May 09 2025
In my quest to read all of Diana Wynne Jones’s books in one year, this month I read Believing is Seeing, Year of the Griffin, Mixed Magics, and Unexpected Magic! That’s three collections of short stories and the sequel to my deeply beloved Dark Lord of Derkholm. Believing is Seeing (1999) This is a story …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/05/09/a-year-of-diana-wynne-jones-the-new-millennium/
May 01 2025
subtitled A High School Story. Ever since Susan Lomond beat Monroe Poole to the top of the Highwater High School Proficiency Listings, Monroe has been obsessed with taking her new rival down. It’s bad enough that Susan is the school’s star quarterback, someone so popular with her classmates that she’s just been elected prom queen …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/05/01/bring-me-the-head-of-susan-lomond-by-connor-b/
Apr 23 2025
As I’ve mentioned before, I love speculative mysteries! In the next few months, we can look forward to murders among scholars on far-future Jupiter, at a magical boarding school in England, and revolving around a small town high school rivalry in the U.S.A., all being published by Tor. If “dark academia” is the zeitgeist, these …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/04/23/speculative-mysteries-to-get-excited-about/
Apr 16 2025
Hyo the Hellmaker, by Mina Ikemoto Ghosh came out this week, from Scholastic! It’s got intricate world building, noir vibes, and atmospheric illustrations by the author for any manga-loving teen of your acquaintance. Hyo is a “hellmaker,” which means she is able to make bespoke curses for your enemies. Once you commission her, she can …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/04/16/hyo-the-hellmaker-by-mina-ikemoto-ghosh/
Apr 14 2025
Even if one of the supporting cast wasn’t named after an Arsenal Football Club legend, I would still rate this sensitive, witty and heartbreakingly realistic exploration of the effect of police brutality on a Black autistic teenager very highly. All Aiden Wright has ever wanted to do is play football on the same team with …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/04/14/all-the-noise-at-once-by-deandra-davis/
Apr 03 2025
In my quest to read all of Diana Wynne Jones’s books in one year, this month I read Deep Secret, Dark Lord of Derkholm, and Puss in Boots: three titles that could all start with the word “The” and in the U.S., do not. Deep thoughts! Deep Secret and Dark Lord of Derkholm are two …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/04/03/a-year-of-diana-wynne-jones-the-late-1990s/
Mar 11 2025
Oh, young love! Amber and Nico have been best friends since the third grade, along with the other member of their little trio, Drew. During the last week of eighth grade, all three of them go on a field trip to Funnerland with the rest of their class. Their good friends Stella and Grace (who …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/03/11/dreamover-by-dani-diaz/
Mar 10 2025
with Lisa Dickey. Subtitled Lessons for Anyone Who Wants to Make a Difference. Despite being fairly politically informed, I wasn’t super familiar with Governor Gretchen Whitmer until the news of her attempted kidnapping and murder made national headlines. Even then, her policies didn’t (and still don’t, as most if not all of my Midwestern friends …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/03/10/true-gretch-young-adult-edition-by-gretchen-whitmer/
Mar 05 2025
A Song for You and I, the enchanting new graphic novel by K. O’Neill, is now available! As in O’Neill’s previous graphic novels, such as the Tea Dragon trilogy and The Moth Keeper, lush and quiet worldbuilding is balanced with characters who are searching for meaning in their own lives, finding connection with each other …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/03/05/a-song-for-you-and-i-by-k-oneill/
Feb 19 2025
In my quest to read all of Diana Wynne Jones’s books in one year, this month I read Castle in the Air, Aunt Maria, A Sudden Wild Magic and Hexwood! Honestly, it was a big month. Those are some hefty ones, and I think Hexwood is among her very best. It’s a high bar! Castle …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/02/19/a-year-of-diana-wynne-jones-the-early-1990s/
Al Singh
Doug Merrill
Doreen Sheridan
Emily Lauer
John Pitzel
Lars N. Goldschlager
Laura Eilers
Professor X
Robert Maedgen
Sylvere Ap Leanan
The Shire