SONI AND THE LIFE DRINKERS

A magically gifted Kenyan girl and her three friends band together to fight evil and save their beloved mentor.

Twelve-year-old Soni has her eyes on the prize: winning first place at Vunja Mifupa, an annual middle school dance contest. Running through the choreography with her teammates at Savanna Academy keeps her mind off her mentor Mr. Lemayian’s rapidly declining health. He helped Soni and the other Intasimi Warriors—Mwikali, Odwar, and Xirsi—come into their powers and defeat evil. But Soni’s plans for dance domination are interrupted by the sudden arrival of Thandiwe, a shiqq-human hybrid claiming to be her cousin. Thandiwe says she can help them find the Life Drinker, the malevolent monster draining Mr. Lemayian of his life force. Can Soni trust her? The Intasimi Warriors have been betrayed before. But with Mr. Lemayian growing weaker by the day, they can’t afford to refuse help. As they work together to find the Life Drinker, a bigger plot is revealed, and the balance of the world falls into their hands. In this third series installment, Nguru expands the boundaries of the world, adding new creatures and showing the diversity of Nairobi’s neighborhoods. Soni’s headstrong spirit and fierce dedication serve her well, but she learns to temper her impulsive nature when working with others. The ending is satisfying while leaving readers hungry for the next book.

Bristling with action from cover to cover.