Madame Eldridge’s Wayward Home for Unruly Boys was the 5th place finalist in BBNYA 2024!
About 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 book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.
Deep in the heart of Virginia’s dense backwoods, the Wayward Home for Unruly Boys hides more than just troubled youth. Under Madame Eldridge’s watchful eye, three strict rules govern their behavior
1. What happens here stays here.
2. You must complete all eight steps—no exceptions allowed.
3. Forget your name; you’ll be known only by your problem.
But, there’s one unspoken rule that sends shivers down the boys’ never enter the forbidden third-floor bedroom of the boy who vanished, leaving nothing behind but whispers.
When Vandalize and Stealer defy this warning, they uncover a treasure trove of bewitched artifacts, each with a strange and powerful ability. Using these relics, the boys tackle Madame Eldridge’s whimsical—and often bizarre—challenges, only to learn magic always demands its price.
Amidst the chaos, Fibbsy stumbles upon a peculiar object that sends him hurtling back in time, revealing an unfathomable truth about Madame Eldridge, the eerie town, and the missing boy’s fate. But who will trust the words of a liar?
Bound by the house’s darkest mysteries, Fibbsy, Defiance, Slob, and Secret form an unlikely friendship as they race to unveil the shrouded secrets surrounding the Wayward Home. Together, they confront their deepest fears, uncovering that the real magic lies in facing their own personal demons—and each other.
Once upon a time, there was a military brat named Benjamin Ryan, who traveled the world and embraced every unique experience he encountered. Being the new kid in town wasn’t always easy, and as he struggled with weight issues, he also had to deal with the hardships of teasing, male friendship, and acceptance. But, he was determined to find his place in the world and used his love for writing to create adventures that would transport him to a different world, where he could see things from a new perspective.
Through his writing, Benjamin Ryan discovered his authentic self and found a way to inspire others. Armed with degrees in Art History, Education and World Religions, he became a New York City public Special Ed teacher, where he uses whimsy, creativity, and acceptance to inspire the youth of tomorrow. And thus, Benjamin Ryan was born—an author that embraces the power of storytelling to inspire and create change. With a deep understanding of the struggles that come with being different, Benjamin Ryan creates content that speaks to the heart and soul of their audience. He is active on twitter in the writing community (@BRClothwrites), hosting writing prompts, engaging with life’s unique perspectives, and inspiring others to create their truths.
My thoughts: This was a really interesting and fun book about being different, finding your strengths and making friends. A group of boys is sent to a residential home to make them “better”, all of them are what their parents and teachers consider bad. But in Madame Eldridge’s Home they learn that they can use those bad behaviours, and do something else instead. Set a series of challenges and required to work together, a number of the boys form a bond and discover the house’s secrets.
They’re bright, resilient and in working together, learn their strengths, rely on one another and become true friends, it seems that Madame Elridge isn’t who she claims to be and the boys are more special than anyone has ever told them.
I really enjoyed this book and I think there’s plenty of readers out there who would too. We’ve all been made fun of, got into trouble for things I’m sure, so learning that actually you’re good for something is a pretty important lesson.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 