LIVE AND LET SHOP by Michael P. Spradlin

Rachel Buchanan was caught joy riding in a stolen car. Since everyone else ran off, Rachel is left to face charges of Grand Theft Auto - or sell out her friends. Rachel is in very big trouble. But the judge offers her a way out that doesn't require her to give up her friends - she can spend a year at Blackthorn Academy and have all charges dropped. Rachel's not sure a boarding school across the country is a great idea, but it is better than juvie. How bad could it be? Blackthorn is not bad but it is also not quite what it appears to be. There's a spy piece and a mythology piece to the story which may appeal to Percy Jackson or Pegasus fans.

The overall story was good, but there was one move that set up the end that seemed so obvious I was pulled completely out of the storytelling. Otherwise, the story was good, the characters were enjoyable.

4 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 4.9 - this is more of a middle school to high school story

ALSO KNOWN AS by Robin Benway

Maggie Silver is a master safe-cracker in a family of spies. She is also a high school student. She is sent undercover to get information from the father of one of her classmates - information that could expose her family and other spies working to keep the world safe. She has no idea how cute the classmate is, or how quickly she might fall for him. Can Maggie maintain her cover and get the information without getting her heart broken?

I loved this book! I laughed out loud so many times and even had to read some passages to my husband because they were so great. Maggie has a fantastic voice - sassy, sarcastic, confident - but she also has a sweetness about her as she has her first boyfriend and a fierceness when it comes to standing up for herself and her ability to do her job to those who doubt her. The core characters - Maggie, her friend Roux, and her boyfriend Jesse - are fantastic together. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Going Rogue (pictured below)!

5 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 4.2, interest level of Middle Grade + (6th grade and older). There's underage drinking, prescription drug use, language, and other references that make this a better fit for teen readers than my elementary students. Personally, I would recommend this more for high school than middle school readers. Adults who enjoy middle grade fiction, should check this one out - it was great fun to read!

TWO LIES AND A SPY by Kat Carlton

Kari receives a text from her mother, a coded message that means she needs to get her little brother and go into hiding. When Kari and Charlie make it to the third meeting spot without running into their folks, they know something is very wrong. Kari and Charlie's parents are spies. The kids know how to get to a safe house and use disguises, but they can only keep up like that for so long. Kari knows she needs help. Her friends help her break into The Agency for answers, but she finds out more than she bargained for.

I had walked by this book in the Teen section at Barnes and Noble several times, picking it up, taking a picture of the cover so I would remember it later, and then putting it down. Finally, I tried it during an hour of free reading on my Nook in the store. I was immediately drawn into the story and at the end of the hour, I had to buy the book so I would know how it ended. Goodreads says there's a sequel in the works, to come out in the fall. It's already on my wish list.

Some reviewers find the story "far fetched," but I wasn't reading this to find out how to be a spy. I just wanted to enjoy a fun story with interesting characters, and this did all that. I figured out some of the "mysteries" and twists before they were revealed in the story, but that didn't make me enjoy it any less. I don't read many teen/YA books, but I really enjoyed this one. Some language and innuendo.

4 out of 5 stars