Belly of the Beast is a YA fantasy/sci-fi blend…and one of the weirdest books I’ve read in my entire life (in terms of content, not format). If I had to compare this to anything else, I’d compare it to Abarat by Clive Barker. They’re both super weird, so much so that they both have cool art inside to help you understand what you’re reading. Otherwise I’m sure everyone reading would be totally lost.

Here’s the main story:

A young faun girl, Sera, lives on earth. This other race of people with ram horns called aerie from Mars have forced everyone on earth to follow their weird religion made up of Royal Coven witches. So now all the fauns worship the Grand Sorcerer, and have been granted special access to the VR world.

Most fauns simply except that the aeries are in charge, but not Sera. She discovers a family secret, which leads her to question everything she was taught. She, a friend from school, and her shapeshifting pig go on a journey to discover what the Royal Coven is hiding from everyone, and why they want everyone to be piously obedient.

So far, you’re probably thinking that the story sounds pretty normal, right? Teen girl goes on a journey to figure out why the oppressive series are in control. It’s what happens from there that is so weird.

I’m going to list out a bunch of weird things you’ll encounter in this book (no spoilers), and I think you’ll start to understand once you see this list:

—Pig with wings and exposed ribs that can shapeshift
—VR technology implanted in the fauns’ brains
—The Royal Coven and the Grand Sorcerer as a religion
—Big angry forest spirits
—Giant pyramids used for nefarious purposes
—A third race of people who live in caves (called relics)
—Cave worms that turn things into wet cement
—Giant stone statues of witches that come alive
—A really awesome magic system that involves casting enchantments
—An enchanted mirror
—A magical armillary sphere
—Epic poetry (very beautifully written in iambic pentameter)
—Child experimentation, slavery, and murder (it’s not graphic in any way, but it’s there, so TW if that’s a sensitive topic to you)
—A nun disguised as an old man
—Zombie fauns that farm Mars
—A motorized unicycle (I assume it’s not Yugioh style based on the art, but that’s all my brain could picture)
—Scuba diving and an underwater library

Did I mention that this is the first book in a trilogy? I have no doubt that the next two books will be equally as weird.

Here’s the thing. This is one of those books where you just have to trust the author to take you on a journey. And oh boy it was a journey. If you think going on a surreal journey full of nonsense sounds fun to you, I highly recommend checking this one out. But if you’re the sort of reader that wants character development, that’s not what you’ll get here. This book is about 50% plot and 50% world building. Character development got so little screen time that I didn’t include it in the percentages.

The reason I wouldn’t say this is one of my favorites, and why I didn’t give it five stars, has to do with the way the world building works. Most of the information we learn about the world is told through dialogue. It’s not an info dump, as we get it all in tiny little tidbits throughout the course of the book, but it does feel like a lot. I’m curious if there’s going to be more of this in book two, or if we’ve done all the world building that’s necessary. I honestly could see the author writing a totally different style of book for the second one, just to mess with us, but who knows?

You all know me and weird things. They are the shiny to my crow, the flame to my moth. I’ve loved some weird books in the past, especially ones where the format is wild and wacky. It’s rare that I run across books so weird that they shock me with their weirdness, because I read mainly sci-fi and fantasy, which are inherently weird by nature. So finding one is really fun.

I desperately need more people to read this, because I have to know if I hallucinated the entire book. It felt like one of my insane dreams, and I mean that in the best possible way. It reminded me a lot of places I’ve seen online like Omega Mart or Other World. If you’ve never heard of them, look them up. They’re…something else. That’s all I’ll say. You have to see it for yourself to understand.

Before I go, I made a mood board to help you all visualize this book. Trust me, it makes sense once you read it.

This was a cute, immersive story. Some of it was a little confusing, but overall I enjoyed it. Definitely more appropriate for middle grade, maybe ya. The magic system was unique and the characters diverse yet relatable.

I wanted to start and say thank you to NetGalley and Source for giving me an eARC of this book!

**DNF'd @ 38.8%**

While the illustrations in the book and the synopsis was extremely interesting, which ultimately is what drew me to request the book I was let down a little bit. I started getting really excited about the mystery and romance that was budding, but my attention was just lost. I found myself not wanting to pick this book back up and continue, and I tried over and over again after a small break. I have longed for story like this with fantasy with a sprinkle of technology and I just stayed confused, as well as the aspects of the culture as well was just too much for me to wrap my head around.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Belly of the Beast is the first book in the Source series and sets the scene for a new fantasy world to unfold.
We follow Sera Skohlidon, whose curiosity about finding the Royal Coven and uncovering their magic leads her to uncover a hidden family secret and leads her to be embroiled with the coven but not in a positive way. Sera was a fantastic character, and I loved her growth and maturity through the story. The illustrations are just as beautiful as the cover art on the book. The book format took me a little while to get used to but wasn't off-putting. I am looking forward to the next instalment in this series!

I really enjoyed this book! The plot was well paced and drew you right into the story form the beginning. I loved the MCs and the chemistry between them. The book had some twists and turns that had me on the edge of my seat! It was a very, fun, fantastical story and I'll be keeping my eye out for book two.
Whilst this book was beautifully illustrated and a delight to flip through, the page formatting (2 columns pre page) made it extremely difficult to read on a smaller smart device - but I can imagine they would be enchanting on a larger screen!

Before I begin this review, I want to thank Net Galley. Charles Armstrong has created a well-thought-out world, involving magical creatures, from fauns and aeries to furies that look like fairies. There is a lot of action and adventure on an Earth-like planet and even space traveling to Mars, where many dark secrets reside. The theme of this book as a whole is bravery, finding oneself, and uncovering dark truths to save those you love.

I was glued to each page! Not only were there beautiful illustrations throughout this book, but this story is also whimsical and teaches many excellent but hard lessons that need to be learned.

At the beginning of the book, Sera is discrete about questioning her beliefs about the system she grew up in because she knows there will likely be consequences for doing so. By the end of the story, we see her become braver and more willing to make daring and bold moves to save those she loves.

While Sera's changes occur over the book, it is stated multiple times that most of these changes happen within a few days, a short time for a character to change and gain many new skills. I do think Sera should have been seen failing a bit more and learning these skills rather than taking them on so quickly.

Enry questions things aloud that could get him killed, but even then, he and Sera make for an interesting team and pair! Though, there really wasn't much to say about the romance. While it was stated multiple times that both of them had feelings for one another, something was missing between, making their romance feel underdeveloped.

There was a lot of action and even some plot twists that I did not see coming! The book centers around Sera trying to uncover secrets about the magical system her people have taken on hundreds of years ago. This leads to traveling through the forest and eventually ending up on Mars, where she covers a lot of dark secrets.

The world-building is excellent! Different species and forms of magic and science are introduced and talked about throughout the book. There is also a glimpse into the culture and even architectural differences between species and those on Earth versus Mars. Armstrong obviously put a lot of thought into constructing this world!

The writing style was easy to read, and it flowed so well! The imagery was clear, and the action was written in such a way that easily held one's attention! Everything was enriched through the writing style, though remember that the language is simplified because it is considered a children's book. Either way, I was pretty impressed with how Armstrong depicted this world.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy and sci-fi middle school-aged books with pictures!

I really enjoyed the unique writing style and art throughout captured my attention with every turn! I think this will most definitely capture people’s attention!

Really enjoyed this one, was a nice quick read whilst I was on holiday. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for something new

Sorce Book 1: Belly of the Beast delivers a captivating and imaginative experience that seamlessly immerses readers into a fantastical world. The concept is intriguing, blending seamlessly with the fantasy genre, and the narrative possesses a remarkable flow that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish. The anticipation for what comes next is palpable, as the story introduces a rich tapestry of characters and a world filled with mystery and wonder. This promising beginning leaves readers eagerly awaiting the next installment, eager to delve deeper into the intricacies of the Sorce universe. A must-read for fantasy enthusiasts seeking a compelling and well-crafted narrative.

Unfortunately, the audiobook file wouldn't load properly in my Netgalley app so I was unable to listen to it to review it. I then tried to read the ebook version. Though the file wouldn't open and there was showing up in my Netgalley app shelf. I will have to pick it up sometime. As reviews have been great. Shame I was unable to read. Thank you to the author and publishing company. I really tried all sorts of things. I need to give the book a rating to post the feedback. So giving it 4 stars for premise and cover and the fact it wasn't the authors fault of the file not working.

“We are strong. I am ready.”

Belly of the Beast is a meticulously crafted fantasy/sci-fi blended novel that is highly entertaining – I had such a good time reading & listening to this! The immersive storytelling (enhanced by the audiobook featuring multiple narrators & accompanying music), strong characters, and relevant reflections on the integration of AI in our lives makes Belly of the Beast a must-read for fantasy & sci-fi fans.

In this book, we follow Sera, a resilient faun on a quest to reveal who is responsible for her world’s magic; a process engrained in her guilds’ lives. It took me a few chapters to get used to the book and its format but very quickly I was immersed in one of the most uniquely blended fantasy and science fiction worlds. Sera is an amazing FMC – having the courage to confront her fears while advocating for those without a voice. Despite being written in third person, the inclusion of Sera’s internal monologue adds a personal touch without introducing a biased perspective of her surroundings. I love that Charles Armstrong did not cut corners when writing the conflict in this book. Sera’s challenges are not easily solved, requiring her to employ her wit and rely on her found family of eccentric companions. There are beautiful illustrations scattered throughout the book which contribute to the immersive nature of the story. I do hope that future books maintain the illustrations (and I wouldn’t say no to even more).

Being the first book [in a planned set of 6], Belly of the Beast set high standards and I am eager to read the next book. The book's accessibility and engaging narrative make it a strong contender for required reading in schools, addressing important topics while remaining suitable for young adults aged 13 and above.

I received an ARC of Belly of the Beast through NetGalley; all opinions are my own.

DNF 60% I received this arc off of netgalley. The overall premise was good, the writing however was more in line for teens who love similar styles like Harry Potter, teeming with magic and not so much my taste. However definitely one a younger audience will enjoy.

An incredibly imaginative and original story!

The story's concept itself was incredibly well thought-out and fun to follow - although there were also a fair share of emotional and dark parts. I really came to love our main cast of Sera, Enry and Pterus and I'd honestly love to see them return in a sequel! It feels like we'd only just begun to scratch the surface of their world, and there's so much that i'd have liked the story to have expanded on.

It took some time for me to get used to the soundtracks in the background and the added sound effects (doesn't really work at x2.5 speed), but I can see younger audiences enjoying the interactive nature of it! It definitely helped to add an atmosphere to certain scenarios, but it also felt a little unnecessary in others.. (like heroic music in an apparently slow/tender confession scene?)

I was lucky enough to have the chance to request a copy of the ebook alongside the audiobook, and I must say that the accompanying illustrations were stunning to look at! Some of the monsters looked truly terrifying, but I enjoyed flipping back to them and seeing the scenes portrayed visually.

My main qualm with the story is that it gets a little confusing after a certain point.. and I might argue unnecessarily so? Once we were past the 50% mark I found it difficult to keep all the names and characters straight, and honestly gave up trying, but it felt like we were introduced to so many different alien concepts. And we spent so little time on each one before Sera was apparently making a new discovery and moving on..
Although I enjoyed that aspect to a certain degree, and it definitely felt unique, I just can't imagine a younger audience being able to follow along as easily with such fast paced story-telling.

The story also got very dark in the latter half.. to a degree that I wasn't exactly anticipating - but it felt like it was kind of brushed over in a way.. So I would definitely urge readers to check the TWs before hand.

All in all I can appreciate how much work was put into this story and the audiobook in itself, but I wish we'd been given a more definitive ending and a little less characters


trigger warnings from what I remember: child abuse, body horror, death

— Thank you Netgalley and Source Books for providing an eARC for an honest review. All opinions are my own

I read the e-book while listening to the audiobook to get the full experience. Since for this book there’s actually a bunch of stunning illustrations included. To be completely honest, this book was a lot more intense than I thought it would be and it was surprisingly well-written. I liked most of the characters, the world-building was pretty solid and the story was well-paced.

Very intrigued to read further installments in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

DNF @60%
I'm not usually one to DNF books, but I wasn't very motivated to continue reading this🤷‍♀️ While the premise sounded promising and world-building was rich, the writing felt stale and I didn't connect to any of the characters. I didn't care for the romance either as there was no chemistry (Enry was just... there?) and it felt like the only reason they like each other was because they're both attractive. However, I did enjoy the fusion of magic and technology and the mystery behind their whole religious system was intriguing, I just didn't find myself eager to find out more.

I was given a copy by NetGalley for an honest review. This was a very cute, fast paced, adventure filled sci-fi fantasy. I did start out with the audiobook but finished reading the rest. I really enjoyed the illustrations and I liked the audiobook though it was a little bit overwhelming. To be fair to the audiobook I’ve just never listened to one like it with different voices, music, and sounds. Overall, liked the book for what it was. I was not the target audience but I would recommend for younger teens and even think my kiddo would like this book a whole lot. I wish we could’ve got to know Sera and Emry a bit more. If you have a teen that’s super into sci-fi fantasy then I would definitely recommend to them.

This was a strong start to the Sorce series, it had a great concept and worked well with the fantasy genre. I loved the illustrations and how they worked with the story. It had everything that I wanted from this type of book and can’t wait for more.

Sera has always wondered if there’s more to life than blindly following the Royal Coven, sacrificing whatever they ask in exchange for their magic. One day, after discovering a family secret, she embarks on an adventure in order to uncover the truth. But the closer she gets, the more danger she’s in making it all too important to place her trust in the right people…

I switched between the ebook and audiobook when reading this. The format of the e book definitely took some getting used to, as did the terminology (might just be me though). The sound effects in the audiobook brought the story to life and I liked the cast well enough, although I think it may have been better for someone else to narrate the main story instead of the author (which I don’t say often). If you’re able to read the ebook over the audiobook I definitely recommend it as I enjoyed it more (plus you get to look at the beautiful art).

Once I pushed through the beginning couple of chapters, the story really picked up and became a lot more action packed -at which point it gripped my attention until the end.

I adored the blend of magic and sci-fi in this, and the artwork in the ebook was stunning. Pterus was awesome, definitely one of my favourite animal companions i’ve read about! Sera and Enry made a fantastic duo and I’m intrigued by Nixie (praying we get more info about her in the next instalment).

The thing preventing me from giving this five stars was that I wasn’t emotionally invested in our MC. Whilst I love Enry and Sera as a pair, I didn’t care much for Sera as individual and thought things seemed to work out too conveniently for her most of the time. There was one instance where I think the author tried to counteract this however it fell flat for me and didn’t have the emotional impact I think it was supposed to.

Despite this, I’ll be reading the next intallment when it’s released as this is a unique premise and there’s enough for me to want to carry on. Fingerscrossed the next one will be even better!

3.5
<i>I've received this ebook and audiobook from the author and NetGalley, so thank you! Opinions are all my own.</i>
This is an adventure fantasy/sci-fi dystopian like MG book set in this world where the protagonists are fauns with horns. There are 32 beautiful illustrations and there are some poems as well it's very pretty. The audiobook was amazing with a full cast and narrated by the author himself. There was also music and sound effects which was cool. The story is written in an odd way but I still liked it, it was just hard to understand what was going on most of the time. The scene changes with the MC fainting a lot which is kind of annoying. There are twists and turns that'll keep you hooked. Finished it in about 3 hours. I would recommend to people who like weird and freaky but heroic vibes. I don't think I'll read the sequel, but maybe you will like it more!

Sorce has been a fun read. I've read it partly as an ebook and partly as an audiobook. The ebook has gorgeous illustrations in it, I might pick the physical copy up! The audiobook is done in a way that's pretty immersive, with different narrators, sound effects and music. My only issue was that sometimes with some accents, voice types and music in the background it was hard to understand, especially since there are some unusual words.

We follow young Sera in a sci fi/fantasy world. She is trying to unravel some of the mysteries of the world she's living in. There's some interesting technology involved, as well as an religious-like organization that controls everyone.

Overall, it was fun and fast paced, though for how much some parts were developed, others were lacking. It has also lost me a few times on the way because of the convoluted descriptions.

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for granting me access to an arc.