The first half of the book suffers from too-much telling. When it comes to magical books, I expect every aspect to come alive to make it more magical and that often achieved with showing more rather than telling. Sadly this book lacks in that area, at least the first half of the book does. It was really boring at first. I even found the first scene cliche. This is a magic book for younger audience and I think it’s very important that the readers are hooked right from the very first scene. But then it picks up in the second half. Suddenly, it’s action-packed and I’m satisfied.

There were a plethora of characters and I like them all enough. Though I still find them underdeveloped and in need of more depth. But this is only book 1 so there’s more time for development. I do love Thomas. He’s such a sweet kid. I love how he is to his mom, even without his father, who left seven years ago. By the way, the mystery of his dad’s absence is what hooked me to keep reading after finding the first chapter boring. Thomas wasn’t sure what happened to his dad and I wanted to know. Another thing, Thomas’ friendship with Enrique is amazing.

Lastly, I found the Book of Sorrows itself a little disappointing. I was expecting more from it. I was so thrilled when Thomas was given the book of sorrows and when he inspected the box it’s in for the first time, I was excited…but then, the pacing gets really slow.

The book is a good addition to the middle grade books out there. There is magic and the story wraps up well.

A great book for those of you with reluctant readers who love adventure. I always tell my students, it is like living a video game.

I love books with magic in them! If you're a fan of Harry Potter, you might find this book to your liking, too. Thomas comes from a magical family, but only learns this when he's 12 years old. Coming home from a class, he discovers a book store, but not just any book store, the owner gives him a magic book with instructions to use, strange incidents follow, and soon Thomas is caught up in an epic, catastrophic event that he needs to prevent or win. Kids 6th grade up, and probably teens and adults, will enjoy this tale. I intend to get copies for some of the young folks I know who will enjoy reading about magic.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book. There's a lot of Hispanic culture, a great friendship, and the discovery of magic. Learning to use magic was one of my favorite parts. It was fun and interesting to read.

I had a hard time getting thru the last quarter of the book. It became the overused over abused heroes fighting the evil guys. Then I put down the book for a bit, but it turned into an extended leave of absence. Basically, while I enjoyed the beginning and middle, the end didn't meet my expectations. Also, I wish the girls of age with the MC had more of a role instead of being there just to fluster him by simply saying hello. Eyeroll.

Still, aside from that, the two main boy characters were great. I loved they're friendship. And the magic system was interesting. I recommend this book for young fantasy readers.

I received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked but did not love this book. It is a story about magic and believing in magic. It is also full of mystery and action. The idea of bonds and friendship and trust are featured as well.

There is a lot to like about this book and the lessons it attempts to teach. Friendship is invaluable, bullying should never be tolerated, familial love is tantamount. There are also many things to question. Is it ever acceptable to deceive to accomplish ones purpose no matter how worthwhile that purpose may seem? Can the means justify the end? Is the greater good more important than one person’s health and welfare? MAGIC, to believe or not?!

As I was reading this book the same thoughts kept repeating - Does any 12 year old ever tell his Mother how much he loves her on a daily basis? When you find that kid hold him close for he is a real keeper. Thomas Wildus is almost too perfect, a mini Superman with extraordinary ethics and integrity. His BFF Enrique Rodriguez allows a look into another family with potent family values. There is nothing wrong and everything right with emphasizing strong and positive standards especially for a young reading audience. The characters include the real, the plausible, the strange and perhaps not quite of this world. I found I was making some comparisons to Michael Scott’s “Immortal Nicholas Flamel” series.

My problem was that I couldn’t shake the feeling that this would have been an incredible comic book. I can see the renderings, the action, the blurbs. Ah well, the setup is there for sequels and it will be interesting to discover all the ways Thomas is going to defend his friends, the world, maybe find his father and find his way home. Bring it on I am looking forward to the next adventure.

Thank you LibraryThing, Elandrian Press, Netgalley and especially J.M. Bergen for a copy.

I really enjoyed myself while reading this book. I’ll admit that there is something that is keeping me from fully loving it, but it was entraining and did keep my interest!

Loved this book! 5/5 Stars!

I have to be the first to confess that when I saw the initial comparison to Harry Potter it put me off a bit. I would consider the HP series, in this modern genre, to be the "gold standard" and tough to live up to that sort of hype. So anything that falls short at all will automatically rate lower because the expectation is so high going into reading. Was I surprised?!? #ThomasWildusAndTheBookOfSorrows met my expectations and then some. It appeals to the HP reader without being an HP knock-off. Original ideas and magical elements kept it flowing and intriguing throughout.

The story follows a middle school boy and his friends who are smart and bookish making them the focus of the school bullies. Thomas has a diverse group of friends and a happy but challenging home life. His father died when he was a small child so it is just he and his mother at home. One day, Thomas stumbles upon a mysterious bookstore in his town that he had not seen before and the story really begins. He is drawn into the bookshop by his love for magic, a love he inherited from his father, and one of the few things he remembers his father discussing with him. He encounters characters within the bookshop that entice him into a world of possible magic and he cannot help himself but has to go for it. He is hooked.

This story is very well paced, with a slower start and then picking up steam towards a fantastic ending that leaves you ready for the sequel. The characters are unique. The magical elements are unique. The overall message is terrific. I highly recommend this to readers of all ages.

"You can call the light whenever you need it. It will be there for you always, to illuminate your path when the world grows dark."
#ThomasWildusAndTheBookOfSorrows #NetGalley

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows by J.M. Bergen. I've read and reviewed this copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Magic is real, Thomas. No matter what happens, always remember that magic is real."

Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows is a story about a boy named Thomas, who hasn't seen his father in a very long time. The last thing his father said to him is that magic is real. This has stayed with Thomas and resulted in him visited all kinds of bookshops in search of magic books. When Thomas is given a magic book in a new bookshop in town, that is when his adventure and discovery of magic begins.

This book is a fun and magical adventure. I was immediately drawn from the first page and my interest was held until the very end. The build-up is slow but does the story justice. This story is not predictable at all, which is what I loved most about it. You slowly learn more and more about the Book of Sorrows and it's greater meaning. In the second half of the book the pace gets picked up and the story gets more action-driven. The ending is written incredibly well and ties up most of its loose ends. A fun and magical book all the way through.

I highly recommend this book if you enjoy magical adventures. Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows is a great set-up for hopefully a series of wonderful, magical books. I can't wait to read the sequel: Thomas Wildus and the Wizard of Sumeria.

Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows by J.M. Bergen is a book I requested from NetGalley and a book I won but haven't received yet. The books from NetGalley only stay active for a short period of time so I am glad I won so I can have my grand daughters read this book! A magic book, a strange book store , kidnapping, magic powers, evil super being, excitement, suspense, mystery, and more! Everything a middle grade fantasy reader would want!

I got this book as an ARC through Netgalley. A fun story of learning that "Magic is real". Thomas is a well rounded boy considering his father disappeared when he was 5. He's intelligent, likable, full of honor while sticking up for a classmate, and he knows king fu. Some of the dialogue was a little cookie cutter. I will recommend this book for 4-8th graders. The finale was kind of quick. I'm not sure where the next book is going but I'm looking forward to it. My favorite character, besides Thomas, is Squat.

Move over Percy and Harry, Thomas Wildus is da house! Welcome to a new world of magic, mystery, and delight!

Join Thomas Wildus, eponymous lead of Bergen's Thomas Wildus & the Book of Sorrows, as this young boy begins the adventure of a lifetime. And it all starts with a mysterious bookshop, of course! That, and the cryptic last words Thomas’ father ever said to him.

Magic is real, Thomas. No matter what happens, always remember that. Magic is real. ~John Wildus, Thomas Wildus & the Book of Sorrows

Returning home from school one day, Thomas stumbled across a bookshop he'd never seen before. H&A Booksellers, Purveyors of Fine Books and Rare Manuscripts. It is here that Thomas finally finds a real magic book. Huxley, the proprietor, loans Thomas the book- giving him several rules to follow with regard to being its custodian. In return, Thomas will donate 5 hrs of his time weekly, helping out in the bookstore, until he's finished with the book.

Read it alone
Keep it secret (keep it safe, haha. True though)
Read only one chapter at a time and never more than a chapter a day.

Things begin changing almost immediately for Thomas- he gets learn real magick! At least, he hopes so. It also opens up a nice can of worms, as people begin stalking him. After confiding in his best friend, Enrique, about the book, Thomas finds himself kidnapped and whisked away. To China. Here he learns more about magick and his own family that he ever thought possible.

Oh, but I loved this story! It was so much fun! There was a lot of snarky commentary, like the Percy Jackson books. The whole aspect of having the inner potential for magic awakened/ measured using a book that told of one of the first wizards was pretty cool. The more a person reads, and the greater the potential, the faster the cover becomes illuminated, as in an old manuscript's illumination. That kinda also reminded me of The Neverending Story by Michael Ende, both the illumination and the penchant for magic.

Thomas’ best friend Enrique is hilarious! They have an ongoing 'doodle war’ at school, which often gets them in trouble. The goal is to create a drawing that makes other person laugh as quickly as possible. Enrique has a greater part to play and I'm really interested to see where his story goes. Thomas too. His last name, and its origin are pretty cool. So were the quantum physics notions underlying magic and how it works. Makes it almost seem that if we ourselves had a greater understanding of those mechanics, we might be able to do magic ourselves.

Overall, a great read, perfect for fans of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and related series. Highly recommended!

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Elandrian Press for providing an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. Reviewed for the San Francisco Book Review.

I loved Thomas Wildus & the Book of Sorrows so much because of it's wonderful story, the perfection of the editing and the author's glorious use of language in a young adult book. I adore magic and fantasy and this book has it all.

Thomas had always been told that there is magic is real by his father. Although he has no proof, some odd occurrences make him wonder what if? And that is a glorious premise for this delightful story. When Thomas wonders into an antiquarian bookstore he is surprised that the owner seems to know who he is and has been expecting him. He hands Thomas a wooden box, a key and a promise to read only one chapter a night but he cannot tell anyone about the book, what he reads and must work one hour a day in the bookstore.

Thomas is determined to keep the secret but eventually tells Enrique, his best friend, when too many odd things begin to happen.

What follows is a magical tale of family, friendship, trust, loyalty and learning to believe in oneself. It's truly one of the most remarkable books I've read in years. I highly recommend J.M. Bergen's book. Fantastic!

Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows is a ya adventure. A boy dealing with middle school and magic is a recipe for a fun entertaining read. Thomas is an engaging and delightful character. The story is lively and perfect for middle grade readers.

Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows suffers from an identity problem. On the one end, it's trying to be a YA fantasy novel using some well-trod upon tropes in the genre. In this, it mostly succeeds. On the other end, it seems to be angling for a more literary fiction flair. The ideas and concepts around the Book of Sorrows and the lore around it are very intriguing. However, I am disappointed that they weren't fleshed out more properly and I would have been far more invested in the novel had these two parts of the novel meshed more effectively. This book showed a lot of promise but didn't deliver for me in the end. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book.

I’ve read a few Middle grade books with the theme of magical crystals and I’m always amazed how authors can write such diverse stories with the same basic theme; our protagonist must get to the crystals before the antagonist and thus save the world. Bergen has come up with an original take on this tried and true theme.

Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows is a magical story filled with peril and friendship.

Thomas is an ordinary twelve year old who loves to read books about magic until one day he is given not a book about magic but a magical book. His father’s parting words ring in his ears “Magic is real, Thomas. No matter what happens, always remember that magic is real.”

The story starts with the everyday life of Thomas Wildus. He goes to school, hangs out with best friend Enrique, has problems with the school bully and has a crush on a pretty girl in his grade.

After Thomas receives the book the story changes to one of mystery, danger and suspense.

There is a slow build up to the main revelations about Tomas and his mission. The explanation of the magic and quantum physics was a bit long however the story kept my interest.

Overall Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows was a good read filled with danger, suspense and magic. Thomas was a modest hero and a good role model.

I was pleasantly surprised reading this book. I absolutely loved it. It was full of action from start to finish and it was something a little bit different to what I am used to reading. It breathed fresh air into the fantasy genre and I cannot wait to devour the next book and its contents.

Beautifully lyrical, engrossing contemporary fantasy, THOMAS WILDUS AND THE BOOK OF SORROWS is first in a new series (yay!) about a boy turning 13, raised by his mother since his father inexplicably disappeared one evening when Thomas was but five. His dad's last words told him "Magic Is Real." Thomas has always believed, and despite rejection and mockery, he has continued to search for the meaning of true magic. On his way to the bus stop from his Kung Fu lesson, a couple of odd events occur, the second of which finds him in a bookstore he's never seen before, acquiring a book that will, literally, change his life. This novel is encormously entertaining and very well-written. I anticipate with glee the sequel.

Magic is real, Thomas. No matter what happens, always remember that magic is real.

Thomas, has not seen his father in years - seven to be precise. Despite this, he has not forgotten the words uttered to him, with such importance. Nearing his thirteen birthday, Thomas' interest in magic has not once waver, not even slightly. One day, noticing a shop - on his way home from Kung Fu lessons, because why not - Thomas looks for books on magic - real magic. He's dutifully, and understandably intrigued by the shop, which has never before been seen - strange - full of large, and somewhat unsanitary books. After being offered "The Book of Shadows", by the owner of the shop, accompanied by a set of instructions, Thomas agrees to follow the instructions, quickly learning that the book, is not just a book, and Thomas is not just Thomas.

Thomas, is thrown into a world of magic and intrigue, where he's approached by people who've been searching for him. Sensing he is being followed, and with his Fathers friend coming to visit him, Thomas learns that magic is real. 

In this novel, the author has created an imaginative, and purposeful novel, full of intrigue, and wonder. Effectively wielding the concepts of magic and mystery to engage with the reader, and construct a plot that is in no-way throwaway. Thomas, is faced with the age-old dilemma of a modern boy, dealing with ancient magics. Likeable, and relate-able, Thomas' character effectively grows throughout the novel, helping to create an entertaining, and interesting novel