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Concealed
Ivette
Joanna
And now: Katrina
Whatever her name is, it won't last long. Katrina doesn't know any of the details about her past, but she does know that she and her parents are part of the Witness Protection Program. Whenever her parents say they have to move on and start over, she takes on a new identity. A new name, new hair color, new story.
Until their location leaks and her parents disappear. Katrina embarks on a dangerous rescue mission to save them-and find out the truth of her past at last.
Yet every new discovery shows that the Katrina's entire life has been nothing but lies. Katrina has always kept her parents' secrets. But it turns out, they were the ones keeping secrets from her this whole time. Could she be the reason they've been hiding all these years? The truth will throw everything Katrina has ever believed about herself into question.
Concealed is an action-packed adventure story by award-winning author Christina Diaz Gonzalez.
Joanna
And now: Katrina
Whatever her name is, it won't last long. Katrina doesn't know any of the details about her past, but she does know that she and her parents are part of the Witness Protection Program. Whenever her parents say they have to move on and start over, she takes on a new identity. A new name, new hair color, new story.
Until their location leaks and her parents disappear. Katrina embarks on a dangerous rescue mission to save them-and find out the truth of her past at last.
Yet every new discovery shows that the Katrina's entire life has been nothing but lies. Katrina has always kept her parents' secrets. But it turns out, they were the ones keeping secrets from her this whole time. Could she be the reason they've been hiding all these years? The truth will throw everything Katrina has ever believed about herself into question.
Concealed is an action-packed adventure story by award-winning author Christina Diaz Gonzalez.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published October 19, 2021
56 people are currently reading
1032 people want to read
About the author
Christina Diaz Gonzalez
14 books319 followersChristina Diaz Gonzalez is the Edgar® award-winning author of several books including The Red Umbrella, A Thunderous Whisper, the Moving Target duology, Stormspeaker, Concealed, and two upcoming books, Invisible (a graphic novel available in August 2022) and The Bluest Sky (a historical fiction novel available in September 2022). Her books have received numerous honors including the Florida Book Award, the Nebraska Book Award, and the International Latino Book Award. Her work has also been designated as an American Library Association's Best Fiction for Young Adults selection, a Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People, a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection, and as an International Reading Association's Teachers' Choice book. Christina currently lives in Miami, Florida with her husband, sons, and a dog that can open doors. Learn more at www.christinagonzalez.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 212 reviews
November 1, 2021
Concealed is a engaging middle grade spy book with a clever female protagonist trying to piece together her identity. With a main character on the threshold of her teens and themes suitable for younger readers, this book is perfect for upper middle grade readers and those who are a bit younger. If you enjoy fast-paced stories with family secrets, action, friendship, and kids on the run, you’ll love this new middle grade book! Highly recommended for fans of Ponti’s
City Spies
and Burt’s
Greetings from Witness Protection!
.
Read my full review on my blog.
Many thanks to the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Read my full review on my blog.
Many thanks to the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 16, 2021
I went into this book "blindly" and couldn't be happier that I did! This novel is a fun ride the entire way; the plot twists surprised me and felt fresh and the pacing was perfect. This mystery/thriller is more than a suspenseful plot--the family and friend relationships are both heartwarming and breaking, making this an emotional read too. The characters all felt real and the middle grade voice is authentic.
June 27, 2021
I'm a sucker for spy/heist type suspense, figure-it-out stories, & this one would be a Perfect Pairing™️ with Greetings From Witness Protection (Burt) & Crossing the Line (Rogers).
September 2, 2024
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Katrina is used to being on the run and operating under an assumed identity; Katrina is just the lastest in an alphabetical march through various names. Her father was a scientist who ran afoul of a drug cartel, so the family is in the witness protection program, and gets help only from a man going by X. They've been living in cities, because it's easier to disappear in a crowd, but their latest placement is an RV in the country. Katrina is homeschooled and the family shies away from technology, but the only other teen in the area is Parker. He's living with a relative after his mother died of a drug overdose, and is an excellent computer hacker. Katrina has no memory of her life before an accident a few years previously, when she almost died. When her father is arrested, she and Parker go on the run to a safe house in Georgia, and try to investigate her past along the way. She does find X, but his recounting of her past doesn't line up with her father's, so she is leery of his help. The mystery gets deeper and deeper as Katrina and Parker uncover the company behind her father's research, are reunited with her father and mother, and find out secrets about her own past and the families involvement with scientific experimentation. I don't want to give away too many details and spoil the twists and turns!
Strengths: This was a pulse pounding, pell mell adventure that I enjoyed quite a bit. It started a bit like Sorrell's Fake ID, but then took a fascinating scientific turn, reminiscent of Pearson's The Adoration of Jenna Fox. Both Katrina and Parker have struggled with every day life because of their circumstances, so they have a unique understanding of each other. There's something about being "on the run" that is endlessly appealing to my readers, and this journey involves a cow transport and a luxury yacht! The best part is the scientific twist that I don't want to spoil.
Weaknesses: This got a bit confusing in the middle, when it was hard to differentiate the good guys from the bad guys. That might be because this is more of a Young Adult novel, and those aren't as clear cut as middle grade novels when it comes to villains. Not really a weakness, just an observation.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing, and will be great to hand to fans of Smith's Boy X, Elston's The Rules for Disappearing, and Watson's Loot.
Katrina is used to being on the run and operating under an assumed identity; Katrina is just the lastest in an alphabetical march through various names. Her father was a scientist who ran afoul of a drug cartel, so the family is in the witness protection program, and gets help only from a man going by X. They've been living in cities, because it's easier to disappear in a crowd, but their latest placement is an RV in the country. Katrina is homeschooled and the family shies away from technology, but the only other teen in the area is Parker. He's living with a relative after his mother died of a drug overdose, and is an excellent computer hacker. Katrina has no memory of her life before an accident a few years previously, when she almost died. When her father is arrested, she and Parker go on the run to a safe house in Georgia, and try to investigate her past along the way. She does find X, but his recounting of her past doesn't line up with her father's, so she is leery of his help. The mystery gets deeper and deeper as Katrina and Parker uncover the company behind her father's research, are reunited with her father and mother, and find out secrets about her own past and the families involvement with scientific experimentation. I don't want to give away too many details and spoil the twists and turns!
Strengths: This was a pulse pounding, pell mell adventure that I enjoyed quite a bit. It started a bit like Sorrell's Fake ID, but then took a fascinating scientific turn, reminiscent of Pearson's The Adoration of Jenna Fox. Both Katrina and Parker have struggled with every day life because of their circumstances, so they have a unique understanding of each other. There's something about being "on the run" that is endlessly appealing to my readers, and this journey involves a cow transport and a luxury yacht! The best part is the scientific twist that I don't want to spoil.
Weaknesses: This got a bit confusing in the middle, when it was hard to differentiate the good guys from the bad guys. That might be because this is more of a Young Adult novel, and those aren't as clear cut as middle grade novels when it comes to villains. Not really a weakness, just an observation.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing, and will be great to hand to fans of Smith's Boy X, Elston's The Rules for Disappearing, and Watson's Loot.
July 11, 2025
I read this book as a participation in Battle of the Books and it was the only reason I tolerated reading a book that has the MCs as literal 12 year olds. It was such a new and interesting experience to read a book that someone is literally younger than me in such a large amount. Now that I think amount it, 12 is legit a walking baby and thats the part of why I didn’t enjoy this book as much as expected. Although it is not referenced often, the book does state that they are young. Thats what makes this book so hard to read as you would not expect a 12 year old to be doing and thinking those thoughts. The plot lines line up also 100% with various YA mystery-thriller books such as AGGGTM or This Book Kills, just with less drama and romantic intentions. Clearly, it was marketed towards a younger age group, however I could never imagine allowing a 12 year old steer a ship while you are being hunted down by men with literal GUNS?!? The cover and book description can also be misleading as you would expect to see that kinda cover on an older age group. The synopsis provided on Goodreads and on the back of the book cover also does not help support this case as the author does an amazing job of over selling the story and hyping it up before you read the actual book.
The story was vague and often lacked details. Scenes moved fast and we often did not receive enough information or dialogue between the interacting characters. The backgrounds of our main characters are later revealed but in a rushed manner that made it seem like the author just wanted to get the story over with. The side characters also did not receive as much attention as I would think they deserve as both Parker and later Agent X had potential to have amazing and deep stories that could boost the book.
The ending also felt incredibly rushed with the introduction of a new character. The amount of times things changed was unnecessary and did not help with building trust with the reader. I finished the book with zero understanding of the character’s past and decisions made. It felt like nothing was explained to us as the author wanting to end the story as soon as possible.
This was definitely not a highlight read for me.
The story was vague and often lacked details. Scenes moved fast and we often did not receive enough information or dialogue between the interacting characters. The backgrounds of our main characters are later revealed but in a rushed manner that made it seem like the author just wanted to get the story over with. The side characters also did not receive as much attention as I would think they deserve as both Parker and later Agent X had potential to have amazing and deep stories that could boost the book.
The ending also felt incredibly rushed with the introduction of a new character. The amount of times things changed was unnecessary and did not help with building trust with the reader. I finished the book with zero understanding of the character’s past and decisions made. It felt like nothing was explained to us as the author wanting to end the story as soon as possible.
This was definitely not a highlight read for me.
November 9, 2021
Overall a pretty good book. The ending was kind of confusing since it did skip a couple weeks or maybe more but other than that a good book!
November 21, 2021
4.5 stars, it was a good book
February 2, 2024
Another buddy read with my kiddo. This one reminded me a lot of The Girl's I've Been (Tess Sharp) and Nowhere Girl: A Memoir Of A Fugitive Childhood (Cheryl Diamond).
September 2, 2024
Fun, action-packed thriller with plenty of twists and surprises to keep you reading.
December 8, 2022
This book was extremely good because it had so many plot twists, and lots of mysteries that were earned when you read through the book.
July 30, 2022
*I am reading all of the books on the 2022 SSYRA Grades 6 to 8 list. This was book #1 read out of 15 total. It’s book #8 in terms of quality of the 9 I’ve read so far. If you want to see a complete list altogether in one place in order of best to worst check out my ko-fi. As of 7/10/22 The Elephant In The Room by Holly Goldberg Sloan is my next read.*
Concealed has such an interesting premise. It's a shame the book was so lacking.
I'll be the first to admit I'm hard on books. I try to give books for kids some grace because I am well aware I'm outside the target demo, but that only extends so far. The mere existence of phenomenal children's literature is proof that bad kid lit has to exist as well - why else would there be distinctions if it's all the same level of quality either way? All of this is to say that while I do expect a kid will enjoy Concealed, it objectively still has flaws.
First off it relies heavily on one of my least favorite archetypes - the computer whiz.
Unless the genre is contemporary, a character being good at computers is almost always guaranteed to be a crutch. This is because outside of contemporary where it's allowed to simply be a normal trait even if the character is particularly talented, in other genres it inevitably devolves into a cheap way to move the story along through 'hacking'. Computer science skills can be difficult to convey realistically as the general populace is largely unaware of the intricacies of working with computers. Movies and TV help somewhat because they provide a kind of template to follow at least even if it's rarely accurate. Most people still get the gist of what's going on.
Hacking is a whole other level, however, because of the complexity involved. I know more than a lot of people about computers, but I in no way am able to understand exactly how hacking works. All I've got is that it involves coding. I've never seen hacking portrayed accurately in a book before. The author always has the convenient excuse of 'well it'd be too much to explain in layman's terms for these purposes' which means the character is largely able to do whatever the plot demands whenever necessary and as the reader you're expected to simply eat it because technically you can't argue that it's not possible. On the other side it means when the character is unable to do something it feels arbitrary and manufactured as the author can't fully articulate why it doesn't work either. It just doesn't now because the story calls for it not to work.
Such is the case of Katrina's new friend Parker. He's 12 but he's so good with computers he's able to hack into banks and high tech million dollar facilities. Obviously this is for kids which comes with some suspension of disbelief so I'm not nearly as bothered as I could be. A lot of kid books involve a certain level of wish fulfillment. Still, it reached a point when it started to feel like a cop out. It was doubly frustrating since Parker was the only one with any utility to the story as Katrina had no discernible skills of her own.
While I didn't like the over reliance on Parker's hacking at least he was contributing. Katrina was dead weight the entire time. She was the key to the mystery, but that was simply by existing. Other than that she brought nothing to the table. She wasn't clever or quick witted or funny. She was a vessel to move through the plot points, nothing more. Most of the book was her merely subsisting in the same space as the other characters while the other characters did things. She never came up with ideas or figured anything out for herself. There was always someone else who got the ball rolling. She was supposed to be great at lying due to her upbringing, but she wasn't even good at that as she failed pretty much every time she was ever put to the test.
It doesn't help that the kids are saddled with a handler the entire book who helps them do all the real heavy lifting meaning she has very little opportunity to prove her skills either way.
The entire appeal of kids books is to see kid protagonists take on situations adults think they can't handle and come out on top. That's the basis of middle grade as a demographic signifier regardless of genre. Adults can and do help, of course, depending on the goal of the novel. Even so, the kids are supposed to be the primary force pushing the story along.
Concealed doesn't work that way. Instead of reading about the kids ducking and dodging evil minions or scrounging their last two cents together to buy a meal or using clues to find out what the next location is, the two are carted around by the handler the whole time. He makes sure they're safe and taken care of the majority of the adventure. He is in complete control of all the logistics. After the initial escape from the guys who kidnap her mother the kids only have to get by on their own wits in the final quarter. At that point it was too late to salvage since that left over a hundred pages in the middle where they were sitting pretty.
The big mystery was interesting enough. I guessed the gist of it fairly quickly though I can't be sure if it was due to it being obvious or if it's because I'm an adult. Your mileage may vary in regards to this plot point.
I usually don't advocate for multiple books since I feel lots of books are series for no good reason, but this was definitely a time when two or more was warranted. There was this random addition that majorly changes the trajectory of the story that gets thrown in at the last second. It had absolutely no time to breathe or explore the fallout because of how rushed it was. It involves the sudden introduction of an all new character who would have been the perfect lead-in for the second book rather than squashed into this one. It tanks the ending because I had no feelings whatsoever about this character yet I'm expected to feel betrayed, excited, and mournful for/by them to the same extent as Katrina or Parker when their existence was only established in the last 70 or so pages. And we don't meet them immediately. That's just when we're told about them.
I also found the characterization to be unbelievable. Based on the background of this character there is no way they wouldn't be brainwashed to an insane degree. And even if they weren't like I said before there isn't enough time to fully explore why they aren't or what clued them into their circumstances. I'm supposed to believe this person has no qualms whatsoever throwing over everything they've ever known at the first opportunity which is painfully unrealistic. Adults struggle to disentangle themselves emotionally from their abusive parents even knowing how bad the situation was. This character is a child. I can't buy at all that they'd be able to do it so easily - for strangers no less.
My pet peeve in books is parents lying to kids for no good reason and the entire premise rests on that trope. I understand why it's done. I'm not opposed to its usage. It's a simple yet effective way to create tension when executed well. Either way, it drives me bonkers. If you talk to your kids about x,y,z young then it will be normalized as they age. You won't get as much or possibly any pushback when they're older if they're well informed about the full scope of the situation as they grow. It's a pet peeve and not a serious grievance.
Therefore, I was annoyed with her parents from the beginning mostly her father who seemed to (and proved to be over time) the catalyst for the events that followed due to his subterfuge. What drove me to hate him was the overly controlling snit he threw every time she interacted with Parker - a foster kid who clearly had a rough home life. I get being worried about the potential influence of a kid on yours, especially when you're running for your life but the level of contempt he had towards this twelve year old kid was staggering. He viewed him purely as opposition to his ability to have total control over his daughter. Obviously they need to be wary due to the whole running for their lives thing, but the whole point in settling where they did at the time was for Katrina to make friends. Then when she does so he turns into an overbearing jerk. Growing pains from your kid outgrowing your perception of them is normal. Getting jealous and snippy is not.
In the midst of an argument about him Katrina lies and says that Parker was moved from his previous homes due to abuse. Her father doesn't even bat an eye. Sure, as the readers we know it's not actually true, but in that moment he had absolutely no way of knowing that and he still hates him - a child he believes was abused . He never apologizes to Parker for being so nasty to him either. He disappears for a solid chunk in the middle then once he reappears we've moved onto other things so it no longer is supposed to matter. But, his whole character was irreparably soured for me from that moment on.
It totally ruined the forgiveness tip they had Katrina on later because I absolutely could not fathom forgiving a man or pushing a readership of children to forgive such a man so quickly especially under the harmful reasoning that 'he was still her father'. His actions should have had deeper consequences which further supports my opinion that this needed to be a duology at the very least.
The way they get around the whole issue of needing to run forever is ludicrous. It was randomly suggested in the eleventh hour for one and to me didn't seem to solve the problem long-term only provide a stop gap. Then again, given recent events I have 0% faith in the American government so maybe I'm just biased.
.
I don't think a kid will care, of course. They'll probably think it's cool. However, I think as an adult Christina Diaz Gonzalez shouldn't have made the outcome seem like such a foolproof solution when there are serious drawbacks. Outside of the broader implications, it's still a weak, abrupt ending.
The writing is solid. The story is decently paced. I liked the build up to the mystery. Despite my criticisms I was still interested in seeing it through because I was genuinely invested, not just desperate to be done already. That said, I would not recommend it for the age group it's slated for on the SSYRA list. I think this is better suited for 3 to 5 rather than 6 to 8 and that did impact my reading experience. If it was 3 to 5, I honestly might have given it 3 stars.
Concealed has such an interesting premise. It's a shame the book was so lacking.
I'll be the first to admit I'm hard on books. I try to give books for kids some grace because I am well aware I'm outside the target demo, but that only extends so far. The mere existence of phenomenal children's literature is proof that bad kid lit has to exist as well - why else would there be distinctions if it's all the same level of quality either way? All of this is to say that while I do expect a kid will enjoy Concealed, it objectively still has flaws.
First off it relies heavily on one of my least favorite archetypes - the computer whiz.
Unless the genre is contemporary, a character being good at computers is almost always guaranteed to be a crutch. This is because outside of contemporary where it's allowed to simply be a normal trait even if the character is particularly talented, in other genres it inevitably devolves into a cheap way to move the story along through 'hacking'. Computer science skills can be difficult to convey realistically as the general populace is largely unaware of the intricacies of working with computers. Movies and TV help somewhat because they provide a kind of template to follow at least even if it's rarely accurate. Most people still get the gist of what's going on.
Hacking is a whole other level, however, because of the complexity involved. I know more than a lot of people about computers, but I in no way am able to understand exactly how hacking works. All I've got is that it involves coding. I've never seen hacking portrayed accurately in a book before. The author always has the convenient excuse of 'well it'd be too much to explain in layman's terms for these purposes' which means the character is largely able to do whatever the plot demands whenever necessary and as the reader you're expected to simply eat it because technically you can't argue that it's not possible. On the other side it means when the character is unable to do something it feels arbitrary and manufactured as the author can't fully articulate why it doesn't work either. It just doesn't now because the story calls for it not to work.
Such is the case of Katrina's new friend Parker. He's 12 but he's so good with computers he's able to hack into banks and high tech million dollar facilities. Obviously this is for kids which comes with some suspension of disbelief so I'm not nearly as bothered as I could be. A lot of kid books involve a certain level of wish fulfillment. Still, it reached a point when it started to feel like a cop out. It was doubly frustrating since Parker was the only one with any utility to the story as Katrina had no discernible skills of her own.
While I didn't like the over reliance on Parker's hacking at least he was contributing. Katrina was dead weight the entire time. She was the key to the mystery, but that was simply by existing. Other than that she brought nothing to the table. She wasn't clever or quick witted or funny. She was a vessel to move through the plot points, nothing more. Most of the book was her merely subsisting in the same space as the other characters while the other characters did things. She never came up with ideas or figured anything out for herself. There was always someone else who got the ball rolling. She was supposed to be great at lying due to her upbringing, but she wasn't even good at that as she failed pretty much every time she was ever put to the test.
It doesn't help that the kids are saddled with a handler the entire book who helps them do all the real heavy lifting meaning she has very little opportunity to prove her skills either way.
The entire appeal of kids books is to see kid protagonists take on situations adults think they can't handle and come out on top. That's the basis of middle grade as a demographic signifier regardless of genre. Adults can and do help, of course, depending on the goal of the novel. Even so, the kids are supposed to be the primary force pushing the story along.
Concealed doesn't work that way. Instead of reading about the kids ducking and dodging evil minions or scrounging their last two cents together to buy a meal or using clues to find out what the next location is, the two are carted around by the handler the whole time. He makes sure they're safe and taken care of the majority of the adventure. He is in complete control of all the logistics. After the initial escape from the guys who kidnap her mother the kids only have to get by on their own wits in the final quarter. At that point it was too late to salvage since that left over a hundred pages in the middle where they were sitting pretty.
The big mystery was interesting enough. I guessed the gist of it fairly quickly though I can't be sure if it was due to it being obvious or if it's because I'm an adult. Your mileage may vary in regards to this plot point.
I usually don't advocate for multiple books since I feel lots of books are series for no good reason, but this was definitely a time when two or more was warranted. There was this random addition that majorly changes the trajectory of the story that gets thrown in at the last second. It had absolutely no time to breathe or explore the fallout because of how rushed it was. It involves the sudden introduction of an all new character who would have been the perfect lead-in for the second book rather than squashed into this one. It tanks the ending because I had no feelings whatsoever about this character yet I'm expected to feel betrayed, excited, and mournful for/by them to the same extent as Katrina or Parker when their existence was only established in the last 70 or so pages. And we don't meet them immediately. That's just when we're told about them.
I also found the characterization to be unbelievable. Based on the background of this character there is no way they wouldn't be brainwashed to an insane degree. And even if they weren't like I said before there isn't enough time to fully explore why they aren't or what clued them into their circumstances. I'm supposed to believe this person has no qualms whatsoever throwing over everything they've ever known at the first opportunity which is painfully unrealistic. Adults struggle to disentangle themselves emotionally from their abusive parents even knowing how bad the situation was. This character is a child. I can't buy at all that they'd be able to do it so easily - for strangers no less.
My pet peeve in books is parents lying to kids for no good reason and the entire premise rests on that trope. I understand why it's done. I'm not opposed to its usage. It's a simple yet effective way to create tension when executed well. Either way, it drives me bonkers. If you talk to your kids about x,y,z young then it will be normalized as they age. You won't get as much or possibly any pushback when they're older if they're well informed about the full scope of the situation as they grow. It's a pet peeve and not a serious grievance.
Therefore, I was annoyed with her parents from the beginning mostly her father who seemed to (and proved to be over time) the catalyst for the events that followed due to his subterfuge. What drove me to hate him was the overly controlling snit he threw every time she interacted with Parker - a foster kid who clearly had a rough home life. I get being worried about the potential influence of a kid on yours, especially when you're running for your life but the level of contempt he had towards this twelve year old kid was staggering. He viewed him purely as opposition to his ability to have total control over his daughter. Obviously they need to be wary due to the whole running for their lives thing, but the whole point in settling where they did at the time was for Katrina to make friends. Then when she does so he turns into an overbearing jerk. Growing pains from your kid outgrowing your perception of them is normal. Getting jealous and snippy is not.
In the midst of an argument about him Katrina lies and says that Parker was moved from his previous homes due to abuse. Her father doesn't even bat an eye. Sure, as the readers we know it's not actually true, but in that moment he had absolutely no way of knowing that and he still hates him - a child he believes was abused . He never apologizes to Parker for being so nasty to him either. He disappears for a solid chunk in the middle then once he reappears we've moved onto other things so it no longer is supposed to matter. But, his whole character was irreparably soured for me from that moment on.
It totally ruined the forgiveness tip they had Katrina on later because I absolutely could not fathom forgiving a man or pushing a readership of children to forgive such a man so quickly especially under the harmful reasoning that 'he was still her father'. His actions should have had deeper consequences which further supports my opinion that this needed to be a duology at the very least.
The way they get around the whole issue of needing to run forever is ludicrous. It was randomly suggested in the eleventh hour for one and to me didn't seem to solve the problem long-term only provide a stop gap. Then again, given recent events I have 0% faith in the American government so maybe I'm just biased.
.
I don't think a kid will care, of course. They'll probably think it's cool. However, I think as an adult Christina Diaz Gonzalez shouldn't have made the outcome seem like such a foolproof solution when there are serious drawbacks. Outside of the broader implications, it's still a weak, abrupt ending.
The writing is solid. The story is decently paced. I liked the build up to the mystery. Despite my criticisms I was still interested in seeing it through because I was genuinely invested, not just desperate to be done already. That said, I would not recommend it for the age group it's slated for on the SSYRA list. I think this is better suited for 3 to 5 rather than 6 to 8 and that did impact my reading experience. If it was 3 to 5, I honestly might have given it 3 stars.
January 20, 2022
“Your name?” the barista asked, holding the paper cup in the air.
- first line
That’s a good question and a great opening line because the main character has changed her name so often the last three years (from Ana, Beatriz, Carla, Diana, Emma, Faith, Gina, Holly, and Ivette to her current name - Joanna). She changes it using the alphabet to give her life some order and names last anywhere from two weeks to a year. At 10 years old, she was in an accident when a driver ran her mother’s car off the road as a warning after her dad testified against the cartel. She knows nothing of her life before the accident, but she wants to find out and her parents won’t tell her. She is now 13, they live in a small RV park, and her name is Katrina. She resorts to eavesdropping on her parents and asking her new friend Parker (a brilliant hacker and foster kid) for help to find information about her past. After an accidental picture posted on social media reveals their location, her dad disappears and her mother is taken by people claiming to be federal agents. Katrina asks Parker to help her get to the safehouse in Atlanta to hopefully meet up with her Dad or the agent who has been helping them (known as X). But who can Katrina and Parker really trust? Is X on their side or working with the cartel? Is it really the cartel after them or some other sinister organization? And why is the organization after them if not because her dad testified against them? And the biggest question, what was Katrina’s life like before the accident?
The answers to these questions come gradually and the action moves swiftly. As you read, you worry along with Katrina about who can be trusted. There are so many twists and turns that I was still wondering to almost the last chapter if I could trust one of the characters. And the reveal about why they are hiding in their own version of “witness protection” is surprising and interesting, to say the least. Also, in the author’s note at the end, she explains how she came up with the idea for this book and it is based on real science!
- first line
That’s a good question and a great opening line because the main character has changed her name so often the last three years (from Ana, Beatriz, Carla, Diana, Emma, Faith, Gina, Holly, and Ivette to her current name - Joanna). She changes it using the alphabet to give her life some order and names last anywhere from two weeks to a year. At 10 years old, she was in an accident when a driver ran her mother’s car off the road as a warning after her dad testified against the cartel. She knows nothing of her life before the accident, but she wants to find out and her parents won’t tell her. She is now 13, they live in a small RV park, and her name is Katrina. She resorts to eavesdropping on her parents and asking her new friend Parker (a brilliant hacker and foster kid) for help to find information about her past. After an accidental picture posted on social media reveals their location, her dad disappears and her mother is taken by people claiming to be federal agents. Katrina asks Parker to help her get to the safehouse in Atlanta to hopefully meet up with her Dad or the agent who has been helping them (known as X). But who can Katrina and Parker really trust? Is X on their side or working with the cartel? Is it really the cartel after them or some other sinister organization? And why is the organization after them if not because her dad testified against them? And the biggest question, what was Katrina’s life like before the accident?
The answers to these questions come gradually and the action moves swiftly. As you read, you worry along with Katrina about who can be trusted. There are so many twists and turns that I was still wondering to almost the last chapter if I could trust one of the characters. And the reveal about why they are hiding in their own version of “witness protection” is surprising and interesting, to say the least. Also, in the author’s note at the end, she explains how she came up with the idea for this book and it is based on real science!
March 23, 2024
This was a really fun book that actually took a left turn I did not see coming into territory of a favorite TV series of mine buuuuuuuuut I can’t tell you or I’d spoil the fun of the twist. And this is why writing about mysteries, when your goal is to never spoil the fun, can be tricky.
Katrina, at least that’s her name right now, is in the Witness Protection Program with her parents. Being a blink away from turning into a teenager, life already has its own challenges of growing up. But in Katrina’s case she literally has to figure out who she is and what to do when her mom is taken into custody and her dad disappears. There’s a safe house she needs to get to, and a new friend willing to help, but who is the man at the safe house and can she trust him? Or her new friend? And what did her dad do to land them in the Witness Protection Program?
This is a fun ride if you’re looking for a middle grade mystery that centers on identity, with some action scenes.
(TW mentions past overdose, addiction)
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsleter
Katrina, at least that’s her name right now, is in the Witness Protection Program with her parents. Being a blink away from turning into a teenager, life already has its own challenges of growing up. But in Katrina’s case she literally has to figure out who she is and what to do when her mom is taken into custody and her dad disappears. There’s a safe house she needs to get to, and a new friend willing to help, but who is the man at the safe house and can she trust him? Or her new friend? And what did her dad do to land them in the Witness Protection Program?
This is a fun ride if you’re looking for a middle grade mystery that centers on identity, with some action scenes.
(TW mentions past overdose, addiction)
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsleter
June 11, 2024
Fairly fun SF story, marred by the protagonist spending most of the time following the more active characters around instead of asserting agency. I suddenly noticed this when she complained of being assigned a passive role in one of their plots and then following up by ignoring all opportunities to make a difference in the following pages. The other characters keep the plot moving along nicely though.
June 16, 2022
SSYRA 2022 #5
Definitely not my favorite of the bunch, but it was a tolerable spy thriller for the MG group. I kind of guessed the ending about halfway through, but it was still worth it to finish off. It was kind of left open at the ending, which was a little disappointing, but maybe there's going to be a sequel?
Definitely not my favorite of the bunch, but it was a tolerable spy thriller for the MG group. I kind of guessed the ending about halfway through, but it was still worth it to finish off. It was kind of left open at the ending, which was a little disappointing, but maybe there's going to be a sequel?
June 21, 2025
Junior High me would have ATE this up. Lol. A homeschooled girl whose parents are in the Witness Protection Program (but also let her pick her own name when they flee randomly) makes one friend and then they decide to take down a mega corporation that's holding her secret (thought-dead, to her parents; unknown to her at all) twin hostage as a brainwashed "daughter" of the CEO basically...via social media.
Read by Rebecca Soler. #booksin25
Read by Rebecca Soler. #booksin25
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2021
Twists and turns, action and adventure abound in Katrina’s life. Her family is moving yet again, participants in the witness protection program, or are they? Love the mystery and suspense as new memories are pushing through.
January 24, 2022
This was entertaining, but it seemed short and/or rushed, though perhaps because I didn't realize that it was a middle-grade book until after I started it, so I had different expectations. I think this would make for a cool animated TV series.
April 5, 2023
This book was soooo good! Everything about it just summed up perfectly! I really wish this was a series - I'd totally get the 2nd book as soon as it was available! A must-read for kids ages 11-13. Definitely recommend! <3
January 2, 2025
It wasn't that bad. It's clear this was written for a younger audience, so I'm not that disappointed as I didn't have the highest hopes coming into it. I'm sure if I read this several years ago, it would have been a lot more enjoyable.
August 3, 2021
This is a great addition to any middle grades collection. Full out heart thumping twists and turns that had me guessing right up to the end. Thanks to Scholastic for the advanced copy!
May 23, 2022
Not the best audio book in the world- unless teenage angst doesn't bother you.
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July 9, 2022Took a little bit to get going but once it did it was very readable.
February 11, 2024
I had a lot of fun listening to this audiobook! Some books are just made better with all of the voices!
November 6, 2024
I was not expecting the sci-fi twist in the middle and thought it was unnecessary. The ending wrapped up a little too neatly for me.
August 4, 2022
Such an engaging read! The characters were amazing. I never really felt like I could trust any character which mirrored Katrina's perspective absolutely brilliantly. Would definitely read more books from this author.
January 1, 2024
Bit torn on this one. I loved the amount of guessing and mystery that was happening in the first half of the book, but in the second half I found myself being able to predict too many things and also having a harder time suspending belief as things got more far fetched. It has been pretty popular with students this year though.
May 26, 2022
2022 reading goal: read a book just for the cover.
I think the concept of this book could have been interesting but there is just WAY TOO MUCH DAMN TALKING. Show me what's happening instead of telling me. There's no tension, there's no depth. Missed opportunity.
I think the concept of this book could have been interesting but there is just WAY TOO MUCH DAMN TALKING. Show me what's happening instead of telling me. There's no tension, there's no depth. Missed opportunity.
June 24, 2025
Very engaging middle age book. Overall enjoyable, kept my attention, felt the end was a little meh and felt kinda rushed, but for the most part interesting.
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