Ally Carter Day 2

Hey hey hey! So its day two of the Ally Carter extravaganza and on today's menu is the second book in the Gallagher Girls series Cross My Heart and Hope To Spy! Here we go!

Characters: If you kept up with yesterdays blog you already know most of the main characters so I will just add the new additions so the blog doesn't get repetitive.
Zack Goode: part of the elite group of Blackthorne spies/boy who cannot remember Josh's name/Cammie's new "boyfriend"
Dr. Steve Sanders: headmaster of Blackthorne/hard to believe he is a spy/may in fact have broken Madame Dabney's heart
Madame Dabney and Dr. Smith: two of the elite teachers at the Galagher Academy. Dr. Smith changes his face every year because he is so paranoid.

Plot: Cross My Heart picks up about where I'd Tell You I Love You stopped. Because of Cammie and Josh's relationship, the CIA required Cammie to go to a full debriefing about the circumstances surrounding their relationship. Because Josh found out the true nature of the Gallagher Academy, the CIA has to make sure that he doesn't remember anything and that Cammie has no interest in contacting him. After the debriefing, Cammie returns to the Gallagher Academy where she discovers that a section of the building has been closed off for mysterious reasons. Curious, Bex, Liz, Macey and Cammie begin to investigate and in the process uncover a secret school for boy spies called the Blackthorne Institute For Boys. But before they can process the news, Bex and Cammie are sent on a Cov Ops assignment where Cammie meets and is beaten by a Blackthorne spy named Zack Goode. Cammie doesn't take it well and is even more frustrated when she learns that the entire Blackthorne school will be studying with the Gallagher Girls for a semester. As Zack and Cammie become closer, Cammie realizes that she doesn't know enough about Zack when the identity of the Gallagher Academy and of Gallagher Girls around the globe becomes endangered.

What I liked: One word. Zack. Zack was far superior as a boyfriend character to Cammie than Josh was. Don't get me wrong I liked Josh. He was fine. But Zack was so much better. He knew the truth about Cammie and understood her life in a way that Josh never could. Also, Zack was way funnier and created much more drama in the book than Josh did. So in this case if there was a Twilight-esc Team Zack and Team Josh I would be on Team Zack. Lastly, I loved loved loved that Cross My Heart was more realistic than the last novel. This one had more elements of a real spy world with the debriefing to the very real final mission at the end.

What I didn't like: I wasn't a huge fan of how Cammie was beaten by Zack early on in the novel. I know it was essential to the development of their competitive relationship but I wanted Cammie to win because I think she is the superior spy. Also, it kind of bugged me that I know absolutely nothing about Zack as a character. I get that he is supposed to be mysterious but I feel like, as a result, his character is very one dimensional and I cannot completely attach to him.

Overall: Due to the increase in realism and an improvement in the characters, I would give Cross My Heart and Hope To Spy a 8 out of 10. Again, this was just a light summer read but it was fun and I loved the dynamic/rivalry between the Blackthorne Boys and the Gallagher Girls. Their relationship made the whole novel. With more humor and more missions, Cross My Heart is a sequel that more than lives up to its entertaining predecessor.