City Spies: Europa by James Ponti Rating: 5 Stars Release Date: February 10, 2026 Format: Audiobook (Personal Libary, Libro.fm) Publisher: Aladdin
There's no rest for teenage spies in the latest installment of James Ponti's City Spies series, Europa. I love Lisa Flanagan's performance in the audiobook narration, and I highly recommend this series to middle grade fans of mystery and spycraft.
Coming off the heels of the events of the last book, London Calling, the members of Project Neverland have moved into their new abode in London. Their hope is that the world saving missions will slow down now that the leader of Umbra is behind bars, but it's not meant to be. The leader of Umbra, Lucien Allard, seems to be sending and receiving messages from behind bars and it's up to the City Spies to investigate as they are sent out to different locations across Europe.
I love how fast paced this series is, as well as how researched all of the little details are. I laughed out loud when Mother and Rio were provided bikes by MI6 in Amsterdam, as that is very on brand for the transportation of choice in that city. I also really appreciated how the city spies team members were given some opportunities to just be kids their age in this book, instead of every moment having to be doing something for MI6.
There are also some real world consequences present in the book. Sydney and Paris, being the oldest, are given some leeway at times but Sydney makes a choice to disobey orders from Mother and Monty during a key scene in this book. The effect of that choice was quite painful, especially for Paris, so I'm curious to see how that will (hopefully) be resolved in future books.
Overall, a great read. I'm so happy to hear that the author is planning to do at least 10 books in the series. I'm curious to see where the City Spies will end up next. With Tru's dossiers at the end of the book, I'm also very curious to see where each of the children end up in the future (i.e. are they still going to be spies or not as adults).
London Calling by James Ponti is the sixth book in the City Spies series, and it is the most action-packed yet. There’s so much that’s happening in this book, and one of the biggest highlights was the parts where the team interacts with Clementine (who has made minimal on page appearances over the course of the series until this point).
Each book has sort of focused on one of the children, and this was undoubtedly Cairo’s chance to shine. While Cairo is adapting well to the team, we also got to meet Annie for the first time and get glimpses into both of their pasts. It was really cool to see how she and Robert adopted Clementine’s training (as opposed to the others getting training from Mother and Monty). Without spoiling it, I do want to note that the author took the time to wrap up a lot of storylines (some even going back to the first book), so that was equally exciting and intriguing as a reader to unravel.
While in some ways it seems like this could have been the end of the series, I’m very excited that it seems like the author is planning (I hope) at least two more City Spies books. I can’t wait to see what the kids get up to next. The end of the book ‘brief’ does give some plausible options on what each city spy might do in the future, so at least there’s that glimpse into more of their story. Once again, I think this is a great series for young readers who enjoy spy novels or tales of adventure.
Thank you to the author and the publisher for providing me with a complimentary review copy of the book. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review London Calling immensely. Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way.
After the ending of the last book, I was super excited to get to read the newest book in James Ponti’s City Spies series, Mission Manhattan. It’s another fast-paced, action-packed book where the diverse group of young spies has another major world mission to complete. Audiobook narrator Lisa Flanagan once again knocked it out of the park with her performance - I have no clue how she does so many voices, but it’s a great listen (and always clear who’s talking).
Unlike some of the other books in the series, the target of interest in this book is a young climate activist (akin to a Greta Thunberg-type figure). The team succeeds in their initial mission to protect her but realizes there is a much larger and more devious plan going on. This adds a layer of social justice to the book, instead of a stereotypical spy movie plot (like nuclear weapons, or terrorist groups). They travel to multiple locations in Europe and the United States, and it was fun to get to explore New York City through Brooklyn’s eyes (it’s been a little over a year since her induction to the team).
The characters are always a highlight of the City Spies books, and this book is no exception. Rio is the star of this book, and it was so exciting to see him get his time to shine. As the youngest of the group, he’s struggled to get as many leadership opportunities and step out of his sibling’s shadows. However, he really stepped up to the plate and I appreciated that his talents (charm and sleight of hand) played so heavily into the story.
Mission Manhattan is a perfect book for readers young and old who enjoy page-turning spy stories. There’s once again a major cliffhanger at the ending of this book, and I can’t wait to see how things play out (especially with the continual Clementine and Umbra sub-plot). I’m really sad that I now have to wait for the next book in the series, but I’m sure it will be well worth it.
Rating: 4 Stars Release Date: February 7, 2023 Format: Audiobook (Borrowed from Library) + ARC (Courtesy of Publisher and Rockstar Book Tours) Publisher: Aladdin
James Ponti delivered another amazing addition to the City Spies series with one of his latest releases, City of the Dead. It’s an inventive and fun take on the spy genre, with a rag-tag group of child spies taking up yet another mission to save the world. This was a great read (and listen), as narrator Lisa Flanagan once again did a great job with her performance in the audiobook. I always appreciate the ability to tell which character is narrating (without having to look at the print version).
Since the first book’s addition of Brooklyn to the team, the team hasn’t really changed all that much. Each of them have their own special talents, and Kat’s ability to perform math and see patterns where others don’t take center stage in this book. I really appreciated the opportunity to see Kat own her uniqueness, and find a way to make her talents help the team (even when under the pressure of chaos and overstimulation). The team has a good routine going on, however, when a new surprise addition to the team joins the FARM in this book it disrupts all their plans and their current dynamic. It’s really going to change the interactions of the group/family going forward, and I’m curious to see how that plays out in the next book. Especially with the cliffhanger the author leaves readers on prior to going into the usual dossiers included at the end of the book (this time written by teammates).
While it’s not an overly complex mystery, I was very engaged by the mission that the City Spies get sent on in this book. There’s a very large cast of characters, but they all had a purpose in the story (and I hope to see some of them making a cameo in future installments). As you might guess from the title and the cover, this book takes the kids on a mission to Egypt. I loved getting to learn bits and pieces about the culture there, as well as how many of their artifacts sadly ended up the property of other museums around the world. It was also a reminder that despite the way various travel companies stage their pictures, the pyramids are actually in the middle of urban sprawl in the modern day.
City of the Dead was an excellent read and I look forward to checking out more of the books in the series (though I’m sad I only have one more book before I have to wait for the next release). In the past, I’ve compared the series to a kid-friendly Mission Impossible meets James Bond, but I think it's equally suitable for more mature readers as well. If you or a young reader in your life enjoys mysteries and thrillers with spies, this book is worth a listen.
City Spies: Golden Gate (City Spies #2) by James Ponti Rating: 4 Stars Release Date: March 8, 2021 Format: Audiobook (Borrowed from Library) Publisher: Simon and Schuster Audio
The second book in James Ponti’s City Spies series, City Spies: Golden Gate, was another great installment in a fun adventure series perfect for middle-grade readers and above. In a setting where Spy Kids meets James Bond and Mission Impossible, it was fun to see our ragtag group of child spies take on jobs even the adult spies of MI6 can’t do.
While the child spy theme is not a new one, I really appreciate the unique spin the author put on things. As we learned in the first book, each child has their own unique gifts (which were what inspired “Mother” to recruit them). Readers get to learn more about each of the children in this book, and see additional backstory on how some of the others in the team were recruited. The action starts right in the middle of a mission, and it was fun to get to see the team save the world again. It was also fun to see them outsmart various adults in the book. The wit and humor that each of the children demonstrate have had me invested in their characters and their journeys over the course of the books. Found family is a very big theme in the story, and there is a specific part of the ending that left me very emotional. I’m excited to see where the author takes that part of the storyline in the future.
From the cover of the book and the title, I had assumed that a large chunk of the action would take place in San Francisco. While the city spies do end up in the California Bay Area, they also visit places like London, Australia, Oxford and Australia to help solve a case that’s been confusing MI6 for years. The sub plot of “Mother’s” missing children takes a step forward in this book, though we haven’t actually seen them in person yet. I’m curious to see how that mystery eventually resolves further down the line.
Overall, this was another excellent read and I look forward to checking out more of the books in the series (I already picked up an audiobook copy of the third book, City Spies: Forbidden City). Lisa Flanagan once again did a great job bringing the voices of Brooklyn and the other characters to life with her performance in the audiobook. If you or a young reader in your life enjoys mystery and thrillers with spies, this book is worth a listen.
City Spies (City Spies #1) by James Ponti Rating: 4 Stars Release Date: March 9, 2020 Format: Audiobook (Borrowed from Library) Publisher: Simon and Schuster Audio
James Ponti’s series opener City Spies was a fun adventure series perfect for middle-grade level readers and above. In a book where Spy Kids meets James Bond and Mission Impossible, an orphan joins a rag tag group of child spies on a mission to save the world.
While the child spy theme is not a new one to books, I really appreciated how the author put a unique spin on things. Each of the different child spies has their own special gifts (which inspired “Mother” to recruit them) and it’s quite a diverse cast from all around the world. The mystery and the saving the world issue is the main plot, but the author does reveal bits and pieces about each of the individual characters as secondary storylines. “Mother’s” storyline was the most unique (though I’m still not sold on his nickname) and I’m curious to see how that will play out in subsequent books.
The storyline was also a unique aspect of the book. Instead of having the main character Brooklyn jump straight into spy training after Mother recruits her, she goes almost directly into her first mission with the other children. I did miss getting multiple scenes of training sequences, but in return I appreciated that readers get to jump straight into the action. As a side note, I did want to warn any potential readers that there is some serious stuff happening in the book. The crimes that the kids have to deal with are no joke, there are mentions of murder and other violent acts like dismemberment and explosions (never on page), and there is some mild language in the book (things like freaking and stupid, nothing to the degree of an ‘f-bomb’).
Overall, this was an excellent read and I look forward to checking out more of the books in the series. Lisa Flanagan did a great job bringing the voices of Brooklyn and the other characters to life with her performance in the audiobook narration of the story. If you or a young reader in your life enjoys mystery and thrillers with spies, this book is worth a listen.
About the Author
James Ponti is the New York Times Bestselling author of three Middle Grade book series: the DEAD CITY trilogy about a secret society that polices the undead who live beneath New York City; the Edgar Award-winning FRAMED! series about a pair of Sherlockian tweens who solve mysteries in Washington, D.C.; and the all-new CITY SPIES about an unlikely squad of five kids from around the world who form an elite MI6 spy team.
James grew up in Atlantic Beach, Florida and lives in Orlando. He's a die hard fan of the Boston Red Sox, the USC Trojans, and the Italian National Soccer Team. He loves travel, writing, and spending time with his amazing family.
I
am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the CITY SPIES: CITY OF THE DEAD by James
Ponti Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar
Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to
enter the giveaway!
In this fourth installment in the New
York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the
young group of spies go codebreaking in Cairo in another international
adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Mrs.
Smith’s Spy School for Girls.
Codename Kathmandu, better known as Kat, loves logic and order, has a favorite
eight-digit number, and can spot a pattern from a mile away. So when a series
of cyberattacks hits key locations in London while the spies are testing
security for the British Museum, it’s clear that Kat’s skill for finding reason
in what seems like randomness makes her the perfect candidate to lead the job.
And while the team follows the deciphered messages to Egypt and the ancient
City of the Dead to discover who is behind the attacks and why, Kat soon
realizes that there’s another layer to the mystery.
With more players, more clues, and involving higher levels of British
Intelligence than ever before, this mission is one of the most complex that the
group has faced to date. And it’s also going to bring about a change to the
City Spies…
JAMES
PONTI (he/him/his)
is the New York Times bestselling author of three middle grade book
series: City Spies, about an unlikely squad of five kids from around the
world who form an elite MI6 Spy Team; the Edgar Award–winning Framed! series,
about a pair of tweens who solve mysteries in Washington, DC; and the Dead
City trilogy, about a secret society that polices the undead living beneath
Manhattan. His books have appeared on more than fifteen different state award
lists and he is the founder of a writers group known as the Renegades of Middle
Grade. James is also an Emmy– nominated television writer and producer who has
worked for many networks including Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, PBS, History,
and Spike TV, as well as NBC Sports. He lives with his family in Orlando,
Florida. Find out more at JamesPonti.com.
In conversation with Sayantani DasGupta (author
of THE FIRE QUEEN series), Chris Grabenstein (author
of DOG SQUAD and THE SMARTEST KID IN THE UNIVERSE),
and Karina Yan Glaser (author of THE
VANDERBEEKERS series)
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