This was an enjoyable read. It was well-paced and kept my interest the whole time. I wish there had been a little more explanation with why exactly they wanted them/Masterson’s motivations.

Alias Emma
Ava Glass
⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book gave my Kim Possible Vibes ( If ya know ya know). I’m not a big fan of undercover// spy type books but this one didn’t bother me reading it like most do! I’m not a person who don’t finish a book, if I start the book I’ll finished it!

Emma Makepeace is a British spy tasked with bringing Michael, the son of former Russian citizens to a safe house. Unfortunately, the Russian government is determined to kill them both before she can get Michael to safety. Thus begins a cat and mouse chase across one of the world's busiest cities.

This story reminded me of the Bourne Supremacy movies (or books although I haven't read them) except you have a badass female character doing all the fighting, running and rescuing. I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either. I found parts to be a little repetitive at times but there's something to love about a strong female spy kicking ass and taking names. Overall it was a pretty decent read.

New secret agent, Emma Makepeace, gets the major job of her career traveling across London to bring Michael Primalov to safety. The job is proving harder than anyone would have expected with the full force of the Russian Government trying to track them down and take them out!
The action is nonstop in this book, nearly from the start. I enjoyed that aspect of the book but at the same time I just had a hard time taking Alias Emma seriously. I didn’t believe what was happening and I’m not sure if it was the characters, the pacing or the plot. It might be a combination of all three. Spy thrillers are not a genre I tend to read regularly but I was happy to try it out and for the most part I enjoyed the action and intensity but the story fell a little short. I give it 3 ⭐️.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House-Ballantine for the ARC.

I didn’t want to put this book down. There were many twists & turns that kept me on my toes. I enjoyed Emma’s spy story & hope to read more with her in it. Highly recommend if your ready for a thrilling ride!

Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

*Thank you to Random House Ballantine, Ava Glass and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Previously published at https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/alias-emma/

Alias Emma is a new series by Ava Glass, otherwise known as C.J. Daugherty, the author of the young adult series, The Night School. And what a debut it is. Her latest will appeal to all ages, from tween to adult, and is funny, engaging, and sometimes heart-stopping.

Alias Emma is a new series by Ava Glass, otherwise known as C.J. Daugherty, the author of the young adult series, The Night School. And what a debut it is. Her latest will appeal to all ages, from tween to adult, and is funny, engaging, and sometimes heart-stopping.

Emma Makepeace is an agent for the Vernon Institute, a top secret organization based out of London, separate from MI5 and MI6. She has a bone to pick with the GRU agents that are currently pursuing Russian defectors, resulting in multiple deaths. Their next target is pediatric oncologist Michael Primalov. Her job is to persuade Michael, the son of a Russian defector, to come to the safety of an M16 safe house. Michael is the son of Elena Primalov, who escaped Russia 20 years ago with vital information. When Emma finally convinces Michael to come with her, they run into many obstacles while being pursued by the agents. Emma’s boss, Ripley, has gone rogue, and they have denied her any additional support in getting Michael to the safe-house. It seems like things have changed overnight at the Vernon Institute and she is completely on her own. This is her first proper assignment and she must succeed in escorting Michael six miles by foot to M16 headquarters. But Russians have taken over the CCTV cameras in London and her assignment becomes a cat-and-mouse run, avoiding being seen.

There is so much action in this book that I felt exhausted after reading it, in a good way. It takes place over the course of one night and Emma is like a young Vera Atkins or Krystyna Skarbek. After the mysterious death of Emma’s father, she has waged war on Russia, eager to get revenge. She knows how to pick locks, fight the bad guys and hot-wire cars. She is an outstanding female character, though I would love a prequel to Alias Emma to see her training in becoming a spy under Ripley’s tutelage, though they go into some scenarios.

A well-written novel, there is nothing but the chase. Told in Emma’s voice, I love her self-awareness. She is not only a brilliant spy, but she is 100% aware of what is going on around her at all times in this race to survive. London is a great backdrop to this story, and I loved learning all the secrets such as the cameras all over the city, and the underground river. Ava Glass has definitely made London a major character in this book, and I am here for it. Make sure you block out a long period of time to read this because you won’t be able to put it down.

Alias Emma by Ava Glass was one of the most surprising books I’ve read this year. When I started reading, this book seemed better suited for young adults. The writing did not pull me in that well. But I kept reading and I am so glad that I did. Suddenly I found myself unable to stop reading and fascinated by the main character and her antics. She is not your typical spy and that’s what makes her so intriguing. I can’t recommend this book enough. It’s a very entertaining read. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Emma Makepeace is a British spy even though her Mother doesn’t know that is her line of work. Emma’s father had been killed before she was born so her Mother despises spies.
Emma had been trained and ran through different scenarios and she gets put on a huge assignment. She has to get the son of Russia couple who had deflected to safety. Michael was a Doctor who treated children with cancer. And, he was not going to go with Emma because he loved his job and wanted so badly to be with the children. Emma was tasked in getting him to safety to the M16 before Russian could get to him first.
They had to stay low because of all the CCTV cameras everywhere. Wow, they went through tunnels, had boat races and carjacking. This was a great thriller and I loved that it was a female spy. I would love a series with Emma Makepeace! Grab this book you won’t be disappointed!

I received this ARC from Netgalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Not usually my genre but absolutely liked this novel. Great writing and hope the author keeps up with this genre as would love to read more of her writings.

Alias Emma is a fun spy book with a strong, kickass female lead. I don’t think spy books are my thing (I tried), and this one didn’t make me change my mind, but I think others would enjoy it. The romantic dialogue was a little cringey, so I’m glad it was few and far between.

I decided to give Alias Emma a try after saying I would not be giving feedback. OMG! What a fantastic read! I literally inhaled this book. The characters are memorable and the fast paced, non-stop action had me obsessing about the book when life interrupted my reading time. I think it's the best book I've read this year, and I will purchase several copies to give as gifts! Alias Emma would make a fantastic movie!

Thank you NetGalley for this book.

I loved Alias when it was on tv. Sydney Bristow was just such a great character. And although I don’t read a ton of spy novels, when I saw this book’s description, I knew it would be a lot of fun to read. I was right. I flew through this thriller and enjoyed every minute of it.

From Goodreads: Nothing about Emma Makepeace is real. Not even her name.

A newly minted secret agent, Emma’s barely graduated from basic training when she gets the call for her first major assignment. Eager to serve her country and prove her worth, she dives in headfirst.

Emma must covertly travel across one of the world’s most watched cities to bring the reluctant–and handsome–son of Russian dissidents into protective custody, so long as the assassins from the Motherland don’t find him first. With London’s famous Ring of Steel hacked by the Russian government, the two must cross the city without being seen by the hundreds of thousands of CCTV cameras that document every inch of the city’s streets, alleys, and gutters.

Buses, subways, cars, and trains are out of the question. Traveling on foot, and operating without phones or bank cards that could reveal their location or identity, they have twelve hours to make it to safety. This will take all of Emma’s skills of disguise and subterfuge. But when Emma’s handler goes dark, there’s no one left to trust. And just one wrong move will get them both killed.

What I loved most about this book were the twists and turns that any good spy story should have. Good guys, bad guys, double agents, rescues, deaths, evasion, and a good heroic lead. Emma is a great main character who takes her job seriously, but the story was really the shining star of the book. I was always guessing how Emma would get out of the predicament she was in and who was really trustworthy. I’m hoping this book is the first in a series because I’d love to read more of Emma’s adventures.

Alias Emma

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m not even sure what caused me to request this @netgalley copy but I’m so glad I did! I typically don’t go for spy books but I loved this one.

It was fast paced, full of action and not entirely unbelievable scenes. I really liked Emma’s as a main character and thought it was great that the flashbacks enabled a little more character development.

This book comes out this August so check it out as soon as you can!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this spy, covert ops, exciting chase novel. Emma is a newly minted agent who works for the "Agency" - a super-secret undercover organization in Britain. She is assigned the task of protecting a pediatric cancer physician. As the drama unfolds, we learn about Emma's background, her recruitment, and training through flashbacks.

As the assignment progresses, we come to understand the difficult problems she and Michael must overcome. London has CCTVs just about everywhere and the enemy has taken control of the feeds. They cannot use any means of public transportation or credit cards. Can she outsmart the Russians and bring Michael to safety?

I look forward to reading more of Emma's adventures in the future.

This is a spy thriller that reads more like a cozy mystery. Not really many twists and turns, but also light on anxiety which I like right now.

Nothing about Emma Makepeace is real. Not even her name.

A daughter of a Russian mother and father. She and her mother have fled to London and her father stays behind. All she has ever wanted is to be a spy. To make the Russians pay for what they did to him and her family.

Fresh from graduating basic, the former Army member is eager for her first assignment. And she gives it all she has.

This is a secret organization inside the CIA. But not everyone is trustworthy as Emma will soon find out. Rushing against time, Russian agents, and even some crooked CIA, she must be invisible in a city with cameras everywhere.

All she knows is she has to protect a valuable son of a dissident Russian scientist. But something isn’t right. When she calls for a pickup, no one shows. Where is her boss and who is this man running things now. A leak? A collaborator?

Trusting the cryptic message from her old boss, she goes running and ends up in a lot of nasty places. They are shot at, beaten, and not sure at all who is setting up who and why.

I loved the female spy. Emma was a most determined young lady and I hope we see more of her.

NetGalley/ August 2nd, 2022 by Bantam

I like spy/espionage books as a good, quick summer read. For that purpose, Alias Emma delivers. Can Emma convenience Michael that he is sought after by the Russians and she is there to protect him? This book follows the two of them as Emma tries to save Michael's life. There are twists and turns. The writing almost kept up with the frantic pace. Was this the best genre specific read, no. However, it serves its purpose. There could have been a little more character development. Some loose ends were never sewn up. Maybe this is leaving an opening for a series. I would give this a 3.5 rounding up to 4.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy.

3.5 STARS

I am a big fan of spy/espionage novels. This one even features a female spy, so I was super excited.

Secret agent Emma Makepeace finally gets assigned the job she has been wanting with the agency. She must bring Michael Primalov to safety with the help of M16. It is a dangerous assignment. They need to cross London while the unnamed Russian assassins are chasing them. There is much running, chasing, and hiding. The Russians have hacked and control all the cities CCTV cameras, so it is a tremendous task. She isn't exactly James Bond. I don't feel like she was quite ready for the job.

I just didn't enjoy Emma's character as much as I should have. She seemed tough at times and then other times Michael was the one saving her!! LOL

Flashbacks give us the background on how Emma was recruited and how she came to want revenge against her native Russia. She has good reason!

In the end, the characters fell flat as well as the spy mission (for me anyway). Others have enjoyed it more so check out their reviews!

I struggled with this one so much. It was not my cup of tea at all and I couldn’t get through it. There was so much that I just couldn’t get myself to like in this book.

Overall, 90% this book had good characters, an action driven plot, believable dialogue and suspense at the right times, but that last 10% just dropped off with a whimper. It didn't stop me from enjoying the book but it sure was a marked difference when it happened, almost jarring. I think that if this was a series and I had more to look forward to it might be different but I could find nothing to indicate series.