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sallyavena's review against another edition
3.0
More like 3.5
My full review can be found here: http://www.compassbookratings.com/reviews/index.php/review/view/1919
My full review can be found here: http://www.compassbookratings.com/reviews/index.php/review/view/1919
esw_reads's review against another edition
4.0
A good quick read. At first i thought it was gonna be a bad mix of The Hunger Games and Skuldugery Pleasant. I was wrong, which is good. I love the plot twist at the end.
iowagirlreads's review against another edition
4.0
Fast paced I can see why my students last year loved it and couldn’t wait to get their hands on the second book. Should be a popular choice for Iowa Children’s Choice this year!
Grades 4-6 I’d say. From an adult lens I felt like there were some grey areas in the plot, it just seemed to move through the story a little too quickly for me. You definitely need to read this one first before the second one!
Grades 4-6 I’d say. From an adult lens I felt like there were some grey areas in the plot, it just seemed to move through the story a little too quickly for me. You definitely need to read this one first before the second one!
froggylibrarian1's review against another edition
5.0
So glad I got a chance to read this. Action, adventure, couldn't put it down!!!
Cassie's life is pretty boring. Yes she is livng in Rome but she doesn't really get to do anything and her dad is just an art professor. But, when he comes to get her at school one day and people start shooting at her, life becomes unboring. It turns out Cassie is from a bloodline that can control the Spear of Destiny. There is an organization called the Hastati that is so afraid of it getting into the wrong hands that they will kill anyone in the bloodline - meaning Cassie.
But when her father is shot Cassie doesn't know who to trust... her best friend, a monk, a mysterious boy named Asher, a grandmother she never knew she had.
Full of twists, turns, riddles, legend, and surprises this was a great read.
Cassie's life is pretty boring. Yes she is livng in Rome but she doesn't really get to do anything and her dad is just an art professor. But, when he comes to get her at school one day and people start shooting at her, life becomes unboring. It turns out Cassie is from a bloodline that can control the Spear of Destiny. There is an organization called the Hastati that is so afraid of it getting into the wrong hands that they will kill anyone in the bloodline - meaning Cassie.
But when her father is shot Cassie doesn't know who to trust... her best friend, a monk, a mysterious boy named Asher, a grandmother she never knew she had.
Full of twists, turns, riddles, legend, and surprises this was a great read.
khakipantsofsex's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence
Minor: Fatphobia and Racial slurs
readingthroughtheages's review against another edition
4.0
Rarely do I read books for middle graders that are so action packed that you find it hard to put it down. I don't mean those books that are so good that they grab your heart and you can't put it down. I mean those books that are non-stop, every chapter is a cliffhanger, and you just have to see how it's going to end books. This is one of them. Kids who are looking for a book that pulls them in right away, this is the one you want to hand off. Loved it.
yapha's review against another edition
4.0
Twelve-year-old Cassie has moved from town to town with her father, an art history professor. They are living in Rome when her whole world changes. Cassie's father is shot and she is running for her life, armed with only the knowledge the she and her father are wanted by a secret society. With the help of her best friend Simone, she begins following a trail of clues in the hopes of rescuing her father and saving herself. This exciting adventure will appeal to fans of Rick Riordan and the Copernicus Legacy. Highly recommended to grades 4 and up.
clwshorty01's review against another edition
5.0
Disclaimer: I won a copy of this book through a contest here on Goodreads.
Cassie Arroyo is the normal daughter of an everyday art history professor, until she finds out she's not. Instead, she is the key to changing destiny, and some want to use her for their own plans. Others just want her dead. It's a race to save her life and her father's from those who want to take them simply because she was born to control destiny.
Moving Target is a well-written and engaging book for middle schoolers. It is very fast-paced and full of adventure and action, great for students of this age group. The mystery in the story is well-crafted; there are twists and turns that also make sense in the narrative. There are enough clues given that I had an idea about one of the major plot twists (it was just an educated guess, though), but I think a middle schooler would not see it coming (or would feel especially clever for figuring it out if he/she did). There is some history (a smidgen of it religious history), a great locale in Rome, and riddles to keep the reader intrigued. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will happily recommend it to my students.
Cassie Arroyo is the normal daughter of an everyday art history professor, until she finds out she's not. Instead, she is the key to changing destiny, and some want to use her for their own plans. Others just want her dead. It's a race to save her life and her father's from those who want to take them simply because she was born to control destiny.
Moving Target is a well-written and engaging book for middle schoolers. It is very fast-paced and full of adventure and action, great for students of this age group. The mystery in the story is well-crafted; there are twists and turns that also make sense in the narrative. There are enough clues given that I had an idea about one of the major plot twists (it was just an educated guess, though), but I think a middle schooler would not see it coming (or would feel especially clever for figuring it out if he/she did). There is some history (a smidgen of it religious history), a great locale in Rome, and riddles to keep the reader intrigued. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will happily recommend it to my students.
abigailbat's review
3.0
This book is a complete thrill ride - perfect for kids who like a lot of rip-roaring action in a book they can't put down.
When Cassie's father picks her up in a panic after school one day, she learns that there is an ancient group called the Hastati that wants her dead. Cassie is part of an ancient bloodline that allows her to control the Spear of Destiny and alter the course of human history. Before she knows it, Cassie's father has been shot and she's on her own to figure this out - with the help of a few friends.
There are lots of twists and turns to the plot and the nonstop action really keeps the pages turning. Hand this to kids who are looking for something exciting to read. And of course it ends on a total cliffhanger, so be sure to have the second book, Return Fire, close by!
When Cassie's father picks her up in a panic after school one day, she learns that there is an ancient group called the Hastati that wants her dead. Cassie is part of an ancient bloodline that allows her to control the Spear of Destiny and alter the course of human history. Before she knows it, Cassie's father has been shot and she's on her own to figure this out - with the help of a few friends.
There are lots of twists and turns to the plot and the nonstop action really keeps the pages turning. Hand this to kids who are looking for something exciting to read. And of course it ends on a total cliffhanger, so be sure to have the second book, Return Fire, close by!