A fun and fast paced YA thriller. I really enjoyed this book and couldn't stop reading until I reached the end. Nobody does these types of stories like Ally Carter. I definitely recommend!

This is not my favourite Ally Carter book (Gallagher Girls & Heist Society will continue to reign supreme, it seems) but it was better than Carter's previous book, Take the Key and Lock Her Up, which I found to be a disappointing end to Embassy Row series.

Like Embassy Row, there was a lot of political intrigue in this book, and Maddie and Logan found themselves caught up in the middle of it all. I liked both Maddie and Logan and how they were thrown together to find out what was going on. Things were tense between them at first as they hadn't seen each other since the incident they were both involved in when they were young, but there was some humour and an element of fun to their relationship as well at times, which I appreciated.

There was however, a lot of stuff in this book, especially in regard to the politics, that was completely unrealistic. Overwhelmingly unrealistic, to the point where it was difficult to continue reading without thinking "that would quite literally never happen". I also think this book relied on its fast pace, and was less character-driven than some of Carter's other work, which was a miss for me. While Maddie and Logan were likeable enough, the book was fairly short and there wasn't really time to fully develop their characters. Carter excelled at this in the Gallagher Girls and Heist Society series, where she had time over several books to really expand on each of the characters. I'm not saying standalone novels can't have great character development - of course they can - but I think the extra focus placed on all the action and fast paced plot might have prevented this from being achieved in this particular book.

Overall, this was an enjoyable enough, though a bit middle of the road, read. If you're an Ally Carter fan, I would pick it up.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

As much as I'm a fan of Ally Carter, I'm really not a fan of nature and the wild, and stories set in nature and the wild. And this was very much a hostage story in the Alaskan wilderness. Reading the book just made me feel cold and hungry. I wanted more of 6 years ago, than right now. Although I did like the chemistry between Maddie and Logan a lot.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

I simply adore all of Ally Carter's books, and Not If I Save You First is no exception. Set in Alaska, it follows Maddie, who, apart from her father, is all alone in the wilderness. Once working on the President's security detail, her ex-Secret Service dad had to leave, and the safest place for his daughter, to him, was in Alaska. Never telling her why he felt they were at risk, Maddie has only had her magazines, and the various animals that appear as company. That all changes when Logan, the First Son, is sent to Alaska as well. He's being hunted by Russian terrorists who had originally tried to kidnap his mam, and ended up shooting Maddie's dad instead. Now that he's in Alaska, the risk is even greater, as though he is hidden, he's also in the middle of nowhere, with only Maddie, and when the terrorists come to get them, that have to use every skill they have in order to survive.

I loved how Carter explained the relationship between Maddie and Logan, and how their relationship went from strained - for very good reason - to relying on each other for survival. Once best friends, Maddie and Logan did everything together, knew all the shortcuts and hiding places inside the White House, and and were simply inseparable. That all changed when they were attacked, and Maddie had to leave. It's now been 6 years later, and there's been absolutely no contact between the two, so to say when they meet again, now 16, not knowing where they stand, it's awkward. Maddie had to grow up quickly at 10, being forced into the frigid landscape that is rural Alaska, and learn survival skills, if not social skills. When Logan reappears in her life, he's a hindrance, who's brought problems that she'd rather do without. We slowly learn that though Maddie never received a reply, she'd been sending letters to Logan about life in Alaska, and the fact that he never responded aggravates her, and makes her disinclined to be welcoming. Logan, on the other hand, didn't want to reply because he felt guilty that Maddie had to leave because of his family, and who he is, and thought a clean break would be for the best.

If you've read any of Ally's other books, you'll know how good she is at writing strong characters, and that's clear in Not If I Save You First. Both Maddie and Logan are strong in their own ways, and they go through a massive amount of character growth over the course of the book. I do wish that this wasn't a standalone book, as I'm always wanting more from Ally - I'm actually re-reading her Gallagher Girls series right now, and would've loved to see how Maddie and Logan's relationship continued to grow. I think everyone needs to read Ally's books, and if you want one to start with, without the pressure of a series, this would be a good one.

Ally Carter did it again...

This is how I sum up my experience with this book.

I have been an avid Ally Carter loyal follower and admirer ever since I read her Gallagher Girls series (which I still need to finish, but anyway), and never up 'till now has she ever failed to capture my attention and make me lover her books.

This is the case with this book, as well. I was quickly sucked into its uniqueness (because I have never before read such a capturing and adventurous novel, set in ALASKA nonetheless), and found myself enjoying every minute of it.

I loved so many things in this book. Maddie and Logan, and the weird and sudden turn of events that changed their lives forever all those years ago, the fact that this book was set in Alaska, the bad guys, the fact that our heroes were so clever and Maddie actually kicked some serious butt.
And, then I was so anxious over everything, and how they would survive and return home sound and safe, whether they would manage to salve their relationship.

So good, so good. Made me remember why I can't go without an Ally Carter novel for long. Like, seriously, it's become an addiction.

All in all, 4 stars for an amazing survival story that kept me rooted to my spot throughout the whole adventure. Oh, in Alaska, too!

This was exactly what I always expect from Ally Carter, but also something completely new and different. It had the same strong female characters and believable romance. It had the same spotlight on teenagers who are in different situations, from spy school to children (and grandchildren) of ambassadors and now to the president's son and the daughter of a former head of the security detail.

But it also had a stronger emphasis on survival. Not just of survival against the bad guys who wanted them kidnapped (which of course there was plenty) but survival against the very environment, the empty forests of Alaska, in which everything from the bears to the berries to the abundance of snow and not a lot of food and warmth wants to kill you.

It was a perfectly combination of the things that always draw me to Ally Carter's book and this whole new story of survival.

Not If I Save You First is the first Ally Carter book I've read but after reading it I'm quite certain it won't be my last. I genuinely can't think of anything I disliked about Not If I Save You First; Ally kicks off the action with the kidnap attempt and from then on it doesn't really stop until the last page! Ally does a fantastic job with the pacing, keeping the action ramped up all the way through the novel without it feeling like too much is being thrown at the reader.

I also really enjoyed both central character's within the book. I loved Maddie, she felt like such a well rounded character. She certainly had a slightly unique background being the daughter of a secret service agent, and perhaps had a slightly unique set of skills, but she was certainly fierce! I really loved the fact that she was the one doing the rescuing rather than being rescued! What also came across was her genuine upset and confusion at the lack of contact from Logan, and then her shock at seeing him again; I found her trying to adapt to the fact he's no longer the small 10 year old boy but a tall broad and attractive 16 year old to be particularly realistic. Logan was also a really likeable character, as the story continues their relationship slowly begins to rebuild itself, Logan is equally unsure of his feelings now he's faced with an older Maddie, but I certainly enjoyed the fact that as much as he tried to protect Maddie, it was more often than not Maddie keeping the pair of them alive. I really hope this isn't the last we'll hear about Maddie and Logan!

Always a fan of Ally Carter and thoroughly enjoyed her latest novel. A pacy and engaging thriller.. I raced through it in one sitting,

I had liked Ally Carter's previous books but this one just didn't work for me. The plot was dull and kind of meandering. The main character irritated me at first but I did grow to like her throughout the book, the male love interest was a little bit flat though. I would still read more from Ally Carter, even though I didn't like this book.

Ally Carter is always a pleasure to read. Her books flow brilliantly and the story grips you from page one. My only problem is that I want a bedazzled hand axe, which I don't think will be an easy find!

Not if I save you first, was an enjoyable holiday read and I liked the premise of the story. Maddie and Logan have been friends since they were children and circumstances force them to meet again, but things are not the way they used to be.

What I liked about the story:
-the setting is spectacular as most of the story happens in Alaska.
-Maddie actually proves that she has the skills to survive and face all the things that have been thrown at her.
-the girl saves boy premise.
-interesting and funny characters; the dialogue was well done and generally enjoyed listening to the characters talk.
-highly entertaining and unputdownable.

What I liked about the story:
-the setting is spectacular as most of the story happens in Alaska.
-Maddie actually proves that she has the skills to survive and face all the things that have been thrown at her.
-the girl saves boy premise.
-interesting and funny characters; the dialogue was well done and generally enjoyed listening to the characters talk.
-highly entertaining and unputdownable.

What it didn’t like about the book:
-the plot was overly simplistic and sometimes I doubted their ability to not die of hypothermia; at some point, it felt like the story forgot that she was injured and all of a sudden remembered about it, and she collapsed. How was she able to do all of that if injured?
-Logan and the letters… I was like WTF?!
-although it is meant as girl saves the boy, but the boy also saves girl quite a bit…
-the flashback to their lives as 10-year-olds was cute and all, but I felt that it was a bit too long for my liking and impacted on the pacing of the plot.
-I would’ve wanted to know more about teenager Logan, I didn’t feel like I knew his motivations and what happened to him besides the fact that “he stopped trying”. Why?
-the villain’s motivations were like so average, it hurt my head. It was not something that I have not read before and always thought it to be a bit lame.

However, overall, I did enjoy it. It took me two days to read it and struggled to put it down as I wanted to know what would happen next, which is why I would rate this book at 3.5 stars.

For a standalone, this somehow managed to capture all of Ally Carter's strengths from her previous series! Political intrigue, high-stakes survival and hidden backstories, 'Not If I Save You First' would be a great starting point for people that wanted to discover Ally's books, without being intimidated by a whole series.

This felt the most real and gritty of her books, with people having guns shoved in their faces or rolling off cliffs left, right and centre. Of course, I had to suspend my disbelief that nobody died of concussion, blood loss or hypothermia, but still. Maddie and Logan wouldn't give up no matter what and they're determination to rescue each other kept me turning the pages non-stop.

A fast paced, adrenaline pumping read, perfect for fans old and new!

The first thing I will say is that this book is pitched as Girl Saves Boyand Girl want to kill the boy and then save him and its set in Alaska and it's going to be really angsty and action-packed but,,, it really wasn't that.

This book is about a girl called Maddie. When she was little, her dad worked in the Secret Service and she was friends with Logan, the president's son. After an incident, Maddie has to move away to the middle of nowhere in cold, dangerous Alaska living in a shack with her dad. For years, she sends letters to Logan, hoping for a reply but she never gets one. When she finally thinks she's moved on from Logan, he arrives at her doorstep and the story starts from there.

Not If I Save You First is a really quick, light-hearted read, a mix of YA and MG just like all Ally Carter books. I was really excited for this release and I was lucky enough to get an early galley and to be honest, I was little underwhelmed.

60% of the book is Logan, Maddie and Stefan travelling through Alaska and while it's not exactly boring, I just wasn't into it. It's Maddie hating Logan because for six years he ignored her letters, and then some truths and lies being discovered and them failing to get away from Stefan. Oh and of course kissing because our lives are in danger and were about today but no!! GOTTA GET TIME FOR SOME ROMANCE.

It's not really something I would recommend. It's all very filler, and very wishy-washy and the dialogue is so unrealistic as in it was so cliched I'm surprised I'm not rolling my eyes. It was all so forced and "quoteable" and I hated it because just have a normal conversation.

Let's move on the fact that Maddie is annoying as heck. At one point, Stefan is telling them something really important and she just keeps on interrupting him like "uHFSJHGFSAJH JUST GET TO THE POINT" in some whiny tone and UGH IM SO DONE. While annoying Stefan, she was annoying me and I could NOT bring myself to like her. And I thought Maddie was gonna be really strong and independent but no, she needs Logan.

Logan was a boring old pumpkin. His literal character is "UHHH I LOVE MAD DOG PLEASE FORGIVE MEEEEEE" and yes he called Maddie, Mad Dog. I know. I literally know nothing about Logan apart from that he's really handsome and he just screams "DONT TOUCH HER!!!" about Maddie all the time. Nice.

The thing is this was supposed to be gender-reversed plot where the girl saves the boy instead of the other way round but that's a lie. Maddie saves Logan, I guess. but what do you call Logan carrying Maddie on his shoulders and keeping her warm? BOY SAVING GIRL. Typical which is not what i signed up for.

You know how I said like 60% was travelling? Yeah, A whole plot, history, political aims and everything else was dumped on us in the last 40% and honestly no? The mystery was not built up at all and I didn't really FEEL anything. I was never on the edge of my seat, I didn't care about anyone and honestly, I was not entertained. I barely even LIKE this book.

So that's my thoughts on this very disappointing novel. Ally Carter is a great writer, I think but this book just didn't DO anything for me so :((((((

Not If I Save You First is the latest book by Ally Carter, who is one of my favourite YA/ Middle-Grade fun, action, female-protag authors currently writing. She wrote Gallagher Girls, a six-book series which I blitzed back to back. So I’m coming from a place where this should be something I like.

This isn’t quite as good as her other series. Maybe because it’s going to be standalone? Carter should stick with series, she was very good at writing a storyline that spanned multiple books.

The Good!

This whipped by very quickly, we got straight into the plot and things happened, and there wasn’t any point where the book dragged. The plot and setting are quite unique, I haven’t read a YA book set in Alaska…possibly ever? It definitely makes a change from the standard New York/rural America options you usually get.

Maddie is a capable protagonist, she doesn’t just get swept along by the plot and have things happen to her while the male characters make all the decisions. She has skills and isn’t afraid to use them.

The Bad

The plot is weirdly paced – it seems like we spent a lot of time walking at one point. Things were still happening, but it could have been skipped a bit more. The love interest, Logan, was also not very likeable. This is pretty key in this sort of book, where their relationship is really the main driver.

Honestly, it’s a pretty good book to just whack through, it’s a standalone which is not super common in YA fiction nowadays (waves zimmerframe about), it’s fun and fast paced and is an enjoyable read.

-L

Verdict: Pretty fun YA/ Middle-Grade action adventure

Read if you like: Anything else by Ally Carter, Meg Cabot, Cassandra Clare.

Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter: ⭐⭐⭐

It is always hard to not hype yourself up for one of your most wanted books ever to come out, yet it is safe to say my anticipation was justified. Written in a true Ally Carter fashion, her patented brand of espionage and resourceful teenagers kicks some serious ass. This is a very different novel from the author, taking place within hours as apposed to months as is the case in her previous works, meaning it was very faced paced; the pages downright turned themselves.

The characterisation is what made the story for me and Ally's dialogue writing skills continue to invest you in the cast and their back stories, which she manages to give us a glimpse into despite this being a standalone. Maddy and Logan are ideal protagonists to carry the plot, as their strained friendship is challenged against the more pressing issue of surviving in the wild in taxing temperatures, some scenes were truly chilling...no pun intended. The characters are also prone to give very witty and smart remarks, which is a thrill to follow along.

Now if you have read Ally's other works, this is a goldmine! The easter eggs relating in particular to the Gallagher Girls series had me reliving so much nostalgia. Logan could've gone to the Blackthrone Institute you say?! Also can we appreciate what an epic spy Maddy would make. If she ever bores of being the only girl for 20 miles in Alaska I strongly suggest a transfer to the Gallagher Academy. Just saying.

What most enthralled me about this novel is its challenges of gender stereotypes. Rather that portraying a thriller where the innocent female character is expected to be saved by the male protagonist, we are presented with a strong independent individual, who is able to stand on her own. To make this a further empowering read Maddy proves that in order to be a warrior, there is no expectation to lose your femininity when fighting the bad guys. Carter’s writing prose allows for a tense read with much comedic relief while portraying an important message.

After a dramatic opening, things lost their way a little. But, once we’re firmly established in Alaska and our two key characters are back together it picks up the pace...and keeps ramping it up.
The basic plot involves the President’s son, Logan, and his best friend Maddie, the daughter of the Secret Service agent who helps foil a kidnapping. Sometimes our actions don’t have consequences until many years later, and we see in this how a desperate desire for revenge can cause chaos.
Loved the characters of Logan and Maddie, and their very natural depiction. The setting of Alaska was perfect...threatening but beautiful too. A place to respect (is it going too far to say the setting was symbolic of Maddie?). My only bug was the way Maddie had to spend time swooning over the “new improved” Logan when it was taken for granted they were in love.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to experience a very different Ally Carter.

Exactly what you come to expect with an Ally Carter novel.

I had such high hopes going into Not If I Save You First, I'd adored Carter's books in the past and the absolutely amazing premise of course drew me in, so I'm kind of disappointed that I didn't end up enjoying this book more. Not If I Save You First started off wonderfully, I was drawn into Maddie's world and her friendship with Logan the president's son. I could tell that despite being just ten years old their friendship meant the world to them, so having this abruptly taken away from them, of course would be shocking to say the least. But with how important they were to each other, you would have thought that they would have stayed in touch any means possible, so what was going on with Logan? I could tell he was struggling through life without Maddie, but couldn't he even reply to a single letter? Or was he not even receiving them? All I knew that when they finally reunited, I wanted to get to the bottom of what was going on. Being reunited in Alaska, was one of the most unusual places, but it sort of felt like a backdrop to a James Bond film with the way that things down. The entire set up, the chase and the fast pace given to us by Carter was brilliant. I had no real idea why these people were after Logan, but I was eager for both of them to make it out safely. My only complaint was that when things came to ahead, the reasoning behind everything felt sort of underwhelming to me, like there was this whole build up, but for no reason. And I can't explain it, it felt as if this book was a bit too young for me, I don't know if this is because I'm sort of falling out with Young Adult books at the minute, but like I said unfortunately this book wasn't able to leave the greatest impression with me.

Maddie's dad was a guard for Logan's father, the president of the United States and The First Lady. Until an attack leaves him with an injured leg, years later him and Maddie are living in Alaska where Maddie trains hard still to be able to protect herself and her father.



As the years passed, she wrote to Logan but never heard back until he shows up in Alaska planned by his parents with Maddie's father agreeing and thus bringing danger to Maddie and her father as Russian and corrupt agents show up just as Maddie's dad is called away on business as a storm is moving in. As the agents work to kidnap Logan, Maddie is determined to protect him as Logan is to protect Maddie. As they work apart alone and together they face many outdoor challenges relates to Alaskan weather and outdoor terrain as well as gun risks and that means getting away together, alive - if Maddie is still alive by the end of this fight...



Now, I love Ally's previous novel's about spies as I grew up watching M.I.High around the same time of the books release! I never care for survival stories but nonetheless found myself hooked needing to know if they survived not and wanted to see if the pair realized how they truly feel towards each other despite past mix up's and let down's they may be feeling. It was a gripping page turner and I loved it, a great return from Ally!