The Gatekeeper of Pericael

by Hayley Reese Chow

B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree, 2022 Book Blogger Novel of the Year Award Semifinalist, and 2021 Page Turner Finalist.
In Pericael, no one goes out after dark... 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.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Young Adult

188 pages, Paperback

Published April 6, 2021

About the author

Hayley Reese Chow is the author of the Odriel's Heirs series (a dark YA epic fantasy) and the Into the Churn series (a romantic YA sci-fi adventure from Whimsical Publishing) with more YA adventures on the way. She’s also the winner of both the 2024 YA IndieReader Discovery Awards and the 2020 YA Florida Author Project.

When not writing, her hat collection includes mother, wife, engineer, USAF veteran, reservist, four-time All-American fencer, ex-ultramarathoner, avid traveler, book inhaler, and super nerd. Hayley currently lives in Florida with two small book dragons, her long-suffering husband, and her miniature ragehound.

To see what she's working on next, you can find her at hayleyreesechow.com or on Instagram, Threads, or TikTok @HayleyReeseChow. She's represented by Kristen Terrette of Martin Literary.

Reviews

[Thibault Busschots · Rating 4 out of 5]

Porter’s family guards the gate between Earth and monster-filled Pericael. Which means Porter has to sacrifice much of his free time training to be a gatekeeper. But he’d much rather spend his time playing football/soccer.

When his mom - the current gatekeeper - is not home, someone from Pericael knocks on his door to ask for help. Feeling responsible, he takes on the task of defending the villagers from an evil shaman hungry for power. But Porter’s not ready yet to face the many dangers that await him. Something happens and he quickly finds himself lost in Pericael with his cousin Ames.


It’s a fantasy story with great worldbuilding. Pericael is a very creative fantasy setting and speaks to the imagination. The plot is kept quite simple and straight forward but this is understandable, considering it’s a rather short story. It doesn’t take long for the story to hook you though, and it keeps you hooked with a fast pace and some great action scenes.


The characters are fleshed out well. The protagonist in particular is quite sympathetic and he has a strong character arc that sits firmly at the core of this story. It’s his growth as a person that drives the story forward.


I occasionally wanted more descriptions or explanations to immerse myself in the scene more and to understand the bigger picture better, especially in terms of the antagonists. This also sometimes reads more like a YA book rather than middle grade. This does not have anything to do with the content though, it’s more in terms of the wording and the writing itself.


Overall, it’s a solid, short and creative character-driven middle grade read.

[Lia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm grateful to have received a free arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences my opinions or ratings.

Adventure, spirts and portals.
The Gatekeeper of Pericael has it all!

Set in an imaginative parallel world with gripping writing and flawed characters, Hayley Reese Chow weaves a story of childhood mercies and restless spirits.

Our 12 year-old MC, Porter, would love nothing more than to live his life free from the responsibility of being the next “Kotalla Kan” and would much rather spend his time playing soccer as opposed to training to control his Spirit magic.



However, when an unfortunate incident occurs he ends up in the middle of the dangerous jungle of Pericael surrounded by creatures who would not mind chewing on his mortal bones☠️


Along with his talkative cousin, Ames, he meets 2 others, Conri and Fira, and together they help Porter try to find his way back to his mother and the village. Hopefully, in time to stop the Raspurn from conquering Pericael and the mortal world🤞

Do not be mistaken, this maybe a 164-page story but there is a lot of depth to these characters and they are unique in their own way😌

We get to see Porter grow from the reluctant hero he was, and through a series of mishaps, into a capable young man who is willing to do what it takes to protect the people he cares for.


Ames hides his fear with senseless chatter and countless Star Wars references (which I, as someone who has never watched the movies and is only familiar with the fandom through references, was unable to fully appreciate)


He always supports Porter no matter what. Despite being in an unfamiliar world and is unable to understand the language, Ames maintains a positivity that is admirable <3

Conri and Fira are sisters and total opposites, they were born in Pericael and have training in Spirit magic. Conri, as her initial might imply, is calm🍃 whilst Fira is… well fire🔥

They have their little spats but in the end care deeply for each other🙃

Their friendship is one born from hardship and the experiences they undergo together. I adore it and how it links these characters together❤️

The only thing lacking for me is the thrill of an evil looming in the distance. I got these mentions of the Raspurn and the destruction he leaves behind but I never truly felt afraid for the characters when he did show up😐

This is a middle-grade story so I don’t expect anything like this:

However a little hair-raising would have been nice🤷‍♀️

I also found it difficult to get into at first but this turned out to be a really fun and enjoyable read. The world is amazing and the fight scenes are breath-taking😍

You will not regret unlocking that door and stepping into this fantastical adventure!✨

[Louie the Mustache Matos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Porter is some sort of magic-wielding guardian of a portal to an alternate place. He is also a regular teen, middle schooler situated in this reality. He is slowly being educated as to the responsibilities of his family as gatekeepers, when he is suddenly called away from our reality one morning to go fulfill his responsibilities in Pericael. Unfortunately, when the knocking occurs, Porter's younger cousin is standing by his side, and gets pulled into the adventure.

Pericael is mostly dense jungle with two moons in the sky, unique flora and fauna, and a cultural mythology communicated thoughtfully, bit-by-bit. The gate is situated in a guest bedroom, and when a village elder knocks, Porter must respond. The village is in the process of attack, and they need help from the gatekeeper. Although Porters mom is the actual gatekeeper, and Porter is really just a trainee, he is required to respond.

While defending the village, Porter casts protection spells that he is not wholly familiar with and one spell transports Porter and his cousin deep into Pericael's jungle with very little hope of returning to the portal without assistance. Luckily, two young indigenous girls are familiar with Porter's title and what it represents. They agree to help him and his cousin with their return to the gate, which is fraught with danger, adventure, and really good worldbuilding.

[Shannara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this novella as I’d never heard of it before, but it was absolutely magical!! The world building is spectacular and the writing was very smooth. The moments seemed to flow from one to the next until all of a sudden, it was over.

Porter was a great protagonist because he is just a regular kid wanting to do normal stuff until he no longer had a choice. He grew so much in such a short time. I just adored him. Ames is so entertaining and makes the best comedic relief. The characters were just so well fleshed out that you can’t help but love them or hate them if they’re the Raspurn!!

Seriously though, the scenery itself was magical and I could picture how beautiful and yet deadly the jungle is. I fell in love with it all in this book!! Even though it’s so short, there’s so much that was packed into this!! Adventure, danger, growth, laugher, death, and much more. I would love to explore more of Pericael if I could. I hope the author has plans to write more in this world, but I’m definitely going to check out her other books, no matter where they’re set.

I highly recommend this to those who love middle grade adventures, fantasy books, or stories with magic wielders.

Thanks so much to the author, Hayley Reese Chow for allowing me to read this for my honest and unbiased opinion!!

[Nora Eliana | Papertea & Bookflowers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I don't read nearly enough middle-grade even though they can truly light up my day. I've found some incredible books in that age range through blog tours and review opportunities so I'm always glad when I get approached. Also, doesn't the synopsis sound really intriguing? Love me a good portal fantasy-type book!

If you like a reluctant hero, you will love Porter. He's 12 years old and would much rather just play football than being the next 'Kotalla Kan', the next Gatekeeper and having to learn all these spells and worst of all ... having to communicate with the Spirits in Pericael. They scare him a bit so be completely honest.

But then someone is knocking on the door and his cousin, who has no idea about Pericael even existing, is with him and hearing it, too. And Ames is way less reluctant to be dragged through the door to help, even though he has no clue what anyone is saying.

Pericael is in grave danger though and Porter really doesn't feel up to the job of saving it and battling against powerful magic. If he wants to come out alive ... he has to remember all his training and actually communicate with the spirits.

I actually really loved the inclusion of Ames, who is so excited by everything and doesn't really get the danger they are in. But that also enables him to see the situation from another standpoint and that helps quite a lot (when he pushes Porter to listen, for example, loved that scene!)

I can see younger readers being completely engrossed in this fast-paced adventure! It's a really quick read that keeps you turning the pages. Porter being so reluctant to get involved in Pericael is lovely to read about, how he feels so split between his two worlds and like he, ultimately, doesn't belong fully in either of them. But he also steps up when he needs to. I really appreciated his growth throughout the book.

But my favourite has to be Ames, he's a nerd and has so much excitement in him! He's so happy and always sees the bright side of everything, which makes him the perfect companion like I already mentioned. He has a really positive influence on Porter's perception of Pericael, infecting him a bit with his wonder at this different world.

Speaking of which, the world was well developed and I really liked exploring the magic and getting to see all the marvels of Pericael. A world filled with spirits, deadly creatures and so much more.

There never is a dull moment, Haley keeps the reader on their toes and takes them on a journey filled with action but also some slower scenes where we get to bond with the characters more. I really liked the themes of friendship and growth!

[Trudie Skies]

Read for Team Queen's Book Asylum for SPFBOX. All views are my own and do not reflect the team. I read this entry to 100%.

The Gatekeeper of Pericael is a middle grade adventure about Porter, a twelve-year-old boy who belongs to a line of gatekeepers that protect a magical realm accessible via a portal or magical door in his basement. His mother is the current gatekeeper, and due to Porter’s affinity for magic, he’s now expected to receive magical training to one day follow in her footsteps—a fact that annoys Porter. He’d sooner be playing football rather than being forced into taking after-school magic lessons, and given that the jungle world of Pericael is full of deadly creatures, I don’t blame him. Unfortunately, danger arrives to the jungle village of his mentor in the shape of the Raspurn, a shaman who wants to enter Porter’s real world. As the Raspurn launches his first attack, Porter is accidentally transported further into the jungle with his troublesome cousin. Without the support of his mother or mentor, and with the Raspurn still a threat, poor Porter needs to learn how to handle his magic and get back fast.

This begins his perilous journey through the jungle, though he’s not alone. He picks up allies along the way in the form of two girls from a village sworn to protect and help him, though in some cases, somewhat reluctantly. There are many dangers in the jungle and a lot of responsibility riding on Porter. This pressure causes him to make very human mistakes that lead to consequences, and this is where a lot of middle grade stories, including this one, tend to lose me. There was too much riding on the back of a twelve-year-old, and it made some of the side characters unlikable. While Porter overcomes odds and grows as a character, I couldn’t help but think that he should never have been put in this situation to begin with. It’s terrible parenting! Though jokes aside, while I enjoyed the perilous adventure through the jungle, I didn’t quite understand the threat of the Raspurn. We learn hardly anything about their goals or motivations, and the confrontations with the big bad villain left me unsatisfied as a result.

I did, however, really like the magic system in this world, which is casting spells by writing rune rings and then calling upon spirits to power the spells, though I felt as though the descriptions didn’t give me an accurate picture of how these work. I would have liked to have learned more about them and the spirits!

[Ilana Costello (patel) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky to receive an ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book was a magic filled ride! I loved it all. The characters, the magical rules, the creatures, and more all kept my attention easily.

[Valinora Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

12 year old Porter is Kotalla kan, the Gatekeeper’s son, currently in training to take his mother’s place as the Gatekeeper in due course, to guard the portal between Pericael and our world. An awesome responsibility, according to Porter’s mother, the grandchild of a powerful Pericael shaman who found his way through the Gate decades ago. But Porter doesn’t think so – he’d rather play soccer and take his science tests than learn how to harness his ranja (magical energy) and summon spirits in Pericael. Who can blame him? Pericael is a terrifying place, with a hot humid climate, unpalatable food, and lots of monsters that emerge from the jungle at sundown. The spirits themselves can be friend or foe, save you or destroy you, and Porter, terrified of the spirits, the place, the huge responsibility, and the dangers of misusing ranja, doesn’t want the honour.

When an urgent knocking on the gate between our world and Pericael summons Porter and his hapless cousin Ames to help save a village from the evil shaman Raspurn, Porter finds himself unwillingly drawn into what looks like a hopeless battle against a fearsome opponent, who threatens to destroy not only Pericael but Porter’s world as well. It looks like it’s up to Porter, who hasn’t been paying attention to his ranja lessons, with the help of sisters Conri and Fira, to protect Ames and save both worlds.

This is an exciting, action-packed story, hugely imaginative, with brilliant world-building and great characters. I loved the magic system. Ranja, the magical energy to draw spell rings to summon spirits, can be used – or abused. The dreadful Raspurn forces spirits to do his will, the Gatekeeper (and the other good guys) work with the spirits, although there is always the danger of losing yourself to them.

The stakes are very high – Raspurn sweeps through Pericael, wreaking death and destruction. If he gets to our world, totally defenseless against his magic, he will become unbeatable. Porter and Ames, accidentally flung through a portal to the far side of Pericael, have a race against time to get back to protect the Gate to their home – and every step of their way is a battle against the forces of evil. Fortunately they have help from a daughter of and shaman-in-training Conri. Even better is her over-looked younger sister Fira. With her feistiness, bravery, and abilities, Fira is an out-standing character and my absolute favourite in the book. Her sister is also an engaging character, and Ames, totally unflappable regardless of what befalls him, is a good contrast. Porter is likeable too as the reluctant hero who must decide whether to embrace his role as Gatekeeper in waiting or pass the baton to his cousin. Having spent a few days in Pericael, I know which I’d pick!

Don't miss this great read!

[Louis C · Rating 2 out of 5]

THE GATEKEEPER OF PERICAEL
By: Hayley Reese Chow

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The gatekeeper of Pericael tells the story of Porter, who is, as the title of this book suggest, some sort of gatekeeper. Not officially yet, but he will be soon, and so he will have the responsibility the guard the gate between his world (and our) and the world of the spirits. This, however, is a big responsibility, one he doesnt really wish to carry, and that all gets tested when the big bad spirit attacks the portal, sucking him and Ames into the other side of the gate with a device powerful enough to stop this spirit from taking over Porter’s world.

Yeah, let me just start off by saying this wasn’t for me. I feel like the pop culture reference were too much, though I understand why they are added. It is just a preference for me to not see them too much, especially in genres like this.

The pacing of this book is all over the place. Battles happen quickly, while the days (because there is a deadline to defeat the big baddie) went by so slow, it honestly made me wonder why it all needed to happen. I feel like it could easily be fixed by adding more of the main problem in there, since we barely hear from this spirit in the middle. This spirit is on the main group’s heels, that is always been told, but never really shown. The times it does happen, it goes by quickly and without stakes that are so high for me to really care about the outcome.

I wished I could say the characters made up for this, but they didn’t. There was never a point in which I felt like they all wanted to help Porter because they wanted to do it, it was always because he was meant to stop the bad guy while feeling helpless and not good enough. The emotions in this book were written well, I must say that, and you can really feel Porter’s struggle with himself and the standards everyone holds him to, but in the end, it all felt repetitive. The other side characters make a nice and interesting group together, but I never felt like they added that much value besides comic relief and knowing this side of the gate better, making two of them more of a guide than anything else. it would have been nicer to give them a reason to help Porter besides the one I already named, so it feel like they don’t have to help for the sake of the plot to move on, but because they are beings that can think for themselves.

Overall, like I said, it had potential considering the world building is interesting and I do appreciate the work that went in it (bless the list of words and their definitions) at the end, it also was a story that to me never really felt like the stakes were high enough.

[Raquel (Silver Valkyrie Reads)]

I probably would have finished and enjoyed this book, except I'm really picky about magic systems. I love fantasy magic, especially when it's all about symbolism (think Aslan). But anything that leans toward more realistic or occultish magic makes me uncomfortable (it's why I won't go back to the Dresden series even though I loved it story-wise).

While the magic in this book is mostly fantasy based by most people's standards, it started leaning just a bit too far towards spirits and power to control spirits for me to be really comfortable with it.

Aside from that, the writing style, premise, and especially the secondary characters were all enjoyable. (The main character wasn't UNenjoyable exactly, but I suspect I would have seen him at his best more in the later parts of the book, rather than the very reluctant hero he starts as.)

Thanks to BookSirens and Hayley Reese Chow for the review copy I received! These are my honest opinions.

[Saf ST · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story! There is no dull moment. The call for adventure starts early, and I couldn’t put it down until the journey ended.

The only thing is that I liked Ames a little more than the protagonist, but I found all characters very well developed with their own wants and dilemmas. A very enjoyable read!

*Thank you for sending me a free e-ARC for an honest and voluntary review.*

[M.E. Aster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook review:

The Gatekeeper of Pericael was an exciting MG fantasy that was a joy to read (or in my case listen to.)

I was immediately drawn into this world. Pericael was so well fleshed out with it’s numerous monsters, magic, and characters. Porter was a likable hero. I enjoyed how he wasn’t a “perfect” gatekeeper and how he didn’t feel like the savior everyone thought he should be.

The audiobook was very well done too. Hawkins has a wonderful voice and his narration was pleasant to listen to.

I would highly recommend this book to any young readers looking to dive into a fantasy world!

*I was giving a free copy of this audiobook by the author and this is my honest, voluntary review.*

[MerLuni · Rating 3 out of 5]

'The Gatekeeper of Pericael‘ is a really good book! I liked the development of the characters and the story was never boring! I personally couldn’t connect emotionally to the characters but still enjoyed reading it. The whole concept of magic and how it‘s being used in the book was very exciting and for me something I haven‘t read in this way before.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Janina (whatjaninareads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have received a free arc of this book from Booksirens in exchange for an honest review.

It’s been years since I last read a middle grade book and as such I‘m not part of the target audience, so please keep that in mind while reading my review! However, I enjoyed the blurb and the excerpt of the book and I‘m glad I picked it up.

Normally, I shy away from fantasy that is less than 200 pages long, for the simple reason that oftentimes the brevity of the book corresponds to a lack of world building. Amazingly, that wasn’t the case at all for The Gatekeeper of Pericael. I would say that Ames certainly played a crucial role in asking exactly those questions that also helped the reader along, but I already felt like I knew the world quite a bit after the first couple of pages when Ames hadn’t even been to Pericael. The magical system is complex but the reader quickly gets an understanding of how magic works, what limits it has etc.

The problem that did arise for me due to how short the story was had more to do with the storyline itself. The plot was immensely fast-paced and captivating and for that reason I was a bit disappointed with how short the final „battle“ was. Leading up to that point, all other obstacles had received pretty much the same attention as the finale, which just didn’t sit right with me. I don‘t enjoy drawn-out endings, but with this one I felt quite surprised that it was over already.

Porter was a very likable main character. He had his flaws and was spectacularly unprepared for everything that happened, but his character development and growth was well written. Sadly I cared more for the world of Pericael itself than for Porter himself, I simply felt emotionally detached from him for large portions of the book - especially when he thought of how much rather he‘d like a „normal“ life at several points of the story. That frankly was rather repetitive and off-putting at times.
I really enjoyed Ames‘ character and his relevance for the story although I totally see why Porter found him annoying sometimes. He helped explain the world and kept Porter focused and motivated. His Star Wars references and positive outlook were refreshing, though it was mind-blowing how oblivious and reckless he was in the beginning.
Conri‘s blindness was something I was excited for but I was rather disappointed in the end because it didn’t really feel like it impacted her at all.
Fira ended up being my favourite character, however. Her desperate wish to be acknowledged by the spirits and thus allowed to do magic was very relatable and her character development was amazing. She had a bold, courageous character and had to face her own struggles herself, unlike Porter who mostly developed by giving more power to the spirits. In contrast, Fira was almost broken by the spirits and had to earn her magic, which was way more relatable.

All in all, I really liked this book although the characters and story weren‘t as well developed as I would have liked. The world building and the concept of the story were amazing, however. I'm sure that the age group which this is aimed at will love the book. And, since it’s mentioned that Ames writes the story as a comic from his perspective when they return to our world, I would like to add that I think this book has great potential for a graphic novel.


4/5 stars.

[Gina Rae Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gatekeeper of Pericael by Hayley Reese Chow is a middle-grade fantasy novel but will entertain readers of all ages. This fast-paced story will immerse you in the world of Pericael, where monsters and magic reign supreme.

The main character, Porter, would rather be playing soccer and enjoying normal life as a 12-year-old than training to be the next gatekeeper. However, his family has been the guardian of the portal for generations. Due to an unfortunate series of events, Porter and his younger muggle cousin Ames are thrust to the far side of Pericael and must battle their way back to the coast. To accomplish this Herculean feat, they must rely on Porter’s haphazard magic, their wits, and help from new friends they meet along the way.

Just a quick note about Ames, he could easily steal the show starting with his hand-drawn map, followed by his effervescent nonstop chatter and his unwavering loyalty. If there is a sequel, please let there be more Ames.

The author's world-building is concise and clear, which helps keep the book on the shorter side. I believe this will keep younger readers riveted to the action. I found a lot of humor interspersed throughout the action.

If you are an adult reading this book, remember the target audience is middle-grade. Don’t expect a heavy adult-level fantasy. Settle in and read this one for a quick, fun foray into a new magical world. I hope we get more adventures with Porter and Ames in the future.

You can find more info about the book and my review on my website, https://ginaraemitchell.com.
I received an advanced copy from the author. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.

4.5/5

[Emily Luebke]

I honestly don't feel comfortable giving this book a star rating and here's why: This book was requested for me to read by a Patron, but it is middle grade.... and I'm not a big middle grade fan. Alas this book was not the one to change my mind.
That said.... 12 year old Julian would have thought this was a fun time and an enjoyable read. So it doesn't feel fair to give it a low rating as an adult because it wasn't written for me, a 35 year old woman. The writing was solid, the pacing good, the characters engaging.... if you're into middle grade, which is who this book was made for. So rather than go back and forth about rating wondering which version of Julian is more honest I say that 12 year old Julian gives it a 4 and adult Julian gives it a 2.

If you're looking for a rollicking tale for your youngster (especially one who loves adventure books) give this one a look for sure!

There will be a full review coming later on my channel.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have two middle grade reader daughters so I’ve started to branch out to read some of what’s geared toward them. I found The Gatekeeper of Peericael on NetGalley and it sounded like a fun read.

As I’m writing this review, I’m trying to keep in mind that I’m NOT the target audience, so if you’re considering this book, remember that.

This book was a tough start for me. Immediately thrown into this world so different from our own, I had a hard time wanting to keep reading, but I kept going, and I’m glad I did! After a few chapters, once the adventure began, I found it much easier to read. And I really enjoyed the cousin Ames! (One can never have too many Star Wars references!)

There were a couple of plot points that I felt could’ve been introduced sooner and more seamlessly, but the adventure was fun and there were appropriate plot twists for the target audience to enjoy. The ending came quick and I thought I’d be disappointed, that things would be tied up with a pretty bow, but it wasn’t that easy for Porter!

The writing style was professional and enjoyable, an d if I hadn’t read the back matter of the book I’d never guess this was the authors first book.

I do think young readers will enjoy this story, especially young boys who love magic and adventure. And there is a nice message throughout the story of accepting who you are, and that having someone to open up to can make t things easier.

[Danae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free arc of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Let me start off by saying that I normally don't read middle-grade books, but The Gatekeeper of Pericael by Hayley Reese Chow is so freaking cute and well done.
The world of Pericael dragged me in from its creatures to its magic system and I fell in love with all of the characters. I loved that Porter tries to overcome his fears of losing control and that Ames never once stopped chatting despite everything. The map is awesome and such a great example of characterization.
To read my full review check out my blog https://bookgirlreviewsbooks.blogspot....

If I could this book 500 stars I would, but unfortunately, the rating system does not go that far, so 5 out of 5 stars.

[Laurel Becker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was glad to receive a free copy of this book through NETGALLEY in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so much fun! I love a good, magical world and an adventure where the protagonist is thrown into the middle of a story much larger than his or herself and has to rise to the occasion. The Gatekeeper of Pericael provides both!

Caught between two worlds and between his desire for a “normal” life and his responsibilities as the gatekeeper between Pericael and Earth, 12 year-old Porter resents a role that alienates him from his peers and traps him in his hometown, even his home for the rest of his life. He fully feels that isolating sense of betweenness and deeply desires a place to belong.

When he and his cousin Ames wind up in the middle of a battle to protect the spirits of Pericael and Earth from the evil shaman Raspurn, Porter has to find his own way forward without the guidance of his mother or the shaman who trains him. With the help of the spirits of Pericael and some new friends along the way, he must overcome his own insecurities and save the worlds!

This is a magical coming-of-age story, and I loved it. I can’t wait to share it with my kids!

[Cláudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

I'm usually not a middle grade reader, and I knew that when I accepted the request, as the author was kind enough to point out the genre. I didn't know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. This book was so cute and such a surprise, and might be a wake up call that I need to give more middle grade books a chance.

Hayley's writing style is beautiful, and this is the kind of story that lays in your mind like a movie. I can only say I wish the book was a bit longer, but I feel like we could get more in this universe, and I hope we do. The main issue I had with it was the beginning, it felt a bit chaotic and I had a little trouble getting into it.

[Alli The Book Giraffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given an ARC of this book by Booksirens.

This was an interesting portal fantasy type middle grade. The MC already knows about the world on the other side and is training to be a gatekeeper of the world on the other side of this door. He doesn't want to do this job, but he is forced into it when he is the only person around who can do so. This was such a fast paced novel! I can't believe so much happened in such a short amount of book. I also loved the MC Porter and his cousin Ames's friendship! I hope the author decides to write more within this world in the future, because I would read it all!

[S.H. Dontell · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cool story!! Brilliant world building—so different from anything I'd ever read! I've seen it compared to A:TLA, though, and I can definitely see that. The main character and his companions had such good arcs, and there were really good side characters! Also, I want to be friends with Ames. Minor detail

[Beagle Lover (Avid Reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Kotalla kan stars (If you read the book, you'll understand this.)

RTF...

[Ren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was really good. Like, unexpectedly good. I have a thing for this kind of age group in books, but I was never expecting this to have such an awesome magic system, and be so interesting from start to finish. The characters and setting are intriguing, and they have such chemistry by the end of the book. That magic system, though, the idea of spirits helping the user, is something I haven't seen used for a long time, if ever. It's so unique, and something I'd love a sequel out of; even if it isn't as action packed as the first, just giving something more in a fleshed out magic sense would be amazing.

The characters are awesome! I loved Porter and Ames, and the girls were a great addition to the back half. They provided something for the characters who didn't know what they were doing to bounce off, and gave the story an actual feeling of cohesion. Conri is probably my fave, she has so much good energy about her and provided a rock throughout the story.

Is there gonna be a sequel? Who knows. I wouldn't say no to one, though, this was so good!

[Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know this book has to be pretty good because I rated it 4 stars, and I am almost never that nice about books with blind characters.

Porter's family have been tasked with guarding the gateway between earth, and the realm of Pericael, which is helpfully filled with monsters. Porter, like any self-respecting 12-year-old would rather be doing just about anything else, but then a soul thief threatens the gateway.

Porter was a really likable and relatable character. He wants to spend time with his friends and play soccer, not guard the gate to another, very dangerous, universe. But he has no choice. His parents make it clear that being a gatekeeper isn't optional, and so after school he goes through the gate to Pericael for training.

And then Pericael is threatened, and Porter's world changes. I found him really believable. He's quite reluctant about his destiny, but throughout the novel he grows to accept it. I also really enjoyed getting to spend time with all of the other characters, including Porters dorky, game-loving cousin. It's great to read about kids who spend their evenings playing games and talking about comics, because those are the kind of kids I really wanted to read about when I was a nerdy pre-teen.

I really enjoyed how information about the magic system was woven in throughout the book, rather than being given as one huge info dump. I got enough information to make sense of what was going on, but as I needed to know more, it was revealed. This really helped me to connect with the setting and not feel too overwhelmed but to also believe it.

The pacing was perfect, with the action starting immediately, but it also held enough back so that there could still be a build up throughout the novel. And I absolutely loved the way the author described the world.

I was really excited to discover that one of the characters is blind, because I hadn't known the book would include any disability representation, and as a blind person I'm always eager to read about blind characters in fiction. I was even more pleased to discover that like many of the characters, Conri is able to cast spells. I wasn't expecting the blindness rep to be perfectly realistic, this is a fantasy world, so the treatment and expectations of blind people are likely to be different, fitting within the culture. I did find it strange that Conri would look at people, which was indicated clearly in the text. Normally, a blind person would turn to face the person, or turn their head, but actually making eye contact is pretty difficult if not impossible. But at other times she did turn her head, and fail to make eye contact, so I found those inconsistencies a little jarring. I'm really digging down into the detail of the representation here. You can still love the book regardless, I loved it. But I think authors also have a responsibility when writing about under-represented groups.

I was also a little disappointed that the magic was essentially used to compensate for the blindness. Conri has bound herself with a spirit which guides her, so she's able to draw perfectly to cast magic, and can walk around without needing to be guided. I understand why this was done, but it left me feeling a little sad. On the one hand, why not, this is a fantasy setting. On the other, when do we get blind characters who get to be blind, with all this involves, and are still viewed as whole and useful? Often it feels like the character is blind for the sake of the plot, or representation, but rather than come up with the creative hacks real life blind people use, a cure or magic is thrown in so that the character can effectively behave like a sighted person when it's convenient. I took a star away for this, very reluctantly, because whilst I loved the fact that there was this representation, and the book was great overall, I felt like this was a missed opportunity. Having said all of this, it's rare that I give a book with a blind character four stars, because they are usually an utterly painful experience. Whilst I'd have liked to see Conri as more of a real blind person, rather than a magically sighted one, the representation wasn't bad and if I had picked this up when I was twelve, I'd have been really excited to read it. So this does matter, and I'm glad it was included.

The final battle was very quick, considering all the build-up. However, because there was so much action throughout the book it didn't feel out of place. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out to see if this is the start of a new series, as I'd want to continue with it.

This was such a fun book with a unique and engaging setting. I highly recommend to fans of middle-grade fantasy.

Publication date April 6th 2021.

Thanks to the author and BookSirens for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inheriting the family business is not always easy. Twelve-year-old Porter Redmond has a secret: in addition to his relatively uneventful life involved in school and soccer, he is also studying to inherit the role of Gatekeeper of Pericael from his mother. One day, a frantic knock on the portal to Pericael—located in Porter’s basement—becomes the catalyst for an adventure of epic proportions. Together with his cousin Ames and new friends in Pericael, Porter must figure out a way to stop the dastardly Raspurn before he can get to Earth and destroy the world.

This riveting middle grade adventure blends the magic of parallel worlds with the unpredictability of the spirit realm. Using familiar Earth concepts like soccer, school, and air conditioning, readers are grounded in a recognizable space while the fantasy world of Pericael unfolds around them. Excellent writing makes the danger and uncertainty of the jungles of Pericael palpable as Porter and his companions battle creatures otherwise found only in nightmares.

Initially, Porter is wary of using his ranja, or power, to its fullest potential because it requires a collaboration with spirits. However, nothing teaches better than being thrown into the deep end, and as Porter interacts with more people in Pericael, his identity as Kotalla kan becomes even more defined. Throughout the story, words and phrases in the Pericaelian language are used with such frequency that they become innately comprehensible. Expert delivery makes Pericael feel just as real as Earth despite the many differences between them.

Confident middle grade readers interested in fantasy stories with a touch of danger will fall for Porter and the world described in this book. Varied and dynamic characters add flavor to the narrative and propel Porter to his greatest potential. Through friendship, bravery, and choosing the path of good over evil, this story models how great change can be made even when the road is difficult to follow. This is a memorable and compelling adventure for middle grade readers.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free Advanced Review Copy. This review is entirely my own and represents my honest opinions. Review posted originally on NetGalley.*

‘He was the Kotalla Kan. A child of two worlds that no one could really comprehend, and everyone was depending on him.’

Twelve-year-old Porter wants nothing more than to be a normal boy - to focus on soccer practice, video games, and science tests – nothing more. Unfortunately, he’s anything but normal. His family are descended from a line of Gatekeepers…and it’s his destiny to take over the role and protect the magical world of Pericael from harm. But when the door to Pericael calls unexpectedly Porter, with help from his fiercely optimistic cousin Ames, will have to learn fast if he wants to make it out alive.

Hayley Reese Chow masterfully paints the world of Pericael in a bright yet dangerous light, highlighting the true cost of adventure.

Where many other middle-grade fantasy novels tend to gloss over the threats that accompany adventure, Hayley Reese Chow revels in it. Reese Chow creates a world that is both inviting and dangerous, with the narrative exploring the intricacies of the powerful spirits that inhabit Pericael and the deep threat from those who would seek to control them. From page one, the tension steadily increases until it reaches boiling point with the villainous Raspurn closing in on the Gate. If it’s a fast paced book you’re after, this is the one for you!

Porter and his cousin, Ames, battle hungry beasts and possessed vessels of stolen children enslaved by the Raspurn, a powerful entity set on bending the spirits' to his will. With help from sisters’ Conri and Fira, Porter delves deeper into the world of magic and spirits. Together with Porter’s reluctant heroism and Ames’ unwavering optimism (and countless Star Wars references) the group race to save their joining worlds – Pericael and Earth. Thrown together, the unlikely group navigate the unknown, bickering all the way. An unsteady partnership at first, the tension between them is perfectly accompanied by underlying affection that is reminiscent of most familial relationships, as well as many friendships.

All-in-all, despite being only 168 pages long, ‘The Gatekeeper of Pericael’ is a magnificent read that boasts fully fleshed out characters, an immersive world filled with wonder, and an adventure that will keep you gripped right up until the end.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

My name is Porter, and I wish I could spend my time playing soccer instead learning to become the Kotalla kan protecting the Universe Gate. I know it's important to separate our world from Pericael, but there's no way I can remember all of the runes needed to create the necessary spells. My mom can't keep doing the job forever, but why can't my sister take over? And today, I probably shouldn't have answered the knock on the portal door, but how was I to know Mimoosh would need my help protecting his village from Raspurn? He's growing stronger by absorbing souls from the people in Pericael, but he really wants to get his hands on my Tok. With its powers, he'll be able to enslave everyone on both sides of the Universal Gate.

This book is scheduled to be released in the Spring of 2021, and I recommend you give it a shot when it comes out. Porter is a wonderful character, as he possesses great power and abilities while lacking the motivation and confidence needed to be the Kotalla kan. He wants to join a travel soccer team and live as a "normal" kid, but someone from his family has always guarded the Gate. His cousin Ames is in stark contrast, as he finds the whole experience exciting and compares it to Star Wars movies. I don't remember many Star Wars movies being set in the jungle. In addition, Porter and Ames are joined by two sisters who are training to become shaman, but they each have their own issues to complicate matters. The magic in the book comes from spirits, and as the book says they do most of the heavy lifting. Porter must ask them to share their power, but a connection is formed when this happens. Porter has a constant fear that at some point the spirits will take control of his mind. This possibility is reinforced throughout the plot, so it's a lingering internal conflict for Porter. You'll love this book if you're into magic, spirits, and young mages learning to harness their powers.

[Samuel Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was a tough review. Mostly because I had a lot of negative reactions to it. But I'm giving it five stars all the same. I toyed with two stars but this one gets a pass even with my negative reaction to it.

Firstly I love the world this book is set in. The writing was easy enough to understand that I could easily immerse myself in it without too much brainpower. The pacing was great. The action kept coming. The tension never really left when there wasn't action because the urgency of the main characters completing their task was always front and centre. Which, when dealing with a save the world/realm story, is essential. If the pace is too slow you can't really feel that the end goal is important. That wasn't the case with this novel.

All of the characters are very well fleshed out. There's no confusing them and their place in the plot is clearly defined. It has all the elements of action, fantasy, teen angst and the journey to finding one's true self. It was all of these same things that caused me to have issues.

The following may contain spoilers

Starting off with Ames, the main character Porter's cousin. After many fights, near-death experiences, and seeing people around him die, he is forever on this happy cloud, like yeah we are gonna win because we have magic. The enemy literally has stupid amounts of power, more than they have from stealing souls, and they barely survive attacks. Also using magic drains people so just the act of saving themselves could overexert them. I find it stupidly hard to believe that a teen isn't of the intelligence level to understand the real danger. The one-off sentence near the end of the book about being afraid but not showing fear was too late. It felt like the line between a positive outlook and just blatant disregard for the gravity of the situation wasn't handled well. I was equally as annoyed as a porter, and Fira and Conri was with him. It was justifiable.

Then there's Porter. Him not being confident in his own skill and how that played out was fine. Again, for him, it was his character's personality that was frustrating. They are in a war situation. There is zero he can do about it, and, whether he thinks he can do it or not, he spends the entire book moaning about wanting to be home and playing soccer (football if you live where I do😉). No matter what anyone says, how much death he sees, or how many near-death experiences he receives, it's all about getting home, and how he can't save them, and why couldn't someone else be the chosen one. In the beginning, it was alright, but after a while, you hit a point when it becomes frustrating. When given a choice between letting your own world be destroyed plus the one your in, or attempting to do something about it you choose neither and just mope about the soccer you're not playing, that was just problematic. He didn't try really, and then just like Ames, it gets to the end, like 80 percent to go and suddenly everyone is speeching him on how he can do it and so on and it was like he didn't learn anything, he just suddenly magically had confidence and people suddenly believed in him.

Also, Ames' heroic bit at the end, really digs in to his lack of grasping the seriousness of stuff, while simultaneously speaking to how Porter just knows stuff all of a sudden.

This brings me to the sisters. They are the best things up in this book Fira and Conri are everything. They saved this book. Understood the task they had to do. Went headfirst into it even second-guessing their decisions yet still going forward. So they weren't perfect but still had the will to do the thing. And, they often, tried to impress this importance on Porter who never got it, and didn't even try with Ames because he was a lost cost. Basically no point in digging into them, they were written as well as any character could be.

My problem with all of this is, considering the sisters couldn't change his mind, and porter moaned about wanting to be a normal boy the entire book, the learning curve was nonexistent. It read like, nah... you don't have to learn from your circumstances, just stay the same until the very end of the book and then poof, magically become the person you're supposed to be. There weren't enough signs to show gradual change. That each task was changing him somehow. His power seemed to be increasing and getting easier but a lot of that was due to the TOK in the staff he held, using him. Not him coming into believing himself at a slow but sure pace. The same for Ames.

It felt like you can completely ignore the seriousness of a situation until you maybe almost die, (which also didn't work) and making the effort to learn about magic, in the brief time you have, just so you can understand the situation you're in, is def not needed. He never seemed to learn anything like the difference between movie earth magic and real-life magic. How simply having magic is not enough to win, because the bad guys have magic too and in the real world good guys can lose and often do. Then, (this bit is a spoiler) at the end he doesn't want anything to do with magic at all. I was totally blindsided by this. Literally, all it took was one thing in the last five percent of the book to make him realise, after all that happened, that it wasn't for him? Sigh. If he said yes at least he would've been forced to understand the seriousness of things through training.

So that's my take on the two main characters. That slow progression into stepping up into their roles didn't happen and it read, to me, like as long as you shape up at the very end when it counts, nothing before it matters. All this said, it still gets five stars. Why? I've read enough of these books to know most readers will probably enjoy my issues like it's the best thing ever. It's their kind of angst. Also, the world was interesting to dig into. The two sisters were written well. Basically, all the things a book in the young adult fantasy genre, right down to keeping up the sense of urgency with good pacing, are here. In my opinion, anyway, they are all here. That means for the audience and what this story set out to do it hit all the notes. For me I think the message about coming into your own may not have been handled the best, and the idea of finding maturity in life-threatening situations was missed. But the fact I had a negative reaction to this story doesn't take away from the fact that it is good.

I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a nice, fun, action-packed, magical journey of kids being forced into adult and life-threatening situations and how they navigate this. It will definitely be worth the read.

[L.L. Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book and the following review contains my honest/unbiased opinion on Hayley Chow's book "The Gatekeeper of Pericael".

I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars because I really loved this book. If The Shadowhunters / The Mortal Instruments series and Pirates of the Caribbean franchise had a baby, it would be this book. It had the same wittiness as POTC and the hidden dimension and save the world theme of the TMI series by Cassandra Clare. I absolutely loved the world building and characters (especially Ames).  

There are only two books that can make me really visualize what I'm reading: this book and Marquita Valentine's book "Just Desserts". Which says a lot because big named authors don't really impress me in terms of the imagery they write and their world building whereas this book, it was like I was reading a comic book or watching an  anime and I could even imagine how everything from the killer spiders to the elephants with tentacle trunks and even if it isn't supposed to be a romance novel I like shipping the boys with Fira. 

All in all, the world Hayley created is so interesting and I look forward to learning more about it (in future stories that take place in the same universe)! Also, if you like The Mortal Instruments and the Pirates of the Carribean franchise, you'll definitely like this one!