Updated Review Will Be Posted Closer To My Stop On This Book Tour 4/3/2021

A boy who accidentally bonds with a magical Beast must set off on an adventure in the mysterious Woods in this whimsical and cheeky middle grade fantasy debut—perfect for fans of Nevermoor and How to Train Your Dragon.

The last thing Barclay Thorne ever wanted was an adventure.

Thankfully, as an apprentice to the town’s mushroom farmer, Barclay need only work hard and follow the rules to one day become the head mushroom farmer himself. No danger required. But then Barclay accidentally breaks his town’s most sacred rule: never ever EVER stray into the Woods, for within the Woods lurk vicious magical Beasts.

To Barclay’s horror, he faces a fate far worse than being eaten: he unwittingly bonds with a Beast and is run out of town by an angry mob. Determined to break this bond and return home, Barclay journeys to find the mysterious town of Lore Keepers, people who have also bonded with Beasts and share their powers.

But after making new friends, entering a dangerous apprenticeship exam, and even facing the legendary Beast of the Woods, Barclay must make a difficult choice: return to the home and rules he’s always known, or embrace the adventure awaiting him.

I really enjoyed exploring this new, and fun middle grade fantasy world that deals with magical creature companions and all sorts of other magics. The writing is super fun and immersive, and the characters had strong voices as well as strong motivations for why they do things.

Barclay, our main character, very much does not want anything to do with magic because of a traumatic experience as a child. But he is unwillingly thrust in the midst of it all as he accidentally bonds with one of the magical creatures and in order to break the bond, he must enter a magical apprentice competition. The competition was super fun and unique as well as exciting. I felt the author had a strong handle on Barclay's voice, and I liked how good he was at some things, despite not wanting anything to do with the world. And honestly, that was my main struggle with the story. It made it harder to enjoy the world when the main character didn't want anything to do with it. But it made me excited when he was finally warming up to everything (though that is very slow burn).

The other characters are fun and have a lot of depth to them as well. One character I suspected would be a main antagonist ended up being an ally, and I really liked that. The villain was pretty one-dimensional, but I felt that left room for more depth in future villains to come.

Overall Feelings

This is a fun middle grade fantasy that I think young readers of fantasy will really enjoy.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an eARC of The Accidental Apprentice in exchange for an honest review. I love a good middle-grade story. So, when I learned that Foody (who gained my love and admiration with her YA books) was releasing a middle-grade series, I was beyond excited.
The Accidental Apprentice follows Barclay Thorne when his life changes. He’s an orphan that lives in a town full of rules. He’s working as an apprentice to the town’s mushroom farmer and he’s found that he actually enjoys what he’s doing. One day, he’s working with his fellow apprentice when they accidentally break the town’s most important rule: don’t go into the Woods. While breaking that rule, Barclay somehow bonds with a Beast. This changes everything for him. After he’s run out of town, he finds Viola. Viola helps Barclay make it to the Lore Keeper town within the woods. There he searches for a way to remove his Mark and get rid of the Beast that has chosen him.
I thought this book was such a fun read. It was filled with action and adventure, mystery and intrigue. There are so many misconceptions about the Lore Keepers that Barclay was raised to know. So, he spends so much time just unlearning all the things he thought he knew. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book. Barclay studies and takes tests in hopes to win a competition, so we get to see him as he’s learning all these new things about Lore Keepers and Beasts, as well as, his own Beast. I think the best part of the story was Barclay’s internal struggle. We see him start to realize that he might actually belong with the Lore Keepers, but he’s in fierce denial about this because he still wants to return to his town. He thinks that his parents would have wanted him to stay in his hometown. His slow development out of those thoughts was really enjoyable. I thought it was well done. He didn’t just start having fun with his new friends and give up on his mission. It really was an internal struggle.
I loved Barclay’s new friends. I was shocked at one of the twists involving them. But I also liked how things turned out with the boy that seemed mean. I think the friendships were really interesting. I liked the unexpected bits about them.
Overall, I loved this book. I thought the Beasts and Lore Keepers were interesting and unique. I liked the friendships and the adventures the friends went on. I liked the competition aspects of the story. I also loved the development of Barclay. I think this book will be well loved.

5 STARS


In Dullshire, adventures are against the rules, and Barclay Thorne tries so hard to follow the rules.

He already sticks out like a sore thumb in town. An orphan after a Beast attacked Dullshire seven years ago, he’s had to work to secure any hope for a future. Thankfully, as apprentice to the town’s mushroom farmer, he’s got something going for him. Even if Barclay isn’t allowed to get dirt under his nails or run through the streets, he still has somewhere to sleep and warm meals to eat.

Except Barclay accidentally bonds with a Beast, and life as he understands it falls away. Forced to come face to face with Lore and Lore Keepers, Barclay must navigate an entirely new life in order to reclaim his old one. But for all the danger both ahead and behind, there lies a choice: does he even want his old life anymore?

Or is it time to break the rules, and go on an adventure?


The Accidental Apprentice is a little bit of HTTYD, a little bit of Pokémon, and a whole lot of fun!

From the start, I knew I was going to adore this book. It combines magical beasts with a new world to explore, along with a reluctant hero. Seriously, I’m not kidding when I compare it to How to Train Your Dragon and the Pokémon franchise. If you love one of those, or both, or you know a kid who does, then this book is going to be a smash hit for you!

There’s something so whimsical and charming about Barclay Thorne and his new friend, Viola Dumont. Together, they sometimes pick at each other, but they also make an outstanding team in the face of bullies, Beasts, and a danger that threatens the balance of all the Lore in the Woods. Plus, they’re kids! At eleven years old, they’re fresh and bright and ready for adventure (even if they don’t think they are).

They’re also maybe a little too trusting and impulsive, but it’s sweet and endearing, and absolutely perfect for a middle grade book.

Really, the amount of charm in this book is outrageous, and I can’t recommend it enough based on that alone. It will steal your heart, and you won’t even want to ask for it back!


But if you need more detail, know this: the Beasts are amazing.

Yes, Barclay Thorne is a great MG protagonist! But I have to shoutout all the work Amanda Foody has done with the Beasts. My ARC included a little glossary of Beasts at the end, which included some fun facts about Beasts we didn’t interact with very much on the page. Hopefully, the final copy will include some art as well, because I’d love to see these Beasts imagined in a visual format.

There are multiple classes of Beasts, though, rated based on their magical capabilities and danger levels. Ranging from common and relatively harmless to outright legendary and only bonded with in tall tales, they form an important cornerstone to the lives of Lore Keepers, even dictating how their world works. Apprenticeships and shopping trips and sports and more are shaped around the inclusion of Beasts in everyday life, and my Pokémon-loving heart has been fawning over these inclusions since I started reading the book.

Yes, I want to see how your tiny mushroom-shaped friend helps you sleep better at night! Yes, show me how your tiny dragon pal is a vegetarian who helps you find shiny things and protect you and your friends!

Long story short, the inclusion of Beasts in the everyday lives of Lore Keepers feels incredibly organic and lively. It’s rekindled my childhood wish that Pokémon were real (did I ever let go of that wish? probably not), and it also makes me want a full Beast glossary in future Wilderlore books. Please show me all the new friends! Teach me about all the Lore legends!


All you have to do is love a little bit of adventure, and The Accidental Apprentice will do the rest.

I promise, it’s not hard at all to love this book. And if you’re still teetering on the edge, may I tempt you by mentioning there are cute little mushroom illustrations inside as chapter dividers? A good, cute mushroom is an important factor.

In all seriousness, though, I hope you pick up The Accidental Apprentice. It hits shelves on March 30th, only a couple weeks from now, and it shows an incredible amount of promise for kids everywhere! Not that you have to be a kid to read it, of course. I think there are a lot of adults, especially those of us who grew up playing Pokémon, that will easily find room for The Accidental Apprentice and all its eccentricities in our hearts. 💚🧡


CW: loss of a loved one, violence


[This review will go live on Hail & Well Read at 10am EST on 3/17/21.]

An underdog hero who finds a place where he belongs, friends who would follow each other to the ends of the earth, an extensive, hidden magical world, and exciting adventures through spooky, mysterious forests—The Accidental Apprentice gathers all the beloved elements of classic middle grade fantasy novels, and conjures up a uniquely enchanting, immersive story set in a diverse, inclusive world. Amanda Foody’s debut middle grade fantasy novel is one I picked up with tons of expectations, and I’m so happy to say that I ended up loving it to bits! The Accidental Apprentice also has one of the best covers I have come across and it channels the vibe of the story perfectly.

11-year-old Barclay Thorne has never fit in in the town of Dullshire, try as he might. His parents passed away seven years ago, when the Legendary Beast of the Woods, Gravaldor, had attacked Dullshire. Ever since then, Barclay has been branded a troublemaker as he is prone to accidentally breaking the many, many rules the people of Dullshire so dutifully follow. As the town’s mushroom farmer’s apprentice, Barclay had vowed to work hard, and never ever go looking for adventure. But when he encounters a Beast in the forbidden Woods and ends up bonding with it involuntarily, his life changes completely.

Banished from his town, Barclay goes looking for the nearest town of Lore Keepers, determined to break his bond with his Beast. But as he befriends the fierce Lore Keeper Viola and comes to know his Beast well, Barclay must decide whether to heed the call of adventure, or return home to live the quiet, uneventful life he believes he is destined to lead.

The Accidental Apprentice reads like a classic fantasy novel, and sure, the plot is predictable at times, but instead of seeming boring or unoriginal, the story feels comfortably familiar, much like your favourite books or movies that never get old, no matter how many times you revisit them. Foody’s writing is bright and quirky and whimsical; she effortlessly pulls you into the lush, wondrous Wilderlands she has painted so vividly. We get to see only one of the six major regions of the Wilderlands in this book, and I can’t wait to see where the upcoming instalments in the Wilderlore series take us! The brisk pace of the story keeps you captivated right up to the end, and despite the predictability of the plot, it packs a few twists you’d never see coming, especially the one near the ending.

Foody excels at the characterisation as well. Barclay is remarkable and relatable as a protagonist. At the beginning of the book, we find him lost and vulnerable, away from the home he has always known and thrust into a magical world completely new and terrifying to him. But as the story proceeds, we see a Barclay who is also fierce, stubborn, and utterly loyal to his friends, and it’s impossible not to love him. The side characters are all equally well-rounded, with Viola and Tadg being my favourites. As for the Beasts, we get to see a wide variety of them in this book, including Barclay’s Lufthund and Viola’s dragon Mitzi, and it was a delight to meet every single one of them. Barclay’s relationship with his Lufthund slowly develops throughout the book, and the two of them will definitely melt your heart.

To sum it all up, The Accidental Apprentice is an absolutely beautiful, mesmerising story about wild, thrilling adventures and accepting yourself for who you are, and it will transport you right back to your childhood. If you love high fantasy and/or Pokémon, and are a fan of Toothless and Hiccup’s dynamic in How to Train Your Dragon (honestly, who isn’t), trust me, you want to pre-order The Accidental Apprentice right now.

What a cute, refreshing MG story. Barclay? First off, I loved the name. I really do like it when authors choose names that aren't widely used (I don't mean contemporary fiction). Great character development. Action. Adventure. Magic. The recipe for a great story.

I don’t read many middle grade books, but I make an exception when it’s written by one of my favorite authors.

Barclay Thorne carries the weight of many worries. He was orphaned after a beast killed his parents and has to work as an apprentice to a mushroom farmer for meals and shelter. He worries about making his deceased parents proud of him. Dullshire (his village) regularly posts new rules he has to remember (sneezing is prohibited in the town square). And then there are all the creatures in the Woods that could potentially eat him. He’s also very determined not to have anything to do with Lore (magic), which is outlawed in Dullshire. When he accidentally bonds with a Beast in the Woods and is barred from his village, his worries become nearly overpowering.

Worldbuilding is richly detailed and full of whimsical appeal. The author has constructed a magical world full of creatively named creatures, plants, etc. The classes of beasts and their powers is clever and easy to understand, and a guide listing all of them is included at the end. I especially enjoyed that the author’s cat inspired one of the creatures (Mitzi is adorable!).

This is an absolutely delightful first book in a series I plan to continue. Barclay is a very relatable MC, and the supporting characters (especially Viola) are fun and well-developed. With plenty of humor, unlikely friendships, a thrilling adventure, and some heartwarming moments, this book is about discovering what truly makes you happy and finding where you belong.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I thought this was a very interesting and different middle grade book.  Barclay becomes the master of a beast without that being his intention and then adventure ensues.  This book is all about beasts and magic (Lore in this book).  It was a new take on the fantasy realm, which is always refreshing.  Will definitely keep reading this series.

There is a great deal of world-building, Barclay ventures into places he has never seen or heard of before, I enjoy that we learn everything with him. All the creatures and people we meet have unique characteristics that allow you to differentiate them easily. In the beginning, it was slow since we're trying to understand the system of the world, but the story started accelerating once Barclay became more curious and started to wonder if he should do what he THINK is right or what he FEEL is right.

full rtc

Dullshire, a town known for all of its rules and no fun, is surrounded by The Woods full of magical beasts and Lore Keepers. One day, Barclay Thorne, an orphan apprenticed to a mushroom farmer, accidentally breaks the towns number one rule: never enter the woods. He somehow bonds with a beast and is chased out of Dullshire by a mob because of it. Barclay is on a mission to find the Lore Keepers town and break his bond so that he can return to all he’s ever known. Barclay ends up on the adventure of a lifetime and must decide: return home where he never fit in or embrace this adventure with Lore into a world he never could have dreamed of.

This book was a fantastic middle school read. I loved how different it was from any other magic story and just drew you in from the start. Children would love this story, but so would anyone else that enjoys magical fantasy stories that take you on an adventure.

This book was a lot of fun to read!

I really like Amanda Foody's writing, so I was thrilled when I saw she was writing a middle grade book. I was even happier when I read the synopsis. It sounded like something I'd love.

The beginning of the book has a lot of world/character building, so it went a bit slower for me. But the story picked up and then it flew by. Barclay lived in a town full of rules. His parents were killed by a beast seven years earlier and he was an orphan. He was an apprentice for a man that let him stay with him. He looked for mushrooms and knew everything about each kind. When the younger apprentice got scared and ran into the Woods, Barclay followed. He came upon a girl with a small dragon. Barclay hated beasts. Not only did they kill his parents, but the town knew they were bad. Lore was bad. Somehow, a beast bonds with him. Once someone in town sees him use magic, Barclay is banished. He goes into the Woods to find a way to remove his beast mark. Barclay found the same girl, Viola, and she agreed to help him. Barclay finds out that the beast that bonded with him was a Lufthund, a beast of the Mythic class. These are not easy to bond with, especially from someone who didn't grow up with Lore.

Barclay meets a Lore Keeper that says she can remove his mark. But he needs to join the Exhibition, a test for students to become apprentices. Barclay knows nothing about beasts and Lore, but Viola helps him. So do twins that he met. For the first time, Barclay has friends, but he still thinks beasts are bad. He needs to work with his, Root, for the testing. Things take a turn, there are betrayals, and Barclay realizes that he finally fits in somewhere.

I gave this book 4 1/2 stars rounded up to 5 on Goodreads. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my review copy.

I loved this story. It was so full of heart and adventure and the world building was marvelous too. I think kids are going to take to this and be clamoring for the next installment as soon as they close the book.

Barclay was a wonderful character. He is determined to do the right thing and follow the rules, even when he knows his heart isn’t really in it. He just wants to find a place where he belongs, even if others don’t always appreciate him. He has always been told that the beasts who live in the forrest are dangerous as are the Lore Keepers who live there. So when he finds himself bonded to a beast he becomes determined to get rid of it. Barclay really struggles with this decision though. He often finds himself relying on the beast and the magic that their relationship gives him. But he makes some friends and has some great adventures on the way to finding his true self.

The story is well done and of course the world building is perfect. I loved all of the different beasts and the different levels of danger and magic they represent. There is a lot of battle scenes in which strength does not always win over smarts and ingenuity. There is of course some evil shenanigans amongst the adult Lore Keepers that the children must defend themselves from and save the world from. But it is all done with a lot of heart and warmth and some humor too.

If you are a fan of Amanda Foody’s YA books, then I am sure this one will delight you as well. I know that kids will love it and I can’t wait to get it into my library and into kids hands.

The Accidental Apprentice is the story of Barclay Thorne, a mushroom farmer’s apprentice. His parents were killed by a Beast and now he hates everything to do with them and their Lore Keepers. But the life he knew comes to an end when he accidentally bonds with a Beast. He flees from his village in the hopes of discovering a way to break that bond. He just might have found the answer: if he is first in a competition between Lore Keepers seeking apprenticeship, one of the masters will help him. The catch? The boy who hates their magical way of life must become the best.

Barclay was such a well done character. Best part of the book, hands down. I loved his work ethic, and I loved watching him grow. The world building was also really interesting. The side cast was well done, too. There was a nice twist at the end that I totally didn’t see coming, but it made perfect sense.
The only downside was a few things felt extremely familiar, making me ask if I haven’t seen this story before. That said, Barclay made up for it, putting a unique spin on some cliches.

All in all, I’d highly recommend this book to all middle grade readers who love a good fantasy. Perfect for fans of the Underland Chronicles, Iron Trial, and the Unwanteds. I’ll be wanting a nice paperback of this book on my own shelf, and my fingers are crossed for a sequel.

Barclay is an orphan, apprentice to the mushroom farmer, living in the rule-bound town of Dullsville. After chasing his fellow apprentice into the forbidden Woods, Barclay finds himself possessed of an odd gold tattoo, or Mark. Fleeing home, Barclay discovers a sudden, unwanted ability to control magic, or Lore - an ability forbidden by the rules of Dullsville. Retiring to the Woods to seek a way to remove the Mark, Barclay travels with Viola to Sycomore, a town of magic makers, or Lore Keepers, searching for a master who can help him.

As Barclay searches, he fights to remain true to himself, to be able to return to the town that cast him out, the only home he’s ever known. Helped by friends, betrayed by foes, Barclay must decide where he belongs and which town will be his future home. A fun and entertaining read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wilderlore is a cute and quirky middle-grade novel featuring charming characters, an imaginative world, and a light-hearted plot. It will be perfect for fans of How to Train Your Dragon and Pokemon. This is a strong start to a great new fantasy series.

Fantasy is not my favorite genre but I did enjoy The Accidental Apprentice. Barclay was a relatable character who felt he just didn't fit in anywhere. He finally finds where he belongs as much as he doesn't want to admit it. As other reviewers have stated, it is very similar to How To Train Your Dragon. Fans of fantasy will enjoy the ride.

What a rich magical world full of exotic beasts and fun characters! I absolutely loved this book. It was great to see a male main character again that learns to appreciate who he is. Barclay's development was so believable and organically refreshing.

I am a sucker for fantastic beasts and this story did not disappoint. The world is brimming with life and lore and magical creatures with unique abilities. On top of that, it also includes beasts as companions which I am all about.

The ending wasn't entirely predictable, which is awesome in a middle grade. I am greatly looking forward to more of Barclay and Root and everything that comes with this world!

I ADORED this charming middle grade debut from Amanda Foody! Barclay and Viola and Mitzi all grabbed my heart within no time at all. THE ACCIDENTAL APPRENTICE truly does encapsulate the wonder of Pokemon in a fun, new way. I love this world and can't wait to explore it more in the next installment!

Barclay works as an apprentice to a mushroom farmer in the town of Dullshire. Surrounding the town are the beast-filled Woods. Almost as feared as the beasts are the Lore Keepers, outsiders who have bonded with the beasts and can use the beasts' powers When Barclay is forced to flee into the Woods, a beast becomes bonded with him, turning him into a Lore Keeper. Banished from Dullshire, Barclay becomes determined to undo the bond. But to do that, he will have to venture further into the Woods and closer to the dangers within.

The Accidental Apprentice is a fast paced, heartfelt adventure that will appeal to fans of Harry Potter and other fantasy classics. Foody excels at worldbuilding--she creates a rich, fascinating world slowing the story down. Beasts belong to different classes according to their strength and rarity, and they can be found in six different Wilderlands. Lore Keepers belong to guilds, apprentice under masters, and choose different specializations. Beasts can be contained in moving, tattoo-like marks on the Lore Keepers' skin.

Fans of Pokemon will love the descriptions of the beasts and the battle scenes between different Lore Keepers and their beasts. One of the best parts of the book sees Lore Keepers battling each other one on one. Brute strength rarely wins out, and many of the battles are won through quick thinking and creative use of illusions and Lore.

Without spoiling the plot, I will say I wish the motivations of some of the characters had been explored a bit more. Barclay, orphaned at a young age and despised by most of Dullshire, is desperate to belong, desperate to be chosen by someone. Viola, the Lore Keeper who befriends him, is driven by a desire to prove her worth. But other characters' motivations are a bit murkier. I would love it if they were fleshed out a bit more in future books.

Overall, The Accidental Apprentice is a delightful read, with lots of magic and adventure. It's a strong start to what will hopefully turn into a series. I would happily return to the world of Lore Keepers to follow more of Barclay and Viola's adventures.

Beautiful all around. The cover, the ongoing story, the relationships...I'm just so in love with this book and I genuinely cannot wait for more installments. I was excited to keep reading every time I picked the book up and kept gushing about it to my husband. Very well written, lovey chemistry, pretty little doodles. The world is such fun (more specifically where the Lore folk dwell)! It's like Pokémon meets Harry Potter meets Dungeons and Dragons meets I don't even know, because Foody is a dream. Though some things feel familiar in a comforting way, she still makes this a thing of her own, there are still unique elements.

My only complaint is the rate at which characters interrupted one another. Mind you, I don't have kids and don't spend time around them either, so if this is accurate, so be it, but if not, it was really rather distracting.