"A twisty, fast-paced heist thriller with a strong girl lead and mounting tension."
August 2026 Book of the Month
Perfect for tweens and young teens looking for exciting female-lead action stories, Augusta Pine Does Not Exist has plenty of twists that will have readers racing to the end.
Main character Augusta is a complex character, officially dead, she has been recruited to work undercover for a secret, ethically-dubious government department. Flashbacks of her past deeds and missions are skilfully woven into the narrative, providing both context and further potential for action-filled thrills.
Readers might not always agree with Augusta’s actions, but they’ll enjoy getting to know her and sympathising with her current situation. In comparison, they will undoubtedly fall slightly in love with her sidekick, Edgar, a sentient AI in the form of a very cute bumblebee. However, though he might initially seem cute, Edgar’s lack of a moral compass and willingness to complete tasks by any means necessary, will surely send a shiver of fear through any reader considering the possibility of a future robot uprising.
A well-balanced hint of romance slowly builds, which will be enough to satisfy those of a romantic leaning, without alienating readers who prefer their books to be hearts and flowers free zones.
Perfect for readers who are excited by advances in technologies, Augusta Pine Does Not Exist depicts a steady stream of fresh new inventions that may be futuristic now, but feel like they will be utterly possible in the near future. I particularly enjoyed ruminating on the pros and cons of identity tattoos as a means of combatting identity fraud.
Young readers who don’t instantly trust authorities and/or those who enjoy reading about the grey areas between moral binaries, will love this book. Rather than clear cut villains and heroes, each character has a degree of ambiguity that keeps the reader guessing to the very end. And whilst that ending is entirely satisfying, there remains the potential for further books in what could be bestselling series.
I’m sure other readers will join me in eagerly awaiting August Pine’s next mission.
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The best way to hide a secret agent is... to make everyone believe they've died! Full of futuristic technology and very high stakes, this story will keep you on the edge of your seat, desperate to find out who will succeed in the end.
What is the best way to hide a secret agent?...
It's to make everyone believe they have died!
Meet Augusta Pine (not her real name) - a problem solver and an expert hacker. She has a certain attitude and disregard for authority, but genuinely cares for people.
By a strange coincidence (was it, really a coincidence?), she ends up in the right place at the right time to stop a group of ruthless eco-terrorists.... Read Full Review
Everyone thinks she's dead. Turns out she went undercover.An edge-of-your-seat reverse heist thriller about a teen spy who must outsmart a team of criminals in order to free a building full of innocent hostages . . . and herself.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Augusta Pine Does Not Exist and determined it is suitable for children aged 13-18 years old
Augusta Pine Does Not Exist features in the following genres: Featured Books for 13+ readers, Featured Books for Young Adults, Books of the Month, Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels, Recommendations, Star Books, Adventure Stories, Romance / Relationship Stories, Thrillers, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Romance and love stories, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Speculative, dystopian and utopian fiction, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational
Paperback. £8.99, down from the £9.99 cover price. In Stock.
Augusta Pine Does Not Exist was written by Emily Lloyd-Jones and published by Penguin Books an imprint of Penguin Random House Children's UK
Augusta Pine Does Not Exist has 408 pages
£8.99, reduced from £9.99. In Stock.
