Smashbomb

Search

Search results

All (2035)

Content

The Infinite Sea

Rick Yancey

7.9 (10 Ratings) Rate It

Book

The Infinite Sea is the second book in the phenomenal and bestselling 5th Wave series by...

The Last Star

Rick Yancey

6.8 (10 Ratings) Rate It

Book

The Last Star is the heart-stopping finale to the bestselling 5th Wave series by award-winning...

Ali A (82 KP) rated The Bletchley Riddle in Books

Oct 14, 2024

Nineteen-year-old Jakob Novis and his fourteen-year-old sister, Lizzie, share a love of riddles and puzzles. As WWII gets closer and closer to Britain, the siblings find themselves amongst the greatest secrets of all - Britain’s codebreaking facility at Bletchley Park. As Jakob joins the country’s top minds to crack Nazi’s Enigma cipher, Lizzie transfers notes between departments in the park and tries to solve the mysterious disappearance of their mother in her off time.

While the Novis siblings work hard on their tasks, messages and codes begin to arrive under their doorstep. It doesn’t help that while they try to figure out if the messages are truly for them (and possibly from their mother), that there is an inspector lurking outside the gates of the park, watching Jakob and Lizzie’s every move. They must figure out a way to put their bickering aside and work together to decipher the clues if they want to uncover the answers to the puzzle.

As usual, I will pick up anything Ruta Sepetys touches and learn about a part of history I hadn’t known about before I read the book. This book is no exception as we take a deeper dive into the codebreakers Bletchley Park during WWII. I knew there were codebreakers during WWII, but what I didn’t realize is that they consisted of mathematicians, chess champions, and librarians (which, as a librarian, this absolutely makes sense why they were needed!).

Though this book is aimed at middle grade, I will say it felt like it would be more for upper middle grade / younger high school age. Lizzie is fourteen and Jakob is nineteen so their voices were a little older, but nothing major or graphic happened that would make the novel need to be young adult.

Even as an adult, when it came to the description of the codes’ breakthroughs or the ins and outs of the Enigma machines, I would get lost, but overall I just assumed the characters knew what they were talking about and trusted them.

Overall, I loved the twists and turns that kept the pages moving for me. I know I had a hard time as an adult solving the clues, so young readers who like spies and code cracking, are sure to love this too.

*Thank you Viking Books for Young Readers and BookishFirst for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Kudos

Lindsay (1727 KP) rated Rookie Privateer (Privateer Tales #1) in Books

Jul 1, 2019

Rookie Privateer (Privateer Tales #1)

Jamie McFarlane | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy

10.0

(2 Ratings)

Book Rating

If you are looking for a good space adventure. Rookie Privateer is one for those young adults to teens. It about a group of kids. Well one teen that is looking for his future. He is currently stuck working with his father. He know not much to making money.

He seem to attract attention when something happens when he with is friends. What happens then goes not to be an adventure for him and his friend. Liam want freedom will get it? His friend Nick is set up for life. They are becoming Earth Mars Citizens. Someone or something is attacking their home. Will Liam reach the stars or will he not. He and Nick will they find out what the real world has to offer. Things begin to change and it changes them as well.

Find out how this book end. The authors does really well on the plot of this story. It bring you along for the ride. I could not stop reading and wanted more. What will happen to Nick James and Liam Hoffen? I hope to find out more by reading the next book. I just got to find out when it will be out. Great for teens and young adult readers. If you are into space or thrillers this really good for you as well.