Mundie Moms

Friday, December 30, 2011

2011 Mundie Moms Favorites: Author Interviews #3


It's day 13 of our 2011 Mundie Moms Favorites, and today I'm exited to share my last mini interview series post that was done with some of our favorite authors from this year. It's been a lot of fun doing these interviews and I want send out a huge THANK YOU to each of the authors who graciously took time to answer my questions. You can read each of my author interview posts here: Favorite Author Interviews #1 | Favorite Author Interviews #2


If you could go back and give your aspiring author self one piece of advice, what would that be?

Saundra Mitchell (The Vespertine):

"It's always going to be hard to do the exposition. You will always be wrecked by it. Once you make it past, you'll be fine. Just realize that struggle is never going away; stop being surprised every time it's hard to get started!"


Kimberly Derting (The Pledge & Desires of the Dead):

I would tell myself to recognize the signs that it's time to give up on that one (dead) manuscript and work on something new. I was that writer that thought my first work was brilliant, that it should be published and hailed by millions. It shouldn't have been, which was why it was rejected. Repeatedly. But instead of starting something new, I got stuck on it, and kept revising it and re-submitting it. I spent years on it. Years that I should have been writing new books.

It wasn't until I (finally) gave up on that first manuscript, that I discovered I had better stories to tell…and better writing in me.

As it turns out, that book was just really good practice!


Ally Condie (CROSSED):

I would tell myself not to worry so much about my terrible first drafts. I loved writing them and the joy of writing is always so pure in that first round when the book belongs to you and the characters--but when I'd get done and re-read, I would think, "Good grief, this is AWFUL." I've since learned that other authors feel that way too about their drafts and that it's okay to have a LOT of cleanup to do after that first attempt!


Tera Lynn Childs (Sweet Venom):

Write more. When I think back to all the time I spent worrying about getting published, staying published, and promotion and marketing, I kind of cringe. In hindsight those were countless hours I could have spent writing more books or novellas or short stories or even blog posts and becoming a better writer. I believe that everything happens in its own time and at its own pace, but writing leads to better writing. I wish I had written more from the start. Then all those other things I wasted time worrying about would have fallen into place faster.


Lisa T Bergren (The River of Time Series):

Give yourself time. There's hardly any endeavor that makes one an "overnight success," and for most writers, success is years in the making; just keep at it, one book at a time.


Thank you to Saundra Mitchell, Kimberly Derting, Ally Condie, Tera Lynn Childs, and Lisa T Bergren for stopping by today!

2011 Mundie Moms Favorites: Middle Grade Reads


With the end of 2011 being tomorrow, I wanted to save our last two posts for our all time favorites of 2011. Today's post is my 2011 Favorite Middle Grade Reads. For those of you that don't know, I also have a children's book review blog, Mundie Kids. You can find all of our middle grade and children's book reviews on there. Some of my favorite reviews from there are also spot lighted here on Mundie Moms.

This year there I had the privilege of reading a number of fantastic middle grade releases! I narrowed my list down to my Top 11 Favorite Middle Grade Reads to:

  1. The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens
  2. Wildwood by Colin Meloy
  3. Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
  4. The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann
  5. Liesel & Po by Lauren Oliver
  6. The Secret War by Matt Myklusch
  7. The Familiars, Secrets of the Crown by Adam Jay Epstein & Andrea Jacobson
  8. Nicholas ST. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King by William Joyce & Laure Geringer
  9. Kat the Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis
  10. A True Princess by Diane Zahler
  11. Vordak The Incomprehensible Rule the School
Other favorites:

These are only a small number of fabulous reads I recommend picking up. You can read/see all of our children/tweens reviews here on Mundie Kids. What were some of your favorite middle grade reads this year?

2012- Twilight Moms 100 Book Reading Challenge


I LOVE this challenge! This is my 4th year taken part in the Twilight Moms (now Eve's Fan Garden) reading challenge. I love being challenged and last year was one of those wow years in reading for me. While I highly doubt I'll read 282 books like I read last year, I'm looking forward to hopefully hitting 150.

Here's my list of 2012 reads which includes all YA and MG that are over 100 pages:
  1. Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony & Rodrigo Corral *I'm not counting this towards my reads, but I'm still listing it*
  2. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E Smith
  3. Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala
  4. Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler
  5. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
  6. The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams
  7. A Million Suns by Beth Revis
  8. INCARNATE by Jodi Meadows
  9. Tempest by Julie Cross
  10. The Childe by C.A. Kunz
  11. Dark Days by C.A. Kunz
  12. Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
  13. Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
  14. Forbidden by Syrie James & Ryan M James
  15. Untraceable by S.R. Johannes
  16. Between by Mary Ting
  17. The Deadlies: Spiders on the Case by Kathryn Lasky
  18. The Book of Wonders by Jasmine Richards *MK
  19. Tales of a Sixth Grade Muppet by Kirk Scroggs *MG
  20. Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey
  21. The Edumacation of Jay Baker by Jay Clark
  22. Dust City of Robert Paul Weston
  23. Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos
  24. Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale
  25. Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Alison Moutlon
  26. Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne
  27. Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
  28. Fairy Lies by E.D. Baker *MG
  29. Dead To You by Lisa McMann
  30. The Wood Queen by Karen Mahoney
  31. The Boy on Cinnamon Street by Phoebe Stone *MG
  32. The Diary of Emma Simpson, When Will This Cruel War Be Over (Dear America Series) by Barry Denenberg *MG
  33. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
  34. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
  35. Princess of the Wild Swans by Diane Zahler *MG
  36. Winterling by Sarah Prineas *MG
  37. SCARLET by A.C. Gaughen
  38. Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey
  39. FIRE by Kristen Cashore
  40. Standing in the Light, The Diary of Catharine Carey Logan (Dear America Series) by Mary Pope Osborne *MG
  41. Fracture by Megan Miranda
  42. The Secret of Spruce Knoll by Heather McCorkle
  43. Haunted by Joy Preble
  44. EMBRACE by Jessica Shirivington
  45. Bewitching by Alex Flinn
  46. The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong
  47. PERCEPTION by Kim Harrington
  48. Latasha and the little red Tornado by Michael Scotto *MG
  49. PARTIALS by Dan Wells
  50. My Soul To Take by Rachel Vincent
  51. A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink
  52. Shooting Stars by Allison Rushby
  53. Balthazar by Claudia Gray
  54. LOSS by Jackie Morse Kessler
  55. The Pregnancy Project by Gaby Rodriguez
  56. Zero to Hero (Ghost Buddy series) by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver *MG
  57. The Humming Room by Ellen Potter *MG
  58. The Moon Over High Street by Natalie Babbitt *MG
  59. Dear Hound by Jill Murphy *MG
  60. Eye of the Storm by Kate Messner *MG
  61. The False Prince by Jennifer A Nielsen *MG
  62. Medusa The Mean by Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams *MG
  63. The Savage Grace by Bree Despain
  64. Starters by Lissa Price
  65. Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig
  66. Bourne by Lisa T Bergren
  67. Immortal City by Scott Speer
  68. A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies
  69. Cross My Heart & Hope To Spy by Ally Carter
  70. I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You by Ally Carter
  71. Ripper by Amy Carole Reeves
  72. Emerald City by Alicia K Leppert
  73. Take A Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg
  74. Pure by Jennifer Armentrout
  75. Black Heart by Holly Black
  76. Destined by Aprilynne Pike
  77. Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
  78. The Springsweet by Saundra Mitchell
  79. Seeing Cinderella by Jenny Lundquist
  80. Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross
  81. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate *MG
  82. Until I Die by Amy Plum
  83. In Honor by Jessi Kirby
  84. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
  85. Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins
  86. Keep Holding On by Susane Colasanti
  87. The Hero's Guiding for Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy *MG
  88. Wrecked by Anna Davies
  89. Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock
  90. Talisman of El by Alecia Stone
  91. Surrender by Elana Johnson
  92. Changeling by Philippa Gregory
  93. Tua and the Elephant by R.P. Harris *MG
  94. Jake and Lily by Jerry Spinelli *MG
  95. Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter
  96. Eden by Keary Taylor
  97. DREAMLESS by Josephine Angelini
  98. City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
  99. The Survivors by Amanda Havard
  100. Point of Origin by Amanda Havard
  101. Tempest Unleashed by Tracy Deebs
  102. Darkness Before Dawn by J.A. London
  103. ARISE by Tara Hudson
  104. Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen
  105. Of Poseidon by Anna Banks
  106. Timepiece by Myra McEntire
  107. Transcendence by C.J. Omololu
  108. Amplified by Tara Kelly
  109. Ghosts in the Fog by Samantha Seiple *MG
  110. Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden
  111. Fated by Alyson Noel
  112. The Classroom by Robin Mellom *MG
  113. Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel
  114. Burn Mark by Laura Powell
  115. The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams
  116. Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost
  117. The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting
  118. Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
  119. Just for Fins by Tera Lynn Childs
  120. Once by Anna Carey
  121. The Temptation by Alisa Valdes
  122. Mothership by Martin Leicht and Isa Neal
  123. A Discover of Witches by Deborah Harkness
  124. Fall from Grace by Charles Benoit
  125. Endlessley by Kiersten White
  126. A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger
  127. I Am NOT the Walrus by Ed Briant
  128. Rift by Andrea Cremer
  129. The Forsaken by Lisa M Stasse
  130. The Vindico by Wesley King
  131. Survive by Alex Morel
  132. Skylark by Meagan Spooner
  133. Innocent Darkness by Suzanne Lazear
  134. Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
  135. Anastasia Forever by Joy Preble
  136. 52 Reasons to Hate My Father by Jessica Brody
  137. Onyx by Jennifer Armentrout
  138. The Raft by S.A. Bodeen
  139. Princess Academy: Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale *MG
  140. Auracle by Gina Rosati
  141. Defiance by C.J. Redwine
  142. Hidden by Sophie Jordan
  143. Origin by Jessica Khoury
  144. The Unwanteds: Island of Silence
  145. Madhattan Mystery by John J Bonk *MG
  146. Heroes in Training by Johan Holub & Suzanne Williams *MG
  147. The End of Infinity by Matt Myklusch *MG
  148. The Boxcar Children Beginning by Patricia MacLachlan *MG
  149. Whatever After: Fairest of All by Sarah Mlynowski *MG
  150. Heirs of Prophecy by Michael A Rothman *MG
  151. Tools of Prophecy by Michael A Rothman *MG
  152. The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin *MG
  153. Goddess Girls: Super Special by Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams *MG
  154. Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr
  155. Quarantine: the Losers by Lex Thomas
  156. Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan
  157. Promised by Caragh M. O'Brien
  158. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
  159. Brightest Kind of Darkness by P.T. Michelle
  160. Anew by Chelsea Fine
  161. Entice by Jessica Shirvington
  162. Keeper of the Lost Gates by Shannon  Messenger
  163. Breathe by Sarah Crossan
  164. Not Your Average Fairy Tale by Chantete Sedgwick
  165. Sanctum by Sarah Fine
  166. Who I Kissed by Janet Gutler
  167. A Fractured Light by Jocelyn Davies
  168. Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally
  169. Invisible Inkling by Emily Jenkins *MG
  170. The Splinders by Lauren Oliver *MG
  171. The Infinity Ring by James Dashner
  172. The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski
  173. Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone
  174. The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long
  175. Burning Blue by Paul Griffin
  176. The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa
  177. The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
  178. Ask the Passengers by A.S. King
  179. The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel Graphic Novel
  180. I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga
  181. Ten by Gretchen McNeil
  182. Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake
  183. Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
  184. Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick
  185. Easy by Tammara Webber
  186. Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill
  187. Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor
  188. Renegade by J.A. Souders
  189. Deity by Jennifer L. Armentrout
  190. Silver by Talia Vance
  191. Valkyrie Rising by Ingrid Paulson
  192. Reached by Ally Condie
  193. Dance of Shadows by Yelena Black
  194. Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson
  195. Sweet Shadows by Tera Lynn Childs
  196. Glass Heart by Amy Garvey
  197. Team Human by Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan
  198. The Torn Wing by Kiki Hamilton
  199. The Mephisto Kiss by Trinity Faegen
  200. Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes
  201. Touched by Corinne Jackson
  202. Greta and The Goblin King by Chloe Jacobs
  203. Henry the Horrid by Francesca Simon *MG
  204. Big Nate by Lincoln Pierce *MG
  205. Here Where the Sunbeams Are Green by Helen Phillips *MG
  206. Dark Lord by Dirk Lloyd *MG
  207. Libby of High Hopes by Elise Primavera *MG
  208. Stupid Perfect World by Scott Westerfeld
  209. Cruisin' by Sarah Mlynowski
  210. Radiant by Cynthia Hand
  211. Breathless by Sophie Jordan
  212. Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay
  213. Romeo Redeemed by Stacey Jay
  214. The Dark Light by Sara Walsh
  215. The Farm by Emily McKay
  216. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
  217. Dust Lands by Moira Young
  218. Splintered by A.G. Howard
  219. The Marked by Inara Scott
  220. Crash by Lisa McMann
Goal exceeded. This does not include 100 pg books and less or picture books. 

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