Nell & the Netherbeast

by Adi Rule

The Netherbeast, a slinking creature with an overwhelming stench, impossibly charms young Nell. Befriending this shapeshifter propels Nell into an unforgettable summer. A beast, a haunting, a fire, and a basement that should be avoided at all costs are just part of the adventures Nell didn’t ask for. This story is equal parts heart-pounding and heartwarming.

Twelve-year-old Nell Stoker loves animals. She’s been working toward becoming a junior volunteer at her local animal shelter for what feels like forever. But now it’s summertime, and her parents are making her go to her Aunt Jerry’s old bed and breakfast in Deer Valley with her older sister Lulu. When Nell crosses paths with the Netherbeast (a creature that is decidedly not a cat), his hijinks leave her wondering if she’s made a new best friend or if Netherbeast will destroy the whole B&B (not even by accident). It's up to Nell to help save her aunt's B&B and solve the mystery of what might be in the basement. Between the mysteries of Rose Cottage and the creepy Netherbeast—Nell is in for an unforgettable summer adventure.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Childrens

288 pages, Hardcover

Published August 15, 2023

About the author

Adi Rule earned her MFA in writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is represented by Ammi-Joan Paquette of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.

Reviews

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

best book ever!

My 10 year old’s review- “this book is really good. I really like it. I am personally a big fan of animals, so I got attached to it very quickly. I recommend this to any animal lovers that are looking for a good book! 🐈‍⬛😊

[Mary Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nell & the Netherbeast is an entertaining fantasy book for middle grade readers! This book is illustrated, making it appealing to those beginning to read longer chapter books, but still liking larger text and pictures on some of the pages.

Nell Stoker is spending the summer with her older sister Lulu at their aunt Jerry's bed and breakfast, and she is NOT happy about it. She'd rather stay in Cape Green and volunteer at the animal shelter. But Lulu needs a summer job to help pay for college, and their moms want Nell and Lulu to have some bonding time, so Nell is on her way to Rose Cottage in Deer Valley. She visits the local convenience store before she goes, and befriends a not-cat who is pretending to be a cat. She calls him the Netherbeast, which seems to fit him (and his claws and his shape-shifting abilities and his stinky fur).

When Nell, Lulu and the Netherbeast arrive at Rose Cottage, they find a B&B that needs a lot of work. Evidently, things just started falling apart a couple of months ago, and now the Cozy Corner Sisterhood of Inns (who owns Rose Cottage) is threatening to close them down. They have the Flying Florentines (world-famous bloggers) coming to stay in three weeks, and unless they get a 5-star review, Mrs. Tipton from Cozy Corner is going to close the B&B and sell it.

But why is everything going so wrong at the B&B? Nell and the Netherbeast believe it is because there is an angry ghost haunting the house and making things fall apart. Can they figure out who the ghost is, what they want, and how to fix it before the Flying Florentines arrive? Can they save Aunt Jerry's B&B from closure?

This is a gentle story about friendship, family and ghosts. There's nothing too scary involved, and everything has a happy ending. Kids dealing with older siblings leaving the house will appreciate this story, as will kids who are starting to figure out where they fit in the world.

Thanks to Andrews McNeel Universal for the advance copy of this book.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very lively and entertaining young fantasy – seven to elevens, I'd say, in total contrast to the eight to twelve bracket, of course – that will brighten up an evening's reading. Nell is tasked with going with her older sister to an aunt's B&B for the summer, only to find the place an unimaginable hell-hole – bits falling off, if not throwing themselves at people, the building practically running itself into the ground and a general nasty malaise about the place. It all has to be ready in three weeks for an appearance on a channel run by the world's biggest travel influencers, or else closed right down, but Nell realises very quickly indeed that it is haunted and something needs to be put right. Perhaps she's found the perfect assistant in that, though, her fellow title character – a shape-shifting cat pest demon kind of thing?

Yes, it's odd coming to this thinking it will be about a girl having to cope with a wicked little moggie thing, only to find the second character almost the house, imbued with even more evil than the Netherbeast. But it's soon assuaged, as what comes to the fore is the fun of it all. Very broadly-written fun, all told, but fun. Overly-woke fun, of course, with Nell and Lulu having a mother in a lesbian relationship just to tick a box. But fun. It's all written with a great immediacy, and while the house just imploding under its own steam reminded me of two visual media I hate (the final shoot out cum demolition in "Carry On Up the Khyber" and the house disintegrating in "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em") I can so easily see the appeal of this kind of spook-tinged variant on slapstick. For me it was actually a perfectly acceptable, and interesting read – for the target audience it's nudging brilliance. That cover needs a lot of effort to look professional, tho.

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nell and the Netherbeast follows 12-year-old, socially awkward Nell as she and her sister go to their Aunt Jerry’s for the summer to work. This is no ordinary visit as before they leave Nell finds the Netherbeast. The Netherbeast sometimes acts like a cat but is definitely not a cat. The house the girls and Netherbeast get to was not the same house Nell remembers from her previous visits. The house has a angry aura and all repairs keep getting destroyed. Nell and her Netherbeast find a ghost in the basement and to repair the house and successfully keep it running they must figure out why the ghost is angry.
I really loved that Nell despite her anxiety grows in her confidence. The Netherbeast helps Nell with her anxiety and shows her that it’s ok to be weird. It’s a story of friendship and finding that’s it’s ok to love yourself and your weirdness even if others find you weird. This book is very good at portraying social anxiety. I really liked this book and recommend it to middle-grade readers who are just starting out on longer chapters with a few illustrations.
There was some typos in the book but I believe that’s because it was a unproofed copy.
I was given an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of this book for an honest review.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from Andrews McMeel Publishing through Edelweiss+.
Nell is happier working with animals than interacting with people. Prior to the story start, a classmate taunted her about her size and style and it caused her to close off. She is also dealing with changes in her relationship with her older sister, Lulu, as she is heading for college and has her own stresses to deal with. They've been sent to their aunt's for the summer to help with her B&B. Before leaving town, Nell finds a beast that can change shape and is living by a dumpster. She recognizes that he is not a cat and gives it a name - Netherbeast. Once Rule has introduced her characters, the story unfolds with some typical plot elements. The B&B is haunted and falling apart; a nasty company representative wants to close it down; and only Nell is able to make everything better. With help from a new friend, the Netherbeast and her sister, she is able to save her aunt's B&B and gain confidence to believe in herself again.
The story does not always move forward smoothly but it does keep the plot moving. The illustrations capture the mood well.

[Bexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nel is weird and not in a way anyone thinks is good. She is being forced to go with her big sister at their aunt's B&B. Before they make it there, Nell finds a stray... cat, in the dumpster, but it doesn't act like a cat, and can do many strange things. When they arrive they discover that the B&B is falling apart, their aunt is about to lose her job, and this means Nell won't get to become a Junior Assistant at the shelter. Oh, also, the B&B is haunted. While I was upset that everyone kept calling Nell weird, I'm glad that she was able to embrace her weirdness in the end. A fun, unique story about being yourself.

[Theo · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a fun read! There wasn't a point where I thought the story slowed down, and I think the Netherbeast was a wonderful character to read about. The chaotic energy kept me engaged. The only thing I wished was fleshed out more was the dynamic between the sisters Nell and Lulu. I do hope there's more in the series because I think a series of Nell and the Netherbeast solving mysteries would be an amazing series.

[Thistle · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was nothing at all wrong with this book, I was just too old for it. A "spooky" story for new readers. As an adult reader it was quite cute, not scary in the least, but it just didn't hold my interest. I liked the author's writing though, lots of fun things like this:

Lulu made a sound like a rhinoceros who couldn't get the lid off a jar.

I made it to the 50% point before DNFing it. I'm going to look at what else Adi Rule has written and hopefully find something else to try.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ADORED this book! It's funny, weird, and suspenseful, with characters you have to root for. A mysterious ghost? Two sisters trying to make their summer work? A very smelly not-cat-pretending-to-be-a-cat who can turn into a scarf, a puddle, a pancake, a banana? YES PLEASE! Highly recommend for fans of my books and lovers of quirky unexpected stories.

[Sara Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful read! Creepy balanced with lots of cleverly played humor — perfect for independent reading for 4th grader or a read aloud for parents and kiddos.

Similar vibe to Cornelia Funke’s Ghosthunters

[Lisa Houston · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a graphic novel and there is a bit of language I felt a bit uncomfortable with and I know some students will be drawn to the book due to the fact that it is a graphic novel. I’ll be giving the book to the middle school. I think it would best fit there.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

This reminded me rather strongly of Durst's The Girl Who Could Not Dream; even the pictures of the cat/beast are similar.

[AnneMarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Patricia Zube · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nell & the Netherbeast is a delightful and carefully crafted tale of mystery and magic. It is an entertaining story with twists, surprises, and engaging characters that kept me turning pages. From Nell’s passion for preventing a disaster, to solving a ‘ghostly-gripping’ mystery, this unique story is an easy read for middle schoolers.
The author’s use of similes enhances the clear and vivid descriptions that had me laughing out loud! Images created by Adi Rule's words, together with amusing illustrations by Ash Szymanik, make this book a memorable one.