Will Wilder #1: The Relic of Perilous Falls by Raymond Arroyo

My name is Will. It's not fair that I'm being punished for my brother's broken arm. Sure, it was my catapult that hurt him but... While planting trees in the hot sun for punishment, I met a strange man named Captain Balor down by the river. Several people have recently died in the river, but I agreed to retrieve a family relic for him at low tide. He says the relic has great healing powers, but there's something strange about him. I start sneezing when he's near, and I can't seem to see him clearly. My aunt thinks retrieving the relic is a bad idea, but I can sneak it out of the caves without her knowing. I had no idea my decision could release so much evil and destruction.

This book is the first in a new series with a young boy discovering his new powers. Will is a seer, the only person able to see all of the evil creatures. Since most people can't see the creatures, a subplot revolves around a zealous mayor who wants to blame the Wilder family and friends for all of the town's problems. Will's willingness to disobey his aunt seems a little forced to me, but it's not totally out of character. I found the second half of the book more exciting and entertaining, since things really started to happen once Will got the relic. Monsters galore starting popping up! I'm looking forward to the sequel.