Kiki Strike by Kirsten Miller

Look out! Kiki Strike and her gang of the Irregulars are taking over New York City!

Ananka discovers a hidden room under a park in New York…only to discover that there’s a whole city existing under the busy streets! In the midst of her explorations, Ananka meets Kiki Strike, an enigmatic and beautiful young woman with a secret identity. Together, they recruit brilliant young women from around the city – they’re rejected Girl Scouts! – to help them explore the world below them. In the process, the Irregulars, as they call themselves, manage to blow things up, expose a counterfeit designer handbag operation, and save the city from certain devastation.

The mystery of Kiki Strike’s identity keeps the pages turning and anyone familiar with New York City will love the location descriptions. Manhattan truly becomes its own character in the book. Additionally, the Irregulars are incredibly fun to read about, each with their distinct persona and skills. The story is a little slow-going at the beginning and the detail bogs down the pace at times but, that aside, it’s a fun read with really great butt-kicking girl characters.

I’d recommend it for anyone who enjoys detail-oriented action-adventure stories, 5th grade and up. And as Annie mentioned above, be sure to check out Kirsten Miller’s great website: http://www.kikistrike.com/

CURRENTLY READING: Inside the Mind of Gideon Rayburn by Sarah Miller