"This woman-centered spy series is as fast-paced and engaging as the first. Jessie continues to confront the universality of patriarchal norms, misogyny, and oppressive treatment of women worldwide. A badass, action-packed, feminist page-turner." — Kirkus Reviews
"Sarif throws readers back into the action-packed world of Athena that keeps readers turning pages. With female spies, arch enemies, and quick pacing, this book will be a hit with anyone. Jessie, Caitlin, and Hala are reminiscent of Charlie’s Angels without Charlie in the speaker box." — School Library Journal
"This book is full of twists and turns as well as tons of action, investigation, and awesome spy-related thrills. A solid and engaging sequel, The Shadow Mission is a great action/suspense read with strong female characters and high-octane crime solving." — YA Books Central
PRAISE FOR The Athena Protocol: “Imagine if Mission: Impossible were run by young, brilliant, ultra-skilled female operatives who undertook rogue operations to save the women and girls of the world from kidnappers and traffickers. Shamim Sarif has written a ferocious, take-no-prisoners thriller that actually thrills, with a deep heart and characters you’ll adore. What a wonderful and exciting new voice in YA. More please!” — Patrick Ness, New York Times bestselling author of The Rest of Us Just Live Here and A Monster Calls
“Finally! The female version of James Bond we’ve been waiting for! Only better—this team of black-ops spies exclusively kick ass and take the names of those who prey on women and girls: warlords and human traffickers. With a diverse cast of heroes and villains, a global scope, and just a hint of romance, it makes taking down the patriarchy fun.” — Natalie C. Anderson, author of City of Saints and Thieves
“Riveting, with thrillingly representative female empowerment.” — Kirkus Reviews
“An inclusive cast, ample action, and escalating stakes. Jessie’s conflicted attraction rings true, and a gratifying conclusion hints at emotional complexities to come.” — Publishers Weekly
“Lots of edge-of-your-seat moments. A perfectly paced plot and girls with brains and Mission Impossible." — School Library Journal
“Led by and centered on women, this high-octane thriller features a well-developed cast with distinct, varied backgrounds. An explosively exciting story that shines a light on the treatment, mistreatment, and unity of women across the globe.” — ALA Booklist
"This book is full of twists and turns as well as tons of action, investigation, and awesome spy-related thrills. A solid and engaging sequel, The Shadow Mission is a great action/suspense read with strong female characters and high-octane crime solving."
PRAISE FOR The Athena Protocol: “Imagine if Mission: Impossible were run by young, brilliant, ultra-skilled female operatives who undertook rogue operations to save the women and girls of the world from kidnappers and traffickers. Shamim Sarif has written a ferocious, take-no-prisoners thriller that actually thrills, with a deep heart and characters you’ll adore. What a wonderful and exciting new voice in YA. More please!
10/02/2020
Gr 9 Up—In this sequel to The Athena Protocol, Jessie has finally proven herself to not only Athena, a secret spy organization, but to her mother. It helps that her mother is head of Athena, not that she takes it any easier on her daughter. Jessie, Caitlin, and Hala are sent to Pakistan after a school was bombed. Little do they know what waits for them—more bad guys than they can count and more bombs then anyone wants to deal with. Sarif throws readers back into the action-packed world of Athena that keeps readers turning pages. The main characters are described in a way they could be any ethnicity, except for Hala, whose character is deeply rooted in Middle Eastern culture with many allusions to her background, beliefs, and culture. VERDICT With female spies, arch enemies, and quick pacing, this book will be a hit with anyone. Jessie, Caitlin, and Hala are reminiscent of Charlie's Angels without Charlie in the speaker box.—Rena Gibson, Ralph Ellison Lib., Oklahoma City
2020-08-28
Athena agents discover that the terrorists who attacked a girls school in India are far from fringe—and they have a personal vendetta against one of the agency’s founders.
While in pursuit of the terrorist who burned down a girls school in Pakistan—the catalyst for the founding of the clandestine Athena agency—Jessie, Caitlin, and Hala find that they are too late to stop an attack by extremist organization Family First in Mumbai. Resenting Western cultural influences and what they perceive as the erosion of family values through female education, Family First’s target is personal: a girls school established by Jessie’s mother, Athena co-founder Kit Love. In Mumbai the agents investigate the attackers and Jessie butts heads with (and fights her attraction to) local female detective Riya Kapoor, who is also lesbian. Together they find that Family First’s reach is substantial, involving a prominent politician as well as the military and police in both India and Pakistan. They face great dangers, as their enemies are unafraid to make examples of them. Sarif’s second volume in this woman-centered spy series is as fast-paced and engaging as the first. The ethnically and globally diverse cast of Athena women make prominent appearances, but this volume is much more plot focused than revelatory of individual backstory. White British Jessie continues to confront the universality of patriarchal norms, misogyny, and oppressive treatment of women worldwide.
A badass, action-packed, feminist page-turner. (Thriller. 14-18)
Led by and centered on women, this high-octane thriller features a well-developed cast with distinct, varied backgrounds. An explosively exciting story that shines a light on the treatment, mistreatment, and unity of women across the globe.
Finally! The female version of James Bond we’ve been waiting for! Only better—this team of black-ops spies exclusively kick ass and take the names of those who prey on women and girls: warlords and human traffickers. With a diverse cast of heroes and villains, a global scope, and just a hint of romance, it makes taking down the patriarchy fun.
