"Revernota" by J. Mitchel Reed weaves together adventure, magic, and family ties into an incredibly unique story that just sticks with you. This book stands out big time for its unique plot that mixes mystery and fantasy in a seriously cool way. You can see Reed's knack for storytelling in how characters evolve and the everyday world effortlessly blends with a brilliant fantasy realm that's got major "Stranger Things" vibes.

Right from the get-go, you're hooked with a premise that evokes nostalgic memories of childhood. Our protagonist Sammy's all pumped up about summer and his excitement skyrockets when he gets his hands on walkie-talkies.

As the story rolls on, Reed's got an eye for detail that shines. Descriptions of the mystical realm are full of sensory-rich descriptions that'll make you feel like you’re in the world with the characters. The magic system is very interesting without being overwhelming. Reed cleverly works on the idea of "cubes" as the building blocks of reality.

But at the heart of this story are the characters. Sam's journey from curious kid to guardian-in-the-making is touching. He’s endearing, sweet, and endlessly inquisitive. It makes him a great protagonist to explore this world through. Also, I appreciate how the parents are an active part of this story, especially when the norm in most kid’s media is to have them out of the way for some reason or another.

Reed's writing style feels like a cross between Stranger Things and Neil Gaiman’s writing. The whole time I was reading this, I couldn’t help but think that it would make an incredible TV show. This book digs deep into your thoughts and feelings, making it a story that lingers even after you've put it down. If you're into fantasy, adventure, and stories that touch your heart, "Revernota" is the one you don't want to miss.

Revernota is a young adult fantasy novel by J. Mitchel Reed where we follow Sammy and Howie as they go to explore their neighbour’s backyard. However this isn’t just any normal neighbour, this is Mr Atwell. All sorts of rumours go around about him, some say he’s crazy, some say he works for the government. Sammy and Howie want to find out what’s really going on but little did they know that they’d face the adventure of a lifetime with magic and all sorts of unbelievable things! This book emphasises the importance of family and friendship and it is clear that the author values these things. Often in adventure stories, the families are shunned into the corner and aren’t spoken about but this story incorporated parents really well!


I was really blown away by this book, it was truly outstanding! From the get-go, I knew this would be an entertaining novel as the prologue alone left me curious and craving to know more. There is a lot of mystery and some great unexpected twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat! The fantastic use of various techniques to thoroughly describe what was going on made it easy for me to properly imagine the story and really bring everything to life. This is so important when writing a book and this author is excellent at it, especially as it is his first novel! There was always intriguing dialogue in this book which ensured that, as the reader, I never got bored.


Overall, I thought this book was excellent but some things that the author could do to improve is taking time at the start to build up more tension. The beginning felt quite rushed and it would’ve been better if Mr Atwell and his house had been focused on a bit more before the boys headed into their adventure to go and investigate. I feel like this would’ve made things a bit more dramatic and suspenseful for the reader. I also wish we saw a bit more of Ameeka showing up in the story as I would've loved to have gotten to know her character a bit more!


I would recommend this book to people aged 10-15 as there are some great morals that I think they could learn. For example, not judging a book by its cover, standing up for yourself, not giving up. There are also some great comedic elements that add to the impressive storyline that I feel are also very relatable for young people. Also, if you liked the film ‘Monster House’ or the book ‘The Nowhere Emporium’ then I think you'll enjoy this book as the storyline feels similar.

Such an amazing book! Despite not being a “young” adult, this book drew me in quickly and held my attention through to the end. It’s full of adventure, and inspires its readers to go find their own exciting quest. Highly recommend it & super excited for any others that may be released in the future!

Such an incredible book! For teens, young adults, and adults alike. Couldn’t put it down!!