Hit the Ground Running by Mark Burley

[Jax14]

Hit the Ground Running is the first in a mystery and action series with a touch of fantasy and is suitable for YA and up.

Eric feels abandoned. After being sent off to a new school in a different country with no good explanation, he feels cast aside. One morning he receives a video text from his brother saying that his parents have been abducted. The footage also reveals his brother under attack by an unknown assailant. Eric is thrown into a state of panic as his brother has said to trust no one. Can he go off and find his family on his own though? Luckily help arrives in the form of drama student Tess and her quirky twin friends who are fearless and are willing to dive in head first to help out. They soon find that they have landed in an adventure that is way bigger than they anticipated and the danger may prove to be just too much to handle. Along the way Eric discovers secrets about his family and a shock about himself. The clock is ticking however, and the enemy lies just around the corner...

This was a fantastic YA book. I loved the twins whacky characters and their attitude to life. The relationship between Tess and Eric is an interesting one and I hope it gets resolved in later books. The parkour aspect as well as some information on its history was a welcome learning experience and the addition of myths and legends and creatures coming back from the dead was a good solid base for the story. One or two small editing mistakes cropped up but not enough to deter from the thrilling action.

I highly recommend this book for YA and up and loved the way it leads into the next one. Buckle up because a fast paced adventure awaits you!

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of the book.

[kandscreeley]

I haven't heard of this one. It sounds very interesting. I'll have to at least look it up.