Mundie Moms

Friday, March 11, 2011

Penguin Book News

WOW there's a lot of awesome book news today. This will be a long post, but so worth reading it! I am so excited about these upcoming releases!

Ally Condie revealed the cover to her sequel, CROSSED! Talk about an empowering cover!

It’s beautiful.

Perfect.

I love the way she has shattered the bubble and is breaking free. LOVE. It’s exactly what happens in this part of Cassia’s story.

And I love the color. (And yes, for those of you who asked, the green cover of MATCHED and the blue cover of CROSSED do represent the tablets, as well as other thematic elements in the books.)

The model, photographer, and designer are the same talented people who worked on MATCHED and I think they’ve done an incredible job.

Don’t you?

Oh, I can’t wait for November 1!

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Stephanie Perkins has revealed her new cover for Lola and the Boy Next Door, which will be released on Sept. 29th.I am so excited to dive back into Stephanie's books.

In this companion novel to Anna and the French Kiss, two teens discover that true love may be closer than they think.
For budding costume designer Lola Nolan, the more outrageous the outfit—more sparkly, more fun, more wild—the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins move back into the house next door.

When the family returns and Cricket—a gifted inventor and engineer—steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.
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Andrea Cremer revealed the covers to both the Nightshade and Wolfsbane's paperback covers (Nightshade pb will be available in June). I LOVE the hard copy covers, and I really like the new covers. I really like that both the hard and paperbacks have different covers. I think the new covers will appeal to readers who haven't yet picked up the series. Here's what Andrea-


















Penguin decided to try out a fresh take on NIGHTSHADE for the paperback release and I absolutely love it. I also loved the original cover, but I think the new cover truly embodies the novel and depicts Calla so perfectly. When I was first mulling over NIGHTSHADE I came across a poem by Margaret Atwood (one of my favorite authors)* and was struck by its first stanza:

Not you I fear, but that other

She who can walk through flesh

Queen of the two dimensions

These lines reflected the essence of Calla and were the inspiration for this new cover. I love it!

The response to the new NIGHTSHADE cover as it was previewed was so positive that Penguin has decided to makeover the series with this new theme. Squee!!! Thus I'm also able to share....

I am enthralled by how powerful Calla is in this image and the way she resembles a wolf silhouetted by the moon is exquisite. Calla would love this cover (as would Ren and Shay *cough*).

Book Review- Moon Spell (Part 1 in the Tale of Lunarmorte) & River Crest ( Part 2 in the Tale of Lunarmorte)

This past November I had the chance to review a debut book by Samantha Young called Lunarmorte, which I completely fell in love with. You can read my 5 star review here. RecentlyLunarmorte received a slight story make over, along with a new cover and a name change to Moon Spell. Along with it's recent release, today it's sequel, River Cast was released! I have had the chance to read and review both books.

Moon Spell, Part One In The Tale of Lunarmorte
Published by CreateSpace
Released on March 1st, 2011
Source- Book from the author to review
5 stars- I Really Enjoyed It

Existing in the shadows of our world are supernatural races; children blessed by the ancient Greek gods with unimaginable gifts, and at present they are fighting a two thousand year old war with one another.

The Midnight Coven, an alliance of dark magiks, faeries, and daemons born of black magik, believe that vampyres and lykans are lesser supernaturals and a threat to mankind.
The Daylight Coven, a confederate of light magiks, faeries, vampyres and lykans, believe in the equality of the races.

Into this war, seventeen year old Caia Ribeiro is born, a lykan with a heritage unlike any other. A heritage that, whether she wants it to or not, will put her into the ver heart of battle (quoted from Goodreads).

Just like the original book Lunarmorte, Moon Spell is a fantastic book filled with a richly detailed, engaging wolf mythology, and lore rooted in ancient Greek Mythology. This unique mix along with a cast of various paranormal characters really makes Sam's stories stand out in a YA market full of great paranormal characters and plots. The story's strong, feisty, independent heroine Caia, and swoon worthy protective alpha, Lucien add the perfect blend of chemistry, and romance to a story ripe with action, twists and a little bit of snark.

I absolutely love the wolves in the Lunarmorte series.This is one group of wolves I'd love to spend the day with and it wasn't hard to fall in love with them or their family dynamics. I liked that Sam allowed me to feel a connection to them through Caia's story. Caia not only has to learn both her lykan heritage and her magik powers, but she has to adjust to being surrounded by a large, loving, protective and at times fun loving pack. Not feeling like she belongs could be Caia's biggest down fall and it's what makes her so vulnerable to part of the story's plot.

Let me just say, Moon Spell doesn't have any shortage of action, character chemistry, and twists. There's a lot of great interaction with the pack both in their human and wolf forms, which I really enjoyed. Let's just say there's a great war brewing between the lykans & vampyres against the dark magik alliance with the deamons, faeries. I enjoyed Moon Spell just as much as I enjoyed Lunarmorte and I definitely recommend picking it up.

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River Cast, Part Two In The Tale of Lunarmorte
Published by Createspace
Released on March 9th, 2011
Source- Book from the author to review
5 stars- I Really Enjoyed It

The war is escalating.

Caia is caught between her loyalty to the Daylights and her new insight into the hearts of the Midnights.
Invited to train at the Centre under the tutelage of the Daylights, Caia and Lucien immerse themselves in the world of the Head of the Coven, Marita. With an upcoming battle hanging over their heads, Caia and her Alpha struggle to understand Marita’s vision for the future of the Coven, and withstand her manipulation and plans for them. Plans that are sure to separate Caia from Pack Errante; plans that inadvertently push Caia not only further away from Lucien, but from all Daylights.

Conflicted… Caia must choose a side in the war. And her choice may mean sacrificing all those she has come to love (quoted from Goodreads).

Darker twists and turns, and a continued sizzling chemistry between Caia and Lucien, make River Cast a fantastic sequel to Moon Spell.

River Cast continues were Moon Spell left off and now Caia is torn between her pack and embracing a different life with her magical powers. What I missed the most from Moon Spell was not having a lot of scenes with the pack, but Samantha delivers a new kind of action in the form of her magik world.

The twists and turns start when Caia goes to the Centre to learn how to handle her magik powers, she soon learns nothing is what it seems, even in her relationships with her friends, her pack and especially Lucien. FINALLY there was a scene with the Caia and Lucien that I've been waiting for since the beginning of the series. That's all I'll say about that (leaving it spoiler free).

Along with Caia and Lucien's relationship is the fun, humorous duo of Jaeden and Ryder. I absolutely loved how Samantha wove their story into River Crest and I really enjoyed getting to know them more. I think Samantha did a great job at engaging all the characters into the story and keeping the two unique relationships going. I liked that Jaeden and Ryder bring a different element to the story.

River Cast is a fantastic, spell binding story that's part dark and twisty and another part action packed with some sizzling romances. Not to out do herself with Moon Spell's cliff hanger, River Cast leaves me wanting the third installment in this fast paced, engaging series. Seriously, I love the mix of werewolves, witches and more! I definitely recommend picking up this series!

Blog Tour- Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler


Top 10: LOVE SONGS

Playing Hurt isn’t my first novel—A BLUE SO DARK was released by Flux in 2010. But Playing Hurt is my first romance. Since Playing Hurt is a love story, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the romance genre as a whole—all the different ways that love stories touch us. One of the most powerful ways I personally think that a love story can be delivered is through a song. So—in honor of my own first love story, I’ve compiled a list of ten heart-crushing love songs. Not exactly my TOP ten…I could never narrow it down to just ten. I’m not sure I could narrow it down to the top hundred…But if music really is the soundtrack of our lives, as Dick Clark is known to have said, this gives you a look into all the phases I’ve gone through, growing up and as a young adult:

1) “Mystery,” Indigo Girls. This song came out on the Indigo Girls’ SWAMP OPHELIA album when I was in high school. The lyrics are incredibly beautiful—and this remains one of my favorite songs to this day.

2) “If I Were A Boy,” Beyonce. This songwriter has definitely been there a time or—fifty. Proof that pop songs can be spine-chillingly insightful.

3) “Colder Weather,” Zac Brown Band. This song’s not only emotionally charged, but has a sense of place, of atmosphere—just like a good book.

4) “Your Song.” Elton John’s one of my all-time favorite musicians. I discovered him in junior high, and thought this was one of the sweetest things I’d ever heard.

5) “Time After Time,” Cyndi Lauper. Back in the 80’s, I used to dress up like Cyndi Lauper for Halloween. Not joking. This song also has great visuals—graying photographs, looking out of windows…

6) “One More Try.” I was a member of the George Michael fan club, back in the 80’s. (I still play “Faith” quite a bit when I play guitar…)

7) “Jack and Diane,” John Cougar. Some lines from songs can just kick you in the gut, they’re so true. Haven’t we all nodded at the line about how fast sixteen comes and goes? And, in the same vein:

8) “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” Crowded House. Didn’t pay any attention to this at all in the 80’s. But I heard it again on the radio a few years ago, and man, do these lyrics cut to the quick. Haven’t we all been guilty of trying so hard to get to the next place / phase of life that we forget to enjoy where we are?

9) “Night Moves,” Bob Seger. Some of those verses have me convinced that if a YA novel could be a song, this is what it would sound like.

10) Hair Band Ballads. I couldn’t just chose one. Just as some genres of writing really speak to an individual, so did the hair band ballad speak to me when I was in my early teens. I’m talking Motley Crew’s “Without You,” Faster Pussycat’s “House of Pain,” Damn Yankee’s “High Enough,” Skid Row’s “I Remember You,” Tesla’s “Love Song.” I could go on…believe me.

Bottom line, though? I think there’s much to be learned from a song, as far as writing goes. So much can be said so powerfully in a simple three-minute pop song…


Here's a little bit about Playing Hurt-

Star basketball player Chelsea "Nitro" Keyes had the promise of a full ride to college—and everyone's admiration back home. Then she took a horrible fall during senior year. Now a metal plate holds her together and she feels like a stranger in her own family.

That summer, Chelsea's dad hires Clint, a nineteen-year-old ex-hockey player and "boot camp" trainer, to work with her at a northern Minnesota lake resort. As they grow close, Chelsea finds that Clint's haunted by his own tragedy. Will their romance end up hurting them all over again—or finally heal their heartbreak?(quoted from Goodreads)

Thank you Holly for sharing your Top 10 Songs with us. Be sure to visit Holly at her sites here hollyschindler.com and hollyschindler.blogspot.com

You can read my 4 star review of Playing Hurt here

You can purchase Playing Hurt from-
Amazon
IndieBound
Barnes and Noble
Flux
Borders


Today we're excited to be giving away 1 copy of Playing Hurt! Please fill out the forum below to enter-

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