All Fall Down by Ally Carter

Title: All Fall Down (Embassy Row #1)
Author: Ally Carter (the Magnificent!)
Page #: 320
Rating: 5 Stars

A new series of global proportions -- from master of intrigue, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Ally Carter.

This exciting new series from NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Ally Carter focuses on Grace, who can best be described as a daredevil, an Army brat, and a rebel. She is also the only granddaughter of perhaps the most powerful ambassador in the world, and Grace has spent every summer of her childhood running across the roofs of Embassy Row.

Now, at age sixteen, she's come back to stay--in order to solve the mystery of her mother's death. In the process, she uncovers an international conspiracy of unsettling proportions, and must choose her friends and watch her foes carefully if she and the world are to be saved. -Summary from Goodreads

            Ally Carter strikes again (and rips my heart out)! This book was so fantastic and had so many emotions I was laughing and tearing up by page 24, and multiple times after that.

            Grace is an awesome heroine who is snarky, tough, vulnerable and determined to show people that she’s not as crazy as they think (or as she thinks). The gang at Embassy Row is also pretty awesome. They may not have chosen this life but they make the most of it and the team that formed around Grace is a force to be reckoned with. Noah is adorable and such a dork. He's Grace's source for the need-to-know of Embassy Row. Rosie is an awesome 12-year-old ninja and, I couldn’t help but think, would make a great Gallagher Girl. Megan was a surprise because she seems like your typical teenager who was Grace's playmate as a child but not a close friend. Alexei was hot, of course, and plays the big brother role in the absence of his best friend (Grace's real big brother Jamie). He does the job well but there are times later when you realize his feelings might be less brotherly after all. 

           One refreshing aspect of this book was that there was little to no romance and zero hints of any love triangles. This was Grace’s book, her mystery. Of course I’m hoping to get more romance later in the series (Ally Carter boys are the best) but for now this was how it should have been.

            The mystery surrounding the death of Grace’s mother kept the suspense high. I had no idea what was going on or who was involved. I have to admit, the scarred man intrigued me and I didn’t dislike him as much as I probably should have for Grace’s sake. Of course, we don’t get much of a close up on him but I really wanted to know more. I had no idea what to do with Ms. Chancellor (her grandfather’s second-in-command) however. I was at different time’s annoyed, suspicious, understanding, and fist bumping the air because of something she did. In the game of politics you don’t know who to trust and that is especially true with regards to her.

            I loved the world of Embassy Row. It was gorgeous and mysterious. Full of beaches, abandoned Embassies and underground tunnels. I can’t wait for the gang to have more adventures here! And after that huge twist (TEARS) and the ending (Oooo) the wait for the next book is going to be very difficult. 

              -Sarah