In the Middle of It with Amy Kelly, The Ish Girl
The Dish on Author Ally Carter - It's All About Gumption and Gravitas
FEATURING: ALLY CARTER
Today, I’m featuring Ally Carter, author of the Gallagher Girls series, the Heist Society series, and many more. Her books feature kick-butt heroines and fast-paced action, with a lot of mystery thrown in for good measure.
I’ve had the privilege of seeing Ms. Carter speak at a couple of teen book festivals. I’m happy to report that she lives up to the wit, humor, and intelligence that is found in her books. (Sometimes that doesn’t always happen when you meet your heroes, am I right?)
I LOVED hearing her talk about her goal to write mentoring characters for her heroines, guides who had gravitas and gumption. And I loved reading those characters even more – like Eleanor Chancellor, in her Embassy Row series and Cammie’s Mom, Rachel Morgan, in the Gallagher Girls series.
WHAT CHARACTERIZES HER WORKAlly Carter’s work empowers readers, as she walks us through the issues that characterize most of her work:
Dealing with the loss of a parent Trusting yourself Trusting the people around you Relationships with parents Friendships Girl PowerHer twisty endings, her brilliant weaving of history into her plots, and her clever, nail-biting cliffhangers are all reasons why I love her fantastic body of work.
Which is what I want to dive into now. The first Ally Carter book I ever read was “I Could Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You.” How’s that for a title?!
It’s the first in her Gallagher Girls series, and as soon as I finished it, I wanted to read everything she ever wrote.
THE GALLAGHER GIRLSThis is a series that is appropriate for middle-grade readers on up, and it’s all about a girl’s school that looks like a snotty prep academy on the outside, but inside, it’s actually a spy school for girls. The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women is equipped with an underground training facility, former government agents for instructors, and classes like Hacking the CIA 101. The staff and the girls keep their secret at all costs – and the way that plays out is super fun! Think alarms that trigger bookcase flipping, automated accessory swapping (paintings flipping over on the wall by themselves,) and drills to make sure it all runs like a well-oiled machine.
Now, that description alone may sound formulaic, but Carter elevates it with her relatable characters and their baggage – specifically, Cammie Morgan, whose father (a secret agent himself) has died under mysterious circumstances. And did I mention her mother is the headmistress? Yeah. Throw in her tumultuous love life (or lack thereof), a terrorist organization determined to kidnap her, and teachers who may or may not be double agents, and you have the recipe for a complex, tug-at-your-heartstrings series.
The books in the Gallagher Girls series are:
I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You
Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy
Don’t Judge a Girl by Her Cover
You can find them (and all the others I’ll be talking about) in the show notes.
HEIST SOCIETYThe next Ally Carter series I devoured was The Heist Society books. And let me throw in here – I really hate to start a series when the books haven’t ALL been released! But with Ally Carter, I wait on pins and needles until her newest drops. That includes this series – and I still have hopes that she’ll put out a 4th book.)
So, Heist Society. This is a series probably best for older teens because there is some sexual tension – nothing overt, but it’s there, and also, there are some complex historical factors woven in that touch on things like the Holocaust.
These books feature Katarina “Kat” Bishop, who is part of a long line of art thieves. Carter paints the picture of a “royal” family of con artists that’s been around for centuries. Kat is part the newest generation, and from an early age, she’s been taught all the ins and outs of running scams and, well, heists, by the best in the business.
With a crew that consists of her beautiful, sophisticated cousin (Gabrielle) , a set of brothers (Angus and Hamish Bagshaw) who are a cross between the Weasly twins and the two brothers in Ocean’s 11, a tech whiz (Simon), and an ever-mysterious boy billionaire (Hale – specifically, W.W. Hale the Fifth. Hale is her friend of several years, there’s definite tension between them – as in the attraction kind of tension.)
Kat and her team travel the world to pull off their heists, and she’s often reluctant participant. But she’s also one of the best, and extenuating circumstances keep pulling her back into the family business.
There are mysteries within mysteries – like, is Nick (the charming teen who tried to pick Kat’s pocket) a good guy or a bad guy? And what is the WW part of Hale’s name? And who is Vasily Romani?
While this may sound like the teen version of the Ocean’s movies, or The Italian Job, what makes it really come alive are the very flawed characters (much like in the Gallagher Girls.) They may look like cookie cutouts on the surface, but their complexities and weaknesses are what makes these stories great.
The books in the Heist Society Series are:
The Grift of the Magi (This is a short novella.)
CROSSOVER FUNOkay, I also have to mention another novella that Carter wrote that’s a crossover between the Gallagher world and the Heist Society world, Double Crossed: A Spies and Thieves Story. If I didn’t already love Ally Carter, this book would definitely seal the deal!
EMBASSY ROWOkay, I’m just going to touch briefly on the next series, the Embassy Row books. I have to be brutally honest here and say I’m not as excited about them as I was her first two series. I think it’s because I found the main character, Grace Blakely, so unlikeable. Which is harsh, I admit, but as a reader, I have a hard time connecting with victim-y characters. Which Grace definitely seems like, as she tries to navigate the aftereffects of her mother’s murder, and the amnesia she’s had since the night it happened. Grace is one of Carter’s most deeply flawed characters, and it was difficult for me to read – sort of like watching a train wreck – you don’t really want to see, but you can’t look away.
Moving on, as Grace faces the challenges of trying to get her family to believe she’s not crazy, make a place for herself in her Grandfather’s world (he’s the American Ambassador to fictional Adria,) and remember the details of that awful night her Mom died, she slowly starts to trust the group of kids who surround her. Kids from all over the world, who like her, live on Embassy Row in Adria. They’re a motley crew, and of course, there’s a love interest there. One that is layered and complicated, in true Carter fashion.
One of the best parts of the Embassy Row series is Grace’s Grandfather’s Chief of Staff, Eleanor Chancellor – I mentioned her before, as one of the mentoring women that Ally Carter talked about during a teen book festival I attended. It’s unclear if Ms. Chancellor is a hero or villain, but regardless, she has the gravitas to help Grace get back on her feet.
As Grace gets closer to solving the mystery of who killed her mother, another secret starts to unravel – one that not only impacts Grace but the country of Adria and the whole world.
And while it’s not my favorite, The Embassy Row does have Carter’s trademarks: high suspense and twisty plotlines.
Here are the books in the Embassy Row series:
Ally Carter has several other stand-alone novels, but I’m going to stop here today. Except for adding that one of her most recent books, Not if I Save You First, is also awesome.
CONVERSATION QUESTIONS WITH YOUR TEENThese books really encompass her complex, girl-powered, fast-paced style. And, they’re really great for jumping into conversations with your teen with questions like:
What does it mean to be able to trust someone? When is it okay to keep secrets from the people you’re closest to? When you’re facing a crisis, when should you go to an adult for help? How do you know who your “true” friends are? What can you do if you’ve made a big mistake – one that’s caused a lot of damage not only to yourself but to others? How do you know when to fight for justice? What does it mean to be a strong woman? What’s the best way to learn how to trust yourself?Okay, I can’t wait to hear how you and your teen enjoy Ally Carter’s books! Please be sure to DM me or reply to my email this week.
Referenced in this Episode
For exclusive content, Sign Up for The Ish Girl’s Weekly Email!