Disclaimer: I received this e-book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.



Book: The Gatekeeper of Pericael



Author: Hayley Reese Chow



Book Series: Standalone so far



Rating: 4.5/5



Recommended For...: children's book readers, MG lovers, fantasy readers



Publication Date: April 6, 2021



Genre: MG Fantasy



Recommended Age: 10+ (some scary moments)



Publisher: Indie Published



Pages: 158



Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Porter would much rather spend his weekends playing soccer than channeling spirits in the parallel universe of Pericael. Unfortunately for him, Porter's family has guarded the gate between Earth and monster-filled Pericael for generations, so he's not getting out of Gatekeeper lessons anytime soon.

But some after-school activities are more dangerous than others.

When a soul thief threatens the gate, Porter reluctantly comes to its defense... and gets thrown deep into Pericael's dangerous jungle wilderness. With the help of two fierce native girls, Porter must learn to embrace the creepy spirits and find his way back to the gate. But the soul thief is racing for the gate too, and if he gets there first, Porter won't have a home to go back to.



Review: I really enjoyed this book! I loved the magic system and the story hooked me in instantly. I loved the character development and I felt like the world building was really well done. The book was also well paced and had a great flow.


The only thing I didn't like about the book is that the story didn't set itself apart from any other I had read previously and the characters didn't connect to me.



Verdict: It was good, but not unique.