Acquired Book By: I started to notice I was receiving quite a few enquiries on my blog the last few months – in respect, to authors reaching out to me directly about reviewing their novels and one publicity firm I hadn’t worked with in the past as well. Ms Chan was the first author I responded back positively towards because of the note she attached to her query and how much the story itself resonated with me as a reader. I appreciate writers and/or publicists who take the time to look over my blog and know if their story and/or characters will be a good fit for me as a reader. I knew from what she shared with me; this particular story would be right up my street so to speak.
I received a complimentary copy of “The Legendary Mo Seto” direct from the author A.Y. Chan in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Why this particular story impressed me and why I wanted to read it:
I have had a long-held fascination and interest in Martial Arts – from the days wherein I practiced and trained in Tai Chi Chaun to the hours I’ve spent watching television series and/or movies which had a focus on Martial Arts, too. It isn’t often I find a writer who will put those elements into their stories or a grounding presence of Martial Arts as an important part of their character(s) lives, too. From that aspect of the novel, I was fully hooked and invested in curiosity to read the story! I wanted to know more about Mo Seto right away and find out what fuelled her passion for not just the practice of learning Martial Arts but the competitive side of her character as well.
However, there was a hint of a hidden secret history about her family and that out of her own courage to pursue the truth, she would find a lot to be revealled. From that angle of it, I was most intrigued, too. The last time I saw a story cleverly hide a family history secret was when I was watching the first season of Ms. Marvel and it truly captured my imagination. I need to follow-up with that series and see if they produced a second series, but I wasn’t sure if they would as the lead character was showcased in the film The Marvels.
The fact this novel was written for a Middle Grade audience also was well timed for me to read it – as I’ve been wanting to re-focus more on my readerly interests in both MG Lit and YA Lit – especially over the course of Summer. I had this idea to focus on YA Reads over Summer for quite a few years but either the intensity of storms (ie. severe lightning) would kick me offline or life would interfere, and I’d lose the hours to read the stories themselves – something always seemed to distract me from my efforts every Summer, until now. Mostly as our weather patterns are changing and the storms seem to be coming closer to the end of Summer than at the start of it, too.
I also love finding new heroines and heroes to champion in Middle Grade – especially when I find a book for MG Readers which is lovingly written for an MG Audience and isn’t writ too adult or with inclusions which would make it more Upper YA than Middle Grade. That seems to be the case a lot of the times these days in publishing and that is why I love celebrating writers who still keep the innocence and the adventure alive and well for the audience in which they are writing for rather than rushing ahead with more adult themes or content that isn’t always (I feel) suited for that audience. We all have to grow up eventually but sometimes I think we forget that there is something special and beautiful about still allowing kids to have wicked fun with their imaginations with stories that don’t have to make them feel like they need to hasten their own journey into adulthood.
The Legendary Mo Seto
by A.Y. Chan
Source: Direct from Author
Mo Seto, martial arts movie star! Has a nice ring to it doesn’t it? If only there wasn’t 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… Join Mo on an adventure (and audition) of a lifetime and find out if powerful things really do come in small packages!
Places to find the book:
ISBN: 9781665937320
Also by this author: The Legendary Mo Seto
on 4th June, 2024
Format: Hardcover Edition
Pages: 320
Published by: Aladdin Books (an imprint of Simon & Schuster)
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The Legendary Mo Seto