Happy Tuesday and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for THE ACCIDENTAL APPRENTICE! I’m so excited because today I have a guest post by Amanda Foody to share with you! This book is truly amazing and I’m so so excited to for you to find out more about it, PLUS see my pretty bookstagram picture!
The Accidental Apprentice by Amanda Foody Series: Wilderlore #1
Published on March 30, 2021 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Pages: 304
Add to Goodreads
Author Links: Website, Twitter, Goodreads, Instagram
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.
What would you do if you spent the day with barclay? Where would you go to eat, hang out, relax, etc.?
Barclay is a very dedicated worker, so more than likely, I would join him on a daily runthrough of his extremely important responsibilities as a mushroom farmer apprentice.
We’d begin our day visiting the mushroom caves and tending to all the specimens that love to grow in the damp and the dark. Then we’d grab our baskets and venture out into the fields to hunt for wild fungi. We might even approach the edge of the vast and frightening Woods (but we’d never stray inside).
Barclay’s favorite hobby is reading, so after the day’s work is finished, we’d head over to the Dullshire library—and it so happens that I love libraries, too! We’d browse the adventure section. Whichever books are more fantastical and more exciting, the better!
After that, we’d stroll around Dullshire, hunting for some snacks. Dullshire specializes in heavier fare, so the two of us would probably split a feast of apple tarts, sausages, sauerkraut, and lots of fried everything. And of course, some mushrooms! We’d have to be on our best behavior as we explore the town, though—it’s very easy to break one of Dullshire’s many, many rules.
As the day comes to a close, Barclay and his teacher, Master Pilzmann, who are both very polite, would give me a big bag of mushrooms to take home, and I would make a delicious mushroom soup.
About Amanda Foody
Amanda Foody has always considered imagination to be our best attempt at magic. After a double life as an accountant preparing taxes for multinational corporations, she now spends her free time brewing and fermenting foods much more easily obtained at her local grocery store. She lives in Boston, MA with a hoard of books guarded by the most vicious of feline companions, Jelly Bean.
Her books include The Shadow Game series and more. Her middle grade debut, Wilderlore: The Accidental Apprentice, hits shelves March 30, 2021, and her next YA novel, All of Us Villains, co-authored with Christine Lynn Herman, releases on November 9, 2021.
What do you think about The Accidental Apprentice? Have you added it to your tbr yet? Let me know in the comments and have a splendiferous day!
This sounds like such a cute book! Thanks for the feature, I’ll be adding it to my TBR 🙂