Customer Reviews

Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover (Gallagher Girls Series)

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ally Carter brings her popular Gallagher Series to a whole new level of spying and excitement when Cammie Morgan almost gets kidnapped along with her roommate Macey McHenry as Macey's dad campaigns to be the next Vice President. Finding herself in real danger, Cammie knows it's not just a test being pulled by her teachers. When they get back to school, Cammie's Aunt Abby, who she hasn't seen for a long time, is there on duty as a Secret Service agent to protect Macey.

And yes, there are boys, including Zach, the spy who maybe loves Cammie...or maybe is out to get her. He appears at the most unlikely of times, but Cammie's sixth sense susses him out, even though she can't quite figure out what he's doing at rallies and on trains (and Carter never fully explains his mysterious presence, either). That he might be a good guy or a bad guy doesn't stop Cammie from thinking about him. Another potential romance is brewing between Macey and the possible future first son, yet the girls have much more to worry about as ancient Gallagher Girl secrets are unlocked, and proven to be very relevant in the here and now.

History comes to life, vividly and literally, in Carter's prose, and she once again manages to get a "girls can do anything, even foil dangerous kidnapping plots and rescue lost girls" message in while providing the same humor as she did in the first two novels. The level of danger is ratcheted up a notch here, and she leaves us guessing right to the end as to just how much damage has been done.

There's a wistfulness and maturity to Cammie here; she loves being a Gallagher Girl but also recognizes the limitations of it by seeing her mom and aunt, as well as by facing her enemies head on. There's still the same gossip, sneaking out, and having the student spies outwit their adult counterparts as in the first two books, but there's something more brewing. My only complaint is that there's not another Gallagher Girl novel to read ASAP, because while Carter ties up most of the loose ends and kept me guessing, she also made me want more Cammie and co. immediately.

There were good and bad points to the book. Was it better than "I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You"? Yes. Was it better than "Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy"? Maybe in some ways.

The title is, once again, cute. But when you get past the cover...

First off, the things I enjoyed:

1. There was a lot more action with a lot of true risks. The Gallagher Girls had to deal with more real dangers this time, not just ones fabricated by their teachers. More was at stake for them, so they invested more, and they got more out of it.

2. There was a plot twist I did not expect.

3. The book introduces Cammie's Aunt Abby, who is purely awesome the way a spy should totally be.

4. It sets the stage for you to look forward to things to come in the next book. It's not a cliffhanger, exactly, because there was some closure to the story, but you are left wondering about a lot of things.

5. Zach, oh super hot Zach, came back. We got to see a more serious side of him this time around. But the mystery around him never fails.

6. The characters, all the way through, demonstrate friendship to the truest level.

7. Some of the prose, when not overly flowery, was very neatly tied into the book.

The things that bothered me:

1. Cammie is extremely irresponsible, which is in character, but she took it to the extreme. Judging on incidents early on the book, she knew she did not have the capabilities to handle the enemies with her other three friends without any help, that the first time she got away because of luck.

2. She had a big epiphany about her first encounter with the enemies a long time after it happened, something that the readers already figured out when she first narrated the encounter. (*SPOILER, BUT IT'S REALLY NOT A BIG DEAL* Specifically that the enemies weren't after Preston, the Presidential nominee's son, which was kind of obvious because one of the attackers said, "Get her," not "Get him.") Maybe it's because she's experiencing post-traumatic stress or something and she shouldn't be expected to recall and analyze all details, but the way I read it, it seemed that she built up the suspense of her realization so that I was expecting something big, before I realized I already knew what she was saying.

3. I don't really enjoy Cammie's narration. It can be humorous sometimes, but the character's overall voice is unrealistic and annoying, especially when she repeats phrases over and over again. ("Gallagher Girls scatter to all four corners of the globe during the summer."; "I don't know if the girl in me or the spy in me..."; "Macey McHenry's face is on the cover of every magazine in the country.") I've noticed this pattern in the other two books as well, and it's a little too much. I wish Ally Carter had found a different way to word those sentences, because they were extremely distracting to me.

4. The symbolism that Ally Carter tried to include in the book seemed a little forced to me. There was way too much, also, to the point that it was purple prose.

5. So, I like that Ally left us wondering some things, but I didn't enjoy that we received almost no answers throughout the whole book. We found out the name of the enemies, but we don't know anything about them, why they're after who they were after, etc. She could have still left us some loose ends, while giving us something about the attackers.

6. The pacing didn't go well, so some parts dragged.

7. I found it annoying how Macey dealed with some of the stress. She's supposed to be tough, and maybe she was under an amount of stress that I can't understand, but I found her character immature in a way that I thought she had grown out of.

All in all...worth it? Totally. Will you want more? Absolutely.

When I got an ARC of "Don't Judge," I freaked out. I screamed for like a minute straight and jumped up and down like some crazy teen fangirl. Oh, wait, I am. Well, at least of the Gallagher Girl series!

As my title says, "Don't Judge" (What's the abbreviation for this books, Ally!? Haha.) is darker, more real, and better written. Ally Carter just gets better and better at writing! Well, this book seems like a very natural progression for Cammie and co. because she is getting closer and closer to the real world of spies. Thus, she and the others around her need to mature and grow up which is what precisely happens in this book. Of course, the humor of lack of boy understanding is abundant and there are some great lines and stories. There are also some great surprises in store for the GG fan.

I just reread what I just wrote and it doesn't really make any sense. I guess, all I can say is that this book is not exactly the book I wanted to read. I wanted to read a book with tons of Zach and Cammie moments, Blackthorne, etc. However, Ally Carter knows what best for Cammie, Gallagher Academy, and us fans that she wrote a story that was wayy better than I could have imagined. The new characters, storylines, etc. are great.

As usual, there are many many questions left unanswered so I guess we'll just have to wait until GG4 comes out. Grr.

(Note, I give this a 4.5/5 stars but because I hate it when people dock stars/points for little trivial things, I'm rounding up. =P)

Cammie meets up with her roommate and best buddy Macey in Boston to help Macey weather the storm of her father's political ambitions. Macey doesn't show the world her true self, but she's on par with your average rich girl. She'd never give up any details of the Gallagher secrets (read SPY school for girls). In Boston, the unthinkable happens. Cammie and Macey are attacked and barely make it off the roof together and in one piece. Now that school's back in session, Cammie's shaken but she's more worried about Macey than herself. Macey must spend time with her family on the political trail and Cammie's not too far behind her - even if it means breaking the rules. Cammie's aunt is on Macey's detail team, but Cammie can't help thinking there's something in the back of her head that she can't put her finger on - something that will answer all her questions about the attempted kidnapping. She just hopes she can remember if before it's too late.

The third book in the Gallagher Girl series left me dangling with my mouth left open in shock and me needing the next book in the series pronto! The danger and tension in the first few pages of the book carries throughout the rest of the tale. There's also the hilarious bit about the girls who can handle almost anything trying to decode guy behavior. All in all, it's a fabulous read.

This is a true teen book! Nice and clean and fun and fast pace. I have loved all three of these and wait for the next.

The first book, "I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You", was great. The second book, "Cross my Heart and Hope to Spy", was better. The third book, just released on June 9th, was even better than the last. Now, some authors will take a few years to write a great book. It will become super popular, and everyone will love it and talk about it. Then, the author wil crank out a second and third book so as not to keep the readers waiting, and the book will be glanced over and thrown in the trash, never to be thought of again except as a horrible sequel to an amazing book.

Thank the Lord Ally Carter is not like that. She takes years to write a book. And when it becomes popular, she still takes years to write the next. And the next. This is proof that Ally Carter is a highly talented author.

She creates unique, intriguing, fun characters that draw you in and make you feel like a part of the story. She writes Cammie's narration so humorously, with pros and cons lists and other things that appear at just the right moments in the book, adding comic relief.

Ally uses stunning plot twists that keep you guessing and, more importantly, awake. You will see all of these things as you join in another Gallagher Girls adventure. This time though, it's a little different.

Macey's Dad is running for vice president, and she has still maintained her status as the spoiled candidate's daughter. Nobody knows who she really is - or do they?? After someone makes a kidnapping attempt, Macey is placed under high security. Who are these irregular kidnappers?? What do they want with Macey?? And why is Cammie getting a strange feeling of deja vu?? These are all confusing questions which Cammie wants answered. But the confusion doesn't stop there; Zach comes back into Cammie's life, but not in the way she imagined. A dear friend comes back to the Gallagher academy, but things start getting strange. And as all of these things swirl around Cammie, she is thrown into danger, and her skills are put to test like never before. She needs to do everything in her power to save her friend, and herself. And then the most surprising thing of ALL happens!! And that's... well, I guess you'll have to read this book and find out for yourself. ;)

~Rinnie:)

Great series for young tweens without the sex and drugs often rampant in other books geared towards this age group.

Item bought, shipped out quickly, and arrived safe and sound in a timely manner. Thanks seller!

this is a very good book. there is one lose end, however i cannot bring the score down. afterall, all of the action and heat makes up for it. im waiting 4 the fouth book ally

Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover is written from a first person point-of-view. The narrator, Cammie Morgan, is the daughter of the headmistress of Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women. Cammie, spy-in-training, has snuck off campus hundreds of times. She has also had a (forbidden) relationship with a boy on the outside. When Cammie is invited to join Macey in Boston, she has no idea what's in store.

Macey McHenry, potential first daughter, is paraded around the country in the hopes of helping her father get ahead in the polls. But there's a hidden side to Macey, a side that wishes she could hide from the spotlight, from her power-hungry parents. Sadly, no one can forget the face of America's Sweetheart.

Zach, the mysterious boy from Blackthorne, is everywhere Cammie goes. At first, she thinks it's her imagination, but is it? Zach, the super-spy, knows everything about what happened on the roof. How is that possible? Well, a good spy never gives away their secrets.

In this novel, there is a spy sisterhood and a campaign that puts one of the sisters in danger. Macey McHenry, daughter of the Vice President candidate, is paraded around the country to try to get more votes for her father. But soon, she becomes the target of a kidnapping. Cammie's aunt Abby is assigned as her bodyguard. Cammie doesn't want to let Macey outside the walls of the Academy, but she has no choice. Cammie follows them all the way to Virginia, trying to keep Macey safe.

In Virginia, Cammie comes face-to-face with Zach, the boy she fell in love with, in a restricted area. But as soon as he's there, he disappears again. Where did he go? ...And how?

In Don't Judge A Girl by Her Cover, there are two main spy lessons to be learned. One, life in the limelight isn't always best; you never know who may be watching. Two, things are not always what they seem; the main principle of being a spy is to always trust your instincts. Although, it's not always easy when you see the love of your life everywhere you go...

I would recommend this book to anyone who's a fan of the Heist Society series, also by Ally Carter. This book is a heart-racing, high-stakes struggle to avoid making any mistakes. It will leave your mind racing, and you'll never want to put this amazing adventure down.