Review of middle grade fantasy Atticus Everheart, Fifth Grade Tutor and Monster Hunter? by C.L. Colyer
Nothing frightens Atticus Everheart more than monsters, thanks to his older brothers, who often threaten to feed him to the beastly creatures.
Fearing that’s what they will do if he doesn’t replace the book he accidentally ruined, he takes a job tutoring a boy in his neighborhood.
Although nervous about the job, Atticus soon discovers there’s a lot more in store for him than teaching. Never in a trillion years would he have imagined he’d be hiding from monsters, working with ghosts, or searching for werewolves and witches. He’s not brave, and he has no plans to change.
Until he’s forced to.
Excerpt from Atticus Everheart, Fifth Grade Tutor and Monster Hunter
“These came for you,” said Abigail, the oldest of his younger sisters. At eight, she was already smarter than him in many ways. She turned the envelope upside down over his bed. A pair of prescription, steampunk- inspired goggles tumbled out. Still ignoring Atticus’s prior demand, she settled on the window seat.
“I thought they’d never get here!” His previous statement forgotten, Atticus sat up and took off his glasses. He then slipped the leather strap of the goggles over his head and pulled to tighten them to a perfect fit. He raised his chin, wise and prepared, able to spot danger in a single glance.
“How do I look?”
“Like a weirdo.” Abigail pulled her honey-brown hair into a high ponytail. “Or a praying mantis.”
He should have known she wouldn’t recognize functional accessories if they stared her in the face.
“Did you have to get green frames?” she asked.
“I like green.”
“I think you look smart,” said Evie, the youngest of the Everheart children. She was a miniature version of Atticus, from her curly brown hair, round cheeks, and scrawny arms, right down to her bulbous big toes and curious nature. “Why are there round thingies sticking out from the side?”
“Those are monocles.” Abigail opened the newspaper to the comic section. “They magnify things.”
“These aren’t ordinary monocles,” said Atticus. “I can’t believe you think I’d want goggles if they didn’t do something spectacular. I’ll have you know these are the most advanced pair of monster-seeing goggles available, able to cut through the mundane to reveal beasts and demons, ghosts, and goblins.” At least, that’s what the ad had said. Atticus flipped down the crimson lens. “This one’s for flesh-eating monsters.”
“Oh, they’re way cool!” Evie inched closer and asked, “Do you see any?”
“Yes!” Atticus lunged forward and grabbed her, tickling her waist.
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My Review of Atticus Everheart, Fifth Grade Tutor and Monster Hunter
Thoroughly enjoyed this. Exactly the kind of middle grade fun I live for. The friendship dynamic was wonderful, and I particularly enjoyed the use of famous “monsters” from literature—with a twist, of course.
My favorite part of this was Atticus realizing he was in a house full of the monsters that terrify him. But then overcoming that fear to help a new friend. The ending brought everything together in a way I didn’t expect while making everything that seemed kind of silly from the beginning extremely relevant. I love when stuff I think is just a cool side detail becomes integral to the story. Props to Colyer for making that work so beautifully.
All in all, highly recommend to readers of all ages. Looking forward to more from Colyer.
About C.L. Colyer
C.L. Colyer found her love for writing in first grade when her class was sent to the library and asked to find a book for their first book report. While she doesn’t still have this book report, she’s very proud to say she got an A on it. Her favorite thing about the book was that it had no words. That’s right, not one! That gave her the freedom to interpret the pictures in any way she wanted and write her own story.
This sparked her love for writing essays. It wasn’t until she was an adult that she sat down and penned her first novel. This story has a special place in her heart because it’s the story that helped her discover her passion for writing. She has since written several books, many of which may never see the light of day, but all of which helped her learn to combine her passion for writing with her fascination with all things mythical. You’ll find examples of this in her novels.
From C.L. Colyer: Hi! I’m so glad you stopped by! I want to share the soundtrack for Atticus Everheart, Fifth Grade Tutor and Monster Hunter?! This is a collection of songs that popped into my head when I was writing. These songs also make a great playlist when reading the book. Enjoy!!
- Monster Mash
- Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon
- The Skeleton Dance – Disney
- Superstition by Stevie Wonder
- Funeral March of the Marionette – Charles Gounod
- Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival
- The Monsters Hop
- Theme from ‘the Munsters’
- Season of the Witch by Donovan
Giveaway
C.L. Colyer will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Thank you for sharing your review of Atticus Everheart, Fifth Grade Tutor and Monster Hunter, this sounds like a great story to share with my grandchildren and I am looking forward to reading it myself
Thanks for hosting!
Thanks so much for hosting and sharing your review! I’m delighted you enjoyed the book!
The book sounds like an interesting read.
Great review! Good luck with the book.
I love the cover! The colors and graphics are amazing.