Mundie Moms

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Book Review-Stork

By Wendy Delsol
Published by Candlewick
Released on October 12th, 2010 TODAY
Source- Wendy Delsol/Candlewick
4.5 stars- I highly recommend it

When she moved from L.A. to north-of-nowhere Minnesota, sixteen year old Katla Leblanc expected the local fashion scene to be frozen in time. What she didn't expect was induction into the Icelandic Stork Society, an ancient order of women with the mystical ability to connect unborn children with the right mother. Not only is Katla the youngest member ever, but Hulda, the society's wise leader, immediately bestows the coveted Second Chair on her.

As if the business of should delivery weren't enough, Katla alos has her parents' divorce and a new hight school to deal with-not to mention a bad decision involving Wade, king of the social scene. But Katla isn't one to sit on her designer-jean-clad behind, and soon she's making new friends and writing the fashion column for the school paper.

Things would be looking up if it weren't for editor-in-chief and star quarterback, Jack. They have nothing in common and argue every time they meet, yet Katla is inexplicably drawn to Jack-as though he has a secret to share with her alone.

There's so much I want to rave about with Stork, but I will keep my review SPOILER FREE. I love this cover as it's the perfect portrayal for Stork's main character, Kat (Katla). If the cover isn't captivating enough, wait till you get into the page's of Stork. Wendy Delsol has done a beautiful job at bringing a unique, paranormal story with the right amount of romance to the YA scene.

Stork follows the story of Katla (Kat), who's recently left LA behind and moved to Minnesota with her mom. This beautiful, hip chic, with a stellar sense of fashion misses the warmer weather of CA and her father, and at first isn't warmly welcomed by her fellow classmates. She finds herself unexpectedly drawn to the high school quarter back who may or may not like her, as they didn't start off on the best foot. There's more to Jack, and this "sleepy, little, in the middle of no where" Minnesota town than frigid weather. Fate may have had a hand in bringing Kat here.

This is what makes Stork so unique- Kat is soon thrust into a magical world she had a hard time believing at first- The Icelandic Stork Society. Not only is Kat the youngest member to ever be welcomed into the society, but she has powers unlike anyone they've ever seen before. It's her ability to place an unborn child with the right mother and that's not as easy as it sounds. Kat and the council decide, but only after deciphering the dreams that Kat has. I was lured right into Kat's vivid dreams, which are full of hidden meanings and give Kat small glimpses of what's to come.

I was completely entranced by Wendy's beautifully detailed folklore, and history with the ancient Icelandic Society, which was told through Hulda, the society's wise leader. Hulda and the society's members have an air of mystery around them, which I liked, as Wendy throws in some wonderful twists with a few of her characters. Stork has a wonderful cast of real, believable characters. Kat is a strong, intelligent protagonist who's snarky comments had me laughing out loud at times. I was totally drawn to Jack. There's an air of mystery that surrounds him at first, but once I got to know him, I fell in love with his character. I really liked Kat and Jack's relationship. They don't hit it off at first, but both are so drawn to one another, that it made it that much more believable for me. They both have fiercely guarded secrets, but slowly open up to one another about.

I really enjoyed Stork. It's rich in history, detail, lore, romance and a very fulfilling paranormal read. I'm eagerly awaiting next year's release of Frost, Stork's sequel.

You can find out more about Stork by visiting Wendy's site here http://www.wendydelsol.com/

Author Interview with Sarah Beth Durst









To celebrate today's release of Enchanted Ivy, we invited Sarah Beth Durst to talk a little bit about her book.

What inspired you to use an Ivy League College, Princeton University for your setting?

I love Princeton. I went to college there, and I think it's a magical place. For one thing, it looks magic: you enter the campus through this arch of elm trees and you cross over a lake, and then you're in this labyrinth of twisty modern buildings and majestic gothic structures draped in ivy and wisteria...

For another, Princeton had a profound impact on who I am. Between the things I did, the friends I made, the classes I took... it shaped me. So it's a place that looms large in both my memory and imagination.

Also, it has gargoyles.

What can you tell us about your main character Lily?

Lily is smart, stubborn, and 100% devoted to her family. She thinks she's ordinary, but she has this resilient spirit that I love. She's persistent even in the face of impossible odds.

She also has a dream: she desperately wants to get into Princeton. She doesn't know that her dream comes with hidden nightmares.

If you could describe Enchanted Ivy in three words, what would they be?

Magic at Princeton.

Which of these mythologic creature gargoyles, were-tigers, and dragons, was the most fun to write?

Oh, how to choose!? That's like asking what's the most fun to eat: cheesecake, chocolate cake, or apple pie. I think I had the most fun with the dragon gargoyle because... well, DRAGON GARGOYLE. Seriously, how could that not be awesome to write about?

But I also loved writing about my were-tiger guy. Think I developed a bit of a crush on him.

What inspired you to write Enchanted Ivy?

Junior year of high school, I was obsessed with getting into college. It was all I talked about, all I thought about, pretty much all I cared about. College seemed to be this massive turning point in one's life. I knew it would shape who I became and what I did with the rest of my life. So I was utterly consumed with the pressure of making the "right" choice.

This novel grew out of that anxious and exciting time.

If you could spend the day with one of your favorite fictional characters, who would it be and why?

I'd choose the Fairy Godmother from Cinderella, but only if she'll let me use her magic wand. Always wanted a magic wand. Honestly, I think that's why I became a writer. When you write, you are trying to cast a spell. Just with a laptop instead of a sparkly stick.

Thank you so much for interviewing me!

Congratulations on Enchanted Ivy's release Sarah and thank you so much joining us today! You can find out more about Enchanted Ivy here http://www.sarahbethdurst.com/EnchantedIvy.htm and Click here to read the first chapter.

To find out more about Sarah's writing visit her site here http://www.sarahbethdurst.com/.

Twitter Tuesday - Julie Kagawa


You will have to click over to Julie's post to see these really incredible, awful and funny cakes. I'm still loving the Zombie Hello Kitty (watch out Grimalkin!) and the dragon one. They made me smile and, well yes, cringe as well.

Now on to the Really Important News! Yes, there's another The Iron Queen teaser up and this one features both Puck and *happy sigh* Ash...sparring, verbally. Go, go, go -- it's at the bottom of the post. Pssst, be sure to wish Julie a "Happy Birthday" in the Comments.

Happy Release Day To:


Today is a huge day for book releases!! I am so excited about all these releases. These are some highly recommended reads. Here's a small sample of what you'll find on book store shelves today.....


































































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