the Gallagher Academy, Blackthorne, spies, family and friends are uncovered in Only the Good Spy Young. Cammie believes she has to figure out what's happening on her own, and has to deal with that aftermath, in Out of Sight, Out of Time.

The Plot: United We Spy is Cammie's final year in school, and the final book in the series.

The Good: The previous book, Out of Sight, Out of Time, was intense. Cammie was recovering from amnesia following a kidnapping, as well as dealing with the aftermath of having run away.

Long story short: the entire series has been about Cammie and her friends uncovering and fighting the mysterious and old secret society, the Circle of Cavan. All that comes to a head in the final book. Cammie also has to figure out what graduation will mean, for her -- what will her next step be? Will she remain in the world of intrigue and spies, and what exactly does that mean?

This series is best read in order, because it builds on previous books in terms of plot and character development. And while I'm sad to see the series end, because I love these young women, I love this world, I love Ally Carter's writing, I know that there are a good number of readers who like their series complete. (The cool new term for this, from what I understand, is "binge reading," like binge TV watching, where you can power through the whole thing at one go.)

I refuse to give away any more details -- you need to read and discover that by yourself.

Just know this: I have invested my own money and shelf space in making sure I own each book, in hardcover.

And now, some United We Spy quotes -- because I just love the writing.

"Cambridge is nice. It could use some better locks, though." Said as Cammie & friends are breaking in. For reasons.

"The first rule of running, Sir Walter," I told him. "Never go anyplace familiar." I remain half-convinced that reading these books (as well as watching The Americans) means that I, too, could be a successful spy.

"The jump didn't kill us. At least, my first thought was that we hadn't died. But I didn't let myself get too cocky about the situation. After all, we might have been off the mountain, but we were anything but out of the woods."

"Spies aren't like normal people. No one expects us to have houses and mortgages, tire swings and barbecues on the Fourth of July. But every spy is somebody's child."

"Women of the Gallagher Academy, who comes here?" "We are the sisters of Gillian."

Other books in the series, in order:
I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You (2006) My review
Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy (2007)
Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover (2009) My review
Only the Good Spy Young (2010) My review
Out of Sight, Out of Time (2012) My review

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© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter. Hyperion Books. Publication Date: June 2009. Reviewed from ARC.

The Plot: Cammie and the rest of her Gallagher Girl friends are back for their Junior Year. This time around, it's all about friendship. Macey's father is running for Vice-President, and while Cammie is visiting Macey on the campaign trail someone tries to kidnap Macey.

Sure, Macey has Secret Service Agents. But Gallagher Girls know that they're...well... better and smarter than the Secret Service. So it's up to them to protect Macey and figure out who the kidnappers are.

The Good: Ally Carter makes my job hard. Because what I really want to say is "this is so freaking good that you need to stop reading me right now and go read the Gallagher Girl books." But really, what type of review is that?

To those who have not read the previous books, I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You and Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy: go, now, and read them. These books don't have to be read in order, but they are so much better when they are read in order. If your middle school or high school library doesn't own them? Change that, now. All those parents moaning that Bella isn't a strong enough character or that Serena and Blairare too obsessed with designer labels? Hand them these books, now.

To those who have read the previous books: Carter does it again. What is "it"? Writing that has a playful tone mixed with humour and seriousness. Fast-paced plotting. Adventure and suspense that keeps the reader turning the page. It's a "good read;" and it's the type of writing that looks easy....but then you either try it yourself, or you read all the imitators who cannot carry it off, and realize just how talented Carter is.

Carter keeps the "spy girls!" story fresh; other series start off great and either lose steam, or end up being the same book over and over. Not Carter; not the Gallagher Girls. She and the books keep getting better and better, and the risks keep getting higher and higher.

One example of her fabulosity: the love interests. In the first book, Cammie falls for "normal guy" Josh. Lesser writers would have said that since Josh is Cammie's first love, he's her one true love, and that's it. In book two, Carter introduces a new love interest, Zach, who ends up being both Cammie's equal but also quite hot. Hotter than Josh. Convincingly writing two love interests for a teenage girl? Is not only realistic; but is also tricky. Because you have to convince the reader to fall for both of them.

Before you think it's all about boys....OK, it is about boys. But Cammie and her friends are smart, strong, intelligent young women; and they have a kidnapping plot to investigate. Romance is here; but it is the b-plot, not the plot that rules their lives and dictates their choices.

Final thoughts: if there isn't a fourth book in this series, I will go all Gallagher Girl and do whatever is necessary to make sure there is a fourth book. Is that a threat? Maybe....

That said, Carter is not a one-Gallagher Girl series wonder. Her books for grown ups (see below) are great fun. While I want another GG book, I also want to see what else Carter has up her writer's sleeve and what she'll write next.

Links
My review of Love You, Kill You with a few additional thoughts
In which I stalk Ally Carter, Kinda
My reviews of Carter's romance books for grown-ups, Cheating at Solitaire and Learning to Play Gin
My interview with Ally Carter


© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy