I grew up in the 90s and this was so nostalgic for me. The VHS tapes! But that’s not what this review is about. This book gives us an awkward protagonist which I am always here for. A coping mechanism that isn’t necessarily healthy - also here for this.

What would you do if your favorite world from a show/movie was actually real? That’s what happens to Leopold in this book. He becomes an unlikely hero while facing grief and I genuinely couldn’t put this one down.

It starts a little slow but picks up quickly and it is so worth it. This is for all the 90s gremlins who still have some vhs tapes in their closet.

I enjoyed the story and concept of Sunderworld, Vol. I. I really liked the beginning intro getting to know the character Leopold Berry and the craziness that is his life. I also enjoyed the Narnia like vibes of someone finding a hidden entrance to a magical realm. A lot of this first novel I believe focused on exposition and description of the new world and the characters, and I would have loved to seen more focus on plot to really pull me in. The pacing slowed down a lot after being introduced to everyone and every world, and then at the end it picked up too quickly and seemed to rush through.

Well, I wanted to like this one a lot more than I did. As a huge fan of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, I was super excited when I saw Ransom Riggs had a new series coming out, and the premise of Sunderworld sounded really interesting. I think Riggs's writing here is very well done, and like in his previous work, the details are very vivid and help put you right in the scene. I enjoyed the characters, as well.

However, my biggest issue with this book is the pacing and the plot, or lack thereof. The pacing is SO SLOW which in general is not my taste. I kept waiting for the pace to pick up, especially once the characters actually discovered Sunderworld, but it never did. I was about 60% through when I realized that it probably wasn't going to pick up. The plot also felt all over the place to me, and I'm still not quite sure what the overall conflict of the whole series is supposed to be; even though this is the first book in a series, it felt like there was no build-up whatsoever, even with it ending on a cliffhanger. The events that did happen were nothing like what I expected and seemed to come out of nowhere. So, while there are some things I'm curious about, I don't think I'm going to continue with the series.

Ransom Riggs knows how to deliver a unique story. I went into the story completely blind and I’m so glad I did. What a strange and Compelling world that brings nostalgia to those that grew up in the VHS era. Leopold is starting to see weird things pop up around Los Angeles after he finds a box of VHS tapes and becomes immersed in the world of Sunder. Becoming obsessed with the world from a television show was his way to avoid grieving his mother. An obsession is one thing, but when it turns out to be real, how do you handle that? Leopold Is now having to save Sunder world and Hopefully show his father he’s not a disappointment. Great characters and interesting world make this a great first book in a series

I wasn't sure about this book when I read only the first few chapters but the momentum picked up from there and then I could not put the book down! I love everything about this book, how magical it is but not so heavy on the magic and spells elements. I can't wait for the second book!

Ransom Riggs has a new fantasy series. Leopold Berry is the hero for every awkward, average teenager. He is completely average and aspires to little, despite the constant prodding of his successful father. He lost his mother a few years prior and has had visions as a coping mechanism. At least that is what he is told until those visions bring him to a magical world under LA with ties to his mother. This first book in this new series is a set up novel. It introduces the characters and the worlds they live in but it ultimately leaves you with more questions than answers. It will be fascinating to see how this story develops in future novels. I'm ready for Volume II.

This is a good novel for the young adult set more interested in fantasy and everyday heroes than romance.

My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for an advance copy. My opinion is my own.

This was my first introduction to Ransom Riggs writing style. I have read most of his wife, Tahereh Mafi's works, but for some reason did not delve into the world of Miss Peregrine.

This book intrigued me me from the first time I read the description. A tv show set in the 90's, magical realism, a quest novel? Sign me up!

Having recently lost a parent, I understand the ache Leopold has for his late mother. To hold on to his dilapidated car Bessie because it was hers and all that comes with such a loss.

Leopold has a great support system in his friend Emmett, his bff and former Sunderland co-pretender. Leopold's father is a caricature of the entitled wealthy, self-important dad trope.

I loved the fact that this book was set in LA, and had a "real" LA and a "magical fictional LA" called Sunderland.

I enjoy magical realism and this book blurred the lines well. Riggs' character and world building were very well fleshed out here.

The dialogue of teenagers was spot on, which is what I measure a YA book by.

While the cliffhanger was a little confusing and the ending seemed a little rushed, I did find this book entertaining.

I am looking forward to the next volume! Take me back to Sunderworld, soon!

Wow, what a surprise this book was! I remember requesting the ARC simply for the cover alone, and am so glad I made that decision.

Leopold is a silly, charming, relatable character you can’t help but cheer for. He’s so much like the protagonists you love in other books, but different in little ways that make him unique and unforgettable. The supporting cast is fantastic as well, even if they have very little page time. But where a lot of the magic lies is in, well, the magic– the world. Sunder Hill. The nostalgia a lot of us feel seeing the cover of this book? That same nostalgia practically oozes out of the pages. Ransom Riggs has created a vibrant world full of neon lights, deserts at sundown, diners with your favorite pie, and a city with little bits of magic squeezed into every crevice.

I highly recommend you read about Leopold’s journey as he navigates the extraordinary disappointments of his life because you’ll have a blast, I promise!

I loved it and want the second one already. So many questions to answer about each character and the ending..!!!

This book was one my coworker actually recommended and so when I got the ARC on here I was overjoyed! It’s so whimsical, the tone is fun, and the fantasy is just unhinged enough to keep you reading in sheer ‘what is going to happen next’ attitude. I grabbed a physical copy the minute I saw the cool VHS design and I’ve recommended it to so many people. Reminiscent of Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, Ray Bradbury, and the pure nostalgic fun of a bygone era - this book has it all.

This is a great start to a brand new series by Ransom Riggs. Like his Peculiar Children books the story starts with a teenage boy wandering into another world hidden within our own. Leopold has always been a disappointment to his father, and since his mother died and he discovered her VHS tapes of the obscure tv show "Sunderworld", he has also been seeing things. He believes he's probably going crazy, until one night when he finds himself in the real Sunderworld, a world that needs a hero.

Leopold's story is a good look at the "chosen one" trope, and what happens when perhaps there isn't actually a chosen one. What can you do when you're a constant screw up without much of a support system? The worldbuilding is strange and magical in the same way as Peculiar Children, and unlike some series the sense of the weird and strange doesn't fade as you find out more about Sunderland. I'm looking forward to seeing what further adventures Leopold has in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me this ARC of Ransom Riggs newest novel. I was a huge fan of the “…Peculiar Children” series! I knew upon reading this book would be quite different. This is the beginning of another series, less eerie and more fantasy. This is a great novel for anyone interested in portal fantasy. Well written as I had expected from Riggs! Definitely excited for the second book!!

Well, this book did a great job in introducing us to the most interesting but strangely completely average character of Leopold (not Larry!) who I think will be turning out to be way more remarkable after that cliffhanger!

Despite being put down all the time by his awful father, Leopold is a survivor, holding on to his mother's old Volvo and her old collection of Sunderworld tv show, and hanging out with his best friend Emmett. With all that Leopold has been through it is no wonder he would run to a new world, especially if it is connected to his mother (who was way better than his father and I would love to try one of her games). Sunder Hill is interesting and I would not mind going there myself, but during nicer times, which it is currently not though there are nice characters that live there like Norm and Isabel.

So I hope the next book comes out quick since this one mostly just sets the scene and I really need to find out what Leopold is going to do with his mother's gift, how Emmett is going to be fixed, and what secret Isabel is hiding!

Definitely a good book to read by a great author!

Interesting start to a series, but I'm not sure if my expectations were just too high from Ransom Riggs, or if this truly was just a painstakingly middle-ground novel. The main thing that hooked me to this novel was the idea of Sunder, this world beneath our own which Leopold learned from hidden VHS tapes no one in the said world is aware of. The pieces were in place for a brilliant mystery to unravel, yet it fell flat, especially in the first half. The main problem of the first half is that it essentially has no plot and drags on about this singular night Leopold and his friend Emmet spend in Sunder, yet I feel like we were getting way too much information about Sunder that ended up not being relevant at all to the second half? Most of the ideas and world-building about Sunder that appear in the second half are just straight-up introduced as they're needed for the plot, such as the knife that cuts through walls, which I feel could have easily been foreshadowed in the first half where essentially nothing of importance happens except dialogue obviously written by a 40-year-old man attempting to fit in with today's vision of teens.
Despite the first half being as boring as it was, I did find I enjoyed the second half a lot more. It has a much better atmosphere surrounding the novel, going from this wacky hodgepodge in the first half to a more sullen and foggy world that matches the tone of Leopold's relationship with the new character, Isabella. Despite this nice setting and clash of relationships it still felt like the plot wasn't really going anywhere, which is the main problem with the reveals at the end. It doesn't feel like it was built up properly enough for such an ending to be deserved, for lack of a better term. The issue of Emmet's memory, and the thing on Leopold's chest, are just randomly solved in a way that wasn't foreshadowed, and in retrospect, the characters were actively working against what they needed to do to achieve a said ending. It was very rushed to this point as well.
One last thing that really bugged me about this book is how it's the first in a series, yet it doesn't properly set up for a sequel. Sure, it ends on a cliffhanger, but with underdeveloped relationships, characters that have fallen flat so only Leopold could have character growth and a world that's never really explained to excite the reader for the sequel. I really wish I had loved this book as much as I had loved Mrs. Peregrines when I read it for the first time, but it seems it's not the case this time. :(

I absolutely LOVED this author's Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series, so I was looking forward to reading this latest book! Leopold Berry is an average, awkward teen trying to figure out life after the death of his beloved mother and dealing with his critical and disapproving father. He does have a best friend Emmet, who understands him best as they both loved to recreate scenes from their favorite magical TV series (reminds me a bit of the friendship from Me and Earl and the Dying Girl). They both are astonished to find clues that this magical land might indeed be REAL (the story in this area reminds me a bit of the book The Magicians, where characters find their beloved magical childhood book is about a real place) and they seek to discover more for themselves. The book did spend a large portion building the magical world and character development, so when towards the end, as it was just starting too have some action and adventure, the story ended too abruptly for me as I cannot WAIT to find out more! I have so many questions... hoping most will be answered in the next book, which I cannot wait to read!

A while back, I read Riggs's "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children." I instantly became obsessed with it, the rich lore, the lovely inclusion of actual photographs from the author's personal collection, and the nail-biting cliffhangers after each book. Therefore, when I found "Sunderworld," I knew I had to check it out. And luckily, I was not disappointed.

If before Riggs explored the world of weird photography for his source of inspiration, it seems the muse here were the VHS tapes of old children's shows from the 80's and 90's. As someone who grew up watching "Blues Clues" on old tapes at home, I can understand how this can be the source for a new book/series.

While the world itself is interesting, and the humor is on par with that of Riggs's previous series, what I think makes this book stand out from his prior work is the inclusion of a friend along for the ride who may not be the chosen one, but is supportive nonetheless. Outside of "Lord of the Rings" I have seen very few fantasy works go down this route of having an ally who does not become resentful because he is definitely not the main character. I am interested to see how this series progresses, and if it remains on course to be another favorite.

Thanks to BookishFirst and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I just found this title to be different. The pacing is off at the start and that makes this read a little slow (at the start). This will put off some of the kids who pick up the book. Add to that the strangeness of the story and I am not certain this book will be beloved. it is, unfortunately, a DNF for me.

I love Portal Fantasy, especially when the story has charm and whimsy. Sunderworld delivers on both. This was honestly just a great time. It gave me Stranger Things vibes but with less horror and more weirdness. It does end on a cliffhanger if that is a dealbreaker for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Books for Young Readers for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to see that Randsom Riggs wrote another book. I loved his others.

This book had some great action, loveable characters and magic. Leopald is very relatable and he is the hero we all root for. I loved the magic system and that he was older and not a teen. Of course as a mom the underlined love his mom went through to make sure he found his way was heartwarming.

If you love magical hidden worlds and rooting for the underdog you are going to love this.

I loved this book for the most part and looking forward to more from this Sunderworld. The background of the boy is similar to most things that most have going on during childhood. The world doesn’t{t give respect like how he deserves except his friend. I loved how the book look like the old VCR tape packaging, it makes it feel like an old film that you are taking a look into so like this retro feel to it.