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J.L. McCreedy
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The Orphan of Torundi Kindle Edition

by J.L. McCreedy (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 40 ratings
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“A vivid landscape, a refreshingly unique plot and a lovable protagonist will keep you rooted to the story from the very first page. Surprising twists, and a heart-in-mouth romance take this novel beyond your average Young Adult read: all will rejoice in the turbulent adventure Sam takes the reader on.” The Children’s Book Review.

“[I]t’s intrigue and espionage writing at its best.... [W]ith its sweeping descriptions and involving protagonist, readers can expect to hop on board the departing train of adventure for an invigorating, can't-put-it-down ride.” Diane Donovan, Midwest Book Review

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To find the truth, she must first uncover the lie. Orphaned as an infant, Sam is raised by a pharmaceutical research mission in the rain forests of Torundi. She wields a mean machete, makes soap from candlenuts and is a fairly astute amateur entomologist. You know, the normal stuff. But a month before her seventeenth birthday, she is exiled to an American boarding school in Malaysia.

Armed with little more than her unusual upbringing and church-lady clothes, Sam must contend with her new existence as the world's most socially unprepared high school senior. Well that’s just fine. Because she is determined to solve the mystery behind her banishment and return home tout de suite.

But when she discovers the unthinkable – that her banishment is tied to an enigmatic corporation with illicit designs on Torundi – she realizes the real mystery she must uncover is ... why? Soon, Sam is caught in a whirlwind of intrigue, danger and greed. As she chases this thread of truth to its end, she unravels a plot that threatens her beloved Torundi, her trust in the boy she has grown to love and her own existence.

Blending espionage elements akin to The Bourne Identity with those high-school-awkward-moments (hey, it could happen), THE ORPHAN OF TORUNDI is a quirky, cross-cultural tale of adventure, suspense and romance.
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  1. Reading age
    12 - 18 years
  2. Print length
    302 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    November 28, 2014
  5. Page Flip
    Enabled
  6. Word Wise
    Not Enabled
  7. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  8. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A vivid landscape, a refreshingly unique plot and a lovable protagonist will keep you rooted to the story from the very first page. Surprising twists, and a heart-in-mouth romance take this novel beyond your average Young Adult read: all will rejoice in the turbulent adventure Sam takes the reader on." -The Children's Book Review***"Bourne Identity/Indiana Jones-type action ...." -Kirkus Reviews***"[I]ntrigue and espionage writing at its best.... [W]ith its sweeping descriptions and involving protagonist, readers can expect to hop on board the departing train of adventure for an invigorating, can't-put-it-down ride." -D. Donovan, eBook Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00N9SWF5I
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penelope Pipp Publishing (November 28, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 28, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2072 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 302 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 40 ratings

About the author

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J.L. McCreedy

J.L. McCreedy

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J.L. McCreedy first discovered her love for writing (and developed an incurable condition of wanderlust) while growing up in Southeast Asia as the child of missionaries. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and a law degree, freelances as a writer and consultant for charitable organizations and, whenever possible, drags her splendid husband along on ill-planned adventures. She’s the author of the Liberty Frye trilogy (MG/middle grade) and The Orphan of Torundi (YA/young adult).

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
40 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

mint
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice trip
Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2024
Verified Purchase
This was a SUPER FUN read! Clever plot, lovable heroine, outstanding setting. Anyone who has been curious about what it might be like to travel to Malaysia should definitely pick it up. Also seems like it might be a great read for anyone who has had to share a room with an unfiltered, self centered, materialistic, and pushy teenage roommate (or sister). For anyone who has spent any time in Malaysia, the food descriptions will make you ready to book a return trip, order up an iced coffee and set up a remote work space at the stalls pronto. This would be a great book to bring along on a trip…. Get it now, pack your bags, order a coffee, and enjoy!!!!
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Orang Tidak Umum
5.0 out of 5 stars McCreedy is great.
Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2024
Verified Purchase
McCreedy is great. Good story.
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Rebecca
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun and exciting read!
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2015
Verified Purchase
The Orphan of Torundi is an exciting tale about a teen who upon accidentally stumbling across a hint of espionage in her jungle home is uprooted and whisked away to a foreign land. Though saddened and disheveled by such a drastic turn of events, Sam Clemens will not be deterred as she continues to work the mystery from her boarding school in Malaysia. Along the way she faces treacherous opponents, heart in the mouth suspense and a dose of youthful first love romance. Despite the many obstacles, Sam proceeds with iron-clad determination to discover the truth at all costs. Her engaging humor keeps the intensity in balance and is one of the writer’s great strengths in the story telling. Throughout, Sam is a relatable and tenacious character who you can’t help but root for. With many plot twists along the way, J.L. McCreedy keeps you guessing until the end! Other than a handful of mild profanities spattered throughout, a good, clean read. I highly recommend it for adults, young and old!
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Wendy G.
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome YA book that keeps you turning pages... a must read!
Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2015
Verified Purchase
The Orphan of Torundi was an unexpected treat! What I loved most about this YA book is that the author does not dumb down vocabulary. It’s a great book for older kids to gain key vocabulary in a natural and fun way. The lead character, Sam, is a strong girl who manages to navigate moving from the jungle to the elite boarding school. I thought it would be more of a coming of age story, but to my surprise it was refreshingly different adventure plot. There were parts where I literally laughed out loud and others where I kept turning the pages just to see what would happen next. This book is great to literature bridge for teenagers keeping them still in the YA genre, but giving them something more meaty to sink their teeth in! We need more books like this for older YA (and adults who need a fun, quick read)!
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Julia N
1.0 out of 5 stars This could have been the greatest book ever
Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2014
DNF at 57%.

Thanks anyway, Netgally and Penelope Pipp Publishing.

When I saw this book on Netgalley, I was so excited that I immediately requested it and got approved. Because I was reading other books at the time, however, this was put off to the side. When I was ready to read it though, I discovered it had been archived! I had been so excited for this, but I knew eventually, I would forget all about it. This could have been the greatest book ever, but I'd missed my chance. I was seriously disappointed.

Then it came on Netgalley again. I was thrilled at the second chance, requested it again, got approved, and downloaded it to my kindle right away.

Then I read it.

And regretted it.

Seriously. I had such high expectations: a girl from some unknown country is suddenly uprooted and put in modern society? How cool is that? It turns out, however, that Sam has no personality. She adjusts perfectly, loving the food, mentioning the temperature difference only once, and understanding all of her schoolwork with ease.

My second problem was Jones. He was SO CREEPY, and yet Sam adored him. Um, this guy has a dubious past, is your teacher (illegally, by the way), but conveniently only nineteen, so he can still be the love interest. How awkward is that?

Then there's the writing. It was beautiful at times, yes, but so forced. A girl who grew up in the forests of Torundi could certainly have beautiful quotes, but they would be subtle, not poetry.

While I have no desire to finish this book, maybe you would like it. It does have an interesting premise, even though it wasn't for me.
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Lisa Chretien
2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing
Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2014
I received this book as an advanced readers copy, my very first, and I was truly excited to get a first look. However, I realized within a few pages that while the story was interesting and the settings even more intriguing I lost interest. I love the name Sam Clemens for a girl and that is what kept me interested for a bit. But then the whole reason is dropped and left for later explanation. I was very interested in the Torundi holy place, but then I got absolutely no background on it other than there is a mineral there that could solve the energy crisis, ala Avatar. And like Avatar there are corrupt company officials who want to exploit the area and a somewhat passionate scientist who doesn't.
I was worried there would be a travelogue-type aspect to the novel given that the author has travelled extensively and written about her travels. Again, I was left ambivalent that I didn't have to slog through a travelogue and that I was given absolutely no visual images of the places Sam lived in and traveled to. I have never to these actual places and I was given no reason to travel there after reading the book.
There could have been so much more written about the place mentioned. I hate pseudo memoirs that don't give me any insight into the character. The whole point of a memoir whether nonfiction or fiction is to give insight into the writer. I didn't get that. I can't recommend this book to my students because I know they will lose interest immediately when the only action is Sam almost getting attacked by tiger and some kerfuffle of a kidnapping that is easily figured out.
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