Scan barcode
thisgayreads's review
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
5 / 5 ⭐️'ˢ
“Keynan Masters and the Peerless Magic Crew” By DaVaun Sanders
📕 Edition: Physical copy
In this enchanting adventure, Keynan Masters embarks on a quest to unlock his freestyling magic and uncover the mysteries of Peerless Academy. As readers, we're instantly drawn into Keynan's world, where he underestimates the Academy's potential, thinking it's just an art school. Little does he know that it holds the key to his abilities and the salvation of his home and family from impending storms.
The story is filled with whimsy, friendship, and the magic of self-discovery, making it a perfect read for young minds eager to explore the realms of fantasy. 🌈
What I truly appreciated was the camaraderie that developed between Keynan and his newfound friends. Their synergy in tackling the magical challenges and saving the school and the world is heartwarming. 🧙♂️📚
For parents and educators of middle-grade readers, this is a magical delight and a must read for kids who adore magical adventures. It's a captivating, well-crafted tale that keeps the imagination alive and sparks a sense of wonder. 🪄
Thank you @Bookishfirst, @DaVaunSanders and @Inkyardpress for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for my honest review.
stuff4bd's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This book is NOT a Harry Potter wannabe and once I Realized that I really enjoyed the book. Our main character Keynan switches from a home school program to attending a school for the arts. Of course the arts end up being a bit more complicated as magic is involved. One of the things that I liked about this was the focus on the importance of the arts. Although the main focus was on their purposes relating to magic there were plenty of other times that focused just on their beauty. I believe wholeheartedly that the arts have a lot to teach us and it was nice to see them appreciated and nurtured. The relationships in the book were a little slow to develop but this felt like a reflection of real life. Overall the greatest aspect of this book was the representation. Black students with their culture and interests were the primary focus of the book rather than being glimpsed in a secondary character. Representation matters and this book is a wonderful result. Thanks to BookishFirst for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
babsreads18's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Keynan is a kid who lives in a small neighborhood, removed from the rest of the world by violent storms. He’s invited to Peerless Academy, and though hesitant, decides to attend to find a way to stop the storms. Once there, the storms become more frequent and Keynan starts noticing strange occurrences.. He and his friends quickly discover that their world isn’t quite what it seems. Together, and with the help of a professor, they begin to understand and explore the magic that has been hidden from them.
I found the world building in this book really interesting. That said, I spent a lot of this book feeling a little bit confused. It felt like there were a lot of unanswered questions. Keynan’s character was really difficult for me to like since he was so insistent on doing everything himself. It didn’t feel like he really connected with his friends which was disappointing for me. It ended on a huge (and I mean HUGE) cliffhanger, setting things up for the next book.
I found the world building in this book really interesting. That said, I spent a lot of this book feeling a little bit confused. It felt like there were a lot of unanswered questions. Keynan’s character was really difficult for me to like since he was so insistent on doing everything himself. It didn’t feel like he really connected with his friends which was disappointing for me. It ended on a huge (and I mean HUGE) cliffhanger, setting things up for the next book.
cakt1991's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I’m loving the latest crop of diverse middle grade fantasy, and Keynan Masters and the Peerless Magic Crew is no different. It has a lot to offer, with a unique take on the “magic school” archetype. The setting itself is super interesting, from the storms threatening their home to intricate education system, on the surface being designed for those in creative fields, but from a rather draconian, restrictive lens, presents an excellent contradiction.
Keynan also is an interesting lead to explore all this through. He’s not always the most likable, being rather selfish and smug at times. And initially his tendency to break rules is seen as a bad thing. However, the story strikes a great balance between him learning and growing as he forms bonds with people, while also allowing him to ask the questions about what’s really going on that school’s staff aren’t telling the students.
There’s a lot going on, between the deceptively simple “school” stuff to the unraveling mystery around what’s going on with the storms. It’s more or less fast paced, keeping me engaged throughout with the consistent suspense. And while there are some answers given to the problem at hand, the book ends with a cliffhanger, setting up the next adventure.
This was a fun first-in-series, and I can’t wait for more. If you’re looking for a new middle grade fantasy-adventure, I’d recommend checking this out!
thebooknerdscorner's review
3.0
"Keynan Masters and the Peerless Magic Crew" was a fun middle grade novel that I enjoyed reading, though it wasn't my favorite. I found the world that Sanders created intriguing; it has a bit of a dystopian feel, which is refreshing for a children's fantasy read.
Keynan Masters is a boy who loves to rhyme more than anything in the world. He attends school on this online platform and helps out around his neighborhood. But his home, the Bizzy Block, is being threatened by dangerous storms. Keynan comes to believe that the only way to stop the storms is to go to the Peerless Academy for students who are gifted in the arts. Upon his arrival at the school, him and his friends start to notice mysterious happenings and begin to discover that the storms aren't actually storms. . .
I personally didn't love Keynan, which I feel was my biggest roadblock with this one. He is very selfish, not super loyal, and is quite petty most of the time. He is a young boy who is learning how to be more inclusive of his friends and to think before he leaps, so I'll cut him a little bit of slack. I think it's fun that Keynan loves poetry and spends much of his time perfecting his rhymes (even if they can be a bit cringey at times).
The setting was also neat. It's a boarding school for children who want to study the liberal arts such as dance, drawing, or writing. Oddly enough though, the dystopian-esque setting of this novel doesn't allow for spontaneous creativity/improv or the mixing of art forms, which is quite bizarre (but is eventually explained by the lore). This leads the students to attending classes where they have to memorize boring poems, repeatedly draw stick figures, and practice rigid dance moves.
The book was a tad bit predictable at times, but I did not see the ending coming at all. I never would have expected this book to end on a cliffhanger, and the way it ended completely shocked me. I'm not super invested in the story so the ending didn't destroy me, but I would still read the next addition to the series.
Overall, "Keynan Masters and the Peerless Magic Crew" was a quick, enjoyable read. It's been a while since I've read a middle grade fantasy, so it was a good palate refresher for me, especially since the tale lacked romance. I think this book has a similar aesthetic to the books in the Rick Riordan presents collection, so if you are a fan of those books, "Keynan Masters" is definitely worth checking out!
Keynan Masters is a boy who loves to rhyme more than anything in the world. He attends school on this online platform and helps out around his neighborhood. But his home, the Bizzy Block, is being threatened by dangerous storms. Keynan comes to believe that the only way to stop the storms is to go to the Peerless Academy for students who are gifted in the arts. Upon his arrival at the school, him and his friends start to notice mysterious happenings and begin to discover that the storms aren't actually storms. . .
I personally didn't love Keynan, which I feel was my biggest roadblock with this one. He is very selfish, not super loyal, and is quite petty most of the time. He is a young boy who is learning how to be more inclusive of his friends and to think before he leaps, so I'll cut him a little bit of slack. I think it's fun that Keynan loves poetry and spends much of his time perfecting his rhymes (even if they can be a bit cringey at times).
The setting was also neat. It's a boarding school for children who want to study the liberal arts such as dance, drawing, or writing. Oddly enough though, the dystopian-esque setting of this novel doesn't allow for spontaneous creativity/improv or the mixing of art forms, which is quite bizarre (but is eventually explained by the lore). This leads the students to attending classes where they have to memorize boring poems, repeatedly draw stick figures, and practice rigid dance moves.
The book was a tad bit predictable at times, but I did not see the ending coming at all. I never would have expected this book to end on a cliffhanger, and the way it ended completely shocked me. I'm not super invested in the story so the ending didn't destroy me, but I would still read the next addition to the series.
Overall, "Keynan Masters and the Peerless Magic Crew" was a quick, enjoyable read. It's been a while since I've read a middle grade fantasy, so it was a good palate refresher for me, especially since the tale lacked romance. I think this book has a similar aesthetic to the books in the Rick Riordan presents collection, so if you are a fan of those books, "Keynan Masters" is definitely worth checking out!
kellyjmac's review
4.0
I was given an ebook ARC of this book from Netgalley and Inkyard Press but the review below is all my own.
It took a little while for me to get into this book but it did come around after a bit. I found I was confused about the world it was set in for too long and wished there was some earlier explanations of the weird things that were happening. The fighting between Keynan the member’s of his crew felt forced at times and I agree with another reviewer that there were too many questions left unanswered. When we got more information about what the storms were and how the magic worked it became a lot more interesting and then I was hooked. There was a magical, almost Wonderland vibe to the breaks and I really loved how the arts were the key to dealing with it. I wish I could see what they were seeing because from the description it was pretty wild. I’m definitely interested to see where this is all heading since the end was quite the shocker and cliffhanger. I can see some of the unanswered questions that were left dangling really paying off in the future books.
It took a little while for me to get into this book but it did come around after a bit. I found I was confused about the world it was set in for too long and wished there was some earlier explanations of the weird things that were happening. The fighting between Keynan the member’s of his crew felt forced at times and I agree with another reviewer that there were too many questions left unanswered. When we got more information about what the storms were and how the magic worked it became a lot more interesting and then I was hooked. There was a magical, almost Wonderland vibe to the breaks and I really loved how the arts were the key to dealing with it. I wish I could see what they were seeing because from the description it was pretty wild. I’m definitely interested to see where this is all heading since the end was quite the shocker and cliffhanger. I can see some of the unanswered questions that were left dangling really paying off in the future books.
More...