(Published on the Bookworm Extraordinaire Blog on July 24th 2019)

Earlier this year I was asked to review the first book in William Ritter's new series, The Oddmire called Changeling and I jumped on the opportunity. I have never agreed to a blog tour so fast! I absolutely love Ritter's writing. His first book, Jackaby remains one of my all time favorites. He has a way of adding charm and wit into every aspect of his work!

Changeling is an enchanting fairy tale set in the same world as Jackaby. That was all I needed to know before I dove headfirst into the mysterious Oddmire Forest. Once I started reading I couldn't put it down! It is perfect for all ages, but I can see little kids particularly falling into the world Ritter has created in The Oddmire and never wanting to leave. This book is easily on the level of storytelling that is set up in the Spiderwick Chronicles!

The idea of the changeling is one of the oldest folk tales of Europe, a fairy child that is swapped out with a human child. Changelings have fascinated people for centuries and are prevalent even in today's pop culture, having recently been featured in shows such as Supernatural and Outlander and even an episode of the podcast Lore. I, myself, have always been interested in the idea of them.

So, with a myth so beloved by many it is hard to believe that there can be an original take on it, and yet Ritter does just that! What if the switch in interrupted? What if the babies, human and fairy alike grow up together? Changeling answers just those questions!

My favorite part of this book is the mix of beautiful, eerie setting in the Oddmire that I would love to explore and the amazingly rich and detailed, full of life and motive characters that inhabit it! Hinkypunks, Goblins, Shapeshifters, and fantastic Humans all come together to solve the mystery of the changeling!

As soon as I finished it I wanted to read it again. It was heartwarming and funny, but also just as dark as a true fairy tale should be! I enjoyed Changeling and am eagerly awaiting the next book in what is sure to become a beloved series for young readers for many years to come!

The Oddmire, Book 1: Changeling
By William Ritter

This adventurous book begins with a fairy tale bungle. Traditionally, when a changeling is born in the goblin world, they are switched with a human child, in order to sell the human to the fairies. However, in this case, the goblin performing the switch almost got caught, and both babies were left in the crib! The magic inherent in changelings means that the children look like twins. They grow up together knowing that one is a human and one is not, but both boys are so mischievous that neither they, nor their mother, are ever able to determine who is the real child as they grow up brothers. Then one day, they receive a note saying that the changeling must return to the Wild Wood or it, along with its magic, will die. The boys venture to the wood together, and they find mysterious and dark characters that both help and hinder them along the way.

Changeling is just dark and scary enough to keep you on your toes, without being too intense for your middle-graders to be able to sleep at night. The pacing is superb, and the characters are so relatable, interesting, and multi-dimensional. I am definitely looking forward to learning more about the Wild Wood and its magical creatures in the Oddmire sequel!

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of #Changeling

I had not heard much about this book before I had the chance to sign up for the blog tour. I then read the summary. And knew I had to give this book a try. And I'm so glad that I did so. Because this story was all kinds of fun and so cute. The book was short and easy to read. The writing was stunning. The characters were the very best. I'm giving it four stars, as it was not completely perfect, though not far from it. I really liked the writing a whole lot. This book was fast paced and exciting. Full of magic and danger and family.

This book tells the story of twin boys. They are days away from turning thirteen years old. It begins only days after the birth of them. With a goblin about to steal a human baby and put a changeling in his place. But he makes a mistake. And has to leave both boys behind. Which is how they end up being twins. Their mother cares for them both. And they had such a great life with her. It made me so happy. One of them is human, one a goblin. But they don't know which is which. And yet their mother loved them both the same.

Which made my heart so happy. We get to know both boys in this story, Tinn and Cole. We get to know a little about each of them. And they were both adorable. Tinn was more quiet and careful, with Cole being loud and breaking all the rules. But they spent all their time together, having fun, being brothers. Getting to know them was the best. And I could not help but love them the very most. Eee. We also get to know their mother, Annie, a whole lot as well. And this woman was all kinds of epic and fierce. I loved her tons.

This book was fast to read, though it was not all that short. So much happened. Despite most of the story taking place in just one day. Tinn and Cole do not know which one of them is the goblin changeling. They worry about it, but it does not stop them from being brothers and loving each other. They are just normal boys. And I very much liked learning about their life. They live in an old fashioned village, in the past. This world seemed pretty great. Would not have minded learning even more about it all, though. I am curious.

The boys live a normal life, until the day they get a letter from the goblin that changed their lives. And so they must begin on a journey. A journey to save magic in the wild forest or end up with one of them dead if they fail. And they must do so before the end of the day. The journey through this dangerous forest was all kinds of fun. They meet this girl, Fable. And she was a little awkward but beyond sweet. They get lost. They get hurt. And reading about it all was simply the very best. Was such a great journey to read about.

Though they left without letting their mother know, they did leave her a note. And so just hours after they left she is going after them. I loved that very much. Annie was such a fierce character and so protective of her boys. There is a whole bunch of things going on in this one. There is a darkness in the forest. A thing that kills creatures. And it is hunting for the boys. It was creepy. But so good too. There is a witch in this forest too. And that was pretty exciting to read about as well. I just loved these characters so very much.

I will not be saying much more about this book. Only that it was pretty amazing. Not fully perfect to me, but almost. It was so much fun. Full of magic and magical creatures. A great story with a good ending. I must have the next book in this series. The Oddmire: Changeling was such an incredible story. With the best characters. The adventure was all kinds of fun. And the writing was stunning. Biggest thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for letting me read an eARC of this book for the tour. You all need it in your life.

William Ritter's latest release is an exciting middle grade fantasy that is overflowing with goblins, faeries, a spooky wood, and just about everything I love in a good book. Changeling starts out with a premise that I love: a goblin attempts to switch out a human baby for a changeling, messes up a bit, and ends up leaving both the human baby and the changeling behind. From there, the story takes off and the reader is thrust into a world that is both familiar and full of magic and folklore element.

I found Changeling to have a very carefully crafted blend of fairytales and folkloric aspects and adventure that really centers around a bit of a coming of age story for twins Tinn and Cole. Ritter's writing style worked excellently in this story, as it was both simple and accessible while also managing to maintain an airy quality of magic and mystique that I found highly captivating.

My favorite part of this book was Ritter's inclusion of the fairy tale elements that created a magical and unpredictable atmosphere to the story while also keeping things fresh and compelling. I loved watching Tinn and Cole interact with the world and how they handled all of the new obstacles and experiences that seemed to be constantly thrown at them. Tinn and Cole are characters that I loved almost right away. They have an incredible sibling relationship that transcends origins and material things, but stays strong and true no matter what seems to happen. In fact, the idea of family and unconditional love seemed to permeate throughout the entire book, especially in relation to the twins' mother, another wonderful character that I loved.

Overall, I've easily given The Oddmire: Changeling 4.25 stars! This is the perfect middle grade for any child that enjoys their fantasy on the spooky side--or any adult! I am already looking forward to the release of the sequel.

This book is about a goblin that tries to steal a little baby boy and replace him with a changeling. In the process the mother shows up and the goblin has to flee leaving both boys behind. I think the fans of Holly Black’s earlier work, Troll in Central Park, and The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding will love this. It’s a fun tale with witches, dark forests, and great family dynamics.

I loved the Jackaby series so when I was asked to read this new book from author Will Ritter I couldn’t say no and I am so glad I didn’t. I thought this book was so cute and I loved the characters so much. The bond between brothers and the love of their mother. Tinn and Cole are a bit of trouble makers but that is because one might be a goblin. After a mess up when they were born the goblin that was planning to steal the human baby got turned about and then couldn’t remember which baby was goblin and which baby was human so he left them both for Annie to care for promising to return to help save magic. This is quite the adventure and I really loved how the story played out. I was like one thing after another that was happening to these two boys. It has lots of adventure and kept my interest until the book was done. Which I was so very sad it was over. I am looking forward to reading the next one in the series.

I recommend this book to kids, teens, YA, Adults and one that loves a good story with fantastic characters and loved a good adventure. Once again Will Ritter did not disappoint and I am so loving the stories he writes.

The goblins are worried. The magic is disappearing in the wild wood. A goblin decides to bring a goblin baby that will be switched for a human baby to save the magic. The goblin baby will look exactly like the human baby once place in the infant’s bed next to the baby. As the goblin gets ready to take the human baby, he is interrupted as the mother is coming to check on her baby. The surprised goblin leaves without the baby as he doesn’t want to be caught. The mother is shocked when she sees two identical babies in the crib. While the village people tell her that the other baby must be from the goblins, she decides to keep them both and raise them together. Why? After a year goes by the woman’s husband leaves and never comes back. She raises Tinn and Cole as twins. The are good and yet are also good at getting into mischief. One day a message is sent that tells them that if the changing child isn’t return to the goblin horde, all the magic will die. When the mother discovers this message, she tells the twins they can’t leave. However the twins decide to sneak out and find out who is the changing. They have always wondered. It is a journey with several surprises.

The author has written a marvelous story that is a bit slow at first but speeds up into a fast, grand adventure with unexpected twists and turns. I loved reading about the twins and how decisions were made by them on their journey to the goblin horde. It is a true treasure! I look forward to reading the next book.

Once upon a time there was a goblin named Kull who took on a mission to steal a human baby and leave a changeling in its place. Things being what they were, Kull was interrupted in the process. When he looked back, both babes looked the same and he couldn't pick out the changeling. So, he left them both.

The babies are named Cole and Tinn. They are raised as twin brothers by their mother after their father disappears. When they are 12, Kull comes back and leaves them a note with a map informing them that one of them is a changeling and just return to the goblins or he would die. The boys take this at face value and set out together since they don't know which of them is the changeling either. Adventures ensue.

I like that Cole and Tinn are raised together and that their mother appears to love the pair unconditionally. And she loves them fiercely, protectively. She follows them into the woods seeking them. She isn't passive or evil. I like that it doesn't matter to the boys or their mother that one of them is a changeling.

The pace of the book is generally fine. There are a few places where it slows down a little, but it still manages to keep the reader's attention. You will want to know what happens next.

There is an overall feeling of fantasy and fairy tale to the story. There are these two boys who go into the Wild Wood and the Oddmire. This is what they find there and what happens to them.

This book is aimed at middle graders. It takes place in the same world as the young adult Jackaby series. I don't read many middle grader books, but this one is definitely worth a read. I give it 4 out of 5 stars. I recommend it primarily for kids who enjoy fantasy and fairy tales. The evil they encounter may seem too scary for some, but generally the level of danger is acceptable. Overall, it is a good book with themes of family and unconditional love that is worth the time to read alone or together with an adult.

Changeling book one in the Oddmire series by William Ritter was published July 16th, 2019 by Algonquin Young Readers.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

After a massive reading slump of nearly two years, in late 2014 I happened across William Ritter's Jackaby - which would end up my favorite read of the year even before spawning three sequels ... so to say the least this reader was eager to get his hands on the first book of Ritter's new fantasy series for middle-grade readers. Changeling opens with the nicest, perhaps most inept goblin ever, Kull, as he slips into a home in the middle of the night to swap out a newborn baby. See, the magic of the surrounding Wild Wood, which Kull and his fellow goblins (and many other creatures) call home, is dying out, but good fortune has brought a changeling to the goblins - a baby that can transform itself into a duplicate of any human baby, so that Kull can steal the human baby and give it to the faeries to raise, securing some magic restoration for the goblins. But when Kull gets distracted in the dark and suddenly finds two identical human babies lying in the cradle in front of him, he's forced to run away empty-handed into the night upon hearing the mother approaching, leaving Annie Burton - after a mild freakout - left to raise both boys as her own, regardless of the town gossip saying one of them is a goblin in disguise. Flash-forward almost thirteen years later and twins Cole and Tinn are irascible pre-teens of their own, living a normal life getting into typical boyhood trouble ... neither of them even knowing if the old tales are true (or which of them is the goblin), even as Kull watches hidden from nearby. Because this time, the goblin has no room for error; if he doesn't get his changeling back in time, it could mean the end of the entire goblin horde for good. Problem? Kull doesn't know which of the very human-looking boys is the precious changeling, either! Ritter's strength as a writer has always been in creating believable, sympathetic characters and infusing even the darkest situations with humor; he did it brilliantly for Jackaby, for older readers, and here gives twins Cole and Tinn their own distinctive voices and personalities as well as we follow their journey into the Wild Wood as they search for answers while going back and forth in our own heads wondering who is the human child and who is the changeling. As if this weren't enough, what no one knows is that with all the creatures they could potentially cross paths with in the Wild Word, beyond the Oddmire, its The Thing who sits in wait for the boys. And the closer they get, the hungrier it gets. Thrilling, complex, mysterious, funny, and even worthy of a tear or two by The End, The Oddmire, Book 1: Changeling brilliantly opens this suspenseful new middle-grade series by a terrific writer for young people. 4.5/5 stars

NOTE: I received a free ARC of this title from NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this novel. It is such a fun and magical read with just the right amount of suspense and creepiness to it. At its’ core, it is a beautiful story of love, belonging, and the true meaning of family. It shows the bravery and strength one can find in themselves when protecting the ones they love. On top of being an action-packed adventure, this story is also full of heart and positive messages. Changeling is a fast-paced and fantastical journey. I was hooked from page one and I never wanted it to end.

In this novel, we follow two young brothers, Tinn and Cole. By looking at them, they appear to be human twins—however, one of them is actually a changeling. When a goblin named Kull’s plan to switch the human baby for the goblin one goes wrong, they are both left behind. For years, their mother Annie raises the boys as brothers despite the unusual circumstances. They live as a normal family, though the boys have always wondered what they are deep down. When, at twelve years old, Tinn and Cole receive a mysterious message telling the changeling they must return to the Wild Wood and save the dying magic, they set off on a dangerous adventure to cross the Oddmire swamp and find the goblin horde.

The unique and colorful cast of characters is the driving force of this narrative. Each one has a distinct and memorable personality that adds depth and dimension to the world as a whole. Tinn and Cole are such loveable characters with a beautiful relationship—they are truly the definition of brothers. They both have very individual personalities that mesh together really well. Annie is a remarkable mother who loves the two boys equally and thinks of them as her own no matter what. She is such a strong and brave character, risking everything to find and protect them once they have run off on their journey. Ritter also packs this novel with imaginative magical beings. It is clear that he has put much time and effort into forming every aspect of the setting and the creatures and weaving those two elements tightly together.

It is incredibly interesting to hear the internal conflicts the boys have about discovering who the changeling is. They both have reasons to believe that they are the changeling due to a part of themselves and their personalities that they are unable to understand or explain. For instance, Cole wonders why he is always so compelled to cause trouble and do things he knows he shouldn’t. On the other hand, they both believe the other deserves to be the human because of what a good person they are. They both want the absolute best for the other, despite their own fears of being the changeling. It shows just how much they love and care about each other.

William Ritter does a wonderful job crafting this novel. His writing flows seamlessly and is incredibly easy to get sucked into and follow. His descriptions are vivid as he builds the unique world and palpable atmosphere of the narrative. The mysterious and treacherous nature of the Wild Wood is shown so well in the way he constructs the environment. From the encroaching trees with their gnarled roots to the mist that permeates the air, the suspense of Tinn and Cole’s journey is drastically enhanced. Ritter consistently blends reality with magic that will spark readers’ imaginations. This is true for every part of the world, making it incredibly multi-dimensional and highly immersive.

This novel fits the middle-grade genre perfectly. It is one of those universally enjoyable novels, offering something that both children and adults alike will love. The messages packed into the story are inspiring and heartwarming—they are great things for a young audience to learn about. The ideas that family can truly be found in others whether they are related to you or not and the importance of taking care of those you love are beautiful and meaningful messages to understand. The darkness in the story never becomes overwhelming and is very suitable for younger readers. Overall, this was a charming read. I cannot wait to see more from this series.

4.5

There is so very much being published these days onecan identify any sort of trend one likes, but it seems to me that since the late seventies or so, while young adult and adult literature is ever more violent, that for younger kids is much . . . nicer. Whether or not it’s true, I think of it as the Sesame Street effect.

Bringing me to The Oddmire, Book One: Changeling, by William Ritter.

Overall, I found this book to be such a heartwarming, fun book that I wish I could time-travel to hand it off to my kids, one of whom was a very sensitive reader, and the other who was adopted, and tended to look for books with similar kids.

The story begins with a hapless goblin reluctantly sent to swap a human baby for a changeling. The magical explanation for why it must be—and his reluctance to carry out his job—might be confusing for kids (it was for me, anyway) but I don’t think kids would really care. The fun begins when the goblin is distracted by the sudden appearance of a cat while the goblin child finished his magical transformation, and when the goblin looks back, appalled, he sees two identical infants. So he creeps away in defeat, determined to watch from a distance, and when the goblin surely asserts himself according to his goblin nature, he can finish the job.

When the mother appears the next morning and finds two babies in the crib instead of one, she’s quite boggled. And so are the neighbors. Everyone has to have an opinion, including the local religious leader. (Here I groaned, as religious leaders depicted in books of late all seem to have to be jerks if not outright villains) but lo and behold, there is a general sense of puzzled good will—along, of course, with dire warnings about the Wild Wood adjacent to the village.

And so we make a jump twelve years. The boys are inseparable, curious, and likely to get into mischief, but their mother adores them. Their personalities are different, but likeable and fun. And though Mom knows that one is a changeling, she doesn’t care which.

The boys receive a mysterious note from the goblin, and decide to go on an adventure . . . and the tale kicks into high gear. Along the way we meet magical people, and a companion for the boys, a girl named Fable, who is a terrific character. She’s a crack-up, and surprising in a fun way. What’s more, when Mom wakes up and finds her boys gone, she sets straight out to get them—there is no way she’s not going to protect them.

The narrative voice begs to be read aloud. It’s full of vivid image and delicious wit. The story is fast-paced, exciting, with a strong sense of goodwill about it that I really enjoyed. I would so very much have read this book aloud the years I was teaching grades two through five, though I probably would have finessed the word “geld” which I would not want to have to define for curious kids, and I did wish there was a little less emphasis on the boys’ “pink” skin. The adjective could as easily have been “human” and it would have been a lot more inclusive—like the rest of the story.

But those are small quibbles. Overall, I think Ritter has come out with a winner, and I really look forward to the rest of the series. I’ve also noted this book for holiday shopping for certain young ones in the family.

If this is your first foray into the world of William Ritter, then let me just tell you, you’re in for a real treat. If you’re a fan of Jackaby, then you already know the mystic and magic of his writing.

Oddmire is a fun new series for middle-grade. The world is built on the premise of two worlds. One being the human world, and the other, the world of magical beings. A thin veil not visible to human eyes separates these two worlds, one that can’t be crossed. Except there’s a dark forest called the Wild Wood where a hole in the veil between the two worlds has left some interesting characters to muck about. Think, goblins, witches, hinkypunks, and something far more sinister. On the edge of this mystical forest is a small human town where rumor and legend speak of the Wild Wood as full of giants, and trolls, and goblins that come in the dead of the night to steal babies. The people stay clear and very few venture into the dark deep of the forest. Within the first few pages you’ll immediately start getting the vibe of a Grimm’s fairytale. Then you meet your first goblin, Kull, and he’s up to no good. He’s creeping into town under the cover of night with a changeling in his arms—a powerful baby goblin that can take on the appearance of another. But his plan to switch the goblin for a human baby doesn’t go as planned and the changeling is left behind. Now two identical baby boys, undistinguishable, are left with a mystery surrounding them that one of them might be a goblin. With no real way to tell, the mother raises them both as her sons. Doesn’t this sound amazing?

There is so much to love about this book, and it’s FUNNY. So if you like, fairytales, mystery, humor, and a large dose of creepy, then you won’t be disappointed. I appreciate the fact that the author managed to create something appropriate for this age group without pushing the boundaries of being too scary or violent. Well done and highly recommend for all ages, including adults!

Although I have yet to read JACKABY or the other books in the YA series by William Ritter, I have heard so much about how wonderful his writing and stories are that I was excited to be an early reader of his middle grade debut. THE ODDMIRE, BOOK ONE: CHANGELING was an absolutely delightful, charming story told much in the style of old-fashioned fairy tales. The banter among the characters was so much fun to read; I especially loved the exchanges between the goblin, Kull, and the twins’ mother, Annie. The twins were such sweet little boys - despite being rather mischievous! - and it was obvious how much they loved each other, despite knowing that they were not actually biological twins and that one of them is in fact a goblin changeling. This tale has so many great lessons for young readers, from the importance of family and love to the oppressive weight of loneliness and, above all, to the power of redemption. I highly recommend this book to any lover of fantasy, fairy tales, and stories with delightful creatures like goblins, witches, fairies, and new creations of the author’s own imagining.

Thanks so much to Brittani Hilles and Algonquin Young Readers for letting me be an early reader of this delightful story and take part in this blog tour!

RATING: 5 twinkling stars!

**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book from the publisher for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review.

Changeling is a beautiful coming-of-age story about two boys raised as twin brothers; they know that one of them is a "changeling"--a goblin--but neither knows which one of them is human and which is a goblin. The story tackles what it means to be family, friends, and of course, human. Ritter does a brilliant job of going back and forth between each boy showing that each has typical "goblin" and "human" characteristics, truly making it impossible to guess which one is which until the moment when it is revealed by magic.

I love the folklore that provides the foundation of the story and can't wait for this series to continue so that we can learn more about the different magical creatures and the forest, and of course, follow Tinn and Cole's adventures. Ritter includes classic folklore tales while giving them his own twist, which makes for an interesting, fresh-feeling read. The book picked up a lot when the boys got to the forest and my favorite parts were learning more about the forest creatures and the forest's witch.

I also really enjoyed that we're able to get the twins' mom's point-of-view in various chapters--it's nice to know that she is completely dedicated to her two boys: human or goblin, she fiercely loves both of them, which was SO GREAT. I was worried that one boy was going to be singled it as "the probable goblin," but she looks at both boys as her sons. She fights for them constantly along the way and when they venture off by themselves, she's right behind them, trying to save them. Truly an amazing character.

This book is super fun and relatively fast-paced. Once they got to the proper adventuring part of it, I truly couldn't put it down. I kept talking about it to everyone who would listen (even if they wouldn't) because I loved the characters and the story so much. It's the sort of book that would have been an absolute favorite of mine if it had been around when I was younger. It has heartwarming lessons and is so, so entertaining. I highly recommend this.

** spoiler alert ** Thank you so much to Alonquin Young Readers for providing me with an ARC of this for review as part of the blog tour!

I think that this is a perfectly good book for a middle-grade reader. Was I particularly blown away by it? No, I can't say that I was. However, that does not mean that there weren't any aspects that I particularly appreciated.

Magic is fading from the Wild Wood. To renew it, goblins must perform an ancient ritual
involving the rarest of their kind—a newborn changeling. But when the fateful night arrives to trade
a human baby for a goblin one, the goblin Kull is briefly distracted from his task of laying the
changeling in a human infant’s crib. By the time he turns back, the changeling has already
perfectly mimicked the human child. Not knowing which to return to the goblin horde, he leaves
both babies behind.

Tinn and Cole are raised as human twins, neither knowing what secrets may be buried
deep inside one of them. When a mysterious message arrives calling the brothers to be heroes
and protectors of magic, the boys must leave behind their sleepy town of Endsborough and risk
their lives in the Wild Wood to discover who they truly are.

I loved Ritter's discussion of identity throughout this novel. Both Cole and Tinn struggle with their own identity and what potentially being part goblin could mean for them. I found this to be particularly applicable to children split between two cultures in today's world. I could see many kids relating to the feelings of Cole and Tinn as they try to fit in to the many identities that they believe they must embody.

His whole life, he had only ever been a reflection of his brother. Tinn's stomach turned. He had no idea who he really was.

The bond between brothers was also something I really enjoyed in this story. They stood by each other through thick and thin no matter which one of them wasn't fully human. They always considered themselves fully brothers.

To add on to this, Annie Burton, their mother, was my absolute favorite character. She never once doubted the legitimacy of either of her sons, even though she knew one of them wasn't biologically hers, or even fully human. She also never gave up on finding either of them, and really gave off some strong Joyce Byers vibes.

"Stop it," Annie said. Her jaw set and she drew a long, determined breath. "You're all talking as if my son is gone, but he's not! He's in there! He is right in front of us!" She jabbed her finger at the bramble. "Tinn is alive in there somewhere, and he needs me, and I am not leaving this forest without him!"

She was an incredibly strong single mother, and so was the so-called 'Queen of the Deep Dark.' I loved the underlying connection between them as they both dealt with the abandonment of their husbands.

Besides these two characters, I felt like the others could have been fleshed out a bit more. The only things I really knew about them were that Cole is the troublemaker and outgoing, while Tinn has always wanted to be more brave. I never felt very connected to the boys in this story, which is unfortunate considering they are the protagonists. I understand that it is a middle-grade book, and that they usually don't require a huge amount of character-building, but I do feel like it was missing a little something.

To sum everything up, I thought this story was charming, and a good pick for a typical middle-schooler, but I don't think it was anything groundbreaking.

The Oddmire: Changeling is the story of two brothers: Tinn and Cole Burton, who live with their mom, Annie Burton in the little town of Endsborough. Endsborough is surrounded by a forest called the Wild Wood because all sorts of weird magical things live there. However, thirteen years before this story begins, magic seems to be leaving the Wild Wood. To help keep the magic from fading away entirely, a goblin named Kull decides to perform an ancient ritual involving a changeling and a human baby. So Kull sneaks out of the woods with a newborn changeling to switch it out for Annie Burton’s newborn son. Only there was a slight problem. See, Kull got distracted by a cat (a problem to which I can definitely relate) and when he took his eyes off the baby and the changeling together in the crib for that split second...well, the changeling morphed to look exactly like the baby and Kull couldn’t tell which was the baby and which was the changeling.

Poor Kull, in a hurry and definitely not wanting to get caught, hesitates too long. Both babies start crying, and Annie is on her way in...Without much choice, Kull runs away, leaving the changeling and the baby behind.

Annie, upon seeing that she now has two babies when she definitely only gave birth to one, just goes “welp, guess I have two kids now.” Everyone in town is like “uh, one is definitely a goblin,” but Annie, because she is a fundamentally decent human is just: “well, I can’t tell which is which so they’re both mine, end of story.” Besides, there isn’t much difference between two young boys and goblins anyway.

Annie’s husband, however, disagrees and vanishes just a few days after her one son became two. Annie is certain that he’s dead, but since this is the first in a series, you can bet the dad will show up eventually.

Time goes by and Tinn and Cole are now nearly thirteen. They go around making mischief in what can only be described as a very late-19th, early 20th century manner. The boys both know of the goblin story, but Tinn is all “I really hope I’m not the goblin, but one of us has to be and I’d rather it be me than Cole” and Cole is all “I really hope I’m not the goblin, but one of us has to be, and I’d rather it be me than Tinn.” Because Cole and Tinn are brothers, damn it, and they care about each other and they love their mom, and it’s super adorable and I love it. Anyway, one day, while playing in their climbing tree, Tinn and Cole find a note left for them by Kull: the changeling must return to the Wild Wood, or it, and all the magic in the Wild Wood will die.

Since they have no idea which one of them is the changeling, Tinn and Cole take off into the Wild Wood together, where they encounter witches, hinkypunks, and tart-stealing bears. They must also cross the treacherous Oddmire, a giant swamp in the middle of the woods. Meanwhile, there’s a Thing that lives deep in the heart of the woods. The Thing is evil, and it’s hungry. It hasn’t had anything good to eat for a long time...but then it senses a changeling in the woods...

Yes, I know The Oddmire is a middle grade book. Yes, I know I’m technically an adult, but...eh, I’ll read whatever I want, and I loved The Oddmire. It’s written by William Ritter, who also wrote the fantastic Jackaby series - and, fun fact, if you’re a Jackaby fan, The Oddmire takes place in the same universe as Jackaby - in fact, when Annie Burton suddenly obtains a second child, the people of Endsborough ask for advice from an expert in New Fiddleham, and I swear to God that expert had better be Jackaby or else I will be pissed. I have my fingers and toes crossed for a crossover.

So, if you’re a Jackaby fan, you won’t be surprised to learn that the writing in The Oddmire is extremely clever and a ton of fun to read. Tinn and Cole are great protagonists - they’re mischievous, but they both genuinely love their mom and care a lot about one another that makes my poor, dead heart feel all warm and fuzzy. I loved the character of Annie Burton, too - she loves both boys equally and genuinely doesn’t give a shit if one of them is a goblin or not, they’re both her boys, end of story, and anyone who says otherwise gets a punch in the face. So many fantasy stories feature horrible parents - it’s nice to read one where the protagonists have such an awesome mom who cares about them so much.

As for their dad...well, he’s not really in this book, but it’s the first in a series so...who knows.

The only part of the story that could have used a bit more development was the Wild Wood and its various magical inhabitants. We don’t learn a whole ton about the creatures that live in the Wild Wood. I also wish we could’ve seen more of Kull and the Goblin Hoard, but, again, this is the first book in a series and the main focus is on Tinn and Cole.

Either way: The Oddmire is a great middle grade action/adventure/fantasy all about two identical twin brothers and their mom - all of whom absolutely love and care about one another, whether or not one of them is a goblin changeling. Again, this story made me feel all the feels right in my cold, dead, cynical Millennial heart.

A perfect mixture of creepy, mysterious and wholesome family love, makes this a read to take under the blankets with extra snacks and batteries for those flashlights.

In hopes of renewing the goblin magic, a goblin uses the very rare chance to exchange a human boy with a changeling. But he gets distracted and can't seem to figure out which one is which. The mother, despite knowing something isn't right, simply keeps both, raises them and loves them with her whole heart. Until one day, the boys wander off into the woods to discover the secret of who they really are.

Changelings are a mystical folklore which carries a sense of dark dread and intrigue at the same time. While I wondered if the author could really pull these creatures down to a middle grade level, my suspicions weren't not only unwarranted, but completely blown away. The author weaves a fantastic tale with the heart-warming bond of brotherly (and motherly) love. And yet, there is so much dark creepiness and chills to insure young readers won't put this one down.

The characters are easy to connect to and react as any boy that age would. While adventure and shadows remain high on every page, there's a nice amount of humor built in to keep it light at just the right times. While more sensitive readers might find the spooky side to be a bit heavy, others will love the dive into this story about the creatures of folklore. It's magical, mystical, dark and inspiring.

I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed this tale quite a bit.

When I was contacted about being part of the blog tour for this title, I was immediately intrigued. Twins where one child is human and the other is a goblin changeling? Sounds fascinating! Also, I had read and enjoyed the Jackaby series, so I was curious to see what Ritter's next book would be like.

I was not disappointed.

This story has a magical forest, a witch, shapeshifters, goblins, and plenty of other magical elements. At it's core, it's a story about family and self worth and love all wrapped into an adventure.

The characters, Cole and Tenn in particular, were extremely likable. It was fun to read about their adventures and the silly things they would do and trouble they would cause. We also get to see each of them grapple with the fact that one of them (and they don't know which) is not human. The exploration of this aspect of the story is well done and turns out quite beautifully. Ritter has a way with words and his descriptions of these adventures is often beautiful.

The main thing that was a bit odd to me was the time period. I never could quite figure out when it was supposed to be set. At times it seemed almost modern and then it seemed older and it left me a little confused.

The ending has me very curious for the rest of the series. I don't know if it will continue to focus on the duo of Cole and Tenn or if we will be getting a deeper look at some of the other characters, but I'm excited to see what else there is to be explored in this magical world Ritter has introduced.

Welcome to the Blog Tour for William Ritter!
When I hear that William Ritter was writing a middle grade book I didn't quite understand how it would work. As silly as it sounds, I'm still not quite sure how it works... But it does.
I don't know where this is going to go in the long run but I am there. I am going to be reading this series where ever it takes me.
Let's start with the synopsis: 
Magic is fading from the Wild Wood. To renew it, goblins must perform an ancient ritual involving the rarest of their kind—a newborn changeling. But when the fateful night arrives to trade a human baby for a goblin one, something goes terribly wrong. After laying the changeling in a human infant’s crib, the goblin Kull is briefly distracted from his task. By the time he turns back, the changeling has already perfectly mimicked the human child. Too perfectly: Kull cannot tell them apart. Not knowing which to bring back, he leaves both babies behind.
Tinn and Cole are raised as human twins, neither knowing what secrets may be buried deep inside one of them. Then when they are twelve years old, a mysterious message arrives, calling the brothers to be heroes and protectors of magic. The boys must leave behind their sleepy town of Endsborough and risk their lives in the Wild Wood, crossing the perilous Oddmire swamp and journeying through the Deep Dark to reach the goblin horde and discover who they truly are. 
Let's start with the cons as that's a small list, literally like one. It's dark... I know William Ritter writes dark YA, Young Adult, but I didn't think that this would be so dark as its a middle grade. When I was growing up the darkest children's book/series was the Goosebumps.
As a child these were chilling. The storylines were simple enough and sometimes that's all it needs. A simple idea to get stuck in the child's mind. Oddmire was not chilling. It was dark, as in the way that some things are described. There is the talk of the Twins crawling over the bones of the victims of The Thing. You also have the way that The Thing talks to one of the twins.
Other than this... That is it. That is my list of cons. I think that the book is aimed at the older of the middle grade group, even to the age of the younger Young Adult. It is almost as if William Ritter is getting children ready for the world of YA before they even know it.
What can I say. This is a breath of fresh air as well as the vines that cause you to hold your breath. The characters, though are young, are very relatable as we have all been children. We all know the games that we played where your imagination would go beyond the believable. This is what reading is about.
Reading is finding your childhood again. It's exploring that unknown part of the forest that no-one steps foot in or climbing to the tip of the mountain. And that is what is so easy about this book. There is the sense of unknown throughout the whole story as you don't know which twin is the changeling, they both think they are, but all the way through right to the end, the only one who knows which twin the changeling is, is William Ritter.
I love the innocents of the language, the feelings. It's simple. After all things are simple to a child. Don't get me wrong, this book is not simple once you peel back the thorns, theoretically speaking.
For older readers that may be reading this, for them self or even to or with their child. Things will feel rather familiar. Through most of the first few chapters I kept getting the feeling that at some point Gandalf was going to come riding through the village on his cart, ready to sweep the twins off onto an adventure with the hobbits.
The way that the village is described reminds me of the shire and the Hobbits that live there. The people that live in Endsborough almost follow the same mentality as the Hobbits, keeping to themselves and not worrying about the world around them.
I just think that this has given the Middle Grade the boost it needed. This is a book I would be more that thrilled to recommend, and may already have. If your child wants some old folk tales without the Grimm's view, this is a brilliant alternative to get them started in the fantasy genre. A series to keep an eye on.
I would like to thank Algonquin Young Readers for providing me with a digital copy of this book through NetGalley. This was a brilliant eye opener.
A book that is innocent as well as dark. As wise as it is thrilling. Middle Grade just got a whole lot more interesting. 
As far as star ratings go... no doubt. 5 stars.

Fantastic middle-grade tale filled with brotherly love, what it means to be a real family, goblins, and other creatures that live in the Wild Wood and Oddmire. Tinn and Cole are engaging twins that prove love is thicker than genetics.

I can see kids (and adults) of all ages enjoying this series.

Thank you NetGalley and Algonquin Young Readers for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy.