Spell Sweeper by Lee Edward Fodi

 

It's a new entry into the middle grade wizard category! Take a peek inside of Spell Sweeper by Lee Edward Fodi and read my take on it. Be sure to follow the tour for more. Best of luck entering the giveaway!

There's nothing magical about wizard school
. . . at least, not for Cara Moone.

Most wizard kids spend their days practicing spells and wielding wands, but Cara? She’s on the fast track to becoming a MOP (a.k.a. Magical Occurrence Purger). You see, when a real wizard casts a spell, it leaves behind a residue called spell dust—which, if not disposed of properly, can cause absolute chaos in the nonmagical world. It’s a MOP’s job to clean up the mess.

And no one makes more of a mess than Harlee Wu. Believed to be the Chosen One, destined to save the magical world, Harlee makes magic look easy. Which makes her Cara’s sworn nemesis. Or she would be, if she even knew Cara existed.

Then one of Harlee’s spells leaves something downright dangerous behind it: a rift in the fabric of magic itself. And when more rifts start to appear around the school, all in places Harlee has recently used magic, Cara is pretty sure the so-called “Chosen One” isn’t going to save the world. She’s going to destroy it.

It will take more than magic to clean up a mess this big. Fortunately, messes are kind of Cara’s thing.

Read an excerpt:

* * *

How magic works

(and why we have to clean it up)

* * *

In books and movies, wizards stroll around, flicking their wands, turning people into toads or zapping recalcitrant dragons into submission. In reality, it’s not that simple.

Magic is messy.

It’s like when you squeeze toothpaste onto your toothbrush—there’s always a bit that ends up on your brush handle, the counter, or dripping down your chin. Magic works the same way.

The first thing you learn in wizard school is that there is a Field of Magical Matter. When wizards want to perform a spell (or, if you want to get all official about it, a Magical Occurrence), they have to access the Field. Basically, they have to squeeze a giant magical toothpaste tube. And, like I said, it’s messy, always leaving something behind. We usually refer to it as spell dust, but it’s essentially leftover enchanted residue. How much depends on the Magical Occurrence. A wizard utters a simple spell? You just circle your broom around her feet and go for lunch. Someone magically relocates, let’s say for the sake of argument, a giant statue of the school’s founder? You better strap on your full spell sweeper kit because it’s going to be a loooong day.

But you do need to strap on the kit, because spell dust is definitely not the sort of thing you want to leave sitting around for very long. It causes ALL sorts of problems.

Buy Links

Harper Collins * Amazon

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**My thoughts**

I noticed a lot of echoes of Harry Potter right from the beginning. But Lee Edward Fodi adds in his own twists. I mean, have you ever heard of MOPs? I guess you would say it's essentially what Filch does, but these are kids who are still forced to clean up the magical messes of the actual wizards, even when they are good and happy spells. And the common perception of "The Chosen One" is kind of blown out of the water in this one.

Cara is also snarkier than you would have found in HP, which I appreciated as an adult. She does learn a lot and grows a lot as a person, so there are plenty of learning moments within. You get a balance between the heavy and the humor. It's another fun addition to the magical wizard genre.

I received a requested review copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lee Edward Födi is an author, illustrator, and specialized arts educator—or, as he likes to think of himself, a daydreaming expert. He is the author of several books for children, including The Secret of Zoone and the Kendra Kandlestar series. He is a co-founder of the Creative Writing for Children Society (CWC), a not-for-profit program that helps kids write their own books. He has the joy of leading workshops for kids in Canada, the US, Korea, China, Thailand, and other places here and there. Lee lives in Vancouver, where he shares a creative life with his wife Marcie and son Hiro.


Website: www.leefodi.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/leefodi

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorleeedwardfodi/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leefodi/

Lee Edward Födi will be awarding a Spell Sweeper prize pack: Hand-made miniature broom, hand-made magical creature egg, spell bottle, and bookmarks to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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Interview with Scott P. Southall, author of the Order of Time series

 

Today I'm bringing to you a middle grade fantasy series featuring fraternal twins who are complete opposites. You'll have an excerpt to read plus a chance to get to know author Scott P. Southall a little bit better as he tells us about himself and his Order of Time series. Be sure to follow the tour for even more. Best of luck in the giveaway!

*********************

About the Series

Picture two twelve-year-old fraternal twins who are like night and day. She is a smart and highly organised MMA fighter. He’s not a fighter, he’s a lover of history, art and Star Wars. Despite their differences they are one formidable team. Together Anastasia and Edward Upston travel through time and navigate ancient civilisations, angry gods and mythical monsters in their quest to protect the integrity of human history.

About The Order of Time

Anastasia and Edward Upston are eleven year old twins who are different in almost every way. Despite this they are inseparable and he best of friends. They tackle the highs and lows of sixth grade together whether they are fending off bullies at the elite Blake Academy or examining rare antiquities at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Then: life gets complicated.

They discover that their friend and mentor, Dr. Gregorian, is part of a secret society called the Order of Time. It turns out that time is not fixed, it’s a fluid continuum where changes to the past can create ripples all the way through to the present. It unwittingly falls to the twins to travel back through time to ancient Egypt where they must overcome deadly assassins, evil high priests and vengeful gods in order to prevent disaster. Together Anastasia and Edward must navigate all obstacles to preserve the past and find their way back home.

Read an excerpt:

The large, blue gem on the top of the scepter started to glow. It transformed from a light blue like the sky to a golden yellow. A beam of the golden yellow light leaped off the surface of the gem and shot straight into the clay pot. The previously dull mixture took on the color of the sun as its light shone from the ceramic container.

“Aten’s rays,” Anastasia said to herself in a mixture of both understanding and wonder. It’s like something from Harry Potter. It’s magic.

“Yes, child. Aten’s rays,” Akhenaten said with a smile.

Akhenaten parted the dead man’s lips and slowly poured the glowing liquid into his mouth. “By Aten’s will, I command you to return to the land of the living to answer my questions.”

Nothing happened at first. Then the dead man’s skin started to change, turning brighter and brighter until it glowed. It was as if sunshine were leaking out through his pores. The man’s eyelids opened to reveal two luminous, white eyes without pupils or irises. Salah grabbed Anastasia’s arm in fright, and she couldn’t help but gasp.

Then the dead man opened his mouth and spoke. “I am here as commanded, Pharaoh.” It was the same voice as when he was alive but empty and devoid of emotion. It was chilling.

Now available on Amazon

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About The Order of Time and Odin’s Door 

The orange light bathed the snow-covered fields as the fiery globe began to dip below the horizon. It was strange that something so beautiful could signal the arrival of something so evil. One thing twelve-year-old twins Anastasia and Edward Upston knew for sure was that when mortals were caught between two bickering gods nothing good would come of it. Surviving the Viking Age may be the hardest thing they ever do, if they can…

Preorder on Amazon

Arrives January 20, 2022

Q: Do you ever wish you were someone else? Who?

A: This is a great question. I’ve always been fascinated by history so the hardest part is having to pick just one person. If I do have to limit my pick to one person it would be Leonardo Di Vinci. There was nothing that man couldn’t do. He was an inventor, draughtsman, engineer, sculptor, theorist and painter.

“Hey Leo, can you theorize a machine that can fly?”

“Yeah, I got it.”

“Hey Leo, can you tell me how the human circulatory system works?”

“Sure thing.”

“Hey Leo, can you paint one of the most famous paintings ever?”

“No problem.”

He was the very definition of a renaissance man during a time in which the human race was advancing at an exponential pace.


Q: What did you do on your last birthday?

A: Unfortunately, we were three months into an extended covid lockdown in Sydney, Australia. Luckily, the State government had approved outdoor picnics a few days before my birthday so we were still able to have a wonderful picnic in the botanical gardens with views of the water, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Opera House. After being cooped up for three months it was just great to be able to get out and enjoy a meal and time together. Plus my kids love to feed and pet the long-finned eels in the ponds. It totally creeps my wife out.


Q: What part of the writing process do you dread?

A: It’s definitely receiving the first round of feedback from my editor. Writing, for me, is a very personal endeavour. You’ve poured so much of your heart and soul into the process that it’s hard not to be defensive and protective of what you have done. I find I really have to make an effort to open myself up to any constructive feedback so that I can move the story forward. I know it’s the only way for me to really hone the story but I still have to brace myself when I open the cover notes and edited file.


Q: Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

A: I am lucky that I don’t suffer from writer’s block. I think it’s because I don’t have as much time to write as I would like. Between my day job as a banker and my young kids there is not a lot of extra time. I typically write late at night when the rest of the house is asleep. By the time I get writing I usually have more things stored in my head than I have time or energy to type.


Q: Tell us about your latest release.

A: Picture two eleven-year-old fraternal twins who are like night and day. She is a smart and highly organised MMA fighter. He’s not a fighter, he’s a lover of history, art and Star Wars. Despite their differences they are one formidable team. Together Anastasia and Edward Upston travel through time and navigate ancient civilisations, angry gods and mythical monsters in their quest to protect the integrity of human history. This is essentially the premise for The Order of Time series.

In book one, The Order of Time, the twins discover that their friend and mentor Dr. G is a member of a secret society of time-travelling museum curators sworn to protect the integrity of history. The twins learn that time is a fluid continuum where changes in the past can disastrously alter the present. When Dr. G is ambushed at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History by the nefarious Corsairs they are forced to travel back to ancient Egypt. They must foil a plot between the Corsairs and Anubis to assassinate the Pharaoh in order to protect their own future.

In book two, Dr. G and the twins are summoned to the Order’s London headquarters. Dr. G must face charges for breaking Order rules by allowing the twins to time travel to ancient Egypt using the Order’s Refractium Crystal. Needless to say things again get complicated as the twins navigate the politics of the Order and are forced to face an entirely different set of people, gods and mythical beasts in the Viking Age.

Across both books in the series I try to weave my passion for history, archeology, and mythology into a single tapestry. My hope is that I have created a story with heart that educates without forgetting to laugh (a lot).

Scott is an American author and banking executive who lives in Sydney, Australia. He grew up in the suburbs of Washington D.C. and attended Georgetown University. While he loves his job as a global banker, his true passion is making up stories with his children. His debut novel, The Order of Time, reached #1 in its category on Amazon and was the 2021 Reader’s Favorite Gold Medal Winner in the Children’s – Mythology/Fairy Tale genre.


https://www.scottpsouthall.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-southall-6bab5a4/

https://www.instagram.com/scottsouthallauthor/

https://www.facebook.com/scott.southallauthor

https://twitter.com/SSouthallAuthor

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Follow the tour for more chances to win!

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Mansa's little Reminders: Scratching the surface of financial literacy by A.D. Williams & Kendal Fordham, illustrated by Taylor Bou

 

Mansa’s little Reminders is a book long overdue that highlights the life of an inner-city kid with big dreams but no direction, a strong and loving family with few resources. Mansa’s little Reminders introduces the fundamental strategies that can help bridge the financial literacy gap between the “haves” and the “have nots” in a way that is fun, relatable, and needed. Mansa’s little Reminders is the first of many fun-filled adventures of a young and curious boy named Mark and his wise furry companion, Mansa. 

Our journey begins on an unusually bright morning, with the sunshine piercing through Mark’s window, blinding him into reality. As he prepared himself for the hot summer day, he noticed a squirrel perched outside of his window. Mark did not know that Mansa had been watching him for a long time. You see, Mansa knew that Mark had the potential to change the path of his life, and he was going to do everything he could to give him the tools and encouragement needed to do so. Will Mansa be successful at helping to change the trajectory of Mark's life?

On Amazon

Kindle * Paperback

(affiliate links included)

About the authors:

A.D. Williams learned early on how powerful representation is in books. Ensuring that kids can see and feel success through the lens of characters that look and face many of the same challenges they do. When I was growing up no one talked about investing, wealth, business plans or how to acquire real wealth, said A.D. His underlying motivation is that this book will ignite discussions around finances in households across the world and be a seed that blossoms until wealth equity for our children. In addition to his writing, A.D. is a children hospital administrator, private investor, and entrepreneur.

Kendal Fordham grew up in a home brimming with financial literacy. Her father tried eagerly to engage all his children in economics, financial planning, and investing as children. Out of the three children, Kendal found it fascinating. Straight out of college, Kendal studied hard and became a fully licensed Financial Professional. A year later as a Dave Ramsey endorsed financial professional, she started her own business as a financial and investment advisor. It didn't take long for her to realize the value in her skillset, but after becoming a mother, Kendal saw how crucial it was to plant the seed of this knowledge into our youth. Kendal is the mother to 2 young children, a landlord, a multi business owner, a mentor, and now, an author.

I was compensated for sharing this post. I only share those books that I feel will be of interested to my readers. Get your book promoted via my children's book gigs on Fiverr.

Amberly and the Secret of the Fairy Warriors by Gina Vallance

 

Twelve-year-old Amberly doesn't quite fit in with all the other fairies in Whimsical Land. One of her wings is undersized and paralyzed and instead of flying she has to run and leap through the air with the help of a stick. It's awkward, it's no fun, and she sometimes gets bullied for it, too. Worse than that, her mother worries about her disability and won't let her take sword-fighting lessons with her sorcerer uncle. But Amberly's been reading a fascinating book, Secret of the Fairy Warriors, and it's given her a clue to where her father disappeared when she was a young fairy. If she doesn't learn how to be a fairy warrior, she'll never get the chance to rescue him. Dark forces are at work, though, and Amberly and her fairy-butterfly watcher Safflower fall through a magical portal to where everything's in dark and scary contrast to the brilliance and light of Whimsical Land. Someone she meets and what she does there will change her life forever. This middle-grade fantasy bursts with imagination and tucked into all the fun and adventure are unforgettable lessons on self-acceptance, personal-empowerment, and overcoming adversity.

Available on Amazon

Kindle * Paperback * Hardcover

(affiliate links included)

Gina Vallance has an AA degree in child development and a BA in English. She has worked as a preschool teacher and also as an art activity facilitator in a courthouse's children's waiting room. A childhood illness that sometimes left her marginalized and bullied was the inspiration for Amberly, a fairy who refuses to be sidelined by her disability. Gina works in Social Services in Los Angeles County and is happily married to her soulmate. They have a Shorkie dog named Emma, a Malshi dog named Raffaele, and two feline sisters named Belle and Jasmine. The next book in Gina's series, Onyx, is on the way.


Website: https://www.authorginavallance.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GinaVallance20

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gina_vallance_author/

I was compensated via Fiverr for sharing this post. I only share those books that I feel will be of interest to my readers.