Skink: No Surrender

Richard's cousin has done something stupid.  Malley met a guy online, and now she's run away with him.  Fourteen year old Malley insists she's fine, but Richard is worried.  The police are on the case, but Richard knows Malley better than anyone, so when a crazy looking guy he met on the beach wants to go find her, Richard decides to join him.

Skink may look like a crazy homeless guy with mismatched eyes, and there is the fact that Richard met him hiding on the beach to catch a turtle egg poacher, but there is something about Skink that makes Richard trust him.

Even though Skink seems like a crazy homeless guy, he has resources that can get him a car and money for the hunt.  Even though Skink doesn't know Malley, he's in it for the puzzle and to punish the loser who's kidnapped Malley.  His real love seems to be the environment though, and Richard isn't sure they will survive all the crazy things Skink does to protect animals or the roadkill dinners he serves up along the way.

This book is a great mystery with one crazy character and plenty of laughs!  Plus, this could be a series opener with more Skink stories to follow!  Read Carl Hiaasen's new book for action, mystery, comedy, and, of course, environmental awareness!

Surrounded by Sharks

Davey just wants a little alone time on the family vacation in the Florida Keys, so when he wakes up earlier than everyone else, he decides to take his book and sneak out.

He quickly comes to realize this was a mistake, maybe a deadly one.  Davey gets caught in a rip tide and pulled out to sea.  No one knows where he is.  They don't even know he left the hotel room.

When the family discovers Davey missing, they aren't too worried at first.  After all, he likes to go off to read alone.  But their concern turns to worry and then panic as the hours pass and Davey is clearly not on the small island.

When Davey is already exhausted from spending hours in the sun, he sees the first one.  A blue shark is swimming in slow lazy circles around him.  That's when he really begins to panic.

In alternating chapters, Michael Northrop tells Davey's story and the story of his family and the people trying to find him.  This book definitely lives up to its name and was much more intense than I was expecting!  The last several pages flew by as I hurried to discover Davey's fate.  Recommended for adventure/survival fans and shark fans!

Stella by Starlight

When Stella and her little brother, Jojo, witness the Ku Klux Klan burning a cross at night, their community is moved to action.  Everyone is afraid, but no one knows what to do.  It's 1932 in Bumblebee, North Carolina, and it seems like the KKK has always been around to remind the African American community of their place.

But things might be changing.  Three black men want to register to vote, and Stella's father is one of them.  They know it is dangerous, but they also know people like the Klan will never just give them rights.  It they want dignity and self respect, they will have to step up and demand it.

Stella is proud of her father's courage, but her mother is worried about retaliation.  When tragedy strikes, the whole community will come together including some people Stella never expected to see on her side.  Will Stella be able to overcome her own fears and find her courage?

Sharon Draper's new book explores a troubling time of segregation and transition in our nation's past and the power of one young girl's courage.

Stitching Snow

Essie has been eking out an existence on the frozen mining colony of Thanda.  She survives among the rough miners by repairing and improving drones and other equipment for the mines, but even that is not enough to protect her.  She earns extra money by cage fighting, and it doesn't hurt that the skills she's learned in those fights helps her keep any men with ideas at a distance.  Her only friends are the seven drones she's upgraded to think and work independently and Petey, the soft hearted bar owner.

Her life changes when a shuttle crash lands near her home.  She saves the pilot, a handsome off-worlder who says is looking for treasure.  The damaged ship is a more challenging puzzle for Essie than anything in the mines, so she volunteers to help him repair his ship.

A chance moment reveals Essie's secret to Dane, and she soon realizes she is the treasure he is seeking.  Eight years ago, Princess Snow disappeared from her home on Windsong.  Everyone believed she was kidnapped, and unbeknownst to her, her disappearance sparked a war that has lasted these eight years.

But Essie has more secrets than just her identity.  She wasn't kidnapped; she ran away.  Now Dane has kidnapped her for real and they are hurtling through space and back to her deadly home on Windsong.

But this will not be a straight forward journey for Essie or Dane.  As secrets come to light, the two will grow closer, and there will be no easy decisions.

The time has finally come for Essie to face the truth about her past, her future, and the gentle awakening of her heart.

R.C. Lewis's book is a sci-fi version of Snow White that is fast paced and engrossing.  But be warned, the Evil Queen in Disney's version of the story has nothing on Essie's father and step-mother in this story.  Highly recommended!

City of a Thousand Dolls

In a fantasy world reminiscent of ancient China, Nisha is one of my girls abandoned and raised in the City of a Thousand Dolls.  All families are limited to two children, and boys are considered more valuable than girls.  The City was created as a place where the girls could be trained in various pursuits and professions.

Nisha is just one of these girls, but she is different from the others.  Rather than being trained with one of the Houses, Nisha has been raised as Matron's assistant, a position that allows her to train with the other houses while she helps Matron keep the City running efficiently.  She is also Matron's secret spy, always keeping her eyes and ears open.

It is this special role that allows her to be of use when tragedy strikes.  When one of the girls is found dead, no one is completely sure if it was an accident, suicide, or even murder.  Nisha begins her own subtle investigation with the help of her friends, a group of spotted cats who've taken up residence in the city.  No one knows her secret; she and the cats can talk to each other, and they are her closest friends.

When another girl is found dead, it is clear there is a murderer in the City, and Nisha is determined to find out the killer's identity.  As she continues her investigation, political machinations put the whole City at risk.  The power hungry tar'Vey family is stepping into position to control the city and get rid of Matron.  All of this comes at a time when the city is on the cusp of what could be it's greatest triumph or its greatest disaster.  One of Nisha's closest friends has been selected by the prince to be his bride, and the day of the marriage is fast approaching.  Any misstep could spell disaster for the City and for Nisha as she closes in on the killer.  But there are more secrets than Nisha knows in the City of a Thousand Dolls.  There are some secrets everyone knows but no one admits, and there are some secrets to terrible to fathom.

Miriam Forster's novel is thrilling experience!  A fantasy murder mystery with a side of talking cats and a dash of female empowerment--it's like it was written just for me!  I absolutely loved it!

The Mark of the Thief

Nic has been a slave for years, toiling away in the miles for his cruel master Sal.  Everything changes when the miners discover a forgotten tunnel rumored to contain the lost treasure of Julius Caesar himself.  The only problem is the first man sent to the cave never returned, and the second has been reduced to a babbling fool.  Nic wants nothing to do with this supposed treasure, but when General Radulf shows up demanding that Nic, because he is the smallest slave, descend to cave, he has no choice but to comply.

Once inside, Nic must battle a griffin to get a bulla once owned by Caesar.  He is supposed to deliver the bulla to Radulf, but now that he has it, he decides to keep it for himself.

Thus begins a tale of magic, treason, and political machinations. Now Nic is thrust into the midst of a vicious power struggle in the heart of Rome itself.

 Fans of Jennifer A. Nielsen's Ascendance Trilogy will enjoy the action and adventure in this new book.  Recommended for adventure fans and those hungry for more mythology after the Percy Jackson series.  The gods don't make an appearance in this book, but they are a powerful force in the story.

Fire Wish

Zayele is happy in her remote village.  Even if she isn't particularly close to her parents, she loves her little brother and has some freedom to run and play without worrying about being proper.  Everything changes when the vizier shows up to choose a bride for the prince.

Now she is headed to Baghdad to marry a prince she's never met and likely never see her home again.  Her cousin Rahela is coming as her companion, and the two girls are locked in a tiny room in their river barge for their safety.  Zayele is desperate to escape, so when she sees something impossible outside her tiny window, she acts quickly.  No one has seen a jinni in years, not since the war started, but now Zayele has captured her own escape.

Najwa has spent her life in the cavern with the rest of the jinn learning to master her powers.  She is learning quickly and discovers by accident that she can do something no one else can do.  It's a talent that could turn the tide in the war with humans.

But a decision made in anger to leave the cavern could cost her everything.  Now she is trapped in Zayele's place pretending to be a human girl, a princess even, who is about to be married to a boy she's never met.

Will these two girls unravel the truth about their past, the war, and their hearts in time?  Read Amber Lough's book to find out!  I really enjoyed this book.  My only complaint is the romance feels a little rushed, but Lough has book two to develop things.