This book grabbed me from the very beginning with its descriptions of the amazing puzzle house. The use of the house as a character is such a unique idea that I had not seen done before.. The puzzles were interesting and the kids solving the puzzles were unique and creative in their solutions. The thing that just didn't work for me was the use of the pronoun "They". To be clear - I think it is great that a non-binary character is being represented, without the story being all about that. Representation definitely matters. The use of the pronoun "They" though, when referring to a singular person- was super distracting and sometimes led to confusion. I do think it would be difficult for some students catch on to why and how it was being used.

This was not my favorite middle grade book I have read lately. The title and premise was intriguing. Overall, it is hard for me to recommend this book. Thank you for giving me a copy for my honest opinion.

I will start with the positives. I loved the cover and parts of the interior shown (cleverly in the shape of a heart--a hint the house is sentient, perhaps?). The winter scene and fantastic house let off vibes of Greenglass House.

Perigree and Perigree's father have fallen on hard times and after many years of no contact, Perigree's father has reached out to his mother. The reunion was not the Hallmark variety. But Perigree's grandmother is not the only one turning a cold shoulder; the house itself seems to have something against the visitors.

The book offers some puzzle-like challenges and readers will follow Perigree's progress along with a new friend made while staying at grandmother's. Through the process of solving the puzzles, the two young people are able to share with each other some of the pain they have both experienced. There are some perilous moments and near-death experiences that may be too intense for younger readers.

Note: The main character, Perigree, had the preferred pronoun "they/their/them." Using a plural pronoun in a book is quite distracting because the reader is constantly evaluating whether the reference is in fact plural or just referring to Perigree. I went ahead and finished the book to complete this review. The inclusion of plural pronouns is a deal breaker for me in a book. It not only muddies the clarity of language, but it forces upon the reader what I consider a false reality. I read for pleasure, not to be preached at or manipulated and I would caution parents to consider carefully what their children read. This is not one I can recommend.

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of Puzzleheart through NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

This is a case of it's not the book, it's me. The representation of the main character being non-binary is done well, especially since our main character is young; however, I didn't connect with the story even though I was hoping I'd love this book given the description. I do think that people will enjoy this story and what the author is trying to say.

I am beyond grateful to the publishing company and NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book for my honest review.

If you are looking for a book, that is very heartwarming, has a lot of puzzles in it, and has strong character development than I highly recommend this book.

This book was very adventurous, I am especially talking about the house. The thing about this book that really struck me the most was how the characters really developed to become courageous and more confident in themselves. I personally feel this is beyond important, especially for middle school students which is who this book is targeted for. Even if you are older than a middle schooler, I would still recommend this book. It was a pure delight.

Perigee (they/their) contacts her grandmother and Perigee and their father return to the home her father grew up in ... until the grandfather passed away.

The grandmother and grandfather were puzzlers and created quite the house; one that grew a mind of its own.

Lily happens to be at the house while her mother is saving folks who are in distress. Lily and Perigee are similar in age and team up to solve some puzzles that are thrown their way.

The author created quite the House with Eklunds' Puzzle House. The House even writes a few chapters.

Very creatively written.

Thank you to NetGalley for introducing me (yet once again) to a new to me author. My niece and nephew are young and i'm always looking books for them. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for approving my request to review the advance read copy of Puzzleheart in exhange for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGallery for let me review this book. This was a fun read! I enjoyed the puzzles along with the twist and turns throughout the book.

I really wanted to like this one, and it seemed right up my alley from the clever cover to the blurb to the fun title. Unfortunately the author's writing style just didn't mesh with my reading style. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it, yet somehow I struggled to connect with the characters in the story. I'm still not sure why, it has everything in it I enjoy - from a precocious young protagonist to a mysterious house to puzzles and word play galore - yet for some reason I just never fell into the story the way I hoped to. This one just wasn't a good fit for me unfortunately...

Lovers of puzzles, talking houses and tender, family-friendly middle grade reads— this is a book for you. In a race against the clock, 12-year old, big-hearted Perigee must solve the puzzles hidden within their grandmothers home if they want to keep the house—and their family—in one piece. As the walls begin to close in, Perigee realizes the connection between the House (with a capital H) and their family. Bolstered by the help of a true-friend, quick thinking and a lot of love, Perigee faces the challenges head on.

In this captivating (middle grade but totally appropriate novel for young and older) novel, author Jenn Reese beautifully creates a joyful, quirky protagonist to face off with family secrets and save what’s left of the relationships. Juxtaposing, Perigee’s coming of age and person story, we hear and see (sometimes literally) the story from the perspective of the House, which Reese creatively writes as its own, complicated character. Reese also does a beautiful job of weaving funny moments alongside edge-of-your seat moments combined with a little family conflict, making this book just the *right* amount of drama-slash-puzzle fun.

I also very much appreciated the authors deliberate care and attention to the character development of Perigee as a confident non-binary character and Lily as a quirky but self-assured character, making both of them a gentle but beautiful mix of brave and confident but still-learning.

Overall, a great read for middle grades, or a fun family read, that will definitely leave you wishing your House was a bit more (but not too) adventurous.

Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Henry Holt and Company and NetGalley for the free advance copy of Puzzleheart. The opinions expressed in my review are completely my own.

Designed for middle grade readers, Puzzleheart by Jenn Reese tells the story of twelve year old Perigee and their trip to visit their grandmother at Eklunds’ Puzzle House. And did I mention the house has a mind of its own?

Once there, Peri and his Dad meet a girl named Lily, and the games begin! Can the puzzles be solved before time runs out?

What I enjoyed about this story was that it has heart. And puzzles. And deals with some difficult mental health issues as well. All while teaching about safety. What more could one want?

This book was Published by Henry Holt and Company, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group.

My favorite characters were Lily Grayson and the Grandma. Lily was the best because she is so strong and loves cats. I also enjoy that she loves nature. The best part of the book was when the characters found the maze to the office where they follow the string that brought them to the office and the note.

The book has a lot of adventure and would appeal to people who love that genre. I think ages 10-12 would be a great age for this book.

Thank you for letting me read this book it was amazing I loved every bit of it

I was drawn to this book because of the cover and I can't resist a puzzle/trial/unique house story. The concept was awesome then it became more: more emotional, and deeper.

What starts as a plan to fix their (Perigee is nonbinary) dad's relationship with their grandmother turns into a survival game.

I loved the subtle layers of issues to be resolved. The relationship of mother and son and also son and father. The realization that one needs help and when to accept it. Their way of grief grieving and coping with loss. New friendships and changes. Dealing with a lack of friends. Solving clues and puzzles... (Note: In the beginning of the game I wished the author had made these puzzles more interactive with us readers, then I understood that it was necessary to keep the reader a little distant to make the survival and the fixing of the plan more personal, tense, and emotional. These are hardships Perigee has to overcome. It's his character growth and journey).

The story gives us many subtle valuable lessons as well, many times we already have the answers to an issue and we know what to do in a specific event but if the context changes we seem to be lost. Many times the character Lily applies her knowledge of hiking to new situations and helps to keep calm.

I love the rhythm of a book that ends on a higher note than the usual 80% climax making the ending stronger.

Having access to the House's POV consciousness and chapters enriched the narrative.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this e-Arc.