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alliehwilliams's review
3.0
I had never read a Robin Benway book prior to Also Known As, but had heard good things about Audrey, Wait. I liked the blurb on this book. it reminded me of the Ally Carter books and I was in the mood for something fun and lighthearted.
Maggie Silver is a sassy, slightly snarky heroine with a seriously unconventional background and I enjoyed being in her head and seeing the world through her eyes. Although she's an accomplished safecracker with super-spies for parents, she's not completely impervious to normal teenage woes. She can't accessorize to save her life, she gets crushes on boys, and has awkward moments trying to relate to the kids her own age. And although she should be hardened by a life spent on the edge, she still has a conscience.
Maggie's first assignment feels like way too much responsibility for a teenager once you learn what is actually at stake, but the author carries it off and you have to be willing to suspend a little disbelief to enjoy a book like this. Benway drops little clues along the way that feel like throwaway points, only to bring them back in at the end in a way that keeps you guessing until the end. I thought I had it all figured out but I was surprised, and I always enjoy it when an author can pull one over on me when I am looking for it to happen. Well done. I would recommend this book to fans of Ally Carter and anyone who enjoys sassy dialogue, a sweet love story (no triangles, yay!) and compelling and capable heroines.
Review copy courtesy of NetGalley.
Maggie Silver is a sassy, slightly snarky heroine with a seriously unconventional background and I enjoyed being in her head and seeing the world through her eyes. Although she's an accomplished safecracker with super-spies for parents, she's not completely impervious to normal teenage woes. She can't accessorize to save her life, she gets crushes on boys, and has awkward moments trying to relate to the kids her own age. And although she should be hardened by a life spent on the edge, she still has a conscience.
Maggie's first assignment feels like way too much responsibility for a teenager once you learn what is actually at stake, but the author carries it off and you have to be willing to suspend a little disbelief to enjoy a book like this. Benway drops little clues along the way that feel like throwaway points, only to bring them back in at the end in a way that keeps you guessing until the end. I thought I had it all figured out but I was surprised, and I always enjoy it when an author can pull one over on me when I am looking for it to happen. Well done. I would recommend this book to fans of Ally Carter and anyone who enjoys sassy dialogue, a sweet love story (no triangles, yay!) and compelling and capable heroines.
Review copy courtesy of NetGalley.
saychall's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
lil1smith's review
3.0
It was just okay. I was hoping for a super sleuth spyish kind of story, but what I got was a high school comedic drama, except I didn't laugh as much as I was supposed to. Here are some random thoughts I had while reading and after reading.
I just didn't care for the main character. Her inner dialogue at the beginning almost made me close the book for good, but I was hoping once I got past the plot setup it would get better. But it didn't.
The part that I think was supposed to be the climax lasted all of one chapter, and felt super rushed.
If Jesse skips school all the time-then why is he in school all the time??
Some reviewers have compared it to the Gallagher series by Ally Carter, even gasp saying AKA is better. I would have to strongly disagree with that. I'm sorry but this book will never compare to the wonderfulness of the Gallagher Girls, they are just so completely different.
I did enjoy some of the witty comments between characters, and I didn't hate the book, I just didn't love it.
(Note: Multiple uses of some foul language, and other typical *high school* dramatic topics are brought up.)
A couple quotes I liked :)
"Let me know if you need any costume ideas." He gestured to his pinstripe navy suit. "I can be quite dapper."
"So are penguins!" I yelled as he disappeared around the corner, but I wasn't sure if he heard me. It was probably for the best if he didn't.
"Once you fall, you fall. You're like that ring thing in the lava. You're not coming back."
"The ring thing?"
"With the short guys."
"Oh, you mean The Lord of the Rings."
"Yeah, that."
I just didn't care for the main character. Her inner dialogue at the beginning almost made me close the book for good, but I was hoping once I got past the plot setup it would get better. But it didn't.
The part that I think was supposed to be the climax lasted all of one chapter, and felt super rushed.
If Jesse skips school all the time-then why is he in school all the time??
Some reviewers have compared it to the Gallagher series by Ally Carter, even gasp saying AKA is better. I would have to strongly disagree with that. I'm sorry but this book will never compare to the wonderfulness of the Gallagher Girls, they are just so completely different.
I did enjoy some of the witty comments between characters, and I didn't hate the book, I just didn't love it.
(Note: Multiple uses of some foul language, and other typical *high school* dramatic topics are brought up.)
A couple quotes I liked :)
"Let me know if you need any costume ideas." He gestured to his pinstripe navy suit. "I can be quite dapper."
"So are penguins!" I yelled as he disappeared around the corner, but I wasn't sure if he heard me. It was probably for the best if he didn't.
"Once you fall, you fall. You're like that ring thing in the lava. You're not coming back."
"The ring thing?"
"With the short guys."
"Oh, you mean The Lord of the Rings."
"Yeah, that."
sophia_she1's review
4.0
a little unoriginal & immature but cute. felt like watching a train wreck about to happen BUT there was never the dramatic betrayal scene which i was really happy about
vidhi26p's review
2.0
This was more of a contemporary romance than a spy novel. The Gallagher Girls was WAY better.
audreychamaine's review
3.0
Sometimes I just want to read a book that isn’t too heavy and can serve as pure entertainment. I walk away from it having had a good time, but not really taking anything with me. Also Known As was that kind of book for me. I had a fun time while reading it, but I’m not chomping at the bit to read the next in the series. And yes, this book sets up for a series.
The narrator of the story is Maggie, a teenage safecracker who, along with her parents, works for a super-secret spy organization that protects the world from bad guys. It’s her job to get into safes and take damning evidence to prevent things like big-time white-collar theft and human trafficking. She’s never had any friends, since she and her parents are constantly moving around the globe with fake identities.
Then they end up in New York, where she’s assigned to get close to a classmate whose publishing father threatens to expose everyone in the spy organization, making them targets, ruining their ability to do their jobs, and putting their lives in danger. The catch? The boy she’s supposed to get to know is cute, and Maggie and he inevitably strike up a romance. There’s also a spunky sidekick best friend, who was a former mean girl and was ostracized by the entire school for cheating with the boyfriend of a classmate.
Benway writes with lots of (generally) witty dialog, and the characters are likable enough. The plot was far fetched for me, but not overly convoluted. I think this is a good choice for those who want to read a book full of banter between characters, with a touch of romance and a wacky premise.
Review copy received from publisher via NetGalley
The narrator of the story is Maggie, a teenage safecracker who, along with her parents, works for a super-secret spy organization that protects the world from bad guys. It’s her job to get into safes and take damning evidence to prevent things like big-time white-collar theft and human trafficking. She’s never had any friends, since she and her parents are constantly moving around the globe with fake identities.
Then they end up in New York, where she’s assigned to get close to a classmate whose publishing father threatens to expose everyone in the spy organization, making them targets, ruining their ability to do their jobs, and putting their lives in danger. The catch? The boy she’s supposed to get to know is cute, and Maggie and he inevitably strike up a romance. There’s also a spunky sidekick best friend, who was a former mean girl and was ostracized by the entire school for cheating with the boyfriend of a classmate.
Benway writes with lots of (generally) witty dialog, and the characters are likable enough. The plot was far fetched for me, but not overly convoluted. I think this is a good choice for those who want to read a book full of banter between characters, with a touch of romance and a wacky premise.
Review copy received from publisher via NetGalley
kp_khera's review
3.0
Complete YA, with every apparently necessary component.
- Whiny teenager? Check.
- Crying/Sulking? Check.
- Trying to do everything on your own when you really really shouldn't? Check.
- Plotholes, and wondering what the fuck these characters are thinking? Check.
- Still being an enjoyable read regardless?
...
Check.
- Whiny teenager? Check.
- Crying/Sulking? Check.
- Trying to do everything on your own when you really really shouldn't? Check.
- Plotholes, and wondering what the fuck these characters are thinking? Check.
- Still being an enjoyable read regardless?
...
Check.
courtknee_bee's review
3.0
3.5 stars.
I have a love-hate relationship with Benway's novels; I loved [b:Audrey, Wait!|1627267|Audrey, Wait!|Robin Benway|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1346516302s/1627267.jpg|1621335] but was not a fan of [b:The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, & June|7106964|The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, & June|Robin Benway|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1257903522s/7106964.jpg|7365722]. I wasn't sure what to except with Also Known As the story of a teenager whose been a spy and safe cracker her entire life. After being sent to a NYC prep school on her first solo assignment, she has to grabble between ehr duties as a spy and her complicated feelings for her target.
This book was much better than Extraordinary Secrets because Benway was actually able to develop her characters without trying to tell and then tie together three different stories. Maggie, the main character, was super relate-able, even though her upbringing was certainly very special. She was funny, too, and I loved her friend, Roux, who was kind of crazy and would probably be obnoxious in real life, but she was still fun to read about.
The biggest critique I have of this novel, though, is the same one I think I've had for Benway before: the ending is so, so rushed. We find out the bad kind, right the danger, and go on a chase all in the span of just twenty or so pages. It just happens too fast, so you don't have time to understand the danger they're in.
I'm ambivalent about the romance. I think I would have liked it more when I was a teenager, but now I kind of scoffed at it, just because it was a bit rushed. I mean, I liked Maggie and Jesse separately, and they were cute together, but I don't know if the speed of the relationship really made sense.
Overall it's a cute, fun book that won't take you much time to read. I think teenagers - the target market, after all - will appreciate it even more than I did, but I still enjoyed the book a good deal.
I have a love-hate relationship with Benway's novels; I loved [b:Audrey, Wait!|1627267|Audrey, Wait!|Robin Benway|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1346516302s/1627267.jpg|1621335] but was not a fan of [b:The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, & June|7106964|The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, & June|Robin Benway|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1257903522s/7106964.jpg|7365722]. I wasn't sure what to except with Also Known As the story of a teenager whose been a spy and safe cracker her entire life. After being sent to a NYC prep school on her first solo assignment, she has to grabble between ehr duties as a spy and her complicated feelings for her target.
This book was much better than Extraordinary Secrets because Benway was actually able to develop her characters without trying to tell and then tie together three different stories. Maggie, the main character, was super relate-able, even though her upbringing was certainly very special. She was funny, too, and I loved her friend, Roux, who was kind of crazy and would probably be obnoxious in real life, but she was still fun to read about.
The biggest critique I have of this novel, though, is the same one I think I've had for Benway before: the ending is so, so rushed. We find out the bad kind, right the danger, and go on a chase all in the span of just twenty or so pages. It just happens too fast, so you don't have time to understand the danger they're in.
I'm ambivalent about the romance. I think I would have liked it more when I was a teenager, but now I kind of scoffed at it, just because it was a bit rushed. I mean, I liked Maggie and Jesse separately, and they were cute together, but I don't know if the speed of the relationship really made sense.
Overall it's a cute, fun book that won't take you much time to read. I think teenagers - the target market, after all - will appreciate it even more than I did, but I still enjoyed the book a good deal.
baileynd's review
4.0
I read this in an attempt to get my Gallagher Girls fix without having to read that series for the millionth time, and I was not disappointed! It's lighthearted, fun, and a brilliant twist on the teenage spy idea.
I will say that at times it got a bit too cheesy for my taste, but that's the only reason I have for rating it 4 stars instead of 5. I highly recommend this to fans of the Gallagher Girls series! It's similar enough to fill that void that GG left in my heart once it ended but different enough to keep it interesting and fresh. I am beyond excited to read another of Robin Benway's books!
I will say that at times it got a bit too cheesy for my taste, but that's the only reason I have for rating it 4 stars instead of 5. I highly recommend this to fans of the Gallagher Girls series! It's similar enough to fill that void that GG left in my heart once it ended but different enough to keep it interesting and fresh. I am beyond excited to read another of Robin Benway's books!