Mundie Moms

Monday, February 22, 2010

Book Review-Captivate

By Carrie Jones
Published by Bloomsbury USA
Released January 5, 2010
Source: Bloomsbury USA
5 stars

Zara and her friends knew they hadn't solved the pixie problem for good. Far from it. The king's needs grow deeper every day he's stuck in captivity, while his control over his people gets weaker. It's made him vulnerable. And now there's a new king in town.

A turf war is imminent, since the new pixie king, Astley, is moving in quickly. Nick nearly killed him in the woods on day one, but Zara came to his rescue. Astley swears that he and Zara are destined to be together, that he's one of the good guys. Nick isn't buying it, though Zara isn't as sure -- despite herself, she wants to trust the new king. But it's a lot more than her relationship with Nick that is at stake. It's her life -- and his. (goodreads)

I hadn't read Need yet when I received Captivate from the publisher, but had both books on my to read list and was dying to read them both. Once I picked up Need, I couldn't put it down and was eager to read how the story continued in Captivate. I read both books in the same day, as I became so engaged in these 5 star reads. I love the world in which Carrie Jones has created with fairies and shifters in a modern day setting. I really like her characters that I have connected with them on some level.

Captivate left me wanting more! I'm dying to read rest of story in book three. Carrie Jones took the story in a completely different direction that I thought. I loved the twist that she threw in. It completely captivated me and I literally found myself sucked into the book. She has done a brilliant job of leading into book three.

Zara continues to be a very strong character. With her father missing and the faeries on the lose, growing more and more violent, her beloved Nick gone, her Grams and friends being threatened, she does what she feels is their only hope in saving them. Spoiler free, so you'll have to read it to find out what she does. What will it end up costing her? That is something I'm looking forward to find out in the next book.

I really like the new characters that are introduced, Cassidy and Astley. While I was a little worried about what Cassidy's character would do with Is and Devyn's relationship, in the end I really liked her. I liked that through out the book Carrie had me very suspicious of her. Astley's character leaves me wanting to know more. Is he good or is he bad? It's hard to tell. While he's the one that triggers some changes in Zara, and wants her to trust him, she's not the only one wondering which side he's on. He can be on either side, as there's a air of mystery around him. I do love that he can match Zara's snarkiness.

I love Nick and Zara. I loved their story in Need, but even more so in Captivate, as we get to see them grow more together. Both of them will do anything to save each other, but with the end of Captivate, I'm hoping that what Zara has done to save Nick will be enough. Their chemistry is amazing through both books.

Carrie Jones has done a wonderful job at writing a twisty, captivating, great series. I recommend reading Captivate, and Need if you haven't already.

City of Glass Sweeps The Smoochies


Two of The Tenners authors, Heidi R. Kling and Josh Berk, put together a fun contest called The Smoochies for "devoted appreciators of romance in YA".

When the results were tallied, Cassandra Clare's City of Glass won First Place for Best Otherwordly Kiss: Alec and Magnus and Best Realistic Kiss: Clary and Jace. City of Glass also placed second in the category of Best Overall Kiss: Clary and Jace.

For more of the contest results and to watch a hysterical Awards Ceremony video, click here. Also be sure to check out Heidi R. Kling's SEA (available on June 10th) and Josh Berk's The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin (on sale now).

Mundane Monday #22

.... Jace, on the other hand, looked like the sort of boy who'd come over to your house and burn it down for kicks. "I like the dress," he said, unhitching himself from the wall. His eyes ran and up down her lazily, like the stroking paws of a cat. "It needs a little something extra, though."

"So now you're a fashion expert?" Her voice came out unevenly- he was standing very close to her, close enough that she could feel the warmth of him, smell the faint burned scent of newly applied Marks.

He took something out of his jacket and handed it to her. It was a long thin dagger in a leather sheath. The hilt of the dagger was set with a single red stone carved in the shape of a rose.
..... She slid the dagger into the outside pocket of her backpack.

She looked up from closing it to find Jace watching her through hooded eyes. "And one last thing," he said. He reached over and pulled the sparkling pins out of her hair, so that it fell in warm and heavy curls down her neck. The sensation of hair tickling her bare skin was unfamiliar and oddly pleasant.

"Much better," he said, and she thought this time that maybe his voice was slightly uneven too.
-City Of Bones, Jace & Clary pages 213-214


We want to add to the awesomeness of this Monday. We thought we'd have a Mundane Monday give away to go with the yummy cupcakes that our friend Myra treated us with *see post and picture below*.

We're giving away a MI necklace, from our friend Heather (with Fire & Ice), along with a signed book mark from Anastasia Hopcus ( CoG book NOT included).

All you have to do is leave us a comment with your favorite line or quote from the MI series and be a forum member or blog follower to win. Please be sure to leave us a valid email address so we contact you. This give away will run until Friday Feb. 26th, midnight CST. The winner will be announced on Saturday on our blog, and will be drawn using random.org.



We just might use your quote submission for our Mundane Mondays. :)
*** The contest is now closed!!*** Thank you for all your entries.***We will post the winner shortly***

Birthday Cupcakes

I am so happy the Mundie Moms asked me to help celebrate their birthday, and not just because I like cupcakes and a party.


But because I love the Mundie Moms.


You never think an email will strike up a friendship, but it’s happened to me more than once. I met one of my dearest friends this way - another grown girl who liked YA paranormal romance (one series specifically) and wasn’t afraid to admit it or be silly about it.**


Since then, I’ve made a lot of friends who enjoy YA paranormal romance, from the Twilight series to The Mortal Instruments. My love of reading YA prompted me to write it and a new, wonderful world unfolded right in front of my eyes. I’ve made connections on so many levels – as a fan, as a reader, as a creator – and all of these connections have enriched my life. Given me joy.


Sometimes the world feels big and scary and a little tough to take all on my own, especially when it comes to the writing process. Sometimes I wish I could escape. It was on One of Those Days that I got all kinds of crazy on Twitter and suggested that perhaps I should build a fort where we could all hide out. The suggestion went over like hot fudge on vanilla ice cream (whipped cream and a cherry on top) so I built a virtual fort of sorts, for my virtual friends.


And magically, in the midst of fort building and frivolity, I connected with Mundie Moms Sophie and Katie and we became friends. Not simply virtual friends, but what I would consider Real Life Friends.


They have been a blessing and a boon. They’ve made me laugh on days when I didn’t think I had any laughter left. They’ve celebrated joys and shared sorrows. Even before The Fort, they were among the first to call me “author” after my book deal with Egmont USA was announced.


I’ve watched them work tirelessly for the YA lit community. Interviews, chats, reviews, giveaways – it’s endless, and endlessly beneficial to all of us. They are our cheerleaders simply because they love what we do. They share in the joy of the creation, as well as in the sampling and devouring of the finished product.


(And about friendship via email - they might even occasionally send me one, with say, a picture of Robert Pattinson or Kellan Lutz, or maybe even BinBons, just to brighten my day. Not that that has anything to do with anything. *coughs* Back to regularly scheduled programming.)


So to celebrate the Mundie Moms and their birthday month, I’d like to do a few things.


1. I’m giving away a prize pack of Egmont USA ARC’s to one commenter. Titles are CANDOR by Pam Bachorz, STEALING DEATH by Janet Lee Carey and WISH YOU WERE DEAD by Todd Strasser.


2. I’m also giving away a cupcake prize pack to another commenter. Because birthdays = cupcakes. This includes a cupcake candle, cupcake stationary, a cupcake notepad, cupcake pencils … you get the idea.


3. And finally, to The Made of Awesomesauce Mundie Moms Katie and Sophie, I present these:




Enjoy ladies. You deserve it.


Share the love for these two in the comments, people.


Because when it comes right down to it, at the end of the day, it’s all about sharing the love.


**For example, see Edward on a Stick.


*the contest will end on Sunday March 7, 2010*

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