Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows...A great read for a teenager

Title: Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows
Author: J. M. Bergen
ISBN: 978-1-732-45780-5
Rating: 7/10
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy, Magic, Teen Fiction, Young Adult
Type: Paperback due for release on 2nd February

"Hey! Hey! Wait!' shouted Thomas. He rushed forward as the door swung shut. The lock clicked just as his fingers reached the doorknob. He pounded on the door, fiery anger flooding his body. 'HEY!!!! Let me out of here!'
Nothing. He hammered more and met with the same result. He hit the door with his fist. Pain shot through his hand and up his arm. He hit is again, harder than the first time. The jolt ached all the way to his shoulder. A trickle of blood escaped from a thin cut on the knuckle of his second finger. He leaned against the door, hurt and frustrated.
His stomach growled, loudly. He looked down, suddenly aware of the smells wafting into his nostrils. The domed lid lifted easily, revealing a plate of grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, and seasoned green beans. A piece of chocolate cake with white frosting was resting on a side platter. The cake was loaded with chocolate chips and layers of fudge, just the way he liked it.
For a brief moment, Thomas forgot his surroundings. He had a drumstick in his hand and was about to take a bite when it hit him. Aside from the silver platter, it was the exact meal his mom cooked on special occasions. How was that possible? He stared suspiciously at the chicken. Was it laced with poison? A sleeping potion? Something worse?"


Once again, I was kindly sent this book from Book Publicity Services in exchange for a review. Yet again, I really enjoyed it. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone I know who has teenagers who are interested in fantasy and magic. It has excitement, panic, risk, laughter and it kept me interested throughout.

Thomas Wildus is the main character who is a young boy who lives with his mum. He hasn't seen his Dad for years since he mysteriously left and left Thomas with the final words of "Magic is real, Thomas. No matter what happens, always remember that magic is real." Thomas has never forgotten and he has been on a seven-year search to find magic and to answer questions about his Dad, who he assumed has since died.

Thomas is a kind, considerate and polite boy. I really liked him and I really liked the way the character was portrayed, he was lovely. He has a best friend called Enrique, who was just as nice. I would have loved to have been friends with them at school. Thomas and Enrique attend a mainstream school in America and they live normal lives. They go to the beach with friends, they like to read comic books together and they get up to mischief in lessons making fun of their school teachers. Like most boys do. Thomas however, has never given up his search for magic and is now becoming reluctant to talk to Enrique about it as he feels Enrique is getting fed up.

Thomas loves to read, he knows all of the bookshops in town, until he stumbles across a new shop he has not seen before. He does not understand how he has missed it previously as he knows them all. He becomes friendly with the people working there and discloses to them he is looking for a specific type of book. Through reading, Thomas discovers a whole new world. He discovers things he never thought imaginable and it takes him on an adventure he only dreamed about. This book is no ordinary book and over time it changes. Changes you would not think were possible.

Throughout the story Thomas questions, to himself, what really happened to his Dad. He and his mum are extremely close. His mum works in science at the local University and has encouraged Thomas to follow her passion for knowledge. Both his parents are very intelligent people and this is something they have obviously passed on to Thomas. He is very clever in the sciences and his mum decides to bring in a University lecturer to teach Thomas more advanced science. He creates a close bond with Professor Reilly and they discuss all things science in their tutorials.

Throughout the time Thomas is reading his new books, discovering more about science and developing as a new teenager, he is experiencing a variety of unusual situations in life. Seeing peculiar people, being threatened by strangers, an attempted kidnap and feeling like he is always watched by a number of different people.

The book was fast paced, exciting and gripping. It had me questioning all the way through what was going to happen next and who would prevail. Would Thomas find out the answers to his questions and would he ever find out about magic and the what really happened to his Dad? My only criticism would be the ending of the story, I felt it was a little rushed and there could have been more detail in the final scenes. In comparison to the rest of the book where there is so much detail about the vast locations Thomas finds himself in, the ending just seemed to be just that, the end. However, the information provided at the end opened up nicely for the next book, Thomas Wildus and the Wizard of Sumeria, and I already have my suspicions about how the author will involve and develop any new characters.

I would absolutely recommend this book to other people, particularly teenagers who have an interest in fantasy and fiction. If you have a teenager or young adult, buy it!

Rating: 7/10 (because of the ending, the rest of the book would receive 8/10)
10-Word-Review: Brilliant read, mystery, magic and risk, what's not to like?

Next, I will be reading The Last Straw by Ed Duncan. From the blurb, it sounds really good! I am really looking forward to it.

On a final note, Happy New Year everyone! This is the first time I have posted since the turn of 2019. I will be posting again soon about what I am hoping for 2019 and how I ended 2018...Steph xx