The Dragon Egg Princess by Ellen Oh

My name is Jiho, and the people from other lands don't understand the dangers lurking in the Kidahara. A company wants to cut down trees to build a road through the forest, but the creatures hidden there will attack and kill any threats to the lands. Magic in the Kidahara doesn't affect me, and I am able to sense monsters preparing to strike. My family needs money, so I've agreed to work as a scout for the company. However, I've learned their true plans and recognize it will lead to disaster. I can feel the eyes watching us from the shadows, but I don't know what they're waiting for. The foreman wants us to cut down a huge tree, but I know there's an evil force waiting to pounce. The foreman won't heed my warnings, so all I can do is prepare for the screaming and death. 

The conflict between technology and nature is a key part of the plot, but there's much more to be found. While the company wants to develop the Kidahara, the motives behind the development are more devious. The story of a missing princess is shared early in the book, so it's clear she will make an appearance at some point. Actually, she becomes the key piece of everything that's happening. Jiho is a wonderfully likeable character, as he thinks of the world in simple terms. He doesn't understand the complexities of other cultures and why they're so dependent on technology. This also adds some humor to the plot. Jiho appreciates and respects living with nature, things taught to him by his father. His father has been missing for several years, so that's an additional question lingering throughout the story. Jiho is bitter that his father left without any explanation of his disappearance. While many books focus on characters' magical abilities, Jiho's unexplained power negates magic. His family has always helped protect the Kidahara, but Jiho has no interest in becoming a ranger. The plot escalates to an exciting climax that brought everything to a satisfying conclusion. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and recommend you give it a shot.