Books with author Yxta Maya Murray

Kiki and Mish are best friends, but what Kiki doesn?t know is that Michelle Pena was born a gang princess. ?Princess P? grew up destined to inherit leadership of the Snakes: a future filled with crime and fear. Michelle, on the other hand, is a nationally ranked athlete and academic superstar. This is her new life, and she?s finally put her past?and her childhood love for Silver?to rest. Then Silver helps kidnap both girls, and Michelle has to figure out how to free them both?and reconnect with a future that might now be beyond her reach.

There is a legend of the New World that has endured for centuries: the strange, tragic tale of a King, a Witch . . . and a blue gem of intoxicating beauty said to grant extraordinary power to whoever possesses it. Archaeologist Juana Sanchez, convinced that she's discovered the key to unlocking the mystery of the fabled Queen Jade, ventures into the Central American jungle alone—just ahead of the relentless pounding fury of Hurricane Mitch. When the terrible storm is over, Juana is gone, and an ancient, long-buried jade mine has been uncovered in the mountains of Guatemala, giving new hope to all obsessed seekers of the legendary stone. But it is a different obsession that plunges Juana's daughter—scholar and bookseller Lola Sanchez—into the remarkable adventure of a lifetime. For only by following the Queen Jade's perilous, cursed trail can Lola hope to find her vanished mother . . . if it isn't already too late.

The secret history of an empireThe mythical power of a stoneThe quest to solve the legend of ... The Queen JadeFor centuries, explorers and scholars of the New World have been captivated by a legend involving the tragic life of a King, a Witch, and a giant blue jade stone whose beauty is intoxicating -- a stone whose possessor is said to be granted a life filled with power -- that stone is called the Queen Jade.In 1998, Hurricane Mitch tears through Central and South America. A mine of blue jade the size of Rhode Island is uncovered in a Guatemalan mountain range known as Las Sierras de las Minas. For hundreds of years, blue jade relics have been found in the Americas, but the actual source of the precious stone has never been discovered -- until now. The revelation of the blue jade mine solves an archaeological mystery that has baffled scholars for centuries and gives hope to those who have staked their lives on finding the Queen Jade.The novel unfolds on the eve of the hurricane and centers on Lola Sanchez and her archaeologist mother, Juana. Juana believes that she has discovered the key to unlocking the mystery of the Queen Jade and has gone into the jungle alone to find the stone -- the same week that Hurricane Mitch ravages the land. When her mother disappears in the storm, Lola sets out to find her and embarks on a course of action that will lead to the adventure of her life.

There is a legend of the New World that has endured for centuries: the strange, tragic tale of a King, a Witch . . . and a blue gem of intoxicating beauty said to grant extraordinary power to whoever possesses it. Archaeologist Juana Sanchez, convinced that she's discovered the key to unlocking the mystery of the fabled Queen Jade, ventures into the Central American jungle alone—just ahead of the relentless pounding fury of Hurricane Mitch. When the terrible storm is over, Juana is gone, and an ancient, long-buried jade mine has been uncovered in the mountains of Guatemala, giving new hope to all obsessed seekers of the legendary stone. But it is a different obsession that plunges Juana's daughter—scholar and bookseller Lola Sanchez—into the remarkable adventure of a lifetime. For only by following the Queen Jade's perilous, cursed trail can Lola hope to find her vanished mother . . . if it isn't already too late.

Michelle Pena's life is postcard perfect. She has a loving father, a new best friend, and a shot at a track scholarship at a prestigious prep school. It's everything an Ivy League-aspiring suburban girl could ask for. But Michelle isn't one of those girls. She's a gang princess. Or at least she was until a gruesome crime tore her family apart. Money disappeared. Her mom landed in prison, her brother in juvie. Only Michelle escaped. Turns out she didn't run far enough. Herold gang want their money back, and they have finally caught up to her. Michelle's childhood love, Silver Mendoza, says he's after the cash, too. But what he really wants is her. This special two-in-one edition includes the first book in the series and its never-before-published sequel.

Kiki and Mish are best friends, but what Kiki doesn?t know is that Michelle Pena was born a gang princess. ?Princess P? grew up destined to inherit leadership of the Snakes: a future filled with crime and fear. Michelle, on the other hand, is a nationally ranked athlete and academic superstar. This is her new life, and she?s finally put her past?and her childhood love for Silver?to rest. Then Silver helps kidnap both girls, and Michelle has to figure out how to free them both?and reconnect with a future that might now be beyond her reach.

Michelle Pena's life is postcard perfect. She has a loving father, a new best friend, and a shot at a track scholarship at a prestigious prep school. It's everything an Ivy League-aspiring suburban girl could ask for. But Michelle isn't one of those girls. She's a gang princess. Or at least she was until a gruesome crime tore her family apart. Money disappeared. Her mom landed in prison, her brother in juvie. Only Michelle escaped. Turns out she didn't run far enough. Herold gang want their money back, and they have finally caught up to her. Michelle's childhood love, Silver Mendoza, says he's after the cash, too. But what he really wants is her. This special two-in-one edition includes the first book in the series and its never-before-published sequel.

There is a legend of the New World that has endured for centuries: the strange, tragic tale of a King, a Witch . . . and a blue gem of intoxicating beauty said to grant extraordinary power to whoever possesses it. Archaeologist Juana Sanchez, convinced that she's discovered the key to unlocking the mystery of the fabled Queen Jade, ventures into the Central American jungle alone—just ahead of the relentless pounding fury of Hurricane Mitch. When the terrible storm is over, Juana is gone, and an ancient, long-buried jade mine has been uncovered in the mountains of Guatemala, giving new hope to all obsessed seekers of the legendary stone. But it is a different obsession that plunges Juana's daughter—scholar and bookseller Lola Sanchez—into the remarkable adventure of a lifetime. For only by following the Queen Jade's perilous, cursed trail can Lola hope to find her vanished mother . . . if it isn't already too late.

Kiki and Mish are best friends, but what Kiki doesn't know is that Michelle Pena was born a gang princess. "Princess P" grew up destined to inherit leadership of the Snakes: a future filled with crime and fear. Michelle, on the other hand, is a nationally ranked athlete and academic superstar. This is her new life, and she's finally put her past - and her childhood love for Silver - to rest. Then Silver helps kidnap both girls, and Michelle has to figure out how to free them both - and reconnect with a future that might now be beyond her reach.

For centuries, explorers and scholars of the New World have been captivated by a legend involving the tragic life of a King, a Witch, and a giant blue jade stone whole beauty is intoxicating - a stone whose processor is said to be granted a life filled with power - that stone is called the Queen Jade. In 1998, Hurricane Mitch tears through Central and South America. A mine of blue jade the size of Rhode Island is uncovered in a Guatemalan mountain range known as Las Sierras de las Minas. For hundreds of years, blue jade relics have been found in the Americas, but the actual source of the precious stone has never been discovered - until now. The revelation of the blue jade mine solves an archaeological mystery that has baffled scholars for centuries and gives hope to those who have staked their lives on finding the Queen Jade. The novel unfolds on the eve of the hurricane and centers on Lola Sanchez and her archaeologist mother, Juana. Juana believes that she has discovered the key to unlocking the mystery of the Queen Jade and has gone into the jungle alone to find the stone - the same week that Hurricane Mitch ravages the land. When her mother disappears in the storm, Lola sets out to find her and embarks on a course of action that will lead to the adventure of her life. Lola is herself a novice scholar and has long been transfixed by the legend and existence of the Queen Jade. As she treks through the jungles, cloud-forests, and curse-riddled labyrinths, she begins to uncover all the pieces necessary to help solve the mystery of the Queen Jade's whereabouts, and, hopefully, to find Juana alive. A perfect blend of adventure novel and historical mystery, The Queen Jade will leave readers enthralled.