I really enjoyed (belatedly) World Between Blinks and will be definitely putting it on my suggested list for incoming 5th & 6th graders for the summer. Jake and Marisol are well fleshed out and I really enjoyed how it was set up that both had reasons for wanting to go to the World Between Blinks and neither wanted to tell or blame the other. I loved all the little historical and "quasi-mythical" details and how everyone had different reasons for being in the World. The little added detail of literally everyone knowing about Oz was great. And the Administrator gave me the creeps. All in all, solid MG and I'll definitely be reading book two.

I was excited to receive a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

The World Between Blinks is set in such a creative and imaginative world. The concept is original and gives middle grade readers an entertaining way to explore a mishmash of historical people and places. It’s the ideal book for a history lover, and seamlessly weaves in just enough backstory to explain who or what the historical additions are.

Jack and Marisol were well developed and multidimensional characters. Their motivation matures throughout the book as they work through grieving for their grandmother and learn the importance of family and memory.

I did find that I had a hard time getting into the story, potentially because it moved so quickly from one thing to the next. Much like Marisol and Jake, the reader is tossed from one adventure to another. The pace of the story left me feeling a little disconnected from the characters and plot.

Overall, I definitely enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to readers looking for a fast-paced adventure.

Amie Kaufman did not disappoint! This book is reminiscent of The Library of Ever and The Phantom Tollbooth. The characters do not lack for depth and heart, and the historical figures introduced are nuanced and fun.

This magical book was really interesting and funny. I loved following Jake and Marisol's adventures with help from a few friends. It was a delightful book, mainly for kids ages 10-13.

I really enjoyed the fun little adventure. Maribel and Jake are cousins visiting their Nana's house after her passing. As they each deal with her passing and their families work at packing her belongings, Nana has one last adventure for the two. I loved the idea of the treasure map left behind for them to find. In a way it felt as if it was their last connection to the grandmother they both cherished and adored.
Their adventure leads them to a lighthouse and the World Between Blinks. The two meet all sorts of historical and mythical characters along the way. Of course there is a big bad villain thrown in the mix as well. The story switches point of view between the two characters. While normally I'm not a fan of this style, I didn't seem to mind. The story is fun and fast paced. I think this is a perfect journey and introduction for kids to fantasy and adventure books. In addition, even though this is a book written for a middle school audience, the writing is intelligent and doesn't dumb down the story for the audience. What really excited me was the Curators' Files at the end. I'm a sucker for little additions like this. This is a wonderful little go-to guide that teaches the reader about the different locations, creatures, and people in the book. Almost like a glossary of terms but so much more! I'm really looking forward to more additions to this series.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the advanced copy and the opportunity to read and review this fun adventure!

This book was adorable!
I am no stranger to Amie Kaufman, but Ryan Graudin is a newer author to me and neither of these ladies has let me down yet. This book stuck with that rule.
After the passing of their Nana, cousins Marisol and Jake are helping the family clean out her beach house, when they find a treasure map. Knowing their Nana was one for adventure, they have no choice but to follow it and they land in The World. From there, chaos ensues. I loved the history and mythology peppered through the story as well as the very sweet relationship between the two cousins. The world was rich and the action never slowed. I'll definitely be gifting this one to my middle grade readers!

With thanks to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for an early copy in return for an honest review.

The World Between Blinks is filled with everything presumed lost or missing from our world...like Atlantis, Amelia Earhart, the Loch Ness Monster, etc. A clever premise for the setting of a fantasy book...real people, places and things that have gone missing or are quasi-mythical. During one last summer trip to their Nana's house, Jake and Marisol decide to embark on an adventure. They decide to follow the treasure map left to them by their grandmother when she passed away. Soon they find themselves transported to the World Between Blinks and chasing after an evil villain. As they wrestle with the idea of retaining both good and bad memories they explore many treasures of the world and work to try and get back home.

For middle grade readers who enjoy fantasy, this will be a great addition to their 2021 reading list. And I am looking forward to reading more books in this middle grade fantasy series.

I have long been a fan of both Ryan Graudin's and Amie Kaufman's YA works. This middle grade novel is a beautiful collaboration that will delight readers. I love how the worlds of fantasy and science fiction are blended together. This would be an amazing book to book talk.

Cousins Jake and Marisol are helping to clean out the house of their recently deceased grandmother. Neither want the house sold as it holds so many memories, but it is not up to them. Their grandmother was always on adventures and she would share the stories with the family. This life of adventure was passed down to Jake and Marisol. They decide to take one more adventure when they find a map left by their grandmothers. This leads them to an almost lost lighthouse which in-turn leads them to the land between blinks. The land between blinks if where people, places, and things go when they are lost of forgotten. Think Atlantis, think dinosaurs, and so on. When Jake and Marisol get to the World Between Blinks they learn they are not meant to be there, but were drawn there and now they need to find out why and how to get back to their world. This is a middle grade fantasy book which appears will be a series. I love all things written by Amie Kaufman and would gladly enjoy seeing this as a series of adventures.