Simon Thorn and the Viper's Pit

Simon Thorn only recently discovered that he's an Animalgam--one of a secret race who can shift into animals. Now, for the first time in his life Simon has real friends to train and study with at the secret Animalgam Academy. The only missing part is his mother, held captive by his evil grandfather, Orion, who's bent on taking over the animal world.

To rescue his mom, Simon must head cross-country with his friends, battling rogue Animalgams and their own doubts and torn loyalties along the way. But if Simon's going to succeed, he will need to keep Orion from gathering together the fragments of a terrible weapon, or the lives of everyone Simon loves will be at risk.

With plenty of action and adventure and characters full of heart, this story is perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Brandon Mull.

Aimee Carter is the author of Simon Thorn and the Wolf's Den and Simon Thorn and the Viper's Pit, along with the two YA series The Blackcoat Rebellion and The Goddess Test, of which The Goddess Inheritance was a 2013 Cybils nominee. She started writing fan fiction at eleven, began her first original story four years later, and hasn't stopped writing since. Besides writing and reading, she enjoys seeing movies, playing with her puppies, and wrestling with the puzzles in the paper each morning. She lives in Novi, Michigan. Visit her online at aimeecarter.com and on Twitter at @aimee_carter.