Review: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You
Author:  Ally Carter

Publication Date: April 25th 2006        

Publisher: Orchard Books


Cammie Morgan is a student at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, a fairly typical all-girls school-that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE and the latest in chemical warfare in science, and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class. The Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses but it's really a school for spies. Even though Cammie is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways, she has no idea what to do when she meets an ordinary boy who thinks she's an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, or track him through town with the skill of a real "pavement artist"-but can she manoeuvre a relationship with someone who can never know the truth about her?

Cammie Morgan may be an elite spy-in-training, but in her sophomore year, she's on her most dangerous mission-falling in love

On the outside the prestigious all girls boarding school, The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women is for the rich, the snobby and the genius.

They prefer it that way.

On the inside, it is for genius's, the only thing that is true. A training ground for young girls with the potential of being spies, the up-and-becoming from a line of iconic women through the ages.

Beginning their sophomore year marks the beginning of life changing decisions, of being more than just a Gallagher girl, their CoveOps starts, and with their first field mission changes everything for Cammie.

For legacy Cameron "Cammie" Morgan, Rebecca "Bex" and Liz being a Gallagher girl is not just full of fun, experiments, kick-ass training and danger, it's a way of life, a future and even the past.

I've always been a fan of spy movies, because let's be honest, they're freaking awesome, but I've never delved into the reading side of things. I love the general mystery books, and pretty obsessed with Veronica Mars, but I guess I've never wanted to be disappointed with that type of book. Which is stupid, and I'm a moron because then I would have read this a lot sooner.

Cammie has a special talent, which gave her nickname 'Chameleon', she can blend in, she's quiet, calm and still, she goes by unnoticed, she's a 'pavement artist' and in the field, it's a gift, but it can also be a curse. She loves what she does, and she's determined to be what she's striving to be, what she's proving to herself, and everyone else that she's not just a legacy. She's used to not being seen and she's never had any doubt.

Until she's seen.

By a boy.

Now, the me before reading this would've been rolling her eyes about that. The me now? Still kind of wants to, but I won't. Know why? The romance side of things was sweet, but not sickly, but because it was also painful and bittersweet. You know a relationship based on lies- no matter how much it was needed for safety, will come crashing down. That's the thing, it did, but then it didn't. Josh really cared about her, even though she lied and basically created a whole different person to play that role to protect herself (and everyone else), he just  needed to get to know the real Cammie, and everything would be fine.

It was going to be a somewhat happily ever after.

Then there was that.

Really?

Really?

It hurt, Ally Carter. It hurt.

Cammie was a real contender, and genuine, yes she changed once she started dating Josh, the usual ditching the friends, and that scene with Dillon, but it was slow learning, and even though she knew she didn't belong on the outside, or with Josh, she wanted to keep the fantasy going a little longer- she's only human after all, but she was never selfish. She was actually quite selfless, (Spoiler: but come on, it's been ages) and she showed that through Bex.

Finding out that Bex's spy father hasn't checked in when appointed to, that he could possibly be missing, or worse- dead, like Cammie's father, she wanted to protect Bex, she didn't want her to know when there was the possibility there was no danger. She didn't want her to go through that, she didn't want Bex to feel what she did, what she had, what she is, even though that if the worst happened with Bex's father, and knowing if Bex ever found out that Cammie knew- it would be the end of their friendship.

She was doing it for her.

Overall, Cammie's voice reads well, it's loud and clear, true and realistic in a world of secrets- and it was fun to see, though even a spy and a genius- she turns to the fifteen year old she is around Josh.

For once,  I really liked the other two supporting characters, I loved how Bex was protective of her friends, especially Liz. Bex is loud and proud, she's instinctive, she doesn't think before she acts and it could get her in trouble. It's a learning curve, I guess. Though all of them are surrounded by secrets, Bex knows who she is, she's sure and never hides herself.

Liz is quirky, and is really quite funny in her own way. She has a photographic memory and yet she needs to draw diagrams and floor plans for things because she has to know she knows every little in and outs. She's quiet and a little mousy in the beginning, and I wished we'd had more time to get to know her. I think people underestimate her, when in fact she's really quite sneaky.

Josh was sweet, but I'd like to get to know him more before I make a proper judgement. He's loyal and trusting, he's nice to his parents, he really does like Cammie. Which is why that damn ending frustrated the hell out of me, because despite all of the lies, he does still want to be with her. I still haven't got much of a hold on Josh yet, though. So we'll see.

Know what was really refreshing? The fact that there was no bitchiness (Okay, a little, but it a fun way) there was no back stabbing, and that the three of them were really close, and treated each other like sisters. There wasn't a character I had a problem with, except for Dillon, but that's a given.

What I loved most, exempt from the characters, because characters are of course, the most important thing, but I loved the Academy. The descriptions, the whole espionage of things that with a flick of press of a button, turns into something completely different or normal. Spy worlds are fun, and It's just awesome. Really is.

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You, was a fun, mischievous story that really is the adventure dream, a world I've always wanted to live in.

 Rating: 4.5/5