Maisy Danger Brown hasn't exactly lived up to her middle name. She's been homeschooled by her scientist parents her whole life, and she's never once done anything that could be considered dangerous or adventurous, unless filling out an online sweepstakes to win a trip to astronaut boot camp counts. Imagine her surprise when she actually wins, especially since she was born with only her left hand. No one has ever heard of a one-handed astronaut, but Maisy is determined to be the first. She's smart, driven, and ready to live up to her middle name. Boot camp turns out to be far more difficult, dangerous, and deadlier than she'd imagined, and now she's the only person standing between the world and annihilation.

DANGEROUS by Shannon Hale is a thrilling ride into the unknown, filled with stunning plot-twists, heartbreaking emotion, and the perfect blend of humor and spunk just like Maisy herself. Hale draws the reader in immediately through Maisy's unique voice. She's sassy humor, intelligence, and compassion all rolled into a determined package. Maisy is the girl super-hero I've been waiting for my whole life. Yes, she's that extraordinary. She's driven to live the life she wants. Never once does Maisy feel limited because of her missing hand. It's who she is. She doesn't need to overcome the "disability". She doesn't need to prove herself to other people. She doesn't try to hide from the stares or the whispers. She and Ms. Pincher, her prosthetic hand, know what she's capable of achieving. It's this outlook on life, this different way of seeing the world, that gives Maisy the strength to stand where others failed.

I really don't want to spoil the plot, because there are moments of such surprise and heartbreak that I read with one hand pressed to my mouth in disbelief. DANGEROUS is that good. It's fun, thrilling, surprising, and I'd read it again. More than that, I'd encourage my daughter and all eight of my nieces to read Maisy's story. DANGEROUS by Shannon Hale finally provides a girl super-hero who is the whole package: intelligent, funny, driven, compassionate, and self-reliant. With the perfect blend of coming-of-age, suspense, humor, and romance, DANGEROUS is an absolute must read for the summer!