Review originally posted on journeyintotheshelves.tumblr.com & journeyintotheshelves.wordpress.com. 
 **I received an eARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and Random House. This has had no bearing on this review. 
 Ted loves puzzles, especially escape the room video game puzzles. When his great-uncle, who he was never really close to, passes and leaves Ted all of the items and "treasures" in his overstuffed apartment, Ted has no idea why. That is, until he realizes that his uncle's apartment is set up just like an escape the room game. The deeper into the puzzle that Ted and his friends get, and the closer to the treasure they get, the danger that often accompanies his favorite video game also gets closer and incredibly real. Click Here to Start is filled with mystery, puzzles, and a bit of World War II history. It's a quick, energetic middle grade read that is perfect for puzzle lovers, both young and old. 
 I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It was fast paced, engaging, and kept me glued to the pages. Personally, I am terrible at escape the room games, so I was really impressed at both the development and solutions to the puzzles in this book. The book never gives the answers right away, which leaves the reader a bit of time to try and think of the solution for themselves, which I thought was perfect. The novel has great build-up and an increase in suspense that doesn't peter off until the last couple of pages (something that lacks in many mysteries, middle grade and otherwise). 
 The writing is easy to read - no unnecessary frills or anything of the sort - because it is geared toward a younger audience, but it worked for this novel. It kept everything much more grounded and connected to both Ted's voice and the nature of the puzzles themselves. It read exactly like what a twelve year-old boy thinks (or at least, what I think one sounds like) and suited the tone and premise of the book nicely. 
 My absolute favorite aspect of this novel was the discoveries and discussions about Japanese Americans during World War II. Without overbearing the reader, Markell includes information about the dedicated Japanese American infantries, as well as the internment camps that were created "to keep Americans safe" during wartime after Pearl Harbor. With ease and simplicity, Markell is able to teach the reader a bit about a piece of important American history that is, sadly, not discussed and taught enough. Additionally, he is able to give enough information to satisfy a drive to want to search and learn more about this piece of history which is so important to instill in younger readers. 
 Overall, I greatly enjoyed Click Here to Start. It's a quick, easy read filled with puzzles to keep you guessing, and bits of history to leave you searching for more.