Hello, everyone!! ^^ (Or should I saw, sawasdee kha? Which is Thai for “Hello” if you’re a girl, I believe — do note, this is according to Google, which has failed me multiple times on occasion and has caused many a confusion when I use it to talk with my Thai friend due to it’s ridiculous translations, so I do apologize if this is wrong. But then again, I suppose “hello” in Thai is common knowledge, so…) Happy October!!! Autumn is basically nonexistent in Thailand, but let’s just pretend there’s crisp autumn leaves, wonderful mist, lots of rain (ha, we don’t need to pretend there’s rain. It’s the rainy season in Thailand), and the smell of cinamon, shall we?
I’ve been quite excited for this post for a few weeks now, and for good reason, for today is the day I get to reveal the cover of a new fantasy book by fellow middle-grade author and friend of mine, Valinora Troy!
And before I say another word, here is the official cover reveal on YouTube!
And this, my friends, is the gorgeous cover, illustrated by Laura Tolten!
Ta-da!!!
This cover is absolutely stunning! I adore the art style (and the title font!!!!) and spent a good five minutes staring in awe at this cover when I first saw it.
The background is so mysterious and magical, and I simply adore the bird in the main character’s hand! It feels so magical and haunting, and I cannot wait for this book to be released!
And of course, here is the book blurb:
13-year-old Lianna has lost everything: her home, her friends, and most devastatingly, her beloved Papa. Sent to live with her uncle, Lianna is certain he will be cruel and unkind, for why else would Papa have run away when he was young? Robbed on arrival of her precious keepsakes, Lianna receives a worse-than-expected welcome from her uncle. His servants are hostile and even her grandparents seem to glare at her from their portraits over the fire.
When a magical creature resembling a small glass bird bursts into her life in a mix of sparks and fire, Lianna is eager to assist the hombit with its secret mission if it helps her return home. Which leads to Lianna undertaking a risky dive near perilous sea stacks known as ‘living rocks’.
When her dive goes wrong, she awakens a creature that seeks to rob her of her humanity.
To survive, Lianna must uncover the dark secrets of her father’s past. Now she faces a stark decision: does she save herself or the town that rejects both her and her father?
A heart-warming story of the healing power of friendship when all seems lost.
I’ve read all of Valinora’s previous books in The Lucky Diamond trilogy, and I loved them all! I’m in the middle of listening to the audiobook of book one in the series, and it is absolutely fantastic, so you should no doubt check it out when you get the chance! So I’m really excited for this new book, which comes out on January 29th 2026! It should be available for pre-order by the time this post is published, and you can find all the pre-order links and ARC details here: https://valinoratroy.com/lianna-and-the-hombit/
Izzy: (pokes me in the shoulder) Ahem. Did you forget something???
Me: Oh yes!!! And before I completely forget–
Izzy: (grumbles and shakes head and tuts)
Me: –here are some thoughts from Izzy, Charlotte, and Fuzzy Bee!
Charlotte: I am not much a reader at all and once completely turned my nose up at books, but Isabelle has been forcing me to read recently, and Valinora is one of my favorite authors, and I only have one thing to say about this cover…. I NEED THAT BOOK IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!! (desperately lunges for it while Isabelle attempts to pull her back) Me: Charlotte, it doesn’t release till January– Charlotte: Must read!!! Gorgeous cover!!! Need to reaaaaad!!!!
Izzy: (eyes cover with great interest) (paw twitches) I don’t read much… Me: Izzy, you literally just read Rooftoppers. Izzy: That was an exception to the rule. But this cover……. it’s gorgeous. (paw twitches even more till she finally caves) When does this book come out again? And does it have pandas in it?? Me: No to your last question, January 29th 2026 to your first question.
Fuzzy Bee: (gasps and clutches her tiny chest) That is beautiful!!! Spectacular!!!!!! Utterly stunning!!! I simply must have this book at once!
It appears this cover has Charlotte, Izzy, and Fuzzy Bee’s approval and they all wish to read it! The book must be good then! I look forward to seeing what the three of them will think of the no-doubt wonderful story once it’s out!
About the Author
Valinora Troy is a children’s fantasy writer from Ireland. She has a MA in Creative Writing Specialising in Writing for Children and Young Adults, and has served as a panellist for the CYBILS awards (elementary & middle grade speculative fiction category). Her short stories for adults have been in a number of publications. She is the author of ‘The Lucky Diamond’ trilogy, three middle grade children’s fantasy adventures. She has recently been shortlisted for the Staróg prize, and has served as a Reading Ambassador for Louth County Libraries.
I’m ever so excited for this book to come out!! Do let me know down in the comments what you think of this cover and if any of you are planning to read this middle-grade book once it’s out! I’d love to hear from y’all!
Till next time,
-Isabelle
The cover is beautiful. I hope Charlotte, Izzy and Fuzzy Bee will write a review when they read it next year!
I agree!! It’s a gorgeous cover! ^^ Oh, Charlotte, Izzy, and Fuzzy Bee will DEFINITELY be writing a review of this book when it comes out! (I’d like to see anyone try and stop them! )