Tween Tuesday Review: Spy School

One day Ben comes home from middle school to find a James Bond type spy in his living room. He doesn't question the fact that a spy school wants him to attend their academy. He simply goes along with it - mostly because he's so surprised.

His arrival on campus doesn't go as planned and he fails his incoming test. Ben soon realizes that he's no spy material and he's not supposed to be at the school. It's a fluke at best and at worst, someone has put a target on his back. Can he figure out who wants him dead without getting himself killed?

My Thoughts: I really liked this spy story - lots of action, lots of danger, and lots of plot twists. I didn't see the end coming. I really liked how Ben had one idea of spies and how they behaved until he attended the academy and everything changed. I like how he fumbled his way through everything - but it made his skills seem so much better. I loved Erika - how amazing she was and how logical and how she saw through appearances. A fun book that was great to read and worked really nicely for the book club. 

Why I read this book: We used this book for our Middle School Book Club book last month. Most of the teens loved it - one felt it was a little unrealistic. First we have a trivia contest - questions about the book. Then we play would you rather. Most of the questions revolved around being a spy and different types of spies and which kinds we would like to be.Then we (just like Ben)  tested out the puzzles on the CIA website, which was really fun. 

Cover Thoughts: Cool
Source: My Library

Tween Tuesday Review: Malice

The world of Malice is just a rumor. There are comic books that tell the broken story, but then the words and pictures disappear. Still the word of Malice spreads.

When Luke goes missing, Kady and Seth can't believe he'd just disappear. Then they realize that thousands of children disappear each year. At first the police think they could be involved.

So they get involved. They realize that Luke said the magic words - right before he disappeared. They the track down a comic. They read a section of Luke as he heads into an old creepy house. He doesn't come out.

Kady and Seth try to unravel the mystery. Before they get too far, Kady gets an email in the middle of the night. She tries to call Seth, but he doesn't answer. The email said that he was going in to uncover the secrets of the world.

Will Kady fight to get her best friend back?

My Thoughts: It wasn't until I read the big plot twist that hooked me into this book. However, it was fascinating, spooky, and entertaining. It was a fast read. I loved how the comics made the world of Malice come alive. I loved the craziness of the world -the danger, the monsters, and those trying to break the world.

Cover Thoughts: Amazing - LOVE the 3D look and feel

Source: My Library - for our Middle School Book Club

Created: Alex Rider: Stormbreaker Book Trailer