Published: May 2014
Source: I purchased an e-copy of this book from Amazon.
GoodReads Summary:
A thrilling survival story from Michael Northrop, the acclaimed author of TRAPPED.
He couldn't sleep. That's how it all started.
When Davey wakes, just as the sun is rising, he can't wait to slip out of the crammed hotel room he's sharing with his family. Leave it to his parents and kid brother to waste an entire day of vacation sleeping in! Davey heads straight for the beach, book and glasses in hand, not bothering to leave a note. As the sparkling ocean entices him, he decides to test the water, never mind that "No Swimming" sign. But as the waves pull him farther from shore, Davey finds himself surrounded by water -- and something else, too. Something circling below the surface, watching, waiting. It's just a matter of time.
My Thoughts:
I have a major shark phobia (I do not swim in the ocean, ever) but perversely, I love books and movies about sharks. I'm always looking for the next Jaws. (I'm also always looking for the next Jurassic Park, but that's a story for another post.) (But hit me up with awesome dinosaur book recommendations!) I'm also a little bit in love with Florida (where this story is set). So as soon as I saw this title while browsing Kindke books, I snatched it up.
And! I really enjoyed this book. My only "complaint" (and I use that term loosely) is that I keep seeing it shelved on GoodReads as a Young Adult novel, but the main character is 13 and to me it read more Middle Grade. As such, it skewed a bit younger than I was expecting, and that was a little disappointing.
But. Overall, it was honestly a really good read. I very much enjoyed the survival aspects and there was great use of tension throughout the story. I connected with Davey immediately and I was genuinely worried for him. Even though he spends so much of the story floating out in deep water, I was never bored during his parts. Davey's little brother was extremely cute and I shared his frustration when he made some good suggestions that the adults ignored. The shark scenes were well-handled and I enjoyed the small island setting. There were a few moments with Davey's parents and some of the other characters that I found a little overly convenient, but I don't think most readers in the target audience would have that issue.
Overall a tense and enjoyable read. I always like reading about sharks in the summer so I'm sure I will read it again next year.
Visit Michael Northrop's website and follow him on twitter. He also gave a really great interview here that has some great insights into his writing and offers tips for aspiring writers!
Have you read this one? Others by this author?
Are there any other shark books you'd recommend?
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