I loved the Miss Peregrine series and the inspiration behind the series was so unique. So when I saw that Ransom Riggs was debuting a new series I was eager to check it out.

Sunderworld is full of nostalgic teen angst, friendship, grief and the desire to escape into a world where you feel like you may belong. Sunderworld is an urban fantasy world that offers more grit than whimsy and transports our main character into a world that may help him better connect with his late mother.

For fans of:
📼 YA urban fantasy
📼 Noatalgic nods to the 80s/90s
📼 Stephen King’s Dark Tower series (sentient modes of transportation and a gritty deserted town vibe)

A HUGE thank you to Penguin for allowing me access to one of my most anticipated books of the year. After Leopold's mom passes, he and his best friend, Emmet, find a box of tapes that were his mom's and easily become obsessed with this new to them tv show, Sunderworld. He loses himself in this world to help grieve his mom and to disappear from his overbearing father. Leopold has strange visions, based on the Sunerworld setting, but he just thinks he is losing his mind. When things happen on the worst possible day of his life, Leopold and Emmet soon find out that Sunerworld isn't just a tv show, it's a real place. What could go wrong when they find out their favorite TV show is reality? So, so much. But I can't tell you why or what happens because that would be a spoiler ;)

I don't know what it is recently, but apparently, I've been loving picking up books where the character's mom, or just someone close to the character dies, so this was hard-hitting for me since my mom has recently passed., but at the same time, this is exactly what I needed. There is something about Ransom's writing that I love, where I lose myself in every book of his I read. I can tell you now this is so different from the Miss Peregrine series, but at the same, it isn't, with visiting a new world and figuring out the evil that lies within. The world-building is just right. It makes you feel like you're in Sunderworld itself and it doesn't take away from the story itself. The character development is just right. I love Leopold because it makes you realize that even the most average, ordinary person can make such a huge difference in someone else's world. The adventure aspect is what makes the book, but I don't want to spoil anything! The reason I rated this book four stars is because it started slow, which I understand because of world-building and character development, but also because of how quickly the book ended. I was reading the ARC on my Kindle and went back and forth a couple of times thinking something was wrong with my copy, and then went and checked my physical copy to see that's where it actually ended.

Overall, Rigg's sophomore series is off to a great start and I'm already itching for vol. 2!

I’m really struggling to talk about this without giving spoilers, but it was weird in the very best way and I cannot physically wait for the sequel!!

Highly recommended if you love:

📼 Stranger Things-esque nostalgia vibes
📼 Being transported to different worlds
📼 Solving mysteries
📼 Rooting for the underdog

Thank you so very much to Penguin Teen for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Wow. Now THAT is a first in a series. 4.5 stars!

Leopold is the main character we've been WAITING for in YA. It seems like all YA books recently have been muddling together, all with the same-ish types of tropes and grand kingdoms and heists and enemies to lovers -- which I enjoy reading, but that oversaturated new idea of YA just made reading this book feel like a breath of fresh air. A troubled child that knows he's capable of something otherworldly... but how does he unleash it? I liked the relatable background with the broken family dynamic with the loss of his mother and terrible relationship with his father, and the awkward friendships, and I'm glad it didn't come with too much self deprecation. In Sunder, Leopold knows he belongs.

The descriptions of Los Angeles and Sunder are so vivid, it's as if Riggs actually taking the reader through the universe by hand. I'm glad that Emmet turned out to be a supportive character rather than saying "nah man you're crazy and I'm outta here." It was super refreshing to see! I enjoyed the humor between the two characters, the fast paced adventure, and the slower appreciation of the setting. AND THE ENDING!!! I love a good cliffhanger.

It definitely did throw me off a bit that the chapters were so short, but later when the action picked up in Sunder, it felt like I was breezing through the book. And the only reason why this book isn't a full five stars is because although the language is beautiful, we were in Leopold's head a lot, and I would have liked to see it as dialogue instead of pages of non verbal action.

What an incredible read from Ransom Riggs, and it comes at a perfect time too -- while everyone waits for the final Stranger Things season! (I literally sold this book today in my store by saying hey it's like Holden Caulfield existed in Stranger Things.)

Reading this took me back to the magical feeling of starting a new YA series as a kid that you just knew was going to be one of your new favorites. Ransom Riggs delights in a new series that already has me hooked in book 1. Sunderworld is so strange and lovely that I need more of it right now. The bonding of a found family, while trying to avoid a very traumatic and problematic real family is something that will lead a lot of people to identifying with Leopold Berry.

There are so many things about this story that had me tearing up - both in sadness and in joy. There are some incredible moments and quotes that just evoke so much emotion - from Leopold counting how long it had been since his mom died, not by the years, but by the speedometer and sometimes actively not driving so that it would not feel like she was so far away, to wishing so badly to live in Sunderworld rather than live in his own world where his mom was dead. And finally, the message behind a lot of the story of Leopold accepting who he was and no matter how many times people say he is extremely ordinary or “remarkably unremarkable.”

“Leopold Berry might’ve been a disappointment to the world, but he’d never again be a disappointment to himself.”

Thank you to #PenguinTeenPartner @penguinteen for my copy of the book! All thoughts are my own.

I absolutely loved diving into sunderworld and getting to know all the characters, a hilarious yet fun YA Fantasy with incredible world building I felt like I could step through the pages into sunder (and I really wished I could've) after finishing the book I felt I needed the second book immediately I'm officially invested in this series and cannot wait to read more by Ransom Riggs.

thank you so much Penguin teen for a physical arc all opinions are my own.

The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry was a fun read that ended too quickly. It took me a minute to get into it, but once it got to the main part of the story, it really took off. I feel like this book is perfect for fans of the Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series, also by this author, and for fans of Stranger Things. Plus I absolutely love this book cover!
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The book follows the titular character, Leopold Berry, as he starts to have visions of Sunderworld. Sunderworld is a fantastical place from an old television show called Max’s Adventures in Sunderworld. After his mom passed away, Leopold found some old VHS tapes of the show in her belongings. He quickly became obsessed with the show and even roped his friend Emmet into helping him recreate the series.
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Now he’s seeing visions of the show in his everyday life. Visions that he can’t tell if it’s real or in his head. When he reaches out to Emmet for help the two get accidentally whisked away to Sunder, which is apparently what Sunderworld is based off of. Thinking that this must me he’s the chosen one, Leopold tries to fight a monster to prove himself. When that backfires, he and Emmet have their memories erased and are sent back home. The next day, Leopold wakes in his room without any idea how he got there. Soon though his memories come crashing back. When he gets into a fight with his oppressive father, he runs away. In the process he finds a clue from his mom that sends him on a scavenger hunt that leads him back to Sunder and the adventure of a lifetime.
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This book is just campy fun. I loved the parts that featured Sunder and the quirkiness of that world. Overall this book is humerous and perfect for anyone that has ever wanted to escape to another world.

This was such a fun book, I was hooked from the very beginning. Leopold is a great character to follow and I loved the adventure and magic we get to experience alongside him.

It was touching and emotional seeing 17 year old Leopold still struggle with his mom’s passing five years on. His father’s blunt disapproval is slowly draining Leopold and it was tough to watch. Richter Berry can shove it to be honest!

The magic and world building had me believing I was in the book and reminded me of my favorite adventure movies growing up. Such a cool concept and executed wonderfully. The mystery and clues left by Larry’s mom added an exciting layer to discover and I really loved the connection he had with his mom.

Needless to say, I ate up the short action packed chapters and am dying to read the next installment. This might be my new favorite series ❤️

Thank you Dutton Books for the review copy.

𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝, 𝐕𝐎𝐋𝟏: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 by @ransomriggs
Pub Date: Aug 27, 2024
Genre: YA fantasy
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I flew through this book in 24 hours, I just hopped into this adventure with the main character Leopold Berry, and couldn’t stop until the last page. This YA book has a secret portal world and magic. The world-building was made with such great pacing and I loved the weird and unique Sunderworld and its magic system. Perfect setup of the world for the series.

I liked all the characters. Leopold or Larry is presented to us as the most average kid, but you keep wondering until the last page if he is something bigger and if he has a bigger destiny. I felt like a kid on an adventure reading this book and I can’t wait for the next book and be back in this world with all characters!!

Thank you so much @penguinteen for the gifted ARC.

I loved this book! I can't wait for the next one. I love the retro feel that gave a Stranger Things vibe. The author really brought everything to life.

First of all it has to be said how excited I was to be asked to review this book. Second...maybe I am the only one thinking this. Maybe I am way off base. But aside from being a love letter to L.A...having read the dedication to Tahereh, I couldn't help but feel certain characters were based on the two of them, and that this book was a sort-of fantasy version of "This Is How I Met My Wife and These Are Our Kick-Butt Adventures". But I digress. Ahem.

Leopold is a tall, nerdy guy who never does anything exceptional. He's completely, middle-of-the-road average. 5 years ago, he lost his mother, and found tapes of an old, obscure fantasy T.V. show called "Max's Adventures in Sunderworld" in her belongings. The show only had one season, but Leopold was hooked on it. With his best friend, Emmett, he scripted and filmed new adventures for the main character. He even dreamed of the day he'd enter Sunderworld himself, and waited all day once for his half-mechanical, animal guide to show up and give him a key - like what happened to Max in the show.

When that didn't happen, Leopold went back to being average. Hanging out with his friends, disappointing his rich jerk of a father, doing typical teenage things. The only problem is he began seeing things that weren't there, things that shouldn't exist. Guys putting their teeth in parking meters. Old ladies manning parking garage booths with leathery wings on their back. A raccoon that kept setting itself on fire. And then...he suddenly made it rain. In L.A. In the middle of August.

Everyone, even Leopold's friends, wants him to believe these are "episodes" - indicators of a bigger mental breakdown he's not dealing with since his mom's death. Leopold decides they're right and tries to ignore the weird visions - until he stumbles on his own "key" and finds out Sunder is a very real place. And with some help from a final puzzle left by his mom, and the aid of a mysterious girl - he must find a way to save it from disaster, even if he has to do it the "average" way.

This book has many levels. On one hand, it's coming to terms with the death of a beloved parent and dealing with grief and its repercussions. It's also a coming-of-age story about learning to believe in yourself and push forward even if you don't always happen to be the most talented or amazing at everything you try. And then there's a dash of fantasy and magic, love of Los Angeles history and love of film, as well as the start of an amazing friendship (maybe more) all rolled up in there.

It's a wonderful book and a great beginning. 4.5 stars only because I wish there was less swearing. I know teenagers talk that way, it doesn't mean they should. But aside from that, I loved it and I can't wait for more. Thank you thank you THANK YOU to Ransom Riggs and PenguinTeen and Netgalley for letting me be on the review team. This is a voluntary review, all thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

To the ones who've always wanted to journey into their favorite fantasy lands, but secretly know they'd get their butts kicked, this is the book for you. The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry is a perfect mix of a depressingly ordinary "hero," a fantasy realm right under your nose, and a tantalizing mystery that will leave readers satisfied with this installment, yet eager for more. Leopold stumbles through life in a way that will capture any teen in at least one way. Whether it's clinging to a beloved junker car, floundering with the idea of choosing a future career path, struggling with a suffocating parent or the loss of one, or coming to terms with their own limitations, Leopold takes hit after hit, but at least he doesn't say "forget it." The world of Sunder has so many interesting paths to be explored in future installments - what's causing the Aether shortage? Who created the show based on it? And what's going on with the big reveal at the end? I'm eager for more, yet felt fully content with the story given to us here.

4.5 stars

I was so excited to see that Ransom Riggs was coming out with a new series. I was absolutely obsessed with the miss peregrine's home for peculiar children series. I was a bit worried that this one wouldn't live up to the hype of that one, but though it is different it is still very enjoyable. There are no found images like in Miss peregrine's which I do miss, but they wouldn't work for this story. Ransom Riggs does a fantastic job of building a world alongside our own as well as characters that fit well for this type of story.
This book was very much a set up for the rest of the series. We get only a small glimpse into Sunderworld and I can't wait to see more of Sunderworld and the characters that are inhabiting it.
Overall a great start to a new and unique series. Check it out.

Content warning: emotional abuse, grief, past death of parent, cliffhanger

What a fun new world to explore! The world of Sunder was supposed to be just a fictional world of a tv show. One that a 12 year Leopold Berry became obsessed with after finding the VHS tapes after his mother’s death. Now, age 17, Leopold is seeing and experiencing some weird things. He never thought Sunder was real - until it suddenly was.

I liked the world building of the novel. Sunder is made up mysterious magical places through out LA. Leopold sets out on somewhat of a scavenger hunt and it takes him to real life places in the city and some fantastical places.

I am a magic lover and I will read anything if you tell me there’s magic. In Sunder, magic needs Aether. Basically Aether is described as the “fuel” needed for spells and magical objects. An Aether Focuser is a like a techy kind of wand to cast the spells. They literally sell Aether boosting snacks and drinks in Sunder convenience stores. I loved this and the tech aspect of the magic. I feel like I’m nerding out on this magic but it was 👍🏻👍🏻 for me.

I feel like Volume 1 was just an introduction and a lead up to what’s to come next for Leopold in Sunder. Like just the tip of the iceberg that is Leopold Berry’s story. There is so much more to explore and so much unresolved business. I have theories and I need to know if I’m right or in the right direction. So I’ll take Volume 2 now thanks. 😊


⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Sunderworld Vol 1: The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry is the first book in a new series following Leopold, an incredibly ordinary guy just trying to figure out what the next steps in his life are going to be. He has no plan, is completely mediocre in every way and sometimes sees things that aren't there, like that burning racoon outside his interview.

"The Executive called me 'remarkably unremarkable'," Leopold said dryly. "Average absolutely to the decimal point. Unspecial by every magical metric,' If we're going to insult my abilities, let's quote an expert."

I was really excited to see something new from Ransom Riggs. He has a really interesting imagination and I was excited to see what the author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children came up with for a new story. Well we are off to a good start. Leopold takes us on a journey though a very different LA were certain people can cross over to Sunderworld. He has been seeing this alternate version of LA off and on since he watched some very old VHS videos he found of this place that was supposed to be made up, but might just be real, if you have the right kind of magic.

Leopold is an easy kid to like. He seems a bit broken and is hanging on to anything that he has left from before his mother died. Including a old beat up Volvo. He is a little on the unusual side and doesn't have a lot of friends, but he is completely loyal to his best friend Emmet. You can tell there is going to be so much more to him once he figures out what is going on in his life and why he is seeing some of the characters that were in those VHS tapes in his waking life.

After Leopold finds a book he and his mom used to draw treasure hunts and maps in he is on a brand new adventure that takes him and his best friend, Emmet, in and out of this alternate LA, through dangerous battles and explorations of new magic. It was a fun ride and I had a lot of fun in it. There are discoveries to be made, like is that guy saying he is Leopold's father, really his father or is something more sinister going on there. Who was Leopold's mom really? That treasure map seems extremely magical for something a regular person was supposed to put together. And this girl he found in Sunderworld, well, she seems pretty cool and might even be someone who could have some romantic potential at some point. We will probably get answers to those and many more questions in the next Vol. But what I do know is that our 'remarkably unremarkable' character, well there is a lot of potential there and I'm looking forward to exploring that in next books.

Perfect for readers who are interesting in a trippy Alice in Wonderland type of vibe, with a secret world that seems a little bit on the crazy side, that might also include 'the chosen one' trope. We will see.

I went into this book with no set expectations and ended up having such a fun time. This book took me back to a certain oeuvre of YA books I loved growing up, Percy Jackson, Narnia and all those chosen one books about an ordinary kid stepping into a world of magic and powers and quests. What distinguishes Leopold Berry from other chosen one stories, however, is that Leopold has had a lifetime of being extraordinarily average and has prepared himself to enter this other world his entire life. So when he gets the chance and finds out that maybe he is just as average in this magical world as outside of it, it really shakes his (and the reader's) expectations.

I so related to Leopold. Who among us hasn't wished for more? To be suddenly powerful or for a life different than the one they have. Reading this book really took me back to the experience of reading those books I loved as a kid but through the yes of an adult. I couldn't put the book down, particularly at the part when Leopold begins to follow a quest laid out for him by his dead mother.

If I had any complaints its that I wanted more answers. There is a fair amount of world building here but the book mostly felt like set up for what is sure to be a lengthy series. We get almost no answers, in fact I kept waiting for some sort of twist or answer and we really get nothing. I had 15 minutes left in the book and it felt like the characters were on a meandering side quest. That being said, I am extremely seated for the rest of Leopold's story, even if he doesn't end up being the hero.

Thank you So much to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the early copies in exchange for an

You know when you open a book and you’re immediately drawn into a new magical world? That’s not how Sunderworld begins. This book takes place in Los Angeles—magic as LA may be, it is not the kind of magical place I’m talking about. But by the end of the opening paragraph, we know this isn’t any kind of LA anyone is familiar with!

Anyone who loves to read about the hidden magical world within our own will fall in love with this book! Think about the first time you read [insert hidden magical world within our world book here] and how following the heretofore mundane who discovers they are actually more part of that world than the one in which they were raised made you feel how easily that could be you—tomorrow you could walk through a wall or descend into what you thought was the sewer or cross a border that was actually a magical boundary. Sunderworld reawakened those magical feelings in me that I mostly only felt as a child, and that now only really special books ignite.

Following Leopold Berry on his unconventional hero’s journey was such a joy and pleasure, it was hard for me to put this book down! I can’t recommend this book enough to those seeking that magical feeling as if for the first time. I cannot wait to find out what’s in store for Leopold next!

I was very excited to read this book, and it did not disappoint. The world building in this urban fantasy novel was so well done that I'm ready to start looking for my own local Sunder enclave. And Leopold (Larry), the most ordinary of ordinary boys, is fairly easy to relate to and root for.

My only complaint is that it is very much a volume 1. A lot of questions are asked and not answered and now we've all got to wait for volume 2.

Sunderworld is Vol. I in The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry by Ransom Riggs.
My goodness Riggs writing sucked me in and held me captive till the very end.
A very exciting adventure with an intriguing mystery and the best characters.
This urban fantasy story will hold you hostage till the very end.

Thank You NetGalley and Dutton Books for Young Readers for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I was so excited to see another series by Ransom Riggs start since I loved Miss Peregrine. This book and his writing style did not disappoint. Leopold (Larry) Berry is a teenager trying to figure out his life. His mom passed away a few years ago and he lives with his father who he has never gotten along with. He sees things that are not there. His friend thinks he needs therapy. The beginning may seem a little slow at first, but it sets everything up for an action packed fantasy book. Reminds me of Harry Potter in a way, but no spells and no wands. Five stars from me!