The Jailbirds are reeling after a devastating standoff with Orion in Peru, but the mystery that began with Tommy at Hollow Hill isn’t over. More determined than ever to finish what Tommy’s father started, Mars recruits a new source to help him uncover Orion’s true motives while Maya pulls at an old thread – one that just might unravel the secrets and lies that have plagued their lives. Both haunted by the sins of their fathers, Jude wrestles with a decision about his future while Reid struggles to come to grips with his past. Meanwhile, in South America, Immy works to fulfill a promise made to her parents when the arrival of familiar faces thrusts her into danger and leads to a fifteen-year-old unsolved murder.
A world of secrets will be exposed. Family ties will unravel. Deadly betrayals will come to light. With Orion hot on their tail, the Jailbirds follow a new trail of clues across the country to the small, New England town of Mariner’s Cove, Maine. Daring escapes, hidden messages, and stolen fossils all converge as the Jailbirds face their most desperate challenge yet: the fight for family.
Born and raised in the misty mountains of Oregon before moving to the San Francisco Bay Area, Brian has been writing since he was old enough to hold a pen and has been reading for even longer. A profesionnal multi- tasker, Brian has built a Tiny House on Wheels, started a small business, launched his own publishing house, and serves as pastor at his church. His growing list of interests include but are not limited to: his goofy German Shepherd, Arlo, iced tea, tropical getaways, and angsty teen dramas.
Wow wow wow, what a ride! It just felt so good to be back with the Jailbirds—my favorite group ever. Can I just say that the development in a certain relationship (if you know, you know) between two certain people had me through-the-roof elated?! 🥹🤍
There were a few major plot twists that I did NOT see coming, but like…at the same time, they made total sense (while completely surprising me). I loved all the characters, watching them struggle and grow, and I absolutely cannot wait for the 4th installment in this incredible series. 🥲
Favorite quote: “Grief was not a problem to be fixed; it was a pain to be felt.”
Thank you so much to the author for a free copy of Leciathan. All thoughts are expressly my own.
A masterful continuation to the Mammoth series, Leviathan picks up right where Titan left off. We start to see how fractured the Jailbirds have become. Brokenness, redemption, and overcoming fear are a few of the powerful themes McBride weaves among the action, clues, and questions the Birds must face in order to reach their prize. Each page of Leviathan will have you gasping then laughing in turn, and by the end, will have you on the edge of your seat. • Five out of five!
I have no words. Y’all aren’t ready. 😍😭 (beta-read) ___
2025 Reread 🐙
Time spent with some of my favourite people is always time well spent! A reread was in order to brush up on the dets before Tyrant—the saga finale!—releases in May!
I know I say this every time I review one of the books for this series, but can we just take a moment to admire that gorgeous cover?
Now that that is said, we can continue. Leviathan picks up where Titan left off, and it is a great continuation. Like the previous books, there is so much tension and action here. You won't be able to flip through the pages fast enough.
I don't want to give too much away, but there are some fun twists and surprises in this book. As always, the Jailbirds are absolutely fantastic. The villains are truly terrifying. The plot and its adventures are heart-pounding and thrilling. And there's some great themes of redemption and found family that go on in this book. I'm so looking forward to reading Tyrant!
Content: violence, drinking, mentions of drugs, mentions of swearing,
Oh my goodness, this book!!! This book is possibly my favorite (but it’s so hard to pick). So much happens in this tale of adventure and romance and betrayal. The Jailbirds’ world grows and the characters do as well. The plot thickens for sure in this book as there are sooooo many twists. But also…two things romance wise happens in the book and one made me so stinkin happy. I loved the way it was written. McBride does an excellent job of writing prose that is deep and relatable all while including themes that are relevant. The faith content in this series may seem subtle at first, but it soon becomes the heartbeat of the story. Ahh there’s so much I want to say.
I've read this series in one week and am reeling. The characters are amazing and so relatable. And the redemption... It's fast-paced, and the plot keeps you guessing all the way. Not to mention the twists! I'm not going to say any spoilers.
Honestly, I'm so scared for the next book cause I'm way too attached to all these characters.
This book is everything I expected and more!! I have been so excited to read this book and I devoured it. The development of the characters (who I consider friends at this point) and their relationships, the ups and downs of the adventure, the heart throbbing excitement, I’m in love and shock at how it ended.
This was my favorite of the series so far. The final installment, Tyrant, comes out 1/2025, and I am here for it!
In Leviathan, McBride ups the stakes, deepens the characters, and challenges the relationships. The faith elements are more pronounced in Leviathan than in the first two, but there is nothing didactic about them. The characters are simply growing in their faith, and it was a pleasure to see. Highly recommended! (While there are action elements that strike me as unrealistic in this series, it does not diminish my enjoyment.)
Potential content warnings regarding the series:
Some decisions made by the characters make me question if these books are appropriate for any teenager. (The author places these books at a PG-13 rating.) While mature teens, even if young in age, would be able to see potential errors or red flags, teens who grapple with rebellion, experience difficult relationships in their homes, or are immature in their faith may not.
Our characters are 18 years old, and therefore adults. However, I wouldn't want my non-adult teens making some of the decisions these characters make. As an example, [🛑🛑🛑spoiler warning for Android users🛑🛑🛑][🟢🟢🟢End spoiler🟢🟢🟢]
As another example, there is a scene where the group of mixed-gender friends take their clothes off to swim in a river. The boys hide their eyes while the girls undress, but there is no separation of genders while playing around in the river that cannot possibly hide everything. There is nothing sexual in nature mentioned at all, but I find it unlikely that there wasn't temptation to at least take a peek.
On one hand, I appreciate the fact that this mixed-gender friend group is respectful of each other and can be close, committed friends without weird sexual angst going on, but on the other hand, I wish they had some stricter boundaries to protect against that. It would have been a good example of using wisdom for the younger or less mature teen-readers.
There is also the issue of the adults in these books being less than praise-worthy. But there may be some redemption of that coming in the next book.
Easiest five stars I’ve given this year 🥹 I have no words. I’ll try and review it better soon!
7/18/24 This book was a wild ride! There were so many plot twists I didn't see coming, more found family vibes that I adore and a fun nautical vibe! And I love Lucy so much! Not a huge fan of Immy. She's throwing off the whole vibe in my opinion, but that's just me! She's well written, just not my cup of tea. And Jude didn't disappoint! He's my favorite <3
It’s so fun to come up with comp titles for books. And again, Leviathan nestles comfortably into the long stream of adventure tales that have preceded it, from the Hardy Boys to the Ashtown Burials to the Cooper Kids to Indiana Jones.
There are still many situations where the plot requires readers to suspend their disbelief, and there are a few inconsistencies and redundancies that made it difficult for me to be fully immersed in the plot.
But again, with the characters, MY HEART IS SQUEEZING AND HURTING. For Jude. For Reid. (Reid’s like a contemporary-action-hero version of Draco Malfoy.) For everyone.
He’d blamed his father, his uncle, his circumstances, but only Reid was to blame for the mess he’d made of his life.
I also love how Lydia’s stepmom, Lorelai, is really lovely.
Even if it doesn’t fully answer the question the characters bring up (which is nuanced and puzzling in a very true-to-life fashion), Leviathan presents thought-provoking ponderings about what makes the Jailbirds good and what makes them different from Orion if death and darkness still follow them. The Jailbirds aren’t quite in between the light and the dark, leaning a little more towards the light but not quite there yet. It’s intriguing and uncomfortable and believable. Heartbreaking shoving and scrabbling against the darkness clashes with Orion, who’s evil, evil, evil, conscience seared completely, never vomiting at his acts or feeling any semblance of remorse. I respect that deeply: the unapologetic and sickening portrayal of evil as it is. And though I’m not always sure what I think about how the faith elements appear, the author does often include them in a thought-provoking way.
Jude tousled the boy’s hair. “God’s a show-off, kid,” he said with a smile.
Leviathan is another fun and deep addition to the Mammoth series, and I am certainly interested and eager to continue on to the fourth book when it drops!
⚓ content: substance abuse. Fairly graphic and sometimes disturbing violence. Teenagers of opposite genders stay in the same room (completely non-sexual). The Jailbirds speculate that Orion moved in with Lydia’s stepmom. References to Maya’s mother’s desire to abort her. Someone confesses to having had an affair. A couple has sex (it’s completely non-explicit but still very clear about what’s happening and isn’t entirely closed-door.) ⚓
It's been a while since I read the first two books, but I was immediately pulled back into this story, ready to go on whatever adventure the Jailbirds had planned, ready to uncover more secrets and treasures! The writing this book was 🔥! I left my two favourite quotes at the end of my review. I think Lydia might just be my favourite character ever!!! She has quiet strength and a peace trusting the God of her faith, which I love! Reid is so broken and we see more of his inner turmoil this book, but praise God no one is too far gone for Him to save! I'm really hoping that in the next book we see him get a complete transformation. Each of the characters learn more about themselves and work on being more like who God wants them to be. I'm excited to see where Tyrant takes Jailbirds and to see how God will work all things out for those who love Him.
"Daily she broke herself open, an alabaster jar on the feet of a Jesus shed spent a lifetime loving!" ~quote from the book
"Death has come like a raging leviathan, threatening to drown them all. Death didn't know they could part the sea." ~quote from the book
Content guide: Sexual content - mention of sleeping with girls, brief mention of two parents having an affair that resulted in a child - not detailed kisses, barely detailed kiss x2 - mention about consummating a relationship - implied fade-to-black scene between married couple, nothing described and barely detailed
Other content - mentions of drinking alcohol - mention of drugs, including a drug dealer selling meth to minors
Leviathan packs an even bigger punch that Mammoth and Titan, as the Jailbirds try to regroup after their separation and losses. Themes of grief run strong in the first act as Jude struggles to cope with his personal losses.
Reid's POVs are an excellent addition to the story, along with Immy's POV. Just when McBride gives us one answer, one more clue to the puzzle, three more mysteries crop up.
Better yet, this story packs two sweet romances during the moments it rests and lets you breathe. But even in the midst of several romantic scenes, there's urgency for staying alive, dodging bullets, and getting appropriate medical care. The mystery unravels at a realistic, easy-to-follow pace, with intriguing settings and dramatic dialogue when the parents are all forced to divulge their backstory. The Jailbirds are on an epic quest for the TRUTH. And they deserve it.
Overall, McBride's writing is poignant and domestic. It's easy to immerse and feel right at home.
And I've finally realized that my love for the Jailbirds is personal. They're the youth-group I never had.
Synopsis: After the disaster and tragedy that happened in Peru, the Jailbirds are adrift and grieving. But the mystery isn’t over, so they trudge on to answer their biggest, most burning question: what treasure can be so great that it would lead men to torture, frame and murder anyone in their way?
My take: Y’ALL! THIS! BOOK! What an adventure! I was on the edge on my seat! I couldn’t put it down! Everything was a surprise! I didn’t see any of it coming! Leviathan is not a stand alone, so everything hinges on Mammoth and Titan. The cliffhanger from Titan was resolved right away. And there were tons of moments that I, the overly invested reader, appreciated: logical character development and growth, redemption and repentance, grief and hope, a logical plot line. The faith aspect of this book is turned up from the last two, as well as the romantic sun-plots (but they remain clean/honorable/closed-door). Overall, I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants a modern “Indian-Jones” style adventure, EVEN high schoolers.
@brianmcbrideauthor newest book Leviathan was my favorite book of the series yet! The writing, the character development and dialogue, action scenes and so much more has made this 3rd installment in The Mammoth Series an excellent read. I fell in love with the Jailbirds in books 1 & 2 and now I feel like I’m part of their family. This YA Adventure fiction book series keeps getting better and better. It is an engaging, fast moving, clean yet gritty option for young adult guys and gals in your life. All 3 books would be a fun Christmas gift.
I’m also excited to say that book 4 is already in the works. Looking forward to the launch of Tyrant!!!
One more thing, shoutout to the talented cover artist JP @beaconhousecreative!
Oh boy. Where do I begin without spoiling? The Jailbirds are back at it. Secrets are revealed, more questions are asked, peril is around every corner. Let's be really honest....I've been here for Tommy and Jude since book 1. Their brotherly relationship is the highlight of the series for me. Those boys deserve all the love. And...I can't say anymore about that cause spoilers. Ahem. The writing is fast-paced and you will be on the edge of your seat for the majority of the book!
My biggest caveat with the series is that I don't particularly care for the "all the rich people are evil" bit. Also, I wish we had at least one set of good parents. (I thought we had one for a second, but then even those ones got dirt on them.) Bless these kids' hearts, are all of their parents terrible people? Pretty much. However, these small complaints are easily overlooked for me because the book and the series are so fun.
Suffice it to say, this series overall and this book in particular are rip-roaring Indiana Jones style adventures and I've thoroughly enjoyed being along for the ride. Now I need book 4 asap.
A note: if you want to give this one a try, definitely read Mammoth and Titan first. This is a series you must read in order.
I received an ARC from the author. I was not required to leave a review, positive or negative. All opinions are honest and my own.
Another fast paced action packed book! We are closer than ever (I hope 😅) to solving the puzzle. I appreciate the story telling in these books, the moment I think I know where the story is going I quickly realize I have no idea what will come.