If you’re looking for something whimsical to quench that Harry Potter appetite, Wilderlore will do just that. With plenty of adventure, magic, and a little mystery, you will fly through The Accidental Apprentice and be counting down the days until the second book releases.

The Accidental Apprentice is a young adult novel and the first in the Wilderlore series by Amanda Foody. (She is known for The Shadow Game Series.) It follows an orphaned boy name Barclay Thorne who lives in Dullshire, a town full of rules which proves to be…well, quite dull. Barclay is an apprentice to the town’s mushroom farmer and wants nothing more than to live an ordinary life and to one day become the head mushroom farmer himself.

The town of Dullshire forbids citizens to travel into the woods where dangerous and magical Beasts reside. One day Barclay wanders too far and is accidently thrust into the world of magic by bonding with a Beast by chance. The town will not tolerate their greatest rule being broken and casts him out. Determined to go back to his normal life, Barclay sets out on an unimaginable quest to remove the bond and return home.

Along the way, Barclay meets some new friends and foes, enters into a dangerous apprenticeship exam, and learns more about Lore Keepers, (people who have bonded with other Beasts). Ultimately, Barclay must decide whether or not he wants to return back to his drab old life… or welcome the exciting new path in front of him.

The beginning of this series seems to have it all: adventure, humor, friendship, and a little bit of a plot twist you might not see coming. The suggested reading age for this book is 8 and older.  I just happened upon this book while shopping at Wal-Mart. You can also purchase hardback, paperback, or Kindle addition on Amazon. 

Look for #2 in the series, The Weeping Tide, being released Feburary of 2022!