Where There Be Spies (The Outersphere Series Book 2) by Alby C. Williams

What worked:

Middle-grade readers will feel a sense of familiarity as Glory and Marcus find themselves mixed up in a major problem once again. Paxton was the main antagonist in the first book, and she’s still roaming behind the scenes in this book. Glory is certain she’s up to something, and she’s certain Paxton must be responsible for missing charts. However, many students assume Glory was involved in the theft because she was the last person seen holding it. In addition, the school chancellor is missing, and Glory is certain the two incidents are not a coincidence. The characters and readers will suspect that someone at the school is still helping Paxton. Readers will recognize magic being used, but the characters don’t run around casting spells. The magic comes from potions and objects, with different materials attracting, repelling, or remaining neutral toward it.

Glory experiences social and emotional problems that will be relatable to young readers. She’s annoyed and angered by her classmates’ whispered comments accusing her of being responsible for the missing charts. She’s also aware of her mazy head, which means her mind can become overactive and go on tangents. She thinks everyone else knows she’s mazy-headed, and they think that makes her stupid and strange. These concerns are compounded by the fact that her mother is a famous spherinaut. On the one hand, Glory is proud of her mom but feels pressure living up to expectations. On the other hand, Glory fears that teachers and students treat her differently because of her famous mother. She feels angst after being assigned to the first-year dorms, even though she’s older than all of them.

A large part of the plot involves non-humans. There are two types of monsters, feral monsters and monsterfolk, but some people don’t view them differently. The feral monsters are wild and dangerous, so they are feared. The school and community have frequent monster sirens going off, sending frightened humans scurrying for safe places. These alarms may remind readers of tornado warnings. Monsterfolk are sentient creatures and are just as intelligent and eloquent as humans. This is the first time monsterfolk have been allowed to attend the school, and many students and citizens don’t like it. Glory’s roommate detests the monsterfolk, but Glory becomes good friends with the goat girl in the room next door.

What didn’t work as well:

The opening of each chapter includes numbers and words that describe location and time. However, it’s not clear how this information applies to what’s happening in the story.

The final verdict:

Readers should probably start with the first book, since prior events and characters are frequently mentioned. Glory is a likeable character, as she always wants to do the right thing, and she trusts others. Perhaps too much. I recommend you give this book a shot!