Why am I passionate about this?

I struggled a lot with reading as a kid, I would not call myself a natural reader at all. When I was young, fantasy and magic stories were one of the few genres that could grip me enough to make me actually focus and attempt to read but I always hated the ones that took themselves too seriously (they always felt impossibly long to get through). Now, as a children’s author, myself, it’s my hope and passion to serve fellow young-readers-who-don’t-consider-themselves-readers with fun accessible stories. I hope you enjoy!


I wrote

The Equinox Test (School for Unusual Magic #1)

By Liz Montague,

Book cover of The Equinox Test (School for Unusual Magic #1)

What is my book about?

Welcome to the Brooklyn School of Magic! Each fall, fifth-years must pass the Equinox Test if they want to move…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Hobbit

Liz Montague Why did I love this book?

A classic adventure story full of hobbits, trolls, and so much more.

It surprised me how much I enjoyed The Hobbit!

It’s underrated how funny this book is and it’s not as challenging a read as you’d think.

(I also highly recommend the audiobook narrated by Andy Serkis).

By J.R.R. Tolkien,

Why should I read it?

51 authors picked The Hobbit as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Special collector's film tie-in hardback of the best-selling classic, featuring the complete story with a sumptuous cover design inspired by THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY and brand new reproductions of all the drawings and maps by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely travelling further than the pantry of his hobbit-hole in Bag End.

But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard, Gandalf, and a company of thirteen dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an unexpected journey 'there and back again'. They have a plot to raid…


Book cover of The Tale of Despereaux Trade Book

Liz Montague Why did I love this book?

I read this back in grade school! There’s a mouse, a princess, and a quest (the rest you can discover for yourself).

Despereaux is an unlikely hero but, armed with his sewing needle, the gang of rats he’s up against don’t stand a chance.

The story is completely immersive, to this day it makes me crave soup.

By Kate DiCamillo,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Tale of Despereaux Trade Book as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 7, 8, 9, and 10.

What is this book about?

A heartwarming young adventure story, winner of the prestigious Newbery Medal.

A deftly crafted fairy tale adventure story from a New York Times bestselling author, twice winner of the prestigious Newbery Medal. Here, reader, is the tale of a tiny, sickly mouse with unusually large ears; a mouse who takes his fate into his own hands. It is the tale of a beautiful, flaxen-haired princess who laughs often and makes everything around her seem brighter. It is the tale of a poor, deaf serving girl who entertains foolish dreams of splendour. It is a tale of impossible love, of bravery…


Book cover of Once Upon a Marigold

Liz Montague Why did I love this book?

Another childhood favorite of mine and such a fun take on the princess happily-every-after trope!

This was the first book that ever made me laugh out loud (prior to this, I had not known books were allowed to be that funny).

Just seeing the title makes me smile.

By Jean Ferris,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Once Upon a Marigold as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 7, 8, 9, and 10.

What is this book about?

Christian was clueless when he started spying on the royal family through his telescope. He lives in a cave with a troll for a dad, after all. If his dad had only warned him about all that mind-boggling love stuff, maybe things wouldn't be such a mess. Although then, maybe, Princess Marigold would be dead. But Christian wasn't warned. And now that he's fallen for the princess, it's up to him to untwist an odd love triangle - er, rectangle - and foil a scheming queen who wants to take over the kingdom, even if it means bumping off her…


Book cover of Juliet Dove, Queen of Love

Liz Montague Why did I love this book?

A school drama with a dash of Greek Mythology when Helen of Troy’s amulet gets into a young girl's hands.

Juliet is suddenly doused with attention and does her best to navigate it. The story is very funny and lighthearted, this was another one of my favorite school reads.

I love contemporary Greek Mythology!

By Bruce Coville, Gary A. Lippincott (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Juliet Dove, Queen of Love as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

Juliet Dove is a girl who doesn't like to be noticed. But though she may be shy, she has a wickedly sharp wit. Whenever someone does take notice of her, she tears into the person with a savagery that's earned her the nickname Killer.
Juliet ends up leaving Mr. Elives' magic shop with Helen of Troy's amulet--that is, a virtual man magnet. Juliet doesn't know what she's got, but the boys in her class do--they start to notice her. Soon every boy in town is swoony for her. Yet, much as she'd like to lose all the unwanted attention, she…


Book cover of James and the Giant Peach: The Scented Peach Edition

Liz Montague Why did I love this book?

There is a special place in my heart for nature magic and nobody does it like Roald Dahl!

After reading this as a kid, I was fully convinced that, when the time was right, I, too, was going to crawl into a peach full of amazing cricket and spider friends.

I love these types of books, the best magic stories are always the ones that feel right at your fingertips!

By Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked James and the Giant Peach as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

From the World's No. 1 Storyteller, James and the Giant Peach is a children's classic that has captured young reader's imaginations for generations. 

One of TIME MAGAZINE’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time

After James Henry Trotter's parents are tragically eaten by a rhinoceros, he goes to live with his two horrible aunts, Spiker and Sponge. Life there is no fun, until James accidentally drops some magic crystals by the old peach tree and strange things start to happen. The peach at the top of the tree begins to grow, and before long it's as big as a house.…


Explore my book 😀

The Equinox Test (School for Unusual Magic #1)

By Liz Montague,

Book cover of The Equinox Test (School for Unusual Magic #1)

What is my book about?

Welcome to the Brooklyn School of Magic! Each fall, fifth-years must pass the Equinox Test if they want to move up to Middle Magic (easier said than done).


Rose is worried. If she doesn't pass with flying colors, Principal Ivy says she may have to transfer to a boring, non-magical school. Amethyst knows she's got the skills to ace the test but she’s also got her eye on the school's top prize. Lav just wants to fit in. Even after a few years in the States, he still feels homesick. All. The. Time. Passing the test might just be his ticket back to the island. Soon they’ll realize the Equinox Test may not even be the biggest challenge these Magic Bearers will face this year...

Book cover of The Hobbit
Book cover of The Tale of Despereaux Trade Book
Book cover of Once Upon a Marigold

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Victoria Unveiled

By Shane Joseph,

Book cover of Victoria Unveiled

Shane Joseph Author Of Victoria Unveiled

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Shane's 3 favorite reads in 2024

What is my book about?

A fast-paced literary thriller with a strong sci-fi element and loaded with existential questions. Beyond the entertainment value, this book takes a hard look at the perilous world of publishing, which is on a crash course to meet the nascent, no-holds-barred world of AI. Could these worlds co-exist, or will they destroy each other? And more importantly, how will humans tolerate their own creations, the robots, on this planet?

In this, his latest speculative fiction novel, Shane Joseph, returns to the “what if” questions facing humanity that he raised in After the Flood, a book that won him the…

Victoria Unveiled

By Shane Joseph,

What is this book about?

With Chatbots and Large Language Models changing the world of writing and publishing dramatically, what happens when we introduce a sentient robot capable of feelings into the mix?

Phil Kruger, inventor, and serial womanizer, believes he has the answer in his creation, Victoria, the first sentient robot in the world, imbued with beauty, knowledge, and strength and on a crash course to acquire human feelings through massive infusions of data. Arrayed against him are independent trade publisher Artemius (Art) Jones and his rebellious and sexually starved daughter, Paula, an editor herself, who is determined to take her father's failing press,…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in love triangle, Greek mythology, and fairy tales?

Love Triangle 77 books
Greek Mythology 92 books
Fairy Tales 315 books