What a wonderful start to a new series! The magic is awesome, and I love that there is magic everywhere but hidden. I enjoyed getting to know Leopold and I think I love Isabel. There is also something so special about Emmet and the friendship he has with Leopold. Richter is an awful asshole and I hate him. The characters are all fantastic! Also, can I be best friends with Norm please? The story was so engaging, that when I got to the end, I was shocked and disappointed (in a good way). There is so much to be clarified, so many questions, and so much I'm looking forward to finding out in the next book(s).

Fascinating storyline but I had issues with the pacing.

The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry is Ransom Riggs’ newest offering after the success of the Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series.

TEDOLB follows a teen boy, Leopold Berry, who is seeing things while living in LA. And these things that he is seeing is similar to the 1990s fantasy show called Sunderworld which he will later learn is not fictional at all.

Okay, I am highly anticipating this one because the storyline and the overall vibe of the book is really intriguing that’s why I didn’t think twice when Penguin Teen asked if I want a copy. Thanks Penguin Teen!

In my opinion, this book is comparable to Stranger Things and Dorothy Must Die. I read and loved both before and I can see why this is appealing. The aesthetic of the book delivered and the transition between mortal LA and Sunder LA is distinctive hence it’s an amazing experience reading about the two overlapping worlds.

I also liked the character of Leopold Berry. As someone who grew up in a patriarchal house, I feel so much for Leopold and how his father, Richter Berry, tried to control him in the worst way possible. I can’t see Richter’s way of coaching Leopold in life as helpful since it felt borderline abusive, emotionally. And this relationship with his father resulted to him being distant and not having enough self-confidence believing that he is utterly average.

The storyline picked up when Leopold and his bestfriend, Emmett, noticed that the world of Sunder is real as they received an unexpected invitation to cross the world and experience Sunder Hills for a brief moment.

I also liked the added flavor of Leopold having the possibility of being a chosen one. As a certified delulu whose mantra is fake it till you mae it, I say go snatch that role, Leopold!

But the pacing really is not for me. There are key moments in this book where the momentum is building up but wasn’t sustained. Maybe because I don’t like the idea of the characters going back and forth between Sunder and mortal realm. I just want Leopold to know if he really is the savior of Sunder.

Still, the interesting storyline managed to push me until the last chapter of the book and so glad that I finished this one because the final scenes are super thrilling to read. I ended up writing my own summary that I can use as a recap when book 2 is out.

3.5 stars!

Before we begin this review I want to say thank you to Penguin Teen for sending me an e-arc and a physical copy it was so cool of them to do that!
What the hell was that ending?!!!! It made me. so mad that we don't have any news for book 2 I feel like we might have another long series and I can't wait if we do so! This was a book Ik I was already going to love because it's by a favorite author. The characters in this one was so relatable and so funny too. I didn't love the way emette treated Leopold haflway through but excited to see how Emette's character delevopment is going to go in book 2! Please penguin when is book 2 coming and can I have it now?!!!

Bursting with imagination and wonder Riggs delivers an imaginative portal fantasy. Riggs takes the familiar setting of Los Angeles and makes it his playground.

Leopold has never felt special. His school counselor tells him that his test scores are average. Average, a word that follows him as he discovers the world of Sunder. A world that he thought only existed in video tapes and his head. When he travels there he finds that they are in need of a hero.

I'm excited to see where this series goes after this first installment. The unique pov of a teen who doesn't feel special, but finds himself in a magical world in need of a chosen one and yet he falls short once again was so compelling.

Leopold was a compelling character. He's a great friend to Emmet and his relationship with his mother had been so sweet.

If you like imaginative world building and people learning to bet on themselves.

Thanks Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

This was great. I did not expect it to be so immersive so fast. It flips the common "chosen one" trope on its head and gives you something which is a great change of pace

Sunderworld, Vol. I: The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry presents an unusual narrative that mixes fantasy and existential musings, but its pacing can feel uneven at times. While the world-building shows creativity, some readers may find it difficult to connect with the protagonist's introspective journey. The book’s philosophical undertones offer moments of depth, though they can occasionally overshadow the plot. Overall, it's a unique but polarizing read, likely to appeal to fans of more abstract and thought-provoking storytelling.

This was a great read!! So happy to get a fresh Ransom Riggs story! Highly recommend if you love his other work!! Totally has me wanting to reread some things to catch up on newer additions while I wait for what’s next!!

I will always be a fan of stories where a fantasy world is so close to the real world. Because this is Ransom Riggs, this is also a weird story, in all the best ways. I was especially sympathetic to Leopold, the main character, who feels alone in the world after losing his mother. Nobody can even get his name right. This is just the first in what I hope is a long series, because I like the world we get to see so far. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.

This book is funny and weird and I'm here for all the vibes in this one. I like that while the chapters are short, they pack a punch and I am so grateful for the Chance to read this one!

As a huge fan of the Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children series, I was excited to get the opportunity to read the first book in this new series by Ransom Riggs. With Sunderworld, Vol. I: The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry Riggs has primed us for another exciting YA/Fantasy series. Sunderworld is a parallel world running alongside---or, more accurately, a world overlaid onto---our world, invisible to normal folks, but visible to Sunderworld natives (called Sparks), within which magic works... But it's kind of rundown and neglected. Magic can't make up for infrastructure deterioration.

In short, Sunderworld feels like a world in need of a renaissance, or at least a savior of some sort to return a spark (pun intended) of life to it. Leopold (mostly called Larry in the normal world) seems to be the chosen one, but he lacks faith in himself. He lost his devoted mother (who had secrets of her own related to Sunderworld) at a young age and his father does nothing but criticize him for every perceived failure to live up to his exacting standards. Leopold is a round peg his father wants to shove into a square hole.

At one point, after discovering Sunderworld, Leopold takes a leap of faith in himself, but fails and is basically exiled from the ability to live his one enduring dream scenario. Another failure. (Note: readers are forewarned by the subtitle to this book, i.e., 'Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry.')  But Leopold is loyal and doesn't give up when barriers are thrown in his path. There's a clear sense that Leopold will eventually succeed, just as there's a clear sense Sunderworld will recover from its own crises---no doubt with 'extraordinary' help from Leopold. But that does not happen in Sunderworld Vol. 1. While I enjoyed this book, and look forward to all the developments to come, there is definite sense that this volume is a long prologue of sorts, a table-setting volume hinting at lots of fun things to come rather than feeling complete in itself. I definitely recommend this first volume, but go in knowing it's very much a 'to be continued' ending type of book.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was so excited to hear that Ransom Riggs had a new series coming out and this one did not disappoint!

Thoughts:
- The writing style as always had a great level of humor in it and was really enjoyable to read
- The world building with the magical world intertwined with LA in a gritty, grungy way was cool
- I loved Leopold and his story so far - in just this one book it was great to see his growth and how he didn’t let his “averageness” stop him

Overall I really enjoyed this book and am excited to see what Riggs has in store for the rest of the series!

Thank you SO much Penguin Teen for providing me with an e-ARC, a physical copy, and an awesome promo box!

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an early copy for an honest review.

It was so fun jumping back into a fantasy world written by Ransom Riggs. This first book felt like a great opener to what could potentially be a really entertaining series of adventure. This quick read is perfect for young adults who want to start their fantasy journey! I look forward to what is to come.

Still over here thinking about Sunderworld and how I didn't get enough time in it...

Ransom Riggs has done it again, creating a world and characters that you just want to hug and help and root for! Leopold Berry is a disappointment to most around him. Except for his best friend who has been by his side, recreating their favorite quirky TV show Sunderworld, for years. When they start seeing Sunderworld in their world, things start to get a little wild.

This was such a fun ride from start to finish. With dark humor and a little 90's grunge feel, I had the best time following Leo on his journey to figure out what in the (Sunder)world is happening and what it has to do with his parents. Will definitely be rereading at some point and I'm anxiously awaiting book 2!!

I really enjoyed this initial installment of Ransom Rigg's new series. Leopold is still grieving over his mother's death and doesn't have many people who understand him other than his best friend. And even then, his best friend starts getting worried about his visions.

Leopold "Larry"'s initial denial of his visions helps build up to his incredible awe and joy when he realizes that his favorite TV show, Sunder, is based on a true parallel world and he can actually live all the things he dreamed of. I enjoyed how Riggs detailed certain scenes from the TV and then had them play out for Leopold in real time.

There are so many great action scenes. And the secondary characters introduced are fun and described so well. I know a lot of people love Miss Peregrine's world and the characters there, but I couldn't connect to them as much. Sunderworld has what that one was lacking for me and I love each and every one of these characters, yes even the horrible father plays his part so well!

I was engaged and entertained the entire book and just had to know what was going to happen. The world building isn't too complex and I can't wait to see how things progress in the sequel. There are so many things I want to say about what I enjoyed but unfortunately they would be spoilers, so I hope this gushing, vague review is enough to have you picking up the story as well.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

This was one of the WEIRDEST books I have read in such a long time but oh my god it got me out of my slump in such a good way

This book is everything I hoped that Riggs would bring to a slightly older YA series, and even though its been YEARS since I've read the Miss Peregrine's books Riggs brings that nostalgic whimsy of a mid 2000s modern YA fantasy back in full fucking force.

I love the descriptions of Sunderland, and I love how Riggs takes the 'chosen boy' trope and just turns it on its head with Leopold Berry and makes him SO likeable and SO ordinary that you just can't really help but just root for the guy.

This book is honestly so fun and such a light palette cleanser that I 100% recommend it ESPECIALLY if you're feeling nostalgic for the awe and wonder you felt when reading books like Inkspell, Percy Jackson, Miss Peregrine, Narnia or even Artemis Fowl for the first time, and I absolutely will be picking up the next book!

Remember your favorite childhood fantasy world? What if it’s real, & your 17-year-old self has a chance to save it, but then completely blows it?

Leopold Berry has been having flashbacks to an old show he watched over & over on VHS tapes called Max’s Adventures in Sunderworld - it’s been five years since he lost himself in that fantasy world in the aftermath of his mother’s death, but now Sunder is bleeding into the real L.A. & Leopold needs the help of his friend Emmett to avoid his extremely overbearing father & figure out how exactly he can fix this latest onslaught of unfortunateness…

I love the VHS cover for this book! I very much enjoyed the Miss Peregrine’s series & am excited to report that I am equally entranced by this first book in Ransom Riggs’s new saga. The ‘90’s vibes you get from Leopold’s obsession with the set of VHS tapes & his mom’s old station wagon are nostalgic & amazing, & I loved that there’s an Iowa reference sprinkled into the world-building. You can also feel the everyday grittiness of what it’s like to live in Los Angeles as a teenager (albeit a privileged one that was still dealing with the usual litany of high school problems), which was an interesting change from other stories I’ve read that focus on the glamour of Hollywood. I can’t wait to read the next installment!

Thank you very much to NetGalley & Dutton Books for Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Larry Berry is surprisingly and absurdly average in every way. Even all the tests done on his aptitude show that. What isn't average about Larry is that he is seeing things from a place called Sunderworld, which is a tv show he found old VHS tapes of after his mom died. Unfortunately, as far as Larry knows, Sunderworld is fictional, which means his visions are concerning. His best friend Emmet confirms this.
That is until the teens end up in Sunderworld... Sunderworld ties into a puzzle that Larry's deceased mother set him to find. Only he has no clue why, or what, this is all supposed to lead to.
I really enjoyed this novel! It's a very different world from Ransom Riggs' earlier series, but there is enough overlap in writing style and design elements that if you enjoyed the Miss Peregrine series, then you'll likely enjoy this one. I'm already excited for the next book in the series.

Sunderworld: The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry by Ransom Riggs is book one in the Sunderworld series. I enjoyed this book so much!!

Leopold Berry is 17yo, his mom passed away 5 years ago and he is still struggling. His father seems to think and lets Larry know he is a disappointment and Larry does is good enough. He is broken and just trying to figure out his place in the world. Trying to hold onto the memory of his mom he finds some VHS tapes of a 1990s fantasy TV show called Max's Adventures in Sunderworld and watches them obsessively. While awake he starts seeing characters from the show. But not everyone around him is seeing what he sees.

I feel like the plot and storyline were so well done. The world building and magic had me hooked I could see it playing like a movie in my head. I felt like all of the characters they were so well written. I enjoyed the mystery and finding the clues Larry’s mom left for him. I loved watching Larry learn more about himself and that he was not the disappointment. This is my first book by Ransom Riggs and I cannot only wait to read more of his books, but I cannot wait for book two in the Sunderland series. Thank you to Ransom Riggs, Penguin Group and Dutton Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for letting me read the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinion.

This was definitely not what I was exciting, but I did enjoy it. The only downside was that I felt like it was just starting to pick up when the book ended.

I loved the peregrine book and was excited to read this one. It was not what I expected but still an enjoyable read. Ransom Riggs does not disappoint and I’m excited to see what comes next!