My son Jacks and I had fun reading this book together! There's plenty of action and mystery to keep the young readers guessing and entertaining! Harley is a fun and entertaining character! She's the typical twelve year old! She doesn't like doing homework, she loves puzzles, her father and exploring! The story is told from her point of view so you get to know pretty well! Overall with the mystery, adventure and the action it would be a great addition to the younger ones library!
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This was such a fun adventure! This book will capture your interest from the start, and older readers will easily fly through the pages (It's hard to put down). Harley is a great lead character, and it'll be easy for middle graders to like her. I love that Harley gets to travel with her father to various archaeological sites, and that mystery and legend are woven into the story. This was an amazing opening book to a new series, and I look forward to reading the ones that come next! ( )

History, mystery, puzzles, and tons of action make this the perfect book to get lost in and leaves the wish to travel the world.

Harley is the only daughter of an archaeologist, and gets to travel the world and visit the most amazing places. While in a jungle in South America, Harley heads out to explore a little on her own...which her father wouldn't like if he knew...and runs across an ancient wall buried between the trees. When she figures out which stone is missing and fits it into place, a hidden statue comes into view. She wants to show it to her father and hides it under her bed until she has a chance, but someone steals it. Not only does she need to figure out who took it, but coded notes, secret meetings and a strange boy mean she's in for more than just a little adventure.

This is the first book in a series, and what a beginning it is! Harley is a curious girl, who loves to solve puzzles and likes to explore. She ranks friendship high, loves her father, isn't a homework fan, and despite her desire for a little more independence, does hesitate, sometimes. In other words, she's a pretty normal girl, who many readers will be able to identify with and wish they could explore with her.

The pacing makes this book hard to put down. Something is always happening, and little clues slide in here and there. Written in first person, the reader always knows what Harley is thinking, and her down-to-earth nature makes her easy to identify with. The mystery mixes with tension, and the twists and turns aren't always easy to see coming. The characters leave just enough uncertainty in their true natures and intentions to keep the reader guessing. And all of it is age appropriate.

While the tale is already fun, puzzles and historical facts give it even more richness. The reader gets to solve the riddles with Harley, and these vary in types and difficulty. The entire tale is based on historical and cultural facts and myths, allowing the reader to learn more about the Mayans along the way. None of this comes across as preachy or teach-y, but rather, it melds right in with the plot. As an extra bonus, the website offers puzzles, facts and other tidbits connected with the story. So, there are quite a few possibilities and things to do. Oh, and there are illustrations sprinkled in the chapters as well.

This is a read for mystery and puzzle fans with more than a little adventure, and the beginning of what promises to be a great series. So, yes, I can recommend this one. I received a complimentary copy through Netgalley and am so glad I gave this one a go. ( )