From Amazon.com
Cammie Morgan has lost her father and her memory, but in the heart-pounding conclusion to the best-selling Gallagher Girls series, she finds her greatest mission yet. Cammie and her friends finally know why the terrorist organization called the Circle of Cavan has been hunting her. Now the spy girls and Zach must track down the Circle's elite members to stop them before they implement a master plan that will change Cammie—and her country—forever. Get ready for the Gallagher Girls' most astounding adventure yet as Ally Carter's New York Times best-selling series comes to breathtaking conclusion that will have readers racing to the last page.
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**SPOILER Warning** While I try my hardest not to include spoilers in my reviews, this is the sixth in the series & it would be hard to say what I love about this book without referencing things that happen earlier in the Gallagher Girls series. If you are new to the series, then you might not want to read further.
I found the Gallagher Girls series somewhere between book two & three being released. So, with my annual visit to the Gallagher Academy over the last few years, it really feels like I've watched these girls grow up. In the first book, I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You, we meet Cameron Morgan (aka Cammie), Rebecca Baxter (aka Bex), Elizabeth Sutton (aka Liz) and Macey McHenry (who is just Macey...) at age 15. They go to Gallagher Academy, an elite boarding school in Roseville, VA. To the outside world, they are spoiled rich girls...but in reality, they are spies in training. Their first mission is...of course...boys...or in particular, one boy who has caught Cammie's eyes. They use their spy training to learn everything they can about him & to turn Cammie into the "perfect girlfriend".
As an adult reading this, it felt a little silly, but it was fun & well written. I listened to it on audiobook to pass the time at work. When I finished the first one, I went on to the second & then the third when it came out shortly after. What hooked me was how much the stories matured with each book & passing year for the girls. They really started to find themselves and their footing in the spy world as each mission got more real & more dangerous.
United We Spy picks up right where Out Of Sight, Out Of Time left off. Cammie is still recovering from the events of the last summer...which she is finally starting to remember. The mission is to find the leaders of the Circle of Cavan & prevent whatever world changing event they are planning. They don't know what they are trying to stop...they just know it is supposed to be big.
I like the fact that even though these girls are at a boarding school, their parents are still a big part of their lives. So many YA books these days just seem to omit the existence of parents. There are situations that they are placed in that are well beyond what I have experienced in my 30+ years, but there are also reminders along they way that they are still kids. I also liked that they learned to rely on each other through everything, but also learned how to stand on their own when they needed to. Most of all, I appreciated that the storyline evolved from a world where boys were their only focus to one where while romance is still a part (and don't get me wrong, I love Zach!) it isn't the point of the story.
I am sad to see the series come to an end, because I have really looked forward to and enjoyed those annual visits! The ending is bittersweet, but perfect....especially after reading the bonus epilogue short story A Gallagher Wedding. The only edition of the book this story is included in are the hardback copies from Barnes & Noble. I'm glad I heard about the bonus before I bought the book so that I was sure to get the right edition. If you read a different edition & miss out on the short story, you have two options, go sit in Barnes & Noble for a few minutes & read it...or as long as this link still works...I found this online!
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