Book:
The Bletchley Riddle

Review:
4⭐
I don't generally gravitate toward historical fiction, but something about this novel screamed at me. I was pulled in from the first page, and it seemed all I could do was read and read. I just had to know everything: the point of the title, if Willa was alive, whether Lizzie and Jakob would survive the war. This book was riveting in a way that I can't describe. I found myself rooting for the multitude of characters as they went on their journey.
THE BLETCHLEY RIDDLE is a dual point of view novel that takes place during World Ward II. It follows Lizzie and her brother as they navigate the world as it was, as well as try to find their mother.
I thought this book was interesting. THE BLETCHLEY RIDDLE was so full of mystery as well as themes that are complicated, but very much a part of history. It actually inspired by a secret code breaking center uses during World War II, which I found intriguing.

What I Liked About It:
*the mystery

This is a story, told alternately by brother and sister, about WWII, codebreaking, and family secrets. It was an entertaining read and I definitely appreciated the innocence and cleanliness of a book intended for younger audiences. My lower rating is due purely to the fact that I did not connect with or particularly like either of the main characters, which made the book not as much of a win for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

This book is everything that's great in a historical fiction book. You learn things, the characters are relatable, there's a bit of intrigue (and adventure), and some sweet sibling relationships. The only thing I didn't love is that the romance its centered on the younger main character (I think she's 14?), instead of the one who's actually old enough to be in a relationship. However, it was done very well and there wasn't anything I was uncomfortable with.

I think I highlighted some good quotes that I'll post later.
Overall, I would highly recommend this middle grade book about codebreakers during WWII.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free ARC.

Reading 2024
Book 116: The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

Not sure I can adequately express how excited I was to see this book from two authors I love. Got to see Ruta at the #NTTBF this year, and was fangirling the whole time. I have read most of her books as well. I have also read several of Steve’s books, Bomb being my favorite. Thank you #NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book in return for my review. This book is reviewed for middle grade readers.

Synopsis: A stunning collaboration between award-winning and bestselling authors Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin, this middle grade historical adventure follows two siblings at Bletchley Park, the home of WWII codebreakers, as they try to unravel a mystery surrounding their mother’s death.

Review: Excited to open this book and get started, then could not put it down. Devoured this multiple POV book, where siblings Jacob and Lizzie tell their own stories. Add in the historical fiction both authors are known for, sprinkle a bit of drama of WWII, death, first crushes, and some prominent historical figures, and you have the makings of a good book. Loved both main characters. The story was great, another good Ruta book. My rating 4.5⭐️.

This is a very well researched historical novel with great characters and good pacing. Told in alternate chapters by Lizzie, who has run away from the ship that was meant to take her to her grandmother's in America, and Jakob, who is working on a project in the highly protected old estate outside of London.

Lizzie's strong desire to make friends is somewhat hampered by the first thing that happens to her at "the Park" -- she is asked to sign the Official Secrets Act. She knows that she's not good at secrets, but she doesn't want to disappoint the King or be accused of treason.

Her brother, equally cannot talk about his work, and didn't intend to be taking care of his sister, especially since she has her own project to work on, that is complex, and at odds with the official plans.

Spies, secret codes, and England during the Blitz -- all charmingly brought to life. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this advance copy.

I loved this book! It was page turning (but not too scary), fascinating, and you can't help but root for the spunky main characters. It was also fun to solve the puzzles alongside our protaganists.

The book alternates POV between Lizzie, a super spunky and brilliant 14 year old girl, and her 19 year old not quite as spunky but equally brilliant brother Jakob. The siblings are orphans at the beginning of the second world war and both wind up working at Bletchley Park, helping to decode German plans for invasion. Lizzie is convinced their mother is still alive even though they have been told she died in Poland while working there...and Lizzie is determined to prove it.

I couldn't put this down and I really hope there is a sequel. Highly recommend this middle grade historical fiction book for adolescents and adults alike.

In my opinion, WWII is one of the most written about time periods, and it can be hard to write about something that feels new. However, Sepetys and Sheinkin have done that, focusing on the work of codebreakers at Bletchley Park.

Lizzie's character voice sparkled. Her frankness and comments about being half-American made me smile. I also really liked Jakob's character.

Since this is middle grade rather than YA, it's less complex and heavy than Sepetys's other works. However, the writing is still strong and what you would expect from Sepetys, just at a middle grade level. I haven't read anything by Sheinkin, so I can't say how it compares to his novels.

Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable novel about a lesser-known part of WWII.

Cautions: four blasphemies; three swear words; one British swear word

As a fan of The Bletchley Circle and The Bletchley Circle San Fransisco TV series, this book and its cover immediately caught my eye.

It is set against the backdrop of World War II. I live in the Netherlands and grew up with plenty of WWII stories/history from books, school and a bit from my grandparents, but this still added something new: Bletchley Park and two teens during the very early war years, working with and amongst the Bletchley code-breakers.

The chapters took a little getting used to, with the back and forth between the two perspectives of Lizzie (an incredibly precocious 14-year-old) and her level-headed older brother Jakob (19, but reads a bit younger).

Their mother is presumed dead, and the war threat is ever increasing.
Gran likes to keep Lizzie safe, bring her to America and turn her into a proper lady. Lizzie is having none of that and outsmarts her chaperone.
When mysterious clues show up, Lizzy thinks they may relate to their mom's disappearance, but Jakob reminds her that, with all the spies around, you never know who you can trust. It might be a trap.

The authors added in plenty of real historical facts, I loved learning about the Polish mathematicians who originally worked on Enigma! And of course the real Bletchley people, and Turing on his bicycle.

I truly enjoy books set in WWII era. This is a wonderfully written story about two siblings, Lizzie and Jakob. It's set in London right at the beginning of WWII.

Lizzie is 14 years old Anderson thinks she is older than she is. Jakob is several years older and questioning everything about his life.

I thought this book was well written and definitely worth the read. Thank you to NetGalley for the arc. This opinion is my own.

Years ago, I watched a program on PBS about the codebreakers at Bletchley Park so I greatly anticipated reading this book. Great Britain is at war and orphaned siblings find themselves living at working at Bletchley. Jakob is a mathematician working on breaking the Enigma cipher and his younger sister is a page. She, too, is code breaker and cryptanalyst, but she is also determined to solve the riddle of what happened to their mother.
Fast-paced and fun, you do learn about the history of Bletchley and the people who worked there, in addition to running around London with bombs dropping. Happy I got to read this one, and hope there are more.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for this DRC.
#TheBletchleyRiddle #NetGalley

When I saw that Ruta Sepetys and Steven Sheinkin wrote a historical fiction book together, I was immediately IN! These two masters of the middle grade historical world, and they always do a fantastic job of bringing this time period to life and capturing your heart. The Bletchley Riddle was no exception to their bodies of work.

This novel focuses on two siblings, Jakob and Lizzie, who are working at the infamous Bletchley Park helping England break German codes during World War II. The novel falls on the eve of the Blitz, where the Nazis began bombing England in an attempt to take over their country, and Bletchley Park was a huge part of that operation. The plot thickens as Jakob and Lizzie are also looking for their mother who went missing in Poland when the Nazis invaded. Everyone is telling them she is dead, but Lizzie refuses to believe that and embarks upon a journey to find out the truth.

What I loved about this story was the infusion of real life code breakers and stories from World War II such as Alan Turing, Dilly Knox, Gordon Welchman, as well as many other mathematicians who worked to defeat the Nazis. The story kept me reading as it jumped back and forth between Lizzie and Jakob's perspectives in order to help you see all different elements of the story, park, and war.

I do wish the tone of the novel was more serious in certain points. I felt that throughout the entire novel the mood was hopeful which was not actually the case for many workers/people living through the Blitz. However, this is written for middle grade readers and lovers of middle grade, so the tone did not hurt the story overall.

This book would be a fabulous read for any middle grade World War II reader and/or classroom/school library shelf. Overall, I would give this novel a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

The Bletchley Riddle is fiction for middle grades based on a true story. Young readers will learn about Bletchley Park in England and the work of cryptographers and mathematicians to break Germany's codes and coding machine, known as Enigma. Some of the real-life workers at the park, including Alan Turing, make appearances. It's a good introduction to a fascinating part of WW2 history. The authors personalize the story by telling it through alternating points of view - 19-year-old codebreaker Jakob and his 15-year-old sister Lizzie, who works her way into a messenger job at the Park as they both try to solve the mystery of what happened to their mother, Willa, missing after a trip to Poland. The alternating POVs move the plot forward more quickly, but I did find some of the chapters were so short that it was hard to get into that part of the story before being jerked into the other sibling's story. Thanks to Viking Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

The history behind Bletchley Park as a WWII codebreaking center and Jakob and Lizzie's involvement within it were so gripping, but I couldn't get into this book for the life of me. I can't really describe how the narrative put me off, but the storyline with Jakob and Lizzie trying to figure out what happened to their mother, Willa, didn't appeal to me at all.

I vastly preferred chapters from Jakob's perspective where the codebreakers and mathematicians cracked codes and ciphers using logic and behavioral patterns. It was more fascinating to me to see how they managed to stay one step ahead of Germany and contributed to the war effort. While I enjoyed getting a glimpse into about real-life figures such as Alan Turing and the three heroic Polish codebreakers, I wish there had been more.

Ruta Sepetys is one of my favorite historical fiction authors, but I just don't think I'm the right audience for this book. I could see a younger version of myself potentially enjoying this book more, but this didn't hit the mark for me. Even so, I'm glad it introduced me to Bletchley Park and I can definitely see myself seeking out more literature about it.

Great middle grade World War 2 fiction centering around code-breaking at Bletchly Park. The authors give just enough detail around the park's purpose to give young readers a glimpse of this facet of the war. Siblings Jakob and Lizzie find themselves working at Bletchly Park as Germany threatens to invade Great Britain. Their American mother, a US Embassy employee, has gone missing, some say presumed dead. The siblings seek to find the truth.

I will say, although it was explained in the early parts of the book as a coping-mechanism, I did find it odd that both children referred to their mother by her first name. In my experience, it weakened the familial bond as a reader.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley.

The Bletchley Riddle is the perfect next read for anyone who loves mysteries and sibling relationships as it follows a brother and sister as they try to uncover what really happened to their missing mother. Full of action, adventure, riddles, and codes, this story will keep readers on the edge of their seat through every single twist and turn while also spurring them on to learn more about the history of Bletchley Park on their own.

This was one of my most anticipated novels of the year, and it did not disappoint!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review!

I thought this book was so fun, inventive, and perfect for young fans of historical fiction. I love reading books centered on Bletchley Park, and when I saw the title I immediately had to request it. I also love Sepetys's writing, having read several of her previous YA novels. Lizzie was such a firecracker of a character, and I loved how she pushed the plot forward through her observations and conversations with others. The reader will be able to see how intelligent she is, but also learn a great deal about what is going on around her. Jakob was written well, though I did find he sometimes acted younger than 19. I thought he was a great voice to teach the reader about the workings of Bletchley Park and why the work that they were doing was important. Overall, I thought this novel was paced well, paid homage to some of the greatest minds who won WWII, and would be a welcome addition to any bookshelf.

Thank you to Penguin Group and NetGalley for granting my ARC request.

I love everything Ruta Sepetys has ever written, and The Bletchley Riddle, in which she teamed up with Steve Sheinkin, is no different. I have never read anything Steve’s written, but if his past work is anything like this book, I will seek it out.

The Bletchley Riddle is a fast paced mystery, full of intrigue and heart. It’s told in alternating POVs. There’s Jakob, a nineteen year old cryptologist, who is working at Bletchley Park. He is somewhat estranged from his fourteen year old sister, Lizzie, who is investigating their mother’s supposed death and she desperately wants Jakob’s help. I am going to assume Ruta wrote Lizzie’s chapters and Steve wrote Jakob’s chapters, though I am not certain. What’s impressive is that Steve and Ruta managed to make Jakob and Lizzie’s voices close enough where you don't feel like two separate books were smashed together.

The characters are likable, spunky, intelligent, and funny. I rooted for all of the relationships to end in a happy place. I enjoyed that riddles were sprinkled throughout the text. I tried to figure them out, and was fascinated by the history of code breaking / spying. The mystery of what happened to Willa, Jakob and Lizzie’s mother, kept me turning the pages.

It was great to see Ruta and Steve include real life historical figures, like Alan Turing. I was even invested in the fate of his silver.

This is a great book for middle grade students, who perhaps don’t know the history of Bletchley Park or Enigma, to be introduced to a small part of WWII history. And now I, an adult, am interested in going to the Bletchley Park museum to delve more into its history.

I literally stayed up all night so I could say I read this book in one sitting when I started it at 9:00 pm on a Sunday night.

Let me tell you…I was not going to put this book down until I read every single word. Ruta Sepetys is a queen and I will read anything that she writes or helps write.

Jakob and Lizzie have the sibling bond that any older brother/younger sister siblings would have. They get along, but they haven’t been close in years. It takes them not only working on themselves, but also working on their relationship to come together to solve the biggest mystery in their lives. Is their mother actually dead? How does her trip to Poland factor into all of this and why does Mr. Jarvis keep poking his head into things that don’t belong?

This book had my mind captivated instantly and I couldn’t put it down. I needed to know what was happening after each page. I am so thankful I got to experience this book and will 100% be recommending it to my friends and family, as well as my middle school students!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6565660513

Reviewed as Emily Ann on Goodreads, see link.

Will definitely be recommending to others when it comes out!

My only critique is that the word “straightforward” is used maybe too often.

Thank you!

The Bletchley Riddle is a historical fiction novel set during World War 2. It follows 2 teenage siblings with alternating perspective, who are at Bletchley Park. This book was so engaging & I was incredibly invested. I felt like the alternating first-person POV worked really well.

Both characters became involved with codebreaking at Bletchley Park whilst also searching for clues on their family history. I loved how well-written the characters were & how observant and snarky they were.

This book was absolutely fascinating. I loved the ties to real-life history in the back of the book & will definitely be reading more about Bletchley Park. Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Group, Ruta Sepetys, & Steve Sheinkin for the chance to read & review! Definitely check this one out!!