Your twelfth birthday isn't supposed to be life changing, but for Dylan Edwards, it absolutely is! An amulet and journal wasn't his ideal gift, but they send Dylan to another realm where a tyrant king is destroying the kingdom of Calinore, which apparently was once ruled by his royal ancestors! Each night, as he sleeps, Dylan moves across the land on a quest set him by King Paul, who is trapped inside the journal! Then, one night, he doesn't return home. The journey has taken over, and he's now being relied on to return Calinore to the friendly, welcoming land it once was. Can he and his group of new friends be successful, or will those who are determined to stop him win the day?

Set in Canada, book one in Theresa Leyes new Dylan Edwards Adventure Series is a mix of the current day, with quite possibly the worst house guest ever written, and the distant past in the mythical kingdom of Calinore. There is a lot of detail here, but as it is the first book, there is a lot of world building included. The Edwards family are likeable, relatable, and definitely worth cheering for, as is Dylan's best friend, Jesse.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, but the opinions expressed are my own. I enjoyed this very much and look forward to book two. The amount of detail may put some less enthusiastic readers off, but this is definitely worth sticking with. 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

What worked:
I like to consider a book’s hook at the beginning and this book’s opening is a little different. Dylan’s twelfth birthday is the age when many characters discover something special about their lives, and he knows what to expect this year. However, while walking to the ice cream shop, he is compelled to change his course and enter an old, dismal-looking shop. Later, his father is drawn to the same shop where he finds an old wooden chest containing an amulet and a small journal with blank pages. While exploring the chest, his birthday present, Dylan experiences the same migraine headache and chest pains that have debilitated his father since he was twelve. To add to the mystery, Dylan and his father are the only ones who can see the strange pitchfork symbol on the forehead of the cranky, old woman living as a house guest. Readers will get a sense of where the plot is headed but the hook will make them curious to read more.
Dylan has visions of a king being killed in a dungeon and discovers they can communicate with each other using the blank journal. Dylan learns he can end the family curse by stopping the evil reign of Mordrid and a sorcerer named Drucilla. The author emphasizes their cruelty by describing Mordrid’s love of torturing and how his lead guard Maggotbreath inflicts ruthless violence on his prisoners. Drucilla secretly plots to get rid of King Mordrid as her evil magic is an overwhelming force. Dylan’s quest is to recover two mystical items, a hidden scepter and Drucilla’s wand, and restore King Paul to the throne.
The supporting cast is a unique blend of characters and personalities. Dylan is aided by an aging witch whose abilities have seen better days and readers won’t know what to expect when she casts spells. The rightful king of Calinore is killed in a prison cell and his soul is now trapped inside the journal with a pirate called Greybeard. King Paul provides helpful advice and motivation for Dylan while Greybeard’s soul is cranky, angry, and has little patience for Dylan. King Paul’s wife and their son have been changed into talking mice and a former assistant to Drucilla now acts as a spying sparrow for the queen. King Mordrid’s prison guards are inept, bumbling buffoons but the head jailer, Maggotbreath, is as malevolent as they come.
What didn’t work as well:
The story shifts settings to focus on various characters but some of these are unnecessary. It’s most important to follow Dylan, Mordrid, and Drucilla as they have the most interesting, conflicting subplots. The end of the book may not be as satisfying as readers would like.
The final verdict:
Young readers will enjoy Dylan’s quest into a magical world of witches, pirates, and even a dragon. There’s a nice blend of drama, humor, and suspense as Dylan tries to end the family curse. I suggest you give this book a shot.