Category: YA/MG/Children’s Books Page 3 of 42

I’m very pleased today to welcome The BBNYA Semi-Finalist Spotlight Tour for Molly Blake’s, Vampire Mall Cop: Damien vs. the Entrail Eater! So, this book has made it to the semi-finals, so you know there’s something good going on–but before getting to this Spotlight, let’s start with a word about BBNYA.

BBNYA:

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 (17 in 2025) finalists and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official.

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Book Details:

Title: Vampire Mall Cop: Damien vs. the Entrail Eater by Molly Blake
Series: Vampire Mall Cop, #1
Genre: Fantasy, Action Adventure, Comedy
Age Category: Middle Grade
Format: Paperback/Ebook/Hardcover
Length: 221 Pages
Publication Date: August 6, 2024

About the Book:

All Damien Bryant wants is to spend the rest of his undeath on his peaceful Alaskan homestead. He’s perfectly happy with his animals for company, the occasional climber’s blood for sustenance, and no vengeful, stake-wielding KGB agents anywhere. But his routine gets shaken up with the arrival of Ben Caedrys, a lone traveler who is unlike any other climber he’s encountered before. Not only does Ben communicate with fairies and have arcane sigils and enchanted artifacts at his disposal, but he also knows a frightening amount about Damien’s past. Things that Damien would rather stay buried.

In order to keep this information secret, Damien must leave his secluded little mountaintop for a haunted magic shopping mall in Portland, encounter creatures like chimera helicopter pilots, fish men, and giant dragons of death, and fight a troublemaking member of his own family.

Book Links:

Amazon Canada ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Goodreads ~ The Story Graph

About the Author:

Molly has been writing stories since she was seven years old, and telling them since she was even younger. When she isn’t reading or writing, she can be found tending to the various plants, fish, and invertebrates in her collection of aquariums, and playing with (or even reading to) her two lizards..

Website ~ Twitter

My thanks to The Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.

The Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award 2025 Semi-Finalist badge

BBNYA SEMI-FINALIST SPOTLIGHT: Worth It by Amy Nielsen

By HCNewton

On October 13, 2025

In Book Tour, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, YA/MG/Children's Books

I’m very pleased today to welcome The BBNYA Semi-Finalist Spotlight Tour for Amy Nielsen’s, Worth It! So, this book has made it to the semi-finals, so you know there’s something good going on–but before getting to this Spotlight, let’s start with a word about BBNYA.

BBNYA:

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 (17 in 2025) finalists and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official.

Pilcrow

Book Details:

Title: Worth It by Amy Nielsen
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Issue-Driven
Age Category: Young Adult
Format: Paperback/Ebook/Audiobook
Length: 350 Pages
Publication Date: May 24, 2024

About the Book:

Seventeen-year-old Angela Carter intended to pick out prom dresses with her best friend and fill out college applications during her senior year. But her father abandons the family, and her addict mother kicks her out. The now pregnant teen’s new normal is keeping her pressure cooker older boyfriend, Dale, from erupting.

When an intoxicated Dale loses control of her car one night, Angela fears she’ll never hold her unborn child. Desperate for what little stability he provides and for fear of his retaliation, Angela lies to the police when questioned about the accident. Her lie not only protects him from a DUI but also conceals a darker secret—what happens behind the closed doors of their single-wide trailer.

Set in Central Florida in the late 80s, Worth It is a story of courage, redemption, and the power of becoming your own hero.

Book Links:

Amazon Canada ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Goodreads ~ The Story Graph

About the Author:

Amy Nielsen spent nearly twenty years on the other side of the writing aisle as a youth librarian, sharing her love of books with eager readers. Daily immersion in story took root, and she penned her YA debut, Worth It, behind her circulation desk. She is also the author of It Takes a Village: How to Build a Support System for Your Exceptional Needs Family and Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder. Amy currently works as a literary agent with The Purcell Agency. When not reading or writing, she and her family can be found boating the waters of Tampa Bay with a canine co-captain in a mermaid life vest. You can find Amy at http://www.amynielsenauthor.com and on X @AmyNielsen06.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ BlueSky

My thanks to The Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.

The Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award 2025 Semi-Finalist badge

Pub Day Post—Grandpappy’s Corner: My Grandma and Grandpa Rock! by Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Tiffany Everett (Illustrator): Awwww. It’s Sweet and Fun.

By HCNewton

On September 9, 2025

In Grandpappy's Corner, YA/MG/Children's Books

My Grandma and Grandpa Rock!

by Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Tiffany Everett (Illustrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: SOURCEBOOKS Kids
Publication Date: September 9, 2025
Format: eARC
Length: 40 pg.
Read Date: September 1, 2025

What’s My Grandma and Grandpa Rock! About?

This is a very sweet tribute to grandparents—not just your traditional older adult being kind and making cookies, or whatever. But grandparents who have a passion, who share it with their grandchildren—whether it’s being a musician—professional or otherwise—or any other number of professions. (although the book does understandably lean toward musicians)

The one thing this book stresses most of all is the thing that unites every grandparent—their love and affection for their grandchildren—which is what really rocks.*

* Yeah, that’s a cheesy and corny line. But a book this pleasantly sappy brings it out in a guy.

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

I don’t know if I can defend this, but when I saw this cover on NetGalley’s page, the grandparents in the middle of the image made me think of Love Händel (or at least Bobbi Fabulous), and that was more than enough for me.

I don’t really see that now—unless I squint—but that doesn’t matter. What I do see is just cute. You can see some samples at Everett’s website. The characters of all ages/races/professions are warm and inviting. There’s a good energy captured in the pages, and everyone seems happy and loving. A great way to depict the relationships between grandparents and grandchildren.

And, I tell you what, my 7-month-old grandcritter was captivated by the illustrations. He didn’t seem to care about the text (shockingly) or even what I sounded like—but those pictures?

How is it to Read Aloud?

I didn’t really get into a rhythm when I read it to myself or the grandcritter. But I think that maybe if I read it a few more times, I’d stumble into it—I can’t imagine these writers didn’t write with one in mind. I just didn’t find it.

What I did find was a very pleasant read, it worked really well to read aloud.

So, what did I think about My Grandma and Grandpa Rock!?

You may not believe me, but I honestly didn’t realize who wrote this when I requested the title. I liked the title and the cover. I did feel a little silly when I saw “Pat Benetar” on the title page—”hey, that’s just like that…d’oh!” This isn’t a case of me chasing a celebrity author.

Really, I’m just a sucker for books about Grandparents lately (for some, strange, unknown reason), so the title and cover got me.

It’s cute, it’s sweet, it’s heartwarming, it’s fun, it speaks for every Grandpappy, Grandmammy, grand-père, avó, vavnI’, Kristasof, or whatever you call a Life-Giver Unit, Previous Iteration in your house.

Parents should pick this up to give to kids so they can read it and melt the heart of grandparents. Fellow grandparents should pick this up to give to their favorite people to help them learn what the most important job of a grandparent is.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Sourcebooks Jabberwocky via NetGalley—thanks to both for this. Sorry that it’s up late.

4 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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Grandpappy’s Corner: Martin Luther by Simonetta Carr, Troy Howell (Illustrator): A Brief and Compelling Look at the German Reformer’s Life

By HCNewton

On August 10, 2025

In (Auto)Biography, Grandpappy's Corner, Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living, YA/MG/Children's Books

Yes, this is going to sound a lot like last week’s post about Patrick of Ireland—hard not to when you have a good, consistent writer∞you’re going to think similar things.

Martin Luther

by Simonetta Carr, Troy Howell (Illustrator)

DETAILS:
Christian Biographies for Young Readers 
Publisher: Reformation Heritage Books
Publication Date: October 25, 2020
Format: Hardcover
Length: 63 pg.
Read Date: August 3, 2025

What’s Martin Luther About?

It’s all there in the title, simply put—it’s a biography of Martin Luther written for young readers.

Carr begins with Luther’s family and education, as well as his early career, before moving into his work as a Reformer. Recounting the tumultuous days of his earliest work and time in hiding before moving on to the slightly-less tumultuous times of success and raising his own family.

This is more detailed than the Patrick of Ireland book I discussed last week, both in describing the events of Luther’s life and his teachings. This is easily explained by the fact that we have many, many, many more documents about and by Luther than we do of Patrick (particularly contemporary to him).

By Luther Himself

Carr reproduces a little bit from Luther’s Small Catechism so the reader can hear from the man himself. This must’ve taken some effort to decide what to choose. Given the audience, this is probably the best—it’s Luther at his most basic, bringing the core of his teachings to the forefront.

As it should’ve—especially for older readers—it drove me to dip into the catechism as a whole. Naturally, it has its flaws (as Luther was 1. Human and 2. Not Reformed*), but that was an unexpected bonus from reading this work. Almost always a reward to re-read some Luther.

* That’s mostly a joke

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

Howell’s art is warm and approachable. While not leaning into the whole “children’s book” feel of art, it really works that way. But his illustrations would be fine in a book for older readers, too (those that use colored illustrations, anyway). It did make me go check his website and add at least one book to my to-buy list.

The rest of the illustrations are photographs of European landmarks, reproductions of contemporary depictions of some of the major players in this story. It really reminds me of the kind of things that illustrate textbooks (for children or college students, and in-between). It solidifies the impression that this is a book for children to take seriously, and not just some fluffy bit of entertainment (see below).

How is it to Read Aloud?

It’s fine. It’s not really written to be read aloud—any more than any book for children of reading age and up are. There’s nothing wrong about the text for reading to someone else, but it’s not desiged for it like books for younger children are.

It’s a little dry for that, really—possibly dry for reading to yourself, too. Which is probably good considering the aims of the book.

So, what did I think about Martin Luther?

I really enjoyed and appreciated it. Carr had a lot of material to choose from when deciding what to write about, and tackled not only the typical “main items” but also addressed some of the murkier things in his life/writing as well. I was surprised, for example, that she touched upon his late-in-life anti-Jewish writings (and relieved/encouraged that she was so clear about the problems with that). I was also not expecting her to bring forth the controversies with Karlstadt, either.

There are nuances and details she had to leave out due to space and the maturity of her audience—but she does a good job in keeping the clear details clear and laying the groundwork for reading/learning as her readers grow.

Yes, it is a bit dry. It’s not a book written to talk down to a child, or even written to appeal through a gimmick. It takes the material seriously and expects the audience to, too—I’m pretty sure that’s the point. I found this a rewarding read, and I’m eager to introduce the grandcritters to it when they’re a little older, and would recommend it to any reader 7-12 (the target range), and even older.

3.5 Stars

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Grandpappy’s Corner: Patrick of Ireland by Simonetta Carr, Matt Abraxas (Illustrator): A Brief Look at the Evangelist’s Life

By HCNewton

On August 3, 2025

In (Auto)Biography, History, Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living, YA/MG/Children's Books

Patrick of Ireland

by Simonetta Carr, Matt Abraxas (Illustrator)

DETAILS:
Series: Christian Biographies for Young Readers 
Publisher: Reformation Heritage Books
Publication Date: December 8, 2022
Format: Hardcover
Length: 61 pg.
Read Date: July 27, 2025

What’s Patrick of Ireland About?

Simply put—it’s a biography of Patrick of Ireland written for young readers.

It talks about his younger life, his time as a slave, his escape, and his decision to return to Ireland as an evangelist. It looks at his education, work in Ireland (and some of the controversy around him), and his lasting legacy.

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

There are illustrations—mostly in paintings by Matt Abraxas—that are gorgeous. I don’t know how to describe them—but honestly, they’re things you’d easily hang on your wall. I want to say the style makes me think of a modern take on Impressionism, but I’m not convinced that I’m using the term correctly.

The rest of the illustrations are photographs of old Irish artifacts, reconstructions of them, or Irish scenery. It really reminds me of the kind of things that illustrate textbooks (for children or college students and in-between). It solidifies the impression that this is a book for children to take seriously, and not just some fluffy bit of entertainment (see below).

How is it to Read Aloud?

It’s a little dry for that, really—possibly dry for reading to yourself, too. Which is probably good considering the aims of the book.

So, what did I think about Patrick of Ireland?

It is a bit dry. It’s not a book written to talk down to a child, or even written to appeal through a gimmick. It takes the material seriously and expects the audience, too—I’m pretty sure that’s the point.

It’s a pretty good biography, with some of the ambiguity about Patrick’s education and details of his life smoothed out (although they’re acknowledged). Sure, it’s short. Sure, it’s written for children—but an adult wanting a quick take on his life isn’t going to be disappointed. (I’m reminded of hearing that James Holzhauer read children’s reference books in preparation for his appearance on Jeopardy!—this would be a good book for that kind of thing.)

I found it rewarding. I particularly appreciated the little excerpts from Patrick himself being included. I’m eager to introduce the grandcritters to it when they’re a little older, and would recommend it to any reader 7-12 (the target range), and even older.

3.5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Children’s & Picture Books (a look in Grandpappy’s Corner)

By HCNewton

On July 24, 2025

In Books, Fiction, Grandpappy's Corner, Miscellany, News/Misc., Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week, YA/MG/Children's Books

(updated 7/24/25)

From the first moment that people did the strange thing of asking me to talk about their books on my blog, I’ve been impressed by the quality of a lot of what’s been published by authors going out on their own, taking all the risks, shouldering all the responsibility and doing all the work to get their words, their dreams, their blood, sweat, and tears. This should be celebrated—it’s definitely appreciated, as we’re trying to show this week.

As part of this week-long celebration, I’m continuing my habit of highlighting the self-published works that I’ve blogged about over the last few years (or meant to blog about, but at least read)—just a sentence or two. Hopefully, this’ll be enough to make you click on the link to the full post. Beyond that, it’d be great if I inspired you to add a few of these to your TBR. Also, be sure you check out the other posts over at the SPAAW Hub.

I don’t know how I ended up on the radar of Children’s and Picture Book authors—particularly so many from Israel. But I’m just glad I did, these are guaranteed dashes of brightness and diversity to my reading schedule. I’ve also started to really dive into Children’s/Picture books on my own lately, so this is a pretty healthy list.

bullet Life Lessons by Titan as told to Melaney Taylor Auxier—Illustrated by photos of the dog himself, Titan teaches about friends, making mistakes, eating well, being grateful, that sort of thing. (my post about it)
bullet Panda Pat and the Rat Called Cat by Neil Ballard, Steven Nosov (Illustrator)—a story of friendship and second chances (my post about it)
bullet Snobbity Snowman by Maria Bardyukova & Quiet Riley, Jr.—Snobbity is a snowman with an attitude (at least at the beginning). I loved the art. (my post about it)
bullet Elephant Wind by Heather L. Beal, Jubayda Sager (Illustrator)—A scientist explains a tornado to a daycare class. (my post about it)
bullet Hurricane Vacation by Heather L. Beal, Jasmine Mills (Illustrator)—Lily and Niko are visiting their family when a Hurricane Watch is issued, so they join their family in preparing the house for the storm and getting ready to go to a shelter. Along the way, they learn about what a hurricane is as well as all the ways that people can protect themselves, themselves, and so on. (my post about it)
bullet Tummy Rumble Quake by Heather L. Beal, Jubayda Sager (Illustrator)—A daycare class learns about earthquakes and earthquake safety. (my post about it)
bullet Bearded by Jeremy Billups—A Bearded Bear and a Red-Haired Little Girl go on adventures all over the world with an assortment of different animals. I love this art (and have a print of one illustration hanging on my office wall). (my post about it)
bullet Bearded Too by Jeremy Billups—A fun and fitting sequel to the above. (my post about it)
bullet Sea This and Sea That by Jeremy Billups—Set in a “crowded, hectic and gruff” city under the sea, with one quiet spot—The Sea This and Sea That Below the Seashore. Missus Bluffington gives a couple of kids (and the reader) a through her very unusual place, full of all sorts of sea creatures, sea plants, fish, and an octopus that shows up in some unusual places. (my post about it)
bullet Mike Nero and The Superhero School by Natasha Carlow, Kyle Stephen (Illustrator)—It’s Mike’s first day at a new school—he meets his principal and some incredible children and learns a little about the superpower he has within himself—and those inside other students, too. (my post about it)
bullet Little Aiden – A Feelings Book for Toddlers by Albert and Anna Choi, Bettina Braskó (Illustrator)—A parent assures Aiden that the wide range of emotions that he’s feeling throughout a day are okay. It’s okay to be happy or scared or confused. (my post about it)
bullet Little Aiden – A Love Book for Toddlers by Albert and Anna Choi, Bettina Braskó (Illustrator)—A parent assures Aiden of their love for him in various moods and in the midst of a range of activities—not all of which are the kind that a parent likes to see/endure, but none of which changes their love. (my post about it)
bullet Little Aiden: A Big Kid Book for Toddlers by Albert and Anna Choi, Bettina Braskó (Illustrator)—Aiden’s a little older now than he was in the first two books, and he’s learning how to be a little more independent. With mixed results. (my post about it)
bullet Be Brave, Little Puffy by Arline Cooper—A puffer fish gets tired of being a puffer fish and tries out life with other kinds of fish. (my post about it)
bullet What’s in Your Howl? by Douglas Gamble, Illustrated by: Steve Humke, Terri Isaacson—a great look at trying to understand each other (my post about it)
bullet Kitties Are Not Good To Eat by Cassandra Gelvin—A board book/electronic equivalent full of cat photos and handy tips like the title. (my post about it)
bullet Kay-9 The Robot Dog by J.M. Gulmire—a young man who can’t even have a hypoallergenic dog makes a work around (my post about it)
bullet Vernon the Vegetarian Lion by John Hughson, Ali Smith (Illustrator)—Vernon tries out vegetarianism. It goes as well as you’d think. (my post about it)
bullet Meeting of the Mustangs by Cathy Kennedy—This is for kids older than the rest on this list (7+ was my guess). A story of a wild mustang growing up. (my post about it)
bullet The Fed-up Cow by Peta Lemon, Maria Dasic Todoric (Illustrator)—Hilda the cow tries out the lives of other animals before learning to accept herself. (my post about it)
bullet Noam’s Monstersby Shai Levinger, Kaustuv Brahmachari (Illustrator), Ephrat Abisror (Translator)—Written by a Clinical Psychologist, this is about a boy struggling with anxieties and fears. Hopeful yet honest. (my post about it)
bullet George the Bannana: Book One by Elliott Linker—A graphic novel by a local 3rd grader (probably a 4th grader now, actually) about a crime fighting banana and his sidekick/best friend Elliott. (there’s a very good sequel that I haven’t had the time to write about yet, too) (my post about it)
bullet George the Bannana: Book Two by Elliott Linker—George faces off against more dastardly types (my post about it is forthcoming)
bullet The Defender by Elliott Linker—George gets a new, powerful ally. Just in time to take on a whole new opponent. (my post about it is forthcoming)
bullet Moshe Comes to Visit by Tehila Sade Moyal, Fatima Pires (Illustrator)—A young boy discovers that everyone is afraid of something. (my post about it)
bullet Bear with Bear by Hagit R. Oron, Galia Armeland by Hagit R. Oron, Galia Armeland (Illustrator)—A young boy tries to choose a pet. (my post about it)
bullet Bravo and Elphie by Hagit R. Oron, Or Oron (Illustrator)—Ephie and her pet have some struggles at the playground. (my post about it)
bullet Elphie and Dad go on an Epic Adventure by Hagit R. Oron, Or Oron (Illustrator)—An imaginative dad turns running errands with his son into an epic adventure. (my post about it)
bullet Elphie Goes Trick or Treating by Hagit R. Oron, Or Oron (Illustrator)—The title pretty much sums it up. (my post about it)
bullet Elphie Meets the End of The World by Hagit R. Oron, Or Oron Misgav (Illustrator)—Elphie is playing hide and seek with Phante and Phante’s older brother comes in talking about how he saw on the news that the world ending. Eliphie doesn’t take the news well and runs home to hide. Mom and Dad try to comfort and assure him. But it doesn’t really take—so they decide that if the world is going to end, they might as well make a party of it. That seems to work, and in the end, drives home the lesson that every day—even our last—ought to be enjoyed as a gift. (my post about it)
bullet Under the Barnyard Light by Carla Crane Osborne, Brandon Dorman (Illustrator)—a quiet night’s chores (my post about it)
bullet Buddy the Knight and The Queen of Sorrow by Peter David—A valiant teddy bear knight, who is devoted to protecting his Person from the monsters from The Realm-Under-The-Bed, has spent years defending a little girl named Mieya from these fearsome foes. He’s frequently assisted by his companion, a stuffed tamarin—a mandolin-playing bard. Esteban not only fights at Buddy’s side, but his songs frequently tell the tales of Buddy’s victories. These two (and allies they’re yet to meet) take on the ultimate foe. (my post about it)
bullet Practice Makes Perfect by Michael Portnoy, Adelia Drubetski (Illustrator), Freda Zolty Kovatch (Translator)—Madam Fly’s two sons are musical geniuses, or something like it—because she’s convinced they should put on concerts despite having no experience with playing whatsoever. Experience and the crickets who run the local music shop try to teach them an important lesson when it comes to music (or just about anything). (my post about it)
bullet The Incredible Ordinary Hero or The Brave Bystander by Aida Rascanu, Beatrice Magrini (Illustrator)—a double-whammy of a lesson for the readers/audience. First, there’s a discussion of what it means to be a hero (doing things that are heroic) and there’s a little first aid lesson—age-appropriate, mind you—to help parents/teachers train up young ones. (my post about it)
bullet How Did the Hippopotamus Get There? by Sohrab Rezvan, Kyana Mitchell (Illustrator)—the answer to this question is not what you’d expect (my post about it)
bullet Lulu and the Missing Tooth Fairy by S. E. Richey—an incredibly cute story about…well, a missing tooth fairy and tooth fairy-ish creatures all over the world. (I apparently somehow never posted about this, but it’s so good I have to share a link for it)
bullet Trouble With Truffles by S. E. Richey—an incredibly cute and informative story about truffle hunting. (I apparently somehow never posted about this, but it’s so good I have to share a link for it)
bullet Red Stripes VS Miles the Mutant Mouse by Amy Rice and Kyson Rice—5-year-old Kyson came up with the story about a super-powered cat defending his city from a giant (and very hungry) mutant mouse, with an assist from his mother on the illustrations. (my post about it)
bullet The Flying Frog and the Kidnappers by David Yair, Ilana Graf (Illustrator), Natalie Jackson (Illustrator)—4th in a series of 11 (so far, anyway). This series for beginning readers is about Quack, a flying frog, who helps some siblings fight crime. Obviously, in this case, they’re up against some kidnappers. (my post about it)

If you're a self-published author that I've featured on this blog and I didn't mention you in this post and should have. I'm sorry (unless you're this guy). Please drop me a line, and I'll fix this. I want to keep this regularly updated so I keep talking about Self-Published Authors.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Footer

The 2025 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: The Fall is All There Is by C.M. Caplan

By HCNewton

On June 25, 2025

In Book Tour, Fantasy, YA/MG/Children's Books

I’m very pleased today to welcome The Write Reads Blog Tour for C.M. Caplan’s, The Fall is All There Is! If you take a look at the feed for https://twitter.com/WriteReadsTours over the next few days, you’ll see a lot of bloggers who, unlike me, had the time to read it and write interesting things about it. The Fall is All There Is was the 6th Place Finalist for the 2024 Book Blogger’s Novel of the Year Award, so you know there’s a lot of good to be said about it–but before getting to this Spotlight, let’s start with a word about BBNYA.

BBNYA:

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists (16 in 2024) and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.

Book Details:

Title: The Fall is All There Is
Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction
Age Category: Adult
Format: Paperback/Ebook/Audiobook
Length: 415 pages
Publication Date: November 7, 2022

About the Book:

All Petre Mercy wanted was a good old-fashioned dramatic exit from his life as a prince. But it’s been five years since he fled home on a cyborg horse. Now the King – his Dad – is dead – and Petre has to decide which heir to pledge his thyroid-powered sword to.

As the youngest in a set of quadruplets, he’s all too aware that the line of succession is murky. His siblings are on the precipice of power grabs, and each of them want him to pick their side.

If Petre has any hope of preventing civil war, he’ll have to avoid one sibling who wants to take him hostage, win back another’s trust after years of rivalry and resentment, and get an audience with a sister he’s been avoiding for five years.

Before he knows it, he’s plunged himself into a web of intrigue and a world of strange, unnatural inventions just to get to her doorstep.

Family reunions can be a special form of torture.

Book Links:

Amazon Canada ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Goodreads ~ The Story Graph

About the Author:

C.M. Caplan is the author of the SPFBO 9, BBNYA, and Indie Ink Awards Finalist, The Fall Is All There Is. He’s a quadruplet (yes, really), autistic, and has a degree in creative writing. If you enjoy his books, you can rate them on Goodreads and Amazon.

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My thanks to The Write Reads for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: The Lights of Shantinagar by Nidhi Arora

By HCNewton

On June 13, 2025

In Book Tour, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, YA/MG/Children's Books

I’m very pleased today to welcome The Write Reads Ultimate Blog Tour Nidhi Arora’s The Lights of Shantinagar! If you take a look at the feed for https://twitter.com/WriteReadsTours over the next few days, you’ll see a lot of bloggers who did find the time to write interesting things about it (or, check out the banner below).

Book Details:

Title: The Lights of Shantinagar
Genre: Contemporary, Family Saga
Age Category: Adult
Format: Paperback/Ebook
Length: 272 pages
Publication Date: June 5, 2025

About the Book:

The Lights of Shantinagar is a warm and lively portrait of family life set in modern India where new philosophies are reshaping old traditions and one woman’s astute observations can change everything.

Aspiring quantum physicist Sumi is newly married and has moved into her husband’s family home. Here she observes that the beguilingly tranquil middle-class town of Shantinagar is not very different from her beloved quantum world: the happenings in one house are cryptically entangled with things next door, objects mysteriously disappear and unexpected interactions reveal surprising truths.

As the line between right and wrong begins to blur, new discoveries force the residents of Shantinagar to reflect on what they truly know about themselves and the ones they love. Meanwhile, Sumi must blend logic with love to make sense of her new circumstances.

Book Links:

Amazon Canada ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Goodreads ~ The Story Graph

About the Author:

Nidhi Arora’s stories and essays are featured in international journals and anthologies including Best New Singaporean Short Stories, Out of Print, The Hooghly Review, QLRS, Cha, and Popshot. She has self-published two books on Secure Attachment: A parent-child bonding series and edited a third. More at www.nidhi-arora.com.

My thanks to The Write Reads for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.

Grandpappy’s Corner: Life Lessons by Titan as told to Melaney Taylor Auxier: Wise Words from a Noble Dog

By HCNewton

On April 16, 2025

In Dogs, Grandpappy's Corner, Literary Locals, YA/MG/Children's Books

Life Lessons by Titan

as told to Melaney Taylor Auxier

DETAILS:
Publication Date: June 28, 2024
Format: Paperback
Length: 39 pgs.
Read Date: April 9, 2025

What’s Life Lessons by Titan About?

We meet this very good-looking dog, Titan, at the shelter when he meets his human, she “fell in love instantly because I’m so loveable.” Titan decides to keep her.

We get a couple of pages showing Titan adjusting to his new home and friends, making some mistakes and then Titan teaches some life lessons. He teaches about friends, making mistakes, eating well, being grateful, that sort of thing.

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

The art consists totally of home photographs of Titan—and occasionally some other good-looking dogs—and a couple of human feet.

On the one hand, these are not studio-quality pictures. They’re just candids of Auxier’s dog, likely her phone is loaded with them (like any person who has pets and a phone). She took the best—sometimes goofiest—of these to illustrate Titan’s lessons.

Are they the best dog photos you’ll see? No. But they’re taken and shared with love for the subject—and that’s more than enough to justify looking at them. Also, little kids are not known for being discerning when it comes to pictures of handsome doggies.

So, what did I think about Life Lessons by Titan?

This is a great tribute to a great dog.

My grandson isn’t ready for Lessons From Lucy by Dave Barry, Lessons from Tara by David Rosenfelt, or even The Teachings of Shirelle by Douglas Green. But he is ready for this one (pretty much). Many of the lessons/perspectives/thoughts in this book match those books for older readers, so even if he has a decade or so before I can introduce him to Lucy, Tara, or Shirelle, I can introduce him to Titan and his wisdom.

Also, this one has far more pictures. And who doesn’t want that?

It’s short, sweet, and to the point. It’ll win over young dog lovers, and even bring a smile to us older ones when we need a quick fill of puppy love.

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REPOST: Grandpappy’s Corner: Saint Patrick the Forgiver by Ned Bustard: Patrick’s Story Told for Wee Ones

By HCNewton

On March 17, 2025

In (Auto)Biography, Grandpappy's Corner, Non-Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

Pretty much have to do this today, right?

Grandpappy's Corner logo featuring the cover of Saint Patrick the Forgiver by Ned Bustard

Saint Patrick the Forgiver:
The History and Legends of Ireland’s Bishop

Written and Illustrated by Ned Bustard

DETAILS:
Publisher: IVP Kids
Publication Date: February 21, 2023
Format: eARC
Length: 32 pg.
Read Date: February 17, 2023

What’s Saint Patrick the Forgiver About?

Drawing on both legends about him and Patrick’s Confessions, this book tells the life story of Patrick of Ireland for the youngest set.

It starts off with his childhood and touches briefly on his period of slavery before moving into his return home and the call to Ireland. It doesn’t gloss over the hard parts of his life, but it doesn’t dwell on them, either. The focus is on Patrick forgiving those who wronged him, spreading the gospel—and even teaching the Trinity via the shamrock.

The book even covers some of the myths that arose around Patrick—baptizing a giant, driving out the snakes, etc.—working that in seamlessly with the book and not distracting from the main point.

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

This art is great—it’s friendly and cartoonish, with great colors and details. Bustard also weaves in traditional Celtic knots and Christian art (like elements seen in The Book of Kells, etc.). So we’ve got a pretty modern feel with a lot of Irish elements thrown in to ground it in Patrick’s history.

Are kids going to get that? Nope. Will the adults reading it with/to the kids? Quite likely. And if not, I think they’ll still appreciate it the art, even if they’re not familiar with the influences Bustard is drawing from.

Click here for a two page sample (picture and text) on the Publisher’s site. I’m not sure it’s the image I’d have used, but it’s representative.

How is it to Read Aloud?

It’s pretty fun—the rhythm is easy and the rhymes are nice (and only one or two of them seemed like stretching things to make the rhyme).

The Grandcritter isn’t around yet to listen to me read this, but I still read most of it aloud just to see how it went—I think it went pretty smoothly and I could have some fun with it.

So, what did I think about Saint Patrick the Forgiver?

This was a great way to give an age-appropriate lesson in forgiveness while telling the story of one of the heroes of the faith. I was entertained, and even chuckled a couple of times.

It’s a great combination of story, art, rhyme, and lesson. I can see this winning over little audiences as much as it did me. Hopefully, it’ll lodge in their minds enough that they’ll want to learn more about Patrick as they grow older and through him the Three-in-One that Patrick spent his life teaching about.

I strongly recommend this quick little read.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from InterVarsity Press via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.

5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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