Harlow Morgan and the Sky City

by Lyndsey Lewellen, J.J. Fischer (Editor), Megan Gerig (Editor)

Harlow Airship pilot, trouble magnet, possibly glowing.
Airship pilot-in-training, Harlow Morgan is a wiz in the sky, but her father's disappointment on the ground.

In the steam-powered nation of Corshire, where science reigns and magic is outlawed, Harlow’s famous inventor father expects perfection. Her twin sister delivers. Harlow? Not so much. She’d rather fly airships at the Academy than follow in his brilliant footsteps.

But when she tells a reckless lie to save her family name, she puts a classmate's future at risk and exposes a hidden magical artifact tied to her father. Before she knows it, Harlow is swept into a dangerous underground magic war. With strange light burning across her skin and outlaw sorcerers on her trail, Harlow teams up with the boy she betrayed to unlock the truth behind the artifact ... and survive the unpredictable city in the sky.

If the deadly Magics don't get her first, her father's secrets just might.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Steampunk, Adventure

265 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 17, 2025

About the author

Lyndsey Lewellen grew up on a healthy dose of comic books, punk music, and sci-fi. She infuses all three loves into novels written for young adults. Inside her “what if” worlds, her characters take risks, grow, and fight for what matters. When she’s not writing or whittling down her endless TBR, she designs novel covers and paints on shoes. She lives on a small Texas farm with her best friend/husband, five children, and what some might call a zoo of animals (especially after meeting the peacocks).

Reviews

[Lizzy Hite · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read! All the espionage and double-crossing and epic inventions and airborne adventures kept me turning pages, and what even was that cliffhanger?!? Definitely excited for more books in this series!

~~I received an early copy of this book from the author and was not required to leave a positive review.~~

[Valerie Fentress · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an engaging story about a girl who just can't seem to do anything right.

Each character has a deep need and backstory that you uncover while guessing, 'what will happen next'. It's a quirky steampunk adventure for anyone who ever questions who they are.

The only bad thing is that this is book one in a series, and I have to wait for book two.

Middle-grade readers will love this story, with its gadgets and mind-bending twists and turns, as these tweens navigate a fast-paced tale.

[D.T. Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this middle grade steampunk series opener, and I'm curious to see where Harlow's adventures take her next.

[Riley Perrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book. The worldbuilding, the found family, the kids learning right from wrong. I felt like a kid again reading this, and loved all the adventure and shenanigans the group gets themselves into. I loved the aspect of the notes of light and fighting against the darkness, and how much courage that takes. I'm very excited for the next book.

[Emily Barnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun adventure with breathtaking world building and characters you want to root for!

[Hailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun new adventure for fans of friend groups, steampunk, and secrets. Harlow is such a fun main character, and I quickly fell in love with her. The steampunk elements added a fresh touch to the story. I also loved the Christian and faith elements Lewellen woven in, and look forward to seeing them explored further in later books! The ending will leave readers ready for more. Harlow's adventures are only just beginning.

(I received an eARC from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

[Megan Schaulis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kids need more books like this!

I loved Lewellen's The Chaos Grid duology, so I was excited to hear she was releasing a Middle Grade series intended for younger readers. I read Harlow Morgan's story both as a fan and as a mom looking for good books for my kids. I was not disappointed on either count.

As a reader, this is a fun adventure that has plenty of peril without invoking real fear or showing violence on the page. The characters are complex even though they're young. Adults aren't all villains or idiots, though they aren't all good either. The steampunk world is well-crafted yet relatable. There's a hint of a crush but it's not a romance. By the end of the book, one adventure is complete but I'm 100% ready for the rest of the series!

As a mom, I am a "magic hesitant" reader, meaning I'm very very careful about reading books with magical powers, even for myself as an adult. But after reading Lewellen's YA books, I trusted I'd be okay with how she handled the magic elements in her MG novels. And I was right! Many kids will love the "notes of light" in the book, yet I can rest assured they won't go playing with spells and "cute" witchcraft after reading. (That said, fans of Harry Potter will love Flickerington Academy and the unique skills of its students.) The magic/powers in the story have clear sources, both good and evil. This would actually be a great conversation starter about where real power comes from and why we don't play around with certain things.

If you enjoy clean, emotionally safe adventure stories or if you're looking for an engaging fantasy for your kids without all the darkness or w o k e agenda, this is the perfect series for you!

[Suzanne Ferrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harlow Morgan Takes Flight!
In this new middle grade sci-fi series, Lyndsey Lewellen takes her action-adventure style of storytelling into the world of steampunk fiction. In a world where one girl finds her talents and jump-first, ask questions later tendencies lead her, her sister, and their friends head-first into danger. The team is forced to learn how to fight a dark evil with the light of truth and friendship. The story is full of flying steam-powered ships, a floating city in the air, and swashbuckling sword fights. As always, Ms. Lewellen’s story is full of twists and turns you won’t see coming.

Kids wanting to read a book that takes them into a fantastic fantasy world and keep turning the pages will enjoy this 1st book in the Harlow Morgan series by the award-winning author of Christian Sci-fi books. I can’t wait for the 2nd book to find out what’s next for Harlow and her friends.

[Lyndsey Lewellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved taking a ride with Harlow and her friends. What a fun book to write. If you've given this steampunk adventure a shot, thank you! There are hundreds of amazing books to read out there, and I'm honored to have you here.

If you're thinking about picking up the first in this series, here are a few things you can expect:
-Sibling antics (Twin sisters who are polar opposites but love each other still)
-Fun gadgets and vehicles
-Battles between light and darkness
-Friendships
-Swordfights
-Airship rides
-Treasure hunts
-A spunky heroine who can't seem to get things right, but tries hard anyway

Happy reading!!
Lyndsey

[Lizzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read! I loved the steampunk vibes going on. Plus middle grade books are always a good time. I think Lewellen really nailed the big feelings for this age group, and loved the way Harlow navigated making decisions and finding her own way in this novel. Good recommendation for those preteen readers!

[Blessing Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect when I started reading this book, but Harlow and her friends charmed my heart immediately. If you loved Trenton Lee Stewart's The Secret Keepers, or Jessica Townsend's Nevermore series, then buckle up for the wildest airship ride of your life!

[MyWeekendIsBooked7 · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an epic middle grade read! It's actually below my age range ;), but I wanted to help out an author friend. Lyndsy Lewellen wrote a fun tale that is perfect for preteens and even teens. Harlow Morgan sets out on an adventure hollowing a rather unexpected incident that puts her in the crosshairs of the evil Magics. She has a specific skillset to fly a ship to their destination, but flying one requires that she pull a team of strangers, friends, and former enemies to assist her. What happens after that is a edge-of-your seat adventure that will have you flipping pages rapidly! It does end with a cliffhanger, but that just makes you more eager for the next release. Make sure you grab this book for any young teen reader in your life!

I received an ARC copy from the author. All opinions and thoughts expressed are my own.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a super fun, exciting, and fast-paced middle grade read. So many fun action scenes, interesting corners of the story world to explore, and a light dash of “crush” romance.