Veronica Rossi presenteia o leitor com um ya histórico com uma protagonista cativante. 



Não se engane pelo início lento do livro. Tudo é construído de forma que você vai tomar ritmo junto com o desenvolvimento da nossa espiã, a 355, quem além de ser uma peça fundamental na revolução americana, é uma das primeiras mulheres reconhecidas como espiãs na história norte-americana. 



Nossa protagonista vai ter a oportunidade de mudar de vida, mas acaba se envolvendo em uma trama perigosa. Mas qual o real custo que essa liberdade vai gerar para ela? Está pronta para virar uma espiã? Qual o custo de carregar esse disfarce? 



Para quem gosta do gênero, com toda certeza vai gostar do livro e especialmente de ver o desabrochar e evolução da protagonista. Pessoalmente, uma belíssima surpresa e uma leitura maravilhosa. 



Não conhecia a história verídica que inspirou a autora, mas depois dessa leitura fui correndo procurar saber um pouco mais. Espero que alguma editora possa publicar o livro aqui no Brasil.

This book made me remember how much I loved the AMC series, Turn. Some of the characters make an appearance here, and the feel of the story is similar. I love the idea of taking a little known historic footnote of a person and making a fully fleshed out and incredibly interesting character out of it. Frannie is such a masterwork of character development--she feels real. I love the story of the Culper ring and how much they helped the war effort. To learn about it from this angle was really entertaining.

Rebel Spy by Veronica Rossi is a fictional tale of a real female spy, 355, during the Revolutionary War. 355 was never named, so everything about her is unknown. No one even knows what exactly she spied upon or what information she gave.

Since this is a war novel, in a way, there are hints of the ongoing war, especially when the Loyalists talk about their exploits. Nothing is ever shown full force however. The one thing that is shown, is the press ganging of sailors by the English Navy. It's pretty violent and brutal, but toned down from how I'm sure the actual press ganging was. There is murder and death as one would assume in a war. One other thing that is pretty awful is the prison of war ship, it's as nasty as it sounds. There are also some stories of past rapes done by the Red Coats on American women. There is also a near assault by the main characters step-father in the opening chapters.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I liked the historical parts, but also the fictional parts. They were weaved together very well. There are some YA tropes; falling in love fast, two men loving the same woman and hating each other, but they don't stand out as obnoxious or overbearing. The cast of characters is well written and add a lot of heart to the story. A few of the characters are based on real life people, mainly the male characters. The main characters friends are funny and charming. They also care for each other deeply, which is always nice to see.

I think that anyone who enjoys the mystery of who spies are behind the scenes, especially in a war as old and important to America as this one, will enjoy the novel. It has action, romance, and enough factual evidence to make it almost real.

WHY DID I LISTEN TO REBEL SPY BY VERONICA ROSSI?
I really enjoyed Veronica Rossi’s Under The Never Sky series and well, it has been a few years since I’ve read the series. So, I thought I would try out one of Rossi’s newer books and why not begin with Rebel Spy. After all, I really enjoy historical fiction. So, logically, I figured I would also really enjoy Rebel Spy given that it is written by Veronica Rossi. I went with the audiobook version as it was available via Libby and I knew that would be the quickest way I would be able to get to it.

WHAT’S THE STORY HERE?
Frannie Tasker lives on the Grand Bahama Islands with her mother and stepfather who is actually quite terrible. She works as a wrecker, meaning that she dives shipwrecks in hopes of finding items to sell. When her mother dies, she is left in the custody of her stepfather. He gets the idea in his mind to marry Frannie. Oh, and the book is set during the Revolutionary War, which as the book starts out, Frannie doesn’t know about. So, she is despondent about her situation. When a ship wrecks nearby and one of the victims is Emmeline Coates, Frannie sees her chance at escape. She takes on Emmeline’s identity and is rescued by a British Merchant ship. While aboard, she learns a little bit more about how to meet a lady and meets a young man who gives her a copy of Common Sense, it changes her life.

So, over the course of the next three years, Frannie lives in New York under the identity of Emmeline Coates. She lives the upper class life. She also comes to the realization that she’s in a pretty good position to help out the Rebels and General Washington as she does tend to overhear a lot. So, as you can guess, Frannie/Emmeline becomes a spy.

HOW DID I LIKE REBEL SPY?
Honestly, I thought that Rebel Spy was a pretty good read. I loved the historical detail and the fact that you could really feel the tension in the air in New York. Frannie’s life as Emmeline, the upper class young woman, is so interesting. I liked learning about her marriage prospects or lack there of. I also enjoyed reading about her new friends that she makes. However, I wasn’t a huge fan of how her stepdad comes back into her life, that bit seemed a little over the top. I also liked how this was very clear about how limited life could be for women back in the Revolutionary War era and how much that kind of sucks. Oh, and the romance! That was quite interesting as I had a specific romance I was rooting for, even when it seemed impossible.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
The audiobook is narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya. It is 10 hours and 42 minutes unabridged. I thought that Araya’s voice sounded a lot like Nicola Barber which is actually high praise. Her voice was PERFECT for the story – very much how I’d imagine a girl from colonial times sounding and very melodic. The audiobook of Rebel Spy is easy on the ears and perfectly transporting.

DNF. I could not get invested in the story and really did not like the protagonist. The narrator's voice felt far too modern for historical fiction, and I got bogged down in the narrator stowing away on a ship. I don't think this one holds up to comparisons of Julie Berry and Tatiana deRosnay, and I don't think the title will appeal to many non-adolescent readers, but it will still entertain YA historical fiction fans.

Rebel Spy was such an interesting story that made me want to do research on a topic that never came to my mind until I read this book and the author's note. Rebel Spy is set in 1776 and follows a young girl Frannie as she takes the life of a Miss Emmeline Coates and pretends to be her when Emmeline died in a naval accident. She does it to run away from her abusive step-father who intends to take her as his new-wife after her mother's death. Obviously, Frannie is willing to do about anything to get out of this situation and save her life even if it means taking a risk as people might know that she isn't the real Miss Coates. Along the way she meets Asa, the love of her life who will be one of the sparks that will make Frannie decide to become a spy... Ahhhh Asa. I loved him so much!! All I wanted was for them both to be together and happy even though obstacles were present.

Overall, I'm glad I finally read this book even though it was a bit slow at times and that it took me a little while to finish it. However I fell in love with the characters. This book made me cry and broke my heart multiple times. The ending is one that marked me and for these reasons, I kind of want to give it five stars instead of four. 

<i>(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

I liked this book, but nothing really stood out to me. I was very excited to read a book by Veronica Rossi, especially in a different genre than she usually writes as far as I know, but this book was very average. That said, Veronica Rossi is an extremely talented author and I can absolutely see the appeal in this book, it just wasn't for me specifically. 2.5/5 stars, rounded up to 3.

Frannie Tasker’s life is in danger and so she conveniently pretends to be an heiress whose shipwrecked body has washed up on the shores of the Bahamas. This sets in motion a dramatic change in circumstances. Not only was the dead girl wealthy, but her parents are gone and her custodian only knew her as a little girl, so almost no one suspects a switch. Learning to live as a member of New York society elite proves to be a little challenging, but Frannie manages to keep up the ruse. It’s a story of a girl who is adept at pretense and who takes advantage of those skills when the British officers are around, discussing military tactics with no thought to the innocent young woman in their midst. Based on the real Agent 355, who spied for George Washington, Frannie commits herself to helping the colonists as they fight to establish their own country.

Historical fiction based upon real people always holds a special fascination. Though the circumstances may be imagined, the reality of the person or the event gives greater significance to the tale. Rossi’s creation of the poor girl rising in social standing due to deception, reminds one of Pygmalion. But her life as a spy brings Frannie back to the lowly hardscrabble girl she once was, a girl who used her wits to survive. Fannie is a memorable character who, once she sets her mind on something, refuses to turn back or be deterred. She has courage, wiliness and determination. Women of her time often play a secondary role but here Fannie uses her connections to help the American patriots and prove her worth, 

Lovers of American history, of spy tales or just of spunky women, will find this fascinating. Though a young adult novel, this book will have definite crossover appeal to adults.
4.5*

I love reading a historical fiction story that requires the author to imagine a lot and fill in the blanks. George Washington really used a spy network to help win the war against the British, and there was really a spy known as 3-5-5, “Lady”. That’s just about all that is known. So, Veronica Rossi used her imagination and historical events and people to build a story around the unknown spy, 355.

I found the book to be absolutely engrossing. I was in love with the character, Frannie. She is strong-willed and absolutely amazing. Her ability to adapt created a story that I couldn’t stop reading. I loved her the most when she was being her true self. She’s a bit crass and completely un-lady-like, and I loved it.

Frannie’s need to escape her awful step-father is apparent. He’s a horrible human, and I wanted her to get away from him so much. When her opportunity arises, she seizes it, and takes another woman’s identity. I really enjoyed this situation. I liked her inner worries and her solutions to her problems.

The entire story was filled with exciting moments that made me worry about what would happen to her next, but I thought all that excitement would take place on the front lines, and really a lot of it happens at garden parties, and social dinners. It was something I hadn’t envisioned when picking up this book, and I really enjoyed it!

Overall, I truly enjoyed reading this historical fiction. It was filled with great characters and had a plot that kept me engaged throughout the book!

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

Caught and held my attention from start to finish. Frannie's hard in a way heroines don't always get to be, and she's clever as hell. While I had some quibbles (the prologue was literally copied from later in the text, [how did her stepfather find her at the end? (hide spoiler)]), overall I really enjoyed this. It's cool how it shows that espionage wasn't always the intense kind you see on TV shows, but that it can still make a major difference.

What I Loved: This YA historical fiction novel is a retelling of sorts of Agent 355. It is very clear from page 1 that Rossi did so much research and, as a result, Rebel Spy is quite immersive. Additionally Rossi, prose is lush and atmospheric. Frannie/ Emmeleine is a strong, capable heroine at the center of the story who assumes a false identity and subsequently becomes a colonist spy, feeding information to Washington’s own network of information. The stakes are high and there are some legitimately tense moments and close calls that I think fans of historical fiction will absolutely adore.

What I Didn’t Love: I have found that I frequently struggle with historical fiction because it feels too slow and I do feel like the pacing was rather inconsistent throughout the story and the plot kind of got lost in the shuffle. Maybe I’m growing out of my love for books that simply examine historical, polite society because I just found chunks of the book boring.

i would, however, recommend this book to anyone looking for a lyrical, lush historical YA novel. Overall, I gave this one 3/5 stars.

Rebel Spy by Veronica Rossi
Published June 23, 2020 by  Delacorte Press
Genres: Teen & Young Adult, Historical Fiction
Edition: Advance Reader Copy
Pages: 368
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Teaser:
Rebellious Frannie Tasker knows little about the war between England and its thirteen colonies in 1776, until a shipwreck off her home in Grand Bahama Island presents an unthinkable opportunity. The body of a young woman body floating in the sea gives Frannie the chance to escape her brutal stepfather--and she takes it.

Assuming the identity of the drowned Emmeline Coates, Frannie is rescued by a British merchant ship and sails with the crew to New York. For the next three years, Frannie lives a lie as Miss Coates, swept up in a courtship by a dashing British lieutenant. But after witnessing the darker side of the war, she realizes that her position gives her power. Soon she's eavesdropping on British officers, risking everything to pass information on to George Washington's Culper spy ring as agent 355. Frannie believes in the fight for American liberty--but what will it cost her? Inspired by the true "355" and rich in historical detail and intrigue, this is the story of an unlikely New York society girl turned an even unlikelier spy.

What I liked:

I loved that Frannie's story is her identity. Starting with Prisoner, starting over with Wrecker, moving to Lady and 355, to Spy and Prisoner, and finally as Frannie.

I love that Agent 355 was a real woman. Even though her identity is unknown, this reimagining of her is believable due to the well-researched historical settings.

Rossi breathed life into historical figures like George Washington, Anna Strong, Robert Townsend, and Elizabeth Burgin to Benedict Arnold, Henry Clinton, and John Andre.

What I didn't like:
While Frannie did share a resemble with Emmeline Coates, I found it a little unbelievable that Emmeline's family acquaintances accepted that Frannie as her.  Firstly, it was hard to believe is that  Emmeline was the lone survivor of a shipwreck. Secondly, I don't feel that Frannie would have learned all of the rules of society quickly enough to pass. I wondered if Emmeline's family and friends willed themselves into accepting Frannie instead of grieving for her. If you read 
Rebel Spy, what do you think?

Favorite Quotes: I loved these quotes because they either shaped or added to the overall narrative. 

 "I'd reached it--the seventh fathom. My dreaming depth. The whole world far away, I stretched out my arms and set my imagination loose."

"Never marry for love,
as love doesn't buy bread.
Never marry in haste, as those who rush, stumble.
Never marry low, as poverty is a stain that never washes out."

"Tyranny was wrong. Abuse was wrong. And power ought never be misused. If it made me a rebel to think so, then a rebel I was--but only in secret. As strongly as I felt, I could never share the truth with anyone."

"I felt like a true spy now--one with tolls and a network of support. With rules I devised to stay safe: Trust no one. Expect the worst. Be prepared. Most important of all--choose patience over risk."

"It hurt me that I'd hurt him. But he said it himself that a certain coldness was required in matters of war. And we were enemies now. True enemies. There was no confusion or murkiness anymore."

"I'd swum with deadly sharks and stolen from deadlier men.I'd survived hurricanes, war, and even love--but I didn't know if I'd survive this."

"I've lived for something more... and its love, and liberty, and friendship, and hope--and all the other mores that can ever be."

Final Thoughts: I enjoyed Rebel Spy immensely once I set aside my questioning of the Coates' acceptance of Frannie. This acceptance made me think about the secondary characters' motivations; their loves and losses. I framed the narrative through the lens that not all is as it seems on the surface. I also accepted Frannie's role as Emmaline--Agent 355--Spy--Prisoner--and finally Frannie.  Could anyone want more than to live "for something more... and its love, and liberty, and friendship, and hope--and all the other mores that can ever be"? Have you read Rebel Spy? Did you like it as much as I did?
Happy reading!

I was really intrigued by this book when I found out that it was a historical fiction following Agent 355 during the Revolutionary War-era. From the moment I got the digital arc I was dying to dive in, so a big thank you to Delacorte for the e-arc. 

This book was quite fast-paced. I was really glad for that since a lot of historical fictions feel slow or dragging to me and it was nice to have a historical fiction that didn't feel that way. I do think that there could have been so much more to the story, though, if it had been longer than the ~350 pages it was. I really liked our main character and I thought that she was an enjoyable one to read from. Not only is she spying for the Americans, but she's also trying to maintain her identity as Emmeline. I thought that this was a really interesting part of the story to read.

Overall I did really enjoy this book and thought that it was a fun way to engage with American history and have an exciting tale to read.

This ARC was provided for review, but in no way affects the following unbiased and impartial review:
•
5*
Pros: Completely immersive world-building. Exquisite narrative and writing style. Layered and complex female lead. Beautiful and soul-rendering. Portrays the story of the spy 355 that helped Americans win their independence from the British. Talks about making difficult choices, fighting for what you believe in, surviving and doing what it is necessary to thrive. Talks about loss and feeling lost. Important PoV on surviving sexual assault and domestic abuse.
.
Cons: Slow beginning. Lots of inconsistencies regarding female biology by the end.
.
Trigger warning: Sexual assault. Domestic violence.

My Review- Thank you to FFBC for inviting me on to this Blog Tour. I had never read a Veronica Rossi book until now, and it has me questioning myself on why?

I really liked Frannie, I thought she was a fierce young lady and a character that was much needed in YA. I’d never heard of the original story, prior to reading the re-imagining, so I did some research of my own. Very interesting stuff.

I really liked Rossi’s writing style. It was very imaginative, and detailed. She was great at world building and developing the characters within it. Now I feel like I need to read her backlist titles.

When was the last time you read a book and immediately wanted to to research about the characters?

I adore books like this. Fiction books based on real characters sprinkled with historical facts. The idea of a young rebel spy, hidden in plain sight, among fine society intrigued me. And as I finished the book I sat with tears in my eyes. This young lady was real! Rebel spy 355 took her life in her hands for what she believed was right. She risked everything for this country! I am amazed by this. I had no idea things like this happened!

~Spying let me breathe again. It let the sunlight shine through the cracks, to reach the soul of me.The truth. The suffocating, hidden girl.~

Veronica Rossi has a way with words that makes you feel as though you are living right along side them. This is a beautiful and inspiring YA standalone with a bit of romance swirled with intrigue. If you’re looking to feel inspired and motivated to make a change, then I highly recommend you grab this book and get ready for excitement.

I am in such a book fog right now. This book will definitely be in my top 10 of 2020!

Frannie, a rebellious young lady gets mistaken for a dead rich girl, Emmeline Coates, and runs with it to escape her past – only to get caught up in the American revolution and become a spy. Rebel Spy was an entertaining read, and exactly what was promised by the blurb. Nevertheless, I felt like it was lacking – perhaps it was that it is a familiar plotline, one that I have likely read before, reminiscent of so many period novels. Rebel Spy does not stand out particularly.

The elements that had pulled me to the book, the historical aspects, the challenges faced navigating the two lives of Emmeline Coates and agent 355, and a character-driven narrative lacked in detail for my taste. The book could have gone into more depth about the nitty-gritty of Frannie’s life, rather than plotting a pleasant course down the river of smooth sailing. That is not to say that there are no obstacles in the story – there are plenty – but they are of the predictable kind, not the ones requiring personal growth.

I think Rebel Spy is a great read if you are looking for a summer holiday read while waiting anxiously for the next season of Outlander and enjoy casual YA with a dash of romance and secrecy.

I was initially drawn to this book because it is written by Veronica Rossi, author of the Under the Never Sky trilogy, which was one of my favorite YA series when I first became obsessed with the genre (Just thinking about UTNS is making me feel so nostalgic)! I was intrigued when I found out that Rebel Spy was a historical fiction novel, as I was eager to see how it would compare to Rossi’s dystopian books. While Rebel Spy and Under the Never Sky couldn’t be more different, they do have one thing in common… They’re both absolutely amazing!

Veronica Rossi’s writing has this sheer addictivness about it that can be found in all of her books, regardless of the genre. Constant action keeps you turning the pages, and subtle hints of mystery and romance have you all the more hooked. The writing is fairly simplistic and straightforward, making it easy to get lost in the pages.

But make no mistake: though simple, the narration is still breathtaking. Something about it is just so beautifully transportive. For instance, when Frannie described the effortless bliss of diving, I was transported into her world, swimming into the deep blue abyss of the sea right alongside her.

Frannie herself was a very interesting character to get to know. Her rocky past and moral flaws gave her so much complexity, as did her complicated relationships with the other characters in the book. What I liked about Frannie was that her inner flaws didn’t stop her from being a heroine I could root for. Like all interesting characters, she wasn’t perfect and she made mistakes, but her unconditional desire to fight for what she believed in triumphed over any flaws she might have had.

My only problem with this book was the ending. Not only was it anti-climatic, but it was also very vague. If you don’t have an issue with open-ended cliffhangers, the ending won’t bother you, but if you need closure like me, you’re going to finish this book feeling pissed as hell. This is a spoiler-free review, but I couldn’t even spoil the ending if I wanted to because it was so darn vague. It didn’t make any sense, and the story ended with so many loose ends and unexplained plot holes. Maybe I’m just not ~thoughtful~ or ~philosphical~ enough, but the ending was so non-descriptive that it just felt like pure laziness. It’s as if the author was too lazy to come up with an actual ending that would tie up loose plotlines and provide satisfying closure. If Rebel Spy was the first book in a series, the ending would have made more sense, but I’m almost certain that it’s a standalone novel, so… No excuses, Ms. Rossi.

To sum it up: Did the vague ending ruin the whole book for me? Of course not. But did it still annoy the hell out of me? Yup.

I’m willing to look past this though, because Rebel Spy had so many other fantastic elements that made up for that awful ending. A complex main character, beautiful writing, and fast-moving plot to name a few!

Whether you’re a full on history buff or just someone who is reading historical fiction for the first time, you’re bound to enjoy this book! It’s a great story from a wonderful author who never fails to please her readers! I had such an amazing time getting lost in this beautiful book, and I think you will too.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I cannot talk about this book enough. It was a historical fiction gem. These last few months I have been in a slump with almost every other book I read. So starting a book has been very hard for me, but I eventually, hopefully, get sucked in by the first few chapters. Luckily that happened to me with this book.

I have loved Veronica Rossi since I read her Under the Never Sky series back in 2013. I adored those books so much. It's about time for me to do a reread because I am pretty sure I haven’t don’t one yet. Besides Kenji, from the Shatter Me series, Roar is one of my favorite characters ever. So when I saw that Rossi was going to have a historical fiction out soon I knew I had to try to get the ARC. I couldn’t believe it when I saw that I was approved for it.

As I said, it took me a few chapters to get into it. Not because of the writing or the story, but because of my slumpish mood and because I didn’t have much time to get some good reading in. But once I hit those few chapters I was hooked. I love this story and these characters. I loved the history behind it and the time period it took place in. And I really loved being able to research these people as I read and learn more about them.

This story is based on the life of Agent 355. She was a spy for George Washington. We don’t actually have a lot of information on her, not even a real name, just her code name. We do know that she was part of a high society.

Frannie is our main character and before becoming a spy she was just a girl who dived for valuable things left on shipwrecked ships. She lives with her stepfather and wants out of her life as soon as possible. She gets that chance when she finds a young lady about her age floating in the ocean. This young lady was aboard a ship that wrecked and had no survivors. Frannie takes this chance and takes this ladies' identity. For the next few years, Frannie becomes this lady and lives an amazing life, even though it’s a lie. She feels like she isn’t really living until she meets a lady who connects her with spies. Knowing how dangerous a spies life is she decides to claim it as her own, life or death.

I couldn’t put this book down because I had to know what happened next. I was surprised at how emotional I got and how easily I connected with Frannie. Every emotion she had I deeply felt. Rossi has a way of creating characters like that. If you love historical fictions, I definitely recommend this book to you. I know you will fall in love with these characters as I have.

Initial Thoughts

I was really excited to get my hands on an ARC of this book. I love historical fiction and the Revolutionary War is a subject that I studied a lot of, but don’t get to explore in fiction very often. Furthermore, I really liked that this was a story of spies and intrigue.

Some Things I Liked

American history. I loved history in school and US history was one of my favorite subjects. I loved the familiar names and events and how they were woven into a semi-fictional story.
A woman MC in a man’s world. I also loved that 355 was known to be a woman. Women in the late 1700s were not treated as equals to me by any stretch of the imagination so I loved that a woman in that time played such a pivotal role in taking down the British.
Morally grey character. Frannie’s life before was pretty terrible, but she made a few questionable decisions that got her to her life in New York. I loved seeing her growth and development as a person. She went from only thinking of herself to sacrificing it all for the sake of her nation.

Series Value

We all know how the American Revolution turned out so I don’t think there is much sequel value here. Agent 355 completed her job and stopped Benedict Arnold. My only wish is for a tiny epilogue saying something about what happened after that last scene.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed this book. It was super fitting that I finished it on July 4th. Agent 355 was a historical figure that I hadn’t heard much about and I am now curious to learn more.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommendations for Further Reading

Agent 355 by Marie Benedict – if you liked this imagining of Agent 355’s story, try Marie’s Benedict’s version on Audible.
Deadly Curious by Cindy Anstey – if you enjoyed the historical fiction aspects of this story, try this new release by Cindy Anstey.
The Jewel Thief by Jeannie Mobley – again, if you liked a historical fiction story that was embellished to fill in some gaps, try this YA retelling of the cutting of the Hope Diamond.