If you are a Carl Hiaasen's fan, you'll love his latest YA novel about a teenager navigating non-ideal family dynamics, his first crush and being coerced into working for a smuggler in Key West.

I remember reading Hoot and Flush by Carl Hiaasen when I was in elementary school. Seeing a new book was out by him was like seeing an old friend.

Living in Florida, and having lived through Covid, I wasn’t sure what to expect from Wrecker. I love going down to visit the Keys but I don’t know any of the history down there, but now I definitely want to learn from the references in this book!

This book was a very interesting take on a newer form of smuggling….smuggling anti-vax cards. Hiaasen did a great job at really building the story and intricacies up until the very end.

When you think of smuggling, you think of drugs. Or of alcohol during prohibition which was alluded to in the book. So making the smuggling about fake vaccination cards was a unique take on a not uncommon situation.

I wish there had been some more backstory on Willi. And on Suzanne. Which is what I always want, more background on side characters!

I did love the way that Wrecker stood up to Silver Mustache. He showed bravery beyond his years and that was wonderful to see. I definitely forgot at times that he was only in high school. He showed wisdom beyond his years.

This was a great book, for adults and young adults. And is a great reminder to not take life for granted.

Thank you so much for having me in one of the tours for this book. I will update this review and share the posts links as soon as it's done and posted.

Thank you TBR Book Tours for the opportunity to review Wrecker. My review will be shared August 28th.

Kids will enjoy this latest adventure from Carl Hiaasen- especially kids who grew up on the water. Wrecker is comfortable out in the boat exploring the water. He has been driving boats from a young age so he is a skilled driver and he knows the water. Then one day, he is given an offer he can’t refuse. Suddenly his love of boating and his skills will be put to the test. This is a fun adventure to follow and it will keep kids interested throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This novel is a great read for younger fans of the TV show Outer Banks. Unforgettable characters and packed with adventure, Carl Hiaasen does it again!

I will admit, the big reveal wasn't as jaw dropping as it was anticipated to be. It's very much a product of COVID times. All that said, I did enjoy the mystery.

Hand this suspense/adventure to middle grade/YA fans of pirates, shipwrecks, and police chases. Readers will follow Valdez “Wrecker” Jones VIII, who is following in the footsteps of his 5 times great-grandfather as a wrecker who salvages treasures from sunken ships. When Wrecker gets in over his head and ends up on the wrong side of some seedy characters, readers will go on the run with him. This is a fast-paced page-turner with Hiaason’s signature environmental message slipped in. Readers won’t be able to put it down.

As an adult, I liked the story. However, I think it was a bit too complex for my students on these days. I liked the environmental aspects; this is a very important part of the story, like other Hiaasen novels.

I received an advance copy.

Carl Hiaasen has just a wonderful writing style for tweens and teens, he pairs knowledge and charm and tells a story where good people get to be heroes and the bad guys get what they deserve !
I loved visiting Key West and this story made me want to see it again, it's sunny, warm and colorful in this book. This book about a down on his luck boy nicknamed "Wrecker" let's Hiaasen give us a glimpse at COVID times in Florida from a kid's perspective. Wrecker accidentally gets involved with dealers in drugs and vaccination cards and needs to find a way out with research and determination. A great read!

Carl Hiaasen is at the top of my "authors-to-meet" bucket list as I eagerly anticipate each new novel of his- both kid and adult.

Wrecker does not disappoint; it has all the trademark Hiaasen characteristics: advocacy for protecting Florida wild life, calling out shady politicians, and morally and ethically shining examples of good character that should be followed by kids and adults alike. Valdez Jones VIII - aka "Wrecker" - comes from a long line of Valdez Joneses who were shipwreck salvagers. Although not actively salvaging these days, Wrecker holds true to his heritage by being most at home on the water in his little boat. The day he came across a grounded speedboat (who was endangering the coastline's coral reefs) he accidentally became involved in an enormous con job. At first the speedboat owner only tried to buy his silence, but when he realized Wrecker had skills that would be useful, he began bribing Wrecker to aid and abet the con.

Again, if you are a Hiaasen fan, this is one to grab! I don't see any issues with this book at any school building level library, but it does cater toward a middle school (grades 6-8) audience more so than upper elementary or high school.

It was interesting to read a book that deals so heavily with the pandemic. Hiaasen usually puts a lot of environmental stuff in his books so it was interesting to have socially conscience content.

I really enjoyed this book. Carl Hiaasen does a fantastic job with middle grade mystery. The characters and plot are very relatable.

Wrecker is more comfortable on his boat then on land. Living in Key West he has had the fortune to grow up on the water. After finding a grounded speed boat her is pulled into the smuggling world that he doesn’t want to be a part of.

My Thoughts:

Middle level books are great examples of good literature that tells a good story, teaches lessons of ethics and morality, and/or shows the gumption and creativity of young adults. In addition, middle level books are full of authors that I trust, including Carl Hiaasen. Like his Newbery Honor book Hoot, Hiaasen mixes ecology (reef preservation, ban on large cruise ships) and mystery with humor (iguana poop) and contemporary issues. I mistook the cover for a science fiction book, but now that I see it on a larger computer screen, I realize that there are fishes on the cover. I blame it on reading on my phone.

Here is what I like about Hiaasen's writing style. He grabs interest right away, especially younger male reluctant readers. There is enough intrigue and action to keep readers reading, even if they struggle. This would also be a good book to read at the beginning of class or the beginning of SSR, SURF or any other sustained silent reading protocol teachers do.

If they like this, I would try other YA books by Hiassen, or go old school to Gary Paulsen or Lemony Snickett.

From the Publisher:

Valdez Jones VIII calls himself Wrecker because his great-great-great-great-great-grandfather salvaged shipwrecks for a living.

So is it destiny, irony, or just bad luck when Wrecker comes across a speedboat that has run hard aground on a sand flat? The men in the boat don't want Wrecker to call for help—in fact, they'll pay him to forget he ever saw them.

Wrecker would be happy to forget, but he keeps seeing these men all over Key West—at the marina, in the cemetery, even right outside his own door. And now they want more than his silence—they want a lookout.

He'll have to dive deep into their shady dealings to figure out a way to escape this tangled net. . . .

Publication Information:
Author: Carl Hiaasen
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (September 26, 2023)
Pages: 329 pages

Carl Hiaasen certainly knows how to write books for young adults. The adventure and twists were so engaging. It was not predictable and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

Wrecker was an adventure! Wrecker's character was likeable and easy to cheer on, even when he got himself in some sticky situations. I do think the author could've chosen something less controversial to be the product the smuggler was selling, and I am not sure that kids will understand this choice when reading. Overall a good book!

This middle grade book was fantastically well written, and it seemed like it was targeted towards young adults. I loved the fact that COVID-19 played a big part of the storyline as I think it's important for people to remember what people went through during the pandemic. A lot of the authors I typically read shied away from this topic, so kudos to Carl Hiaasen.

I enjoyed that the story took place in Key West as I have been there a couple of times and enjoyed being able to picture some of the places mentioned. It made me want to go back there!

Overall, I enjoyed the plot and writing but felt like it was a bit slow at times. Four out of five stars.

Wrecker is a descendant of many generations of wreckers, men who dive onto shipwrecks to salvage whatever is left. He loves being on the water and spends a lot of time fishing from his own boat. One day, he finds a wrecked boat and the men on it pay him to pull them off a shoal. They give him a lot of money for it too. But, afterward, they want him to keep helping them with their activities, which Wrecker suspects involve smuggling. He and his friend, Willi, keep encountering the men. They are hanging out in a cemetery where Wrecker has a job cleaning a tombstone each week. When they want him to guard the tomb of their friend, he suspects they are up to something.

The setting on Key West is interesting because it's an island and life is centered around the ocean. Wrecker is of mixed race and encounters some racism, which the author weaves into the story. I liked how the historical incidents were related to modern things in the story. It brought a lot of depth to both Willi and Wrecker's characters. The story also mentions preserving the habitat around the island, since large cruise ships come into the bay and stir up a lot of sediment, which coats marine life and endangers the animals. Wrecker's sister is involved in trying to stop this damage.

The story gets moving into more action as things with the smugglers come to a head. Wrecker and Willi come up with a good solution for their problem. It is creative.

I enjoyed this book. It has a lot of different elements that come together and make it appealing to read. The suspense involving what the teens would do to get out from under the thumb of the smugglers worked well. I liked how the author also wove in the elements of Wrecker's family drama to bring the character to life. The reveal about Willi's ancestor is also intriguing. Willi is a great strong female character.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it for adults as well as young adults.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Valdez Jones VIII, aka Wrecker, spends most of his time on the water. Though he was born decades too late to join the former family business, shipwreck salvaging, the ocean is in his blood. Out on the water one day, he runs into a grounded boat. He's unable to help them out, but they throw him some cash anyway, and say to forget he ever saw them. Definitely suspicious. He's not the kind of guy to fall in with crowd, but unfortunately they want him to be. And it's hard to say no to these guys...

I did enjoy this read, minus the covid stuff. Personally, I really dislike reading fiction set during the Pandemic, so I wish this had been set any other time and had focused on some other smuggling issue. However, the information on shipwrecks and Key West history were quite interesting. I also appreciate the environmental message. Wrecker is a protagonist that you can root for, and I liked the realistic family dynamics between him and each of his family members. The mystery plot kept me engaged. Makes me want to pick up Hoot again.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Wrecker comes from a long line of shipwreck divers who recovered cargo from sunken vessels before modern machinery was available. While out on the water fishing off the coast of Key West, he encounters a speed boat that has run aground on a sand bar. When he attempts to help them, Wrecker ends up in a shady business relationship he doesn't know how to get out of.

Let me start by saying I'm a Carl Hiassen fan. I love the environmental bent of his novels set in Florida with offbeat plots and a sense of humor, and Wrecker is no exception. Hiassen also skillfully weaves in the legacy of racism in Key West as the mixed-race MC and his black friend Willi attempt to solve the mystery of Silver Moustache's illegal activities.

This is a fast-paced mystery with heart and depth. His teen characters are relatable and genuine with their emotions and missteps. There is minority and disabled representation, conservation awareness, and an examination of how history affects future generations, all wrapped up in an entertaining story that will stick with you long after you read the final page.

Carl Hiaasen
Wrecker
Awesome characters, great storyline. A truly wonderful book! It was a delight to read.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgallery and am voluntarily leaving a review.