Rayleigh Mann in the Company of Monsters

by Ciannon Smart

Rayleigh Mann in the Company of Monsters has descriptive copy which is not yet available from the Publisher.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Monsters

Kindle Edition

Expected publication August 8, 2023

About the author

Ciannon Smart grew up in a small town in the south-east of England. As the only daughter in a house full of boisterous sons, she developed a voracious appetite for reading from an early age, preferring anarchy in stories rather than real life. In YA she loves her heroines exactly as she loves her villains: wilful, wily, and unpredictable. When not writing, Ciannon can be found reading, painting, or taking the long way home to listen to a good song more than once.

Reviews

[Lastblossom]

tl;dr
Magical adventures that spark the imagination anchor a story about learning to embrace one's self in a very VERY fun read.

About
A prankster and a troublemaker, Rayleigh has always felt a little out of place. But on Halloween night, he's whisked away to an underground world full of magic and monsters. There he discovers that he's the son of the Bogey Mann himself, and that a new life of magic awaits him. Only problem is, his father has gone missing, and the magical world might fall apart unless Rayleigh can get him back.

Thoughts
What a fun book! Amidst all the scares and self-reflection, there is an exciting and joy-filled adventure about discovering magic in the world and embracing one's self. The narrative about learning to embrace one's identity, and also how we get to choose who we become, will resonate with any kid whose felt like they don't fit in. I'm sure I could have used this back then. Rayleigh's wonder as each new piece of magic he discovers was palpable, and there is a stunning amount of world building. Sentient apartments, weather witches, flight, and trials for kids to prove themselves. Ugh, it has all the things, and I love it. There was also a vast array of world mythology in it, with Bloody Mary instantly claiming top spot as my favorite character. I think my only frustration is Rayleigh's as well - I hate when adults won't be honest with kids. Please picture me yelling at the book "Hey, just tell him already!" I think Rayleigh would agree.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the advance copy. Continue to support the union!

[Sal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free e-arc from NetGalley for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins!

4.5 stars

I hadn't read Ciannon Smart's work before this book, and now they've become an auto-buy for me. This world was so unique and felt so advanced in its development that I would've been satisfied to just walk the streets of Below-London. Instead, Smart shows us just how many secrets are lying in plain sight and it made for a fun, inclusive, and approachable middle-grade romp.

The only reason this wasn't a 5 star for me was some slight instances where the prose required a second or third read for me to understand the exact visual. However, that won't stop me from reaching for the next installment.

[Brady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you HarperCollins and Netgalley for the eARC, these opinions are my own. I really enjoyed this book. Rayleigh is on his way to meet his friends for Halloween but when the don't show he finds himself bothered by a girl who claims to have tied them up and when they are attacked by monsters, Rayleigh is taken to an underground world full of monsters and adventure. But with his father, the Bogey Man, missing can he find him before this magical world crumbles? A fast paced adventure, full of fun, mythical lore, and monsters! Rayleigh was a likable character with heart! Can't wait to read it again!

[Brady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you HarperCollins and Netgalley for the eARC, these opinions are my own. I really enjoyed this book. Rayleigh is on his way to meet his friends for Halloween but when the don't show he finds himself bothered by a girl who claims to have tied them up and when they are attacked by monsters, Rayleigh is taken to an underground world full of monsters and adventure. But with his father, the Bogey Man, missing can he find him before this magical world crumbles? A fast paced adventure, full of fun, mythical lore, and monsters! Rayleigh was a likable character with heart! Can't wait to read it again!

[Educator · Rating 5 out of 5]

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

10, 10, 10s across the board. This book kept me hanging on the edge of my seat. This is Rayleigh's story. He's discovered a huge secret about his father's side of the family and the world's view of monsters is all skewed. Thank you for the diversity within this book.

Ms. Smart takes her time with the introduction to the world below as well as gives us insight into each character. Simply excellent and amazing. This is one of the best first in the series you will ever read. Fans of the Rick Riordan style books as well as Harry Potter will love this world.

[Charlotte]

I cannot express how excited I am for this

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

#RayleighMannintheCompanyofMonsters #NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-Arc copy of this novel.