by Valinora Troy

MG Fantasy, 2026 by The Silver Key, 231 Pages

What I Didn’t Like:

While I did feel badly for Lianna and her need for a friend, I didn’t particularly like the way she treated Hombit when it came to Hombit’s purpose. It came across as selfish.
No spoilers but we lost the thing TWICE? C’mon, Lianna.
The grief is a bit underdone, in my opinion. It’s not necessarily the focus of this one, but it could’ve been a more realistic focus. As it is, Lianna’s grief feels old and settled instead of raw and present.

This won’t affect my rating but the audiobook is beautifully done! Perfect narrator for the story.
LOVED Lianna right away. She’s a great character and you just want to scoop her up and protect her! She’s also incredibly realistic. She’s not perfect, she’s a bit stubborn, and yet she’s a great friend.
The Hombit is such a fun addition to the story. A little magic, a little chaos, and a lot of heart. I would read an entire series about hombits, for sure!
The mystery of the jewels was well written and pulls you into the story well. I found myself curious what happened and the solution works!

Young fantasy readers who like original creatures and magic items! This one is packed with plenty of satisfying fantasy elements.
Young mystery readers who want something to unpack and chase the clues of. Lianna has plenty of secrets to unravel with you.

The blend of fantasy elements with a fun mystery works without harming any of the elements. Recommended for sure!