Amber Undercover by Em Norry

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I'm back with a middle grade release by a Biracial UK author. I've mentioned before that I've read very few books by BAME authors and that I feel most of the ones circulated in the US are memoirs and/or stories about race. Luckily buying online means gaining access to books we wouldn't be able to otherwise. 

This story follows Amber Roberts your average teen who spends time going to school and hanging with her best mate Vi. One day Vi and Amber do a trial run for a new escape room and Amber is called back after the company is impressed with her performance. The reveal the escape room as a front for The Agency and reveal they'd like to train her to become a spy. 

At the same time Amber's parents reveal that they're  having another child. After spending 14 yrs as an only child and being assured she doesn't need siblings it's a drastic change for her. Already she feels they're pushing her away to make room for the new baby. Having trouble grappling her feelings she copes by distancing herself from her mother.

Then her best friend Vi is suddenly friends with her nemesis and she feels like her friendship is breaking down. While at the same time Vi is jealous Amber never has time for her anymore. 

Immediately thrust into this new world of special gadgets and secret trainings, Amber is surprised when she's assigned her first real mission so soon. She's to post as a student at a special school for gifted students in Norway. The girl who has never been outside her hometown gets to spend three weeks out of the country working undercover. Of course she's not too happy when she gets assigned a babysitter in the form of Luca, another teen agent who has been with the agency for four years. Amber has to get out of her comfort zone while trying to fit in at this school among the children of the wealthiest people in Europe. 

This easy read is perfect for the age 10-12 crowd. It's fun escapism that's not trying to send heavy handed messages. Though the ending was a little quick for my liking it had a very episodic feel that left room to expand this into a series if a series isn't already in the works.