BBNYA 2024 Finalist Tour: Madame Eldridge's Wayward Home for Unruly Boys by Benjamin Ryan

BBNYA is a yearly competition in which book bloggers worldwide read and score books written by indie authors. The competition ends with 15 finalists (16 in 2024) and one overall winner.
If you want more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA website https://www.bbnya.com/ or peek at Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.
Quick Summary:
In this spellbinding YA mystery-fantasy, a group of troubled teens-stripped of their names and thrust into a world of strict rules and magical relics-must uncover the truth behind a boy's disappearance. Madame Eldridge's Wayward Home for Unruly Boys blends dark secrets, magical realism, and time travel into a coming-of-age story full of eerie charm. A BBNYA 2024 finalist, this indie novel is perfect for fans of found family, twisted rules, and YA books with a spooky twist.
Themes Explored in This Book:
- Found family
- Time travel
- Magical realism
- Identity & transformation
- Coming-of-age
- Dark secrets & forbidden places

Book Details
Madame Eldridge's Wayward Home for Unruly Boys
By Benjamin Ryan
Published by Independent on August 1, 2023
Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Young Adult
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 368
Source: BBNYADeep 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 program:
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' spines: 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.
This is a great read for fans of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children or The Mysterious Benedict Society. I'd recommend it as a fall or rainy-day read-especially for readers who enjoy eerie, magical mysteries with heart.
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Where to Buy
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Did you know Benjamin Ryan is also a special ed teacher in NYC? That insight into helping kids find their voice is clearly evident in his writing. It adds a special depth to the story's themes of identity and transformation.
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📌Pin This Magical Read!

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Final Thoughts
Whether you're drawn to eerie mysteries, magical misfits, or stories that explore identity and belonging, Madame Eldridge's Wayward Home for Unruly Boys offers a spellbinding journey you won't soon forget. As a standout indie title and proud finalist in BBNYA 2024, this one deserves a spot on your TBR. Be sure to check out the other finalists, follow the tour, and let me know in the comments-would you survive Madame Eldridge's eight steps?
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BBNYA 2024 Finalists Tour (So Far…)
- 16. The Nameless by Stuart White
- 15. Curse of Souls by Niranjan
- 14. My Heart is Hurting by S.E. Reed
- 13. Yellow Tape and Coffee by Pat Luther
- 12. Undine's Blessing by Tessa Hastjarjanto
- 11. The Half-Life Empire by Shami Stovall
- 10. The Last Lunar Witch by S.F. Henne
- 9. Skylark in the Fog by Helyna L. Clove
- 8. The Magdalenes by Jeanne Skartsiaris
- 7. Glunda The Veg Witch by Keith W. Dickinson
- 6. The Fall Is All There Is by C.M. Caplan
- 5. Madame Eldridge's Wayward Home for Unruly Boys by Benjamin Ryan
Check back soon for more winners!
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