I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the SHINJI TAKAHASHI AND THE MARK OF THE COATL by Julie Kagawa Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About The Book:
Author: Julie Kagawa
Pub. Date: April 26, 2022
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook
Pages: 320
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible,
B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org, Libro.fm, Book Depository
*Please note - this post contains affiliate links, from which we may earn a commission (at no additional cost to you) if you make a purchase
Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl is the first book in a globe-trotting adventure that combines high-tech wizardry, old-world legends and a little bit of magic.
Shinji Takahashi is just an ordinary kid. An ordinary homeschooled smart-alecky
orphan kid being raised by his aunt Yui. But when a magical guardian decides to
use him as a conduit to awaken its power, Shinji’s life takes a turn for the
extraordinary. Captured by the menacing Hightower Corporation, which is bent on
using the guardian’s magic for its own nefarious purposes, Shinji must team up
with a brilliant young tech whiz named Lucy and her robot mouse, Tinker, to
escape the Corporation’s evil clutches.
Together Shinji and Lucy turn to the venerable Society of Explorers and
Adventurers and its ragtag cast of spelunkers, hackers, mapmakers, pilots, and
mythology experts (among other things) to return the guardian to its rightful
home and release Shinji from its magic—which seems to be draining his life
force. Time is ticking, the Hightower Corporation is hot on their tail, and
success or failure might depend on one small thing—Shinji finally coming around
to the belief that he is anything but ordinary.
Based on the Society of Explorers and Adventurers lore that exist across the Walt Disney Parks, Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl is the first book in an all-new action-adventure series that brings S.E.A. into the twenty-first century through a blend of science and magic, and a focus on two young characters on an epic journey through time and place.
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: ARC (Provided by Publisher and Rockstar Book Tours)
I've heard such good things about Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series, so I was excited to learn that she was releasing a new middle-grade book. Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl is such an exciting action-packed middle-grade read! It incorporates mythology from around the world, so it was an educational and entertaining experience.
I wasn't aware that there was a set of lore attached to the parks, so that was a pleasant surprise while reading. It’s a spin-off of the existing Society of Explorers and Adventurers stories, but it’s set in the present day. I'll have to check it out next time I'm visiting a Disney property. For those that aren’t familiar, some of the rides that are connected to S.E.A are Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Tower of Terror, Jungle Cruise, and Soaring: Fantastic Flight. As a die-hard Disney fan, it was amusing to hear the references to Disney without blatantly referencing Disney (i.e. the bad guys are headquartered in what is seemingly Tower of Terror, or something close to it). Other die-hard Disney fans will find lots of Easter eggs in this book!
The characters in this book are adorable, especially Tinker. The way they incorporated the mouse into the story was cool, especially the way that Lucy brought him to life through a mix of science and magic. I loved seeing Lucy and Shinji's friendship blossom over the course of the book. Aunt Yui and her job as a treasure hunter of sorts were cool too - who needs video games or history books when you have an aunt that takes you across the world, and you get to learn in the actual places that the history happened in as you go?
I’m a big fan of audiobooks, and I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook version of the book. Narrator Stephen Fu did a great job with his performance. His voice had a very whimsical, young tone to it that helped transport me into the action. I hope I get to listen to more books narrated by him in the future!
Overall, a fantastic middle-grade fantasy read with global mythology influences thrown in. If you or a young reader in your life enjoy Rick Riordan's books or the books from the Rick Riordan presents imprint, you should definitely give this one a chance! I highly enjoyed the read, and I look forward to picking up future installments in the Society of Explorers and Adventurers series (it's unclear if Julie Kagawa will be writing all of them, or if there will be multiple authors contributing).
Thank you to the author, Disney-Hyperion, and Jaime at Rockstar Book Tours for providing me with a complimentary review copy of the book. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl immensely. Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way.
About Julie Kagawa:
Julie Kagawa is the New York Times bestselling author of the Iron Fey, Blood of Eden, Talon, and Shadow of the Fox series. She was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel. She worked as a professional dog trainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full time. Julie now lives in North Carolina with her husband, two obnoxious cats, and a pair of Australian Shepherds that have more Instagram followers than she does. You can follow her on Instagram or Twitter @JKagawa or check out her website at juliekagawa.com.
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Giveaway Details:
1 winner will receive a finished copy of SHINJI TAKAHASHI AND THE MARK OF THE COATL, US Only.
a Rafflecopter giveawayTour Schedule:
Week One:
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4/1/2022 |
Excerpt |
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4/2/2022 |
Excerpt |
Week Two:
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4/3/2022 |
Review |
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4/4/2022 |
Excerpt/IG Post |
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4/5/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/6/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/7/2022 |
Review |
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4/8/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/9/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
Week Three:
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4/10/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/11/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/12/2022 |
Review |
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4/13/2022 |
Review |
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4/14/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/15/2022 |
Review |
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4/16/2022 |
Review |
Week Four:
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4/17/2022 |
Review |
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4/18/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/19/2022 |
Review |
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4/20/2022 |
Review |
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4/21/2022 |
Review |
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4/22/2022 |
Review |
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4/23/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
Week Five:
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4/24/2022 |
IG Spotlight |
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4/25/2022 |
Review/IG Post/TikTok Post |
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4/26/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/27/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/28/2022 |
Review |
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4/29/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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4/30/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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