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

Taking Wing by Clemency Crow (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

Taking Wing

by Clemency Crow

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GENRE: Middle Grade Adventure

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BLURB:

Twelve-year-old Freya enjoys karate and is the only one in her class who’s trusted with a part-time job. But everything changes when she meets a boy with yellow eyes. She learns about the guardians, and how an age-old fight has prevented them from fulfilling their purpose.

Freya finds new friends in the Crow tribe, but not everything in the castle is blissful. A destructive shadow lies within her and all she needs to do to release it is close her eyes.

But as the guardians’ war rages on, Freya realises that, although the shadow’s power can be useful, it can’t create peace. To do that, Freya and her friends must solve the mysterious crime that began the war. Can they bring the guardians together before they destroy each other?

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EXCERPT

“Tell me more about the Owls,” Freya requested. She couldn’t deny that the statue fascinated her. It was such a magnificent gift, it seemed tragic that the people who gifted it were now at war. Elialdor, standing behind her, placed his hands on her shoulders.

“Their king is a man called Raedwald. He commands perhaps more than even the Crows. Perhaps the most powerful of our kind.” Elialdor spoke almost in a whisper. “It was him who killed my grandfather.”

“The king?” Freya turned around to face him. The prince’s face looked so sad, but proud all the same.

“Yes. But he was my grandfather too.” He bowed his head. “Raedwald was angry with our tribe and sought revenge. So he killed him.”

“Revenge for what?” Freya could not help but ask.

“He believed we committed a crime that we did not. The only way to prove our innocence was to find the truly guilty party: something we failed to do. So we remain at war.”

Although Freya wanted to find out more on the matter, the look of pain on Elialdor’s face stopped her from asking any more questions. She was struggling to piece together the fragments of information she had received, and each conversation made it more intriguing.

Amazon link

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

I can't remember when I wrote my first story. We had a word processor when I was very little. It was an archaic piece of technology with no mouse, which meant you had to know the codes for it to work. My sister, Judith, and I wrote several stories using this. I think one of my stories was about a mammoth, probably during my I-want-to-be-a-mammoth-when-I-grow-up stage.

When I was a bit older, during Year 3 at Primary School, another sister brought home several A5 grey jotters and gave one to Ginny and Judith to plan and write their stories in. Naturally, I wanted a notebook too, so I said I was writing a story called "The Rule of the Unicorns". I never finished that rather peculiar tale, but it meant I got one of those A5 grey jotters!

A good few years down the line and I'm a Primary Teacher in the tip-top north of Scotland. To encourage a love of reading in my pupils, I write a story with them in for their Christmas present. The first thing they do is flick through and try and find their name - but I hope they enjoy the story too!

When I'm not teaching, I love writing, working on my allotment and I'm crazy enough to be doing a Science degree at the same time.

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

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GIVEAWAY


a Rafflecopter giveaway


The tour dates can be found here





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My review:

3.5 out of 5 stars

Taking Wing by Clemency Crow centers around Freya, a young girl who is mysteriously transported to a land that is peopled by tribes of birds, two of which factions are engaged in a deadly war. As she gradually learns the rules that govern the interactions between humans and the tribes that were originally created to protect them, Freya is reluctant to fulfill the role expected of her but gradually is drawn into the conflict. Her biggest challenges are figuring out who to believe and how to harness the power everyone believes she can wield.

This middle grade fantasy explores the challenges of discovering the truth in a world that is entirely foreign, where everyone around you has expectations about your very existence. The story is imaginative and touches on the differences between several bird species but doesn’t go into much detail about anything other than their relative sizes. I think the tale provides fodder for encouraging research into such things as the different types of crows or owls but I found some things confusing and I was a bit surprised by the ending, which evidently implies that the story will continue. Somehow, there don’t seem to be a lot of adult female roles, and those aren’t very sympathetic, and the conflicts between the rulers and their sons seem universal but are not clearly explained. The rules of magic are a bit murky and I still don’t understand how the tribes are protecting humans, but hopefully details will be filled in with subsequent stories.

A copy of this story was provided for review

Inheritance by Joan Cleveland and Marisa Cleveland (Excerpt, review and GIVEAWAY) GFT

 

Inheritance

by Joan Cleveland & Marisa Cleveland

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GENRE: Middle Grade Fiction

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BLURB:

His destiny is to save humankind. But first he must survive middle school... The descendants of the fallen angels never had it so good. At twelve, Grayson Lahash is thrust into an unfamiliar world where battle lines balance precariously in favor of good over evil, and his unexpected arrival and fallen heritage may be just enough to tip the scales. But as Grayson uncovers the secrets of his past, he must decide if he's willing to risk everything for the destiny that is his to inherit.

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EXCERPT

Uzza, as his dad had called the Goliath of a man, extracted a small pen from his pocket. “Say goodbye to your father, boy. It might be a century or two before you see him again.”

The pen bit into the nape of Grayson’s neck. He slapped his hand over the wound. “Ouch.”

Grayson gripped his dad’s wrist, holding on tightly, but then all of sudden he couldn’t form another thought. His brain blurred.

Why was the giant wearing heavy work boots? Why was his mother lying on the floor? Why was he being carried down concrete stairs, across the green grass, and put into a car? The smell of leather filled his nostrils as he landed in the back seat.

“This is all he should need.”

His dad’s blurred words clicked into place. All he should need.

How had his dad fit twelve years worth of Grayson’s life into a single battered old bag?

Despite the haziness of his body, Grayson’s mind raged even as his eyelids shut. He coughed, and the ashy scent of smoke shot alarm bells off to all his neurons. With a will stronger than he knew he possessed, he pried open his eyelids enough to see his home engulfed in flames.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon Print

Amazon Kindle

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Joan Cleveland was born and raised in New Hampshire, where she is a volunteer aide at a small, private school. She spent over twenty-five years assisting teachers in the classroom at the elementary level. The widow of Maurice T. Cleveland, Jr., Joan has three adult children.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Marisa Cleveland loves to laugh, hates to cry, and does both often. If she couldn't express herself through writing, music, and dance, she would die. As a former gymnast, cheerleader, and dancer, she understands the importance of balance, and she encourages everyone to stay flexible.

Website

Instagram: @thereisnobox

Twitter: @marisacleveland

Facebook

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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My review:

3.5 out of 5 stars

Inheritance by Joan Cleveland and Marisa Cleveland is a middle grade paranormal story with inspirational elements that centers around twelve-year-old Grayson Kale Lahash, whose life suddenly turns upside down. His abrupt transfer to Westside Preparatory Academy in New England is accompanied by a traumatic last glimpse of his parents and their house. A mysterious shift from being the kid undergoing bullying and a determination to figure out what is going on leads Grayson on an adventure that involves several other seventh-grade kids who each has his or her own agenda. Now to figure out who is friend and who is foe…and keep his soul in the process…may be a task that will require divine intervention.

This adventure story that features mostly tweens blends elements of fantasy and religion in a mystery tale. I like the variety of characters although their unveiling is a bit haphazard at time, and there is an uneven shifting between the factions with somewhat confusing motivations underlying the actions of various beings. There is an imaginative blending of the concept of good and evil with the premise of being careful of what you think or wish for, plus a creative rendition of the ongoing angel versus demon conflicts. It would be nice to have a little more depth for most of the characters and a less murky view of some of the parents, but overall this is an entertaining tale that covers subjects like bullying, debilitating disease, temptation, and cooperation to achieve common goals.

A copy of this title was provided to me for review

Cryptogram Chaos: A Virtual Reality Adventure by Linda Covella (Excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY)

Cryptogram Chaos: A Virtual Reality Adventure

by Linda Covella

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GENRE: Middle grade adventure

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BLURB:

What if you were 8, or 11, or 14, and you could race cars at 150 mph, bungee jump, fly, eat all the ice cream and candy you wanted, or become powerful avatars such as Robobug, Kulshedra the dragon, and Altai, the gryphon avatar?

All this and more is possible in the ultimate virtual reality game The Cryptogram Connection created by 14-year-old computer whiz Cody Reynolds and his two classmates, Nicole Nash and Kerry McCorkle. To advance to different levels in the game, players must solve cryptograms, or secret codes. (Readers also get to solve the cryptograms.)

They create their game to be used with the latest VR technology developed by local game manufacturer NuVision Games–a headset with biosensors that transmit signals to the brain, fooling it into tasting, hearing, feeling, seeing, and smelling what was programmed into the game. The games are as close to reality as reality itself.

The game becomes every kids’ virtual dream, and Cody, Nicole, and Kerry, besides becoming national celebrities, make more money than they ever imagined. But The Cryptogram Connection turns into “cryptogram chaos” when an evil presence inhabits Zazar, the laser avatar and the most powerful, and takes control of the game. It’s up to the three partners to enter the game and fight Zazar to save the gamers from virtual—and real—disaster.

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EXCERPT

  

I sat on my bed, biting my lip, jiggling my leg, tapping my finger on my eMaster. The handheld computer was ready to go. This was it. Tonight we’d test The Cryptogram Connection. We’d meet in the ice cream parlor at exactly twelve o’clock midnight. Our parents, Brad, and Kerry’s zillion little brothers would be asleep.

The four sensors pulsed slightly against my head. I watched the red numbers on the digital clock change.

11:57. I stared at the computer and the home page I’d created. Ice cream sundaes, racecars, scooters, and manazomes repeatedly spun to the center of the screen, becoming larger and larger, until they zoomed to the back and faded away.

11:58. I thought of Nicole and Kerry sitting with their computers. Waiting like me. I thought of all the hours and days and weeks we’d spent working on the game. I thought of how they were counting on me, on my code. I threw back my head and whispered, “Oh, man, I hope the game works.”

11:59. I keyed in my password then held my thumb over the enter icon. I adjusted the Ultra on my head. Would there be any glitches? Probably. Any major ones? Man, I hoped not.

The clock blinked.

12:00. Holding my breath like I was at the top of the highest hill on a roller coaster, like I was about to fly down the hill with my arms raised in the air, I pushed the button.

Amazon buy link

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Linda Covella’s varied background and education have led her down many paths, but one thing she never strayed from is her love of writing.

In writing for kids and teens, she hopes to bring to them the feelings books gave her when she was a child: the worlds they opened, the things they taught, the feelings they expressed.

Linda is a member of the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).


She lives in Santa Cruz, CA with her husband, Charlie, and dog, Ginger.

Connect with Linda:





Website
Facebook
Twitter @lindacovella
LinkedIn
Goodreads
Pinterest
Google+
YouTube channel
Amazon author page


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GIVEAWAY


a Rafflecopter giveaway

The tour dates can be found here 


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My review:

 

4.75 stars

Cryptogram Chaos: A Virtual Reality Adventure by Linda Covella is a middle grade contemporary adventure and fantasy story that features a trio of ninth graders who learn to see beyond the cliques that have formed and work together.

Cody Reynolds is a computer whiz but not part of the ‘in’ crowd, which makes it all the more surprising when the very popular Nicole and her sidekick Kerry approach him about an idea for a very different type of game. Their creative idea has wonderful possibilities, but not everyone wants them to succeed, and Cody discovers that there are pitfalls he never considered and the game may end up being the worst idea he’s ever come up with.

This is such a fun story that combines creativity, intellectual stimulation, and a mystery. The concept of a virtual reality game that allows one to experience both thrilling adventures on land, sea, and in the air plus a chance to interact with, and as, various mythical creatures, sounds like something that definitely would enthrall kids and kids at heart everywhere. I like the gradual evolution of the relationship between Cody and the other kids as it seemed an accurate representation of the way each side can view the other one negatively only to discover their perceptions are wrong. The puzzles that have to be solved in order to access the next level in the game start with basic challenges and escalate, and provided a nice depth to the story, and the research and information at the end explained things nicely and gave intriguing glimpses of developments in the field of virtual reality. I am tempted to continue playing with the PigPen/Rosicrucian version of the puzzles, lol, and a little curious to know how one knows to leave out the ‘J’ in the Figure Cipher, but fascinated by all of the cryptograms.  What a great book for stimulating a love of learning in a fun way!

This title was provided to me for review.