Snared #2: Lair of the Beast by Adam Jay Epstein

My name is Wily Snare, and I don't think I'll ever be able to perform the role of king. As the prince, everyone looks to me to make decisions, but there's too much pressure knowing that my choices will impact others. What if I make a mistake? There's also the fact my father was a wicked man, and many people fear I'll become just like him. To top things off, it seems Stalag is amassing an army of stone golems that will be indestructible, and he'll use them to annihilate the entire kingdom. Our only hope is to find the three-headed lair beast and somehow get it to battle the golems with us. Of course, it will probably devour us as we approach, and no one knows how to control it. Except... there is one person who might be able to help, but will she? Abandonment and hurt feelings may leave us on our own. 

You can probably still enjoy this book without reading the first book in the series, Escape to the Above. While the book is full of fantastic, magical creatures, I enjoyed Wily most of all. He didn't have any special powers and was able to escape dangerous situations with his mind. He was also vulnerable due to his insecurities about being a prince. His mother told him it was okay to make mistakes and that he'd never become like his father. However, Wily's self-doubt was a major factor throughout most of the plot. His best friend was Roveeka, his adopted hobgoblet sister, and she was adept at hurling her two knives named Mum and Pops. He was also accompanied by a brave knight and his severed arm. The arm was called Righteous, and it was ready to fight all threats "single-handedly". An elf named Odette and a moss golem named Moshul rounded out the team and created an interesting dynamic. There was great caring between the group members that was key in facing impending perils. Overall, this is an entertaining series, and I recommend you give it a shot.