This book is a lot of fun and I think it's perfect for kids that are in late elementary school ages. They'll have a blast with it.

Great spin on a spy story! Enjoyed the touch of whimsy throughout. Plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. Love that the parents are a part of the story and simply take a backseat to let Bea shine and grow with her peers. Highly recommend adding this caper to your shelves.

I really liked this concept. I loved the idea of having a "Knack." I also really liked the hotel and how it all worked. It was really pretty good. I also enjoyed the characters and the plot. The main character was quite interesting and I liked seeing her work through everything that came to her. I did see some of the twists coming but I didn't mind. It was really a good story, it was very original too. I don't think I've read a middle grade quite like this. And I see so much potential for this series too. A great introduction and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next!

I arrived on the first page of Confessions of a Junior Spy knowing only that I had loved Rosaria Munda’s previous books, and even though those were very different (this book holds none of the revolutionary commentary and mid-air dragon battles of the Fireborne trilogy), I was willing to read whatever she chose to write next. I wasn’t disappointed!

Confessions of a Junior Spy is a fun, fast-paced mystery/spy novel that was an absolute delight to read. The characters here are so much fun—everyone around the Pangean hotel has an eccentric and brilliant personality, and though I definitely have a soft spot for Chantal and Bea, these supporting characters did so much to bring the story to life. The intersecting plots of applying to boarding school and being a spy were fantastic—I can’t wait for the sequel! I also love how Munda balances a ‘Normal’ world with more eccentric aspects such as Knacks or the very presence of the Pangean, giving it a sense of fantasy-type worldbuilding despite barely straying into speculative territory.

I highly recommend Confessions of a Junior Spy to readers who love fast-paced books in the tradition of Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls and The Misfits—an incredibly fun read!

Confessions of a Junior Spy by Rosaria Munda is a fast-paced and engaging middle-grade adventure perfect for young readers who love espionage and mystery. Bea is a compelling protagonist, balancing her desire to follow in her mother’s footsteps with the challenges of being pushed toward a “normal” life. The setting, a sanctuary hotel for spies, adds an exciting backdrop, and the mystery surrounding Chantal keeps the stakes high. With a mix of action, humor, and heart, this is a fun and immersive read that sets up what promises to be an entertaining series.

Read Confession of a Junior Spy with my daughter. The overall adventure was fun with an interesting plot. The characters are likable. While we understand the code names for weapons, calling them sweeties was cringeworthy and the names were cheesy-pun intended. Reading them every time just felt.

A fresh and fun new take on the young spy genre, Munda has written a tale certain to spawn many sequels!

This is an entertaining spy story that, at its core, is about friends and family. It's written perfectly for a middle grade audience, and I really enjoyed seeing how well Munda is able to write across genres and age ranges. Confessions of a Junior Spy contains all the same heart as her Aurelian Cycle trilogy, in a style that's perfect for young readers. I'm very much looking forward to the rest of the series, and if you have middle-grade readers (or just enjoy middle-grade fiction yourself), you should definitely pick up this book!

Raised in a sanctuary hotel for spies, the daughter of one of its top agents is determined to follow in her mother’s footsteps and use her hard-won spy skills to help others in Confessions of a Junior Spy, a fun, fast-paced, middle grade series opener by Rosaria Munda. A good boook to read to your kids.

Beatrice has only ever known The Life - the world of spies who are committed to a mission of supporting world peace. Beatrice is waiting for her Knack and in the meantime, her mother decides she needs to go to a Normal boarding school. Bea plots to stay at the Pangean hotel and continue to study to be a spy in the footsteps of her mother, she becomes involved with what her mother is really fighting: the Arctic Assassins.

I love the idea and concept of this book, and as an elementary school librarian, these titles are always very popular (think James Ponti, Taryn Souders, Stuart Gibbs, etc.) but this one will struggle to hold its own on these shelves. I was confused in parts - "Normals" can stay at the spy training hotel, but they are not supposed to know what is going on. When Bea and her buddy Tommy befriend a Normal staying in the hotel, they find out she has a Knack, but no one really acknowledges the Knack, and Chantal, while supposedly being protected with her family at the hotel she ends up knowing all about the hotel and its real purpose, and. no one has a problem with that...? I feel like there were many story arcs started in this book, but none of them really play out - there was a nothing and too much going on at the same time. This is marketed as the first book in a series, so there is potential for growth and more thoroughness This first title in the series was very short, so I think if this book were reimagined as an early chapter book or Hi/Lo title, or if one arc were chosen and explored more closely (ie., Chantal's background, the different classes of Knacks, Bea's parents' history, Bea's training at the spy school, more focus on getting into a Normal school and/or hiding her Knack. etc.)

This was a strange one for me. It reads fast and I loved Bea and Tommy and her extended family, but nothing in the description tells you it's a made up world but contemporary but the strangest part was how important Star Wars was in this made up world. As much as I love Star Wars, it kept pulling me out of the story. The Knacks were cute and a nice touch but it was weird having a 12 year old refer to inanimate objects as sweeties. Would probably read the next one.

Confessions of a Junior Spy is a well paced, character driven novel. It is a great story for middle schoolers. The plot moves at a great pace to keep the reader interested. Bea wants to be a spy just like her mother. She is being raised in a hotel for spies. Each spy has a "knack" and Bea has not found her's yet. In the meantime she befreinds a new hotel guest whose fmaily is in hiding. Bea and her new friend, along with another child of a spy, find mysteries to solve by themselves. However, Bea's parents want her to go to a regular school and not become a spy. Will Bea become a spy or find another interest in the regular world?

What worked:
The Pangean Hotel is a curious setting where spies freely roam the hallways and rooms after their worldwide missions. It’s a sanctuary for them and houses the Pangean League, an ancient international association dedicated to maintaining world peace. Its spies are committed to helping people in trouble and they never use violence except in self-defense. The fraternal twins of the hotel’s Branch Director are snobby brats and they provide an annoyance for Bea, the book’s main character. Staff members provide all of the necessary services for spies ranging from clothing and equipment to medical services. Bea’s teachers range from the Interpreter for lessons in Latin and French, to learning chemistry from the Jeweler, and history and espionage from the Archivist.
While this book doesn’t tell a superhero story, it does include Bea’s new super ability. These talents are called Knacks and Bea eventually learns hers has to do with knives. Her best friend Tommy has a Knack for cleaning while her new friend Chantal has a Knack for communicating with animals. Bea’s Knack manifests itself when she needs to protect a friend and she’s overjoyed when she discovers it. If you ignore the fact that she could have seriously injured a bully. The residents and staff of the Pangean respond with praise and congratulations. Bea feels a comforting connection with the weapons and the Jeweler gifts her with a special knife bearing an inlaid, scrimshaw hilt, and tiny teeth. Bea’s mother, however, would prefer Bea use her new Knack to become a skilled surgeon or a chef, like her father.
The biggest conflict is between Bea and her mother and it concerns Bea attending a normal school. Bea doesn’t have any first-hand experience beyond the walls of the Pangean Hotel but she doesn’t want to spend her days sitting behind a schoolroom desk. Classes that don’t include self-defense or stitching up wounds don’t interest her at all. However, Bea’s mom doesn’t want her daughter to enter the dangerous world of spies like she was forced to do as a child. Her mother isn’t sharing all she knows about the spy business but she’s afraid of the dangers Bea’s new Knack might bring.
What didn’t work as well:
Chantal’s knack doesn’t work as well for a couple of reasons. First, she’s supposed to be a “normal” young girl so it doesn’t seem like she should have a special ability. Second, her knack is more supernatural than other knacks. Bea can’t do anything magical with knives other than throw them with great accuracy. The spies’ talents are based on exceptional skills and interests while Chantal’s communication with animals goes beyond human capabilities.
The final verdict:
This book is certainly an appetizer for greater adventures to come. Bea’s struggle to pursue a life of spying is at center stage but the appearance of an assassin brings much excitement and suspense. I recommend you give this book a shot and I’m looking forward to its sequel.

I have found spy books to be a hit with kids. I am always looking for more recommendations for kids and this one made the list. The story is engaging and fun all the way to the very end. I would recommend it to upper elementary ages on up. It has a bit of violence, but is pretty tame.

Imagine being raised in a hotel run and inhabited by a secret spy league. Bea has had just such a life. Her mother is a super secret spy for hire working for world peace and her father is the head chef at the hotel. Bea has been raised learning self defense, foreign languages, and all of the other things a spy in training needs. The only thing wrong, is that Bea's mother doesn't want her to follow in her footsteps. She wants Bea to experience "normal" life in a boarding school far away. Reluctantly, Bea sets out into the world, but encounters an adventure all her own. The story is engaging and fun all the way to the very end. I would recommend it to upper elementary ages on up. It has a bit of violence, but is pretty tame.

I received this as an advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.