About the Book:Title: You Don't Know My Name (The Black Angel Chronicles #1)
Author: Kristen Orlando
Pub. Date: January 10, 2017
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Pages: 288
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Synopsis:
Fighter. Faker. Student. Spy.
Seventeen-year-old Reagan Elizabeth Hillis is used to changing identities overnight, lying to every friend she’s ever had, and pushing away anyone who gets too close. Trained in mortal combat and weaponry her entire life, Reagan is expected to follow in her parents’ footsteps and join the ranks of the most powerful top-secret agency in the world, the Black Angels. Falling in love with the boy next door was never part of the plan. Now Reagan must decide: Will she use her incredible talents and lead the dangerous life she was born into, or throw it all away to follow her heart and embrace the normal life she’s always wanted? And does she even have a choice?
Seventeen-year-old Reagan Elizabeth Hillis is used to changing identities overnight, lying to every friend she’s ever had, and pushing away anyone who gets too close. Trained in mortal combat and weaponry her entire life, Reagan is expected to follow in her parents’ footsteps and join the ranks of the most powerful top-secret agency in the world, the Black Angels. Falling in love with the boy next door was never part of the plan. Now Reagan must decide: Will she use her incredible talents and lead the dangerous life she was born into, or throw it all away to follow her heart and embrace the normal life she’s always wanted? And does she even have a choice?
Review:
When a book starts by throwing you/the main characters into a panic room, you know the story is only going to get more intense from there! You Don't Know My Name is an excellent start to a brand new secret spy series that will be sure to a hit with fans of Ally Carter and other similar authors. This entire book was a roller coaster ride of excitement straight to the very end. And the fact that this is Kristen Orlando's debut novel? Well that just impresses me even more!
Reagan is an excellent main character and I immediately was able to connect with her. I think that's pretty impressive given the situation she was in at the start of the story. As we get to know Reagan a bit more we see how intelligent, brave, and kickbutt she is. She's fierce and a fighter. Reagan is willing to die for those she loves the most and put her life on the line if it means saving the ones she holds most dear. In other words, Reagan is an extremely strong female lead that has excellent characterization throughout the story. Despite being a tough girl, she is also vulnerable and unsure of herself. That life her parents have been training her for since she was little? Well, she might not want it after all. And that's bound to cause some rifts. For once, Reagan just wants a little normalcy, and when you and your parents belong to a secret part of the government, that's just not possible. Every emotion Reagan felt during this story is palpable on the page. You truly feel as if you're right there with Reagan experiencing everything she is experiencing.
The other characters in the story were great as well. Her friends, her parents, the other people in the group, I loved! And that takes some skill to make me like everyone. But Luke is by far my favorite. He is just adorable and oh so lovable. He's a great character through and through, and not just as the love interest for Reagan (which don't get me wrong, just adds to his character). He is so much more than a love interest, and I'm excited to see where his character goes in the next book!!
The plot is phenomenal in my opinion. This was a fast-paced quick read that I never wanted to put down. There are a lot of twists and turns, and the ending is brutal. Like rips-your-heart-out brutal! It's okay if you shed some tears, I won't tell anyone, especially because I would be right there crying along with you. There was the perfect amount of suspense and action throughout the story, and she described everything very well.
This book was on my watch list for awhile, and I am super happy that I decided to check it out! I've always been a sucker for a good spy story, and this one is certainly no exception. From the minute I started reading, I was fully engaged in this book, and I couldn't believe I finished it within a couple of hours. I definitely think everyone who is a fan of spy novels should check this book out because you will seriously love it!
Reagan is an excellent main character and I immediately was able to connect with her. I think that's pretty impressive given the situation she was in at the start of the story. As we get to know Reagan a bit more we see how intelligent, brave, and kickbutt she is. She's fierce and a fighter. Reagan is willing to die for those she loves the most and put her life on the line if it means saving the ones she holds most dear. In other words, Reagan is an extremely strong female lead that has excellent characterization throughout the story. Despite being a tough girl, she is also vulnerable and unsure of herself. That life her parents have been training her for since she was little? Well, she might not want it after all. And that's bound to cause some rifts. For once, Reagan just wants a little normalcy, and when you and your parents belong to a secret part of the government, that's just not possible. Every emotion Reagan felt during this story is palpable on the page. You truly feel as if you're right there with Reagan experiencing everything she is experiencing.
The other characters in the story were great as well. Her friends, her parents, the other people in the group, I loved! And that takes some skill to make me like everyone. But Luke is by far my favorite. He is just adorable and oh so lovable. He's a great character through and through, and not just as the love interest for Reagan (which don't get me wrong, just adds to his character). He is so much more than a love interest, and I'm excited to see where his character goes in the next book!!
The plot is phenomenal in my opinion. This was a fast-paced quick read that I never wanted to put down. There are a lot of twists and turns, and the ending is brutal. Like rips-your-heart-out brutal! It's okay if you shed some tears, I won't tell anyone, especially because I would be right there crying along with you. There was the perfect amount of suspense and action throughout the story, and she described everything very well.
This book was on my watch list for awhile, and I am super happy that I decided to check it out! I've always been a sucker for a good spy story, and this one is certainly no exception. From the minute I started reading, I was fully engaged in this book, and I couldn't believe I finished it within a couple of hours. I definitely think everyone who is a fan of spy novels should check this book out because you will seriously love it!
Happy reading :)
~Cassie
P.S. We're still working on the webpage design. Some things came up that meant the design we had originally used had to be taken down. We are currently in the process of getting a new one, so you'll be seeing something brand new soon!!
I've never read Secret Spy books! I hope to read this one, one day :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review!
Hope you'll get the web design fixed soon, good luck with that!