I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You (Gallagher Girls #1)
5 Stars: Keeper
Publication: April 25th, 2006
Pages: 284
Author: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Publisher: Hyperion
Buy it: Amazon | Kindle | B&N
Cammie Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school-that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE and the latest in chemical warfare in science, and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class. The Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses but it’s really a school for spies. Even though Cammie is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways, she has no idea what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she’s an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, or track him through town with the skill of a real “pavement artist”-but can she maneuver a relationship with someone who can never know the truth about her?
Cammie Morgan may be an elite spy-in-training, but in her sophomore year, she’s on her most dangerous mission-falling in love.
I can’t believe it took me until now to read this book. While I typically don’t read lighthearted contemporary books, I really enjoy the ones that I do like, and this book falls in that category. In general, spy books aren’t associated with laughs and quirks, but Cammie is a fifteen-year-old spy with a crush on a normal boy. When she begins using her studies to help her pursuit of love and happiness, it’s hard for the atmosphere to stay dark and somber.
With Cammie starting her sophomore year, her life undergoes many changes. There is a hot new teacher, a bitchy new girl enters her class, and someone–a hot, sweet normal boy–notices her, breaking her chameleon cover. At times, Cammie acts like the young teenager that she is. She stresses over her appearance, her mind keeps straying to Josh (hot boy), and she doesn’t want to like Macey (bitchy new girl). However, she is very real with the way she struggles to deal with normal teenage problems even as she attends a school for genius girls training to be government agents.
Cammie is surrounded by a wonderful group of friends whose personalities compliment one another. Liz is the bookworm genius, who wants to classify everything and has trouble dealing with normal problems, as she wants to break it down until she understands what makes things work the way they do. Bex is a fearsome opponent, strong in combat and always open to the fight. Then there is Macey, who proves that one doesn’t need to train from the seventh grade to be a good spy–or a good friend–and that first impressions are just that, not permanent records.
I enjoyed watching Cammie bungle through her first relationship with a guy–a normal guy. She may be a skilled spy-in-training, but she is clueless when it comes to guys. I would definitely recommend this book to those looking for fun, light-hearted read, especially to those looking for a series of fun-lighthearted reads, as this is but the first book in the Gallagher Girls series. I’m looking forward to checking out the rest of the books and continuing to follow Cammie’s adventures!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher. No payment was received in return for a review. The receipt of the book had no influence on the opinions expressed in my review.
Author: Crystal
A story girl at heart, Crystal is a bibliophile who can easily spend the day immersed in a good read. She writes under the name Kristy Wang. You can follow her writing adventures on X and Instagram @_kristywang.
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