Alec is a lonely boy who has lost his dad, seen his mom adrift so he finds solace and friendship in an unlikely place - through letters and an old Ouija board. At the turn of the century sisters, Josie and Cass live in the same house with their psychic mother whose personality is very domineering and doesn't seem to need them until she parades them before her many male sponsors. While messing around with their mother's talking board they discover that they can reach into the future and talk with Alec who now lives in their old house. Soon the children figure out a way to get around the adults who don't understand their odd friendship or want to abuse it. The story is just spooky enough, just historical enough and the plight of the kids is just similar enough to make for a wonderful tale. This fun romp may have kids pulling out their own Ouija board or Magic-8 ball to see if they can communicate with friendly spirits. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

A middle grade book with a beautiful lesson of friendship weaven into it with well defined characters and a unique premise.
The book is written in the dual pov of Alec from the present and Josie from the past. Even among this extraordinary communication, they form an unlikely friendship and try to help each other.
The only problem was the pacing which seemed to drag a bit. It was difficult to connect with the characters when not i was not as invested as i like to be.
My Rating : 3/5

An incredible story of friendship- this is no ordinary middle-grade book here. This book blew me away with its characters, well-crafted plot and unique premise.

The Boy from Tomorrow was refreshing in that it took something typically found in the horror genre and made it into a way to connect across the parallels of time and space in a sort of heartwarming way. Granted, you need to suspend your disbelief for several instances, yet Camille DeAngelis seamlessly pulls it off.

The Boy from Tomorrow follows dual narratives- Alec Frost in the modern day and Josie Clifford in the early 1900s as they communicate via Ouiji board sparking an unlikely friendship. The characters are relatable and the interactions between them seem very realistic. Also, loved Josie's younger sister, Cassie.

The premise was really well-done, lived up to its synopsis and extremely unique. While this isn't full-fledged "time travel", it was neat to see how the past and present timelines connected and I liked that it wasn't bogged down by science mumbo-jumbo.

However, one of the problems I had with this book was how it glossed over some of the heavier topics. Alec's parents are divorced and although there is a scene in which Alec visits a therapist, I wish that they'd explored this aspect more. Additionally, Josie and Cassie are victims of child abuse by their mother, Lavinia. While this is more developed, I wish there was more characterization on Lavinia for her motivation/reasoning for the poor treatment of her children.

I liked the ending well enough, it was satisfying and yet held that note of hopefulness and open-mindedness. At times, I actually forgot this was a middle-grade novel because it lacked the juvenile atmosphere and dumbed down language that is typically geared toward younger readers despite the young protagonists and occasionally the plot went kind of dark... All in all though, I really enjoyed this book- 8/10 would recommend.

*Thank you to NetGalley and its publishers for providing a free ARC*

I loved this book. It totally wasn’t what I expected but it was a delight to read. I really engaged with the characters and wanted to protect the sisters. Alec was lovely and I’m sure I wasn’t alone in wishing he could have met up with Josie. My heart was in my mouth when the boys found the grave... yes I definitely felt the emotions while reading this book. I felt Harold was a character who didnt really add to the story but this would be a great book to use with my Middle Schoolers and I know will generate some great discussions. I will look for more books by the same author.

It was very different from what I thought it was going to be. The premise was so intriguing. I liked the characters and the friendship between Alec and Josie. The interactions between them was very sweet. Cass and Josie's mother was horrible and I think the author did such a good job making her a villian.

I started and finished this book this evening. I enjoyed it very much. It dealt with the trials of having a not perfect home life across generations while remaining fresh and at times funny. Josie and Alec are both wonderful protagonist and narrators. Josie and Cass’ mother is villainous and hateful and a perfect contrast to our two time-crossed friends. This would be an excellent read aloud.

I liked this book a lot, the characters were believable and well crafted. The subject will intoxicate my library readers.
I will certainly be buying it for my library

Thank you, NetGalley for the digital ARC of this middle grade.

2.5 stars

The premise behind this middle grade was both intriguing and innovative. Unfortunately, I struggled through the book and considered abandoning in many times.

While I read some reviews calling this scary or creepy, I didn’t catch that vibe. Yes there was an ouija board at play, it is used as a means for the two main characters to communicate, much like a fold in time.

I wasn’t a fan of the abusive relationship between the mother and children, and for some reason it just didn’t feel true because while I felt bad for the characters, I didn’t feel emotionally invested in their story like I would want to be.

The pacing was slow throughout and tried to cover too much ground in order to neatly end the book. The writing and voice of characters felt a little forced and I believe that’s why I never fully connected with the characters.

Overall, neat promise but was lacking in too many areas for me to fully enjoy.

The Boy from Tomorrow is a well-told, solid story and the true strength here lies in the characters. In the past, Josie and her little sister Cassie were simply charming, I wanted Emily to be my tutor, and the girls' mother is a powerful force. In the present, Alec was the star and his friend Danny was very likeable, too. The interactions between all of the children were very believable and there was a powerful sense of connection between them all. Once this story got rolling, I was truly enchanted by these children.

It took me a bit longer than I expected to get used to the writing style in this book, but once I found the rhythm, I was really pleased that the language wasn't dumbed-down at all. I also appreciated that Camille DeAngelis didn't shy away from putting the children into situations that were truly unnerving. This made me care more about the characters and added a decent amount of tension to the plot. I can imagine the delicious sense of foreboding I would have felt if I'd read this as a preteen.

I'm always a sucker for books with alternating chapters that are handled well, and the author did not let me down there -- it was always very clear immediately which time we were in as a chapter began. Unfortunately, though, even with those alternating chapters, the story wasn't quite balanced enough for me, and that drops this book from being a 5-star, all-time favourite into the 3.5 to 4-star range.

The past is filled with a more detailed setting, in part because all of the action takes place in one location, while Alec roams around to different places in the present. But the past also features more fully-developed supporting characters than the present. The only contact we're shown with Alec's father decidedly did not go well, but then was never mentioned again, and we hear about his mother as more of a background character instead of playing a strong contrasting role to the girls' mother.

In addition, the startling tribulations the girls were facing in their time could have been better complemented by showing Alec's problems more starkly. His parent's divorce and fallout is glossed over somewhat. While we're *told* Alec is upset, and we see a brief scene with a counsellor, we're not really shown the true extent of his emotional distress. In fact, when his mother finally realizes that the girls from the past are real, she actually almost dismisses the idea that he had any emotional problems at all. This aspect of the story is begging for more depth, and could have been a wonderful portrayal of dealing with mental illness (anxiety/social anxiety) in the modern world.

A lot of the time it seemed like Alec from the future was teaching the naive girls from the past, when it would have been really interesting to see those lessons more obviously going both ways. One example is a falling out Alec has with a friend of a friend. The unease he felt about the interaction was very realistic, but Alec later comes to a very mature realization about that kid all on his own; it might have been interesting to show a stronger link to a lesson learned from his conversations with Josie.

On a final note, as an adult, I loved the ending, but I wonder whether its charm would hit the mark with a younger reader.

Overall, this was definitely an enjoyable read that I would recommend to the younger readers in my life. I just wish the depth of the present story had been enough that I'd want to shout about this book from the rooftops.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free electronic ARC of this novel, received in exchange for an honest review

Such a cute little book! I was interested in this one for my students. I think it would be great for early middle school level. I was captivated from the first page.

The Boy from Tomorrow is a fantasy time travel fiction that blends friendship and family in its beautiful tale.
Josephine and Cassandra are lonely stuck in their big house. Their mother hardly ever pays them any attention, and their only source of entertainment is their tutor, Emily. When Josie and Cassie finds a talking board, they are virtually connected to a boy living 10 years in the future, at their house, in their room.

The book confused me in the beginning because there was no indication of any time change. At one point, we were in 1995 and then suddenly in 2015. However, I got adapted to it as the story progressed.

I must say, this story is brilliantly crafted. The friendship that blossomed between the three kids was so lovely to read about. I loved Cassie and at the same time, hated her. Josie was more matured and practical. Emily's character plays a huge part and I love how caring she was toward the sisters, and how she helped them in their conversation with Alec, the boy from future.

The time travelling theme was tackled brilliantly, using it to show the power of friendship and the brutality of domestic child abuse. The story took a very serious turn towards the end, it got intense. I terribly hated the mother for all she did and felt no remorse for her end.

The end was pretty well done, and I loved that there was no big romanticized story between the two leads. I loved the end, it was a bittersweet one. At times, however, I did feel like the story dragged a little in the middle. But the chapters were short and easy to read, so it was a win win.

Overall, this book was truly enjoyable. I would totally recommend it to anyone who wants beautiful middle grade book about friendship and family.

Thank you netgalley for providing me with an e-version of this book in exchange of an honest review.

Two 12-year olds live in the same house - 100 years apart. They connect with each other via a ouija board and an old phonograph player. The chapters rotate between the two time periods and tell the story from both sides.
Mildly suspenseful. Abusive mother in the 1915 storyline.
Middle grade readers will enjoy the mystery and suspense.

This is one of those book you cannot help loving and makes you happy for having requested.
It's a great story that can be surely appreciated by adult reader and will make your inner child happy.
Well written, engaging, entertaining and a real page turner, once you start reading you cannot put down.
I loved everything: the plot, the characters, and the atmosphere.
I look forward to reading other books by this writer.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Amberjack Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This book was simply marvelous. It felt amazing to discover and follow along Alec and Josie's friendship. They both gave each other what they needed most and for that I think their relationship was really well written.

This is a lovely book with a unique and original premise. The title perfectly describes the story! Readers will be left in awe at the very end. This has the perfect blend of magic and adventure. Very great read with well-developed characters and interesting plot line. The Boy from Tomorrow will resonate with readers of every age. Highly recommend this book!

This book was so much more than I was expecting it to be! I went in thinking this would just be a cute story about kids from very different eras meeting and becoming friends through a spirit board, but it turned out to be a much more serious book. The story takes on topics including social isolation, abuse, divorce, starting over in a new place, and moving on after difficult events. I would recommend it for older children who are able to understand and process some of the darker/more serious portions of the story.

I loved the characters of Alec and Josie and the friendship they formed as the novel progressed. They provided one another with someone to talk to about the serious things going on in their lives and had each other's back when they needed help. I like Danny for accepting Alec right off the bat and joining in his adventures with enthusiasm. Cass is such a little sister and I mean that in the nicest way - she’s funny, sneaky, and completely lovable and Josie was a great big sister to her. I found myself just wanting to give those girls a big hug so often while reading this. I am so appreciative that the author gave us a glimpse into everyone’s lives as adults rather than ending after the girls left the house.

The only thing that could have been added to make me like this book any more would have been a little more information about Mrs. Gubbins and Lavinia.

"Oh, how I would love to read all the good books yet to be written." - Josephine

Completely unexpectedly, I really enjoyed this middle grades read. It has everything I loved in a kid adventure book- the new boy in a small town, a mysterious old house, a fortune teller, investigative research, magic, a hero, a villain, some history, a drop of feminism, and multiple references to books/reading.  What's not to like? 

Even though the author dives right into the story, there's still pretty good character development through the unfurling of the plot line. Good morals & a love of reading are encouraged in this book. After finishing it in less than 48 hours, I definitely recommend it.

This is a lovely story about friendship that transcends time. A boy from the 21st century meets two young girls from the early 20th century via a talking board and they forge a deep connection despite them living lives a century apart. The premise hooked me from the start and I was not disappointed by the execution. This would likely be classified as fiction for children but I'm sure most adults could enjoy this as well. I certainly really enjoyed this book!

A high 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

This is a YA book, geared most likely to the middle grades. It has a little bite to it, although it is an easy read, because it has in it the fairly mature topic of child abuse. There are elements of time travel (somewhat, anyway), of the supernatural, and really fun bits in seeing the differences in life (and technology!) in a span of 100 years time.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Boy from Tomorrow by Camille DeAngelis is a captivating young adult novel featuring protagonists that have a real problem to solve - not just distance, but time. The book is well-written and would be engaging for older readers, as well as the younger set.

As a former middle grades teacher, I can recommend this book as a title that would have been sure to fly off of my shelf into the hands of hungry young readers. Nicely done.