Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy

Ah, finally.... the weekend! Usually after a long break, the following week at school is harder than usual, which was certainly the case for me these past five days. After finishing my outside reading book over Thanksgiving break, I moved on to start and finish the novel Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy, by Ally Carter. It is the sequel to I'd tell you I love you, but then I'd have to kill you. I read the first novel over the summer, wishing I could attend the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, where the main character Cammie and her best friends Liz, Bex, and Macey study-- in short-- the art of espionage. Yes, these sophomores in high school are secret spies in training! How cool is that? They speak over a dozen languages, can diffuse bombs, have photographic memories, and are skilled at marshall arts as well as the art of deception. Carter's first book in the series has a plot that revolves around Cammie falling in love with a regular boy named Josh. Needless to say, things don't go so well, because although Cammie is a master at deception, she couldn't spend so much time with her boyfriend and keep her secret hidden forever. So, at the end of the first novel, Josh discovers the secret, but gets his memory whipped. (I could make endless connections here with Fruits Basket and how Cammie feels about Josh losing his memory, but I will restrain myself in order to not bore you with my endless ramblings.) So, Cammie starts out a new semester at the beginning of the second novel, hoping to keep a clean slate- concentrating on her school work and friends; no boys, no lies, no drama. But Cammie quickly learns that it is impossible to do so while training to become a secret agent. For the first time ever, twelve boys come to the Gallagher Academy. They all come from an unheard school for young men espionages called The Blackthorne Academy. Everything Cammie was trying to get away from ends up catching her. There are lies, boys, and drama! At the arrival of the guys, it seemed she was the only one who did not enjoy the newcomers; especially one in particular named Zach, who definitely showed an attraction towards Cammie. In the end though, the Blackthorne Boys and Gallagher Girls were able to work together and complete a very realistic mission simulation. Though some of Carter's fans (me included) may be disappointed that Josh makes limited appearances during the novel (and not to reconcile with Cammie), as well as not much more romanticism with Zach, I applaud the end of the novel, when Cammie waves adieu to the Zach and the other boys, knowing that when they meet again, she'll be "smarter, stronger, and ready".