Chime in Mock Newbery 2026

Jun 24, 2011 Brandi rated it liked it

Shelves: teen, random-reads-column, librandian-blog, 2011

The swamp is full of evil beings, dangerous terrain, and secrets that keep many of the villagers of Swampsea far away. A place of bewilderment for everyone else, Briony knows more about the swamps than most people. She knows the creatures who call the swamp home, sees them with the Second Sight, and knows all the traps and snares placed by the creatures to catch trespassers. In order to keep her secret hidden from the rest of the villagers, Briony stays away from the swamp. Briony is a powerful The swamp is full of evil beings, dangerous terrain, and secrets that keep many of the villagers of Swampsea far away. A place of bewilderment for everyone else, Briony knows more about the swamps than most people. She knows the creatures who call the swamp home, sees them with the Second Sight, and knows all the traps and snares placed by the creatures to catch trespassers. In order to keep her secret hidden from the rest of the villagers, Briony stays away from the swamp. Briony is a powerful witch who has caused many incidents, some resulting in harm towards her family. For her entire life, her Stepmother helped protect Briony from unveiling her secret, but after her mysterious, arsenic-related death, Briony can only help herself and hope she doesn’t end up like the other possible witches; executed by hanging.

Briony is now solely responsible for her handicapped twin sister Rose. No one else understands her fear of strange men and her need for collecting miscellaneous scraps of paper. Briony’s attention waivers with the arrival of the Eldric, a curious, young man, and his father, who intends to drains the swamps in order to build a new railroad. Briony has never let anyone close to her before. Even Cecil Trumpington, a local boy with his eye on Briony, cannot get close to her despite his many efforts. There is something different about Eldric though. Despite her constant deterring, Eldric and Briony form a relationship, though romance or not remains to be seen. The duo forms a Bad Boys Club, complete with their own language and initiations. As their relationship continues to grow, Briony encounters obstacle prohibiting her from having a normal life including a chronic disease caused by a swamp creature that only Briony knows the cure, the increasing persistent advances of Cecil, and a strange woman set on pulling Eldric far away from Briony. When all events reach a climax, it is up to the Chime Child, an old woman half-witch, half-human, to help put things right.

Chime may seem a bit confusing at times, but is entertaining. The characters are wonderfully developed and full of life. Billingsley includes specific names for every danger in the swamp which helps solidify the realism of her setting. The ending may seem a bit predictable, but the components of the story overshadow the inevitable. This turn-of-the-century fantasy novel is sure to delight.
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Oct 18, 2011 Pamela rated it really liked it

This is a good summer read, and for all those readers who love a little fantasy with their romance. Briony has a lot of guilt about what happened to her sister, who now has special needs. Because she can talk with the Old Ones in the swamp, she knows she deserves to be put to death, as her village does to all such, and almost welcomes such an outcome, until she meets a new boy who changes everything. Though I think the title is a bit vague, as well as the time period (they mention new trains in ...more

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Nov 14, 2011 Beth rated it liked it

Shelves: ya-lit, fantasy, audio

Originally reviewed here.

Okay, so for the record, I did not care for this book in the slightest but bear with me and you'll see why I still gave it 3 stars.

My main dislike for this book was that I could not picture myself in Briony's world and to be honest, I had a very hard telling what world she lived in. She talked of London on occasion, but then she also referred to this otherworldly place known as Swampsea and at first I had a difficult time envisioning the world Briony created for her rea Originally reviewed here.

Okay, so for the record, I did not care for this book in the slightest but bear with me and you'll see why I still gave it 3 stars.

My main dislike for this book was that I could not picture myself in Briony's world and to be honest, I had a very hard telling what world she lived in. She talked of London on occasion, but then she also referred to this otherworldly place known as Swampsea and at first I had a difficult time envisioning the world Briony created for her readers. I eventually had to do a little research and discover that the book takes place in England around the turn of the twentieth century. For a while there, however, I was almost questioning whether it took place on this earth, that's how confused I was.

So despite my dislike for this book, much of that I truly feel had to do with my lack of understanding of what was going on. For this reason, I think it would be a great selection to assign for a high school English class because of the challenge some will inevitably experience while trying to follow the story. The entire time I listened to the audiobook all I kept thinking to myself was how much I really wanted to read this for a book club because I needed to talk about and work through what was going on with other people.

When it came to this story, I knew very little and lacked any sort of expertise as a reader so I would love to sit down and talk to other teachers, librarians, and teenagers who connected with the story, or maybe even had trouble with it like me, to gain a greater understanding for what was going on that I was somehow missing. I'm starting to realize this front teachers put up for their students that they're supposed to be expert readers, but what if we allowed them to see our confusion on occasion? What might that do to their confidence as readers? It might show them that it's okay for reading to cause you confusion and that "right answers" (or even answers period) don't just always come to you; sometimes they take work.

There are so many people who mistakenly believe that YA lit today is all fluff and no substance, but this book (along with so many others, I could make a list of them - maybe I will!) proves the naysayers wrong. So despite my frustrating reading (listening) experience, I longed to discuss my confusion with some group, any group of readers, be it students or teachers. ...more

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Dec 04, 2011 Lisa Nocita rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, ya-2011, tag-2012-13

Briony is convinced she is a witch at a time when it is most unsafe to be found a witch. She believes herself responsible for a number of rather devastating events in her family's life, the result of mingling jealousy and anger which unleashes her power with uncontrollable and unintended consequences the most recent of which is her stepmother's death. She has second sight, the gift of seeing magical folk and the like. The moors and swamps around her home are filled with the magical ilk. Stories, Briony is convinced she is a witch at a time when it is most unsafe to be found a witch. She believes herself responsible for a number of rather devastating events in her family's life, the result of mingling jealousy and anger which unleashes her power with uncontrollable and unintended consequences the most recent of which is her stepmother's death. She has second sight, the gift of seeing magical folk and the like. The moors and swamps around her home are filled with the magical ilk. Stories, superstitions, and charms abound. The Old Ones are not to be trifled with, their humor and patience for the vagaries of humans are mercurial. Villagers have a "scareful" respect for the powers of the Old Ones. Briony suspects that her stepmother was murdered but she cannot begin to fathom why when it was probable she would have died anyway due to injuries sustained in an accident that Briony believes she caused. Briony feels imprisoned by this knowledge as well as the need to care for Rose, her childlike twin who cannot live independently. Enter the dashing Eldric, the miscreant son of a businessman and engineer who has moved to the small village of Swampsea to undertake a rail project. Eldric at twenty- two is gainfully unemployed and recently expelled from his studies. And handsome, charming, and clever. He takes a room lodging with Briony and Rose at the parsonage at her father's invitation. Briony vacillates between self hatred and intellectual self flagellation, sure that she is unworthy of happiness and love, no ordinary girl, damned for being a witch. She is also beautiful, witty, and clever. Being all dark and twisty, struggling with inner demons, seems to be an irresistible aphrodisiac to the eligible bachelors in the village. Quickly a not-entirely- friendly rivalry ensues between Eldric and Cecil, the broody, lovesick poet. Briony is convinced that Eldric's affection for her is more fraternal in nature, especially when he takes up with Leann, wickedly beautiful and mesmerizing woman from a neighboring village who is older than Briony. While Briony struggles with her feelings about Eldric, she is also trying to save her sister and the village from swamp cough, a fatal malady unleashed by the Boggy Mun, a powerful Old One, displeased that his swamps are being drained so a rail line can be built through them. Oh, and she must figure out the mystery of her stepmother's death. Time is ticking away. One cannot recover from swamp cough unless the Boggy Mun wishes it. Briony must save the village but at what cost? Must she reveal herself to have the second sight? She will surely be hanged if she does. She has a stubborn and selfish wish to not hang. Equal parts fairy story, romance, and mystery. The first two hundred pages flew crackling by! The last little bit was a bit draggy for me, though I am not sure just why. Perhaps this is one of those books best ingested in one big bite. I would have if I could have! I liked the writing and the English setting, guessing late 1890's to early 1900's, before the magic folk are extinguished by "progress." I know just the students to whom I will be recommending this book first. ...more

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Mar 27, 2011 Karlan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya, fantasy

Ms Billingsley's language is original and enchanting as she tells the story of Briony, an early 20th c girl, who believes she can work magic. The plot moves along well enough, but it is the way the romantic story is written which fascinates. ...more

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Mar 02, 2012 Paige Y. rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2012-books-read, 2012-ya-fiction

This is either a book that you love or you hate. I couldn't make myself get through it last spring, but I made myself read it this week. I found the first half very hard to get through -- the second half was better. ...more

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Nov 30, 2011 Susan Dunn added it

Shelves: ya-fiction, audio-books, could-not-finish

On Lauren's behalf, I so don't want to like this! We shall see...

OK - yay, I honestly didn't like it! Got through about on CD and thought the book was confusing and not that interesting. I'm returning it! ...more

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Jun 08, 2011 Camille rated it liked it · review of another edition

Chime is a book about a teenage girl who believes that she is a witch because of some really terrible things that have happened to her family and the town that they live in. If you like books that follow one character throughout the story, you might like this one.

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Oct 17, 2011 Jenna rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy

I listened to this on audiobook, and loved everything about it. The reader was awesome, as was the story. I'm in love with the characters Briony (what a great name!) and Eldric. This is a beautiful tale of dark magic, mystery, and romance. ...more

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