...in books

Review

Also Known As

by Robin Benway

First sentence:

I cracked my first lock when I was three.

Summary:

Which is more dangerous: being an international spy... or surviving high school?

Maggie Silver has never minded her unusual life. Cracking safes for the world's premier spy organization and traveling the world with her insanely cool parents definitely beat high school and the accompanying cliques, bad lunches, and frustratingly simple locker combinations. (If it's three digits, why bother locking it at all?)

But when Maggie and her parents are sent to New York City for her first solo assignment, her world is transformed. Suddenly, she's attending a private school with hundreds of "mean girl" wannabes, trying to avoid the temptation to hack the school's elementary security system, and working to befriend the aggravatingly cute son of a potential national security threat... all while trying not to blow her cover.

source: Goodreads

My opinion:

I am currently in a huge phase of reading spy novels. I always liked mysteries and so spy stories are kind of on the same page and since the end of last year they appeared more and more on my reading list. After reading Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway (thanks for recommending it to me, Jamie) I immediately bought Also Known As and cannot believe it took me so long to finally start it.

I was in a bit of a reading slump for before starting this book and I can tell you it got me right out of it. Robin’s way of writing is gripping and pulls you in from the very first page. The characters are incredibly well portrayed and I loved them all but Roux was by far my favorite. She lives in New York City and quickly becomes Maggie’s best friend and she is absolutely hilarious in a special way. She is not really open to people nor sarcastic but she quietly finds a way into your heart and once she’s settled there she gets outgoing and super fun.

Maggie is an incredible spy and a gifted save cracker but due to her family’s lifestyle she was never able to make friends or to tell them the truth about her life but with getting her first solo assignment her life changes and she has to discover that being a teenager is harder when you are surrounded by them daily.

Also Known As is told in Robin Benway’s unusual but gripping way of writing and I adored it. If you are looking for a fast paced, highly entertaining novel with lovely and quirky characters I would highly recommend picking it up.

Also Known As is the first book in a series. Going Rouge, book two, was published in January 2014.

I can also recommend adding Robin on Twitter. We had this amazing conversation after I finished the book:

For more information about Robin Benway visit her Homepage