The Legendary Mo Seto by A.Y. Chan (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY)

 

The Legendary Mo Seto

A.Y. Chan

 

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GENRE:  Middle Grade, Martial Arts, Action/Adventure

 

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BLURB:

 

Mo Seto, martial arts movie star! Has a nice ring to it doesn’t it? Too bad there's a height restriction to audition. But 12-year-old Modesty (Mo) Seto has never let her height get in the way before, not when she became a black belt, or when she fought the meanest boy in her class, and she’s not going to let it stop her this time! Now if only she can figure out a way to grow five inches and fool everyone at the auditions…and find time to search for her missing father (who just might be harboring a dangerous secret of his own). Join Mo on an adventure (and audition) of a lifetime and find out if powerful things really do come in small packages!

 

Publishers Weekly calls THE LEGENDARY MO SETO “Adrenaline pumping”, Kirkus Reviews says it “Packs a punch”, and Booklist calls it “Remarkably relatable.” Leap in and join the fun!

 

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EXCERPT

I may be small, but I am fierce. At least that’s what I keep telling myself. Over and over again. Fierce.

“Charyeot,” the taekwondo tournament referee says in Korean. Attention.

I snap my arms to my sides.

“Kyeong-nae,” the ref says. Bow.

I turn to face my opponent, Dax Washington. His dark skin glistens with sweat. We dip our heads.

I look up to see Dax towering over me, his eyes stormy.

It suddenly occurs to me how much “fierce” sounds like “fears.” Not that I’m scared or anything. I’m not.

“Sijak!” The ref throws up his hand. Begin! Immediately Dax’s large fists hammer down like a hailstorm.

Well, maybe I’m a little worried.

Dax lunges. I block his front kick with my forearm. I flinch and reel back. The ref blows his whistle, but Dax doesn’t stop. I barely have time to move before—oof—another kick nails me in the elbow.

Okay, fine. I’m totally panicking.

 

Buy Links:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Bookshop.org

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

A. Y. Chan grew up in Canada’s Greater Toronto Area reading all the middle grade and young adult books she could get her hands on. To this day, those remain her favorite genres. After achieving her black belt in Taekwondo, she explored other martial arts, such as Wing Chun, Hapkido, and Muay Thai. These days, she continues her martial arts training some mornings, writes in the afternoons, takes long walks to muddle out plot points, and falls asleep reading.

 

Social Links:

Twitter/X

Instagram

Facebook

 

About the book Links:

Website

Simon & Schuster Author Page

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GIVEAWAY 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The tour dates can be found here

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My review:

4.5 stars

 

“The Legendary Mo Seto” follows the adventure of young martial arts practitioner Modesty (Mo), whose dreams of being a tae kwon do champion are constantly stymied…by her nemesis Dax, her mom’s opposition, her small stature, and…the mysterious lack of support by her biggest fan…her father. A chance at redemption comes when her movie-star idol holds auditions, but one setback after another threatens to destroy Mo’s dreams unless she finds a way to overcome all of her obstacles.

 

This fun children’s book is both informative and entertaining, and I was instantly transported to Mo’s world and invested in her success. From her quirky sidekick who may want to deepen their relationship to the mysteries surrounding Mo’s ancestors, plus the mother who seems determined to force Mo into a more traditional role, there are plenty of characters who I made a connection with. The plucky determination and out-of-the-box solutions that typify Mo’s character and the increasingly scary events that take place made this a page-turner that was fun to read and a story I highly recommend. I enjoyed the glimpse into another culture, the evolution of multiple relationships, and the depiction of love and affection displayed by multiple characters, and I hope there will be many more adventures featuring Mo and her supporting cast.

 

 

A copy of this title was provided for review

Scruff the Pup and the Cracking of the Cocoa Pod by Katherine Udovicich (Spotlight, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

 

Scruff the Pup and the Cracking of the Cocoa Pod

by 

Katherine Udovicich

 

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GENRE:   Children's

 

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BLURB:

 

Hippity hoppity, Easter's on its way! Scruff the pup is drooling in anticipation. But what will Scruff discover about chocolate eggs when a-hunting he will go? Find out in this gratifying wag of a tale.

 

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EXCERPT

Scruff is beginning to think that getting his paws on even a teeny-tiny Easter egg might be too difficult.

Then he remembers something—Mum and Dad encouraging the children always to take on a good challenge.

Suddenly, Scruff has an idea about how to score an Easter egg from the kids. The pup knows he will be the underdog and, therefore, hatches a plan—now ready to unleash!

First, Scruff engages the children in a game of chase ... and lets them win.

Next, he performs all the tricks they’ve taught him, plus one of his own: Scruff’s slick, quick ball-balancing trick.

Then Scruff and the kids start a game of ruff and tumble, and Scruff goes easy on them.

Afterwards, the pup sits uncomplainingly as his messy hair is brushed smooth; Scruff no longer feels like himself.

Eventually, Scruff allows the children to dress him up as the Easter Bunny! Such a cliché, he thinks, putting on a brave face.

Despite jumping through hoop after hoop and working like a dog, Scruff does not get a single Easter egg.

From afar, he watches the kids enjoying mini chocolate eggs filled with caramel. Fine, rub my nose in it, thinks Scruff. See if I care.

But he does care. And he doesn’t understand why the children won’t share with him. They usually always share food with him under the table. So, what is it about Easter eggs?

 

Purchase links:

Amazon

Amazon.CA

Booktopia

Indigo Chapters

Barnes & Noble

Walmart

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Katherine Udovicich has a background in primary teaching and education. She is from Melbourne, Australia, where she completed a bachelor's degree in science and a master's in teaching. Katherine's greatest joy is being a mum, and she is passionate about promoting literacy development for all children.

 

CONNECT WITH Katherine

 

Website

 

INSTAGRAM: Coming soon

 

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GIVEAWAY

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

The tour dates can be found here

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My review:

4.5 stars

Scruff the Pup and the Cracking of the Cocoa Pod, written by Katherine Udovicich and illustrated by Madeleine Mae B. Migallos, follows young Scruff as he tries his best to join his humans in enjoying chocolate Easter eggs. He doesn’t understand why the senior dog in the family, Frog, keeps mentioning the cocoa pod until Dad, the human, finally explains and makes both Frog and Scruff happy with their own Easter treats.

 

This sweet children’s book is beautifully illustrated and teaches a very important lesson about keeping dogs safe, no matter how persuasive they’re being. I was worried at first, because I was afraid Scruff would find a way to share in the children’s treats, but I enjoyed reading about his antics and his reasoning. I think it’s great that the explanation for not sharing chocolate with dogs is given at both a level that children will understand and at a more scientific level and I love the puns at the end of the story. This is a great book for teaching and for just enjoying the cute illustrations, and I think it would be useful as an educational tool throughout the year, although it is centered on Easter.

 

A copy of this title was provided for review

  

The Not so True Adventures of Brandon, Josh, and Adam by Barry Fellinger (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

 

 The Not so True Adventures of Brandon, Josh, and Adam

by 

Barry Fellinger

 

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GENRE: Children's Fiction

 

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BLURB:

 

Eleven-year-old cousins Brandon and Josh return home safely at the end of their Almost True Adventure, only to discover that their cousin Adam has been captured by the very same aliens from the Intergalactic Council on Obedience to Parents they just escaped from!

 

Now the boys must figure out how to get back into space, rescue Adam, and return home safely again!

 

It's a Not So True Adventure full of action, surprises, old friends, new enemies, frenemies, and what's that about doubles troubles?

 

A hilarious and once-in-a-while serious story of past, present, and future antics, based on some of the three cousins' escapades in real life!

 

 

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EXCERPT

Double Trouble OR WHICH COUSIN  IS WHICH?

 

 

Oh, this is making my head hurt! Brandon is up there, but it’s not me. But it’s the right Brandon who will know what to do. But Josh is up there, but it’s not the right one, and he will be lost, and why doesn’t this Josh . . .

 

Brandon #2’s thoughts jumbled together as he tried to think everything through. He was fast losing his appetite.

 

His mind wandered as he began to pick away at his food. I mean, the one who should be with me is not, cuz this Josh is down here. But the wrong Josh, though he certainly knows what’s about to happen, which means he will refuse to eat the broccoli. But if Brandon up there doesn’t realize he has the wrong Josh, that Josh will be kidnapped with him, but it won’t be the right Josh. Then I will be stuck with the Josh, who lived through this, and he will understand everything, so maybe that’s not so bad . . . By now Brandon’s head throbbed so much from trying to sort this all out in his mind that he couldn’t concentrate on food anymore and put his head in his hands. Then he looked up at Josh.

 

“Josh,” Brandon spoke very low. “I understand. You’re not the right one.”

 

“What, dear?” asked Brandon’s mom, as Brittany complained, ‘Mom, Brandon’s whispering secrets about me to Josh.”

 

“Am not,” snapped back Brandon.

 

“Um, Mom, I think Josh might be sick. I think he should go to my room and lie down.”

 

“But I’m fine.” Josh was now panicking, understanding Brandon knew, but neither of them knew if the other Brandon hiding with Josh’s double understood yet. They were waiting for this Josh to come up, after all. Brandon needed the right Josh with him soon, but because he had not been through this before, he wasn’t thinking about one super important thing.

 

“What about the tantrum?” Josh asked Brandon softly. “If I don’t act up, they won’t come and then Adam is . . .”

 

He stopped mid-sentence when he felt an unusual bump like someone was trying to push him off his chair, strong enough that he nearly fell off it and had to grab the table to keep his balance.

 

“Brandon,” Josh whispered again. “Did you feel that?”

 

“Feel wh—” Brandon started to say and then the phone rang. Josh thought the last time that happened, they had been rounding the corner to the kitchen when his Aunt Beth answered the phone, not seated at the table. That’s different, he thought to himself. Aunt Beth is sitting at the table this time, but I guess we definitely did take longer upstairs. Still, something strange is going on, though.

 

Brandon’s mom turned to speak to the three children with a concerned look on her face. “That was your Aunt Patty,” she said, catching her breath. “It’s about your cousin Adam. He got into some big argument with his parents at the dinner table, and then he stomped off to his room.”

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Barry M. Fellinger resides in St. Thomas, Ontario, with his wife Beth, and currently works as a director in health care and also teaches leadership courses and seminars.

 

He loves spending time with his adult children, grandchildren, extended family, and friends.

 

He enjoys reading, writing, watching superhero television shows and movies, collecting comics, attending the occasional Comicon and, for inspiration, relaxing in Sanctuary II, his comic book/man room.

 

He has a few more books in the works which he hopes to complete before or during retirement.

 

 

Social Media

Facebook 

Instagram

 

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The tour dates can be found here

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My review:

4 stars

 

“The Not so True Adventures of Brandon, Josh, and Adam” by Barry M. Fellinger describes the adventures of three cousins who get caught in an unexpected side effect of Brandon and Josh’s previous experience with the Intergalactic Council on Obedience to Parents. Despite their intermittent squabbles in the past, the cousins must find a way to work together with their alien friends and allies to solve the kinks in the space-time continuum that they’ve inadvertently disrupted.

 

This fantastical children’s story was a little confusing at first, given the duplication of a couple of the main characters and the references to previous occurrences which took place in another book. It’s no surprise that the alien Derks discover there is an issue with having used time travel on Josh and Brandon that causes a disruption of the timestream. The adventures in which broccoli, of all things, figures prominently is a wacky and imaginative tale that manages to touch on the complicated-yet-simple relationship that a trio of eleven-year-old boys can have.

 

I love that the Derks are both fearsome and unthreatening, and that this all starts because of defiant behavior that is being punished. There are various lessons included in the story that are artfully blended with unexpected twists and turns and unusual characters, and even the science lessons are conveyed in an understandable manner. This is both a fun read and a cautionary tale to remind one of the importance of…eating one’s broccoli (and respecting one’s parents)!

 

 

A copy of this title was provided for review

Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day by Tonya Duncan Ellis (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

 

Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day

by 

Tonya Duncan Ellis

 

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GENRE:   Children's Middle Grade

 

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BLURB:

 

When Life Gives You Lemons…Make Lemonade
Sixth-grader Sophie Washington and friends learn lessons about entrepreneurship and team work when they sign up for a city-wide, Lemonade Day event. Sophie wants to buy her mother something special for her birthday, but she’s short on cash. Her bestie, Chloe, comes up with the perfect solution. Build their own lemonade stand to raise money at Lemonade Day! The girls add friends Carly and Nathan, and Sophie’s little brother, Cole, to their team, and decide to donate some of their earnings to a local animal shelter to help save stray animals. Things are going great, until the family dog destroys their supplies. They get worse when Sophie tries to impress another boy in their class and upsets Nathan. Can they save their business in time for the event?

 

 

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EXCERPT

 

  

Lemonade (clap, clap, clap)

 

Crunchy ice (clap, clap, clap)

 

Sip it once (clap, clap, clap)

 

Sip it twice (clap, clap, clap)

 

Lemonade

 

Crunchy Ice

 

Sip it once

 

Sip it twice

 

Turn around

 

Touch the ground

 

Kick your partner out of town!

 

Freeze!

 

"Watch out, Sophie!" Chloe yells.

 

"Whoa!"

 

I accidentally kick a ginormous, cardboard box off the coffee table before freezing into an Egyptian pose.

 

My best friend and I are teaching Alexis, the five year-old we're babysitting, a hand game called Lemonade. Back in kindergarten, I was a Lemonade champ. Six years later, not so much.

 

"Oops!" I squat to pick up the box and tip it over. Papers and file folders spill on the floor.

 

"Let me help!" Chloe sweeps some of the printouts into a pile with her hands.

 

"Me too!" Alexis drops her robot pose and slides behind us, tumbling into Chloe. We twist like a pretzel, spreading paperwork all over the rug.

 

Wiggling near the fireplace, Alexis fans her arms and legs to make a paper snow angel. "This is fun!"

 

Our spacious den has copy paper everywhere.

 

"OMG!" I hold my hand over my mouth to cover my giggles.

 

"Get up, Alexis!" Chloe snickers, scooting to us on her bottom, and one of the papers rips.

 

"Girls!" Mom rushes into the room, and we freeze for real. "What are you doing?! I spent two hours organizing these files!"

 

My stomach drops.

 

 

  

Amazon (e-book)

Amazon (print)

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

 

Tonya Duncan Ellis is author of the award winning, bestselling, Sophie Washington children's book series, geared toward readers ages 8 to 12, and is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Her independently published books have been featured in the Houston Chronicle and the Baltimore Sun and have seen over 70,000 downloads and sales in the United States, India, Canada, and Great Britain. She has worked as a journalist and a freelance magazine writer, and is a graduate of Centre College of Kentucky and holds an M.B.A. degree from Washington University in St. Louis.

 

The twelve book Sophie Washington series stars a sweet and sassy African American preteen from Houston, TX and her diverse group of friends. Each funny and heartwarming story teaches lessons about friendship, responsibility, truthfulness, and perseverance.

Tonya loves to travel and has visited 49 American states, 20 countries, and three continents, but some of her best journeys have been between the pages of a novel. As a girl she could always be found with a book in her hand, and reading is still one of her favorite hobbies. When she's not reading or writing, the author likes to ride her bike, swim, and spend time with her husband and three children. She lives in Missouri City. 





 

 

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

The tour dates can be found here

 

 

 

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My review:

 

 

4.5 stars

 

 

Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day by Tonya Duncan Ellis is part of the ‘Sophie Washington’ series that details the adventures of a young preteen in Texas. This book follows Sophie as she learns about teamwork, accountability, and hard work while she and her friends become junior business owners and participate in a citywide “Lemonade Day” event, with assistance from friends and family.

 

One of the reasons I enjoy this author so much is the way lessons about life are presented in such a relatable fashion in these middle-grade adventures. There is no problem understanding the sibling rivalry, or jealousy of a friend who seems to have more (beauty, friends, allure, material items, etc.), or even how a thoughtless statement can have a hurtful impact when none was intended. I love the way I can identify with the emotions that Sophie experiences (even though childhood was a LONG time ago, lol) and the way she works her way through challenges until something positive results from them. This story does a great job of exploring the idea of entrepreneurship, teamwork, planning, and charitable giving. I love the diversity and variety of talents these kids embody, and the reminder not to discount anyone just because you can’t immediately tell what they can contribute. I love this series, and this is my favorite story yet!

  

A copy of this title was provided for review

Bake Believe by Cori Cooper (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

 

Bake Believe

by 

Cori Cooper

 

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GENRE: Teen/YA

 

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BLURB:

 

Cat Anderson doesn't want much out of life. Give her a circle of friends to giggle with, a few boys to flirt with, a cute outfit, and she is good to go! She especially could care less about food.

 

But food, it turns out, is a very big deal.

 

In Cat's family there is a secret too fantastic to be real. Something happens when Cat bakes.

 

Something amazing.

 

Something impossible.

 

Can it be true? Or is it Bake Believe?

 

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EXCERPT

 

 

Excerpt

 

“Hey, Pen.” I step into the room and shut the door softly behind me.

 

“Hey.” She doesn’t turn away from the mirror. Her face is all scrunched up in concentration.

 

“You look good, you don’t even wobble when you hold that pose anymore.”

 

Penny grunts instead of responding with words. I know this is not the best time to bother her, but I also know she will feel much better if she eats one of these cookies.

 

“I made something for you.”

 

I hold up the plate of cookies with a huge grin, but she just sniffs. “Cookies? I can’t eat those before an audition. I will barf all over the floor.”

 

My smile drops. What will I do if she won’t try one? I chew my bottom lip, “Um, these are special cookies.” I wiggle the plate around while I use my best mystical, magical voice, like Robyn did.

 

Penny raises her eyebrows. “Do you think I’m four?”

 

I slump forward in defeat, “Come on Penny, just eat one. I’ll give you a dollar.”

 

“What?” She steps back, away from me, “You want to pay me? Why? What did you do to them?”

 

“Nothing,” I say, but the word comes out too stretched and kind of uncertain.

 

Penny crosses her arms and stares.

 

“Okay, fine, here’s the thing.” I jump off the bed, leaving the cookies behind, and proceed to tell Penny the entire story about our family legacy. She doesn’t say anything, just taps her toes like I am keeping her from her warmup.

 

Which, I am, actually.

 

“This isn’t a joke, Pen. It’s for reals.”

 

After a long pause Penny unfolds her arms to move them to her hips. “Really? That’s the truth? It sounds like make believe.”

 

“That’s what I thought too,” I place my hand flat on my heart, “But, it’s the total, honest truth.”

 

 

Amazon

Immortal Works Press

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

 

Since I was six years old I wanted to be a published Author. I still have all my early manuscripts, but don't ask to see them - my spelling was atrocious!

 

I'm a mama of four witty, movie quoting, awesome sauce kids - three teens and one preteen. Yes, they end up in my novels! Don't worry, names are changed to protect the innocent and everything is always GREATLY exaggerated! That's my super power.

 

I'm also wife to the cutest guy in the whole world. It's true! I'm not bias at all, really. We met in Middle School and got married after he served a mission for our Church. It's been a wild ride, but I wouldn't miss it for a plate full of Cinnamon Rolls.

 

Or anything else, actually!

 

I hope you have as much fun reading my stuff as I have writing it. The creative process is so fantastic, I just love every part of it!

 

 

Website

 

Facebook

 

Twitter

 

Instagram

 

Goodreads

 

 

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GIVEAWAY

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

The tour dates can be found here

 

 

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4 out of 5 stars

 

Bake Believe by Cori Cooper tells the story of Cat, a young eighth grader who discovers the joys…and perils…of baking. She and her cousin Robyn learn family secrets that may not only change their relationships with their respective mothers but may have profound effects on their peers as well.

 

This charming young-adult fantasy story provides a new twist on the challenges of being a young teen. Although Cat has a close-knit family, she discovers that there’s a sobering reason for her mother’s eccentricities and that an amazing ability comes with significant consequences.

 

When I started reading, I was a little concerned by the sheer enthusiasm bubbling over as Cat faced the last day of summer, worried about looking good at the pool, and met a new boy. The wacky commentary she provides reminded me that it had been a very long time since I was her age, and I wondered if I could stand to continue to read the story, but I became drawn in as the events progressed. I had to laugh at the dramatics of worrying about the tardy bell and the fear of having to enter a classroom late, and the frantic search for a class that didn’t exist.

 

I love the family connections and closeness, and the descriptions of the various desserts that Cat prepares. Each chapter is titled with a different dish and the recipes make me think that even I can prepare these items, lol. There are cute tips in the recipes that make them fun to read even as they encourage anyone to try them, although they do assume that everyone has a stand mixer. The story gets more and more wacky, and although some things are resolved, there are definite indications that a sequel should be in the works.

 

I think this is a fun story for young adults and for budding cooks and I’m definitely in the mood for dessert!

 

 

A copy of this title was provided for review