Book Review and Signed Copy GIVEAWAY: Just Call Me Ninja, by Clare Haltom, ends 5/29

"I -" She wasn't even sure what to say. Ninjas. Bad men. With guns. But she knew from her mother's occasional interactions with law enforcement that it was best to get away first and then sort things out.

She set down the pillow and the tuna. Nick kicked them behind an old create in the corner.

He motioned to the space he'd uncovered.

The hole was black. The light from the windows illuminated only writhing flecks of dust.

He watched the door over her shoulder. "Go."

Underground. With a guy she barely knew. Or maybe didn't know at all, given this ninja business.

All I have to say about this novel is that it better have a sequel, because it ended with a lot of loose ends to tie up! I'm guessing the author will have a sequel, but I wanted to know more in this installment. (looks like there will be a sequel, in fall 2014!)

Official synopsis:

Clare Haltom

Sophomore Callista Trent is used to being the anonymous new girl. But when her mother’s nomadic job finally keeps her family in one place long enough to force Callista to settle in, she wants none of it. She doesn’t expect it to last, anyway—it never does.

She also doesn’t expect to stumble across a group of shinobi, modern-day ninjas who also happen to be high school students. Or for them to claim destiny sent her to join them. Or for the hot, harmonica-playing loner from her chemistry class to be one of the instructors.

For once, she starts to think that maybe she could belong somewhere. But she quickly learns her new friends aren’t running some casual karate school. And when Callista’s assigned to a dangerous mission they say only she can complete, she begins to suspect it wasn’t destiny that brought her to the shinobi at all but a carefully laid plan. Oh, and the worst part? The boy she thought she could trust may have known the truth all along.
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I believe this is the first YA (Young Adult) book about ninjas that I have read, and it was definitely fun. I have some theories about Callista's mom now as well, and that she might be a ninja too, but those are best saved until I read the (hopefully coming out soon) sequel.

The writing in this novel was excellent and the characters had great chemistry, especially Nick and Callista. Callista's mom keeps them on the move all the time, since she's a writer who likes to live in the place she's researching, so Callista expects to spend a few months in this new town, at most - but then her mom says they might be there a little longer than usual.

I liked this novel a lot and can't wait to read the second in the series, Never Trust a Shadow, as this book ended a little abruptly. It will be interesting to see if Callista decides to stick with the ninjas or leave the "ninjahood," and what the outcome of either choice will be.

4 stars out of 5.

*Disclosure: I received an e-copy of this book for reviewing purposes. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own.

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