Julie Abe

A magical story about being yourself and fighting for what and who you love.

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 show more 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. show less

I really liked this book -- really, really liked it -- up until the crisis point. So let me talk about what I liked and why I stopped liking it and you can draw your own conclusions.

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 show more 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. show less

I received a copy of this book for free as part of an Instagram book tour (Storygram Tours) I did to promote the book.

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, show more 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! show less

Hanukkah gift for L from Didi

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." show more

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? show less