Customer Reviews

Killer Spirit (The Squad, Book 2)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In the second book of the THE SQUAD cheerleading spy series, Toby "Anti-Social" Klein is still learning the ropes and trying to wrap her head around the whole ridiculousness of becoming a cheerleader.

The Big Guys have noticed some activity in Bayport that sparks their interest. Soon the squad is going undercover tracking these individuals to place bugs on them. However, something goes terribly wrong and one team comes close to dying. Now the squad must deal with a possible compromise.

In their "normal" lives, the school's choosing the Homecoming Queen. Half the squad is nominated and Toby just happens to be in the running, much to her dismay. Her little brother, Noah, is doing all that he can to win her the votes, but what he doesn't realize is that the seniors on the squad are not amused by his antics. He's causing Toby some major embarrassment and cold shoulders from the squad.

KILLER SPIRIT picks up right where the first book , PERFECT COVER, ends. If you cross Ally Carter's spy books with Meg Cabot's THE MEDIATOR series, you've got your smart-aleck anti-social heroine kicking butt and taking names...in a cheerleader outfit. If you haven't discovered this series yet, you're really missing out.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Rummel

All right, first thing I'll say is this: If you're worried the spy/cheerleader mix might potentially induce the ick-factor, you've got nothing to worry about. Jennifer Lynn Barnes is pretty good at keeping cheerleading centric to the plot--it's the Squad's entire cover, let's not forget--but not the central point of the story. Roughly translated: it's not pep-squad overload.

However, I did have a couple of problems with the execution. The writing didn't, I think, match the plot. Jennifer Lynn Barnes' writing is too matter-of-fact and a touch too wordy. The middle of the novel sagged and got boring at parts. She's got a great voice, don't get me wrong, but for this particular premise, I thought a tighter, lighter style would've kept the book's flow going better.

The other problem I had was some of the characterization. Sometimes I was confused as to why the character was described one way and then went completely against that description. An example that comes to mind is when Brooke, who is depicted to be super in control of her emotions at all times, begins having to restrain herself from saying something stupid while being reprimanded by the Big Guys. We hear about how tough Brooke is, but at the first confrontation, she's barely able to contain herself. That bugged me.

Though I didn't fall in love with this novel, I still think it deserves three stars. The writing was lovely (even if not perfect in tone for this story) and you can tell Jennifer Lynn Barnes has talent. I've only heard good things about Golden and Tattoo, so you know. I'll be checking those out sometime!

Grade: 6/10

This book is an awesome sequel to the first Squad novel. The author said a third book was possible if the publisher thought the series got popular enough, so people, buy this book! Also, she said that Teennick is beginning to script book one as a new TV show. I can't wait to see what they do with these books. Enjoy!

After finishing The Squad: Perfect Cover, I immediately purchased The Squad: Killer Spirit. This story takes place three weeks after the first book. Toby Klein is still wondering how she joined the Varsity Cheerleading Squad at Bayport High. It's been a surreal experience and now the girls have been commissioned with their next mission.

They have been asked to track four suspects potentially with terrorist connections who have just arrived in Bayport. What are they doing in Bayport? And more importantly, are they connected to the evil law firm, Peyton, Kaufman and Gray?

Toby's life has been thrown upside down especially with the upcoming Homecoming nominations. She would do anything not to be crowned or to have any attention focused on her but when Jack Peyton, Bayport High's Most Eligible Bachelor, asks her to the Homecoming Dance, she's definitely stuck with a dilemma. She can't help but fall for the handsome, mysterious, senior but wonders how much he knows about the Squad and their cover. Does he know they are secret spies? Is he really using her to get to the Squad? Or does he really like her?

And worst of all, someone knows who Toby is and someone is trying to kill her ...

This second story in the Squad series is just as good as the first. I thoroughly enjoyed it due to the sarcastic humor that Jennifer Lynn Barnes gives to Toby and her dislike for cheerleaders and all things pink and glittery. This story had more action and definitely more intrigue as you wonder what will happen to Toby. There is also more character development and you follow Toby as she starts to develop bonds with her teammates.

I'm so sad that this is the last book to day for the series and there isn't any future plans to continue with this series! I absolutely loved it and I think it has such a great storyline! I really wish I can read more because I definitely want to have some of my questions answered.

My personal favorite quote in this story is "OMG with a side of WTF!". Hilarious!

I read the first book and was excited for the second and I was not disappointed! I think the second could even be read without having read the first as it does a nice job of tying in any information that you would need for background. IF you like strong female characters, secret spies, and/or saving the world you'll most likely enjoy the squad!

Saying Toby Klein is an unlikely cheerleader is like saying Paris Hilton might be into guys-understatement of the year. But as a Bayport High cheerleader and an undercover government operative, she's living a life that's anything but typical. Being on the Squad has its benefits, but just as Toby is getting the hang of protocol and pep rallies, fate kicks things up a notch.

Killer Spirit (The Squad) was just as great as its predecessor. It picks up where Perfect Cover left off. We learn more about the other character's, which was great, because we get to know them better. This book was very entertaining, and Toby was still smart-alecky. Noah, Toby's younger brother, added a lot of laugh-out-loud moments with the different crazy stunts he pulled to get people to vote for Toby as Homecoming Princess. The mission in this book was kind of predictable if you read it carefully, but it was still full of action. Other than that, I really enjoyed this sequel. Overall, this was a great sequel to Perfect Cover, and I hope that there will be a third Squad book.
-Carol
[...]

THE SQUAD: KILLER SPIRIT
JENNIFER LYNN BARNES

Rating: 5 Enchantments

This time around, Toby Klein and the rest of the Squad are supposed to do one simple operation - plant some bugs on some highly suspicious TCIs and get out. Should be easy, right? But when the mark comes into the room where Toby and Tara are bugging his phone and hiding, things veer off plan. When they race to beat him to the car to plant a tracking device, Toby manages to plant the tracker just in time. But as they're walking away, kaboom! Their target's killed in the explosion and Toby knocks herself out. Now with more attention than needed, the Squad is pulled off the case and squad captain Brooke is less than pleased.

I enjoyed THE SQUAD: KILLER SPIRIT just as much as the first book in the series. In book two, we get to know Toby and the other girls a little better, especially Brooke. One of my favorite subplots of the book was Toby's brother Noah's antics to get her nominated homecoming queen which were truly priceless, providing several laugh-out-loud moments. The mystery surrounding Toby in this one comes off well and I had no idea who the real threat was till the scene everything came together, but looking back the clues were there.

All in all, THE SQUAD: KILLER SPIRIT is a very entertaining read. I hope to see more books in Ms. Barnes THE SQUAD series in the future. You can visit her online at <[...]>

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
April 2008

Bayport High has an awsoem cheerleadong team. Whats even bettre is that theyre more than they appear.
On a new adventure 4 the award winning chereleaders. they face 4 terrorrist. a nano biotechnology. and veen more dnager than theyve ever experianced.

This book truly is surprising but kind of slow it took me a couple days to finish it. But its good however you have to read the squad perfect cover first.

this amazing spy book will take you all the way to where the characters are and when you start reading this amazingly incredible book you won't want to stop reading it!!!!!