Unfortunately, this book didn't download properly and I was unable to read it.

This is a shame as I definitely loved the premise and felt I would have really enjoyed the story!

I once again owe a huge apology to the author, publisher, and NetGalley, for taking almost 4 years to read this (and how on Earth is 2019 4 years ago???), but also a huge thanks for providing me with the eARC of this wonderful little book.

I had the full intention of reading said eARC, but instead ended up listening to the audio, and wow. I've been spoilt for the rest of the trilogy. Guess I won't be reading them on Kindle, after all, because Jonathan Todd Ross does such a wonderful job narrating! Really pulled me in to the story.

Sadly I got so pulled in I couldn't stop even though I got too tired, so I'm sure I missed more of the ending than I wanted to, but it didn't leave me with huge questions (and just means I'll have to reread one day; the horror), so I guess it's not too bad.

This book was lovely! I had a feeling it would be, which is why I kept requesting the sequels (and opening the file for Changeling on at least 5 different occasions), and I am glad my feeling turned out right! It even surprised me in who the changeling was!

The one thing I'd note is that I found it a curious decision to name two of the POV characters Kull and Cole. Maybe in writing it wouldn't have been as confusing, but when listening it was a bit jarring at times to realize that nope- you're in someone else's head now. The POV switches went really quickly so they were hard to keep track of at times, but once again, I'm pretty sure that's easier to keep track of in writing.

ALSO ALSO.

This is my second Middle Grade in a row with a <i>loving parent</i>! I really hope this means there has been a shift in recent years where parents are allowed to be present and loving and protective, because damn all those characters from my youth got the short end of the stick one way or another.

Annie is most definitely one of my favorite characters. The way she took after her boys without hesitation and the way she loves them unconditionally? *chef's kiss*

AND FABLE! I laughed at her so much, I adore her!

It's 3am, I should have been asleep a while ago, but I just had to get this review out, so I can start fresh tomorrow with book 2!

This one was so cute!! I haven’t read a good middle grade novel since Percy Jackson & this book had me just.. I don’t even know but if was just perfect in every way. It’s also the first time I’m actually a bit upset that I don’t have time to drop everything and continue reading the rest of this series!

This is one series that I’ll for sure be returning to at some point in the future, not only was it such a quick read but the storyline is unlike anything I’ve ever read before and it really just captured my attention wholeheartedly.

The Oddmire will have you wondering just who the changeling child could be only to have you stepping into the mom’s shoes at the end, wanting to fight every darkness out there so long as your boys are safe.

Another great Middle grade fantasy series in in the books. I honestly think the stories written now are so much more imaginative that when I was younger. I am such a huge fan of the world William Ritter has started in the Oddmire.

I have lost the copy of this book so I am really sorry I won't be able to give feedback on this book. I wanted to read this book but the copy got deleted from my phone. Really sorry.

I enjoyed this first book and excited to read additional adventures of twins Tinn and Cole in the Oddmire.

FUN FUN FUN!! I am beyond thrilled to have been the opportunity to take part in Book 1 and Book 2. I am eagerly awaiting the third installment. The atmosphere is great, wonderful characters and a story that keeps you intrigued page after page.

Tinn and Cole are troublemakers of the best kind out there. Even if they don't seek trouble, it finds them and they seem to get into it nonetheless. Sometimes it seems like the kids simply can't help it.
The whole book was a pure joy. From very subtle references to JACKABY to creatures that seemed oddly familiar. I can't say much without spoiling things, but I loved following Tinn and Cole on their adventure in the Wild Wood and finding one might not be like the other..!
It's such a treat, and fans of Jackaby will definitely enjoy it - but this is also for readers unfamiliar with the previous series.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review, which has not altered my opinion of this book.

This was an interesting story, I have really enjoyed William Ritter’s books in the past and this is my first delve into his middle grade books. They were interesting but I did find them to be a bit of a slow start. This story follows a set of twins one of whom is human and the other is a changeling. However, no one can tell the difference between the two and so they have grown up as humans and don’t realize they are different until they are nearly 13. When this happens they are sent on a mission to save the Magical Forest behind their home. On this journey, they end up meeting several interesting and unique characters and learning about themselves.

I think one of my favorite parts of this book was the twins’ mom. She acted like how I feel a mom would act: she followed her boys into the woods when they left, she was willing to do anything for them and proved it, she also was willing to take in both of them even if one was a changeling. She was a force to be reckoned with with and didn’t even have any actual magic, so that was refreshing. There is a lot in here about family and what makes a family and what makes a friend and it really was a touching and cute story at points. The villain of the story has me intrigued and I’m interested to see if we learn any more about the Thing.

While I can’t really put my finger on the reason why, I finished this book a bit dissatisfied. I felt as though something was missing and I honestly found myself underwhelmed. The top thought in my head as a possibility is that the writing felt a bit off or just a bit unprocessed, like it needs something in order to be as good as it can be. I have read William Ritter’s work before and really enjoyed it, so I feel like this is possibly new territory for him and middle grade is a weird voice to write.

Overall, this was a well thought out fantasy story with details I really enjoyed and characters I was interested in. I give this a 3.5 out of 5.

4 stars

I was primed to love this because I love creepy woods, magic, goblins, and fairy tales... but this still surprised me anyway.

Concept: ★★★★
Humor: ★★★★★
Pacing/Plot: ★★★★

Changeling was such a fun middle grade read. Obviously I'm not the target audience, but this story entranced me and stuck out regardless. Good writing is good writing.

We all know the changeling story: in the dead of the night, a magical creature steals your baby and replaces it with an identical copy—the changeling. You then raise the being as your own. You never see your own human baby again.

But what if the goblin in charge of the switch messed up?

Kull the goblin stole his goblin horde's last changeling and is determined to do it himself. Golbin magic is fading, and Kull knows he must perform the historic ritual of stealing a human baby to set magic's balance in order again.

But as Kull places the changeling in the crib, the human baby's mother wakes up and interrupts him, forcing Kull to leave BOTH babies behind. Uh oh.

Tinn and Cole grow up as twins, knowing that one of them isn't the "real" boy. It doesn't bother them much. Annie Burton, their mother, is amazing—a boy is a boy, and she loves both of her troublesome boys equally. So what if she only gave birth to one? Now she has two.

But Kull hasn't forgotten. He spends 12 years watching, waiting, and trying to figure out which of the boys is his boy, the goblin. And he's running out of time... when the changeling turns 13 years old, he NEEDS to be back home in the magical world or he'll be in a lot of trouble—deadly trouble.

But how is a goblin to convince two wayward boys to come to the goblin horde?

It's time to draw them into the Wild Wood. With a map, they'll make it through just fine. The woods are only dangerous if you don't know where you're going. But these are two 12 year old boys...

...and they've just lost the map.

My thoughts:
Wow. I loved this. My favorite aspect was easily Annie Burton, the boys' mother. The author's description of her determined to find her wayward boys is surprisingly both heartfelt and hilarious. This is not fairy tale where the mother finds the note that her children are missing and spends it wailing - she's their mother, darn it, and she's going to find them and bring them home. The theme of resilient motherhood is extremely strong in this novel.

I also LOVED the humor. Like the best of the middle grade genre, this novel has humor for both kids and parents alike - the adult asides are funny for adults, and yet the jokes and antics are funny for the kids too. It's a delicate balance to strike, but the author does this really well as I spent a lot of time laughing.

Overall, a fantastic read. Looking forward to the next installment!

Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so much fun! It was adventurous and relied a lot on family relations!
In the beginning of this book a goblin is trying the change a goblin baby for a human baby, but something goes wrong, and both babies stay with the human family.
Then we follow these boys 13 years later, we do not know which is human and which one is a goblin. But then the goblins want the goblin boy back. Both boys decide to go into the woods and to see what happens. We get to see so many dark and interesting creatures!
What I really loved about this book is the relation between the boys! Even when they learn who is who they do not give up on their brotherly bond. And I also really enjoyed the relation between the brother and their mom! On the day the mom found two boys instead of one, she had decided she would love both equally, and again she still does after we find out who is who. It is very good to see!
The story with this family is kinda over after this book, but so much more can be explored!
I love the world with the interesting characters, and I was very eager to continue on to book two!

I received this book from the publisher in exchange of an honest review. Look forward to the Blog Tour for Book 2 hitting my blog on June 25th!

I have been looking forward to reading these books for some time so imagine my delight when I got a mail from the publisher! They wanted me to be part of the tour, and if I wanted to read the books that would also be great. Of course I did a big bookshimmy and a big scream of joy.

It took me a bit to read the book. While I do want to read it.. when books are a MUST read or a HAVE to read… I tend to get a bit stuck. Thank High School and forced reading of books for that one. But in the end I did read it and I really really liked it. It was such a playful and adventurous read.

It all starts when a goblin enters a home to change the baby for a changeling… and that is where it all goes wrong, because instead of easily being able to see who is who… the changeling is so real that he cannot figure out which to bring with him, he then gets disturbed and so instead of one kid… mom now has two kids. Cue to the now time as we see that the boys are having a great time together.

And then the adventure starts as the kids get a note in English from the Goblin (he has tried for years to write but they never knew as he wrote in Goblin/English-ish) with an urgent message. The changeling needs to come to the Wild Woods to save the Woods, the magic, and everything. As you can imagine they both go. These two are twins and they are not about to let the other go. I loved that! I love their adventures in the woods and seeing what and who they encounter there. The woods are a dark dark place and it is filled with magic. Well. Less magic than it used to have. Because there is something dark lurking there that eats all that come to it.

I loved our twins, I loved how sweet they were and how eager to help out the goblin. I loved that while they encountered some creepy and scary things that they never gave up. Or if things seemed dark that they held each other up and motivated the other. Of course, I was curious who the changeling was, and it took a long while before we find out. Until then it is just guessing, more guessing, and more guessing.

Then there is our Goblin who seems to be an actually nice guy! I was surprised about that as most goblin stories aren’t filled with sweet goblins, but these are actually OK folk. I loved that! I loved how dedicated he was and how eager he was to help out the changeling.

Fable is a girl who can shapeshift, I don’t see this a spoiler because you know about it very soon. She is a bit oblivious about the real world and at times highly obnoxious. Still I liked her. Sadly, not my favourite character, but maybe I will like her more in further stories.

Witch/Queen was a great character, I loved her. She was grumpy, but also willing to help. Plus, given her past… I can imagine that she may have turned the way she did.

Lastly there is the twins mum. Yep. This woman is not about to let her kids go on a scary adventure on her own and I just loved that. This woman just heads off in the forest, no care about food or making sure she has supplies. She just runs after her kids. I loved that she accepted both boys and sees them as her children. No matter how the goblin is and who the human. She was by far my favourite character of the book.

It was such an exciting read and we discover new things constantly. Creatures, history, and more. There is a bit of humour as well. It definitely held my attention and made it tons of fun to read.

The ending was fantastic and definitely opens many possibilities for many more stories.

There was just one thing I wasn’t very enthusiastic about and that was that there were too many POV and they all ran in one another at times (once even mid sentence which was just highly confusing). While in the end I am happy that everyone got their say, I think it would have been best if it had been more organised.

But all in all, a great read and I would definitely recommend it. I am going to be reading the second book soon.

Loved this book! Thank you Algonquin Young Readers for the ebook! I enjoyed reading this book so much. The world-building was really well done, the characters were so well written, and I can't wait to read the next book. Once thing I appreciated was the prologue which took the time to tell the reader the backstory of the Thing and the world. Also the way Ritter manages to make writing multiple character's POVs not confusing to the reader was mindblowing. Highly recommend!

When I picked up Changeling, I went in knowing very little. I read the synopsis awhile ago and that was it. I'm so happy I decided to read this book. It has everything I look for in a book and even more. The writing is amazing and brings you into a really magical world. The pacing kept me on the edge of my seat and the book included some really cute illustrations!

Let's start off by talking about the setting. Tinn and Cole are off on adventures into The Oddmire. The woods are dark and creepy. Also, these woods are filled with things you don't want to run into. This setting was amazing and I loved how everything was described. I know if I was still in the age group for this book, I would've thought it was scary. I think younger and more vulnerable children in this age group could think this is a bit too scary. All in all, this would be the perfect read for the darker months and around Halloween. Even though I would read it anytime of year!

Now let's continue to talk about the plot. It starts with Kull, a goblin, trying to switch the changeling with a human baby. This doesn't go quite according to plan and he has to leave before taking the human child with him. Thirteen years later, if the changeling doesn't come to the forest, all magic will be lost. This leads our main characters to an adventure in the dark forest. I won't give away too many details, but they go on an adventure with little twists and turns.

And we can't forget about the characters and the important message this book brings! Tinn and Cole are typical twin brothers. They go on great adventures together and love each other unconditionally. Both of them don't care who the goblin is, but they just want each other to be safe. It was fun seeing them get into trouble little kids get into when playing outside. Also, I have to say how amazing it was to have the mother, Annie, be such a big part of the story. So many fantasy books have parents that are either horrible or aren't alive, but Annie was everything. It was so nice to see a mother play such a big part in their sons' adventure and how loyal they are. We also have some side characters that we meet in the forest. My favorite being Fable. She was so much fun to read about. I loved her free spirit.

As I said before, Changeling also has an important message in the story line as well. Family isn't always blood and a mother's love is unconditional. Annie loved both of these boys with all her heart and she didn't care for one minute that one of them wasn't "hers". Families have all different shapes and sizes and I loved seeing a strong mother figure in a middle grade book. When I finished this book I had a smile on my face and can't wait to read the sequel!

This was such a cute middle grade about family, strength, courage, friendship, you name it! I especially love that it showed two mothers who would do anything to protect their children!

There is a classic feel to Changeling. Here middle grade readers are introduced to goblin folklore, which is then combined with contemporary elements. The premise of this story is mostly based on goblin changeling lore: a goblin substitutes a couple’s real baby for a goblin baby that looks identical. Sometimes the lore describes fairies doing this, but mostly I’ve seen goblins as the main culprit. But there is another folklore element that the story introduces readers too: The Hinkypunk.

It all starts when Kull, a goblin, goes to change one human baby for a goblin baby. Except Kull gets confused as to which is which and has to leave them both there. Everyone in town understands what has happened, but since the two boys are identical no one can tell them apart. Now they just wait for the day the goblin part of the boy reveals itself.

Changeling is very unique in this: Unlike most middle grade novels that separate the children from their parents so the kids can have an adventure, Changeling makes the mother extremely integral to the story. Annie (mother) is hands down my favorite character from the story as it revolves around her love for both boys. For 12 years Annie has raised them, loved them, helped them. No one and not even Kull can tell her that they are not both her sons. It’s a lovely theme and message: You do not have to be blood-related to be loved, to be a family, nor to be someone’s child.

If Annie is my favorite character, then Fable is my least favorite. Fable is an innocent, naive character that at times acts as if she were 5 years old and then other times surprises you by her boldness and loyalty to her new friends. Her naivete she displays contrasted against how she acts extremely bravely and assertively other times felt a little disjointed. In the end, I couldn’t reconcile the different parts to her character.

The story is sweet and adventurous with a lovely message. But there were moments in the story where I needed more dialogue to help bring me into the story as I felt like the action or events were being described to me instead of me experiencing it along with Cole and Tinn. I also didn’t understand why the story needed to take the boys the first wrong direction, but I can’t elaborate without spoiling. But in the end Changeling will certainly be a story that resonates with many readers.

Thanks to Netgalley and Algonquin Young Readers for the advanced reader copy and opportunity to provide an honest review.

Rating: 3.5 stars

With magic waning in the Wild Wood, goblin Kull tries to switch a newborn changeling with a human baby but bungles it so that when Annie Burton checks on her baby boy, she finds not one but two. Annie Burton raises both boys, Tinn and Cole, as her own since she can’t tell them apart. When they reach 13, they embark on a challenge that leads them into the Wild Wood and all the dangers that lurk there, because one of them is going to die unless they reach the goblin horde.

Ritter has created a colorful, magical world and equally intriguing and charming characters to match the setting. My favorite character by far was Fable, who is talkative, pugnacious, cute, and funny. Annie Burton is the archetype mother nurturing yet fierce when she needs to be.

Many themes were woven throughout the story including feeling different and lonely because of being different. Love is not just for a child who is your flesh and blood but any child you bring into your house and raise.

The writing flows and is descriptive enough that the reader feels like part of the story.

While The Oddmire Book One: The Changeling definitely appealed to me, I think the story would appeal to Middle School kids who would love the magical creatures and the frights in the woods. Older readers would appreciate the themes occurring in the novel that are pertinent to the world we are living in.

I highly recommend The Oddmire Book One: The Changeling iff you like fantasy novels filled with goblins, fae, witches, gnomes, and human folk.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I received a complementary copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

"By now she had learned what more experienced parents could have told her as a young mother: mischief is in the nature of goblins and growing children in roughly equal measure, which left the matter uncertain far longer than she had anticipated."

One of my favorite things about this book was the boy's mother, Annie Burton. She was a badass mom that loved her children, despite one of them being a goblin changeling. She didn't care which one was magical or different, and loved them both in equal measure. They were her boys, and she would do anything to keep them safe. I really liked that she played a large role in this story, and that she wasn't willing to simply leave her children to their fate. The boys were what? 12? They shouldn't be roaming through the Wild Wood alone–regardless of their reasons–and I'm happy Annie didn't hesitate to go after them. Her love was palpable, and it saved Cole and Tinn more than once.

On the other hand, I hated not knowing what happened to their father, and wish it had been addressed during this book. We're told he disappeared shortly after their one child became two–the result of a confused and inexperienced goblin–but never learn why he left or where he went. Annie assumes he's dead, the townspeople think he disappeared in the Wild Wood, so hopefully the author picks up that thread in a later book.

Cole and Tinn were fun characters to read about, and I liked how strong their sibling relationship was. They weren't just brothers, but best friends. They did everything together, whether it was stealing apples or going to a school dance. They have no idea which one of them is the changeling, and it's something that has weighed heavily on their minds for years (the loss of their father, the talk of the townspeople, the uncertainty of their own flesh and blood). However, they both wanted to be the changeling, so their sibling could continue living a normal life. There were no selfish characters in this book (even Kull was doing a bad thing for the right reasons), and I enjoyed seeing the love between the boys and their mother.

I really liked Fable as well, and I'm really happy the second book seems to be centered on her. She's a very interesting character, and the fact that she's half-magic makes me want to know more about her history. Her mother was also fiercely protective of her, but again, no father. She's definitely keeping secrets from her daughter, and I desperately want to know what they are! I have a feeling we're going to see more of the world that her mother experienced as a child, and the in-between place Fable was able to access in this book without getting hurt.

The magical creatures were interesting and fun to read about (particularly the hinkypunks), and some of the information was new-to-me. I really liked how the author portrayed the characters within this book, and that his spin on known creatures was subtle without being confusing. He made them unique to his book while still keeping their core characteristics. My son also liked learning about the creatures that lived in the Wild Wood, especially the Thing without a name or purpose. He devoured the clues the author dropped about a creature cloaked in shadows, and was really surprised with how that particular part of the story played out. I also wasn't expecting something like that, and hope there's more to that tale as well.

My son and I both really enjoyed this book, and we're looking forward to starting The Unready Queen in the next few days (we're currently in the middle of a Goosebumps book). Changeling was a wonderful story with relatable characters, amazing family-vibes, and a magical world that was surprisingly believable.

The Oddmire is one of the best mid-grade fantasies I have read in a long time. It strikes the perfect tone between humor and fear, with just the right amount of magic. But what truly makes it sing is the tight bond between the brothers and the mother and the newly made friends - the relationships. This will leave readers wishing they were magic beings, while valuing who they are and the people who make them strong. I can't speak highly enough about this book and am giving it a rare five stars!

William Ritter is an author who has long been recommended to me by friends because of his Jackaby books. I still want to get to those eventually, but I was really excited to get to his new MG series as well! Thank you Algonquin Books for Young Readers for the review copy!

Lasting Impressions

This is ultimately a story about family, no matter your blood, no matter your circumstances. This message is so heartwarming and sweet, especially as it is relayed by the brother Cole and Tinn. Each boy, though it seems they are completely similar at first, have different personalities, different worries, and different struggles. The way they each handle the trials in the Oddmire is often funny, but also telling of their own thought processes and how they see the world.

I loved how the reader got a chance to be in Cole's and Tinn's mother's head as well! I love how strong and fiercely loving and protective she is of her sons, even if one of them is a goblin. Her acceptance of both boys is so beautiful, it definitely brought a tear to my eyes a couple of times.

Quick Thoughts
-I loved meeting the different magical creatures in this book. Especially the hinkypunk.
-Fable is such a fun character! I'm excited to see what the next book holds for her!

Overall Feelings

This is such a fun book to start off a creative series! I can't wait for the next book!