Along Came A Spyder by Apeksha Rao
Publisher: TreeShade Books
Pages: 266
Price: Rs. 350 INR(Paperback), Rs. 175 INR(Kindle Edition)
ISBN: 978–9389237122
Buy here: https://amzn.to/38tJ5jR
My take on the book:
At seventeen, Samira Joshi is unlike any other teenager you would have ever met; she is training to be a professional spy or so she thinks, as both her parents are undercover agents for RAW, the elite intelligence agency of India and they trained her in spy-craft since she was a toddler. However, her parents Alka and Ranjit have a sudden change in mind after a recent operation in Georgia, much to Samira’s disappointment, and they now want her to concentrate on her studies, procure a seat to study medicine and forget being a spy.
While her parents are away on a critical mission to stop a nuclear attack on the country, Samira accidentally stumbles upon a network of spies, of teenage girls her age — The Spyders. Why did Samira’s parents keep Spyders a secret from her and what would happen to her parent’s mission, forms the rest of the story.
Young Adult (YA) fiction often gets cliched exploring only limited genres and themes; story of an aspiring spy and a group of such teenage girls is a unique and interesting premise. The narration is so racy that the reader would want to read the entire book in one go. The characters are perfectly balanced — Samira and the other girls have the innocence of their age, are stubborn at times but equally agile and smart.
The spy mechanisms, especially the use of technology is smart, real and makes the storyline authentic. All the missions undertaken in the story — both by Samira and her parents are crisp, have different backdrops and are contemporary. The thrill in each of these missions is intact till the end moment keeping the reader thoroughly engaged.
The epilogue hints at a sequel and I am very much looking forward to reading more of Samira’s adventures. If you are looking for an entertaining read with impressive characters, a taut storyline and a different genre, then this one is for you.
This review is part of the Blogchatter Book Review Program.
https://www.theblogchatter.com/book-review-program-from-blogchatter
My rating:
5/5.