The story was great, as was the adventure, and the danger! Lola is one fearless young lady, except when it comes to furry four-legged rodents that pretty much no one likes to be around...especially in large numbers...not that that happens here for anything! *gulp* She's in this game to win it...though I'm sure she REALLY wished it WAS in fact a game because becoming an art thief, or wildlife kidnapper aren't really high on most kid's to-do lists, but the experiences land her where she didn't even know she needed to be to form the relationships she longed for with those she never expected to need (and vice versa!). Watching her explain away the decimated cast from her first venture gone wrong was giggle worthy, but the second time was definitely worth at least a guffaw! Her unwitting sidekicks and potential wielders of a magical artifact that does not in fact exist (or does it?) keep things rolling with their espionage, second guessing, and knack for uncovering things just when they need uncovering. I admit, for those paying attention and putting the pieces together, it's not a stretch to figure out what's what, what's where, and just how things slipped around the way they do, but exactly HOW they do and with whom are kept pretty well mum, adding greater depth to the mystery portion of the book...though that SHADOW persona was a bit on the tricky side!

All in all, a great kick off to a series I know I'll be keeping my eye on and I'm pretty sure many of you will be too! So add this little beaut to your upcoming must-read-list for an adventure filled with danger, friendship, and heart that you won't want to put down!


**ecopy received for review; opinions are my own ( )

Lola Benko and her archeologist father have traveled all over the world in search of artifacts, but suddenly, Lola's father sends her to live with her aunt in San Francisco where she receives a report that he has died. Lola doesn't believe that her father is dead and begins a campaign of illegal activities to fund her trip to find her father. Her last exploit lands her at strict private, Redwood Academy where she meets Jin with whom she makes a bargain; she will help him win the STEM fair at school if he will help her find her father. This bargain turns into a much bigger undertaking than either one of them could have imagined.

Lola Benko, Treasure Hunter features three very smart kids who use their intelligence to get them into and out of situations. These situations are both outrageous and hilarious, making this a fun and fast paced read. Lola's character is developed enough that the reader understands what she is feeling and why. Jin is an enjoyable foil for Lola as they work together to find Lola's father. The addition of Hannah to the story adds conflict and also a different perspective. Overall, Lola Benko, Treasure Hunter is a clever beginning to this new series. ( )

If you put a book in my hands that is both Middle Grade and an adventure, you can pretty much guarantee that it’s going to be a good fit for me. As a middle grade reader, and even now, getting lost in a good adventure story is one of my favorite things. I love daring escapes, treasure hunts, and mission fraught with peril. In fact, who doesn’t love those things? It’s such a great way to spend a few hundred pages. This is why Lola Benko, Treasure Hunter caught my eye.

Now, the beginning of this book was spot on for me. I loved the idea of Lola traversing the world with her father, and building her whirlygigs as a means of distraction when they were stuck in one place too long. It seemed like her and her father had a wonderful relationship, and I loved that. I hoped to watch them go off on an adventure together, but then I remembered that the blurb told me he’d disappear. Alas. Still, I was excited to see what Lola, with her fierce personality, got up to once she was on her own. I wasn’t prepared for this girl.

Unfortunately, this is where the book and I had a little bit of a rough patch. Although I still loved Lola’s fierceness, when she left her father and started her new life it was tough to handle her. Although I know that most characters at this age would also be single minded and self centered about the things that they did, especially when it came to their family members, Lola’s callousness towards others dug a little deep for me. As I kept reading, and she started to grow a bit, I understood her better. In fact, I’m glad that she had her friends to keep her grounded. I’m not sure we would have been able to reconcile otherwise.

Once I was back on board with Lola’s antics, things did pick up, and the adventure that I was waiting for began. It takes about half the book for things to really get going, but it is actually worth the wait. My only concern was that, as an older reader, I can handle a slow start with no issue. As a middle grade reader, I might have struggled a little bit. Still, this is the first book in a series and the ending leads me to believe that there are lots of good things in store! So that makes me a very happy reader.

Long, rambling review in summary? Essentially this book sets up a new adventure series quite well! Although it was a little slow to start, the last half of the book flew by. Now that we have a glimpse into Lola’s life, and her brilliance, I’m ready to see what happens next. ( )