Model Spy

Sixteen-year-old computer genius Kelly is in a world of trouble when she's caught hacking into the U.S. government's computer system to help out a friend. Now Kelly faces two choices - she can either serve her sentence in juvenile detention, or she can join a secret elite team of teenaged spies known as the Specialists.

Of course she decides to give the Specialists a chance, receives the code name GiGi (short for Genius Girl), and gets to know the others in her new team. And soon, klutzy GiGi has to prepare for her first undercover assignment - as a model.

This was So Cool! Where to start? I guess with the characters: I really love them. All of them. Already. There's an easy sort of cameraderie that pervades the Specialists that I really show more enjoy. The others in the team, while they don't feature a lot in this book, are likeable and intriguing. I'm really excited about Bruiser's story (although I don't think it's out yet). The author uses dialogue well to give the reader a feel for her characters. They each have a different way of speaking and a different attitude. Everybody actually did feel distinct, and not in a separated through stereotypes way.

Kelly is believably absent-minded and awkward around others her age because of a lack of interaction. I loved her obsession with lollipops and her tendency to let her mouth run faster than her brain when she got nervous. Plus the fact that she thought in code when she was nervous was quite endearing. Personally some of her computer geekery went way, way over my head, but it was cool. And I enjoyed the tension involved in the huge crush.

I loved the way the training was depicted. Not a lot of time was spent on it (sad, but understandable), but it was enough to give the reader a real sense of the new supportive environment GiGi found herself in. And to make her blossoming into a talented spy believable. I thought her undercover mission was pretty cool, too, although I wish there had been a little bit more time with GiGi actually having to pass as a model - having to do a show or a shoot or something. It makes sense not to dwell on the side stories, it's an adventure series, after all, but I can wish for it, right?

So - do you like spy stories? Mission: Impossible? The Gallagher Girls by Ally Carter? If so, get thee to the bookstore. This book was amazing. I have the whole series at the top of my TBR pile now. And I'm so ready to get back to Specialist Training!

Also posted at my blog show less

Kelly James is a 16-year-old super genius who finds herself caught up in a secret government agency. Who knew hacking into a government database would completely alter her life? Instead of landing in Juvenile Hall, she accepts an identity change and enlists in The Specialists. Newly named "Kelly Spree", aka GiGi, this formerly lonely orphan finds a family in her teammates, along with a cute boy and a scary mission!

Fun book and story, but too much fake-sounding tech-talk. I wouldn't have even minded too much, but it was thrown in at weird times and never explained. Otherwise, I liked it.

Oh! There's a minor plot issue I had: David's father tells GiGi she looks just like her mom, and she wonders how he knows. She assumes he saw her file, show more but that doesn't seem to fit. It seems off. show less

3.5/5
This was fun, light and not too silly. I could understand main characters and relate to them.

Kelly (nicknamed GiGi as in Girl Genius) is a computer whiz, a total geek, genius at what she does and she loves it. She can get lost in it to the point where she'll forget to eat and drink pursuing her passion.

When David recruits her for a group of teenage wannabe spies each of them with their unique calling, she is giving a fantastic opportunity to do what she loves and get praised for it. Although she does have to work on her social skills and get all round education too.

Then suddenly she has to go on a mission! Pretending to be a model no less. Totally out of her comfort zone. Which is where my rating of this book dropped a couple of show more notches because the author introduced us to a fake country with villains who have horrible accents and make-believe Russian names which would not make any sense to an Eastern European. Really, Shannon, really?!

I was "slightly" affronted because of the names. They were made of two surnames like Shnurkov Petrov or Alexandrov Mihailovski and we were supposed to believe that this was normal.



I don't think I'm explaining it well, peeps. Let's just say IT WAS BIZARRE and TOTALLY UNCALLED FOR. I know that majority of readers would not notice it, but I found it offensive that someone either did not give a fig to create normal names or did it for a laugh.

That issue aside I really enjoyed the adventures of teenage spies and Mission Impossible stunts in the dark, and role-playing, and general camaraderie amongst the team. It was genuinely nice, fun and relaxing. show less

Cute would be the perfect word to describe Shannon Greenland’s novel, Model Spy. Kelly, a beautiful and gifted teenager, is caught breaking into a high security government system to help her crush David find information about his father. She is given the choice to either to join an elite group of teens who work as spies for the government or face a jail sentence, so Kelly decides to join the teenage spies. What Kelly finds there isn’t quite what she expected,David involved in the program, they have to do physical training, and she’s almost immediately thrusted into an operation that involves her going undercover as a Model with David as her photographer.

Model Spy is one of those quick, vacation-reads books. It’s light and fast show more paced but not overbearingly so. The characters are lovable, I’d have loved to see the other characters developed more, but, I guess the subsequent books will deal with that.

The plot itself was pretty simple if not a little predictable, however, I was found that this worked for the story. The one thing that I didn’t really like was the fact that, while enjoyable, it didn’t really leave an impression on me. I liked the characters but wasn’t able to love them as much as I would have liked.

If you’re looking for a quick read and something to satisfy the spy in you, this is definitely your book. show less

Cute would be the perfect word to describe Shannon Greenland’s novel, Model Spy. Kelly, a beautiful and gifted teenager, is caught breaking into a high security government system to help her crush David find information about his father. She is given the choice to either to join an elite group of teens who work as spies for the government or face a jail sentence, so Kelly decides to join the teenage spies. What Kelly finds there isn’t quite what she expected,David involved in the program, they have to do physical training, and she’s almost immediately thrusted into an operation that involves her going undercover as a Model with David as her photographer.

Model Spy is one of those quick, vacation-reads books. It’s light and fast show more paced but not overbearingly so. The characters are lovable, I’d have loved to see the other characters developed more, but, I guess the subsequent books will deal with that.

The plot itself was pretty simple if not a little predictable, however, I was found that this worked for the story. The one thing that I didn’t really like was the fact that, while enjoyable, it didn’t really leave an impression on me. I liked the characters but wasn’t able to love them as much as I would have liked.

If you’re looking for a quick read and something to satisfy the spy in you, this is definitely your book. show less

Kelly is a certified computer genius. At age 16 she's about to graduate from college. And that's when she's contacted by The Specialists. The Specialists is a group of teenages with extraordinary abilities. They want Kelly to join their ranks. At first Kelly has her doubts, but as she gets to know the other kids she realizes that they really are the family she's never had. So Kelly becomes GiGi (short for Genius Girl) and before she knows it, she's off on her first mission. But how will klutzy, nervous Kelly ever pull off posing as the fabulous model Jade January?

This is a great summer vacation book, light and fluffy with enough action to keep your interest. I have to say that while I liked the character of GiGi/Kelly, she wasn't nearly show more fleshed out enough for me. I found all the characters to be pretty two-dimensional, but the premise was enough to hold my attention, especially after they start the mission. It read like an episode of Alias.

Hand this one to fans of I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You who need a book for a plane ride this summer. show less

NOTE: I received this book from Netgalley. Thanks!

I believe Model Spy is for younger audiences. Probably ranging from 11-15. It reminds me of Spy Kids.

Here several kids, gifted in different areas are called by the government to work as spies. We follow the story of Kelly/Gigi, genius girl, computer geek and hot babe. But, hot or not, don't think there's any sort of heartfelt teen romance. It's so barely captured, that I can't say it's really there. Perhaps, a bit more romance would've made the story a notch more emotional. The way it is now, it's just a spy story, and let's face it, most readers nowadays are looking for the romance.

The way the story was written was way too simple. The bad guys never struck back, and that's just too show more unrealistic. It was as if the reader would never ask the Why questions. And trust me, there were lots of them.

Also, there were times when the story dragged, and times when it sped up so much that I kind of lost the threads. Perhaps if twenty more pages were added, and some things were included that connect the scenes together, it would've been better.

So, I know how the country the spy team went to was a made up one, but still, the names the author used for the terrorists bothered me. I mean, Romanov, Petrov... she used them as first names, but they're both last names. -ov means a last name in the Slavic countries. I don't mean to be rude, but writing a book needs to be accompanied by a certain amount of research, right?

Okay, so what to say about Gigi... hmm... well, she was super sweet. She never showed off her genius brain. I found myself snorting every time she mixed up her sentences. It was funny! The only thing I don't understand is why she had to be a klutz. I mean, I myself don't know a single clumsy person, and there are so my books about clumsy girls it's getting a bit annoying. Perhaps it had to do with her inability to stay focused on the reality around her. You know, her brain was only thinking in computer code and such.

David was cute and all, but he could've been more outward or something. I would've enjoyed a kiss or two at the end of the story. I believe the moment had been there..

Anyway, if you're a girl ages 11-15 (or the parent of one) this book would be a nice addition to your (or your daughter's) bookshelf. Otherwise, I suggest you pass. show less