Review: Moojang and the Sloth Guardians, by N.E. McMorran

PublisherSpondylux Press
Publish Date10 December 2025
Pages208
LanguageEnglish
TypeBook iconPaperback
ISBN9781838097844

Moojag and Nema are back for a final roller coaster of an adventure, this time to save Box Hill from total destruction and rescue a bunch of mossy sloths from nasty Brix’s celebration feast.

But their new, slow-moving friends have a secret weapon
and together they’re all set to prove that saving the Real World
literally takes guts!


My Review

Moojag and Nema are back, the Conqip have invaded and are threatening to destroy Box Hill. With the help of various parents and grandparents (Adam’s dad and granddad reappear), a colony of sloths, the fruit-happy Pofs, and a gang of Gajooms, the evil plans of the Conqip are defeated and the island saved, although not without loss. We learn more of the history of the families, the secrets of the Conqips and how they came about, and see the responsible use of future technology in action.

This one was fun, and the cover is very colourful. There are bits of information sprinkled about and it ends with hope for a better future, even if Moojag does go off to live in the woods with the sloths. The families are reunited, and the danger to their world is removed. Some of them have gone to London Tops to help others surviving in London. There’s a future in sight.

There are also a lot of Beatles references, most of which I didn’t get because I don’t listen to the Beatles.

Reading the books one after the other, I might have got a few events mixed up; the stories follow straight on from the one before and I read them in quick succession. The overall arc is visible to me, and it’s a lovely story, but the details get a bit jumbled. There is a lot of to-ing and fro-ing for the characters, as they race across islands and Gajoomdom, and I got a little confused at times about who was doing what. It is the nature of children’s fiction that sometimes adults don’t quite get the story.

I actually really enjoyed this one, and the sloths digestive victory made me laugh. The development of the relationships over the course of the stories makes sense, as the reader learns with Nema about how things got the way they were and the reasons people act the way they do. There was something satisfying about the conclusion.

A lovely series of bonkers adventures for children, in a possible future world. Age recommendation for series 8+

Review: Moojag and the Lost Memories, by N.E. McMorran

The stand-alone sequel to ‘Moojag and the Auticode Secret’, endorsed by award-winning authors Patience Agbabi, Alex Falase-Koya, Ben Davis, and Daniel Aubrey.

A multigenerational story, featuring a neurodivergent cast and audhd, non-binary, POC, main characters, for readers 8 years and over.

When Nema returns to Gajoomdom, she discovers three forgetful grannies who have totally lost track of time. If she and Moojag can’t help them remember, everyone’s memories are in danger. But turns out not everyone is who they thought they were. Who will they rescue? Will they rescue them in time to save their perfect Real World from the nasty Conqip?

‘Lost Memories’, inspired by the author’s grandmother, and living with dementia and disability during the pandemic, shows us the impact of loss and the power of memory, as well as the importance of future technology when used for good.

Continue reading “Review: Moojag and the Lost Memories, by N.E. McMorran”

Daily prompt

What are your favorite physical activities or exercises?

Swimming and walking.

I’m not very coordinated so I need something to do that I can do on my own. I used to be an archer, which is also a solo sport, but then I slipped on a wet concrete floor and damaged my back and hip.

These days I like to go to aqua aerobics as well as swimming lengths. I like to try different classes; since I’ve had time to myself, I’ve been to classes at different pools and with different teachers. My favourite is the one I go to on a Thursday morning. It’s at 10a.m. but it doesn’t cost a fortune to get a taxi. There’s one I tried last Friday morning that had weights, which was fun, but I have to get a bus at 10 a.m. If I have the energy, I’ll give it another try next week.

I have a bit of a cold at the moment, so I’m only doing a little bit of exercise.

Review: Moojag and the Auticode Secret, by N.E, MacMorran

Format: 288 pages, Paperback
Published: November 9, 2020 by Spondylux Press
ISBN: 9781838097806 

Book description

When Nema and her friends discover a hidden sugar-hooked society holding lost kids, they find their perfect world in danger. The strange, sticky place hides the truth about Nema’s missing brother, and a plot to destroy the free world she knows. But only they can reverse a code to prevent a rock candy robot invasion and rescue the captives. Fail and they might never make it back home…

This dystopian, cli-fi mystery is a quirky adventure featuring a neurodivergent cast and autistic/dyslexic/adhd main characters, for readers 10 years and up. Highly recommended as a family read due to the thought-provoking concepts and subject matter introduced.

Set in the utopian world of post-catastrophe ‘Surrey Isles’, Britain 2054, where neurodivergents live in harmony with nature and technology, and the hidden dystopian ‘Gajoomdom’.

Anyone who has ever felt different or had trouble fitting in will identify with this story about finding the strength to be your true self. A fun, Alice-esque adventure revealing what it means to be neurodivergent, in a way that’s relatable to all.

Continue reading “Review: Moojag and the Auticode Secret, by N.E, MacMorran”

Blog tour review: Daughters of Nicnevin, by Shona Kinsella

Blurb

Mairead and Constance, two powerful witches, meet in the early days of
the 1745 Jacobite uprising. While the men of the village are away fighting,
the villagers face threats from both the Black Watch and raiders, and the
women are confronted with their vulnerability. They enlist the help of
Nicnevin, fae queen of witches, to bring men made of earth to life to help
protect their village. But just who do they need protection from? And what
will happen when the village men return?

Continue reading “Blog tour review: Daughters of Nicnevin, by Shona Kinsella”

Books delivered this week

I’ve had some good post this week.

This morning I received an ARC of The Girl With A Thousand Faces from Sunyi Dean, that came with a letter about the book, a ghost talisman and a flyer about the official book launch in May.

Earlier in the week I received a book I ordered after seeing it on a Good Reads list and liking the sound of it, Dead Silence, by S.A. Barnes. I think I had to get it from the Netherlands.

And I’ve also received two of the books I’m reviewing in January for Random Things Tours.

  • The Girl In The Tower, by Harrison Murphy, 13th January 2026 – stand alone novel
  • The Hope, by Paul E. Hardest, 26th January 2026 – final book in a trilogy

And of course, BFS Horizons #18 has arrived from the BFS!

I can’t wait to read them all!

Review: Silence of the Dead, by Marks Ewington

Publisher Independently published
Publication date 5 Aug. 2025
Language ‎English
Print length 284 pages
ISBN-13 979-8284534489

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Murder has come to the city of Tronte…

Holtar didn’t become a necromancer for the prestige—he did it because talking to the dead is marginally easier than dealing with the living. Unfortunately, his latest case has given him a fresh problem: the corpses aren’t talking.

Continue reading “Review: Silence of the Dead, by Marks Ewington”

Maria and the Star-Dragons: Epilogue

Epilogue – A month (I.G.A.S.S. Standard) later, on Ascend

            Maria flopped on to xyr settee, drained from spending all day on a video call giving evidence in the trial of the former human governor of Aurox. For a week xe’d been giving depositions against the regime on Aurox and their crimes, including the harassment Maria and Sahrai had received from Josh Dalton, the senior security officer. It had upset xyr when evidence of the abuse of the bovids had been presented and the testimony of human prisoners forced to labour on Rocky Horror.

Continue reading “Maria and the Star-Dragons: Epilogue”

Maria and the Star Dragons: Chapter 20

Chapter 20 – Maria still among the Auroxians

            Maria listened to the conversation around xyr. Xe laughed quietly (for xyr) when Dr Suah Painen repeated the Auroxian saying about the jungle.

            “That’s one way of describing the vegetation around here.”

Continue reading “Maria and the Star Dragons: Chapter 20”