Bob Pflugfelder

Steve Hockensmith

When they discover that someone is spying on their Uncle Newt, whiz kids Nick and Tesla build a variety of outrageous gadgets designed to expose who is responsible.

Nick and Tesla's Secret Agent Gadget Battle

Lisa Collins

2.5 stars

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Thanks to the publisher for giving me this book to read in exchange for an honest review.

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I want to get this out at the very beginning: I think the more I read Middle Grade the less I feel like most MG is for me. Maybe I'm getting too old in mindset, but I don't know. This feeling, unfortunately, spreads to Nick and Tesla. That being said, I don't think this review is going to be very long... because I don't feel like I have very much to say.

For much of the novel I was entertained, but the bare minimum amount. If I'm being completely honest? The only reason I kept reading was because this book was given to me for review. Otherwise I don't think I would have been compelled to keep going. I actually tried starting it once before and didn't pick it up again for months because I wasn't captured by the story.

This is why I think it's Middle Grade + me, not so much Nick and Tesla + me. The simplicity of the story killed it for me. The dumb jokes would make children laugh, I'm sure, but they were filler to me. I craved a more in depth and complex story and I wasn't getting it... So I didn't enjoy it as much as I would have liked. Maybe I'm becoming a bitter adult? I just was having so much trouble getting into the story from the POV of the target demographic (as opposed to the adult I am).

So yeah. I wanted to love this book, I really did. But I think maybe this series and I are reaching our end. Sigh. I'm going to read the next book (because I have that one for review as well), but if I'm still feeling the same way then I'll walk away content with the feeling that I gave the series a fair shake.

All of that being said, if you're a hardcore Middle Grade fan then I recommend this series. I've spoken to several people who loooove it. And, of course, the science projects included in every book are super cool and most definitely a selling point.

Nick and Tesla's Secret Agent Gadget Battle

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