Jason LethcoeRecensioni

It begins with an itch on Edward's back that he can't quite scratch. After his mother's death, Edward is sent to a school for troubled youth, where his anger reveals new abilities. Wings #1 will appeal to those readers who are fans of the supernatural, and who are interested in starting a series. It is a good read, though there are parts of the book which move slow.

My son picked this one up from a book fair and enjoyed it when I read it to him. It didn't really give me any thrills though.

How many other books can you combine in one?

Just a plain old good book. I think it speaks directly to its target kid audience--a neat little mystery, exploration of morality, ethics, and some emotional angst, mechanical gadgets, and overall fun. I believe it's from a Christian publisher and religion and faith do come up, but I didn't feel like I was hit over the head with it. The faith is simply part of the kid's life, rather than a separate element to be made much of.

The Future Door is actually the second book in a series. Normally I would go and read the first book first, but I had this sent to me by Amazon Vine for review so I decided I'd jump right in rather than seeking out the first book. I hadn't read the first book but recognizing that it is aimed at a younger "middle grade" audience I hoped it would either work as a stand alone or give me enough details to catch me up if I needed material from book 1.

The concept sounded fun. The overall series is about a young boy, Griffin Sharpe, who is living with his Uncle Rupert in London…but not just anywhere in London. Rupert lives in apartment 221 A on Baker Street, right next door to Sherlock Holmes. Rupert is a much less successful detective than Holmes but he is very passionate and competitive and hopes to be as famous as Holmes. He has a knack for inventions and he's created a wide assortment of inventions to help him in his sleuthing. The inventions are pretty amazing and frankly should make him more famous than his detective abilities…but that's not what he's after.

Fortunately young Griffin is a much better detective than his uncle. Griffin has the innate hyper-observant abilities we've seen and loved in Sherlock Holmes stories over the years. He is critically aware of his surroundings. He's able to quickly identify nuances and discrepancies that escape the notice of casual observers. In other words, he's Sherlock Holmes in young-boy form.

Apparently in the first book Griffin and Rupert work to solve a mystery involving the Moriarty family. To keep the dynamic balanced, the famous Professor Moriarty also has a young counterpart about Griffin's age. Since I haven't read the first book, I'm not entirely sure of what happened, but what quickly becomes clear is that the Moriartys recognize the skill and persistence of Griffin and his uncle and intend to keep them "out of the way." Furthermore, they've recognized the inventive skills of Rupert and have their eye on one of his inventions in particular. As the title might suggest, "Time" (with a capital "T") plays a factor in this book. Rupert has invented (but not perfected) a Time Machine…and the Moriartys want it.

Because this is a mystery novel, I don't want to give away anything more about the plot. It is aimed at kids but I still found it fun and engaging as an adult. There were still twists and turns to be had that left me wondering what might happen as the story progressed. The author did a good job of handling the paradoxes and intricacies of time travel (which can certainly be problematic) without being either too confusing or too simplistic…either of which was possible. I thought the way the "Future" was presented was interesting and humorous, albeit a little cheesy and tongue in cheek at times.

One thing I found interesting when I received the book is that it was (according to an insert) subcategorized not only into mystery and children's fiction, but also into "religious" fiction. This was definitely not off-putting to me, but it made me curious and so as I read, I kept an eye out for religious elements. As it turned out, I didn't need Holmes-like scrutiny to find them, but I also acknowledge that the religious nature was not terribly overt.

Griffin is the son of a Methodist preacher and as such he speaks and acts like the good son of a preacher might…there are moments when Griffin is in a jam for one reason or another and in a single sentence or two he whispers a brief (but not formal) prayer to God for help. He also has a couple of very short comments on the morality and mortality of characters in the book. Each of these instances were casual and simple and could be glossed over without thinking much of anything about religion. There was only one small scene where religion was explicitly and specifically on display…when in the Future, Griffin finds a Bible and opens to one of his favorite verses of scripture which states that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. Griffin comments that any future that still has God can't be all bad. The scene was short and was handled very well. It didn't attempt to preach or rebuke in any way, but it did acknowledge the nature of God and the nature of the world. I felt like it was well done…but any anti-religionists may want to be warned. ;-)

Semi-related to the small religious aspects of the book, I can also say that this book is very well suited for a young audience. Even though it is a mystery (with theft, violence and murder) I dare say the book is "wholesome" and very child friendly. Any actual violence happens "off-page" and is tactfully presented in a way to propel the story and the tension without being problematic for younger readers. The language is also very child appropriate which I appreciated.

Overall I found this book to be a lot of fun. It vaguely reminded me of Encyclopedia Brown or the Three Investigators mysteries that I read back in grade school. The world of Baker Street and London was familiar, yet unique. The mystery and adventure were well paced and entertaining. Now I need to go back and read the first book in the series and keep my eye out for a possible third book. I also need to get my kids to read this one. I'm sure they'll enjoy it.

****
4 out of 5 stars

For me this was just an okay read. I have tried to put the story in the context of the characters, but again I didn’t think it was all that believable. But, I am not so sure that the believability matters. After all, how believable is Sherlock Holmes (I say that as a huge Holmes fan.) Again, this was a fun and light read. If you don’t think about it too much then you’ll definitely enjoy it.
I like the dynamics between Griffin and Snodgrass a lot more in this book than in the first. I was not at all shocked to discover that the ending in No Place Like Holmes was a set up for the story here. It’s an adventure for Griffin and Snodgrass, and one that holds many challenges for the duo. Maybe I was not the best fit for this read, but I do think this is perfect reading for middle graders.

I received this book for review from the Booksneeze book blogger program, free, in exchange for my honest review.

I am a huge Sherlock Holmes fan. So to read a story from the perspective of what would be his rivalry was interesting, but a little awkward. No Place Like Holmes kind of makes you think of what Sherlock Holmes would be like as a kid – sort of. Griffin is also a Christian, and I am not sure if Holmes ever had a faith. Anyway, I really don’t want to compare and contrast Holmes and Griffin, it wouldn’t be fair. (Yes, I have to agree that I think Holmes is still the world’s greatest detective-sorry.) But I like Griffin a lot as well. I think he is such a great kid, and the gift he bears can be a heavy load at times but he carries it well. There are some minor issues I had with the story, only because they would be so farfetched. On the one hand I understand that it has to be for a kid to play a vital role in saving the world from evil in the first place.
If you forget about the bits that are not believable and just enjoy the story, it was a fun and light reading. It was nice to see very very little of Holmes’ presence in this book and I liked the commentary in Griffin’s head. Though I didn’t think I would I even started sort of liking Uncle Snodgrass. I think this is perfect reading for middle graders.

Jason Lethcoe’s No Place Like Holmes begins with a clever premise: the story is set in the London of Sherlock Holmes and the events run parallel to the adventures of the great detective. The heroes of the story, young Griffin Sharpe and his uncle Rupert Snodgrass, live in the flat below Holmes at 221 Baker Street They test their wits against Nigel, the cousin of James Moriarty; and occasionally even cross paths with Sherlock himself. Unfortunately, the book is marred by lazy writing and obnoxious attempts at forcing Christianity upon the reader that might not sit well with even the 9- to 12-year-old intended audience.

Lethcoe seems to approach writing by scribbling down the first words that come to his mind, which seems to be filled with scraps from Saturday morning cartoons and bad detective movies. His characters are cartoonish and stereotypical, and in developing them he relies too much on telling and not enough on showing. The polite, mild-mannered Griffin Sharpe is intended to be a role model for young children, but his lack of flaws makes him a terribly uninteresting character. Uncle Rupert, on the other hand, is riddled with flaws, but the author uses the character’s logical mind to make several mean-spirited smears against science.

To its credit, the plot is easy to follow and sometimes amusing. The story’s central mystery unfolds slowly and gives children time to solve the case along with Griffin and his uncle. But the plotting suffers from the same laziness that affects the writing. Too often, the plot only progresses due to one of Rupert’s anachronistic inventions, the most egregious of which is a makeshift computer complete with internet access. And when the author really writes himself into a hole, he simply uses God to propel the story forward. These shoddy plot devices just have no place in a novel that attempts to mirror the style and atmosphere of a Sherlock Holmes story. In his attempt to pay homage to Holmes the author has only done them both a great disservice.

Reviewed by Kira M for TeensReadToo.com

When Griffin gets sent by his mother to live with his uncle at 221 Baker Street, he gets excited at the thought that his uncle may be the great Sherlock Holmes. When he gets there, however, he discovers that his uncle lives in 221B and is named Rupert Snodgrass, the neighbor of Sherlock Holmes, resident of 221A.

His uncle, though, is also a detective like Holmes, but he uses instruments and science instead of intuition to solve mysteries. When the wife of Frederick Dent runs into Griffin and starts begging to see Sherlock Holmes, Griffin takes her home. They soon discover that Sherlock isn't there, and Rupert takes on the case himself.

Mr. Dent, the clockmaker, was supposed to meet someone at the pier in order to fix one of the greatest clocks ever created. Witnesses who saw him disappear claim he was swallowed up by a great creature that looked like the Loch Ness Monster.

What really happened to Frederick Dent? Can Rupert and Griffin solve the case?

A quick, fun read for anyone who likes mysteries. The characters are lovable and well-developed, even the cranky uncle and the villains. The plot is well-crafted and the mystery is intriguing and does a good job of holding the reader's interest. Those who like mysteries, adventure, mythology, and science will all enjoy reading NO PLACE LIKE HOLMES.

My Thoughts:
This is a great mystery for YA readers! This is a wonderful story for the "new to mystery" readers to 'cut their teeth' on. It is well written, planned out from beginning to end, entertaining, and much more emotional than I had expected.
The characters are fantastic! I fell in love with Griffin - what a sweet, sad little boy. I found myself close to tears many times. I was thrilled to see that his demeanor influences that of his Uncle Snodgrass in a positive way.
The villains are sooooo evil, Nigel - - - what a HORRID man - a larger version of the contemptible young man he had been as a child.
All the characters stand out in some way.
The plot is not so complicated that the adult reader doesn't see the next move coming, but all the while it is complex enough to keep you turning the pages and wondering about the end.
I have to admit that I wasn't ready for the end!
I love that there is an element of steampunk thrown in! The inventions are wonderful. I would love to have read this aloud to middle schoolers, just so I could have seen their faces when Griffin gets to use Snodgrass's information finding machine. Watts is amazing!

Overall a very worthwhile read! Intriguing and entertaining from start to finish.
I plan to impatiently await the next book in the series!

What a great concept for a book! It really delivered too! I loved it so much. I felt bad for Griffin when he found out that the great Sherlock Holmes was not his uncle. But he still found out that his uncle was a detective and decided to make due with what he had.

Some of the situations that the two get into made me chuckle. This was a nice light read with an interesting mystery.

This is perfect for those middle grade readers who have a penchant to try to figure things out.

In conjunction with the Wakela's World Disclosure Statement, I received a product in order to enable my review. No other compensation has been received. My statements are an honest account of my experience with the brand. The opinions stated here are mine alone.

Griffin Sharpe's visit to his uncle takes an unexpected and exciting turn when the two find themselves investigating a mysterious disappearance. His skills of observation honed and ready, Griffin is reminiscent of a young Sherlock Holmes, who happens to live in the apartment above Griffin's uncle.

This book is adorable. And I mean that in an entirely non-condescending way. Griffin is a perfect young detective, displaying a keen mind and a kind heart. While his powers of observation and deduction are well beyond the pale for one his age, Griffin is still portrayed as a sweet, amiable kid - a feat I believe deserving of some applause for Lethcoe's writing ability. Creating that combination of intelligence and innocence takes great skill in my opinion. Griffin reads as a precocious but delightful thirteen year old.

The plot is fast-paced and exciting without relying too heavily on spectacle or melodrama. The clues Griffin finds and his conclusions deducted from them are explained, but briefly and simply in a way perfect for a middle grade fiction novel (or for an adult brain that's looking for light and easy).

I really only have two complaints. One involves a plot spoiler, so skip the rest of this paragraph if that bothers you. The novel maintains a middle grade level of violence until the end when suddenly death is a very real option. I wasn't a fan of this sudden turn to knives and stabbings and would have preferred the work stay consistently in the non-violent realm.

My second complaint regards religion. The son of a Methodist minister, Griffin's religious nature permeates the text, not necessarily dominating the tale, but still maintaining a consistent presence. Griffin calls upon God in his hour of need and despairs of his Uncle's lack of belief. There were a few moments that felt trite, unnecessary and cliched. Then again, I have to admit a bit of a prejudice when it comes to religion in novels; if it's not central to the story, I find the inclusion annoying.

I first requested the book because of its connection to Sherlock Holmes. I had just read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Holmes and taught the modern film Sherlock Holmes, so I was on a Holmesian (Sherlockian?) bender. While Sherlock doesn't have a large role in the book, he is still a constant character. Snodgrass suffers from severe bouts of jealousy against his competitor, in part fueled by a callousness on Holmes' part when Snodgrass was a child. And of course, Holmes flits around in the background throughout the story. And yet again, a Sherlockian (Holmesian?) book has me slapping my forehead over my neglect of the original canon. I really must rectify the situation soon and read some Holmes.

This was quite a clever little YA book -- I finished it a while ago, but despite the ordinary plot (orphaned boy becomes remarkable hero, battles evil, saves magical world and/or day, gets to live happily ever after), the premise and circumstances are fresh and sharp. Much of the book is situated in the Wishworks factory, the place where wishes come from, and all the trouble begins when a boy (said orphan hero) makes a perfect, by-the-book wish... for infinite wishes. This, of course, throws the factory into chaos and the boy has to come to terms with his overstep and, naturally, fix the mess. It's quick and bright, has some nifty ideas (flying battle-chairs -- picture your La-z-boy with wings, shields, and a cannon -- are simply cool), and a pretty decent message about personal responsibility, so I have no trouble recommending it.

The best thing about this book was the title.

The next best thing was how it started out. And then it just kept going downhill from there. I can't quite put my finger on why it failed to be engaging, but despite all the magic, the magic just wasn't there.

While the basic structure and premise were okay, the execution offered nothing new, and the whole story seemed to be packed in a too-small package. (This is dangerously close to the attitude of it's so bad and there's so little of it, but there you are.) None of the characters were ever given any depth, and the ultimate direction of the plot was more or less obvious from page two.

And don't we have enough fantasy boy-heroes?

In a genre rife with stories like this, why bother with ones that really don't shine?

When Ben's parents are killed in a plane crash he's sent to live in an orphanage of the very worst sort. Most nights he spends scouring out the horrible, smelly kitchen pots with a worn toothbrush as punishment for imagined infractions. Imagine his surprise and delight when a wild wish made on his birthday comes true! Suddenly Ben has unlimited wishes at his disposal.

But at the Wishworks Factory, where hardworking fairies, jinns, and assorted other magical creatures work hard and happily to prepare children's birthday wishes, panic ensues - every wish Ben makes means some other poor child is disappointed. And to make matters worse, Ben's wishing globe has gone missing - stolen by the rival Curseworks factory. Now it's up to Ben and the Wishworks staff to set things right.

In a word, slight. It's readable, but rings of a bit too much Harry Potter wannabe for me.

Benjamin is an orphan who is being abused by the keepers of the orphanage, when, with one simple birthday wish, he changes his life and threatens the ballance of power in the world. A fun fantastic look at the power of wishes, hope and curses through the eyes of a child, with a lot of magic to help them along.½

In his second adventure, Ben is made manager of Kids Birthday Wishes Ages 3 to 12. But when his first assignment goes horribly wrong, Ben will risk Wishworks entire future. It seems that his annoying cousin Penelope has learned his secret and is bent on making him miserable....along with everyone else in Wishworks. Soon the factory is taken over by Penelope and horrible changes are taking place.

If you had one birthday wish, what would you wish for? Well Benjamin Bartholomew Piff wishes for what any orphan in the would might wish for... Unlimited Wishes. The mayhem begins as the employees at Wish Works Factories try frantically to get out of having to grant young Ben's wish before chaos ensues. Other children in the world are having their wishes taken away to fill Ben's orders and worse still the evil president of Curse Works is out to steal his wish and turn all of the world's wishes upside down. This fast pased book with hook anyone who has ever wished on a birthday candle and will surely bring out the kid in anyone.

When a miserable orphan unknowingly disrupts the balance of power between the magical realms of wishes and curses, he must join forces with the Wishworks Factory to reclaim his errant wish and set things right again.

Benjamin Bartholomew Piff lives in a horrible orphanage after the death of his parents. When a kindly social worker brings Benjamin a birthday cake, Benjamin makes a birthday wish that actually comes true - a wish for unlimited wishes!

However, Benjamin's wish is causing chaos at Wishworks - where wishes are fullfilled. Not only is Benjamin's wish causing other children to lose their wishes, it might just cause a war between Wishworks and Curseworks. Benjamin is recruited into a world of genies, leprechauns and fairies to try and undo the damage his wish has done.

Benjamin Batholomew Piff is an orphan. One day, he makes a brithday wish for unlimited wishes....and it comes true! But what he doesn't realize is that he has upset the balance of wishes in the world. Will he be able to help save the world or will it fall victim to an evil Curse machine that will send the world into darkness?