BOOKS

Welcome back to our Bestie Book Club—
a community for book lovers from Girls' Life magazine. 

If you're new here, hello and welcome! Here's how this works: Each month we read, discuss and obsess over a new book. And if you haven't already, be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram, where you'll be able to find Bestie Book Club updates, special contests, giveaways and more.  

Here's a quick list of everything you'll find inside this post (and beyond)...

City Spies: THE BOOK CLUB AT-A-GLANCE
+ Check out this month's must-read (buy it right now HERE!)
+ Get *all* the plot and character deets (warning: spoilers abound!) 
+ Meet our ~srsly amazing~ #bookstagrammer besties 
+ Learn how to get involved in our book club! 

Spoiler level: Low

City Spies features a rag-tag team of five fearless kids who become international spies (yep, you read that right). Under the guidance of Mother, a renowned British spy, the gang learns all about espionage, explosives and, ofc, teamwork.  

As the first installment of the New York Times bestselling City Spies series, this thrilling novel is one you don't want to miss. Keep scrolling to read what our besties thought of this exciting read (or you can buy the book right here)!

Psst: Want to skip the spoilers and just read our (low spoiler) Bestie Book Club reviews?  Click HERE.

Spoiler level: High

Sara Martinez isn't your typical teen. While her classmates are concerned about final exams or friend drama, she's busy using her hacking skills to expose her foster family for the lawbreakers they are.

But once her actions are discovered, she's facing years of juvenile detention. That is, until she meets Mother.

Mother, a British spy, not only gets her out of her jail time, he offers her a spot on an elite team of teen spies working for MI6, the British secret agency.

There, Sara operates under codename Brooklyn—and uses her hacking skills to work with four other teens, going undercover where grownups can't. On the team? Paris, Rio, Sydney and Kat, all of whom live with Mother at a base in Scotland, each bringing their own special skill to the group.

Soon, Sara and the City Spies are on their way to Paris for an international youth summit to thwart a world-ending plot all while not blowing their cover.. Hey no one ever said saving the world was easy...

What are you waiting for?! Read City Spies right now. 

Spoiler level: Medium

Did our Bestie Book Club love City Spies? Read on! Meet Ava, Kayden, Kira, Lexia, Lorelei and Skylyn. These ~fabulous~ Girls' Life girls heart reading as much as you do—and they're here to answer *all* our most burning Qs about City Spies. 

Ava @avaireland729

The City Spies travel the world. Is that something you'd like to do? Yes, so badly! I actually have dual citizenship in Ireland because my grandpa was born there, so that's definitely my destination to start.
Which City Spy did you relate to the most? Kat. She might seem quiet, but she's so dedicated and can solve a mystery or puzzle like nobody's business. Plus, she cares so much about her team.
Speaking of, do you feel like the City Spies team reminds you of your own squad? I do! The City Spies are super close and crazy hard workers—and I feel like my own friends are always pushing each other so we can be our best selves and achieve our goals.

Kayden @kaydengraceswan

OK, imagine you are a spy on the City Spies team. What would your favorite part be? Going undercover, for sure. Pretending to be someone else, wearing a disguise and playing innocent when I actually know everything? Totally cool.
What did you think of Sara? I actually felt like I could really relate to her. She's super smart, witty and she's quick on her feet. Her story was fun to follow.
So we have to know! What's your secret superpower? Don’t tell anybody, but I can read minds! Just kidding, but my imitations are the best around. I can imitate anyone and everyone.

Kira @cali.kira

The City Spies go to Paris for an international youth summit. Have you ever been to France? No, but reading all about Paris in the book made me want to visit. Sara and the team saw so much.
Being a spy is hard! How do you think they do it? Tbh, I think it's because they were so supportive of each other. Squads are always most successful when they build each other up.
What do you think *you* would bring to the City Spies team? I'm great at memorization. I'm an actor, so I'm always learning lines quickly. If a passcode or riddle needed to be remembered, I'm the go-to girl. 

Lexia @lexiahayden

Which member of the City Spies team was your fave? Paris, for sure. He is so smart and good at thinking on his feet, plus he's got great survival skills.
He was super cool. What do you think is the best part of being a spy like he is? Living a double life: Each member of the team has this secret that the world doesn't know about, which is kind of awesome. 
Think your squad would make good spies? Totally—we're all unique and have different strengths but when we work together, we can get anything done. They're my #1 team.

Lorelei @loreleicheers

When you're working with a team, what are you always keeping in mind? Good communication is so important. When you and your team have a goal to accomplish, you can't get anything done if you aren't connecting.
What's the best thing about being a spy? You can be a chameleon. How cool is it that you could be one person in London one day and a whole other person in Paris the next?
Which member of the City Spies did you relate to the most? Sydney's caring big-sister energy. She takes Sara under her wing and is one of the nicest members of the team. I always try to lead with kindness just like her.

Skylyn @skylynproffitt

Picture this: You're a member of the City Spies. What are you bringing to the team? My secret power is brilliant ideas. I'm always the one who brainstorms a group project, so I think that's where I'd come in handy.
Have you ever been to Europe? Actually, yes! I visited the UK with my family and it was *so* beautiful. I really wanted to see the London Eye—and it was just as amazing in person. This book makes me want to go to Paris next.
Do you think you and your friends could make it as spies? Honestly, yes! Just like the City Spies, we have adventures and things can get crazy, but we all still love each other, you know?

So you've read the book and you're ready to talk all things City Spies? Wondering *exactly* how the Bestie Book Club works and what it means to be a member? There are so many ways you can get involved—whether it's solo, on social media or with your whole squad. Here's a quick list...
+ SOLO. Take out your trusted journal and answer any of our reader response prompts based on City Spies.
+ ON SOCIAL MEDIA. Share your thoughts on City Spies using the hashtag #glbestiebookclub on Twitter and Instagram. (Just remember: You have to have a public account for us to be able to see and respond to your posts).
+ WITH YOUR SQUAD. Host a book club party to chat out the questions above. Wear your most ~fabulous~ fits and bond with your BFFs over *all* your most daring dreams. And be sure to tag us in your snaps so we can share them! 

by GL | 11/16/2021