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Not If I Save You First
by
Bestselling author Ally Carter returns with an exciting stand-alone novel, about a girl stranded in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness with the boy who wronged her . . . as an assassin moves in.
Maddie and Logan were torn apart by a kidnapping attempt when they were young. They were only kids -- Logan's dad was POTUS and Maddie's father was the Secret Service agent meant ...more
Maddie and Logan were torn apart by a kidnapping attempt when they were young. They were only kids -- Logan's dad was POTUS and Maddie's father was the Secret Service agent meant ...more
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Kerry-Mae Doogan
No and none. There’s implied teenage romantic feelings, a kiss, and no actual swear words.
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this was quite a short book, so i will keep my review brief, as well. this was good for what it was - it was a quick, enjoyable survival story filled with action, adventure, and romance. whilst it had its highs (exciting premise, easy writing, decent pacing), it also has some lows (shallow character depth, some unrealistic moments). even though i didnt think this was perfect, i would still recommend it to anyone looking for an effortless, entertaining story!
3 stars
3 stars
This was a cute escape novel where Maddie, daughter of a secret service agent, and Logan, son of the president, are off in Alaska, when Logan is suddenly threatened, and Maddie’s survival smarts must save them both. Easy-to-follow plot, and perfect if you’re looking for something light and easy. I enjoyed Maddie’s sass, and bedazzling 😊.
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
This is a cute and adventurous YA story and I really enjoyed it.
Six years ago, Maddie, the daughter of a secret-service agent, and Logan, the son of the President of the United States were both ten and best friends. Then, something happened and Maddie moved to Alaska with her father.
Fast-forward six years and Maddie is still in Alaska. She has been living with her father, home-schooled, and learning survival skills. All gets disrupted when Logan is sent to Alaska to spend some time with them an ...more
Six years ago, Maddie, the daughter of a secret-service agent, and Logan, the son of the President of the United States were both ten and best friends. Then, something happened and Maddie moved to Alaska with her father.
Fast-forward six years and Maddie is still in Alaska. She has been living with her father, home-schooled, and learning survival skills. All gets disrupted when Logan is sent to Alaska to spend some time with them an ...more
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
This was such a sweet and easy read.
Maddie was a girly girl who can survive in the worst possible wilderness situation. I know it doesn’t sound as badass as you would think, but this book put a new spin on being your best self without compromising who you are.
Maddie grew up being best friends with the son of the president of the United States but an unfortunate event split them apart, when they found each other, their friendship wasn’t as rosy as it was in the past. It took a life a ...more
This was such a sweet and easy read.
Maddie was a girly girl who can survive in the worst possible wilderness situation. I know it doesn’t sound as badass as you would think, but this book put a new spin on being your best self without compromising who you are.
Maddie grew up being best friends with the son of the president of the United States but an unfortunate event split them apart, when they found each other, their friendship wasn’t as rosy as it was in the past. It took a life a ...more
Just what I wanted from that synopsis!
A cute, quick read that you'll probably enjoy if you like survival stories. There is also a good dose of friends-to-hate-to-attraction.
Only downside was that Maddie could be super annoying. She was acting that way on purpose, but let's just say she excelled at it.
Content warning: Russian terrorists, being taken hostage, falling, violence, injury, survival in wintry wilderness. ...more
A cute, quick read that you'll probably enjoy if you like survival stories. There is also a good dose of friends-to-hate-to-attraction.
Only downside was that Maddie could be super annoying. She was acting that way on purpose, but let's just say she excelled at it.
Content warning: Russian terrorists, being taken hostage, falling, violence, injury, survival in wintry wilderness. ...more
Galley provided by publisher
I'd be the first to admit that I wasn't all that impressed by the last book Ally Carter released. I would even go so far as to say that I was a bit disappointed. This one, on the other hand, is a welcome return to how good her previous output had been.
Maddy Manchester is the daughter of the (former) head of the Secret Service. Following the attempted kidnap of the First Lady, Maddy's father moves them to the wilderness of Alaska, cut off from human civilisation, for r ...more
I'd be the first to admit that I wasn't all that impressed by the last book Ally Carter released. I would even go so far as to say that I was a bit disappointed. This one, on the other hand, is a welcome return to how good her previous output had been.
Maddy Manchester is the daughter of the (former) head of the Secret Service. Following the attempted kidnap of the First Lady, Maddy's father moves them to the wilderness of Alaska, cut off from human civilisation, for r ...more
Nov 17, 2018
Aqsa
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Aqsa by:
Brianna
Shelves:
recommended-to-me,
favorites
3.5 Stars
Dear Logan,
Remember when we were friends?
I do. But sometimes, honestly, I’d give anything to forget.
Maddie
Maddie and Logan were best friends when they were 10 but due to some incident, they were separated from each other. Maddie didn’t forget her best friend and kept writing him letters for quite a while but she never got an answer, so she finally stopped and forgot about the boy she thought was her friend until one day she met him again.
You can probably guess the incident when ...more
Dear Logan,
Remember when we were friends?
I do. But sometimes, honestly, I’d give anything to forget.
Maddie
Maddie and Logan were best friends when they were 10 but due to some incident, they were separated from each other. Maddie didn’t forget her best friend and kept writing him letters for quite a while but she never got an answer, so she finally stopped and forgot about the boy she thought was her friend until one day she met him again.
You can probably guess the incident when ...more
Enjoyable teenage/YA tale full of action, suspense and some great, sharp narrative. All the boxes are ticked here for a good, no nonsense escapist read with decent characters and great location. It's a fast paced read following the story of Logan and Maddie on the run in cold Alaska from Russian agents.
Overall I enjoyed as I like Ally Carter and her teen spy books. But it was not fantastic, just a good read. ...more
Overall I enjoyed as I like Ally Carter and her teen spy books. But it was not fantastic, just a good read. ...more
This is entertaining, and quippy, and a standalone. My immediate reaction was three stars. It's the best thing Ally Carter has written in years.
And then I started, you know, actually thinking about the story, and its inherent political implications, and none of it makes any sense to me. I'm knocking off a star for that.
Every single way in which you could possibly be spoiled is behind this spoiler cut.
(view spoiler) ...more
And then I started, you know, actually thinking about the story, and its inherent political implications, and none of it makes any sense to me. I'm knocking off a star for that.
Every single way in which you could possibly be spoiled is behind this spoiler cut.
(view spoiler) ...more
I read this book for school which will probably surprise most because this is not an academic book. It's a long story but basically, my school does this thing called service-learning projects. This year our project was to read a book and then send a copy to an eighth grader along with a letter. I won't go into it here but I hated the project for many reasons.
Onto the actual review.
I tried to read this a lloooonngggg time ago but couldn't get into it. This time, I had a much easier time. This was ...more
Onto the actual review.
I tried to read this a lloooonngggg time ago but couldn't get into it. This time, I had a much easier time. This was ...more
The novel was good. The synopsis (...the part with the president and special forces) raised my expectations. I expected more action, guns, bombs and so on. An Alaskan forest as the main setting took the pizzazz out the novel.
Oct 26, 2018
Fafa's Book Corner
added it
Mini review:
Trigger warning: Attempt at kidnapping, blood, and gun violence up until the point I read.
DNF
As a long time Ally Carter fan I was looking forward to this book! I didn't like her other series and was hoping to enjoy this standalone. Unfortunately I didn't.
It saddens me to say that I've outgrown Ally Carter. Upon starting this book I found the writing style not for my tastes. Somewhere between MG and YA. The romance wasn't enjoyable either. Nor did I like any off the characters.
Overal ...more
Trigger warning: Attempt at kidnapping, blood, and gun violence up until the point I read.
DNF
As a long time Ally Carter fan I was looking forward to this book! I didn't like her other series and was hoping to enjoy this standalone. Unfortunately I didn't.
It saddens me to say that I've outgrown Ally Carter. Upon starting this book I found the writing style not for my tastes. Somewhere between MG and YA. The romance wasn't enjoyable either. Nor did I like any off the characters.
Overal ...more
Cute, quick read. More or less it was a story of friendship that gets lost and gained to move to love. Kind of found Maddie to be a bit obvious sometimes but overall an enjoyable read about two friends who get thrown back together after growing apart. However, they were thrown back together in Alaska which adds to the story for me because I love reading books based in Alaska.
My quick and simple overall: cute YA friendship book.
My quick and simple overall: cute YA friendship book.
For a standalone, this somehow managed to capture all of Ally Carter's strengths from her previous series! Political intrigue, high-stakes survival and hidden backstories, 'Not If I Save You First' would be a great starting point for people that wanted to discover Ally's books, without being intimidated by a whole series.
This felt the most real and gritty of her books, with people having guns shoved in their faces or rolling off cliffs left, right and centre. Of course, I had to suspend my disb ...more
This felt the most real and gritty of her books, with people having guns shoved in their faces or rolling off cliffs left, right and centre. Of course, I had to suspend my disb ...more
Oct 10, 2018
Daiane
rated it
it was ok
Shelves:
chick-lit,
meh,
contemporary,
assassins,
crime,
badass-chick,
friends-to-love,
disappointed,
im-a-spy
Actual Rating: 2,5
Too much whinning and even though it had some surprises it still had some boring parts and not a lot really happens. Some parts are not well developed either and things that happens are sometimes really childish... Like... Really....
Too much whinning and even though it had some surprises it still had some boring parts and not a lot really happens. Some parts are not well developed either and things that happens are sometimes really childish... Like... Really....
Mmmhhmm 3.5 stars? It definitely wasn't perfect but I liked much more than All Fall Down.
It was entertaining and full of action. ...more
It was entertaining and full of action. ...more
Not sure why I keep waiting so long to dive into books that I fall in love with. This book is no different and I should be kicking myself for waiting 2 years to dive into it.
Not If I Save You First was an adventure I will probably never forget. In it, you will meet Maddie and Logan. They were the best of the friends when they were little but things drastically changed when an unexpected event occurs.
It kind of seemed like she moved to Alaska overnight with her dad. She was so little and didn't ...more
Not If I Save You First was an adventure I will probably never forget. In it, you will meet Maddie and Logan. They were the best of the friends when they were little but things drastically changed when an unexpected event occurs.
It kind of seemed like she moved to Alaska overnight with her dad. She was so little and didn't ...more
I didn't expect this to be that good. I absolutely loved it! The pace was perfect for me. I never got bored and was sitting on the edge of my seat the whole time while reading it.
I wasn't a huge fan of the characters at first, but the more I read, the more I loved the characters. Maddie is the type of character you shouldn't underestimate. She may seem girly (and she is), but she won't hesitate to protect herself and the people she cares about.
I also really liked Logan. I wasn't a huge fan of h ...more
I wasn't a huge fan of the characters at first, but the more I read, the more I loved the characters. Maddie is the type of character you shouldn't underestimate. She may seem girly (and she is), but she won't hesitate to protect herself and the people she cares about.
I also really liked Logan. I wasn't a huge fan of h ...more
I don't quite know what to say about this one. It was enjoyable for a few hours of my life, but I also wasn't all that into it. I couldn't seem to get truly invested in these characters. Still, the story is entertaining enough, and the charcters are likable and intelligent. The main issue is that there was no suspense here. There was no danger. I couldn't fully dive into it because, in the end, I knew how it was going to end.
I think if I'd read this a few years ago I might have liked it a bit mo ...more
I think if I'd read this a few years ago I might have liked it a bit mo ...more
Not if I save you first. By ally Carter
I just discovered ally cater this year and she is slowly becoming to one if my most liked authors.
Not if I save you first follows two teenagers Maddie and Logan. Maddie's father is the best secret service agent that a president could ask for. Logan is the son of well the president.
Six years ago they were 10 years old and best friends. Until something awful happened. Now Maddie is in Alaska home schooling herself learning survival skills and wishing she ha ...more
I just discovered ally cater this year and she is slowly becoming to one if my most liked authors.
Not if I save you first follows two teenagers Maddie and Logan. Maddie's father is the best secret service agent that a president could ask for. Logan is the son of well the president.
Six years ago they were 10 years old and best friends. Until something awful happened. Now Maddie is in Alaska home schooling herself learning survival skills and wishing she ha ...more
Jun 16, 2019
Kristy
rated it
liked it
Shelves:
a-real-book-wow,
swapped-back-on-pbs,
pbs,
from-pbs,
ya,
fiction,
read-what-you-own,
scholastic,
romance,
pbs-wishlist
Maddie and Logan were best friends when they were kids. Granted, it was under slightly unusual circumstances: Logan's dad was President, and Maddie's dad was one of his Secret Service agents. So when something happens that causes Maddie's dad to move the two of them to an isolated cabin in the middle of Alaska, everything in Maddie's life changes. She has no contact with the outside world beyond letters--no Internet, no phone, no anything. Just a tiny cabin, a few library books, and her Dad. Mad
...more
May 23, 2018
Marla (Not Maria)
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audiobooks
Entertaining, humorous, suspenseful and just a whole lot of fun. I listened to the audiobook which I think was better because the narrator was able to give Maddie a fun personality. Maddie is strong, silly, girlie yet knows how to survive and take down dangerous Russian men. Her Secret Service father has taught her well while living in Alaska for six years. Maddie's father is the head of the Secret Service who protect the president. Logan is the President's son. At 10 they witness Logan's Mom be
...more
I NEED to re-read this again because the ending was kinda confusing. (partly because I was rushing through this bc I wanted to finish it before the new year and I was exhausted. So... yeah) I get the main point of the last 50 pages but not the tiny details. I should probably re-read the last part at least. I had this really weird feeling that I had read the first chapter somewhere. not the rest of the book but just the first chapter. i have no idea where I would have done that. lol This was a re
...more
Oct 25, 2017
The Candid Cover (Olivia & Lori)
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
2018-releases,
young-adult
Review to come!
This book was sooo cute!!!! I could not put it down, I wish I could give it more than 5 stars.
Ally Carter is the queen of teen thriller/spy/heist novels. So far I've liked every book of hers I've read (though Heist Society is by far my favorite).
While this one has some of the same political and thriller elements as many of her other novels, it is mostly a survival story set in Alaska. And in Alaska, there is a lot of things that take grit and determination to survive.
Maddie was by far my favorite character. She's tough, strong, determined, and can throw knives and hatchets with ease. Y ...more
While this one has some of the same political and thriller elements as many of her other novels, it is mostly a survival story set in Alaska. And in Alaska, there is a lot of things that take grit and determination to survive.
Maddie was by far my favorite character. She's tough, strong, determined, and can throw knives and hatchets with ease. Y ...more
Sep 17, 2020
Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls)
rated it
it was ok
Shelves:
read-secular-mainstream
2 stars.
Have I read all of Ally Carter’s YA/MG books now? I think so. She has become a guilty pleasure author and writes strong YA girls with unique plots.
This plot was definitely unique. It should be noted that I am so not a wilderness or outdoorsy girl, so the plot line of surviving in the Alaska wilderness truly didn’t interest me much. Some elements of this book are probably unrealistic or exaggerated, but it was all to show how tough Maddie is. A little corny, but it comes with the YA Cont ...more
Have I read all of Ally Carter’s YA/MG books now? I think so. She has become a guilty pleasure author and writes strong YA girls with unique plots.
This plot was definitely unique. It should be noted that I am so not a wilderness or outdoorsy girl, so the plot line of surviving in the Alaska wilderness truly didn’t interest me much. Some elements of this book are probably unrealistic or exaggerated, but it was all to show how tough Maddie is. A little corny, but it comes with the YA Cont ...more
I really enjoyed this book. It was very...Interesting...and very different but I liked it. The ending seemed super rushed though. I kept wondering how it was going to resolve in such little time but I guess Ally Carter pulled it off ok.
A quicky read with lots of cuteness and badassery
More review to come...
More review to come...
This book was amazing and well plotted. I didn't think I would like it and i didnt... I LOVED it. Sorta violent but an awesome book- highly recommended.
...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What's the Name o...: SOLVED. YA Mystery. Girl's mother was murdered, father sends her away from home. Her best friend is a boy. Cover: packed-down snow from bird's eye view, red or pink title. Read around 2018-2019. [s] | 6 | 33 | Dec 31, 2020 10:30AM | |
| YA Buddy Readers'...: Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter - Restarting September 11th 2019 | 38 | 96 | Sep 14, 2019 10:55PM |
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Ally Carter writes books about spies, thieves, and teenagers. She is the New York Times Best-selling author of the Gallagher Girls, Heist Society, and Embassy Row series. Her books have been published all over the world, in over twenty languages.
She encourages you to visit her online at allycarter.com and embassyrowbooks.com.
She encourages you to visit her online at allycarter.com and embassyrowbooks.com.
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From spies to thieves and now to embassy brats in See How They Run, her heroines are always a thrill. Get Ally's answers to your questions about...
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“Someone had even told him once that if his father hadn't been president, Logan might have been a good candidate for the Blackthorne Institute (whatever that was - it didn't even have a website), so it felt weird not knowing where he was or where he was going.”
—
15 likes
“I never leave the house with just one knife. Seriously. Do I look like a one-knife kind of girl?”
—
12 likes
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