Julie AbeReseñas
Autor de Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch
Reseñas
This again was a really fun and super cute hate to more and friends to more romance with a magic twist!! i really loved this book it was magic light book but one that def focused more on contempory issues like romance and friendship and family elements. It was a super quick read and one that wtichy but in a quite way. I also really liked the romacne at the hear of this read and also the magic world that was built.!!
This book was delightful and such a fun read. I loved that it had connections to this previous series eva evergren cause it folows her monther. I also really loved how this world was explored and epanded it a tad. This story was such a fun take a on a cinderella twist and this book focued so much on found family and also just a fun quest story. This book also had a great realtionship between her an animals. I also loved all the side characters as well!! It was a super fun read and one that made me cry both happy tears and and upset tears such a cute read!!
I thought this book was such a charming read. I really liked how this book was loosely based on Kiki delivery service. I really liked the magic system and loved the side characters kids and animals that was in this book. It was super fun read and really loved the main character journey in this book and was not easy magical path and that was really fun to read. I really loved the quest element and it was such a charming read. Will def read book 2!!
i think this book was a fun read and one that i think for middle grade readers is fast pace advnetue story steeped in mythology and also adventure. I loved the combo of the fantdsay elements and also the mordern elemenrs. I don't think i liked the characters as much as their previous books and did not feel that conncected to the story but it was quick read and i would def check out more books in this series!!
This book was delightful and such a fun read. I loved that it had connections to this previous series eva evergren cause it folows her monther. I also really loved how this world was explored and epanded it a tad. This story was such a fun take a on a cinderella twist and this book focued so much on found family and also just a fun quest story. This book also had a great realtionship between her an animals. I also loved all the side characters as well!! It was a super fun read and one that made me cry both happy tears and and upset tears such a cute read!!
This again was a really fun and super cute hate to more and friends to more romance with a magic twist!! i really loved this book it was magic light book but one that def focused more on contempory issues like romance and friendship and family elements. It was a super quick read and one that wtichy but in a quite way. I also really liked the romacne at the hear of this read and also the magic world that was built.!!
I thought this book was such a charming read. I really liked how this book was loosely based on Kiki delivery service. I really liked the magic system and loved the side characters kids and animals that was in this book. It was super fun read and really loved the main character journey in this book and was not easy magical path and that was really fun to read. I really loved the quest element and it was such a charming read. Will def read book 2!!
Tessa Miyata Is No Hero is a magical story by acclaimed author Julie Abe, and it is the debut novel in a new middle-grade fantasy series featuring young heroine Tessa Miyata. With its engaging main characters and fresh, fantastic plot drawing on exciting Japanese history and mythology, the story is guaranteed to capture the imagination of readers, young and old alike.
Tessa is a vibrant, realistic, and likable character, much loved by her older sisters, Peyton and Cecilia, and grandparents. Like many middle-grade students, she is weathering a difficult school year as her former best friend abandons her for a more popular crowd. But a summer in Japan with her grandparents there changes her entire life and outlook. As Tessa and Jin battle an evil out to destroy Tokyo, they also struggle to overcome some inner demons. I appreciated that Tessa’s character is surrounded and supported by loving family members and that she sees and recognizes their love: not often the case in many middle-grade novels, which is nice for a change. She’s a loving and sympathetic character with the same fears most children her age experience, and she works to overcome them in spectacular fashion.
The Japanese setting is vivid and dramatic, mixing ancient and modern, a mortal city and a City of Legends. Wisps of culture and language are sprinkled throughout, with a quick explanation when needed, and these help anchor the story in time and place; there’s no mistaking the characters are anywhere but Japan. Early mentions of well-known areas and venues near Tokyo further establish the feeling of place.
From start to finish, the plot is non-stop action, with elements of fantasy appearing right away. Readers learn Tessa’s emotional backstory along the way as the story continues to move ahead without any expositional downtime. And, once she and her sisters are in Japan, the pace quickens even more.
The chapters are short enough for younger readers who need more frequent breaks; however, they frequently stop in the middle of a scene. I felt compelled to read on, and I think others will, too. The story would make a good read-aloud choice, and the cliffhanger chapter endings may have listeners clamoring for “just a little bit more.”
I recommend TESSA MIYATA IS NO HERO to middle-grade readers, especially those who enjoy fantasy adventures. While perfect for all genders, this may be a good selection for girls wanting a book featuring a young female action hero.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author or publisher through TBR and Beyond Book Tours.
Eva Evergreen's mother is one of only two Grand Master witches/wizards in their realm, but Eva herself has only "a pinch of magic," which manifested only recently, and she's about to go on her Novice Witch Quest to prove that she can earn the rank of Novice - if she can't, the Council will take her magic away. Eva loves magic and is desperate to keep it (even if it's only a pinch), and she's also good-hearted and devoted to "help your town, do good all around."
When Eva gets off the boat in Auteri, she finds support in older girl Rin, who works on the boat and agrees to be her Guardian. Rin is also the stern Mayor Taira's daughter, and Eva will do anything to get Mayor Taira to agree to sign off on her papers at the end of the month - but the mayor wants the impossible: defense against the Culling, a new phenomenon in the realm which takes the form of a terrifying storm.
Eva feels she isn't up to this task - a full team of full-grown witches and wizards wasn't enough to protect a town from the Culling last year - but she's going to do her best, and she starts by setting up a "semi-magical repair shop" and befriending young Davy, whose mother was a ship captain lost at sea, and Charlotte, an orphan who craves knowledge about her parents. Eva is also accompanied by a mischievous, dog-like flamefox.
Eva is under-confident about her magic, and while some people seek to tear her down (Grand Master Hayato and his nephew, Conroy; to some extent, Mayor Taira; Soma and other sailors), others (Rin, Davy, Charlotte, Eva's parents, Vaud of the flamefoxes, Ami at the flower shop) build her up, and she experiences true friendship for the first time. And, of course, she completes her quest and brings her signed apprentice papers back to the city just in time for an ominous new mystery to present itself...where ARE Davy's mom and Charlotte's parents, and what is Hayato planning in the north?
Alliana works at the inn of her step-mother, trying to repay an impossible debt after her birth parents have both passed away. She dreams of traveling beyond her small town to a place where witches and wizards train...not that she has an ounce of magic. When a herb-gathering outing takes her to the edge of the dangerous rift, beyond whose shield dangerous creatures live, she rescues a baby dragon. Amazingly, she can hear its thoughts. But then, she always has seemed to have a special way with animals. Others have noticed this, too, but Alliana never guessed it would bring a real witch to her doorstep. And she never guessed the witch would want her help to fulfill an important task. But to do so would mean leaving the inn and the evil step-mother, betraying the written wishes in the will of the only person Alliana adored. Plus, her debt needs to be paid, or she'll never truly be free.
While taking on a bit of the Cinderella tale, this story goes beyond that border and reaches in new directions, which don't require the Cinderella constraints at all. Still, there's a sweetness in seeing the parallels with Cinderella as Alliana works for her step-mother and struggles to go beyond her borders (many actually self-constructed). She's kind-hearted, sympathetic, and it's hard not to pity her situation, although the reader might not agree that she shouldn't just pack up and run away. When she does, finally, begin to head into adventure, she's a heroine to root for.
Friendships are a shining light as Alliana first has a relationship with her 'grandmother' and a baker's son, before developing one with the witch and more. The author knows how to build these and pack each relationship with the right amount of emotion and heart. The villains, on the other hand, were nasty and dislikable, and stand as a nice opposites to the friendships. Other characters, however, didn't get the same depth and felt more superficial as they weaved in and out of the plot.
While the world and story are very well done and kept me in the pages until the very end, I did expect a bit more magic and...well, dragons. While the dragons are there, they run as a lighter side-plot, which works fine and creates a wonderful read, too. A reader just shouldn't go into this one with the same dragon expectations, which are held in other, currently popular reads for this age group. Even the magic takes a lighter role than I expected, but it is a fun one, which adds a wonderful, whimsical touch. And let's not forget the pastries because those alone are like a dream, making the reader wish they could have a bite.
Summed up, this is a well done read, which holds the reader the entire way through. There's much to enjoy, and the tale flows more than smoothly...probably smoother than a true ride on a flying dragon would ever be. I do recommend it to fantasy fans and found it to be a lovely read.
I received an ARC from the publisher and enjoyed this fantasy world.
I Picked Up This Book Because: The cover was cute.
Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Netgalley
Dates Read: 7/22/22 - 7/26/22
Stars: 4
Narrator(s): Natalie Naudus
The Characters:
Ellie Kobata:
Jack Yasuda:
Lia, Cam, Remy, Parents
The Story:
This was a really cute and really interesting friends-to-enemies-to-lovers story. Jack and Ellie grew up the best of friends but after Jack's mother passes away something changes and all of the sudden Ellie is invisible to Jack and quite miserable until Lia comes along and befriends Ellie. Fast forward to the summer after their junior year of high school and prank gone awry now Lia is hurt/angry and Ellie is stuck on a road trip with her nemesis Jack.
Writing: This is my first book from this author and I loved her writing style. It is straightforward and unambiguous yet there was still the mystery of why Jack flipped on Ellie.
Forward Motion: The story progress was not overlong or rushed.
Overall Interest: I liked the characters from the beginning and became quickly invested in their story.
Length of Reading Time: Perfect.
Re-read-ability: Probably not but not because it is unworthy but more because I love where the story ended and I don’t feel it needs to be revisited.
The Random Thoughts:
Challenges:
#192025 Challenge - 2022
Goodreads Book Bingo 2022 - N3 - Free Space
this is probably a perfectly good teen romance, I'm just skipping it because I don't really feel like reading another friend/enemies/love story right now. Apparently (from what I gleaned in the first couple chapters) the girl's issue is that she feels invisible and wants to change herself to get a more enjoyable senior year.
I previously read one of the author’s other books, Eva Evergreen, Semi Magical Witch, and absolutely loved it. I was very excited to read this one since it acts as a prequel to the Eva Evergreen books. Unfortunately, I didn’t like this book as much as Eva Evergreen.
This is a Cinderella retelling and because of that, the book felt constrained plot wise. I didn’t feel as though the story benefitted from being a Cinderella retelling. If the book was just a regular middle grade fantasy without the Cinderella aspects, it still would have worked. I also felt that the book wasn’t as magical as Eva Evergreen. Eva Evergreen had a certain charm about it and I was hoping this book would too since it is set in the same universe.
Additionally, for a book with the word “dragons” in the title, it was light on the dragons. The book never seemed to fully explore the dragons and Alliana’s relationship with them. (Maybe this will come in a later book?)
Don’t get me wrong, I did like some things about the book. I enjoyed the supporting characters, especially Grandmother Mari and Nela. Each of them had such a special relationship and bond with Alliana that was heartwarming to see. I also liked the parts that did feature the dragons.
Overall, there were some things I liked about this and some things I had issues with. I hope there is a sequel to this book since there’s still more to explore with Alliana. If you are looking for a middle grade fantasy, I would say to give it a shot!
1: compared to Kiki's Delivery Service, and I think that comparison is very apt. It's totally charming -- Eva's having a hard time believing in herself and her pinch of magic, but she also finds ways to use that pinch of magic extremely well, and she has a true and generous heart. She's clever, she's kind and she's fun to adventure with.
2: The town, the setting, the adventures and misadventures are also great fun to read about and just the right level of sweet without cloying. Really, quite delightful.
Where it all goes wrong -- the huge challenge Eva has to overcome is protecting the town from a magical storm, complete with typhoon and tsunami. Definitely the sort of thing a heroine can prove herself on against all odds! However, the mayor of the town is constantly belittling her attempts to help, and when the storm comes to town is like: so, can you singlehandedly save the town from destruction? NO? Get lost, you're worthless. Also the fact that you are worthless makes my town more vulnerable, not less. Which is the dumbest plot point ever.
People, she's 12. She's in this town for 1 month to grow from being a brand-new witch to a novice witch. I feel like the mayor's reactions are so totally out of proportion to reality that it kinda killed the book for me.
I could totally see dismissal -- do you have anything to add? no? ok, well, the adults are going to focus on what we can do over here and you should go be out of the way with the other kids -- and that would be equally challenging, but in a far more realistic way. And then when she exceeds all expectations and finds a way to save the town, (because of course she does), that's a more realistic journey.
Also, none of the adults really object to this as being an unrealistic expectation, and I just stopped being able to believe in the story.
It's the first of a series, with clearly more stories to come. I honestly don't know if I will pick up more of the the books.
**edited to add** -- I did not realize that this is a debut book. I still stand by my feelings, because I feel what I feel. However, this is a strong start for a new author, and I am looking forward to seeing where the series goes from here.
But I felt this was flat. I finished the book, because I feel I owe it to the author when I've been selected to review, but it was hard for me to finish. It's a little clunky, some things were added for no reason, and I didn't really feel the chemistry between the two mains. This seems more like an older middle schooler type book than young adult.
I really wanted to like this, too. Cute summary and book cover.
Thank you for the the opportunity to read and review!
As an adult, I found the plot to be very predictable. The intended middle grade audience might find more surprise in the direction the plot goes, but I think it was pretty obvious where we were going with this story. This is not necessarily a bad thing: there can be something refreshing and comforting from a predictable plot. Also, the book ends on a light cliffhanger—book two is set up with a big hook instead of letting book one end with everything tied up. However, there is no immediate danger for Eva or her friends and family at the end of book one, so you could easily stop here if that's what you wanted. Also, book two is already out, so there no need to wait to continue the story.
While I enjoyed reading about Eva and the main cast of supporting characters, the minor side characters were, to me, the best part of this book. I loved Vaud and his flamefoxes, Ami and her flower shop, and the twins Trixie and Trina with their feud. They were what really made the world come alive.
This was the cutest book ever! Seriously. It was like a Studio Ghibli movie in book form.
First off, the world building in this book was incredible. I could easily picture the quaint seaside town of Auteri with all its little shops and its Festival of Lights. I wish it was a real place!
The characters were another highlight. They were all so lovable. I loved Eva’s friends, Davy and Charlotte. Watching their bond and friendship grow throughout the story was so heartwarming. The townspeople were also charming. I loved how they came together and helped Eva.
The book also had cute illustrations at the beginning of each chapter. The art style is similar to the cover art, very Japanese inspired. The pictures added to the whimsical nature of the book.
The only thing that this book needed was a map. The world wasn’t overly complicated that it needed a map to be comprehensible, but maps in fantasy books are always so helpful, so I prefer them.
Overall, this was a feel good, wholesome, witchy read, perfect for spooky season. Readers of all ages will love reading about Eva and her adventures. I can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel!
Plot Summary: Eva has just a fraction of the magic her mother has, but she wants nothing more than to keep her magic. So when the council threatens to take it away, she fights back with her knowledge of the rules. She earns the right to go on her novice quest, but she falls asleep after performing magic on the train ride to her town. Woken up by Rin at the end of the line, Eva is horrified to find out she may have slept through her magical ticket telling her which stop was for her. Rin encourages her to stay in Auteri, since they haven't had a witch in a very long time. The mayor and Eva aren't so sure she's the right witch for the job, but Eva is stubborn and realizes she can help people, even if she's not that powerful. Will she pass her novice quest and be able to keep her magic?
Setting: Fictional town of Auteri, a coastal city
Characters:
Eva Evergreen -
Rin - Eva's guardian in Auteri, doesn't get along with her mother because she loves to travel
Grottel - in charge of the council, conniving, mean, and tries to exclude Eva and take away her magic
Mayor Taira - wants a more experienced witch to help her town, loves her village fiercely
Charlotte - an orphan, takes care of all the littles in the orphanage including dinner and folding paper toys for them
Davy - lost his mother to the water and now his father spends hours mumbling and staring at the ocean
Recurring Themes: perseverance, friendship, desire, will, inner strength, bravery, magic, independence
Controversial Issues: none
Personal Thoughts: I really liked the overall plot and characters. They were brave, loyal, and supportive. However, I thought there was too much description sometimes and it moved a little slowly. I think the book could have been shorter with more editing.
Genre: fantasy
Pacing: slow -- too much description
Characters: well developed
Frame: I had a slightly hard time understanding the fantasy world
Storyline:
Activity:
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i think this book was a fun read and one that i think for middle grade readers is fast pace advnetue story steeped in mythology and also adventure. I loved the combo of the fantdsay elements and also the mordern elemenrs. I don't think i liked the characters as much as their previous books and did not feel that conncected to the story but it was quick read and i would def check out more books in this series!!