Run for Cover is the second book in Eva Gray's futuristic middle-grade thriller series Tomorrow Girls.
In order to prevent spoilers, I suggest all book addicts to read Behind the Gates, the first Tomorrow Girls book, before even glancing at this review. For all of you that have read Behind the Gates and are ready for where the girls' are going next, I won't be giving any plot details away, but more of a recap of the conclusion and my thoughts on the book itself.
So, again - below are going to be spoilers for anyone who HAS NOT read Behind the Gates, but NOT spoilers about Run for Cover itself. Ready? Okay! :)
Rosie still can't believe it. She was sure that CMS was truly just an awesome boarding school that taught survival skills and kept her safe from the Alliance, America's enemy in the War. Louisa was totally on the same page, and the two of them had been enjoying all the nature that the school offered - nature that had become so scarce in this ragged world.
But Evelyn, crazy Evelyn, ended up being right. Her conspiracy theories had always sounded so far-fetched - but now even Rosie had to admit that they were in bad situation. The Alliance was behind CMS and actually using the school to get their hands on America's wealthiest kids in order to demand a ransom - which may very well be how they finally took Canada.
Louisa, Maddie, Evelyn, and Rosie got the heck out of there as soon as they overheard this - none of them liked the thought of being used against their parents - or being in Alliance hands! So, as Behind the Gates closed all four of our girls, despite their differences, were heading off silently into the forest to escape and - hopefully - find their way back to Chicago where their families are!
And the hardest thing about this for Rosie is that she kinda has to rely on these girls. And she's never been one to rely on anyone besides herself. At least, not since a certain event happened in her life a few years ago...
Run for Cover, instead of continuing to follow Louisa's viewpoint, spotlights tough-girl Rosie this time around. It's an interesting choice since she so often came across as unlikable in the first book - so it's nice to see things from her standpoint and experiences. Definitely some surprises there.
There is a cloak-and-dagger survival tone, the feel of hiding and trying to escape creating an environment of light suspense. It's fun and fast-paced but doesn't pack a whole lot of substance and sometimes feels a little fluffy. I did feel like Run for Cover wasn't as original as the first book, Behind the Gates. I wanted more information about this future world where gas in $60 a gallon and writing with pen and paper is nearly unheard of - but we got more of a hushed espionage tone - which was entertaining and a very quick read, but just not as intriguing to me as the more enigmatic, mystery-laced first novel.
In this second Tomorrow Girls book, the girls' run across the boys, and without giving away too much I will say that crushes do abound, resulting in some humorous moments and maybe a little hint of romance for our middle school aged characters.
Despite it not being as strong as the first book (in my opinion, that is - you very well may think it's stronger!), the end was a breathless cliffhanger - again! So, I still find myself looking forward to the next book. This isn't a series I would ever flip out about and it's occasionally predictable, but it's an enjoyable, relaxing read.
I might not be jumping up and down in excitement when the third book With the Enemy comes out, but I will be reading it. ;)
***ALERT: Due to continued bibliophile reading overdosing, I am continuing the 5 reviews a week through August. After that, I am absolutely returning to only 3 reviews a week in September and on. So, we'll just think of this as a summer special! Thanks for reading!!!
Comments