Pete Begler

What a fun, spooky adventure this was!

Peter Begler has created an amazing world in this tale and characters that were likable and fun.
With a mix of mythology, witches, and pure fantasy, this world has rules of its own that, at times, are confusing to understand (which is why this book is perfect for children-to-middle schooler, but not so much the adult who reads a lot of middle school fiction - unless, of course, said adult is able to retrieve his inner child and suspend belief and just go with it.

In reading the description, you may think you've read this plot before - but you haven't. This imaginative plot has a dark edge I wasn't expecting, tempered by good humor and filled with emotion and with a good message for readers. The story starts a bit slowly, then builds the pace until it comes screeching to the end. (Maybe a little too fast for my liking, but I don't think my middle schooler will notice.)

Disclosure: NetGalley and Peter Begler provided an ARC in exchange for this honest review. All thoughts are my own.
… (mehr)

You will get lost.
You will be scared.
You will fall.
You will flee.
You will fight.
You will learn.
And without a doubt,
You will find your way home.

Nell Perkins is 12-years old. She loves her mom and her brothers, and lives a relatively normal life. Until a strange storm hits. A weird purple cloud shaped like a skull appears in the air, chasing her and her mother. What happens next sends Nell and her two brothers on a magical journey through Dreamland -- witches kidnap their mother and turn her into a bird. With the help of a Fearless Traveler, the children battle supernatural killer clowns, bird witches, and other ethereal creatures in Dreamland in an attempt to return their mother to human form.

This is a beautiful, imaginative, amazing story!! I couldn't stop reading -- I just kept seeing the story unfold like a movie playing in my head. Dreamland is scary and hauntingly beautiful at the same time. The adventure to return their mother to her human form teaches the children to rely on themselves, to work together and to believe in their skills and intelligence. The tale is also sprinkled with witty humor and interesting supporting characters. I think my favorite side characters are the skeletons the children meet while riding on the bus.

The author, Pete Begler, works in television. I can honestly say that I would LOVE to see a film version of this story! It would be beautiful!! Surely Tim Burton or someone similar could take this and make a hauntingly beautiful movie or television show from it! The world-building is exquisitely creative, the characters are wonderful, and the action is intense. What a fun read! I couldn't put it down!

The Fearless Travelers' Guide to Wicked Places will be published March 1st by Capstone. This is Pete Begler's first novel.

**I volunarily read an Advance Readers Copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. **

… (mehr)

So, Goodreads sent me a kind of nasty e-mail stating that I had to disclose that I received a free copy of this book. I honestly doubt that, had I given it four or five stars, this would have even been an issue. But, yes, full disclosure, I received a free copy of this book. Free or not, I still wanted it to be better.

Reading this, I got the impression that the author was a huge fan of Neil Gaiman and Zen meditation and thinks "alright" is all right. This book has a bad case of trying-too-hard and I doubt the author had any children as beta readers. It's kind of slow and lesson-y and could very easily be read as a diatribe against women who choose not to have children. (Mothers are the most magical creatures in the world and the Dark Daughters seem to be childless, with the exception of Freyja, who may or may not actually be Fenn's mother.) It's over-written and riddled with spelling and grammatical errors and, quite honestly, could have benefited from the firm hand of a good editor. There's potential here, but it's buried under layers of pretentiousness alternating with preciousness and I was without a shovel.… (mehr)

Nell is used to being the odd one out; she sometimes has “episodes” where she sees animals instead of people and her only friend is in the hospital in a coma. When she sees a strange and horrible cloud drop a bloody shoe, she’s sure it would be better not to speak up, even though the village is getting more and more worried about the disappearances of mothers. But when her own mother, Rose, is transformed into a bird and stolen she will have to travel to dangerous and fantastical places she never imagined existed and find an inner strength she never knew she had to not only save her family but also to survive.

Accompanied by her younger brothers, George and Speedy, and the surly and mysterious Duke Badger, the small group ventures into The Dreamlands. There are dreamers who can create entire worlds in themselves, terrifying monsters, and undiscovered dangers. Even Badger and his cat Pinch are hiding some dramatic secrets. Will Nell find the courage and strength to not only save her mother but all of Dreamlands from the horrible witches of the Wicked Places?

At nearly 400 pages, this hefty fantasy is not for the faint of heart reader - especially once they encounter the terrible nightmares that haunt its pages. Yes, there are killer clowns. Literally. It’s an imaginative, fantastic trip into a strange world but I did think the trip was a little long. Some of the lengthy musings on inner strength and complicated descriptions of the weird dream world could have been edited down while some things like the origin and purpose of the Fearless Travelers isn’t really explained (or possibly I missed it - I kept getting interrupted while I was reading).

Verdict: Not for every reader, but kids who appreciate a complicated fantasy, like creepy/scary vibes, and don't require series will appreciate this. Fans of Books of Elsewhere and Diana Wynne Jones will enjoy this.

ISBN: 9781623707996; Published 2017 by Capstone; Borrowed from another library in my consortium… (mehr)