A solid 4 stars for this middle-grade novel.

A young boy follows a strange creature into another world - a world of magic, mystery, and mazes - where he finds himself thrown together with a young girl in search of her lost brother. Together, the two venture through the labyrinth of the city, looking for clues and answers as a threatening darkness looms closer.

I really enjoyed this story and the world it took place in! The characters were enjoyable, and I was fascinated by the magic, lore, and history of Wreathenwold. As a long-time doll collector and someone who finds voodoo dolls adorable... I desperately wish I had a poppet.

What worked for me:
- The world building was a lot of fun! The labyrinth aspect of the city and the connections to mythology were really enjoyable.
- Even though I am definitely older than the target audience, I enjoyed the characters and the story.
- The bittersweet ending. I really liked the way the ending showed the way grief and loss can still leave room for joy and hope and those feelings can coexist.

What didn't work for me:
- The writing was occasionally a bit awkward and clunky. Some sections felt like they could have used a bit more editing and polishing.
- The beginning was almost too slow. I had a hard time getting into the story, and I feel like juvenile readers might struggle as well.
- I was not a fan of the names. Being so close to typical English names meant that my brain kept getting tripped up by them.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this book. The dark magic was a fun twist on things I’ve read recently. Will look for more from this author

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of The Labyrinth of Lost and Found by Jordan Lees in exchange for an honest review. This is such a a fun and fantastic book. I loved the storyline and want to share it with my nephew.

The Whisperwicks is a novel about a boy Benjamiah who enters a world that is very much not like home. Appearing into a world of magic where people have poppets they control at their side and an inability to leave the few streets that surround their house, Wreathenworld is fantastical, creepy, and plagued with unfortunate circumstances.
I think students who love fantasy will love this book. The magical world is interesting and creative. It’s slow in the beginning and sometimes the descriptions or writing feels like it’s breaking the flow of the story.
This book also deals with themes of divorce and loss which I feel like are handled really beautifully.

This was great! My kiddos really enjoyed something age appropriate but spooky at the same time. This reminded me of the spooky little book that was popular when I was growing up! Definitely interested in more!

This is a great children’s book! It reminded me of some favorites from my own childhood, notably The Phantom Tollbooth. It is relatively complex so would be best for children with strong reading skills who are interested in fantasy. I especially liked the word-building and the magic system that was established. It felt very unique but also very fully thought out.

I felt like the author did a good job of having some sentimentality without it feeling overwrought or sickly sweet, and some funny notes, like in the beginning when a bible is being stored in the sci for and fantasy section in Benjamiah’s family’s bookstore. I also really enjoyed when they were attacked by the *idea.* Without giving spoilers that is as much as I can say but I thought that the character gave a pretty cool speech about stories having teeth.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author and publisher for access to this story! I will definitely be curious to see if the author writes more and makes a series out of this!

This book was a 3.5 for me. Rounded up to a 4.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Books for young readers for allowing me the opportunity to read an advance copy of this novel.

Benjamiah Creek is going through a tough time. His parents are fighting a lot and he's mad at them about it. He gets even madder when they send him a doll in the mail from their vacation. Then the doll starts coming to life. One night the doll comes to life and leads Benjamiah downstairs and through a door. The door takes him to a completely different world and he has no way home. After arriving in this world, Wreathenwold, Benjamiah meets Elizabella and is pulled into her search for her lost brother.

This is a very interesting book and I can immediately see how there could be many more books in the series. I found the beginning a little terrifying. The idea of a doll coming to life freaked me out, but I may be a little sensitive. Overall I think it's a dark novel and I know that not every parent will love that, but I suspect some middle grade readers will be very excited about it. My main issue with the book is that the world-building seemed, at times, unnecessarily complicated. It felt like there were a lot of levels and different types of magic-makers to keep up. I felt like I was getting enough world-building for two or three books in the one.

I'd like to add that the illustrations are gorgeous and I adored the friendship between Benjamiah and Elizabella.

I usually stick to YA and Adult fiction, but if a summary catches my eye, I'm willing to give any book a chance. I absolutely loved this one! It's definitely not a cozy read lol, but rather dark and thrilling. The world-building was exceptional, although I wouldn't want to live in that world myself. The writing style was fantastic, and I was engrossed in the story despite its length for an MG book. This book is fantastic, and I definitely recommend this book if you enjoy the Harry Potter series.

I want to thank the author Jordan Lees for such a great book, Netgalley, and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the early access. I can't wait to get my hands on a copy and see how the story evolves.

Whisperwicks is everything that I want in an adventure fantasy bringing the perfect combination of magic and mystery. Jordan Lees does a masterful job of worldbuilding. I often found myself slightly perplexed, but not so much that I couldn’t’ follow the storyline. I was puzzled just enough to be fascinated by this strange new world and want to keep reading to understand it. Then I would be satisfied to have a scene explain something I didn’t understand as well as bring a new aspect of the mystery to keep me wanting more.
Whisperwicks reminded me of one of my favorite series, Beyonders, while also being reminiscent of The Wizards of Once. With a nefarious villain on the level of Voldemort’s complete corruption. An adventure a boy never sought out or thought he wanted. A traveling companion who certainly didn’t want him. And a storyline that kept me intrigued and wanting more throughout the entire book. I loved the way that everything came together in the end including something I saw coming and something that I did not see coming in the slightest!

I received a free copy of, The Labryinth of Lost and Found, by Jordan Lees, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Eleven year old Benjamiah Creel does not believe in magic, he believes in logic. Benjamiah is led into magic, a place called Wreathenwold, which is a scary place, with a lot going on. Benjamiah meets a lot of new people who he does not know if they are friend or for. I liked the illustrations in this book, it brought the story to life.

This was a wonderful children’s fantasy novel. The author paints a vivid world of whimsy, juxtaposed with nightmares. Our protagonist, Benjamiah Creek, is all facts and no fluff. He believes that everything g can be solved with a bit of logic. But Elizabella is about to prove him wrong. These two make a formidable team, balanced in all the right places, and come to appreciate what the other brings to their reluctant friendship. This is also a story about conquering your fears and accepting the life you have been given. It a great book for children to read and savor; a beautiful, mysterious maze of heart and hurt-of strength and teamwork. I was glad to take this first step in Benjamiah’s and Elizabella’s journeys, and can’t wait to see what else is in store for them. 4.5 stars.

I was disappointed by my reaction to this one... I was highly intrigued by the description and love the title and cover. The world building is very clever and I love the idea of the labyrinth - and the World Behind the World construct is nearly always one that I enjoy. But something about this one just never resonated and I never connected with the characters the way I wanted to. I do feel that it is a bit long, with a lot of description where a little more action and imagination might have drawn me in better, and I felt like the blend of world building and adventure leaned a little too heavily toward the former for my personal taste. That said, I fully recognize that I am not this book's target audience, so it may just not be the right book for me as other reviewers seem to love it.

I appreciated the opportunity to read this imaginative, whimsical and beautifully illustrated middle grade novel. It has a spooky vibe that may appeal to younger readers who love Coraline or The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman or the Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend.

For myself I loved the premise, the worldbuilding, and the imagination, but found the plot a little overly chaotic, although maybe younger readers will enjoy that aspect more than I did. Unfortunately where I struggled most was with the prose. I think it was intended to evoke whimsy and wonder, but for me it didn’t land that way; it felt forced and overwritten. Instead of feeling magical to me, it felt cluttered and overworked. I could not help wishing that this book had received a stronger editorial pass. There were so many great ideas and interesting moments, but I struggled to enjoy them due to the overly complicated prose. That said, I know I’m not the target audience for this book, and hopefully middle grade readers will get much more out of it than I did! I do think the author is very talented and I will be on the lookout for his future work.

Thank you to Jordan Lees, the publisher, and NetGalley for generously providing this ARC for review!

Fantastical, engaging, nostalgic…this one ticked all the boxes for me. Younger age group than I normally read but the description sounded so incredible (and the illustrations I saw sealed the deal) — it was well worth it. Neil Gaiman vibes, the whimsy of Phantom Tollbooth, the feel of Holly Black…I would recommend this to readers of all ages.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

K I LOOOOVED this book! It made my heart so happy. From the beginning I was hooked. It was so whimsical and atmospheric and fun, and spooky! It felt so magical. I am 34 years old but I very much enjoy these beautiful middle grade stories. It was perfect!

Winsome and engaging, with appealing illustrations, The Whisperwicks is fast paced and manages to add in world building elements without too much clunkiness. It’s a magical read and a terrific debut novel from author Jordan Lees.

As a parent of a sensitive child who really learned this lesson, I’d suggest reading this one before handing it over to your sensitive child.



Thank you to Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC

I adored this.

It filled me with so much nostalgia for being a kid in elementary school falling in love with a story and having it sweep me away and want to play and write my own fun tales.

Young (and young at heart) fans of Neil Gaimam and Holly Black will LOVE this. Very fantastical, spooky, and great magic system with a lovely main character that you root for from the start.

Blending the magic and world building elements of old stories with new concepts, The Labyrinth of Lost and Found offers a spooky adventure with a surprisingly poignant message on coming to terms with the things we cannot change. Wreathenwold feels both familiar and fresh, taking clear inspiration from the myths, legends, and magical worlds that have preceded it, but offering plenty of new magic systems and twists to keep readers on their toes.
The ending leaves many threads untied, but Wreathenwold is a world worth returning to and I look forward to visiting Benjamiah and Elizabelle again.

The Whisperwicks is a new middle grade novel about magic and is high fantasy. A young boy who doesn’t believe in magic suddenly finds himself in a new magical world.

This book was a lot of fun and very interesting! I liked the characters and the story. The plot was fast paced and kept me engaged. I think a lot of kids will like this one!

Thanks so much to netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

Fans of Neil Gaiman will love tis tale of finding yourself both literally and figuratively as Benjamin Creek has to come to terms with being lost in a magical land. For scientifically minded Benjamin, his disbelief hinders him throughout his journey as he tries to make his way home. A harrowing but fun tale that readers of almost any age can enjoy.