Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 07/01/2017 Gr 5–8—What do you get when you mix a snarky city girl with a shady past and lightning reflexes with a seemingly typical suburban family she's just met? A funny, action-packed novel about the trials of school, parental arguments, and sibling rivalry—all with a dash of high-stakes thrills and dramatic showdowns. Nicki Demere has been living in foster care ever since her father was arrested, biding her time until her father comes to bring her home. But FBI agents arrive first. They want Nicki to be part of an inaugural program that trains and places selected foster children with families under witness protection, thereby changing the nature of the families' makeup so they are harder to track down. Spurred on by a disappointing revelation about her own family, Nicki agrees. Despite the protagonist's tough, wisecracking exterior, she finds herself building bonds and connecting with the new people in her life: shy gamer Britt, chirpy student council member Holly, and, most of all, her new family, even sullen young Jackson. But will Nicki's past and her many secrets threaten all she is starting to care about? Young fans of Ally Carter's "Gallagher Girls" spy novels and the "Heist Society" art thief series will relish the action and fast-paced plot as well as the engaging and competent Nicki, whose emotional strength and quick wits carry her through much of the narrative. VERDICT Difficult topics are touched upon but swiftly resolved, making this light read a good choice for tween collections.—Evelyn Khoo Schwartz, Georgetown Day School, Washington, DC - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.