Escape to Vindor

World of Vindor #1

by Emily Golus

~Winner of the 2018 Selah Award for Young Adult Fiction~

For as long as she can remember, Megan Bradshaw has imagined herself as the heroine of Vindor, her own secret world populated with mermaids, centaurs, samurai and more. When school pressures and an upcoming move make life unbearable, Megan wishes she could escape to Vindor for real.

And then she does. Megan finds herself trapped in a real-life Vindor, containing flesh-and-blood versions of her imaginary characters. But dreaming about being a hero and actually fighting monsters are two very different things—especially when the Shadow, the frightening creature now tearing Vindor apart, is one Megan doesn’t remember putting there.

Playing the role of her alter-ego Selena, Megan embarks on a dangerous journey, accompanied by a know-it-all centaur and a goblin she’s not sure she can trust. Will the Shadow destroy her before she can find a way to save her world?

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fiction, Christian, Young Adult, Christian Fiction, Ebooks

346 pages, Paperback

Published December 1, 2017

About the author

Emily Golus is an award-winning fantasy author with nearly 20 years of professional writing experience. Golus aims to engage, inspire, and show how small acts of courage and love can create meaningful change. Her books feature diverse cultures, authentic characters, and cinematic fantasy settings.

Her first novel, Escape to Vindor, won the 2017 Selah Award for Young Adult Fiction. A spin-off novel, Crack the Stone, won the 2024 Kudos Award for Fiction and was a finalist in the 2024 Realm Awards. Golus enjoys teaching workshops for teens and adults about storytelling, worldbuilding, and creativity.

Golus lives in Greenville, SC with her husband, Mike, who is her greatest supporter. They have two active little boys and enjoy hiking, making Thai food, and exploring small towns in the Carolinas.

Discover more at WorldofVindor.com and EmilyGolusBooks.com, and keep up with book news at Instagram.com/WorldOfVindor.

Reviews

[The Batman (Reagan) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an extremely well written sorry with fantastic world-building and excellent characters. My favorite has to be Bat, the goblin, hands down. He's so noble and awesome, and the way Emily writes his particular speech patterns is hilarious.

This is a book written by a Christian author and contains Christian themes, but I feel that even non-Christians will enjoy the story.

[Allison Tebo · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC!

[Shannon Hugo · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's rare that I can recommend a book to my students without any caveat. I can, with this. It has a little bit of Harry Potter, a little bit of Narnia, a little bit of The Neverending Story, a little bit of Inkheart, and a whole lot of truth: "Now I know I don't have to make myself important - being loved does that for me. I can rest."

"Infinite Love would still be hers. Strong enough to heal the broken places. Kind enough to take even the worst things and twist them into a path that led to goodness and love. Always."

[Lavay Byrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not expecting this to be such a beautiful story! (Honestly, I was in it for the centaurs!). I half expected to be aimed at middle-schoolers or older (younger than a 3o-year-old woman). How wrong I was.

This is no mere young adult fantasy book, but a beautiful, epic and moving tale reminiscent of Chronicles of Narnia! A tale of a girl longing to escape to her imaginary world... and not only got her wish... but embarked on a journey that will change her life forever. A tale of a magical world full of centaurs, merfolk, goblins, faeries and elves, and even humans-- but divided and threatened by a shadow threatening to consume all in its path. A shadow that's not what it seems on the surface.

I could go on and on, but I will say that this is such a beautiful book. If you're searching for a fantasy fiction that truly inspires, shines beauty and light in darkness, and even reminds your soul of HE who is LOVE and TRUTH... step into this one.

[Hannah Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a dear bookish friend first suggested this book to me, she told me it was as good as the Chronicles of Narnia (can’t remember her exact words, but that was the basic idea.) I’ll admit I was skeptical. I’m like the third-biggest Narnia nerd I know, and while following in the footsteps of those treasured classics is something many modern Christian fantasy books claim to do, few actually accomplish the feat.

Escape to Vindor is the exception.

This book surprised me in every imaginable way. It has been literal years since a book has seized my imagination so quickly and so entirely. The dazzlingly diverse cast of characters made the world sparkle with life, and I felt like I knew each of them as friends by the end of it.

Megan especially spoke to me–the small, unseen, girl living in her own little world to escape the tough parts of her reality. She could’ve been me fifteen years ago. I was crying in chapter two just because I felt for her so. very. much. I don’t know that I’ve ever encountered a heroine I related to more, especially in her weaknesses, frailties, and wistful dreams. I felt so seen, and because of that, I rooted for Megan all through her journey, even when her decisions and actions were less than admirable. I understood her.

Megan’s realness to me is not to say the supporting cast was in any way forgettable. Perish the thought! Bat has my whole heart, and I didn’t expect to grow to love Nikterra so well. But both of them drew me into their stories so deeply that I dreaded the thought of the book ever ending.

And don’t even get me started on the world. The glittering descriptions of different cities and locations and cultures represented in Vindor never disappointed. The world felt so real, vivid, and full of color and life. I loved the underground city, the coastal cliffs, the forest of the faeries, all of it. And oh my word, the idea of Paracosmia is my new favorite thing. In fact, part of me hopes it’s really true, because that means somewhere, out there, my own childhood imaginary world is alive (and teeming with pirates.)

I think my favorite–and most Narnia-like– aspect of this story was the way it told a big Story with little people. The world of Vindor is big, and the evils facing it were dramatic (and occasionally super spooky) but the people standing up to it were ordinary. Megan’s troubles were small. But the truths she learned about fear and self-worth are huge.

At the risk of rambling on all day about this book, let me sum up– Characters: awesome. Plot: riveting. Writing: engaging. Humor: on point. It wowed me. It scared me. It twisted my heart and touched my soul.

Parents, teachers, readers and writers of fantasy young and old, go get yourself a copy of this book immediately and take yourself on a journey through a world worth visiting again and again and again. I read this book on Kindle (mistake) but as soon as I get myself a hard copy version, I’m putting it on the shelf right next to my beloved Narnia box set. Mr. Lewis would approve of that placement, I’m certain of it.

[Laura A. Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

FAN-MADE BOOK TRAILER HERE: https://youtu.be/D1NDBS--V6M

I think if I would have known I wouldn't get super stuffy and congested all over again from my current cold, I totally would have cried at the end of this book.

I am so incredibly sad this story is over!!!

Though I was unsure how things would end and what would happened, it was perfect on so many levels. I was greatly touched by the overall message and it greatly encouraged me. I, too, want to look at the stars and remember. <3

Escape to Vindor had an INCREDIBLE world, people, and cultures! Truly, it was phenomenal and would have loved a map to get a better feel of the places each person is from, but even with that said, there was no confusion on who is who. In fact, I would love to meet all of them and experience their world close up. ;)

I loved Megan's story so much, especially with going to your imaginary world. Her story was one that was so relatable, even as an adult.

I very eagerly look forward to book two and really hope that we revisit some of these characters that stole my heart, including the amazing Nikterra. (Oh, I just want to add a bunch of names and people because all of it was so fascinating and want to re-experience the different places!)

A strong five stars and a must read for younger and older readers alike who love fantasy!

[Amy Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic adventure set in a vivid fantasy world, about a young heroine finding her voice and courage, and conquering her deepest fears.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a book that I really hoped I'd like because I really enjoyed the author's article on world-building at SpeculativeFaith.com and because her web site is gorgeous--I repeat--gorgeous. Go to the website and you will feel like you entered her book's world. SO COOL.

So anyway, as the five-star rating attests, I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED. I truly wish that this book had been around for me to read in Middle School. It rolled a bowling ball right down my alley and scored a killer strike. The premise is that a struggling middle school girl who likes to imagine stories in her fully-realized pretend world (check: this was me) actually somehow gets TAKEN to the world she made up. And it is not what she expected at all.

Her characters have lives, personalities, and backstories of their own that she never dreamed of (she'd only imagined what she needed for the plots she was currently acting out). Races and locales act like they're not "supposed" to. Places she'd made up for one adventure and then forgotten are all too real (and causing unexpected problems). And she discovers she's not fully in control of what happens in this world anymore.

The world-building was delightful. One locale in particular (Elnat) had enough world-building in its pinkie toe to power a whole book, but it is just one of the many fully-realized places you visit in Vindor. I particularly enjoyed the Anglo-Saxon-inspired Huntsmen. All in all, the whole thing felt like a living, breathing world.

The characters were lovable. I was truly attached. I don't think I've ever felt so out of my league along with a character as I have with Megan. I loved the foibles, diversity, and rich personalities of all the supporting cast. I loved that we got to see not only the protagonist but also side characters grow and mature through the quest. But all the maturation arcs were spokes off the same central theme.

And the theme, by the way, is great. At first I thought, "This is Christian fiction, but there's not much mention of God throughout..." but that was part of the point: Megan lived her life, as many of us tend to live our lives, completely forgetting about the amazing truths that belong to a child of God. The plot leads by stairstep realizations to an expected-yet-unexpected conclusion, where as an adult I was pretty much thinking I knew what would happen, but where Golus pulled out several surprises that left me impressed and very satisfied. The Madeleine L'Engle-esque climax tied many threads of the story together.

Finally, and probably the most unique strength of this already strong book, were the chapters. I don't think I've ever come across a book where each individual chapter moves the main plot along so satisfyingly WHILE developing its own individual sub-plot in an extremely interesting way. Each chapter made progress toward the goal rather than stagnating in a typical fantasy boring travelogue or brooding sequence, and each chapter added new complications and developments that made me want to keep raising my eyebrows and turning pages. (This is one of the few books that my husband wanted nightly updates on.)

Anyway, yes, so go buy this book now, and share it with all your middle school and high school--and adult--friends as a clean, complex, satisfying, luscious read. And speaking of audiences, I WILL be keeping this book to share with my girls, and I think they'll be ready for it in late elementary school. The ideas of fear, prejudice, pride, friendship, and love in it are so exciting for me to think about them engaging with. Plus I honestly want to see them pretending outside with Bat and Nikterra.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right from the start, I knew that this was going to be a great read. Growing up, I never really fit in (and still don’t), and I was usually the kid who always had her head stuck in a book. I had a very active imagination and could thus easily relate to Megan. I always had an ongoing dialogue in my mind, which became the stories that I wrote; today these are usually book reviews! Often with fiction intended for or meant to include younger generations, there is a noticeable distinction in writing style that detracts from the allure of the story, for me at least. However, that is not the case here, and I love it!

With “Escape to Vindor,” Emily Golus skillfully combines elements from such classics as The Chronicles of Narnia in order to create her own unique world and plotline. I honestly never imagined that I would enjoy this book as much as I have, and for readers who desire a little more background and a map of this curious world, both can be found at www.worldofvindor.com in a delightful format. “Escape to Vindor” draws upon the fantasies we all exhibited as children and flips them around, placing us inside them as the hero/heroine, but one who is seemingly inept and obviously flawed.

In at least some way, we can all relate to Megan, thrust into a situation or circumstance that we weren’t prepared for: “She didn’t want to do this. She wasn’t an adventurer. She was shy, plain-vanilla Megan Bradshaw, who was used to a class speech being the most stressful thing she had to worry about all day”. Sooner or later we all face things we don’t want to, and if we learn to rely on God and reach out and allow others to help us, we can weather the storms.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

[Jillian Sevilla-Sales · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no words to say how much I loved this book!
{Review ends}. 🤣😅

𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉, 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚.

Another 5⭐.
Well, it took me a month to finish this book (shame on me). But not because I am bored or in a reading slump. I simply did not want to end Selena's adventure!
The world building is so good (not too wordy, leaving space for my imagination to work), I love the different nations and how the author brought them to life (mermaids, huntsmen, centaurs, samurai etc. So many stories could be created from each of them), and of course, how this book points to the One who is always there for us. The One who loved us despite of everything we have done.

Now I know why this book won a Selah award. I am glad to have bought the second book, Mist of Paracosmia (in ebook form when it went on sale. But I would love to have a physical copy soon! Tagging my husband 🤣).
And now I know who the Bandit King is! 😁
Btw, do visit the author's website. It is one of the coolest sites I have encountered!

And Emily Golus has a new book coming out, Crack The Stone. It is a fantasy retelling of Les Miserables and a part of a series of stand alones for Classic Literature retellings.
I am so excited for it!

Now, grab a copy of this book and be ready for an adventure!

[Judith DeStefano · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are fairies, mer-people, goblins, centaurs, people-groups, and a white palace in Vindor, but everything is NOT perfect. The Shadow is scaring people. Megan encounters this cold enemy her first day in Vindor. She's no Guardian Selena. She just doesn't have what it takes to defeat the most powerful monster Vindor has ever seen. If only she could fall asleep and wake up in her own world, but no, many days of adventure are before her.

At one point, Golus presents a solution to the story problem that could have left the reader with a Disney-esque answer--IF Golus had stopped there. BUT SHE DIDN'T! As Megan herself contemplates one angle of this incomplete solution, she is unsettled. There is MORE--and by the end of the story, Megan knows the solution personally.

Also, thank you, Golus, for allowing Vindor to be real and not just a "oh, she bumped her head and then woke up" thing. She actually brings something back from Vindor, solidifying the realness of her experience.

[Kaley Rhea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, we can talk about the icing: Adventure and creatures and plot twists and danger and centaurs and pixies and elves and new lands and magic.

But let me tell you about the CAKE: Megan Bradshaw is an exceptionally well-written, entirely relatable character who very much became a real person to me. You don't just watch Megan along her journey. You GO WITH Megan on her journey. And what an important journey it is! Vital. Foundational.

Basically I loved this story even more than my girl Nikterra loves grakenbread.

And if any of you speaks a word against my actual goblin son, Bat, I will descend upon your lands and bring some straight up STRIFE.

Read this to your kids. Read it to your grandparents. Read it just for you. The ending is satisfying, and yet, grabbing the sequel was the easiest purchase decision I've ever made.

Look to my five-star rating and remember.

[Jessica Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story set in a fantasy world with a message that we can all take to heart and grow from.

Megan Bradshaw has always had a very vivid imagination. In fact, she has created her own imaginary world, Vindor, in which she is the heroine. Vindor has all kinds of mythical creatures and Megan loves imagining herself as a part of that world. When life gets hard, she escapes to her favorite place, but one day when things get really rough she escapes to Vindor for real with no way of getting home. Now all the things she has dreamed about are happening to her and the world she created has grown and changed more than she imagined it could have. Something is attacking Vindor, a Shadow that tears apart and freezes everything it encounters. While everyone thinks Megan is really Selena, her alter ego in vendor, she must try and save vendor with the help of a centaur and a goblin she just met and doesn’t know if she can trust.

Escaping to the world of Vindor was so much fun. I loved the world and the different characters, especially Bat. At first Bat’s way of speaking was a little confusing, but then it just made him more enduring. I love finding a new YA book that is clean and with a good message. Golus found a nice rhythm with putting a message in the story and not losing the reader before getting to the heart of the message. This was a book with a lot of heart. Megan had a lot going against her, but she never gave up, and with the help of her friends she was able to accomplish so much more than she ever thought possible. I especially enjoyed the ending and the way things tied up. I can see it being left open for a follow-up, but if there isn’t, I can say that I would not be upset with the closure left here. I would recommend this to readers that enjoy fantasy and a good story with a message. It doesn’t even have to be just for young adults, older readers will find enjoyment throughout the pages as well.

[Deana Dick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please allow me to gush over this story for a bit. I was so surprised at how incredible the author is at writing with perfect imagination that soars through the minds of many. I was that girl that was very unpopular at school. I was bullied and had few friends. Yes I imagined that I would be swept away and live in a place where I was loved. Megan represents each of us that has felt left out, forgotten, bullied, pushed aside and unloved. The author has given me hope in a story that will penetrate those broken hearts and abandonment and give them hope and inspiration.

Centaurs , goblins, mermaids and heroes oh my. The book offers a chance to journey to a land of mystical creatures and a chance to find your courage and worth. The story is filled with adventure and I loved following Megan as she seeks to accomplish her mission. There are times you could feel her doubting herself, but something kept her going. She began to believe in herself in this fantasy world where she made friends and found that she was somebody.

The story is an adventure that will have readers drifting off into Megan’s world will you feel like you are beside her as she takes up a difficult task to defeat The Shadow. I really enjoyed reading about The Shadow. I won’t spoil anything but the discoveries in the book are phenomenal. Megan will come face to face with the very thing that has tormented her for years. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Thoughts on Escape to Vindor:
Did you have an imaginary world that you escaped to as a child? A world where all was right and good and you were the hero? I know I did! I read books as a child to escape. Maybe my reality was as bad as it could have been, but I needed that escape to give me a break from the stressors. Often I would daydream that I lived in some of those far away places I read about, in a world far away.

For Megan, that world is Vindor. She’s made up this world with all these imaginary characters where she is the hero. When she wishes to truly escape her real world and suddenly does life will never be the same again!

This is a young adult fantasy book. I’m not normally a huge fan of them but my oldest daughter age fifteen loves them so I was reading it to preview for her. So many books geared to young adults are not what I would consider of a quality that I would want my daughter to read. After reading this book I decided it was definitely one I’d let her read. It’s cute. I enjoyed reading it and didn’t see anything horrible in it.

I recommend this book. This was a new to me author but I enjoyed reading her words and will probably read more of her books in the future.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fantastical read with great world building that really pulls you into another place. Megan Bradshaw is a girl with problems. She is bullied at school, she is no good at sports, and she and her mom and brother are getting ready for a big move to a new state and a new school. Megan is obviously not ok with this. So what does she do? She loses herself in her make-believe world of Vindor.

Well, she thought it was make-believe until one day she gets transported to this medieval realm and she is the hero. Imagine that. Just like she has always dreamed up. Except Vindor is not so make believe anymore. She must first get her bearings and then figure out what evil is lurking in the shadows there. Here she is looked up to and regarded as most important, but her self-doubts and insecurities continue. Many kids and adults can relate to those whispers. But she is now the hero and she and her new friends must find a way to save Vindor.

If you are looking for a great read for your kids, older or younger, I would recommend this fantasy. The creatures and the world are easy to imagine and the story is quite exciting with real life lessons to learn and apply.

I received a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and all views and opinions are my own.

https://pausefortales.blogspot.com/20...

[Erin Dydek · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Epic Journey for Young Readers

Golus dives deep into the heart of a common problem for teens and tweens as she depicts Megan’s journey through the vast world of Vindor. I loved how Megan has to learn what the source of her problem is along her journey and how the situation is dealt with in the end. Lessons and foreshadowing are woven into the story in a way that helps the reader understand Megan’s struggle and equips them for facing their own trials.

I loved Nikterra’s and Bat’s stories as well. Both characters had well-developed backstories that built up to some very emotional scenes. One of the most powerful images in this novel involved these two and it was one of my favorite moments of the book! Every detail was perfectly placed to deliver a lasting impact for the reader and transformed the characters.

Megan’s quest to solve the riddle is one with many exciting trials and a satisfying conclusion. It’s no wonder Escape to Vindor won an award!

I highly recommend to middle-grade and teen readers struggling with insecurities. This book would be a wonderful gift to encourage and inspire the young readers in your life, especially if they enjoyed Narnia or other tales with fantasy characters and an imaginative setting.

I love the concept behind the Paracosmia and look forward to reading the sequel!

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily Golus has created a fantasy world in Escape to Vindor that includes many well-known mythical creatures - centaurs, goblins, pixies, elves, and more. Her world remains consistent throughout the book. The plot encourages Megan/Selena, the main character, to remember God’s love for her, something she struggles with throughout the book. Megan struggles with self esteem and has created the imaginary world of Vindor as an escape from her reality. Selena is the heroine in Vindor, Megan’s alter ego. Emily Golus has also included an epic journey - an adventure to fight the dark Shadow that is overtaking Vindor. The story is well-written and the plot draws readers in. It was definitely an “I can’t put this down” book for me. My only problem with the book is that some of the print from the journal and official summons were hard to read. I do look forward to reading more by Emily Golus.
I think that fantasy lovers in grades four or five will be able to enjoy this story if they are good readers. Middle schoolers and above should have no problem reading Escape to Vindor.
I would not hesitate to add this Young Adult fantasy novel to my K-12 Christian school library.
I received a complimentary copy of Escape to Vindor. This is my honest review.

[Dana Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, wow, WOW. I was first introduced to Emily Golus’ books at a local author expo and was especially interested in her Les Mis retelling, Crack the Stone. I later saw that Escape to Vindor was available at my library, so I figured I’d give it a try before diving into Crack the Stone (which I do have a copy of). Since it’s a middle-grade book I thought it would just be a fun little read. But WOW. It turned out to be fantastic!

The worldbuilding is amazing, but what really shocked me was how epic everything was. All the content was kid-friendly, but it was truly an epic quest that can be enjoyed by all ages. Think The Chronicles of Narnia (except I didn’t really get into the Narnia books).

Escape to Vindor is the story of Megan, a young girl who is transported into her imaginary fantasy land and swaps places with the fictitious version of herself. Since she is pretending to be someone she is not, Megan deals with a lot of anxiety and self-doubt, which makes for a great character arc as she finds her courage (and there are some lovely Christian messages woven into the plot).

Escape to Vindor was truly a fantastic read and has made me all the more excited to start reading Crack the Stone.

[Mary Herceg · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite books I've read in the last few years, and one of my favorite books ever!

Emily Golus is now one of my top favorite authors, and I can't wait to see what she publishes next.

I want to go back to the wonderful world of Vindor!



ESCAPE TO VINDOR is full of:

- Kingdom fantasy / portal fantasy / adventure

- Deep heart, thoughtfulness, and themes.

- Fascinating, fun, flawed, and endearing characters, with sparking rivalries and bonds of friendship found family.

- Entertainment and humor, mixed with pain and healing

- Incredibly beautiful themes of redemption and worth



ESCAPE TO VINDOR is a delightful portal fantasy adventure suited for all ages.

(I've discovered that the Lower Young Adult range includes most of my favorite books. And so does the Adventure genre, within any other genre!)

This was just the delightful book I needed. It was unexpectedly deep, intense, and healing. Adventurous and so much fun.

One of my top recommendations and must-reads, if you like fantasy that's light and uplifting, yet profound and intense!

[Adare Elyse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It’s a portal fantasy with the otherworldly vibes of some of my favorite tales like The Lord of the Rings, The Neverending Story, and The Chronicles of Narnia. Throughout this adventure, we get a glimpse of a vast, intricate world peopled with fantastical races like centaurs and mermaids and contoured with jagged mountains filled with massive caves. The heroine, Megan, is incredibly relatable as she dreams of doing heroic things—but when people actually depend on her as their heroine, she doubts herself. As a person who also struggles greatly with fear and insecurity while dreaming of achieving my destiny, I was invested in her journey. But even more than Megan, I loved the side characters on her adventure. The adorable goblin endeared himself to me with his charming misuse of the English language. And I couldn’t help but get excited about the centaur friend since my current book is about one! The characters’ internal journeys and desires—from proving themselves to accepting love or doubting themselves to trusting for help—were very relatable. All in all, a compelling, well-paced adventure with a world worth revisiting!

[Kristen Parnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Megan Bradshaw can defeat a sphynx when she’s imagining her alter-ego Selena in the fantasy world of Vindor, but in real life, she bombs oral speeches and dreads the idea of moving to a new school. If only she could be Selena all the time!

But when Megan gets her wish and finds herself transported to Vindor, she’s in over her head. Vindor faces a growing threat from a mysterious Shadow, and unless she can find the real guardian Selena, Vindor might perish. She, Megan Bradshaw, is a sham, and it’s only a matter of time until everyone finds out.

When reality hits that there is no other Selena to rescue Vindor, Megan must confront the Shadow and her own fears to save the world and creatures she loves.

Golus’ writing, world building, and characterization are masterful, but what I loved even more was the theme for readers to apply to their own lives. When Megan discovers that the Shadow feeds on fear, she sees how fear controls her life and the lives of others. She develops self-awareness for the root cause of her fears and the lies they tell her.

[Donna C · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I think you should know:
Escape to Vindor is a Young Adult Fantasy by Emily Golus. It is the first book in the Worlds of VIndor series.

What I think about this book:
As a Reader of YA Fiction I am in Love with the World of Vindor, Golus has done a spectacular job of creating a world and a story that quickly captures your imagination. I love the diverse characters and the interactions between them. The Shadow was a unique antagonist, that made for a story that I could not completely predict! I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

As the Mom of a Young Adult reader and educator I think this is a great book, it is not only interesting but has the ability to have teachable moments in it. Megan is an excellent heroine and could be used to help reach kids who are struggling with self esteem. I would not hesitate to allow my 6th grader to read this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.

[Joshua Masters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Escape to Vindor is a great Young Adult Fantasy novel (and it was greatly enjoyed by this 46-year-old with a child's imagination). The world of Vindor is filled with familiar mythical creatures like centaurs, pixies, merfolk, and goblins but they're all made new by the rich character development and unique race histories written into the story. There are also new mythical races that make Vindor a vibrantly real, yet somehow familiar world. The characters are wonderful, and the story is filled with powerful lessons about friendship, redemption, and courage. Golus has created a moving example of how our relationships and circumstances--especially difficult ones--can transform us into people of character and integrity. I purchased both the paperback and Kindle editions. The e-book does not have chapter navigation, but I would strongly recommend this book in either format.

[Viviane Elbee]

This is an upper middle grade Christian-themed fantasy novel. It has goblins (including a nice goblin named Bat), and mermaids and centaurs and pixies and all kinds of other mythical creatures.

A young teen, Megan, daydreams about a land called Vindor, where all these mythical creatures exist, and one day she is transported to her dream land. It is not quite the way she had imagined it and there is an evil shadow she has to defeat.

I thought it was interesting how Emily Golus, the author, managed to infuse Christian themes into this story and was reminded of a conversation I had with a very religious friend of mine years ago. She was trying to find Christian books for her kids to read and struggling to find such books. This one would fit with what my friend was searching for.

[Carol Keen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vindor is definitely an escape, in every definition of the word. It's a fantastic and well-written world, that you don't want to leave. It's an escape for the reader, both teens, and adults. It's an escape for Megan as she traverses a world where her visual twin is nothing at all like her, until one day, nothing is the same. Now everything depends on Megan, and I felt for her. Frankly, I think we all deal with some of these core issues regularly in life. I loved this story. I am waiting excitedly for the next book in the series. This is a five-star read, and then some. It's everything I like in a good fantasy!

Many thanks to Celebrate Lit for my copy. This review is my own, left freely with my thoughts about this book.

[Grace T · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing style isn't my thing now, but give this to middle-grade Grace and she would have devoured it in a heartbeat. The world, the adventures, the wide variety of characters--such good stuff. And although I was a little leery of how stereotypically Megan was portrayed especially at the beginning, and she fell into the trope of "introvert goes through adventures and now she can give speeches! w00t!", when I hit the passage with the stars, it hit me back, and I cried, and anxious little middle-grade Grace (and highschool Grace, and college Grace, and current grad student Grace) needed this book.

An excellent, clean, Christian fantasy for middle grade and younger YA readers. Will definitely expose my kids to this if I ever have any kids.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Escape to Vindor" by Emily Golus is a fantasy that I really liked reading Maybe because I could actually see it in my mind as I was reading. I was thinking the whole time I was reading my grandson, ( aged 10) and granddaughter ( aged 17) would like this book.

This book has mermaids, pixies, centaurs, goblins and other mythical creatures. This book is like "Parent Trap" except it is a fantasy.

This book is a clean read as well as entertaining.

I have already downloaded the second book in this series from Kindle Unlimited because the ending just made want to read more.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and Celebrate Lit. These opinions are my own.

[Brenda Covert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was amazing! I'm decades older than the young heroine, Megan, but I could put myself in her shoes; I would have reacted the same way she did to all the challenges she faced. I was immediately drawn into the story and the fantasy world she fell into. The author's masterful descriptions put me in the midst of everything! Oh, and I especially loved the way the little goblin, Bat, spoke. The character arcs of Bat, Nikterra the centaur, and Megan/Selena warmed my heart. I love this book!

I meant to read a chapter a day, but it was so good I had to neglect my daily routine to finish it in one day.

[Emily Yager · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful gem of a story is a little bit Narnia, a little bit Inkheart, and a bit of magic. It’s written for the younger pre-teen readers, but I think others would enjoy it as well.

I had a few nudging doubts when I started this one. And I can say all those disappeared quickly as I was swept up into this fantastic world. The characters, plot, and setting is all well written. Though I must admit my favorite character was Bat, the goblin. Overall, this is an interesting adventure and a fun read.