Mission Catwalk

Jessica Cole: Model Spy #2

by Sarah Sky

Jessica Cole: Topmodel und Geheimagentin.
Nur knapp konnte Jessica dem verrückten Ex-Model Allegra Knight entkommen. Deshalb hat sie eigentlich längst genug von der Spionage. Aber dann wird sie erpresst und muss undercover für die Sicherheit eines kratzbürstigen russischen Topmodels sorgen. Vor der Küste von Monaco auf einer Jacht in der Sonne liegen und bei Fashion shows eine gute Figur machen, scheint Jessica zunächst wie ein leichter Job. Bald entpuppt er sich aber als tödliche Mission: Jessica ist die einzige, die verhindern kann, dass die gefährlichste Waffe der Welt in die falschen Hände fällt …

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Espionage, Contemporary

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2015

Reviews

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophie (12 yrs old):

"Fashion Assassin was a great book with a great plot. The characters were funny and so easy to imagine. I liked the disguises the villains wore and all the sudden twists you don't see coming. The gadgets are even better than the first book, with sensor lipsticks, computer sunglasses, language translating ipods, walkie-talkie earrings!

All my fav characters and villains are back, like Jamie, Beckie, Margaret, Jessica, Nathan ... and some new ones: Kat, Dr Fedorovna ...

It was exciting, fast paced and a thrilling adventure. I can't wait for the next one!!!!!"

[pran? · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is literally PERFECT. I found it in my school library once and have read it countless times since-I must read for y'all-I love ALL the characters and the gadgets & missions are just DROOLWORTHY!!!

[Ahana~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you dream of being a spy with lots of gadgets , this book is ideal! I was really excited about this book and after reading , I loved it. This book starts with Jessica Cole, a model who's modelling business has been derailed by a MI6 agent after getting entangled with MI6 , six months before. Her chance to be a Westwood agent had also been snatched away due to the MI6 agent's plan to destroy Jessica's career. After these six months, she got a project in New York which would help her pay her father's hospital bills . Things goes bad when Margaret , the MI6 , agent blackmails her to be a undercover bodyguard of a stroppy Russian supermodel whose father has links in the black market and possesses a destructive weapon......

The most brilliant thing about this book which I liked is the super cool gadgets. Anyone would want a pair of Gucci sunglasses with a X-ray vision , night vision, a GPRs system and an access to a private computer or a Swarovski compact mirror with telescopic vision and a camera or even a lipstick with motion sensor. I loved the characters. The character Katyenka is the most layered . At first she is just a little brat and then we get to realize that she is a liar with motives but at last suddenly she wants to help MI6 along with the protagonist, Jessica. The book is really awesome. It has mystery, and of course action. Overall, it was worth reading and met my expectations!

[Chelley Toy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on www.talesofyesterday.co.uk

Again, like Code Red Lipstick (the first in the Jessica Cole Series) I will be starting this review off with a huge wow!

Wow! What a sequel to Code Red Lipstick! Again this 2nd book in this series had everything! Jessica remained a strong, cool main character with super cool gadgets, super gorgeous dresses, a trip to Monaco and a super luxury yacht! What more could I ask for! I loved every second of reading this book and Sarah Sky pulls you right into the action, danger and suspense with twisty turns, a rich Russian family, some new and old familiar faces and a ghost!

Fashion Assassin moves us six months on from the ending of Code Red Lipstick where we find Jessica has been struggling for modelling work due to her name being tarnished by an MI6 agent with a grudge! With her Dad unwell in hospital and her godfather in a coma Jessica is taking all the modelling jobs she can to help out back home. She is then blackmailed and forced into a mission that will test her skills and patience! On the plus side she gets to stay on a luxury Yacht in Monaco ! On the downside she cannot tell her family, boyfriend or best friend that she has accepted this mission to protect them as well as a spoilt brat called Kat who's gold teethed dad pampers her every need and tells Jessica that some one is threatening to kill Kat! As a matter of national and international security Jessica may be facing her hardest mission yet! It's lucky Jessica does not believe in ghosts as she is about to receive a ghostly message!

Jessica must remember her Dad's rules - Notice everything. Question everything. When in trouble, do absolutely anything to get away!

Phew…..what an action packed summary!

Straight from the offset this book pulled me in and got me fully intrigued with a brilliant prologue! The prologue tells the story of pop star Madison who whilst attending the Grammy's wears a million dollar diamond necklace and this is when we first encounter the mysterious ghost! This sets up the book brilliantly and made me immediately want to read more!

This book had some great characters! Old and new! One of my favourite characters was Kat who's love for Kesha (the popstar) knows no bounds! Yes she was annoying and very frustrating and that is exactly how she is meant to come across - that's her character but I loved her strops and tantrums as they gave me as a reader a bit of a giggle amongst all of the action and goings on. Jessica aptly names her Kat the Brat and Kat is her Dad's little kotik - little cat!

Fashion Assassin does not fail on gadgets for Jessica either! At one point I almost cried when Jessica was told she was not allowed any gadgets on this mission! WHAT! I shrieked at my book and then felt Sarah Sky had done exactly what she set out to do in her writing as when the gadgets were given to Jessica they were AMAZING! Some gadget highlights for me were a Chanel lipstick movement sensor with diamond earrings that will alert Jessica if the sensor is triggered! I was highly disappointed I did not get these for valentines day yesterday! :-) There was also a charm bracelet with explosives, a pendant necklace which would provide oxygen for seven minutes if deprived of oxygen or underwater and a gold Rolex watch with wire stronger than steel and a laser to cut through steel also! These are simply must have's for any model spy....and I simply want them in my life too! I loved seeing one of my old favourites from Code Red Lipstick making an appearance again too...the loose powder compact where you blow the powder at a suspect to knock them out, but this time with extra modifications including a photograph scanner and fingerprint storage facility! Wow! Love! Love! Love!

I think the reason I loved this book so much was that with every page turn there was tension and mystery or even a twist which turned all my theory's upside down even when I thought I had it sussed! The ending was full on action packed and I could not turn the pages fast enough! With the pacing being perfect and my heart racing faster I flew through this book and it didn't disappoint and with a very intriguing last line in the book I can't wait for the next instalment of the wonderful Jessica Cole series!

I would recommend this book to any one looking for an action packed adventure with a hint of mystery, humour and a kick ass heroine!

If ever I were in trouble I would call Jessica Cole….or if she’s not available definitely Sarah Sky who is a master of Karate and could do some serious damage! *gulps*

PS - if my husband is reading this I will now also like a trip to Monaco as well as Paris! Hint Hint Hint! Don't give me that look...you can blame Sarah Sky for introducing me to these wonderful places in her books and taking me on a fictional adventure that I want to see for myself as they sound so beautiful!

And a million dollar yacht wouldn't go a miss either ;-)

For more reviews and more please visit www.talesofyesterday.co.uk

[Isabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first i was doubtful about whether i would like this mystery. But right from the first page i began to fall in love with Jessica’s tale. This book is an amazing read with twists around every corner and surprise on every yacht.😉 it truly was an awesome story and made me want to become a spy just like Jessica (although i doubt that will ever happen😂) It had me hunting down other books by Sarah Sky. P.S. Those are next on my list!

[ciorbanora · Rating 5 out of 5]

don't judge a book by its cover
hätte nie gedacht dass so ein buch soooo gut wäre! hat mich so erstaunt! hätte gedacht es wäre über modeling und make up und solches, aber doch nicht! es war alles so spannend! alles über Spionage! nicht guckt auf das erste wort des titels, sondern das zweite. dieses buch hat mich einfach sprachlos gemacht. hat viel auch mit meinem Leben gemeinsam. Hätte nie gedacht! ist so mein Bücherstil! wie the inheritance games und hawthorne legacy! sehr geil!

[Fedryna valqish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing storyline

[Sienna P · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book about a girl who is a model and a Secret Spy!

[pooja · Rating 4 out of 5]

first book i read when i was in like grade four, remember loving it. that’s all tbh.

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in this model/spy book. Sadly this one didn't have a lot of modelling, it was mostly spying and bodyguarding. Which is ok, but I was hoping that it would be a nice balance of modelling/spying again, like with the last book.

Jessica is back in this new book, this time she is going to bodyguard a very rich and spoiled brat named Kat, who is also a fellow model. Next to that job we still have Margaret and her dangerous stuff, then we have Vectra and also Allegra, Jessica's dad who is still in the hospital and several other things. I do have to be honest and say that at times it was just too much. Sure, most of it is connected, but I have to say that at times I just lost the thread of the story and I had to retrace to check what I just read. At times I was also a bit bored since the story didn't seem to go anywhere but run around in loops. If I have to say it even easier, the first half was a part that I just raced through (still being confused at times though), but the latter half took me quite a few hours and at times I was just checking the page numbers to see if I was near the end or not.
Don't get me wrong, the book is good, but there was just too much, and it took too long. And also, it was just silly to see how people manage to escape or how stuff suddenly took a twist for something different. I was just rolling my eyes.

We also have a new character named Kat, and dear Lord what a piece of poop that girl is. I hated her from the beginning, and while at times I liked her, that like was instantly destroyed when we find out she lied. Maybe if she had a normal family and wasn't spoiled to death by her dad, maybe she would have turned out to be different. But for now? I am worried that we will see more of her, but as long as it isn't a role that is as big as it is in here, then I will be happy.

Jessica was really great in this one, I am still amazed that she can juggle being a model and a spy. Both are jobs that will eat a lot of time, and that both require a person to be on time. Jessica is also smart (though at times I already saw it coming and the hints were there and it took Jessica ages to figure it out). I loved how dedicated she is to her dad and her grandmother. But I didn't like how she overreacted when she saw that and immediately distrusted her friends. Bleh, if you had any trust you would know what it is, and you would also just be more reasonable. Nooo, instead this whole thing just continues throughout the whole book, being enormously annoying.
I loved how Jessica was kick-ass, making good use of what her dad taught her, and also the gadgets she got. She truly went through some life threatening situations but she managed just fine in all of them. She is turning out to be a great asset for MI6. :)
And luckily in this one she didn't jump to conclusions as much as she did in the last book. Thank Lord.
I also hope for her that her modelling will pick up again, she is amazing and I would love some more modelling work in the future as that is a big reason why I picked up the books.
I will also stick to my: I still don't believe she is 14 years old. Like I said in the review for the first book, she seems too mature and too different from most 14-year olds, I would still say she is more like 16 or 17.

I was also happy to see that person back in the books, I was worried about them, worried that they wouldn't return, so imagine my delight when they popped up.

I loved the gadgets and I would love to have them and use them. Though I am not a spy, so I might just use them for the sake of fun. :) Laser-cutting my vegetables while cooking, or taking a dive and using that necklace. I was a bit sad though that she so easily tossed away her mom's necklace in favour of the new one. Sure, that one won't save lives, but it still felt odd that she so easily parted with it and after that we never hear about it again. Oh well.
Hopefully the next book will bring some new gadgets.

All in all, while I did like/love this book, there were just a few things that I didn't like and that is why I can't give it higher than a 4 stars.

Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Grace Sargeant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5

Fashion Assassin was a great follow up to Code Red Lipstick. The plot is taking an interesting turn and I’m curious to find out the truth behind everything in book three!

Jessica was struggling to find work in this book because Margaret, who had somehow managed to get away scot free despite her various crimes, was spreading rumours that Jessica was some kind of nightmare model diva who was terrible to work with. She only had one modelling job lined up with Sebastian who seemed to be the only person not taking notice of the rumours, so it seemed like it’d be a pretty boring summer ahead for Jessica. But of course, this was Jessica, so I wasn’t surprised when she managed to get mixed up with more MI6 business - mostly thanks to threats from Margaret (ugh Margaret, I hated this woman so much) and the next few weeks were far from boring. Forced to guard Kat, the fourteen year old daughter of a Russian billionaire, Jessica had her work cut out for her. Kat was such a bratty teenager, she threw tantrums when she didn’t get her way and she was constantly causing trouble. Jessica had to make sure to keep her safe, as well as investigate other things, and I could understand why she was so frustrated! You could never really tell when Kat was being genuine, and after the ending, I am veeery intrigued to see how Jessica gets on with her in the next book, because honestly, if I were Jessica, I’d be pretty pissed off about that situation too.

Jessica was also having some personal problems, mainly to do with her friend Becky and her crush Jamie. I sort of guessed what was really going on here, but I liked the fact that we got to see Jessica worry about normal teen stuff, because it reminded you that while Jessica may be a spy on a mission with lots of cool gadgets, she was still a teenager, with regular problems that she had to deal with alongside her spy life. I think Jessica struggled with having to keep her spy life a secret from her friends, and I think that will become even more of an issue in the third book. She missed out on events and gatherings because she was working, and it made her feel left out. It’ll be interesting to see how she deals with everything! I have to admit, I do hope we get to see more of Jamie in book three. So far he’s pretty much just been a name on a page, and we know very little about him, so it’s a bit hard to understand why Jessica likes him so much. I’m hoping more of an appearance in book three will help out with this (though I do appreciate the lack of sappiness and the focus on the spy stuff instead of romance).

Plot-wise, like with book one, I did guess a lot of things, but this book was entertaining nonetheless. I loved all the scenes involving Nathan, and I really liked reading about the clever ways Jessica managed to get herself out of some sticky situations! She definitely was able to think fast when she needed to save herself. I also loved the ending (I felt for Jessica, I really did) and I am very intrigued to find out what happens in the next book. I am very excited to see the training scenes and also to learn more about the mystery behind Jessica’s mother’s death (I am so curious! That last line! I need more!).

Overall, Fashion Assassin was a fab sequel. I must admit the some of the mystery aspects (though not all because as mentioned previously, I have no idea yet what the ending will lead to) are easier to predict if you (like me) have read a lot of books of this kind before, but even so, I’m enjoying this series so far, and I’m looking forward to picking up book three.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this book for review from Scholastic, but that didn't change the fact that I enjoyed the book. In fact, I did ask for the book, because I read the first one and really enjoyed it, but that doesn't affect my review, although I got the book for free.

I read Sarah Sky: Code Red Lipstick way back in February or March, after the UKYA Extravaganza where I originally bought it. I really loved the book, it was super enjoyable and surprising, because I didn't think that I would enjoy a teen crime novel. But I did.

After I joined the blog tour for the final book in the series, I was offered this book, and I gladly took it, because I wanted to catch up on the events of the story before picking up the third and final book after it came out.

Fashion Assassin is the second book in the 'Jessica Cole: Model Spy Series' by Sarah Sky. These witty novels starring fourteen year old model and spy, Jessica Cole, are each a crazy mystery which she solves with the help of her quick mind, and usually against the will of some professional agent...
This time, Jessica is in Monaco, dealing with the stroppy, spoilt supermodel daughter of a Russian millionaire. Something strange is happening, but can Jessica solve the issue before the past catches up with her?

I had a small issue with the book which is why it just missed out on a 5 star rating, and that was this; Jessica is too mature. I am not saying this in a jealous way, but after a while I felt a little confused why exactly a fourteen year old girl would have no deal with so much. I was thinking, "So you are allowing your daughter to travel the world by herself, when she isn't even allowed to..?" To me it would have made sense if she was sixteen or seventeen. I felt this more towards the end, because that is where a lot of the mind-boggling action happened, but I wasn't too fazed by it. I've met mature fourteen year olds. And I have met six foot one fourteen year olds.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend for you to pick them up. They are super fun, there is also a witty comment or two in each chapter, and you will literally want to have your head in the story the entire time because it is so hooking and enjoyable. Sarah has a great eye for knowing what exactly will make her books so exciting, and it gives her books an age. Definitely go find this one after you have read Code Red Lipstick!

[Bronwyn Lok · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review at my link text.

This time around, there were not as much glitz and glamour of the modelling world as Margaret had smeared Jessica's name, so she did not get as much modelling jobs. Instead, there was more sleuthing and spying. Jessica was not as rash, and actively went around looking for suspicious characters. As with the first book, it had larger-than-life crimes, featuring ghost-like thefts that were committed under an invisibility cloak, again made from nano particles. Not only did Jessica had her gadgets from book one, she had new ones like the X-ray and heat-sensing sunglasses, Rolex watches that shoot lasers and grappling hook, a bracelet with an explosive charm, and a necklace pendant that provides oxygen for seven minutes. The author was smart to start the book with the mysterious theft of a popstar's expensive diamond necklace at the Grammy's by a ghost. It immediately pulled your attention to the story right from the start. The romance played a bigger role, but still just a small one compared to other books of this genre. Jessica was officially dating Jamie, but Jessica and us readers still did not get to see much of him. He just had one small appearance at the end of the book and a single text message with only a ":(" face. Jessica was suffering through a lot of jealousy in the relationship though, as Jamie's band was very famous and he had a lot of groupies.
The story still had a lot of twists and turns, with even more action than before as several people were actively after Jessica's life. I also liked Jesssica's grandmother more in this book. She was just a prim and much-too-strict woman in the first book, but in this she was also one badass former spy grandma that could land a plummeting plane. Kat was a horrible character that was really hard to like though, which I think was kind of the point. She was quite the interesting character though, as we could see through the book how neglect from her father and having a rich socialite life made her such a bratty girl. She used all these reasons as her excuse every time her misdeeds were discovered, but really she was just plain evil and a really good actress. Only Jessica had seen her true face. Things would get a lot more interesting with Kat as Jessica's tentative ally / enemy.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will be honest and admit that although I liked the previous book, Code Red Lipstick, there were parts that just didn't seem believable to me. So when Fashion Assassin came up for review I wanted to take the chance and read it, hoping that I would enjoy it more, and enjoy it I did.
After the events in Code Red Lipstick, Jessica has found it hard to get jobs, her name has been dragged through mud and no-one wants to work with her except Sebastian. On her way home from her shoot she is duped and taken to meet Margaret, who then blackmails her to be undercover bodyguard watching Kat Ingorokva, a spoilt model, and the daughter of a very rich man who has people out to get him.
However Jessica soon discovers that this new job isn't going to be as easy as she thought and finds herself in a lot of trouble.

Fashion Assassin was an enjoyable, action packed read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Jessica's latest mission and seeing what new gadgets she gets to take along with her. I also felt like Fashion Assassin was far more believable to me, the things that Jessica does, or manages to escape from felt like they could be done by a 'real' person. The characters annoyed me, but in the way they were meant to, especially Kat, but they also made me smile when unexpected things happen.

Fashion Assassin definitely had me wanting to know more, and find out what would happen next. Each new page added more tension to the scene, or added another element into the mix. When I thought I had the culprit picked out, someone else was thrown in to make me doubt myself, I even believed some things characters were saying.

The ending was dramatic, and full of action, and had me on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen. The last sentence of the book definitely has me very intrigued and wanting to know more. I can't wait to see what happens next for Jessica and her family.

Final Verdict
Fashion Assassin was an enjoyable book that has not only piqued my interest in the characters, but also this series. I need the next one now.

[Anya (An Awful Lot of Reading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jessica is off on another jet-setting adventure, this time on a millionaire's yacht in Monte Carlo, protecting fellow model, dangerous guy's daughter and most annoying young woman in the world. Good lord, Kat was a horrible person- spoilt, flashy, loud and incredibly overbearing - but so well-written that I couldn't help but look for something more. As I realised from Sky's first book, characters are rarely as they seem and yes, Kat was awful but much cleverer than everyone gave her credit it for.

Jessica was tasked by one and only bad-guy who tried to kill her in the first book! Let's just say trust was not in large supply. When Kat's father receives death threats and holds a critical position in the up-coming election, Jessica has to protect Kat with her life. However, there seems to be more than meets the eye going on on this yacht and Jessica has to find out the truth before the most dangerous and world-changing weapon is released onto the black market.

I think this was better than the first: on a bigger scale, a more confident protagonist and more secrets, Sky had definitely gotten into the swing of things with writing this one. As Jessica held a bit more confidence in her abilities, and the stakes were a lot higher, I found this one a much more entertaining read. From a disguised enemy hiding in plain sight to trouble back home with her best friend, Jessica had a lot to deal with in this adventure but she handled it like a pro, I thought, despite cutting a little close sometimes!

[Lindsay Galvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teen model and schoolgirl Jessica Cole is recruited once more as undercover agent, and this time the stakes are even higher!

I received a review copy of Fashion Assassin and am so glad I did. Fashion Assassin is the all-action sequel to fast paced teen spy adventure, Code Red Lipstick.

Although set only a short while after the first book, Jessica has a new self confidence and determination and is all the more at home in the world of MI6. Tasked with a terrifying mission that will not only test her operational skills, but also her patience and nerve, Jessica finds herself adventuring in the most luxury of venues — a millionaire's yacht in Monaco. This time not only the safety of herself and her family are at risk - but also national and international security. Luckily Jessica is not simply armed with her bravery, smarts and impressive round-house kick, but has a veritable arsenal of fierce new gadgets. But she couldn't be prepared for the formidable hi-tech weapon she'll be faced with. Good thing Jessica Cole does not believe in ghosts...

(This time round I want Jessica's Rolex and the necklace. Oh, and the sunglasses. And I definitely need those earrings.)

[Jo Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would say I have been very lucky to read all three books in one go and the second in this series doesn't disappoint.

This sequel it just as good if not better than the first book I was treated to some fabulous locations along the way.

What more can you want from a spy novel, hot dresses, lots of action and mystery, also the gadgets are back. Jessica is still a really strong inspiring character which I loved from a book aimed at teenagers just to show that you can do anything you put your mind to.
Jessica is struggling as her dad is in hospital, her godfather is also ill and her modelling career is floundering due to an MI6 agent with a grudge.

This book would put some adults books to shame with its intrigue. With every page it had me guessing what would happen next and I have to say I everything I guessed at was totally wrong.


Teenage girls will love this.

[gem · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this is one sitting because I was enjoying it so much. Jessica Cole has once again found herself embroiled in a dangerous situation where the stakes are higher than ever... I love the fact that the story combines mystery,action, friendship, the glitzy world of modelling and the high tech gadgets of the life of a spy - what more could you possibly want! It's the perfect book for fans of Ruby Redfort by Lauren Oliver, Young Bond by Charlie Higson and Geek Girl by Holly Smale. Read this series now!

[Mackenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book to be taken to Jessica's world and fight of enimies together.

[Zainab · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is so cool as it carries on from the last book, it contains even better spy scenes and chapters. I can't wait till the next book.

[Ri Shah · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was okay

[Aaliya · Rating 4 out of 5]

amazing recommend to all and happy to lend to school friends

[Emma M]

I love her blue sunglasses! Jessica Cole from this book has really improved from her last book I think because she is now up to date with her spying techniques!

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an awesome book. It had the usual cool gadgets. It was very spytastic ! I'm sure those who love spy stories with fashion filled thrill would really enjoy it. :)