Review Detail

Fifteen-and-a-half-year-old Amani lives with her mother and feels out of place as the only plus-sized Black girl at her prominently white private school. Her father is a researcher and often is out on assignments. Then Amani sees a strange man stalking their home. After their home in L.A. is destroyed by fire, her doctor mother, has them move in with a friend and signs Amani up to attend the local high school. Things then get worse when Amani's mother confesses the truth: they work as undercover agents and their cell has been compromised. This means that Amani and her mother flee underground to Mexico and then Cuba. Seems a mole has lied about her missing father, saying he's part of ISIS. Amani finds herself in the middle of something right out of a spy novel. Only in this case, her whole family is being targeted.

What worked: Satisfying companion novel to UNDERCOVER LATINA. In this story, we're introduced to fifteen-year-old Amani. She knows something's off with her mother, who only gives vague answers to Amani's many questions.

Amani is strong, loyal, and determined to help her father. She struggles after her mother finally tells the truth that she's an operative in a rogue undercover group.

Love diversity novels and this one is no exception! I really liked having a Black teen. After she finds out her parents are spies, Amani is willing to help out in any way she can.

There's also a sweet hint of a possible romance with a cute boy named Dexter, who she later finds is in fact a handler.

This adventure has Amani traveling to Cancun, Mexico to Cuba, and then back to San Francisco in the hopes of redeeming her father. Along the way, she learns that the code games her father taught her as a child come in handy.

Fast-paced engaging tale with a Black teen who finds out her parents are in fact, spies. Totally recommend.