Power Play

Mrs. Smith's Spy School for Girls #2

by Beth McMullen

Abby and the rest of her friends go international as they embark on their first “official” Center mission in this second book in the Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls series.

After discovering the truth about her spy school/boarding school—and her super-spy mom—Abby Hunter is ready for her next adventure, but what’s about to happen is something she never would have guessed…

Everyone at The Smith School is obsessed with Monster Mayhem, the latest reality video game craze. But when Drexel Caine, the mastermind behind the game is suddenly kidnapped, it becomes clear that the kidnappers are playing for more than just special badges.

After Drexel’s son—who is Abby’s friend, Toby—receives a cryptic message, Abby and her friends discover the kidnapping is part of a bigger scheme that could take down The Center for good.

With the help of Abby’s frenemy (and reluctant mentor), Veronica Brooks, the group tackles their first official Center Mission. They tangle with the world’s most notorious hacker, get in trouble for the possible theft of the Mona Lisa, and prepare for the ultimate showdown in London. But not before they have to contend with one more hurdle: the agonizing Smith School Spring Formal. Along the way, they discover they are much stronger as a team they can ever be alone.

And with a little luck, they might just save the world.

Genres: Mystery, Middle Grade, Adventure, Fiction, Audiobook, Young Adult, Childrens

289 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 3, 2018

About the author

Beth McMullen lives with her family and an assortment of pets in Davis, CA. She writes for adults and kids. Look for Mrs. Smith's Spy School for Girls from Aladdin/S&S in July 4, 2017.

Reviews

[Nadja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Time just flies by with these short chapters and I had as much fun reading as with the first one in the series.

Believathon II: Journey to the Stronghold. The Book-Keeper's Stronghold: Read the next book in a series!

[Love is Books · Rating 1 out of 5]

جلد دوم هم مثل جلد اول پر از باگ و خلل‌های داستانی بود. اصلا این همه مشخصه‌های غربی رو یک بچه ده ساله متوجه می‌شود؟ چیزهایی که حتی مترجم هم نفهمیده بعضی‌هاش رو.
دختری که علاقه داره جاسوس باشه، همه امکانات براش فراهم میشه، شرور داستان رو گیر میندازه و آخر سر به نحو معجزه‌آسایی از مرگ زنده برمیگرده (کتاب قبلی از انفجار توی دستش زنده موند، این جلد از برق گرفتگی توی آب)!
خلاصه‌اش رو بخواین یه داستان خیلی الکی خوشحال!

[Gouri Verma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gosh, this author’s writing style is so good!!! I AM IN LOVE WITH IT!!! I loved this book more than anything!! There were a whole bunch of twists in this one❤️❤️❤️❤️

I really loved Charlotte and Izumi even more in this book!! They were super funny and smart!! I even loved Veronica this time😙 This one sets in Paris🥳 This atmosphere was sooo good!!! It was really halirious and I loved Toby even more!!❤️

I loved it!!❤️

[Wendy MacKnight · Rating 5 out of 5]

They’re back...

And better than ever! When Toby’s goes missing, he turns to our favourite girl spy, Abby for assistance. Abby, along with friends Izumi and Charlotte, are on the case, one that takes them from the school to the Louvre and then on to London. Along the way, Abby will face her greatest challenges to date. Can she succeed and take down the hacker?

McMullen has crafted another thrilling adventure! Can’t wait for book three!

[Elisa_Bookaholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was a perfect 2nd to Abby Hunter's adventers! I need to read the third and finish this series!

[AMY · Rating 5 out of 5]

274 pages. The adventure continues in book 2 with lots of dangerous world-wide locations, intriguing gaming challenges, and some serious bad guys with an evil agenda. I liked how the author further developed the main character, Abby, with a backdrop of friends attending a fake prom and freaking out over some boys liking them enough to extend an invitation to the dance. This time Toby has Abby and friends so worried they will stop at nothing to try to locate and help him. But since they are not yet properly trained as spies, they are lacking many skills. This leaves the reader worried but hopeful as they progress through a series of challenges in this drama-filled adventure. Highly recommended for Grades 5-6. I can't wait to read the next book in the series...I am reaching for it right NOW! HA!

[Lisa Schmid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author, Beth McMullen has leveled-up with this action-packed adventure. Abby and her friends are back to save the day, and there is never a dull moment. Book two in the series takes the spy kids on a wild escapade through Paris and London, chasing a nefarious gamer. The dialogue is witty, and the story is fast-paced, sprinkled with laugh-out-loud humor. I love this book!

[Clara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book by an amazing author. I love how there is so much foreshadowing and anticipation. I can't wait to read book #3 and after that maybe #4 coming out soon???

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review coming soon!

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great 2nd book, & I fell even more in love with these characters& their amazing friendship. Still such incredible banter & dialogue between them, & amazing humor. I loved the mystery/adventure with this one, & how it ties in especially with one of our friends. Just the whole idea of this one was so intriguing, & kept me guessing as well. We even go through Paris & London with these kids on their wild adventure, & it’s just as fast-paced as the 1st book. Great underlying messages again too. Highly recommend. Another BEAUTIFUL cover by Vivienne To of course as well.💜

[Esmeralda_L+L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. :)

[Gail Nall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone at The Smith School is obsessed with Monster Mayhem, the latest reality video game craze. But when Drexel Caine, the mastermind behind the game is suddenly kidnapped, it becomes clear that the kidnappers are playing for more than just special badges. After Drexel’s son—who is Abby’s friend, Toby—receives a cryptic message, Abby and her friends discover the kidnapping is part of a bigger scheme that could take down The Center for good.

With the help of Abby’s frenemy (and reluctant mentor), Veronica Brooks, the group tackles their first official Center Mission. They tangle with the world’s most notorious hacker, get in trouble for the possible theft of the Mona Lisa, and prepare for the ultimate showdown in London. But not before they have to contend with one more hurdle: the agonizing Smith School Spring Formal. Along the way, they discover they are much stronger as a team they can ever be alone.

And with a little luck, they might just save the world.

This was a fun follow-up to last year's Mrs. Smith's Spy School for Girls! Thirteen-year-old, spy-wannabe Abby finds herself on a whirlwind international adventure, searching for her friend Toby's missing father. Abby, Toby, and their friends race against the clock through an online monster-catching game, hoping for more clues from the villain who kidnapped Toby's dad. But it turns out the villain wants more than just control of the game . . .

Fast-paced and funny, Power Play is a quick read. The star of the book is Abby's voice. She's a little sarcastic, smart, and always hopelessly in trouble. The supporting characters are fun and add a lot to the story, and I loved the beginning of some teen drama sneaking into their relationships. Moving the story between the boarding school, Paris, Florida, and London keeps the pace moving along (as does Abby's ability to constantly find a way to sneak off). I especially enjoyed seeing Abby come into her own as a future spy during the climax of the book. Kids who enjoy adventure stories, spies, and friendship books will love this series!

[Kristin Crouch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Beth McMullen for providing an ARC of Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls: Power Play to #collabookation for review.
When the prominent father of a Smith School student disappears, Abby, Toby, Izumi, and Charlotte must figure out how to rescue him. In doing so, they uncover a plot to destroy the entire school. Luckily, they have a bit of experience with espionage. Like a true spy tale, the kids have amazing resources at their fingertips, and this alone will have students captivated. But there are also friendships, which are changing as the kids grow up. This is a consistent theme in middle-grade books, but in this one it isn't the main story. In Power Play, it isn't so much that they're growing apart, but as they are growing up their differences are becoming more pronounced. What I appreciated was the main character adapting to the changing friendships, knowing the friendships are worth it, and standing by through them all. It's refreshing to see the give and take this entails.
Power Play is the second in the Mrs. Smith’s Spy Girl series. I did not read the first, and I plan to rectify that. The books do not have to be read in order, but I'm pretty sure there are significant spoilers in book 2. This is my own fault, and my main point is: buy both. I will, and maybe by the time I do I'll have forgotten some of the spoilers...But, I digress.
Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls: Power Play features strong, brave, adventurous kids who know they face high risks. One aspect I particularly liked was the focus on sticking with the team, but also knowing when you have to branch off. Students will enjoy these adventures, and I look forward to seeing how the characters evolve as the series continues!

[michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

* Thank you to the #KidLitExchange for the chance to review this book. All opinions are my own.

This was a really fun book and you didn't have to read book #1 for it to make complete sense. As the book starts, if you hadn't already picked it up from the title, you understand that Abby and her friends are in a special spy school and obsessed with an online game called Monster Mayhem. Abby is a bit of a wild card, unwilling to obey rules and not always thinking things through before moving forward. Plan doesn't seem to be in her vocabulary. When one of her closest friends' father, and the inventor of Monster Mayhem, gets kidnapped from the school, Abby and her friends are on the case. The usual missteps and mess-ups happen as 12 year olds try to save Drexel Caine without telling any adults what they are doing.

One of the neat things about this book is that Abby keeps messing up. She isn't actually in spy school yet. Her school is a front for a spy school and the girls haven't yet started spy training. She means well, but finds that she doesn't always think things through perfectly and gets herself and her friends into some sticky situations. But even when she struggles, she doesn't give up and admits that she still has a lot to learn. The other part that I appreciated was how much she both realized and acknowledged that she needed her friends and that they worked better as a team than as individuals. They each had special talents that together made them stronger.

I kind of want to go back and read book one (if only I had time!) but I see this as a series that a lot of middle school girls are going to get into.

[Shawnna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to @kidlitexchange network for a review copy of this book - all opinions are my own.

Power Play picks up where the first book left off - Abby, and 8th grader at a private school that just happens to train older kids as spies, has finished her first (accidental) mission and desperately wants to be trained but is still too young. When her friend Toby's father is kidnapped and Toby has to try and get his father back, Abby and her friends help him. Their quest takes them to Paris, London and Florida and includes her former mentor, Veronica.

As a parent, I am a little concerned the kids take too much into their own hands and consistently go around adults. The only time an adult is called in is when they get caught (so for this reason, as an adult, I would give this book 3 stars). HOWEVER, if I were a kid, I would love this book. It's fast paced, has fun locations and spy gear, and Abby is very relateable. A great follow up to the first book in the series!

[Laura Mossa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abby Hunter is back for another thrilling adventure.  Fellow classmate Toby's father and creator of the hit reality game Monster Mayhem has been kidnapped.  While on a school trip to Paris, Toby disappears while in pursuit of his father's abductor.  Abby is determined to find Toby, but it's not easy when her mom, superspy Jennifer Hunter, is now filling in as headmaster at Mrs. Smith's Spy School for Girls and tells her Toby is safe and everything is under control.  Soon Abby discovers information to the contrary and must come up with a plan to get to Florida to save Toby.  Unfortunately, planning is not Abby's strength but it's not a deal breaker when you have classmates and friends like Charlotte and Izumi. As Izumi states "All three of us rolled together make one seriously good spy."  Once in Florida, the three still need the help of Abby's frenemy Veronica Brooks to find Toby, and it doesn't take long before their covert mission is no longer secret to Jennifer and the director of the spy college located in Florida. Their knowledge of Monster Mayhem saves them and once reunited with Toby, Abby, Charlotte, Izumi, and reluctantly Veronica travel to London to partake in a mission to find the bitter hacker responsible for kidnapping of Toby's father and possibly the demise of the entire spy school.

While reading the first book is not a necessity, it is highly encouraged because I already had a good understanding of the back story and relationships between characters.  Power Play is a great follow-up because the fast paced plot takes the reader all over the world and focuses on relatable themes such as friendship and teamwork.  As Abby states, "We all have different strengths and that's what makes us good together. Sometimes the trouble is recognizing that."  The ending leaves the reader hanging which makes me hopeful that another adventure is in the works.

A special thanks to Beth McMullen for sending Power Play to my #bookexcursion group.  It celebrated its book birthday last week on July 3, 2018.

[Jamie Krakover · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Abby Hunter and her friends become obsessed with Monster Mayhem the hottest new monster catching app they never expected to end up on a spy mission directed by a new version of the game taken over by a demented hacker. But if they don't complete the game with all the challenges set forth for them, her friend's father, the game's creator might never be seen again.

This had all the fun of the first book with added adventure of traveling abroad to Europe. Reading the second book felt like visiting old friends. It was so much fun to follow these characters on another adventure. One small nitpick I had was I found a couple of factual errors on things that could have been easily fixed with a quick google search. But other than that this was such an enjoyable fast read. I'm looking forward to the third one.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two years after Pokémon Go gave us the purest summer of our lives, comes the inevitable wave of copycat location-based AR games, one of which is Ghostbusters World. — Dami Lee, “Ghostbusters World is basically Pokémon Go, but with proton packs,” The Verge, July 21, 2018, https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thev...

Phffft!

Ghostbusters World? Kids stuff. Monsters Mayhem 2.0 is the “game of your life” in which Abby, Toby, Charlotte, and Izumi find themselves caged. Lose the game and Micron will take over the world, making people walk “right off cliffs if he feels like it.” Keep your batteries charged, girls.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abby wants to prove she can be a spy and now her mother is in charge of the school and spy center. She obsessed with a new game involving catching virtual animals which is suspended by Jennifer (Abby's mom.) Toby who is Abby's friend's dad created the game and is doing a presentation when the alarm of fire goes on. Toby's dad isn't there with everyone else which is mysterious and later Abby realizes something is up with Toby. She asks him and finds out Toby's dad is kidnapped and toby has to capture animals to get his dad back....

[Río · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the silly names Abby gave to each person she encountered; it not only made it easier to track the action, it also made it more fun

McMullen also did a better job of introducing and incorporating Abby's friends in this book. while the first book just told us they were friends and expected us to care, this book took the time to share their interests and have them interact in a fun variety of situations

overall, more fun gadgets, dramatic places, and sure does it help to casually have access to rich people and their private planes and limos

[Sarah A · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*
This is book 2 in the series.
This YA / Middle school book sees us back at Mrs Smith’s Spy School then traveling all over the world as our heroines and hero try to save Toby’s Dad whilst playing a game similar to Pokémon!
Adventurous, clever twists, well written - all good but I just didn’t love it quite as much as the initial book. It felt a bit more rushed and complicated.
Overall good and I hope to read number 3 soon.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book continues escapades of the characters in the first book. I think it is more enjoyable if you've read the first, but not necessary. The context of the people's relationships makes the story better, however.

A phone game is being played by kids on the sly, but soon it becomes less fun as the game turns serious. The kids find ways to save the day in ridiculous but sort of plausible ways. Better than book 1. Interested to see if book 3 holds up well.

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read! I absolutely loved the girl power and lessons in friendship! The adventure begins when Toby's dad is kidnapped. The 4 friends (and would be spies) deal with foreign countries, hackers, and some crazy adventure that quickly pulls the reader in, making them not want to put this book down!

[Camryn Morse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mrs. Smith's Spy School for Girls Power Play, is a very good book. It's a good book for girls that want to be a spy or think women can do anything that men can. It has some mystery and made me want to keep reading it for hours there is lots of action and the story never gets to a slow part. I believe girls everywhere will love this book.

[Chelsie Reid · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I read this book I had high expectations for it. I feel that this book was not as good as the first book but it was still good. My favorite thing is that a lot of times I believe that some clear would steer them in the wrong direction they ended up solving it. This book is great for young adults who enjoyed Stuart Gibbs spy school book.

[Lisa Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mrs. Smith’s Spy School For Girls, Power Play is an excellent sequel in this fun intense fast paced series and Beth McMullen is one of my new favorite authors! I love Abby, who has finally decided she wants to be a spy, even though she is not old enough yet. Her mom is running the school and not cutting Abby any slack. I will be buying this book as soon as it is available for my classroom! #collabookation

[Jill Diamond · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is AWESOME! It's a fun friendship story that is also a super cool spy adventure and funny boarding school tale. The characters are kids I would have loved to befriend as a young teen and the author's writing is witty and fast-paced. Highly recommended!

[Seun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the book because it was funny and the charaters where different from what I would usually read. I liked the adventures that they went on. I was happy that Veronica came back. Again I liked when they were in France to

[T.P. Jagger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed book #1 in the Mrs. Smith's Spy School for Girls series, and book #2 didn't disappoint. The series offers a great blend of action and humor with an enjoyable cast of characters. I'm looking forward to whenever book #3 hits the shelves!

[Khanh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Round up to 3.5 stars. A fast pace middle grade novel with just enough action and explanation. Not one of my favorite series but the first two books were fun and quick reads. I might come back and read book three later.