Mutation by Roland Smith

After Grace and the dinosaur hatchlings’ rescue from Noah Blackwood, Wolfe and Ted take Marty, Grace, Luther, and Dylan to Brazil to aid in the search for Marty’s missing parents. The tweens and the two adults split into two traveling parities as they head towards Dr. Lansa’s jaguar preserve. Before and after the two groups arrive, several members of the preserve disappear into the rainforest with no trace. Finally only Marty, Grace, Dylan, and the hatchlings are left behind with Noah's henchmen close on their trail.

The final book of Cryptid Hunters will not disappoint fans of the series. Mutation is a dangerously exciting ride as Smith takes readers soaring along the Amazon, zip-lining through the rainforest, and pursing two determined baby dinosaurs. It seems Marty, Grace, Luther, and Dylan will do anything to keep the people they love safe from Noah’s clutches. What sets these books apart from other YA adventure novels is the way Smith integrates his past characters and settings into his current writings. Besides resolving Marty and Grace’s conflicts, Smith also settles unresolved dilemmas found in Sasquatch. Also, Smith uses the setting and characters from Jaguar as the stage for Mutation. Fans of these books will enjoy their characters being spotlighted again.

Chupacabra by Roland Smith

Ever since Grace left with her grandfather, Noah Blackwood, Marty never felt Grace was safe. While all the eWolfe adults are gone, Marty, Luther, and their new friend, Dylan, decide to rescue Grace and the Mokélé-mbembé hatchlings from Noah’s zoo, Seattle Ark. Meanwhile, Grace has been searching for any information exposing Blackwood. When she uncovers several secret passageways in Noah’s mansion, they lead Grace to Noah’s private quarters and his secret taxidermy display of rare or extinct animals. Noah's horrific display and the evidence that the boys are in the park help Grace resolve to escape Noah's clutches.

An edge-of-your-seat read, Chupacabra throws readers right into the action with Marty, Grace, Luther, and Dylan as they try to infiltrate and then escape Noah’s estate with their lives. The boys are completely on their own as they sneak into Noah’s park. They must rely on each other’s intellectual gifts and the dragonspy to help them make it out alive. Besides following the tweens adventures, readers will learn more about Noah Blackwood’s diabolic plans and his evil empire as readers delve deep into the bowels of the Seattle Ark. Many mysteries about Noah are still left unanswered, which will make readers excited for the final book, Mutation. Also, fans of Smith’s work may recognize Dylan’s character from Smith’s 1998 book, Sasquatch.

Tentacles by Roland Smith

Travis Wolfe and his business partner, Ted Bronson, are in need of money to help finance their search for cryptids. The two men agree to a paid expedition to capture a giant squid for the Northwest Zoo and Aquarium of Seattle. Marty and Grace join Wolfe on the sea voyage, along with Marty’s boarding school roommate, Luther. Because Noah Blackwood poses such a threat, Wolfe secretly brings the Mokélé-mbembé eggs onboard under extreme security measures. But Blackwood’s spies and his best hunter, Butch McCall, infiltrate the ship to stop Wolfe's expedition by any means necessary.

In this book, Smith gives more insight behind the reclusive Ted Bronson and his amazing inventions for eWolfe. Marty and Grace have heard rumors that Ted Bronson is a reclusive, geeky genius who has not left his hut on Crytpos Island for three years. However, Marty finds out the truth onboard Wolfe’s ship when Marty discovers a fellow passenger is not who he claims to be. As Marty, Grace, and Luther prove their loyalty on the voyage, they are entrusted with information regarding eWolfe’s secret inventions, like a dragonfly-robot, a miniature nuclear-submarine, and impenetrable aquasuits. Tentacles is an extremely action-packed, imaginative book that will keep any reader glued to its pages late into the night. The next book in the Cryptid Hunters series is Chupacabra.

Cryptid Hunters by Roland Smith

After hearing news that their parents may be lost in the Amazon, Marty and Grace O’Hara are told they will live with their uncle, Travis Wolfe. Wolfe is a cryptozoologist, someone who studies legendary creatures to prove their existence. After Marty and Grace join him, Wolfe sees evidence of a Mokélé-mbembé—a small dinosaur—living in the Congo. But spies warn Dr. Noah Blackwood, a supposed wildlife expert, about Wolfe’s trip and he hires men to steal both the Mokélé-mbembé evidence and Grace. As Wolfe’s expedition heads to Africa, Marty and Grace are accidentally dropped into the Congo. With only a small device to guide them, Marty and Grace must work together to find shelter while dodging Noah’s henchmen.

Cryptid Hunters is a rousing read that is totally original in its story, setting, and characters. The story is based on a true scientific study called cryptozoology, where scientists try to prove the existence of many cryptids like dinosaurs, the Sasquatch, or the Loch Ness Monster. Then there is the setting on Wolfe’s private island, Cryptos, off the coast of Washington where he and his partner, Ted Bronson, invent revolutionary technologies. Finally there are the two main characters of Marty and Grace. They may be related and geniuses in their own way, but Marty and Grace are far from being similar in looks or thinking. This is part of a four book series with Tentacles as Cryptid Hunters’ sequel.

Perfect Scoundrels: A Heist Society Novel by Ally Carter

The death of Hale’s grandmother, Hazel Hale—owner of the billion dollar Hale Industries—pulls Kat Bishop away from her comfortable heist-life and into Hale’s ritzy, back-stabbing world. When Hazel’s will states that Hale will inherit Hale Industries, Kat can naturally smell a con. Her suspicions are confirmed when Hazel’s maid, Marianne, approaches Kat about how Hazel’s will is wrong. Using her heist crew, Kat finds the correct will but the person behind the con gets to it first. Kat and Hale must expose the con artist or Hale Industries will be no more. 

Carter’s third Heist Society novel is a more emotional piece than her other books. When Hale loses his grandmother, Hale pulls away from Kat as he reenters his world. To Kat, it seems that the charming and charismatic Hale she loves is lost among his snobby, money-grubbing family members. Hope and their strong friendship are the two things Kat holds on to as she waits out Hale’s grieving. But Kat won't just sit and wait. She uses all her family resources to expose the culprit behind the con. Even though this is a more emotional book, Carter still maintains her expert flare for clever cons and intelligent deception. A rousing read great for ages 12 and up.

Uncommon Criminals: A Heist Society Novel by Ally Carter

During Kat’s investigation into the overlord’s missing paintings, the name Visily Romani was at every corner. Visily Romani is a prestigious pseudonym used only by the greatest and most skillful thieves in history. Soon after her Henley heist, Kat is approached by an old woman carrying Romani’s business card. The woman asks Kat to steal the Cleopatra Emerald—rumored to be cursed—because it rightfully belongs to her family. With Hale’s help, Kat steals the emerald. However, returning the emerald to the woman creates more problems than Kat ever imagined.

Carter creates another amazing edge-of-your-seat read. In this second book, Kat’s character becomes more complex and intriguing. Since the first book, Kat is riding on the successful Henley heist by doing many dangerous jobs on her own. But her family and friends see that she’s isolating herself from others through her pride. By making the jobs define her, she is beginning to lose her true self. This book can create some great discussion topics: like what happens when you let success completely define you and comparing and/or contrasting Kat’s character against the con artist, Margaret Gray.

Heist Society by Ally Carter

Fifteen-year-old Katarina, or Kat, Bishop comes from a long, prestigious line of thieves. However, Kat tries to rise above her family roots by creating a new identity for herself. But when a criminal overlord suspects her father of stealing four priceless paintings, Kat must go back to her thieving skills to clear her father's name. This is not an easy job because the paintings are now housed in the most secure museum in the world, the Henley. With a teenage heist crew behind her, Kat has a slim chance of stealing back the paintings and saving her father.

Carter’s story has the intelligence of The Italian Job, the suspense of To Catch a Thief, and the humor of How to Steal a Million. Carter attributes the creation of her story to actual historical events. During World War II, priceless pieces of artwork were stolen by Nazi forces from many prestigious families and museums. Many of those pieces have not resurfaced since that time. In this story, the four paintings owned by the overlord are a part of that tragic history and Kat feels that it’s her duty to help those painting get returned to their rightful owners. Heist Society is expertly crafted with characters that are worth reading about. A great read for both teenagers and adults.

Beneath by Roland Smith

After waiting a year, Pat O’Toole finally receives news from his missing brother, Coop, in the form of a strange package. Inside is a digital voice recorder detailing Coop’s exploration of an unknown society beneath New York City called the Deep. But when Pat’s letters to Coop go unanswered, Pat decides to make his way to New York City’s underground. Once there Pat meets Kate, a girl who needs Pat’s help in rescuing Coop from the clutches of the underworld dictator, Lod.

Smith creates an incredibly original and thought-provoking story with Beneath. The book is written from the perspective of Pat as he dictates his and Coop’s voice recordings into his journal. Both Pat and Coop describe their separate descents into the Deep, except Pat has the added complication of claustrophobia. Pat’s claustrophobia was created when, as children, Coop and Pat were almost buried after a tunnel collapsed. Pat’s love for Coop helps him conquer his phobia while making his way through dangerously tight and cramped situations. Along with Pat and Coop’s story, Smith creates an intriguing idea of how easily a cult-like society can be hidden inside a normal population. Smith is currently writing a sequel called Above.