I absolutely loved this book! While I hadn't read the first books in the series, I felt the book picked up perfectly, and I knew exactly what was going on. I loved the main characters, Alex and Ren, and they reminded me a lot of the 39 Clues siblings. In fact, that would be my only complaint with the book-it was too similar to 39 Clues. However, the story was able to distance itself plot-wise and through character growth enough that it didn't bring down the rest of the novel. With stellar characters and a great plot, (with an infuriating cliffhanger as well!) Tombquest outshines it's competition with flying colors.

I absolutely loved this book! While I hadn't read the first books in the series, I felt the book picked up perfectly, and I knew exactly what was going on. I loved the main characters, Alex and Ren, and they reminded me a lot of the 39 Clues siblings. In fact, that would be my only complaint with the book-it was too similar to 39 Clues. However, the story was able to distance itself plot-wise and through character growth enough that it didn't bring down the rest of the novel. With stellar characters and a great plot, (with an infuriating cliffhanger as well!) Tombquest outshines it's competition with flying colors.

The premise of this book really interested me, even before I read the book. Various writers are mysteriously disappearing, and then later reappearing a few days later, unharmed, but having no memory of what happened to them. The main character, Tuesday, and her mother, Serendipity, are at a large risk, as they both love writing, and so, Tuesday's father takes away what the love, in a desperate attempt to protect them: writing. Tuesday, unsure of what her life will be like without writing, meets Vivienne, unveiling a dark fear that could permanently alter writers forever.

Friday Barnes wasn't anticipated. The fifth child in the family, she taught herself most of what she knew about the world, and staying invisible to the average citizen-her idea of a comfortable life. But her life changes forever after she solves a bank robbery, earning herself $50,000, and going off to a posh boarding school. While there, she meets a strew of characters, ranging from popular mean kids, to sweet roommates, and solves their mysteries for them. This was the best combination of Matilda and Nancy Drew that I've read! I loved how all the mysteries concluded to an amazing finale, and the cliffhanger was really gripping! I'll definitely read the next book in the series, and I couldn't pick a better series to become the new Nancy Drew!

This is such a fantastic book, with well developed characters, and a great villain! Something I would highly recommend, however, is to read the first book in the series, "The Girl Who Could Fly", which is just as good as this book. It really helped me to understand what was going on with the characters and how they acted in certain situations. I loved how the book, while in the elementary and middle school aged reading level, was able to deal with very adult situations, such as abandonment, and how to deal with depression as well. Conrad is an deceptive but lovable protagonist, along with his best friend, Piper, and their friends, all with powers as bountiful as their own. When Conrad's powerful father threatens the friends' jobs of helping people in danger, will the group be strong enough to defy them? Definitely a five out of five, and one of the best books for children's literature!