Overturned

This book wasn't what I was expecting but it was still so good! I loved the mystery but I did get a little confused at all the different names and places. I loved the main character and all the twists and turns!

What happens in Vegas can get you killed in Vegas. Nikolosa finds it even more challenging than she expected having her dad, the infamous card player Nathan Tate, unexpectedly back home after serving 5 years on death row for a murder he did not commit. Her dad taught her everything she knows about playing and their bond over the cards is still there but he has changed, she has changed, and her mom doesn't seem happy to have him home. Their casino the Andromeda is struggling with cash flow, and Nikki has taken on much of the management and paperwork in her dad's absence as well as going to school, seeing her friends when she can, and playing soccer. Her dad starts disappearing for days at a time and Nikki knows that he is trying to find out who framed him for the murder of his best friend. Meanwhile, Nikki hosts secret, high stakes card games of her own to grow her personal bank roll and finance her way to college on the east coast where her two best friends are headed. Things get more complicated when a gorgeous new student at school, Davis Carlino, wants to be her Chemistry partner, and who also happens to be the youngest son of Big Bert Carlino, the notorious casino owner who is rumored to be the gangster running the city from his perch at the Nysos resort hotel's tower. There is definitely a tense connection between the Carlino family and Nikki's although none of the adults will talk about it, but her dad is not happy she is hanging out with his rival's son. The poker-faced adults surrounding her are clearly nervous but keep their secrets to themselves, so Nikki tries to stay focused on her plans to get out of Vegas after graduation. But as her relationship with Davis grows, her carefully laid plans fall apart overnight and she is violently pulled into her dad's search for the truth at all costs. Her life now on the line, she risks everything she has built, everything she knows about her dad, her mom, and the Andromeda, to stage one last, desperate gamble to find and expose the real killer. Excellent YA thriller, G7 and up.

In Overturned, Niki Tate's father is being released from prison due to new evidence, which overturned his murder conviction. The trip home from the prison is anything but pleasant, and Niki realizes that her parents have been keeping secrets. When Niki's father puts a stop to the illegal card games that she has been using to fund her escape from Las Vegas, Niki puts her new free time to use, investigating her parents' secrets, while putting her friendships, including her newfound boyfriend at risk in order to find the truth. Lamar Giles has created a unique character in Niki Tate who not only is mature enough to run a Las Vegas casino but also beat experienced card players at their own game. Some of her choices are questionable but lead to most of the drama and conflict in the story. Overturned is a well-written and well-developed story that makes for a quick, enjoyable read.