Skyjacked by Paul Griffin

From Goodreads, 

"Six friends who attend Manhattan's elite Hartwell Academy are returning from an end-of-summer camping trip together on a private plane. Everything seems normal... except one of the regular pilots is sick, so there's a replacement; Cassie is starting to get violently ill for no clear reason; and they realize the plane is flying west, not east. Soon it's clear: the plane has been hijacked. But by who, and why? Where are they going? What made Cassie so sick? And even if they somehow make it into the cockpit and overpower the hijacker, could they land the plane? Emotions are running high, and choosing who to trust is a matter of life or death."

Goodreads - Skyjacked

When I selected this book I definitely needed a break from books that are part of a series like the Arc of a Scythe or Hunger Games.  This was in my stack of books to be returned to school.  I decided I would try to get this book knocked off my list so I could get it back in my classroom for students to read.  Let me tell you all, that this cover is a little deceiving, but the book was absolutely amazing. 

After a camping trip before school starts back, five friends, a bodyguard, and two pilots board a private plane to head back to Manhattan.  One of the usual pilots ends up sick and a replacement is sent in at the last minute.  They all take off, but soon one of the girls becomes sick.  As the other four try to care for her, they realize that the plane is flying west instead of east.  They all start to question what is happening in the cockpit and the teenagers start to question the motives of every adult on the plane.  They soon realize they've been hijacked and they must work quickly to figure out why they've been hijacked, where the plane is going, and who did it.  

This book takes place in a very short time frame and it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.  This has a little bit of a whodunnit feel, but with more suspense, because time is literally ticking away until they either land and survive or crash and die.  The book starts with a list of characters in this story and a very brief background on them.  At first, I didn't like this, but I soon realized it was there to help me try to crack the case and figure out who hijacked the plane.  And I can honestly tell you that my guess changed four or five times before the book finally came out and said who it was.  I think some of my students are going to read through this book very quickly because there is so much excitement happening in it.  

There are some deaths in this book.  And one of them is tragically and painfully heroic.  Also if you have a fear of flying or fear of being hijacked I don't recommend this book to you.  There were no cuss words in the book, but there are a couple "graphic" moments where characters are killed. 

This book was absolutely fantastic.  The book never had a lull or dead spot where I was bored.  I finished this within 12 hours of starting it.  This may easily be the best book I've read in a while.  I give this 5 stars.  I think boys will really be pulled to this book.  Also, anyone looking for a good suspense and thrill book will enjoy this.