Tower of Winds #1: Isle of Blood and Stone written by Makiia Lucier, reviewed by Rebecca Lowe

Summary: 18 years ago, two princes of the island kingdom of St. John del Mar were kidnapped and murdered. Elias’ father died trying to protect the princes and Ulises inherited the throne meant for his brothers. Mercedes grew up in a kingdom that blames half her heritage for the murder. When two mysterious maps surface with a riddle hinting that the princes may still be alive, Elias, Ulises, and Mercedes must uncover the truth of what happened on that fateful day. But not everyone wants the truth to come out. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: This story is an engaging tale for slightly older fans of The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen. The swashbuckling adventure style and the mystery of the princes’ fates make this a book with wide appeal, especially to readers who aren’t interested in magic in their stories. The world building includes some unique medieval world details not often depicted, most notably a strong emphasis on cartography. Discussions in the book related to remapping coastlines after earthquakes and discussions of cartographic tools could create connections between Social Studies, Science, and Math.