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From “one of the world’s leading fantasists” * comes an exhilarating new series that will thrill teen and adult readers alike

For the past six months, something has been happening to young people in Santa Feliz. Week after week, there’s news of another teen changing shape, transforming from human to wild animal and back again. The federal government has stepped in, running public service announcements calling for affected youth to turn themselves in for “orientation and training.”

Josh Saunders has seen the news reports, but he is still unprepared when it happens to him. one minute he’s arguing with his mother’s boyfriend and the next, he is looming over the man, blood dripping from his claws—he has transformed into a mountain lion. When he switches back to his human body, he knows his life has changed forever. He has become a Wildling.

Trusting only his best friends des and Marina with his secret, Josh tries to return to regular living. But an encounter with Elzie, another Wildling, brings him unwanted attention from the authorities. And when an accidental betrayal reveals Josh’s secret, his carefully constructed cover is ripped apart, forcing his friends to intervene. They must grudgingly put their trust in others, including other Wildlings—and, most challenging, in each other— if they ever hope to save him.

Read the first chapter of Under my Skin

My mom’s got a lot of good qualities, but picking boyfriends isn’t one of them. More often than not, she’s trying to save some loser from himself. Steve—the latest—is actually a step up from the usual lot because at least he has a job. He even owns a suit. But he has that same mean streak as the rest.

Whenever I try to point this out to Mom, I get shut down for having a smart mouth. It’s not until the relationship is over that it’s all, Why didn’t I listen to you at the beginning?

I don’t get it. I mean, Mom’s smart—she basically runs Dr. Esposito’s office—and she’s really together about pretty much everything in her life, except for these guys. Even my dad treated her badly, which is why, hello, he doesn’t live with us.

I’ve learned the hard way that this isn’t anything I can fix. So mostly I just try to keep my head down and wait it out. Sooner or later it all falls apart, and then it’s smooth sailing when it’s only Mom and me. Until the next loser comes along.

Today is a perfect example of trying to fly under the radar. It’s a Tuesday afternoon and I’ve just come home from school. I see Steve’s at the dining room table, frowning at his laptop, so I slip down the hall and go into my room. If I’d known he was here, I’d have taken Marina up on her offer to go to the skate park. But I have an essay due, so I quietly close my door and surf the Net before doing any actual homework.

When Steve comes into my room, I’m streaming a demo cut from The Wild Surf ’s website while clicking through the photo gallery of their lead singer, Joanie Jones, who I’ve got a mad crush on...

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