Rosaria Munda delivers a sharp, charming, and action-packed middle grade debut with Confessions of a Junior Spy—a fun twist on spy fiction filled with secret codes, disguises, and just enough heart to keep the emotional stakes real.

Bea is a delightful protagonist: clever, determined, and raised in a hotel for spies, yet utterly unprepared for something as terrifying as…normal school. Her longing to follow in her legendary mother’s footsteps is deeply relatable, especially as it clashes with her mom’s desire to protect her from the dangers of “the Life.” This central conflict adds emotional depth to the otherwise fast-paced, gadget-filled plot.

The Pangean Hotel is a standout setting, buzzing with espionage energy and quirky characters. It’s the kind of place readers will wish they could visit. Bea and her best friend Tommy make an excellent duo, full of banter, loyalty, and wild schemes—especially when they decide to help Chantal, a mysterious new arrival whose family may or may not be hiding from international danger.

Munda balances spy hijinks with real emotional beats—about family, identity, and the anxiety of stepping into the unknown. While the story is clearly geared toward younger readers, older fans of fast-paced adventure will still find plenty to enjoy. The stakes remain age-appropriate, and the tension is more about growing up than gunfights, which makes the danger feel both exciting and safe.

With its clever heroine, strong friendships, and a generous dose of spy flair, Confessions of a Junior Spy is an engaging read that feels like Harriet the Spy meets Spy Kids, with a dash of boarding school rebellion. A great pick for readers who love smart girls with big dreams and even bigger secrets.

I really enjoyed reading Confessions of a Junior Spy! This story was filled with interesting characters, intrigue and just a hint of danger so that it doesn't overwhelm a middle grade reader. Bea and her friends are learning how to navigate change - between Life as a spy (or at least one in the know) and life as a Normal. Choices are hard to make when your friends are in danger and you are being pulled in two different directions. Rosaria Munda helps Bea navigate the conflicting feels of what kind of life to choose with true believability. I appreciated the push and pull that Bea felt as she was trying to make her decisions and also stay true to herself.

I will absolutely be encouraging my mystery and spy loving kiddo to check out this book and I'm excited for book 2!

3.5 stars

This is a super fun middle grade book. I adore the spy shenanigans and the emphasis on friendship and family. The Pangean hotel sounds so epic, and Bea’s mom is the absolute coolest. It reminded me a lot of Ally Carter’s Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor.

This book was short in comparison to a lot of middle grade books these days, which isn’t a bad thing for younger readers, but it made everything in the story move very fast and it relied a lot on telling instead of showing. The Knack angle was also interesting, but I wish it was a little more fleshed out and explained further because it added a fantasy element I wasn’t expecting. There were a few other minor worldbuilding things that also needed a little more clarification.

Overall, though, the awesome elements outweigh any hang ups I had, and I think younger readers will be much more forgiving. I look forward to more books with these characters!

Super cute read, if a bit chaotic at times.

Pitched as John Wick meets Eloise at the Plaza, this book is about a girl who lives in a sanctuary hotel for spies. It takes place in a different version of our world, where all people have "Knacks" (basically... a metaphysical cutie mark). Some people are Normal and others are a part of "the Life". We follow Beatrice, the daughter of a famous spy, as she is coming into herself and dreaming of following in her mother's footsteps - despite her parents' own concern at the danger.

And as I said, this was super cute. Beatrice was a fun character, her interactions with the hotel and its inhabitants were fun, and I loved how original this was. There were moments that captured a John Wick energy for kids so well that it really was impressive.

It was also a bit messy. There were a lot of plot points that got brought up and then dropped, things that seemed like they would have pretty big consequences and then just... didn't. I also felt like this book struggled with its tone, trying to walk a line between childish whimsy and violence. It's an ambitious task and at times it was really well executed, others... not so much.

Overall, I still liked this. It might not have been perfect, but I thought it was cute and Rosaria Munda isn't really capable of writing a bad book.

** “When I grow up, I want to be a spy like my mom.” **

Rosaria Munda delivers a fun, inspirational and mysterious story with “Confessions of a Junior Spy.”

Beatrice Bates lives in the Pangean Hotel with her dad Rocco, the hotel’s chef, and her mom Anya, one of the top-ranked spies in the Pangean League — a secret, ancient organization of spies whose mission is world peace while working with many of the world’s governments.

When a “Normal” girl, Chantal Davis, moves into the hotel though, Beatrice knows there’s more to Chantal’s life and vows to help her. The only problem? Beatrice has yet to find her special “Knack” so isn’t sure how she is going to help her new non-spy friend.

The other problem? Her mom wants her to attend a “Normal” boarding school and give up her dream of becoming a spy.

Can Beatrice figure out what her Knack is? Can she and her best friend Tommy help Chantal and her family? Can she figure out who she can truly trust?

Munda provides a fun, fast-moving plot that offers mystery and intrigue, with plucky young heroes, interesting adults with special skills, and even a couple of adorable animals. She also includes some good themes, like trying to find your passion and special skill set in life; it’s dangerous being dangerous (“This Life is full of danger. And I’m not talking about gunfights or car chases. The danger is losing people you love”); believing in yourself; and the power of friendship.

Even though the book is suggested for ages 9-12, anyone that age or older (even adults) will really enjoy “Confessions of a Junior Spy,” which is due out June 10.

Fans of series like Tom Phillips’ “The Curious League of Detectives and Thieves,” Taylor Tyng’s “Clara Poole” and James Patterson’s “Treasure Hunters” will love this story.

Five stars out of five.

Feiwel & Friends provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

Rating: Enjoyed It, 3.5 stars

This was a really cute and fun middle grade novel that follows a young girl in the secret world of spies. The Pangea hotel was cool and I enjoyed all the different aspects of spy life that Bea introduced us to, especially the Knacks. She was a fun character to follow, and I enjoyed her spirit.

Overall, it was a fun, fast paced spy adventure in which Beatrice tries to balance the life that her parents want for her and the dream she has always had.

Overall, I had a good time with this one, but it was a very short first book. I could see myself getting more attached to the characters as the series goes on. I will be continuing because it was a fun time and the author is one of my favorites!

Thank you to Netgalley and Feiwel & Friends for an advance eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Confessions of a Junior Spy releases on June 10, 2025.

Cute read. The writing style and the flow of the story will appeal to middle schoolers, but there are some references and figurative language that will be lost on them. The timeline for the story moves fast, challenging the reader to keep up. This left me wanting more in terms of character and story development throughout. Moments where we should have been allowed to linger, were quickly set aside to keep the story moving. It was too much, too fast. I really did enjoy the book though and am looking forward to the sequel.
Okay for classroom shelves. I would reserve my recommendation for my students who have some prior reads with some violence, just because of one climactic scene towards the end.

BOOK REVIEW: Confessions of a Junior Spy by Rosaria Munda

Bea is not your average little girl, and her home is nothing short of spectacular! Growing up in the Pangean Hotel, Bea has made friends with all kinds of spies and foreign agents! Her schooling consists of codebreaking, field medicine, languages and self defense. Bea dreams of becoming a spy like her mom, but her mom has other dreams for her, which include boarding school! When Bea meets Chantal she is determined to help her by any means necessary. And thankfully she has her “knack” to help her!

This book is super cute! It’s reminiscent of the Spy Kids movies from my generation, but obviously better because it’s a book! 😉 I love the care the author took to create a whole new world for Bea and her friends. It’s very well thought out and executed! Readers instantly love Bea and can relate to her struggles.

Full of action and adventure, this book is aimed at 9-12 year olds. It speaks of spies and assassins but not in a scary way. The back of the book has “Extras” in the form of a map of the Pangean Hotel, a graphic of the different services available at the hotel, and a list of hotel rules. All of which, were fun to read as well!

I would definitely recommend this book for middle grades. It’s full of friendship, family love and adventure! I rate it as five stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion.

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?