See How They Run
by Ally Carter
Audience: Young Adult
Scholastic Press (December 22, 2015)
IndieBound | WorldCat
"Inside every secret, there's a world of trouble. Get ready for the second book in this new series of global proportions--from master of intrigue, New York Times bestselling author Ally Carter.
Grace's past has come back to hunt her . . . and if she doesn't stop it, Grace isn't the only one who will get hurt. Because on Embassy Row, the countries of the world stand like dominoes, and one wrong move can make them all fall down.
The twists get twistier and the turns get even more shocking in the second thrilling installment of Embassy Row."
Carolyn's thoughts on the book:
Ally Carter continues to satisfy readers hungry for intrigue and adventure in the second installment of her Embassy Row series. After the shocking revelation of Grace's involvement in her mother's death, Grace is struggling to come to terms with it all when her brother (and his friend) arrive at the Embassy. When conflict erupts between her brother's friend and Alexei, and the next day that same American is found dead, Grace's best friend is suddenly a fugitive and the most-wanted man in Adria. But nothing is ever simple on Embassy Row, and a Cold-War style Russian-American conflict begins to brew as Grace and her friends not only harbor Alexei but begin to detangle the intricate knot of international politics, secret societies, forgotten princesses, and lost treasure that culminated in the murder. While we still don't know the exact events culminating in either deaths (Grace's mother and the American), readers get a chance to dive into a dizzying array of motives and history behind it all. Grace's group of friends, all children of various embassies, serve to not only break stereotypes but also to present a view of friendship far different than the typical cliques-and-mean-girls narrative of YA (which I certainly appreciate). Several characters move closer towards romance, and I have a feeling that the next book in the series will make certain shippers even happier than this book will (though by no means is the novel lacking in the emotional/romantic development I saw the seeds of in the previous book, All Fall Down). Carter's complex and nuanced portrayal of mental illness (with everyone around her viewing it as either a problem or a scapegoat) is a gem among a genre that doesn't necessarily deal with mental illness in a positive and honest light. There's plenty of action, friendship, espionage, and hints of romance to satisfy any and all readers.
See How They Run is the perfect book for fans of action, intrigue, and romance.
Carolyn is a teen blogger who shares her favorite YA reads and favorite book related finds with readers on Fridays.