Tag: YA/MG Page 1 of 23

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Lianna and the Hombit by Valinora Troy

On January 21, 2026

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

I’m very pleased today to welcome The Write Reads Blog Tour for the first volume of Valinora Troy’s Lianna and the Hombit! The Tour’s in full swing, and it’s looking pretty good–take a gander at feed for https://twitter.com/WriteReadsTours or The Write Reads on Twitter or The Write Reads on BlueSky, you’ll see bloggers who have interesting things to say about it.

Book Details:

Title: Lianna and the Hombit by Valinora Troy
Genre: Fantasy
Age Category: Middle Grade
Format: Hardcover/Paperback/Ebook/Audiobook
Length: 255 Pages
Publication Date: January 29, 2026

About the Book:

A grieving girl in need of a friend. A magical creature with a secret task. Can they end the ancient curse threatening their new home?

When 13-year old Lianna, devastated by the loss of her father, is sent to the distant land of Nivram, she finds her new home and guardian every bit as horrible as she expected. When she meets a magical birdlike creature called a hombit, they strike an alliance: Lianna will help it complete its secret mission if it helps her get home.

But her plan goes awry and she accidentally awakens a creature that threatens both her and her new home. Lianna must uncover family secrets to avoid a terrible fate…

A heart-warming story of the healing power of friendship when all seems lost.

Book Links:

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Goodreads

About the Author:

Valinora Troy is a children’s fantasy and horror writer from Ireland. She has a MA in Creative Writing, specialising in writing for children and young adults. She has acted as a panellist for the CYBILS awards in the middle grade speculative fiction category and served as a Reading Ambassador for Louth Libraries. Her short stories for adults have appeared in numerous publications. She is the author of The Lucky Diamond trilogy, a middle grade children’s fantasy adventure series. In 2023 she was short-listed for the Staróg Prize. When not writing, she loves visiting schools and libraries to talk to children about books and writing.

You can find out more about Valinora’s books, as well as resources for schools, and sign up to her newsletter on her website: Valinora Troy – Children’s Fantasy Writer

Website ~ Twitter

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

A Few Scattered Thoughts on My Latest Reading of The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis

By HCNewton

On January 7, 2026

In C.S. Lewis, Fantasy, Fiction, Further Up and Further In

Further Up and Further In A Year with C.S.Lewis

The Last Battle

by C. S. Lewis , illustrated by Pauline Baynes

DETAILS:
Series: The Chronicles of Narnia, #7
Publication Date: June 25, 1994
Format: Paperback
Length: 211 pg.
Read Date: December 24, 2025

If you need to know what this book is about, or anything about this series…seriously, just stop what you’re doing and pick up this book. I don’t mean to be a snob, or maybe I do, but something was missing from your childhood, and now is your time to fix it. I realize that there are many legitimate reasons for people not to have read this (more than some of the earlier), and I’m not questioning the choices you or your parents made (actually, I guess I am). But I’m not going to try to talk about this book like I do most others.

If only because everything worth saying has been said by other, better, writers. Probably several times.

I’ve also read this too many times to count as a child—even through my college years, and at least once a decade since. I’ll probably pick up the pace of re-reading them so I can talk to the grandcritters about them, too.

But I feel the need to say something now, so here are a few things that jumped out at me during this read:

bullet Shift is the first Narnian primate we’ve seen, right? There’s probably a lot of meaning to be mined from that. hmmm….
bullet A couple of pages of watching Shift in action is enough to make a guy want to go hang out with pre-Dragon Island Eustace just for the company.
bullet I just want to yell at Tirian to pay attention to the Centaur and his reading of the stars. I mean sure the astrology is nonsense (or is it in Narnia?), but the rest of it…
bullet Then just a few pages later, we get word that “Aslan” is ordering tress to be cut down and sold. Sorry, just how clueless are Tirian, Jewel, and anyone else who thinks, “yeah, this could maybe be the guy.”
bullet

The King was so dizzy from being knocked down that he hardly knew what was happening until the Calormenes untied his wrists and put his arms straight down by his sides and set him with his back against an ash tree. Then they bound ropes round his ankles and his knees and his waist and his chest and left him there. What worried him worst at the moment—for it is often little things that are hardest to stand—was that his lip was bleeding where they had hit him and he couldn’t wipe the little trickle of blood away although it tickled him.

That is just a great little detail there at the end. Hard to resist the impulse to wipe your mouth/chin there.
bullet Even in the midst of the end of the world, Lewis can find time to bring a smile with something like this:

…in Narnia your good clothes were never your uncomfortable ones. They knew how to make things that felt beautiful as well as looking beautiful in Narnia: and there was no such thing as starch or flannel or elastic to be found from one end of the country to the other.

bullet I thought about talking about Susan’s absence at the end, but it seems even less controversial to me on this read than on others. Also, I just got my hands on Gaiman’s “The Problem with Susan,” and should keep my powder dry until I can read/interact with it.
bullet I didn’t take that many notes while reading this one–I think I just caught up in the reading. Oops. I really liked Jill here (nothing against Eustace, but Jill really got to shine).
bullet This isn’t a wholly satisfying ending to the series, but it’s such a good one. I wonder a bit if Lewis could’ve done more–but I really can’t complain. It’d have been really easy for him to bungle this–I’ll take a pretty good conclusion over a mess.

And as He spoke He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can: most truly say that they all lived happily ever after, But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.

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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A Few Scattered Thoughts on My Latest Reading of The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis

By HCNewton

On January 1, 2026

In C.S. Lewis, Fantasy, Fiction, Further Up and Further In

Further Up and Further In A Year with C.S.Lewis

The Magician’s Nephew

by C. S. Lewis , illustrated by Pauline Baynes

DETAILS:
Series: The Chronicles of Narnia, #6
Publication Date: June 25, 1994
Format: Paperback
Length: 202 pg.
Read Date: December 19-20, 2025

If only because everything worth saying has been said by other, better, writers. Probably several times.

But I feel the need to say something now, so here are a few things that jumped out at me during this read:

bullet

“The Wood between the Worlds,” said Polly dreamily. “It sounds rather nice.”

I wholeheartedly agree, Polly. And I do wish you two had taken the opportunity to dip in and out of a few more before you stumbled into the worst pool possible.
bullet Ugh. I hate reading things like this:

And you could see at once, not only from her crown and robes, but fro mthe flash of her eyes and the curve of her lips, that she was a great queen.

Yes, please, Mr. Lewis–let’s focus on the surface appearance. Greatness of appearance=greatness of person. No matter how the adjective “great” is meant here–since when does this work out? He very easily could’ve thrown in some remark that this is how Pool and Diggory thought, but that it obviously was a wrong way to think–he makes that sort of comment all over the place.
bullet Oooh, a growing lamp-post. Now that is interesting and strange. And if you read this in Chronological order, you really won’t care much (or will want to see a lot more of it). But if you read them in the publication order, you get to that point and say, “ahhhhh. That’s cool,” feel a warm glow of recognition/satisfaction, and move on. This is the only time I’m going to say anything about the reading order in this series. But I could go on.
bullet Watching the animals crawl out of the land as they’re created–very cool. Some clever writing, and the best part of this book. Sadly, it’s pretty short.
bullet The bit where the Talking Beasts are trying to figure out just what Uncle Andrew is (animal–but not talking one like them, a tree maybe?) is pretty funny and good engagement.
bullet Where Jadis tempts Diggory with the apple (a bit heavy-handed on the symbolism) is just fantastic. A better bit of temptation than we got with Edward succumbing.
bullet The whole thing with the garden and the apples, the Tree of Protection, etc., feels…I dunno. Sort of crammed in other than the temptation bit. It just left me feeling “meh”–particularly the little quest that Aslan sent Diggory on to get there. I even checked Paul F. Ford’s Companion to Narnia (yes, I am the sort of nerd that has books like that sitting on my shelves), and it was less than helpful on this point.
bullet The book as a whole feels like Lewis is trying to augment the mythology he’s already created for Narnia, fill it out some (how is this the first we’re hearing of former Sons of Adam/Daughters of Eve as rulers??), so he can bring it all home in an epic conclusion. Even if the augment doesn’t make much sense, largely falls flat (in my eyes), and doesn’t do much other than establish a framing device of sorts to get us to The Last Battle. But other than giving us Diggory and Pool, I’m unconvinced that this does anything for the series and is almost entirely skippable.

A Few Scattered Thoughts on My Latest Reading of The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis

By HCNewton

On December 24, 2025

In C.S. Lewis, Fantasy, Fiction, Further Up and Further In

Further Up and Further In A Year with C.S.Lewis

The Horse and His Boy

by C. S. Lewis , illustrated by Pauline Baynes

DETAILS:
Series: The Chronicles of Narnia, #5
Publication Date: June 25, 1994
Format: Paperback
Length: 243 pg.
Read Date: December 16-17, 2025

If you need to know what this book is about, or anything about this series…seriously, just stop what you’re doing and pick up this book. I don’t mean to be a snob, or maybe I do, but something was missing from your childhood, and now is your time to fix it. I realize that there are many legitimate reasons for people not to have read this, and I’m not questioning the choices you or your parents made (actually, I guess I am). But I’m not going to try to talk about this book like I do most others.

If only because everything worth saying has been said by other, better, writers. Probably several times.

But I feel the need to say something now, so here are a few things that jumped out at me during this read:

bullet

And when all the serious eating and drinking was over, a blind poet came forward and struck up the grand old tale of Prince Cor and Aravis and the horse Bree, which is called The Horse and His Boy and tells of an adventure that happened in Narnia and Calormen and the lands between, in the Golden Age when Peter was High King in Cair Paravel. (I haven’t time to tell it now, though it is well worth hearing.)

Seriously, who reads this bit from The Silver Chair for the first time, and says, “I want to know that story”?
bullet It is so hard to read all the “true Northern stock,” “dark faces,” and “accursed but beautiful barbarians” of the North stuff. You remember going in that kind of thing is going to be there, along with the pseudo-Arabian caricatures. But remembering it and reading it are two different things.

…Bree said, “And now, Tarkheena, tell us your story. And don’t hurry it—I’m feeling comfortable now.”

Aravis immediately began, sitting quite still and using a rather different tone and style from her nusual one. or in Calormen, story-telling (whether the stories are true or made up) is a thing you’re taught ,just as English boys and girls are taught essay writing. The difference is that people want oto hear the stories, whereas I enver heard of anyone who wanted to read the essays.

Granted, his students were much more advanced than these boys and girls, but this is not really something you want to read after a sleepless night or two finishing up an assignment. (still, who’s going to disagree with him?)
bullet Edmund, Susan, and the rest of their party are indulging in that court-speak that bugged me at the end of LWW. I’m so glad Caspian didn’t get too into that. Surely there’s another way to signal that they’re all royal and grown-up?
bullet During the climactic battle, rather than seeing it from the perspective of a combatant or two, we just get a play-by-play from the Hermit observing it for those with him. This is a fantastic way to get this information—especially for Lewis’ audience. All the highlights, none of the blood and gore.
bullet I thoroughly enjoyed Bree going on about the nature of Aslan (just before meeting him and showing how little he knew)—he reminded me so much of the pompous Liberal from The Great Divorce.
bullet Shasta/Cor’s line, “And by the way, Father’s an absolute brick [how odd that a Calorman uses slang from the UK]. I’d be just as pleased—or very nearly—at finding he’s my father even if he wasn’t a king. Even though Education and all sorts of horrible things are going to happen to me.” Just delights me. Huck Finn lives!
bullet It’s interesting that Lucy is able to tell the tale of the Wardrobe here at the end of the book. How long are the Pevensies around after this before they get to the point that they’ve forgotten it? How are Lucy and Susan (who is likely pursued by more than just this twerp) unmarried in all that time? Pfui—how are Peter and Edmund? The more I think about this point, the more bothered I am.
bullet Speaking of marriage, this is likely my favorite bit of writing from this book (and really, this is book has more genuinely funny moments/depictions than the rest of the series):

Aravis also had many quarrels (and, I’m afraid, even fights) with Cor, but they always made it up again: so that years later, when they were grown up, they were so used to quarreling and making up again that they got married so as to go on doing it more conveniently.

bullet At the end of the day, this is a perfectly fine MG adventure story. Could it be better? Yeah. Does it almost feel like someone was trying to establish the Narnia Cinematic Universe? Yeah. Is it as unsatisfying as The Magician’s Nephew? Nope.

A Few Scattered Thoughts on My Latest Reading of The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis

By HCNewton

On December 22, 2025

In C.S. Lewis, Fantasy, Fiction, Further Up and Further In

Further Up and Further In A Year with C.S.Lewis

The Silver Chair

by C. S. Lewis , illustrated by Pauline Baynes

DETAILS:
Series: The Chronicles of Narnia, #4
Publication Date: July 01, 1994
Format: Paperback
Length: 243 pg.
Read Date: December 10-11, 2025

If you need to know what this book is about, or anything about this series…seriously, just stop what you’re doing and pick up this book. I don’t mean to be a snob, or maybe I do, but something was missing from your childhood, and now is your time to fix it. I realize that there are many legitimate reasons for people not to have read this (more for some of the later books), and I’m not questioning the choices you or your parents made (actually, I guess I am). But I’m not going to try to talk about this book like I do most others.

If only because everything worth saying has been said by other, better, writers. Probably several times.

But I feel the need to say something now, so here are a few things that jumped out at me during this read:

bullet Awww, even Eustace gets rejuvinated by the Narnian air. He really changed from the whiney twerp.
bullet Outside of Reepicheep, is there a more fully-drawn charcter in the Chronicles than Puddleglum? It’s also just a great name, summing him up in a nutshell. The other Marsh-wiggles finding him adventurous and devil-may-care is hilarious. As are his encouragements to the children to be more like him–upbeat and happy.
bullet Describing Rilian as “altogether looked a little bit like Hamlet,” is one of the oddest lines in the series.
bullet Everything that the Queen is up to is wrong, that’s a given. But the whole Prince/Queen mother-pseudo son thing is strange–when you add in the wedding plans? Ew, ew, ew, ew, and ew.
bullet That’s an unexpected–and odd–lesson in Centaur anatomy and diets. (one stomach human, one stomach equine and needs to feed both appropriate food). Is this common to other Fantasy uses of Centaurs?
bullet I just didn’t like Aslan this time out–disciplining Jill and wreaking havoc on the entire mission for something simple and understandable?
bullet Even stranger–sending Caspian and an unusually-still-Narnian-garbed Eustace to rough up some human bullies at the end back on Earth. That just doesn’t match with the Aslan we’ve been getting to know.
bullet Take our Lion out of things, and this was a pretty enjoyable adventure.

BBNYA SEMI-FINALIST SPOTLIGHT: Another Kind of Thing by A P Pullan

By HCNewton

On December 12, 2025

In Book Tour, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

I’m very pleased today to welcome The BBNYA Semi-Finalist Spotlight Tour for A P Pullan’s Another Kind of Thing! 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: Another Kind of Thing by A P Pullan
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Mystery
Age Category: Middle Grade
Format: Paperback/Ebook
Length: 216 Pages
Publication Date: November 28, 2024

About the Book:

Eleven-year-old, Aidan North, is new to the little village of Kirklinn in Scotland.

Being new is not easy as Aidan does not seem to fit in.

Why do people call him a “weirdo?” Why do people not understand his love of fossils? And why more name-calling because he finds maths so easy?

Izzy seems the only one who at least is willing to try and understand him.

Then there is the word, “autistic,” that the school want to give him. Does that mean he really is weird and so different from everyone else?

Yet the discovery of someone Aidan claims to live in a cave only seems to alienate him further.

Will his discovery lead to the truth of a secret held for over 20 years?

This is a story about a young boy trying to find his way in this complicated world.

So will uncovering the secret, help him on his journey to be accepted by others and, as importantly, himself?

Book Links:

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

About the Author:

Hi I am A P Pullan and I have been writing for quite some time now. I have taught primary aged pupils for over 25 years. Aidan is my main character in Another Kind of thing, my latest book. He is based on some of the children I have worked with over the years. Nothing motivates me more than doing creative writing or talking about books with children of all ages. I love visiting schools and if you visit my website you will see info and pictures about my visits @ https://theweepencil.wordpress.com/.

Am I writer? Well, I think I am more someone who just enjoys writing.

Website ~ 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

Grandpappy’s Corner: That Christmas and Other Stories by Richard Curtis, Rebecca Cobb (Illustrator): Christmas is All Around It and So the Feeling Grows

By HCNewton

On December 11, 2025

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

That Christmas and Other Stories

by Richard Curtis, Rebecca Cobb (Illustrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Puffin Books
Publication Date: August 5, 2025
Format: Hardcover
Length: 128 pg.
Read Date: November 28, 2025

What’s That Christmas and Other Stories About?

Richard Curtis wrote a children’s book, and had such a good time with it (and was inspired by Cobb’s illustrations) that he wrote a couple more. This book brings them all together in one—not unlike the movie Curtis wrote that was released last year called That Christmas. The books differ in important ways from the movie—but I’m not going to talk about that too much. It’s hard because I came to this collection because of it.

The important differences don’t eliminate the core of each story—whichever way you come to them first.

Curtis does write a little introduction for this book which contains a little insight into why he focuses on the holiday:

Quite why I’m so passionate about Christmas is a bit of a mystery to me; I’d already written the film Love Actually, with all its stories set at Christmas. I think the reason is because I’ve always loved Christmas in the simplest of ways — presents, Santa, family — but also it’s a kind of dramatic deadline. Have you been naughty or nice all year? Does the person you’re in love with love you? Are you a happy family or a family falling apart? Christmas is a sort of emotional magnifying glass: it can make sad and difficult times harder, but also make joyful and happy times even happier.

The Empty Stocking

This story focuses on two twin sisters, Charlie and Sam. Charlie is high on Santa’s naughty list, and Sam is very much not. Santa may know who does bad and good, but he apparently doesn’t know anything about context or motivation.

When Santa dis-proportionally distributes gifts to the twins—well, even he learns a little bit.

You just get a warm glow from most of this one.

Snow Day

On a Snow Day, one pupil and one teacher show up for school when no one else does. So they’re stuck together for the day. The student’s a frequent-flyer in detention, the teacher is the strictest in school—neither are looking forward to the day.

It starts out rough, and then ends up with the two finding a bond—one that benefits them both.

It’s silly, fun, and has a little bit of heart. It’s probably the most different from the film version—and I could argue for the superiority of both.

That Christmas

On a small island, the neighbors spend Christmases together in pretty much the same way every year. One year, the adults have to leave together on Christmas Eve, and leave the younger kids in the care of the older ones. Something goes wrong, and the parents can’t return. So the children celebrate Christmas in a very similar way to what they usually do—but with certain improvements (at least in their estimation).

There’s a very nice Linus-at-the-end-of-A-Charlie-Brown-Christmas-moment to this book—without actually quoting anything like Linus did.

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

At the beginning, I wasn’t that impressed—I could see some children maybe enjoying it—but I couldn’t say the same. But before the end of the first book, I was on-board. By the end of the collection, I absolutely enjoyed it.

Along the lines of appearance—whoever was in charge of typography and layout did their job very well. Changes in type size and weight, as well as the placement of words on the pag,e were visually pleasing and did a lot to help out with the storytelling and tone.

How is it to Read Aloud?

There’s nothing exceptionally fun about the prose itself, like you often get, but the book is nothing but fun—and the typography I just talked about really helps the reader do that. Adults are going to have a blast with this.

So, what did I think about That Christmas and Other Stories?

It is charming. It’s sweet. There are laughs and “awww”s throughout. I don’t know what else to say—this is a winner, something great to pull out for the post-Thanksgiving through December 26 era annually.

I feel like I should say something more, but I just don’t have it in me. I heartily recommend it.

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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BBNYA SEMI-FINALIST SPOTLIGHT: Ariel: Dancing on TV by Ailish Sinclair

By HCNewton

On December 11, 2025

In Book Tour, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

I’m very pleased today to welcome The BBNYA Semi-Finalist Spotlight Tour for Ailish Sinclair’s Ariel: Dancing on TV! 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: Ariel: Dancing on TV by Ailish Sinclair
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Romance
Age Category: Young Adult
Format: Paperback/Ebook
Length: 266 Pages
Publication Date: January 1, 2025

About the Book:

The night before Ariel, a sixteen-year-old girl with a deformed hand, starts at the most prestigious dance school in Scotland, her mother tries to kill her.

Torn from a life where she never fitted in, Ariel quickly becomes the focus of a reality TV show. In the castle school, she forms deep friendships and meets Alexander, the best looking boy she’s ever seen. Together, they unravel the mysteries of the castle’s shadows and confront the demons of Ariel’s past.

Can she rise above a lifetime of pain and embrace the possibilities of fame and love that beckon to her?

‘Ariel: Dancing on TV’ is a mesmerising tale of resilience and the pursuit of a brighter future against all odds.

Book Links:

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

About the Authors:

JAilish Sinclair trained as a dancer and taught dance for many years, before working in schools to help children with special needs. A short stint as a housekeeper in a castle fired her already keen interest in untold stories of the past and she sat down to research and write.

She now lives beside a loch with her husband and two children where she writes and dances (yes still, chronic medical conditions allowing, pah!) and eats rather too much chocolate.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ TikTok ~ Facebook ~ 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

Catch-Up Quick Takes—Books I Enjoyed Probably More Than I Should’ve

By HCNewton

On December 8, 2025

In Audiobook, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Science Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

I don’t know what to say about these books—I’m not the target audience for these, and I’m not sure exactly why I tried any of them. But something about them caught my attention and I had a blast with them all. I don’t have a full post about any of them in me, but I have a few things to say. As usual, the point of these quick takes posts is to catch up on my “To Write About” stack—emphasizing pithiness, not thoroughness.

On Again, Awkward Again

by Erin Entrada Kelly & Kwame Mbalia, read by Jennifer Aquino & James Fouhey

DETAILS:
Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
Publication Date: April 15, 2025
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 6 hrs., 48 min.
Read Date: September 17-18, 2025

(the official blurb)
It delivers on the premise precisely. It’s sort of a variation on Rowell’s Elenor & Park, but done in a way that probably won’t get anyone annoyed by the depictions of the various ethnicities depicted.

Two geeky kids (in their own ways) who see beyond the geekiness to the great person (not ignoring it, but embracing it and the person exhibiting it). They’re drawn to each other, enjoy each other, and you can’t help but hope for a Happily Ever After (or at least a Happily-‘Til-Graduation).

The narration was great. I really loved the way they brought the characters to life.

3 Stars

I Think I’m in Love with an Alien

by Ann Aguirre, read by Faith Clark & Cary Hite

DETAILS:
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Publication Date: June 17, 2025
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 10 hrs., 47 min. 
Read Date: July 31-August 5, 2025

(the official blurb)
I’ve read some pretty good UF by Aguirre, and some good SF by her, too (and would’ve finished the series if I hadn’t had trouble finding a book or two at the library). But they were pretty serious—so seeing a Rom-Com with her name on it intrigued me. A Rom-Com with this premise even more so. An alien stranded on Earth meets some friends in an online chat room, develops a crush for one of them, and then they arrange to meet at a con. She’s a bit of a geek, who has a pretty sizable crush on him. Things spark at the con, just as you expect and…

I really liked our female main character and their friends. The alien intrigued me—and I did like him, but I think the narrator kept me from liking him as much as I should’ve—which is odd, because I think he nailed the character.

The story ends up not being as predictable as you’d expect, but it’s sweet. The found-family part of it is terrific. The romance will win you over. There are two occasions that it gets too steamy for me—but I really am a prude about that kind of thing (especially in an audiobook where I can’t just skim a few paragraphs to get past it), and it’s really not that bad (I don’t think).

3 Stars

The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science

by Kate McKinnon, read by Kate McKinnon & Emily Lynne (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Series: The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science, Book #1
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Publication Date: October 1, 2024
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 4 hr., 54 min.
Read Date: July 18-21, 2025

Secrets of the Purple Pearl

by Kate McKinnon, read by Kate McKinnon & Emily Lynne (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Series: The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science, Book #2
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Publication Date:  September 30, 2025
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 4 hrs., 42 min.
Read Date: October 3-9, 2025

(the official blurb of Book #1) and (the official blurb of Book #2)
Would I enjoy these in print? Yeah—especially the illustrations. But the performance by McKinnon & Lynne make these things you have to listen to. And likely re-listen to.

These are silly, silly, silly adventure novels about three sisters (orphaned and living with unpleasant and demanding relatives) who wind up at The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette because they can’t manage to stay in other schools without being disruptive (by being themselves, not by being disruptive). Sure, their aunt may not truly understand the nature of this school—but that works for the sister’s benefit.

Quibb introduces them to a world of pizza, self-expression, curiosity, mystery, danger—and the chance to save the world from mad scientists.

I cannot say enough good things about these books. The plots are insane, the texts are ridiculous, and the jokes are a great balance of silly enough for children but clever enough for adults. They’re perfect for young or young-at-heart readers (or people who want to be young-at-heart, you will be in that condition while reading them).

4 Stars

I Hope This Finds You Well

by Natalie Sue, read by Nasim Pedrad

DETAILS:
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: May 21, 2024
Format: Unabridged Audiobooki
Length: 12 hrs., 3 min. 
Read Date: November 21-25, 2024

(the official blurb)
The entire setup for this book makes utterly no sense—and is likely technologically impossible. Suck it up, pretend it can happen. Once that’s done, you can bask in this feel-good, self-improvement story about love, people who shouldn’t interact anyone in public (without a lot of therapy), and friendship.

Jolene’s parents (and the mother’s social circle) are fantastic and add both comedy and heart.

Is the book predictable? Yes, but Natalie Sue may not time events/reveals the way you expect. Does the predictability matter? Nope. It’s the ride. And man, it was a fun one. Dynamite narration, too.

4 Stars

Back After This

by Linda Holmes

DETAILS:
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Publication Date: February 25, 2025
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 9 hrs .,12 min.
Read Date: April 30-May 2, 2025

(the official blurb)
I could copy the last paragraph for this one and be done (although I think Holmes times pretty much everything the way you’d expect). But it’s not just about the sweet love story.

Nor is it just about the fantastic dog character (but, yeah, that’s part of it).

It’s the personal/professional journey that Cecily takes and where she lands at the end that really sells this book for me.

3 Stars

A Few Scattered Thoughts on My Latest Reading of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis

By HCNewton

On December 5, 2025

In C.S. Lewis, Fantasy, Fiction, Further Up and Further In

Further Up and Further In A Year with C.S.Lewis

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

by C. S. Lewis , illustrated by Pauline Baynes

DETAILS:
Series: The Chronicles of Narnia, #3
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: July 1, 1994
Format: Paperback
Length: 248 pg.
Read Date: December 2, 2025

I have a very distinct memory of the day I bought this book (well, my first copy, anyway). I was finished with a 1-2 week thing at a local liberal arts college one summer (I think it was after 4th grade–it might have been after 3rd), and my mother said we could look at the book store there. I got a textbook about the Supreme Court (yes, my 8 or 9 year-old-self had ambition–wasted, I should note) and this book. I could’ve picked any of the 7, but I’d watched parts of the cartoon version of Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe a few months earlier, and wasn’t that interested in it. But his had a cool looking ship on the cover. So I went with it.

In the years since, it remained my most-read of the series (followed closely by Prince Caspian, with Wardrobe coming in third). And it’s the one I have the hardest time being objective about. I also didn’t take as many notes for this post as I read it. I just go swept up in the reading. Still, I do have a few things to say.

bullet

There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it.

Is possibly the best sentence Lewis ever wrote. It’s one of my all time favorites.
bullet The rest of the paragraph isn’t too shabby, either:

His parents called him Eustace Clarence and masters called him Scrubb. I can’t tell you how his friends spoke to him, for he had none. He didn’t call his Father and Mother “Father” and “Mother,” but Harold and Alberta. They were very up-to-date and advanced people. They were vegetarians, nonsmokers and teetotalers and wore a special kind of underclothes, In their house there was very little furniture and very few clothes on beds and the windows were always open.

bullet This book features my all-time favorite portal fantasy depiction of someone from “our world” going to another. This may come from it being the first that I remember. But I don’t think so.
bullet

[Lucy] spent a good deal of time sitting on the little bench in the stern playing chess with Reepicheep. It was amusing to see him lifting the pieces, which were far too big for him, with both paws and standing on tiptoes if he made a move near the center of the board. He was a good player and when he remembered what he was domg he usually won. But every now and then Lucy won because the Mouse did something quite ridiculous like sending a knight into the danger of a queen and castle combined. This happened because he had momentarily forgotten it was a game of chess and was thinking of a real battle and making the knight do what he would certainly have done in its place. For his mind was full of forlorn hopes, death-or-glory charges, and last stands.

bullet In case it wasn’t clear from the get-go (and it absolutely was), Eustace swinging Reep around by his tail tells you everything you need to know about the lad–to paraphrase Linda Ronstadt, “He’s no good, he’s no good, he’s no good, Eustace, you’re no good.”
bullet In Chapter 6, “The Adventures of Eustace,” we’re told twice that reading the wrong books (or not reading the right books) keeps you from knowing anything about dragons. Fantasy readers, take heart!
bullet After Eustace is transformed into a dragon, say what you will about the kid, he figures out his situation far quicker than his cousins did theirs in Prince Caspian–and they’d read the right books!
bullet I will just never not love Chapter 6. Whether it’s just on the story front, or if you want to go deeper with an exploration of Sanctification…it doesn’t matter. This one chapter in the Chronicles stands out above all others.
bullet If you’d asked me who my favorite characters in the Chronicles were, Reepicheep would’ve been at the top of my list. But getting to read about him over these last two books reminded me just how much I enjoyed him.
bullet Aslan isn’t overthrowing malevolent kings or queens this time, he largely shows up for little things–a quick morality lesson here and there to keep his people in-line. It’s a different way to see him.
bullet That spellbook that Lucy browses is just cool. Hogwarts wishes it has something cool, Madam Pince would have so many people breaking into the restricted section to get a look at it.
bullet I will defend a lot of what Lewis does in this series–but only referring to Caspian’s eventual bride as “Ramadu’s daughter” is not one of those things. (or pretty much anything about their relationship–the last paragraph of the novel helps a little bit)
bullet Speaking of the last paragraph–nice parting shot at Eustace’s mother.
bullet This is probably the most blatant (pre: The Last Battle or maybe The Magician’s Nephew) time we are told that Aslan is known by a different name in our world. Lewis has apparently decided he should stop being subtle and make it clear who Aslan is to us. I don’t mind this a bit (even if I do have some third commandment-related questions)
bullet Really, we learn more about Aslan in this book than we do any other (with the possible exception of The Magician’s Nephew, I need to revisit that one before I know for sure).