Arizona and her Mom are trying to work through their grief after her Dad dies in a motorcycle accident by going back to one of their favorite litle towns. While on a tour, her Mom is kidnapped and want Arizona to decode clues that will lead them to a secret her Dad was working on. Arizona goes on a crusade to decode all using every code breaking skill she has. This reminded me of the Da Vinci Code and I got a little lost in the scientific aspect of the codes however if you love puzzles and riddles you will love this book. I really enjoyed seeing Arizona's growth and maturity as she navigated the potential of losing her Mom too but also rising to the occasion.

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy!

Arizona and her mom have been living a semi nomadic life after Arizona’s father suddenly passed away. While on a visit to a park, tragedy strikes and Arizona’s mom is kidnapped. The kidnappers ask Arizona to follow a series of clues to uncover the mystery of the language of the birds and get her mother back.
Overall I enjoyed the plot of the book. It was interesting and kept me engaged the entire time. All the ciphers, poems, and other stories were a little too much for me and sometimes made the story difficult to follow. If you’re in to books with a mystery and code breaking, this book is definitely for you!

This book reminded me of National Treasure and the 39 Clues series, in the best way possible.

We follow our main character, Arizona, who is forced to solve ciphers and other clues at the behest of a secret kidnapping group- who kidnapped her mom while Arizona and her mom were off to mourn her father who died a few weeks prior. More than just the fun mystery aspect of it all, we see Arizona deal with grief and also open herself up to new people and new experiences. At the beginning of the story we're told that she was bullied at school and is now homeschooled and so Arizona thinks she has a hard time connecting with others, but through the trials and tribulations of this story, we learn that might not actually be the case- AZ just needs to find the right people who get her and like her particular brand of "nerdiness."

I enjoyed this story a lot. I wanted to give Mojo a nice big hug- I am shocked that a dog could be so well trained. I would also LOVE to see how many miles AZ drove over the course of this book and how long it took her to go from place to place because she was zooming around so much I almost felt like she was traveling "by map" a la the Muppets.

I really enjoyed this story though- it was a fun read.

This book was great! I love puzzles and reading is my favorite hobby. Reading a book about a young girl who is fighting to solve puzzles and save herself and loved ones? Sign me up!!! The puzzles were great and so was the overall execution of the book. Will definitely read more by this author!

✨ A Thrilling Puzzle-Packed Adventure You Won’t Want to Miss ✨

The Language of the Birds was such a fun and engaging read. I felt like I was solving a 1,000-piece puzzle right alongside Arizona. It kept me on the edge of my seat with its fast pacing, and I loved the addition of maps, drawings, and codes. I honestly believe this would make an incredible movie if it were ever adapted, it's just that mind-boggling and immersive.

The story centers around Arizona, whose mother has been kidnapped after a supposed meetup. Instead of demanding a ransom, the captors want Arizona to decipher a series of codes and uncover the mystery behind them. But as she gets closer to solving the puzzle and rescuing her mother, she's bombarded with even more questions, especially surrounding the truth about her father's death.

Arizona is the epitome of intelligence, determination, and loyalty—a genius with a socially awkward side who fiercely loves her family. I especially adored her bond with Mojo, her dog, whom she treats like family. As Arizona ventures out of her comfort zone, she begins to recognize her own growth and strength. I truly appreciate how K.A. Merson made me feel like I was right there with her, solving each code and analyzing every clue. The author’s world-building in a single book is so impressive, this honestly deserves a sequel or prequel.

If you enjoyed The Da Vinci Code or love watching Mission: Impossible, you’ll definitely enjoy this book. I highly recommend it to fans of puzzles, mysteries, undercover agents, maps, and hidden treasures.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for giving me the opportunity to read this fun and fascinating story set in the world of Arizona and Mojo.


✨WHAT I LIKED:
📌 Arizona forming unlikely friendships while carrying the burden of saving her mother
📌 Watching Arizona use her knowledge and cipher codes under pressure
📌 Arizona’s heartwarming bond with Mojo, her dog
📌 Her journey of slowly stepping out of her comfort zone
📌 The inclusion of real codes, maps, and historical facts about President Hoover (It was so well-researched and fascinating!)
📌 The fast-paced, puzzle-filled plot that kept me hooked from start to finish.

✨TROPES:
📌 Genius Protagonist
📌 Codebreaking / Puzzle Solving
📌 Based on Real History
📌 Undercover Agents
📌 Hidden Identity
📌 Family Secrets
📌 Found Family
📌 Unlikely Friendships
📌 Animal Companion
📌 Race Against Time
📌 Teenage Heroine in an Adult World
📌 No Spice

I was interested in this book because of the puzzle solving aspect of the mystery and this ended up being a much different book than what I was expecting. Arizona is a neurodivergent teen whose father has just died in a motorcycle accident. She, her mother, and her dog best friend Mojo travel to a ghost town in Nevada to spread his ashes when Arizona’s mom disappears. Following her disappearance and unhelpful encounters with park rangers, Arizona begins receiving correspondence from the kidnappers asking her to solve puzzles in order for her mother to be released.

What was most interesting about this book and what made it not what I was expecting, was how matter of fact Arizona approaches these strange puzzles and ciphers considering the context. However this isn’t a bad thing and it became clear that a major focus of the plot is Arizona being neurodivergent and having difficulties relating to people and expressing herself although of cours she cares about them and is upset about the situation surrounding her mother’s kidnapping.

While Arizona is working to solve this mystery she slowly opens up to another young woman with a dog, Lily, who is camping near Arizona, and an older grandfather figure Marty who Arizona meets while solving one of the puzzles. While Arizona is working on this mystery she is also learning about herself and figuring out how to trust and open up to others.

The scale of what she has to do in order to solve these puzzles got a little outlandish and outside the realm of suspension of disbelief. While the book was filled with action and definitely not boring, it started to get a little absurd both in terms of what she was doing and her plot armor to accomplish what she did without getting caught.

Certain chapters contained the perspective of the kidnappers who also seemed a little over the top and silly, however that was likely intentional considering how the book concluded. The ending was very interesting and was not at all what I was anticipating.

This is a very curious book with interesting ideas and an entertaining plot for those who enjoy unconventional mysteries.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing- Ballantine/ Ballantine Books and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This review is my honest opinion.

This engaging mystery thriller takes you on a Da Vinci Code solving chase focused on the secret to long life sought after for centuries by the Alchemists.

Arizona, a brilliant, neurodivergent seventeen-year-old who prefers solitude and hanging with her dog Mojo, finds herself unexpectedly plunged into a relentless puzzle-solving chase. Arizona has to continually solve difficult ciphers and clues – all of which appear on the pages of the book- which may be tied to her Dad who recently died in a motorcycle accident and her kidnapped Mom. Arizona had been being home-schooled by them, as she struggles with interpersonal peer dynamics, any loud noises, trusting others, filtering what she says, and reading other’s emotions.

Arizona hurtles on her motorcycle with Mojo in a sidecar through America’s west in the Sierra Nevada chasing clues across desert canyons, ghost towns, abandoned coal mines, and the Hoover Dam. Not only does she prove a genius at problem-solving, but also an intrepid foe to innumerable foes with guns shooting at her. She even manages to make her first true friendship along the way. Best of all, she has to turn to innumerable works of classic literature, poems and ancient texts to crack the codes. Arizona’s bravery and resilience have you wildly cheering her on.

Of particular fascination is the blending in of the history of the study of alchemy and real-life historical conspiracy theories about the Alchemists actually finding the elusive elixir for long life, but ultimately deciding to hide it as they deemed humankind not yet worthy of such a powerful gift.

An intricately plotted puzzle box of a novel!

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine, and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy.

I really enjoyed following Arizona as she solved puzzles to try to find out what happened to her mom. It had just the right amount of thriller plus character development. Overall, a super interesting and fun read.

Arizona, her mother, and her dog Mojo are on a journey to scatter her father’s ashes in some of his favorite places. When her mother ends up missing and it’s determined that she’s been kidnapped, Arizona is extremely intelligent and, to get her mother back, must solve a series of ciphers, puzzles, codes and riddles for the kidnapper. Arizona is a loner and has a hard time being around other people, but she goes well outside her comfort zone, encounters danger with Mojo, and even makes a couple of friends along the way.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was kind of a disappointment. The teenagers involved in this group are not pleasant people. They have all had horrific childhoods and that has taken quite a toll. The whole book is a compendium of tales about violence within families and towards children. It is not a fun read.

This was a really interesting read. The Language of the Birds has a ton of heart and a lot of things I enjoyed, especially the main character. She’s clearly neurodivergent (she reads as autistic, though the word is never used) and seeing the story through her lens made the whole experience feel fresh. It reminded me a little of The Da Vinci Code crossed with National Treasure, if Nicolas Cage were an autistic college student who might be a lesbian.

That said, this is one of those books where you have to really love cryptography, puzzles, and deep historical detail to fully appreciate it. The level of technical explanation is intense. I found myself skimming a lot of the code-breaking parts because I just wanted to get back to the characters and the story. It’s not that the puzzles weren’t well done. They were. It was just more mental heavy lifting than I personally enjoy when I’m reading for fun.

Fans of detailed puzzle thrillers are going to love this. If you’re someone who enjoys sinking into the mechanics of codes and historical mysteries, it’s probably a five-star read. For me, it was a little too much at times, but the strong character work and the overall story arc kept me engaged.

The Language of the Birds has a clever plot and a likable, unique protagonist. Unfortunately, lackluster execution doesn’t deliver on the promise of the novel.

The novel has the makings of a very good story. An inventive mystery is bolstered by impressively researched historical detail. The clues, a series of ciphers and poems, are complicated and yet easy to follow thanks to clear explanations and illustrations (and I say this as someone not especially good with these types of puzzles). I think the final twist will be divisive, but it is undeniably clever. Arizona, with her fierce will and intelligence, is an easy-to-root-for protagonist. Her neurodivergence makes her see the world in a different way and it is often a delight to experience it alongside her.

The prose exemplifies where the novel falters. Every scene has almost the exact same pacing and tone. It barely lingers or amps up the drama in pivotal scenes — a chase sequence feels like it’s simply connecting plot points. And this feeling, that elements only exist to further the plot, is common. Arizona has a good character-arc, but, too often, the points along it are stated rather than worked for. Side characters, with Arizona’s friend Lily, the exception, are often developed just enough for the role they need to fill; the main villain, for example, has little characterization beyond being evil.

Many readers will likely find a lot to like in the puzzles and Arizona. However, if you don’t have an interest in ciphers or riddles, I would be hesitant to recommend The Language of the Birds.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

The premise of this was intriguing! Mysterious with puzzles and clues, family drama, a road trip of sorts? Count me in. Unfortunately, I was left very disappointed. Lots of what seemed like pointless details (example: specific descriptions on how Arizona is resting her fingers on her forehead) that lead to a conclusion that was unsatisfying. None of the characters had much depth to them and because of it, the relationships didn't seem authentic to me.

Arizona's mother has been kidnapped, and in the ransom note she receives, she will need to figure out puzzles and unravel codes, and she takes on the challenge. She is off on an adventure that will captivate you, keeps you reading, and be amazed at how good she is at it. But is she good enough?
I received an ARC from Ballantine Books through NetGalley.

I really enjoyed The Language of the Birds (publication day May 13, 2025) by K.A. Merson, which is a young adult thriller/ mystery that features a neurodivergent, 17-year old main character named Arizona and her dog Mojo. As I read it, I was somewhat reminded of the middle-grade mysteries Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett, and The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin because of the centrality of decoding the riddles, but, the stakes here are much, much higher.

Arizona's father has recently passed away in a motorcycle accident, and Arizona and her mother are road-tripping with their Airstream through ghost towns in southern California in his memory. Because Arizona needs some alone time, her mother goes to tour an old mill at a state park while Arizona spends time reading and hiking with Mojo. But when her mother doesn't show up at the designated time, Arizona is thrown for a loop. Turns out she's kidnapped, and the kidnappers contact Arizona to solve a cipher.

Does this have something to do with her father's "accident"? The Airstream has been ransacked, and so is their house, when Arizona goes back home to regroup. How will she be able to find what the kidnappers want her to, especially when it's off the Channel Islands? And how do they know where she is?

Luckily, at one of her campsites, she meets Lily, another young adult camping in her van with her own dog, and she seems to be someone Arizona can trust. And meanwhile, her mother is not just sitting back waiting for the kidnappers to do something worse; she attempts to escape as well.

With themes of alchemy and ancient symbolism like National Treasure, and literature from Lewis Carroll, Edgar Allen Poe, and Robert Louis Stevenson, and national parks and monuments such as Death Valley National Park and the Hoover Dam, Arizona is pushed to her limits to solve the puzzles and save her mom.

I loved the characters and the puzzles, and Arizona's development, realizing that she can tolerate some people. I highly recommend it! And it was completely weight-neutral.

I really enjoyed The Language of the Birds. Hats off to Mr. Merson. I can’t imagine how he constructed this story with the brilliant codes and ciphers. Amazing. Arizona, like the state, is a 17 year old whose father has just died and, while on a road trip with her mother, finds herself alone with the burden of solving clues in order to be reunited with her mother. “…visual thinking wasn’t all that Arizona shared with Einstein. Pinned to the coat of the marionette was her membership pin from Mensa”. Along with her dog, Mojo, Arizona sets out to solve the problem in order to restore her family. This presents challenges for her. “..I found other gears I could mesh with. things I could do alone or with Mojo—reading, writing, math, puzzles, exploring. So I built a machine, a frame of reference, that didn’t require other people. Or so I thought”.

She is thrown into a dangerous world and is forced to rise to the challenge not knowing who she can trust. This was a fun read in which I found myself trying hard to solve the puzzles along with Arizona. Best left to her! Thanks to NetGalley for the advance read.

This book definitely gave me The Da Vince Code vibes, but for teenagers. I also saw a lot of similarities with National Treasure. It was a good book, but I really don't like third person present tense narration. I also am not really the target age demographic, though I think I would have enjoyed this book more as a teenager! I liked the ciphers and codes, though I think there was a little too much on the nose description of all the meanings. I don't know a better way to explain it all, but something about how it was handled just didn't work as well for me.

REALLY wanted to like this but I did have a hard time with getting grounded in the story. The characters were interesting but there were some really slow parts that I just could not connect with.

A teenager, brilliant in her own way, must complete puzzles and ciphers and mysteries left by her deceased father. Arizona is on a mission to save her kidnapped mother .

Intriguing premise but all the codes and ciphers that we work along with Arizona were way too much for me!

If you love these type books filled with puzzles to solve, then this is for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. This was a well-written story with lots of interesting puzzles to decipher. The puzzles definitely keep you turning the pages, as will the twisty-turny plot twists. The friendships in the story were well-developed and moving.