Reviewed by Jennifer Rummel for TeensReadToo.com

Bored in the house one afternoon, Toby and Lorna and their friends stumble upon an interesting website that grants them superpowers for an hour. They try out the powers, not believing their eyes.

After a parent interrupts them, they're desperate to try again. They reconvene at the next possible opportunity to each sign up for powers and test them out. With their new powers comes responsibility - they now must stop a robbery in progress.

However, the foursome hasn't thought this plan all the way through. Weapons may trump superpowers. Luckily, with their new powers, they come out on top this time, but they make a new enemy: Doc Tempest.

He's got major supervillain powers and he's targeting Toby and Lorna's mother. He kidnaps her and holds her as a hostage. Can the group use their superpowers to locate his hideout and rescue her before things get much worse?

RISE OF THE HEROES has a companion book, COUNCIL OF EVIL, plus an interactive website where readers can take a test to see what side they would play for, create their own characters, and battle their friends.

It's a good read for middle school students who like comic book superheroes or for someone looking for a fast-paced adventure. ( )