Mundie Moms

Saturday, March 6, 2010

In My Mailbox

hosted by The Story Siren
Since my picture didn't turn out with the contents of In My Mailbox, we're going to try something a little different this week.

Here's what we received for Review from publishers/authors:

*The Dead Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan (Knopf Delacorte Dell Young Readers Group/Random House Kids)
* Will be Released on March 9, 2010
I am reading this right now, and it's a MUST buy. It's a wonderful companion to The Forest of Hands and Teeth. I'll be posting my review tomorrow.

This is one of our Book Of the Months, and you can find our discussion forum TDTW on our Mundie Moms Forum. We also have links to Carrie's tour that kicks off this week. Carrie will also be doing a blog tour. On March 22nd, we'll be posting our Q&A we had with Carrie.



*White Cat by Holly Black (Simon and Schuster)
* To Be Released on May 4, 2010
This is definitely a MUST have. Whether you've read Holly's books before, or this will be your first time reading her books, make sure this book is on the top of your TBR list.

We are very excited to have Holly joining us with a joint chat with Sarah Rees Brennan in May. Thank you to Simon and Schuster, we will be hosting a giveaway for White Cat. We'll post more information on that next month.





*Inside Out by Maria V Snyder (Harlequin Teen)
* To Be Released on April 1, 2010
I am a huge Maria V Snyder fan. She has an amazing series called The Poison Study series, and a companion series called The Sea Glass series. I highly recommend this series. I'm very excited about her new release for her new YA series, Inside Out.

Come join us next month when we chat with Maria about her news series.






*The Baby-Sitters Club (from Scholastic)
* The Summer Before will be released April 1, 2010
I don't know about you guys, but this series was huge when I was in middle school and I loved it. Based on the series by Ann M Martin, The Baby-Sitters Club are being re-released with a whole new look, for a whole new generation. Scholastic is also releasing a brand new book in the series called, The Summer Before. I'm looking forward to sharing my reviews, which will be posted on our
Children's Book Review Blog.




*Vintage Veronica by Erika S Perl (from Alfred A. Knopf Inc.)
* Will be released on March 9, 2010
Looks like it will be a wonderful read for teens and adult alike.
I love the cover!









* The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (Harlequin Teen)
*Released February 1, 2010
One of our favorite reads for this year. We're excited to be hosting an ARC tour for it.





What amazing reads did you receive this week?

A Sneak Peek at Kay's TBR Shelf & Giveaway

A Sneak Peek at Kay’s TBR Shelf

As a YA author, it’s probably no surprise that I love to read. The problem is that reading often feels like a guilty pleasure. Yes, I need to stay abreast of what’s being published. And yes, I learn something new about plotting or character development or describing setting every time I read a new book. It’s part of my job as a writer to read.


But I’m an old corporate girl. I’m used to doing work that, you know, feels like work. Not something that feels like I’m playing hooky from work.

So this year, I’ve decided to take a new tack. My new approach to reading calms my guilt while simultaneously taking my own writing in new directions. My goal this year is to read more outside my comfort zone.


I’m a creature of habit. And I’m very much a homebody. When I read, I gravitate toward feel-good, uplifting books that leave me smiling and feeling better about the world. The Cinderella Society is my own version of that. Loving those types of books as I do, it’s only natural that I’d write them too.

But I also love other kinds of books. And having spent the last 16 months in the Tenners, I’ve been exposed to a wide range of fabulous books that really represent the broad spectrum that is today’s YA. They’ve inspired me to branch out even more in my reading and soak up all the YA goodness there is to be had.


So while I still snapped up Ally Carter’s Heist Society and Jen Calonita’s Broadway Lights the day they hit the shelves, here are a few of my latest additions to my TBR bookcase (formerly a single shelf, now almost an entire 5-shelf bookcase).I’m super excited to read these departures from my usual fare.


DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS by C.J. Omololu

I’ve been wanting to read this ever since I first heard about it. I adore clean-it-up-fix-it-up shows on HGTV (why, oh why, has Mission Organization gone away?). I’m generally super organized and can’t function well when my house or office is in chaos. When my surroundings are cluttered, my mind is cluttered. (Naturally, I’m a big feng shui advocate.) After reading the blurb for DLS, I was immediately mesmerized bythe world of hoarding. It’s both mind-boggling and heartbreaking. I can’t wait to dive into this and get a birds’ eye view of what it must be like to be a girl forced to live under those conditions against her will. It makes me want to give her a big hug just thinking about it.


LITTLE BROTHER by Cory Doctorow


I love conspiracy theory books and books that probe the gray areas of the Big Brother phenomenon. For me, this one is all about the underdog’s battle against all odds (and against technology which is another big fave of mine). I loved Enemy of the State and Live Free or Die Hard (Die Hard movies are the best!), so I know this one is going to be right up my alley.




NATION by Terry Pratchett

My brother is a huge Terry Pratchett fan, and I’ve always wanted to read a Pratchett book. But I’m really funny about series books (I have to start at the very beginning) and I’ve heard varying reports about which Discworld book I should reallystart with. So when this book came out, I knew it was going to be Kay’s first Pratchett adventure. I love survival books, especially ones that deal with not just the physical and emotional aspects but with the societal impacts of it as well. (I am truly shocked that I have never watched the show LOST. I think if I’d caught it that first season—again with my need to start at the beginning—I would be a huge LOST junkie.) Aaaanywho, I think Nation is going to be a huge win.


So those are just three of the gems on my TBR bookcase. What’s on yours? I LOVE talking books of all kinds, so let me know what you’re reading too. Recommendations encouraged!


And in celebration of the fabulousness that is Mundie Moms (I heart Mundie Moms!), I’ll be giving away a special Cinderella Society “glass slipper” bookmark to one lucky commenter.

Happy anniversary, Mundie Moms!


*This giveaway will end next Saturday, March 13 @ midnight CST*



The Cinderella Society is a must read. We throughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it. Here's a bit about TCS-

BOOK BLURB:

What a girl to do when the glass slipper fits, but she doesn't want to wear it anymore?

Sixteen year old Jess Parker has always been an outsider. So when she receives an invitation to join The Cinderella Society, a secret society of the most popular girls in school, it's like something out of a fairy tale. Swept up by the Cindys' magical world of makeovers, and catching the eye of her Prince Charming, Jess feels like she's finally found her chance to fit in.

Then the Wickeds--led by Jess's arch-enemy--begin targeting innocent girls in their war against the Cindys, and Jess discovers there's more to being a Cindy than reinventing yourself on the outside. She has unknowingly become part of a centuries-old battle of good vs. evil, and now the Cindys in charge need Jess for a mission that could change everything.

Overwhelmed, Jess wonders if The Cinderella Society made a mistake in choosing her. Is it a coincidence her new boyfriend doesn't want to be seen with her in public? And is this glamorous, secret life even what she wants, or will she risk her own happy ending to live up to the expectations of her new sisters?


AUTHOR BIO:

Kay Cassidy is the author of teen fiction she wishes was based on her real life. She is the founder of the national Great Scavenger Hunt ContestTMreading program for kids and teens and the host of the inspirational Living Your FiveTMweb project. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, movies, music, and reading. Lots and lots of reading. She hopes her debut YA novel, THE CINDERELLA SOCIETY (April 13, 2010 - Egmont), will help girls embrace their inner Cindy.

Labels