Customer Reviews:
the Bible.......2007-09-09
This is my bible for watercolour colour. It is far and away the best book on the subject, not just because it sweeps away all kinds of wrong thoughts, but Schink shows the different palettes used for different styles of painting in a simple, constructive way.
Not your usual watercolor book--interesting and stimulating.......2005-01-09
Christoph Schink is an award-winning artist who shares his unique look at the art of watercolor and using color and light. The book does not just deal with juxtapositions of color or of mixing pigments; the author goes into the compositional effects of color choices, with examples of changes if you use value (dark to light, color becomes diminished) or if you use all pastels or colors close in range on the color wheel. In addition, there is a section on how the masters employed color in famous paintings, and a section of example works by other artists. This is valuable--the inclusion of other artists makes the book appealing to a variety of painters; not everyone responds to individual artists, so the wise author of painting books is one who generously shares the canvas with his colleagues. You are guaranteed to find some inspiration in the gallery. This is a nice large format book that shows off the colors on the pages well. Excellent.
They don't get much better than this!.......2002-01-21
Christopher Schink is a terrific teacher and communicator in this lovely, and invaluable instruction book. Complete with many colorful examples and exercises, this world-class painter uses work from many different exceptional painters, along with a few of his own, to show how wonderfully expressive your own work can be by utilizing some of these techniques. He also shows and shares his deep understanding of what happens to color as it's mixed and layered, etc. And at the bottom of it all is the message that painting is about communication of ideas, and not simply a series of techniques! This core message is the most valuable of all.
It's more that the typical 'technique' book.......2000-09-07
If you can only buy one water color text book, buy this one. For a change this painter focuses on teaching you more than just tecnical skills. He gives you excellent information on color history, and analysis of other watercolorists work. Deals with problems you may run into and provides great visual examples. Handles subjects like controlling pictoral space, simultaneous contrast, and well as composition and design. This is book to study, not just look at the pictures!
An Inspiration for Effects !.......2000-05-15
I found this book to be most interesting on the topics of Colour, Tone, etc. Mr Schink goes on to apply the initial principles he outlines at the beginning of his book, to show how different effects and appearances can be created, even from the same basic composition! It was a fascinating read, and provides a good point of reference for me.
Book Description
Lou Connor, a gifted but unhappy sixteen-year-old, is desperate to escape her life of poverty in Sydney, Australia. When she is offered a place as an exchange student at a college in Illinois, it seems as if her dreams are going to be fulfilled. Her host family, the Hardings, has a large and beautiful house in Illinois and couldn't be more welcoming. Everything is perfect. Until Lou starts having to live in the suffocating and repressed atmosphere of the Hardings' suburban mansion and things start to go terribly wrong. How the Light Gets In is an acutely observed tale of adolescence. But more than that, it is an intelligent and darkly humorous study of human aspiration, self-sabotage, and the dislocation and alienation felt by an outsider. In Lou Connor, M. J. Hyland has created a complex and unforgettable protagonist who mesmerizes the reader with her vivacity and vulnerability, from hopeful beginning to unexpected, haunting end.
Customer Reviews:
One of the worst books I've read in the past year.......2007-07-14
I thought I would love this book. It was likened to a female version of "Catcher in the Rye" and I admit the cover suckered me in. The first few pages also seemed promising. The main character on a plane flying to her new life promised for an interesting novel. However, this story falls apart and is really pretty awful. None of the characters feel real or act the way you would expect them to. Nothing really happens during the course of the entire book. Many possible plots are alluded to. Characters are introduced and dropped. None of it leads anywhere. Many hints at things to come are introduced as well as many new characters but then none of them are developed. I was left feeling as though I wasted my time on this book, something I rarely feel. The author lost their way somewhere during the course of this story, in fact it could have been written by multiple people for all the congruency in the plot line and characters that there is and with all the teasers at possible plot developments which amount to nothing. I realize some could say that "nothing" happened in "Catcher in the Rye" but the characters were developed and the story was simple yet managed to encompass a lot. This one doesn't. It is long and meanders around without much to say.
Worst book I've ever wasted my time on........2007-06-13
This book sounded like it would be great, but upon finishing it, it met the trash can. Simply the worst book I've ever read. The descriptions are meek and uninteresting; no picture is painted for me. The main character is self absorbed and I cannot relate to her at all. None of her actions are explained, she's just a brat that needs to get sent back home. So boring and drab.
Human interaction and how it makes you look at yourself.......2007-04-21
I read this book just picked it up off the shelf and poured into it. I wasn't expecting anything great or fantastic.
What I got was a real gem/treat from reading this book, though the book has no great follow-through as many have noted it does have some very intriguing interactions between people of all types. It isn't so long that the number of interactions are bland and trite, each new character that Lou meets is different and it really forces you to see yourself and how you interact with others in your own life.
I give it a five just because it really forces the question of how we look at ourselves and how we exchange each other through our day to day meetings with other people. Books are here to open your eyes and make you enjoy the trip you take through the steps of the protagonist and I believe Hyland has done just that with Lou. Though I am male, the experiences she (Lou) has with others is intriguing and makes you really focus on your life and how we say certain things and do certain things in different situations.
So much buildup, no payoff.......2007-01-12
Lou, tired of her life of poverty in Australia with her parents and two horrible older sisters, wins a scholarship to be an exchange student to the United States. Secretly she hopes she will be able to stay in America and never go home again. But once settled with her host family, she finds it harder than she expected to fit in. Desperate to be liked and to be invited to stay, she begins a pattern of totally messing things up, then scrambling to try to make things right again.
I felt like I was on edge throughout this book, as the author kept creating tension, foreshadowing something under the surface. Lou's locker once belonged to a girl who died. So. . . nothing. Henry spends so much time by himself, and sometimes seems like he's been crying. Is there some big secret that will come out? No. Margaret seems almost pleased when she finds out Henry's mother is in the hospital. Is there more to that story? Apparently not.
The book is absolutely packed with moments when I was certain the story was about to start to make sense, to GO SOMEWHERE. Instead it simply meandered around, listing disjointed event after disjointed event. Nothing seemed to touch Lou very deeply. She made no real friends, cared about nobody in the book and learned no lessons about herself or others.
In my opinion, a novel should say SOMETHING about something--society, an individual, a lifestyle. This book continued on and on, saying nothing.
(three and a half stars) A female Holden Caulfield?.......2006-09-25
While reading "How the Light Gets In," it's almost impossible not to make comparisons to the classic "Catcher in the Rye," in that the main character, Louise ("Lou") Connor, comes from a difficult background and often refers to the phoniness (without actually using this word like Holden Caulfield did), of those around her. Not to mention, of course, that two of the three reviews on the back cover compare Lou to Holden.
The main difference though that I see is that Lou, unlike Holden, hates her isolation, and deperately attempts to feel wanted and loved, even by those she would clearly do better without. Lou tries hard to overlook the faults of those around her in order to feel a sense of belonging. This is especially true with respect to the Hardings, the "host family" that takes her in as a foreign exchange student. As one might expect, the well-to-do Hardings are shiny happy people by appearances, but not so in reality (well where, exactly, is this not the case).
But probably because of her past, and the fact that Lou has something of a self-destructive and perhaps addictive personality, Lou gets involved with things she shouldn't, almost begging to be caught. While she can't help but mock the people who try to help her, and who attempt to convince her that she could use her superior intelligence to escape her past, I couldn't help but believe that maybe Lou should have made the attempt to listen to these flawed but well-intentioned people.
M.J. Hyland rates as a good writer (not a great one) who successfully held the tension between Lou and the various members of the Harding family while Lou was living with them. On the negative side, some of the later characters (after Lou leaves the Hardings) have a bit of a "thrown together" quality about them, and develop a seemingly meaningful relationship with Lou, even though both the reader and Lou hardly know much about them. Also, I never quite believed the absolutely bizarre relationship between Lou and James, the son in the Harding family. Lastly, I wish that Hyland had revealed more of Henry (the Harding father) who, to me, was the most intriguing character besides Lou herself.
Despite the above criticism, I definitely thought that "How the Light Gets In" was worthwhile reading. I'm interested in keeping up with this author, and will certainly read her next novel.
Book Description
Susan Rako seemed to have it all. She was a piano prodigy at eight, a highly intelligent teenager focused on academics and determined to study medicine, and then a wife, mother, and M.D., all before thirty. But she knew at her core that her spirit was clouded by despair. Dr. Rako was drawn to the study and practice of psychiatry as a seeker of truth about herself and others, and as much to free herself as to be of help to her patients.
Dr. Rako was in her forties before years of therapy—both given and received—freed her to explore her innate and broad-based creativity. A well-respected Boston psychiatrist, Susan Rako has also become a pioneering expert on women’s reproductive health and a writer whose incisive intelligence enables her to pierce through clutter to deeper meaning. In That’s How the Light Gets In, she gives us important life lessons through example. What she has learned, through decades of experience as a trusted psychiatrist who has helped hundreds of people—and through her own self-exploration and therapy—is distilled in a lyrically wrought memoir that truly does illuminate that which makes us human and makes life an adventure of magic and mystery.
That’s How the Light Gets In is an intelligent and intensely personal story from a highly respected doctor, author, and advocate for women’s health issues. Dr. Rako’s insightful stories of self, family, friends, patients, and colleagues bear witness to the power of discovering and standing to one’s truth. Susan Rako will inspire you to look within yourself and acknowledge your deepest ambitions, develop your own imagination, and learn to break through the boundaries and limitations that each of us places on ourselves. That’s How the Light Gets In will inspire you to live the life you’ve always wanted to live—the life of your dreams.
Customer Reviews:
The light at the end of the book.......2007-07-25
Although this book is a biography on the life of psychiatrist Susan Rako, I found the most moving content to be in the insights and advice of her mentor Dr. Semrad that Susan shares during the last third of the book. Susan's life story does have its interesting moments, but, I have to admit that the details of her childhood days, life choices, and failed marriages were not nearly as compelling as the insights she passed on from her mentor. For me, these hand-me-down perspectives were the light that got in (the book).
Elegant.......2006-06-19
As I was engrossed in reading That's How the Light Gets In, I tried to think of the one world that would describe it, and I think that word is elegant. One expects all kinds of "dishy" stuff in memoirs, but in this instance the author artfully circumvented this hazard without skimping on any of her feelings or struggles. I say, Bravo ! I identified in so many places, which made reading this book that much more pleasurable and validating for me. It is a fine piece of literary work.
No Depth.......2006-06-06
This book left me befuddled. What was the point? I was expecting thoughtful essays about the meaning of life, as filtered through the experiences of the author, a psychiatrist. Instead, the book had little more depth than a sixth grader's "What I did On My Summer Vacation" essay. I was amazed when Rako spent more time on watching her granddaughter feed birds than she did on the breakup of either of her marrriages.
It's a disappointment because Rako's life seems to be a full and vivid one, but little of that wholeness and color made it onto the page. I finished knowing more about her mentor than I did about her.
Follow the Way That Experience Confirms to Be Your Own.......2006-04-08
This insightful chronicle of one woman's journey from childhood to a mature psychiatrist is a must-read for every woman seeking to find her own path through life by understanding her strengths and limitations. The author artfully weaves together rich descriptive details of the defining moments in her life over the past sixty-plus years with clever interpretive commmentary. This book offers a refreshing glimpse into the core of what all women struggle with...finding fulfilling, sustaining relationships with peers, parents, surrogate parents and how to use them as fuel for the healing of both self and others.
kikis review.......2006-02-06
a book so many can relate too, from different cultures and backrounds. I read it in one sitting. An amazing memoir for all types of readers that appreciate life at its most challenging moments
Product Description
Mysterious and powerful, for decades America's boardrooms have remained closed to all but a handful of director "in the club." Now, former Fortune 500 executives Dorothy Light and Kathleen Pushor reveal an insider's look at what goes on in the boardroom and how you can get there. CEOs and directors of some of America's most prestigious corporations share their stories of what really goes on behind closed doors, who gets selected to sit on a board and who doesn't, and why being a part of this influential group should be the goal of today's up and coming executives, professionals, and community leaders.
Into the Boardroom identifies the six qualifications common to successful candidates for a director s seat and explains how you can fill in the blanks in your own skill set.
Hear from executives and directors at J.P. Morgan, Bank One, Nintendo, Avnet, Warner Lambert, and others as they reveal the process by which they took their first seats on a corporate board. Listen as they candidly answer your questions: What are the risks and rewards of being a member of the board? What specialized training or background do you need? Do you have to be a CPA? A lawyer? Is board service a possibility for those with a background in government, community service, or academia? How much can you expect to earn as a director? Will you be successful as a board member and what liability would you have if the company gets into trouble?
Packed with hard-to-find information, inside tips, and sound advice, Into the Boardroom answers these questions and more as it guides a new generation of directors to their first seats on a corporate board.
Customer Reviews:
First -Class Primer.......2003-06-06
Into The Boardroom is a first-class primer for individuals aspiring to board service. With current emphasis for independent directors whose disciplines may be outside of the corporate arena, Into The Boardroom offers valuable guidance. Its practical advice and insights are top flight.
Jack Arthur Kirby, Founder and Owner, Kirby Law Office
A really good book.......2002-08-15
Rarely do I spend the time to do a review but, I think that this book more than deserves it. If your curious about getting on a board and dont know where to start then this is the book for you.
BTW-I have no affiliation with the authors or make any money off the book. I just find it a great book.
A "must read" for any executive!.......2002-05-30
Whether you are a seasoned Board veteran or looking for your first seat on a Corporate Board, this book is full of insightful information. I found it to be a great executive read - full of practical hands-on information and experiential antidotes from CEO's and Directors from America's most respected corporations. Recently, the dangers of the "good old boy" corporate board have made top headlines and contributed to the downfall of major Fortune 100 corporations. "Into the Boardroom" is packed with inside tips and sound advice that serves as a blueprint to guide the new generation of corporate boards to a higher level of success.
Great Guide for the Aspiring Board Member.......2002-05-20
This book contains in-depth information about what to expect in the boardroom. Learn from the real life experiences of dozens of board members. A must have book for present & future board members.
Fantastic Information.......2002-04-23
Into the Boardroom is a quick, easy read with lots of practical advice. For example, my charitable contributions were always random and small, but the advice of picking one organization and making a difference is great. I will also study their annual reports to check out the board members before I send the check. I borrowed this book from a friend and found it so empowering that I ordered my own copy...There are so many good ideas in the book I know I'll re-read it many times.
Customer Reviews:
Worldwide movement of spiritual friendship within USN, USMC.......1998-03-05
From the book jacket of That's How the Light Gets In: A quiet movement of spirituality and friendship has taken root in an unexpected place -- among the sailors and Marines and their families around the world. Its name is Credo. Every week, from Naples to Okinawa people of all ages attend Credo retreats to bring focus to their lives in an atmosphere of safety and mutual concern. Credo complements self-help regimens, Twelve Step groups, religious retreats, and psychotherapy, in fostering spiritual rebirth. In recent years Credo has spread to people of all walks of life, including students, people in recovery, homeless, and other seekers. For many, the experience of Credo friendship has been the turning point of their lives. In this book, founder Donald B. Harris recounts Credo's genesis. He describes his chaotic childhood and the loneliness it bred and tells how his exposure to an accepting family, an accidental community, a generous Spanish nobleman, and the writings of a spiritual leader laid the foundation for Credo. The book reveals how Credo uses contemporary music to help even the inarticulate express their inner yearning. The book is a spiritual autobiography of the author's journey to recovery. His involvement with patients flown in from the battlefront of Vietnam as well as refugees from the San Francisco counterculture of the 1960s prepared the soil in which Credo has taken root. That's How the Light Gets In is also an absorbing exploration of the early days of Credo and its evolution in San Diego, Spain, Colorado, and finally Williamsburg. It includes a definition of the underlying philosophy of Credo and a detailed description of the retreat itself, and concludes with a reflection on the course of current American society that makes the Credo response appropriate.
Product Description
This booklet provides a deep and insightful spiritual research into and a true diagnosis of the basic causes of the malady, humanity is suffering from and it also provides the unfailing remedy therefor.,
this booklet will be equally inspiring, uplifting and illuminating for the environmentalist, the nature loves and the spiritual seeker. it gives glimpse into the deepest recesses of the seer soul of a multi splendorous Mystic Guide
par excellenceof our age, who heard sermons in the stones and celestial songs of harmony, unity and love in the Himalayan wilderness- in its brooks and streams, its flora ad fauna, its icy winds and in the heart of the simple folks and could concretely exprience his oneness with all creation ; Vasudevah Sarvam Iti.
Product Description
Here you have it -- the story of what you can do along the sky-land trails of the wilderness. We should like to think there is enough scope and persuasion in what is said here to speed you on your way to the nearest roadhead, there to pocket your car key for a few weeks and see what lies beyond. If there isn't enough scope and persuasion, we'd appreciate knowing -- for future versions.
Customer Reviews:
I like......donkeys.......2006-09-23
Convenient travel size includes what and why to take on trails, camping, food, equipment, maps, medicine and of couse burros & burro management! Lots of appealing illustrations of the wilderness and specific info and instructions. Great deal, recommended.
Now I want a burro. Please?
Download Description
As a former supermodel from a wealthy family, Vanessa Dawson was the perfect fit for the Gotham Roses's latest society crime-fighting mission. Two Miami models were dead, and all signs pointed to a drug ring operating from high fashion's highest precincts. Was hip-hop mogul Hot T involved? Vanessa went undercover as a swimsuit model to find out, but soon shoot-outs replaced fashion shoots as the order of the day....
Customer Reviews:
Natalie Dunbar has a winner with this one.......2006-01-15
I would have missed out on this great James Bond-like novel if it hadn't been a Bombshell. It's not my usual fare as it revolves around high society and modeling but Natalie Dunbar did an excellent job at drawing me into the story and creating likeable characters. Vanessa Dawson was a famous model who quit the business after conquering an addiction to cocaine. Now, as an undercover operative for the Gotham Roses, Vanessa has ventured back into modeling to stop a drug smuggler and find out who killed two models. She is partnered with DEA agent Cody Mackenzie who poses as one of her photographers. The list of suspects includes Caulfield Carouthers, Taye Rollins, and Hector Guerra. Vanessa quickly reconnects with the modeling scene and begins the parade of parties and meeting all the suspects, as well as the models being used as mules for the drug smuggling. In the process, she finds herself attracted to Taye Rollins and conflicted over his involvement as his childhood friend, Jerrell Vaughn, is obviously involved in the scheme. Natalie Dunbar does an excellent job of maintaining a balance between the aspects of the fashion world that will attract chic lit readers and yet keeping the action flowing. Overall, this was a very enjoyable read.
fine Gotham Roses thriller.......2006-01-14
Vanessa Dawson enjoyed her modeling work until the downsizing of the jet set party lifestyle hammered home with the abundance of drugs available; she became an addict. Realizing she needed to quit the drugs, Vanessa also concluded her modeling life left the temptation too great so she left that too to start over.
Vanessa has also joined the Gotham Roses whose mission is to insure justice is meted to the wealthy who break the law without a care. However, The Roses assign her to go back into the modeling world where drugs hooked her; she fears the temptation is too great. Someone murdered two models in Miami including her former roommate with rapper-clothing designer Taye Rollins as the prime suspect. Vanessa is to work from within to uncover whether he committed homicide and if not who did.
Vanessa is an absorbing protagonist as she fears going right back into the fishbowl with the conditions that led to her fall yet intrepidly does so out of loyalty to her murdered friend. Trey would also be interesting, but pales next to Vanessa. Readers will enjoy the murder investigation as Vanessa, who already has doubts about her judgment, kicks herself for falling in love with the prime suspect. Though the ending seems abrupt and rushed, fans of the Gotham Roses will appreciate their latest mission.
Harriet Klausner
Average customer rating:
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Micro Spies: Spy Planes the Size of Birds! (24/7: Science Behind the Scenes)
Lisa Jo Rudy
Manufacturer: Franklin Watts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
 Teens | Subjects | Books | Authors, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Health, Mind & Body | History & Historical Fiction | Horror | Literature & Fiction | Manga | Mysteries | Reference | Religion & Spirituality | School & Sports | Science & Technology | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Series | Social Issues
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ASIN: 053112083X |
Average customer rating:
- Courtesy of Teens Read Too
- PGI Young Readers Marketing review
- Model Spy Rocks!
- Great start to a new series.
- A technological joyride that leaves you wired from start to finish!
|
Model Spy (The Specialists)
Shannon Greenland
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0142408492
Release Date: 2007-05-10 |
Book Description
Teen genius Kelly James is in a lot of hot water. A whiz with computers, she agreed to help her college rA, David, uncover some top-secret information. After all, she doesn't have many friends and David has always been nice to her. it doesn't hurt that he's supercute and irresistible, too. All she has to do is hack into the government's main computer system. but a few hours later, her whole life changes. she is caught and taken in for questioning, only this isn't your run-of-the-mill arrest. rather than serve a juvenile detention sentence, she accepts the option to change her name and enlist in a secret government spy agency that trains teen agents to go undercover. As if that wasn't overwhelming enough, she discovers that David works for this agency as well! And before she even begins to understand what is going on, she's sent on her first mission as an undercover model. And who better to partner with than David himself!
Customer Reviews:
Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-08-24
Kelly, a foster teen with nowhere to call home, gets herself into a little bit of trouble hacking into a government computer system as a favor for her hottie R.A. Now she's under arrest.
Kelly's given a choice of being sent to a juvenile detention center or a government Special Operations Unit. Soon, her identity is gone and she's now Kelly Spree, working for the government as the resident computer genius with other teen agents.
But the biggest surprise is that it was all just a set-up, and that hottie R.A., David, well, he was sent to recruit her.
Now she's about to go on her first mission posing as a model and it's David who will be her backup. Kelly's finally found a place to call home and will do anything to stay there. So she does her job. She plays the part of the spoiled model convincingly while downplaying her crush on David.
If you liked I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You (Gallagher Girls) by Ally Carter, don't miss out on this great spy novel full of intrigue, drama, and one very big crush.
Reviewed by: Jennifer Rummel
PGI Young Readers Marketing review.......2007-08-09
This was a fun book to read. It is about the life a spy named Kelly James. It tells how even a teen spy has to go through what a normal girl does. It was a good read and i would recommend this book. I read it in one day, it was so hard to put down.
Model Spy Rocks!.......2007-07-14
When Kelly James meets hottie David, she has no idea how he will change her life. Caught up in the fact that he likes her, Kelly hacks into a government computer system and soon finds herself in custody. But things aren't always what they seem and Kelly is given a second chance--the chance of a lifetime. The kicker is, she's not sure she can handle it, or survive it.
With a cast of characters who are beyond likable, Shannon Greenland offers a series for young readers who enjoy in your face adventure. The plot is satisfying, the character development is solid, and the story is intriguing. An awesome debut for Ms. Greenland in the young adult market and readers of all ages will agree that MODEL SPY totally rocks!
Great start to a new series........2007-06-06
I thought the book description of this book was really cute so I had to buy it. While I read it, I thought it reminded me a lot of the Fearless series by Francine Pascal. I think if you're a fan of those books you'll definitely like this. It has the whole government thing in common, except in Model Spy, Kelly is an orphan and both her parents are dead. Kelly also gets her 'built in' family with her while being recruited as a 'Specialist'.
This is the first in The Specialists series by Shannon Greenland. I can't wait to read the sequel too!
A technological joyride that leaves you wired from start to finish!.......2007-05-15
Sixteen-year-old Kelly James can't say that she's ever been your typical teenage girl. For one, she tested out of eighth grade at the age of nine, managed to graduate from high school when she was just thirteen, and is now planning her college graduation in just two years time. Two, she's lived out of a suitcase since she was six-years-old, when her parents were killed in a plane crash, leaving her a ward of the United States until she was old enough to care for herself. Three, at 5'10, she's got the looks of a Victoria's Secret model. And four, she's just landed herself in police custody after hacking into the government's main computer system for her RA, David, at East Iowa University - something that, for some bizarre reason, is strongly frowned upon. Kelly has now been given two choices: spend the next few years behind bars in a juvenile detention facility, where she'll be forced to spend her days chatting with soon-to-be hardened criminals; or take the scrumptious Mr. Thomas Liba "TL" up on his offer to be a part of a group known as the Specialists. Having nothing to lose, and refusing to give her penchant for lollipops up to sit in a jail cell, Kelly grabs her bag, and relocates to San Belden, California, where she finds herself a resident at San Belden Ranch for Boys and Girls, and is quickly given a new identity - Kelly Spree, aka GiGi. As if all that weren't enough for one day, Kelly is introduced to a group of social misfits whom she'll be working alongside. Teenagers, like her, who all have a gift - from martial arts to linguistics - that will aid the government in undercover operations. Kelly is unsure of the new life she's been tossed into. The hours are long, the training is tiring, and her roommates are slightly off-the-wall. Contemplating returning to her old life, Kelly's thoughts are turned around completely when she realizes that David is also a part of the Specialists, and worked alongside TL to trick her into joining the team. Before Kelly has time to be furious at the trickery, however, she's whisked off to Ushbania, on a mission where she's forced to pose as an up-and-coming model in an attempt to find David's long lost father, and recover millions of dollars in stolen money. Kelly would give anything to distance herself from the Specialists - namely David - but doing so won't be as easy as she thought, especially with David as her undercover partner.
While so many of the recent additions to the YA genre follow a specific formula - rich girl turns poor; poor girl turns rich; popular girl loses her cool; nerd becomes popular - Shannon Greenland has made a dent in the YA scene by veering from the norm and penning a novel rich in computer code, brainy characters, international intrigue, and a pinch of romance. Kelly is a character with a genius IQ, whose penchant for lollipops - in any flavor - and ability to get lost in the world of computer coding make her memorable. Her frequent moments of jumbling her sentences when she's nervous work to make her seem down-to-earth; while her no-frills persona, and disinterest in typical teen girl things - make-up, clothes, boys - only add to her slightly offbeat ways. Kelly may look like a supermodel, but she's truly a computer geek - and proud of it! - at heart, which is a nice change. The people surrounding Kelly - from the Goth-like Beaker, to the fight-loving Bruiser; moving straight to the handsome David, and the caffeine-addicted Chapling, among others - are just as entertaining. Each person brings their own quirks to the table, presenting an easy way to not only relate to them, but remember each one of them individually. MODEL SPY is an amazing YA debut from Greenland, who certainly proves herself as a force to be reckoned with in the world of teen literature. A technological joyride that leaves you wired from start to finish!
Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer
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- Giles Goat Boy (The Anchor Literary Library)
- Golden Apples of the Sun, The
- Hemingway: The Postwar Years and the Posthumous Novels (Cambridge Studies in American Literature and Culture)
- His Lovely Wife
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- BARBRA STREISAND IN NEW YORK CITY: A Self Guided Tour of Landmark Locations in The Career of Barbra
- The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock and Roll: The Definitive History of the Most Important
- Mao's Last Dancer
- Silence in October
- The Digital Filmmaking Handbook
- Secret Fairy Homes
- The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More
- Vietnam: Journeys of Body, Mind, and Spirit
- Soul, Sweat and Survival on the Pacific Crest Trail
- "Pecos Bill": A Military Biography of William R. Shafter
Mastering Color and Design in Watercolor
Design and Composition
Painter's Guide to Color
Master Class in Watermedia: Techniques in Traditional and Experimental Painting
The Simple Secret to Better Painting: How to Immediately Improve Your Work with the One Rule of Composition
