Spy School – Page 2 – BookBunnies

Caramel reviews Spy School Project X by Stuart Gibbs

Caramel’s last few reviews in 2023 were the many Spy School novels by Stuart Gibbs: Spy School, Spy Camp, Evil Spy School, Spy Ski School, Spy School: Secret Service, Spy School Goes South, Spy School: British Invasion, Spy School Revolution, and Spy School At Sea. Today he is back at it again, talking to Sprinkles about the tenth book, Spy School Project X, first published in 2022.

Sprinkles: So Caramel you just could not resist, and you had to go back to these Spy School novels, no?

Caramel: Yes. Exactly.

S: Okay, so this is book ten. What happens in it?

C: Ben is the center of a targeted conspiracy.

S: That does not sound like anything too different from the other books.

C: The details are important though. For example you need to know about Project X.

S: So tell me about it.

C: Project X is a project of Murray Hill, Ben’s long-time nemesis. He is trying to get revenge by getting all evil people around the world together to get rid of Ben.

S: What does the X stand for?

C: Not sure.

S: In algebra X stands for the unknown, maybe it is something like that? Or as a Roman numeral, X is 10, and this is the tenth book. Maybe that is it?

C: Not sure. I think Murray calls himself X in social media.

S: I see. It makes sense. Okay, tell me more.

C: Murray is determined to get Ben so he puts a price on his head. So a lot of people are trying to kill him. And on top of that, everyone who believes in conspiracy theories is after him too. Because somehow people begin to think he is a lizard person, because Murray spreads a rumor about that.

S: Oh like that wild conspiracy theory about lizards dressed as humans running human governments. I see. Pretty contemporary I suppose.

C: Yep.

Caramel is reading Spy School Project X by Stuart Gibbs. — Caramel is reading *Spy School Project X* by Stuart Gibbs.

S: Are there any new characters in this tenth book?

C: No, I don’t think so. At least not any important characters.

S: So then there must be a lot of other characters we have seen before?

C: Yes. Essentially everyone we have seen before. Erica is there. His best friend Mike too.

S: I see. What did you like about this book most?

C: When Ben shoots watermelons from a boat.

S: That is a funny image. Is that why you like it?

C: Yes. He was using one of those big boats with a big fan in the back. And he threw a watermelon to the fan, and it threw the fruit very far. I’m not sure if it would work in real life, but it was certainly funny.

S: Totally. Okay Caramel, let us do a quick summary recap. Can you describe Spy School Project X using three to five words?

C: Action packed, funny page-turner.

S: Those will work! Does this book make you want to continue to read the rest of the series?

C: Of course! But unfortunately there is only one more book left.

S: True.

C: Maybe the author will write another one this year. He published one almost every year for the last decade. So I plead to you Stuart Gibbs, please write book twelve!

S: I am not sure he reads our blog but I sure appreciate your enthusiasm Caramel. So let us wrap this up so you can start book eleven. What do you want to tell our readers?

C Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel loved reading Spy School Project X by Stuart Gibbs and is eager to move on to book eleven. — Caramel loved reading *Spy School Project X* by Stuart Gibbs and is eager to move on to book eleven.

Caramel reviews Spy School At Sea by Stuart Gibbs

Caramel has been reading and reviewing the Spy School books by Stuart Gibbs in order. After Spy School, Spy Camp, Evil Spy School, Spy Ski School, Spy School: Secret Service, Spy School Goes South, Spy School: British Invasion, and Spy School Revolution, he is now talking to Sprinkles about book nine: Spy School At Sea, first published in 2021.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, we are in book nine now. What is this one about?

Caramel: Ben goes on a cruise ship named Emperor of the Seas and stops Jessica Shang’s mom from blowing up the Panama Canal.

S: Ooh, we met Jessica earlier in Spy Ski School, way back in book four, right? And I think you had said that her dad was “an evil dude” but that Jessica was nice.

C: Yeah. Well, at least, she seemed nice.

S: Wait, what are you implying?

C: That’s not foreshadowing.

S: Big word for a little bunny. What do you mean Caramel?

C: She actually is not evil! I just said it to sound mysterious.

S: I see. I’m not sure if I buy that, but okay, I guess I have to read the books to figure out for myself. So back to this book. Ben dealt with Jessica’s dad before. And now it is time for her mom?

C: Yes. And Murray Hill also shows up.

S: Wow! I thought he was done.

C: Yeah, one would think, but apparently not. And Dane Bramage also shows up, which is quite something, because he had fallen down from the Eiffel Tower in an earlier book.

Caramel is reading Spy School At Sea by Stuart Gibbs. — Caramel is reading *Spy School At Sea* by Stuart Gibbs.

S: Alright, so we see quite a lot of familiar characters. Are there any new characters in the book other than Jessica’s mom?

C: Well, yes, we had heard about Jessica’s mom before, so she is not totally new, but we had not actually seen her, so there is that. But there are also other totally new characters. For example one of them is El Diablo, who is a drug lord.

S: Oh, that sounds really dangerous.

C: Yes, as usual, Ben gets into really dangerous stuff, over and over again.

S: And I guess you like that?

C: Kind of. But it is mainly because he always gets out of trouble in amusing ways.

S: So what did you like most about this book?

C: At some point, Ben manages to trick Murray into telling the truth. That was amusing.

S: Okay, so would amusing be one of the words you’d use to describe this book?

C: Well, I was thinking “hilarious” could do well too.

S: Alright. What other words would you use to complete your description?

C: Action-packed. And fast-paced.

S: Cool. So are we done with this series? Do you think you had enough?

C: No! Are you kidding Sprinkles? I have to read the last two books! And Marshmallow has almost caught up with me. I have to get moving!

S: Okay, you are right. There are two more books in the series. But your reviews for those will need to wait till February 2024.

C: The reviews can wait. But I can’t! I have to read the next book immediately!

S: Okay, okay, so let us wrap up this review, and then you can start the tenth book.

C: Exactly!

S: As we are wrapping this up, then, what would you like to say to our readers?

C: This is my last regular review for 2023. But we will do a recap post on Saturday. So stay tuned for that!

Caramel loved reading Spy School At Sea by Stuart Gibbs and can hardly wait till February 2024 to talk about the tenth book. — Caramel loved reading *Spy School At Sea* by Stuart Gibbs and can hardly wait till February 2024 to talk about the tenth book.

Caramel reviews Spy School Revolution by Stuart Gibbs

As our readers know, Caramel has been reviewing the Spy School novels by Stuart Gibbs in order for the last few weeks. Today he talks to Sprinkles about the eighth book in the series: Spy School Revolution, first published in 2020.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, you have been reading and reviewing these Spy School novels for a while now.

Caramel: Yep.

S: I am afraid we won’t be done by the end of the year. Today we are talking about book eight, and next week we can talk about book nine. But then there are two more.

C: I guess we will talk about them in February.

S: I guess so. But are you reading anything else besides these novels these days?

C: Of course. Some new ones and some old ones. You know I like rereading things. For example yesterday I was rereading Star Wars: Complete Vehicles – New Edition.

S: Yes, I saw that. Okay, at least you are not limiting yourself to this one series. But I do understand that it is a very fun series to read.

C: Yep. Marshmallow is reading them too, now, and she really likes them.

S: I know, I heard her say that too. Okay so what is going on in this eighth book?

C: In this book, Ben fights the Croatoan, an evil organization.

S: I had not heard that word before. And WordPress really wants to change it to Croatian, but Croatoan apparently has its own meanings.

C: Yep.

S: So apparently the Croatoan were a native peoples and apparently the word “Croatoan” was found carved into a tree on an island which is supposed to have been the site of an early colony from 1590. Wikipedia says some people call that colony the Lost Colony. Do these come into play in the book?

C: Yep. In the book the Croatoan is an evil organization trying to blame the disappearance of that colony on the native people.

S: So the book is about the American colonies before the United States was formed?

C: No, it is happening today to Ben Ripley from the other books, but the evil organization apparently goes back to the time before the American Revolution.

S: I see. What did you like about this book most?

C: I liked the part where Ben’s friends knock out Zoe.

S: I remember we met Zoe way back in the second book. But she was a friend of Ben. Why is it good that she is knocked out?

C: Well, I should probably not tell.

Caramel is reading Spy School Revolution by Stuart Gibbs. — Caramel is reading *Spy School Revolution* by Stuart Gibbs.

S: Hmm, okay let us put that aside then. I understand that there is some problem involving Erica?

C: Yes. There is an explosion and it turns out that she is the one behind it. So Ben’s friends and superiors begin to think she is working against the CIA.

S: What does Ben think?

C: He trusts Erica, and it turns out of course that she is not evil, she was just being blackmailed by the evil organization Croatoan.

S: Wait. Are we giving away too much information here?

C: Not really. We learn about Erica being blackmailed quite early in the book.

S: Phew, that’s good. So then Erica is in the book. Are there any new characters?

C: Yes. Agent Heather Durkee and Agent Nora Taco.

S: Who are they?

C: Well, they are both CIA agents. And Taco works for the Double Agent Detection Division, and Sprinkles, do you like anagrams?

S: I do! Some of my favorites are SILENT = LISTEN and DORMITORY = DIRTY ROOM. There are also two literary ones I like: HAMLET = AMLETH, EREWHON = NOWHERE. But why do you ask?

C: I don’t know if you noticed, but NORA TACO is actually an anagram for CROATOAN.

S: Hmm, that sounds suspicious.

C: Yep. Heh heh heh!

S: Okay, I think maybe there might be some spoilers coming, so maybe we should stop talking about this book.

C: Fine by me. I am already ready for the next book!

S: Can you describe the book using three to five words?

C: Amusing, adventurous, and page-turner.

S: That works! So let us wrap this up then. What would you like to tell our readers?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel loved reading Spy School Revolution by Stuart Gibbs and is ready for book nine. — Caramel loved reading *Spy School Revolution* by Stuart Gibbs and is ready for book nine.

Caramel reviews Spy School: British Invasion by Stuart Gibbs

Through these last few weeks of 2023, Caramel has been reviewing the Spy School novels by Stuart Gibbs in their chronological order. Today he reviews Book Seven: Spy School: British Invasion, first published in 2019. As usual Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

[Before reading this book, readers might like to check out the earlier books in the series. Here are Caramel’s reviews of the earlier books: Spy School; Spy Camp; Evil Spy School; Spy Ski School; Spy School: Secret Service; Spy School Goes South. Caramel also read and reviewed the graphic novel versions of the first two: Spy School: The Graphic Novel and Spy Camp: The Graphic Novel.]

Caramel reviews Spy School: British Invasion by Stuart Gibbs. — Caramel reviews *Spy School: British Invasion* by Stuart Gibbs.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, we are on Book Seven. What can you tell us about it?

Caramel: Of course I loved it.

S: Again?

C: Yep, again.

S: That’s wonderful! So tell us a bit about the book. What is going on this time?

C: Ben and his friends find Orion and make him hack a USB.

S: Wait, who is Orion? And what does it mean to hack a USB?

C: Orion is a hacker. And a USB is a file storage device.

S: I know what a USB is, but what do you mean by hacking one? Do you mean Orion helps them read the contents of a specific USB device? Or do they ask Orion to create a virus or something that can invade someone’s computer via its USB drive?

C: The first one. They find a USB device that belonged to Joshua Hallal, and they want to access the information in it.

S: I remember you mentioned Halal when you were talking about Spy School Goes South.

C: Yes, but he first appeared in the second book, Spy Camp.

S: I see. He is not a new character at all then. Do we meet any interesting new characters in Spy School: British Invasion other than Orion?

C: Yes. We also meet Mr. E, who is the leader of SPYDER.

S: Oh, that is exciting! Did we hear about him before?

C: No. It is a revelation.

S: That is really exciting!

C: It is!

S: Okay, before we move on, can you tell me why the book is titled British Invasion?

C: Well, because the book is mainly taking place in Britain. Ben is working with someone from MI6 to catch Mr. E who is hiding there.

Caramel is reading Spy School: British Invasion by Stuart Gibbs. — Caramel is reading *Spy School: British Invasion* by Stuart Gibbs.

S: What did you like most about Spy School: British Invasion?

C: I liked the part where Ben finds out SPYDER’s evil plan again.

S: Why?

C: Because it was hilarious to see Mr. E freak out about it.

S: So the book is pretty funny again, right?

C: Yep, it is.

S: So if I asked you to describe the book using three to five words, I am guessing “hilarious” would be one of them.

C: You know me well, Sprinkles. My description would be “hilarious, action packed, and suspenseful”.

S: Those work well! Does this book make you want to keep reading the rest of the series?

C: Yes!

S: So let us wrap up this review so you can move on to the next book. What would you like to tell our readers?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel loved reading Spy School: British Invasion by Stuart Gibbs and cannot wait to get his paws on Book Eight. — Caramel loved reading *Spy School: British Invasion* by Stuart Gibbs and cannot wait to get his paws on Book Eight.