Mundie Moms

In My Mailbox #108

2012-01-28T13:19:00.025-06:00

Happy Weekend!! I hope you guys are all having a great Saturday. In My Mailbox is a weekly feature hosted by The Story Siren where bloggers share what they received for review, bought, traded, were gifted etc. Here's what arrived this week in my mailbox:

For Review:

* Black Heart by Holly Black, published by Margaret K. McElderry, to be released on 4/3/12, ** this will be featured as a giveaway next month in the MM's 3 yr Birthday Bash

* Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen, published by Bloomsbury Teen, to be released on 2/14/12

* Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey, published by Bloomsbury Teen, released on 1/17/12, reviewed here

* Fracture by Megan Miranda, published by Bloomsbury Teen, released on 1/17/12

* In Darkness by Nick Lake, published by Bloomsbury Teen, released on 1/15/12

* Fairy Lies by E.D. Baker, published by Bloomsbury Teen, to be released on 2/14/12

* The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams, published by Bloomsbury Teen, released on 1/3/12, reviewed here

* The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe, published by Disney Hyperion, released on 1/24/12

Not picture, Until I Die by Amy Plum, published by Harper Teen, to be released on 5/8/12, **this is on my second ARC and I will be giving it away next month as part of my MM 3rd Birthday Bash

* The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison, published by Egmont USA, to be released on 2/14/12

* Everything You Need To Survive The Apocalypse by Lucas Klauss, published by Simon Pulse, released on 1/3/12

* Vesper by Jeff Sampson, published by Balzer & Bray, released on 1/25/11

* Havoc by Jeff Sampson, published by Balzer & Bray, released on 1/24/12

* Trafficked by Kim Purcell, published by Viking, to be released on 2/16/12

* The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Cordova, published by Source Books, to be released on 5/1/12

* Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin & Lisa Brown, published by Source Books, released on 5/1/10, reviewed here

* Cloaked by Alex Flinn, published by Harper Teen, paperback edition to be released on 2/14/12

* Bewitching by Alex Flinn, published by Harper Teen, to be released on 2/14/12

* The Miseducation of Cameron Post, published by Balzar & Bray, to be released on 2/1/12

Mundie Kids:

* Revenge, Jason Steed by Mark A Cooper, published by Source Books, to be released on 3/1/12

* The Cupcake Club: Peace, Love and Cupcakes by Sheryl Berk & Carrie Berk, published by Source Books, to be released on 4/5/12

* Horrid Henry and the Zombie Vampire by Tony Ross, published by Source Books, to be released on 4/12

* Hapenny Magick by Jennifer Carson, published by Pugalicouspress, released on 11/13/11

Mundie Kids: these will be all be featured at the beginning of Feb. on Mundie Kids.

* Isabella Girl on the Go by Jennifer Fosberry, published by Sourebooks, to be released on 2/1/12

* Just Because You're Mine by Sally Lloyd-Jones, published by Harper Collins Childrens, released on 12/27/11

* Love, Splat by Rob Scotton, published by Harper Collins Childrens

* Hugs from Pearl by Paul Schmid, published by Harper Collins Childrens, 11/22/11

* Plant a Kiss by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, published by Harper Collins Childrens, released on 12/27/12

* Hedgehug by Benn Sutton, published by Harper Collins Childrens, released on 12/1/11

* Pinkalicious, Pink of Hearts by Victoria Kann, published by Harper Collins Childrens, released on 11/22/11

* Amelia Bedelia's First Valentine by Herman Parish, published by Harper Collins Childrens

* You by Stephen Michael King, published by Harper Collins Childrens, released on 4/11

* When My Baby Dreams by Adele Enersen, published by Harper Collins Childrens, released on 1/3/12

Bought:

* The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Anglebreger, from ALA, signed for my son

* Fallen in Love by Lauren Kate

Thank you: Harper Teen, Balzar & Bray, Bloomsbury Teen, Source Books, Simon & Schuster, Deb Shapiro, Disney Hyperion, Jennifer Carson, and Viking for this week's awesome reads.

What goodies did you receive this week?

Flash black Friday: Dust City by Robert Paul Westin

2012-01-27T11:51:00.010-06:00

Flashback Friday is a meme I started last year here on the blog for the sole purpose of spotlighting books that have been sitting on my shelf to read for awhile. This will include titles released the previous year and ones that have been out for a few years. Today's feature is for a book that's been on list to read since 2010 and thank you HD from Reading Writing & Breathing I recently received Dust City in a trade with him.

By: Robert Paul Westin

Published by: Razorbill

Released on: September 30th, 2010

Source: trade

3.5 stars: It's A Good Read

Purchase from: Penguin | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Read an Excerpt

Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?

His son, that's who.

Ever since his father's arrest for the murder of Little Red Riding Hood, teen wolf Henry Whelp has kept a low profile in a Home for Wayward Wolves . . . until a murder at the Home leads Henry to believe his father may have been framed.

Now, with the help of his kleptomaniac roommate, Jack, and a daring she-wolf named Fiona, Henry will have to venture deep into the heart of Dust City: a rundown, gritty metropolis where fairydust is craved by everyone-and controlled by a dangerous mob of Water Nixies and their crime boss leader, Skinner.

Can Henry solve the mystery of his family's sinister past? Or, like his father before him, is he destined for life as a big bad wolf? - quoted from Goodreads

It's not often I've come across a YA read that captures the same feeling that the Grimm's Brother's do in their fairy tales for children, but Robert Paul Weston does just that with Dust City. This enticing story is not at all what I had expected it to be, and I loved that Robert's fairy tale characters are the same ones I knew from my children's fairy tale books. The difference is the characters are older and they live in a darker, more sinister world. If you wanted to know about the "Big Bad Wolf", well now you get to. This story is told from his son's point of view that pieces together what went wrong at Little Red's Grandma's house and is mixed in with a thrilling murder mystery that's embedded with all sorts of danger and a major crime spree.

Robert Paul Westin has done a fabulous job at creating a fairy tale story for YA readers. The story line is brilliant, the feel of the book is a perfect match for the story, and the characters are just as you would except them to be. This book definitely kept me on my toes. There's plenty of mystery, action and betrayal, and it didn't take me long to get wrapped up into everything that was happening. Henry, the main character has a voice that's so fitting for the way the story is told. He's real, he's snarky and he's on a mission to find out who framed his father, where all the fairies went and what's in the tainted fairy dust that's destroying the city and it's residents.

This is definitely unlike any other YA book I've read and it's one I'd definitely recommend to fans of the Grimm Brother's fairytales, wolf fans and fans who love a thrilling paranormal crime story. This story does have a few darker moments that may not be for everyone. I think this is a read that older YA readers may enjoy more.

ALA Mid Winter 2012 Re-Cap

2012-01-27T07:27:00.041-06:00

Warning, this post will be a little long, but there's so much to talk about from ALA! This past weekend was such a blast! This was my first time attending ALA, and I hope I'll be able to attend a few more. ALA weekend involved a lot of laughs, tons of book talk, getting to meet some awesome people and really just a lot of fun.

My weekend was complete when I FINALLY got to meet two of my favorite people that I've talked with for the past couple of years- Chrissy Noh and Carolyn with Simon & Schuster!!!! I won't even mention all the fan girliness (I'm not sure if that's even a word) that took place at the S&S booth. I seriously love these two and it was so wonderful to finally talk to them and meet them in person.

I might have also gone a little fan girly on Katherine Tegen, from Katherine Tegen Books. It was such a pleasure to meet her. The sign I'm holding is a joke that author Bettina Restrepo made, because a group of us where totally blown away that we got to meet the person behind Katherine Tegen books, which is an imprint of Harper Teen. She is so lovely.

Another highlight from this weekend was having lunch and meeting Kellie with Walden Pond Press. I adore her and it was so wonderful to finally meet her in person and have lunch together!

Aside from my high lights above, it was so much fun being able to meet and hang out with fellow bloggers.

The weekend kicked off with a big dinner with over 70 bloggers, authors and publishers getting together. Jen w/ I Read Banned Books did an awesome job with putting this together.

Below is: YA Bliss, Stacy w/ Girls in the Stacks, Jen w/ Book & A Latte , Amy & Andye with Reading Teen, Nancy w/ Girls in the Stacks, myself, Yara w/ Once Upon a Twilight.

I had so much fun! It was the best of both worlds getting to hang out with friends all weekend and doing book related stuff.

The best part of the whole night involves my EMBARRASSING moment! So... I thought I was standing behind a friend of mine (this is someone I've known for a few years), keep in mind the place is dimly lit and extremely crowded. I hadn't seen her in awhile so I jokingly hit her on the butt, um yeah, that was NOT my said friend. *go ahead and I laugh, because I about died*. Luckily Megan, my new friend (pictured above) has a great sense of humor, because we're both still laughing about it. The best part of my embarrassing moment, I now have a new friend. I'm still mortified I even did that....

Left to Right: Myself, Amy & Andye from Reading Teen, Yara from Once Upon a Twilight & Nancy from Girls in the Stacks. No, we weren't just acting like 12 yr old girls right before the picture was taken....

Pictured below: Includes the same group of girls, along with Stacy from Girls in the Stacks & Jen from.

I seriously LOVE these girls! It was so much fun being able to finally hang out together. They made the weekend unforgettable!

There's a quite a few bloggers I loved getting to meet whom I've talked with a lot on twitter, blogger and facebook. My only regret is I didn't get a picture with all of them. *waves to you guys* Some of my fav were meeting Melina from Reading Vacation & HD from Reading, Writing & Breathing, Hafash from IceyBooks, and Katie (the other Katieb) from Katie's Book Blog. Stacy & I got a picture w/ HD-

You are NEVER TOO OLD for the Muppets! Girls in the Stacks, Jen w/ Book & A Latte, myself & Ginger w/ GReads

This weekend ended with a fun girls night w/ Girls in the Stacks, Reading Teen, Book & A Latte & Kelsey w/ Reading or Breathing. THANK YOU to Stacy for a great weekend!!

Me w/ Amy & Andye from Reading Teen @ Stacy's house

Honestly, this weekend was such a blast! It was like a never ending girls night complete with meeting new friends, talking with publisher friends, attending publisher events and getting to talk about books. Thank you to everyone who made this an unforgettable weekend!

** I do have some things to giveaway from ALA, some things I've donated to a book drive I'm c0-hosting and the others will be featured in Mundie Moms Birthday Bash next month! I'll give you a teaser, there will be an ARC of Destined by Aprilynne Pike, an ARC of Fracture, and an ARC of BLACK HEART by Holly Black!!

Recent TMI Movie News & Other Things

2012-01-27T05:13:00.000-06:00

If you follow TMI movie screenwriter, Marlene King on Twitter, you may be jumping around with excitement like we are over her recent tweets: “I'm sorry. I've said as much as I can. More news soon I promise.” Followed by, “I think I have done you proud. TMI is "The Mortal Instruments". Amazing book series by @Cassieclare I have adapted as a movie. So excited for you all to see!”

See what I mean about excitement. I for one would rather wait to have this movie come out if they did it right. Getting the movie right is far more important than pushing to get the movie filmed and released.

In other news:

City of Fallen Angels was the most quoted book on Good Reads in 2011!! Cassie recently joked on tumblr that, that was do to ‘Love Explosions.” We think it has to do with her awesome writing!

What's one of your favorite lines from City of Fallen Angels?

What do you think of the recent movie tweets? Would you rather have the script be spot on with the book, or do you want a rushed movie? I know we're all anxious to see it on the big screen.

Book Review: The Edumacation of Jay Baker

2012-01-26T11:51:00.008-06:00

By: Jay Clark

Published by: MacMillan

To Be Released on: January 31st, 2012

Source: ARC from publisher to review

3.5 stars: It's A Good Read

Pre-Order from: MacMillan | Amazon

A few “sexy” bullet points about Jay: • He is in love with a cheerleader named Cameo “Appearance” Parnell • He is forever losing “Love-15” to tennis-playing goddess Caroline Richardson • He rocks a touché array of pop-culture references, jokes, and puns • His family-life cookie is about to crumble. Live vicariously through Jay as he faces off against his mortal enemy, gets awkward around his dream girl(s), loses his marbles in a Bermudian love triangle, watches his parents’ relationship implode, and, finally, learns to get real and be himself(ish) -quoted from Goodreads

If you're looking for a good, laugh out loud read pick up Jay Clark's debut book! Jay Baker is hilarious. There were times he had me laughing out loud and other teams I felt so sorry for him, but before I could teary eyed for all he's dealing with he says something funny that makes me start laughing again. He's a typical teenager who deals with a lot, his first love, a great best friend, a broken home and a bully. Normally I'd feel horrible for Jay, I mean I did, but his snarky and down right hilarious comments he makes to deal with all that goes around him had me laughing at moments I didn't even except to laugh out. For most of the book I found his sarcastic ways charming, and some of his best lines were used towards the bully he deals with in the story.

Jay does a lot of stuff and says a lot of things I felt were very realistic for a typical teenage guy. I felt his character was very believable and may even be relatable to some. Jay Clark did an awesome job at giving his character a true to life teenage voice, which is one of the things that made me like this book. That doesn't mean I agreed with everything Jay says or does, but there's something about what he does through out the story that makes him so enduring. The other person I enjoyed was Jay's sister. They both dish it to each other like all normal siblings do, but they're both also there for each other when the other needs it. I won't even get on the topic of Jay's mother... that women irritated so much.

Jay's writing is fresh, it's surprising, and it's real. I enjoyed the way he tells Jay's story and how he allowed me to get to know his characters. I don't remember the last time I laughed out loud so often while reading a book. His debut is a solid read, and I even enjoyed the surprise ending. I have to say, I didn't see it ending the way it did. The only compliant I have, and this is going to show my age, is all the teen lingo, but I'm "old" and definitely not in the 12-18 yrs old range (even though I may at times act like it). This is definitely a read the targeted age range will love, which is 13-18 yrs old. As I said above, this is a good read, and it's one I recommend to YA readers who are looking for a good contemporary book from a male teen's pov.

Don't miss our interview with Jay & enter for your chance to win a published copy of The Edumacation of Jay Baker HERE.

Interview with the Edumacation of Jay Baker author, Jay Clark

2012-01-26T07:09:00.001-06:00

Today I'm thrilled to introduce you guys to debut author, Jay Clark, who's debut the Edumacation of Jay Baker will be released on the 31st of this month.

How would you describe The Edumacation of Jay Baker in three words or less?

Juno for dudes.

What inspired you to write Jay's story?

Well, I took a long, hard look into my iPhone camera and said, "Dang, son, instead of having a quarter-life crisis, you should go back in time and write a book about yourself as an awkward teenager." Then I went back to my cubicle and proceeded to crank that baby out on my then-employer's dime, becoming best friends with the minimize button in the process. For real, though? I wanted to write a book that actually reeked of high school (in a good way). In my opinion, it’s hard to dredge up that kind of nostalgia when one’s characters are dealing with the END OF THE WORLD as they know it, which seems to be the case in a lot of YA books lately (no offense, though, because I’ve taken many of these page-turners to the face).

What's one thing you have in common with your character, Jay Baker?

Jay Clark and Jay Baker are both persistent little buggers. Jay Clark is particularly annoying. He keeps telling me that I need more Twitter followers and Facebook fans and better reviews, and I’m like, “Can’t you see I’m trying to space out in front of the TV, b-hole?” It’s never enough with him. I attempted to smooth out this characteristic for Jay Baker just a smidge—make sure his ambition to get things right wouldn’t rub people the wrong way. But I’m not a genie in a bottle, baby, so who knows if I polished enough.

What was one "must have" thing you needed while writing your book?

My fiancé, Caroline. A.k.a. the keeper of my sanity, my go-to, my babychowpow-mookatow. I think every writer needs that one special victim to bounce his/her worst ideas off of, and C-line plays the role beautifully. It doesn’t hurt that she’s the most beautiful being on the planet, either. She’s too nice to tell me when I’m missing the mark by a mile, but I’m familiar enough with her facial expressions to know when it’s revision time.

What's one piece of advice you'd give to aspiring authors?

Write. Every day. Even if it's crap incarnate. Even if you must resort to typing into your Evernote app at a boring office meeting (not that I've ever done such a thing). Even if you’d rather have a colonoscopy. Writing is fun about three percent of the time; the other ninety-seven percent you’ll want to stab yourself. Oh, and don’t stab yourself. Almost forgot that part.

**********

Thank you for stopping by today Jay and thank you to MacMillan for making this interview possible.

Be sure to follow Jay on his facebook page

Pre-Order The Edumacation of Jay Baker via MacMillan | Amazon

Thank you to MacMillan, I have one copy of Jay's upcoming release to GIVEAWAY!

To enter, please fill out the form below:

-this is open to US residents only

- you must be 13 yrs & older (if under a parent/guardian's permission to enter is required)

- this giveaway will end on 2/10/12

Stop back by later today to read my review!

Thoughtful Thursday- Book Reviews, Blogging & More

2012-01-26T05:40:00.004-06:00

For today's feature I thought I'd take a moment a publicly answer some questions I often answer on email or else where. Today's questions are about blogging, reviews, my chats and more. Though I've gone back and forth about saying anything about the sixth question, I felt now was as good as any to take a moment and answer these questions.

Why Do I Review?

This is a great question. Simply, because I love to talk about books. I started my book blog so I could publicly talk about books and refer books to others who might not have other wised picked it up. I mean, that's not the entire reason why I started the Mundie Moms blog, but that was a HUGE part of it. The other part my reasoning was to keep fans of Cassie's books up to date with series, news and such. I wanted a place to come and promote books, host live author chats, run other promotions which is why I ventured out and created the Mundie Moms blog. I admit I spend far more time than I should on my blog, but I'm passionate about this hobby of mine, and I'm passionate about reading. Reading to me is empowering. I love that I'm able to spread the word about books via my blog. So my short answer is, I review because I love reading, I love books and I love to talk about books with others.

Do I Love What I Do?

Yes, I love what I do. I don't ever see myself falling out of love with reading. I've always loved reading, it's something I fell in love with in grade school, but the moment I stop loving what I do on my blog, is the moment I stop blogging. If it's not fun, why do it?

What Have Advice Do I Have for Bloggers?

My advice is, DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, it's your blog. You'll find a ton of great advice out there from other bloggers, but you don't need to apply everything you read to your blog. Be creative, be you. Do what feels right to you. I think your blog should be a reflection of you. Just because other bloggers are doing something, doesn't mean you should. There are a lot of great memes out there, and if you like some of them do them, if memes aren't your thing don't do them. Don't let what other bloggers do or have discourage you from blogging.

My other advice is to not become envious of other bloggers. I personally spend a ton of time on my blog. It took me a long while to really build my blog up to what I envisioned it to be, and I'm still wanting to change more things to get how I want it to be. I worked hard to establish myself by building up relationships with publishers and authors, as well as bloggers. It takes awhile to build trust with people, but slowly but surely it will happen. Just keep doing what you're doing. It's okay to do your own thing, in fact, I love blogs who do just that. They take ideas and put their own creative spin on things. Have fun, don't be afraid to do your own thing, and enjoy it.

What's One Thing I've Learned From Blogging?

I enjoy promoting the books I read, but I've learned over the last 3 years that if I don't like it, it's okay to stop reading it and it's okay to not post a review for it. I learned that that hard way. I used to think I had to read every book that was sent to me, leaving me no time to read the books I wanted to read. I learned it's okay to say NO. It's also okay to say no to review requests, though I feel bad doing so. I'm a wife, a mother and I have other responsibilities outside of blogging. It's impossible for me to fulfill every request I get and fulfill the commitments I've already made.

Do I Get Paid To Review?

haha, I wish I earned a living doing this, but no, I don't get paid. I do not make any money off my blog. Everything that I do is completely out of pocket. Hopefully I'll be able to start bringing in a little bit when I start posting blogger ads.

What Do I Think of the Recent Blogger/Author Drama?

I have really gone back and forth on answer this question, because I'm seriously a little stunned there's even drama going on. Yes, I've read some horrid things on Goodreads, and I've heard from a ton of blogger friends about the recent rash of things that have been said, and honestly I'm wondering where the respect went.... I feel there is no need for anyone to bash each other. There's no need for a reviewer to personally bash an author and there's no need for an author to personally bash a reviewer. So what if you don't like a certain book. It's okay to not like it. I've read plenty that I didn't love and a ton that I did love. I think reviewers cross the line when they become disrespectful towards an author because they didn't like their writing, as in name calling, personally attacking them etc. The same goes for an author who rips into a reviewer for not liking their book. Not everyone is going to enjoy their writing, and it's naive of an author who thinks other wise. There's a ton more that can be said about this, but I think the bottom line is it only takes a few bad eggs to ruin it for a lot of people.

Are all reviewers and authors hateful and rude? Not at all! I think the more time that's spent dwelling on the negativity surrounding a lack of respect that's going on, on both sides, the more the negativity is going to come out. There are a ton of fabulous reviewers who continue to support authors and love what they do. There's a ton of authors who continue to give their support to reviewers. I personally think Maggie Stiefvater said it best in her post about this here.

Who Runs Your Author Chats?

This is definitely a tag team effort, and the few times I've done it by myself were a little chaotic behind the scenes. I run the chat itself and my friend Cynthia who runs A Blog About Nothing, and whom also reviewed for MM's for a bit helps me sort through the questions, and Sophie does the tweeting for the event. There's more to it than that, but honestly without their help and the system we have in place, there's no way I could run a successful chat. I often times have other bloggers offer to help me with them, which I really appreciate it, but I've learned that it works best to keep up with the system I have, because the three of us all know what to do, and what the other people are doing. I hope that makes sense.

I'll post more questions I've received in a future post about my blog tours, more questions about blogging and any other questions I get. Thank you for all the great questions!

Book Review: Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey

2012-01-25T11:19:00.010-06:00

By: Alyxandra Harvey

Published by: Bloomsbury Teen

Released on: January 17th, 2012

Source: Book from publisher to review

4 stars: I Really Enjoyed It

Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

For seventeen years, Eloise Hart had no idea the world of Faery even existed. Now she has been abducted and trapped in the Rath of Lord Strahan, King of Faery. Strahan was only meant to rule for seven years, as Faery tradition dictates, and then give up his crown to another. But he won't comply, and now chaos threatens both worlds.

The only one who can break his stranglehold on the Faery court is his wife. . . Eloise's aunt Antonia. Using Eloise to lure Antonia, Strahan captures his wife, desperate to end the only threat to his reign. Now Eloise must become the rescuer. Together with her best friends Jo and Devin, she must forge alliances with other Fae, including a gorgeous protector named Lucas, and Strahan's mysterious son, Eldric-who may or may not betray them. - quoted from Goodreads

Stolen Away is a great, fast paced read with magic, romance, action, fantasy and an intriguing fey lore. This book has been on my radar for awhile now, and it definitely does not disappoint. I really enjoyed jumping back into the fey world and I liked what Alyxandra does with her fey mythology. She's does a beautiful job at mixing in fey lore with that of the human world, and the ties they have to each other. I thought she had the perfect amount of fantasy and magical elements to keep her story feeling unique and fun. This was one of those books I sat down to read thinking I'd read a few chapters and get back to cleaning the house, but I ended up reading this in one setting.

I really like that Alyxandra's writing is to the point, well paced, and candidly descriptive. She includes just enough detail to keep me invested in her story, without over saturating it. I loved her fey world. It's beautiful, enchanting and her characters are well written. She does such a great job with the different character's and their interactions whether they're from the fey world, human world, Seelie court or Unseelie court. I found some of her characters, along with their paranormal abilities to be just as fascinating as the story's world building is.

The one thing that did surprise me was the fact the story is actually told from two different points of views. The first from the main character, Eloise and the second from her best friend Jo. I liked that it was done in first person and being from two different points of views worked great for the story, and really allowed Alyxandra to explore two different love interests for each girl. I adored these two girls and being able to get a peek into their close friendship. The romances are great!! I loved the way they were developed and I'm really hoping I get to see more of these two couples in another book.

If you're looking for an enjoyable fey book to read, I highly recommend picking this one up!

Waiting on Wednesday: Above by Leah Bobet

2012-01-25T06:02:00.004-06:00

By: Leah Bobet

Published by: Arthur A. Levine Books

To Be Released on: April 1st, 2012

Matthew has loved Ariel from the moment he found her in the tunnels, her bee's wings falling away. They live in Safe, an underground refuge for those fleeing the city Above—like Whisper, who speaks to ghosts, and Jack Flash, who can shoot lightning from his fingers.

But one terrifying night, an old enemy invades Safe with an army of shadows, and only Matthew, Ariel, and a few friends escape Above. As Matthew unravels the mystery of Safe's history and the shadows' attack, he realizes he must find a way to remake his home—not just for himself, but for Ariel, who needs him more than ever before quoted from GoodReads

I am totally intrigued with this book. It sounds like it's going to be one of those really unique reads that will make it stand out among a lot of the YA books being released this year. I'm looking forward to sitting down to read it when it's out. What book are you waiting to get your hands on?

Twitter Tuesday - Rachel Hawkins

2012-01-24T15:04:00.001-06:00

Okay, you guys already know how much we love Rachel Hawkins' HEX HALL series (check out our 5-star reviews for HEX HALL and DEMONGLASS), but late last week she posted an entire scene (and I mean entire...beginning, middle and end...not a snippet at all) because Sophie won the YA Heroine Tourney against none other than but one of our other all-time fave heroines, Luna Lovegood. And Rachel promised if Sophie won she'd write not one but two scenes -- one with Sophie and Archer and one with Sophie and Cal.

And because I imagine Archer looking like this, you can safely conclude that I'm Team Archer:

Here's the very beginning of "In Which Our Heroine Finds Herself In a Compromising Position in the Cellar. Again."

“Well, this is...awkward.”

I glared at Archer as I once again tried to yank my hand free from his. “ 'Hey, Mercer! Let's try on these enchanted rings! I'm sure putting pieces of magical jewelery on is nothing less than a totally stellar idea! After all,-'” I broke off to blow a hunk of hair out of my eyes, “it's never ended badly for anyone before!”

Now it was Archer's turn to scowl. “Okay, I would like the record to show that that was a truly terrible impression of me. And secondly-,'” he made an attempt at wiggling his fingers, but they stayed laced in mine- “you didn't have to put one on. There was no peer pressure happening here.”

Sighing, I braced my foot on one of the lower shelves and tried once again to untangle my fingers from Archer's. Our hands stayed fixed together, but Archer stumbled forward, practically falling on top of me. Flustered, I pushed him back with my other hand even as he grinned.

“You know, Mercer-”

“Shut up.”

“You don't know what I was going to say.”

“Something snarky that's also vaguely suggestive?”

Archer mulled that over for a bit. “Actually...yeah. Nice one.”

I rolled my eyes. “Awesome. Does your brain have other uses besides crafting the perfect comeback? Anything in there about these rings or how me might break the spell?”

I know you want to read the rest and it's right over here on Rachel's blog. Have you pre-ordered Spell Bound, yet? March 13th will be here before we know it.

Yara's Birthday Book Drive

2012-01-23T12:05:00.028-06:00

As many of you have heard, my dear friend Yara who runs Once Upon a Twilight lost her home this weekend to a fire. Not just one fire, but a second flared up and destroyed all that was left of her home. She is such a strong women and in being around her this weekend I couldn't get over how strong she was. I really admire and love her! She's amazing and I know that there is so much love and support pouring for her and her family. Being fellow book fans myself, Stacey with Page Turners Blog, Susan with Wastepaper Prose, as well as Lisa (Yara's main contact), are hosting Yara's Birthday Book Drive.

Our goal is to help replace as many books as possible, but not just for her, but for her two boys who have nothing (they're ages 5 & 10) and her husband. The focus of this drive to get YA, MG and Children's books for Yara and her family. These can be new and gently used. Because it's Yara's birthday next month, we want to present to her as many BOOKS as we can on 2/25! You can even send in book store gift cards as well.

The Birthday Book Drive will run from 1/23-2/23. That leaves us a day to get everything together to present to Yara on the Feb. 25th, her birthday.

ALL Donations can be sent to Lisa (who's helping Yara and her point of contact). PLEASE note on the box, Yara's Birthday so she knows what they are. Please send books to:

Yara Santos c/o Lisa Ciaccio

2914 Julie Ann Drive

Pearland, TX 77584

If you send anything, please check out the *new* blog for Yara's book drive. The list I originally had here will no longer be valid, as we've moved everything to the blog. Please be sure to check the following lists:

* The donation page

* check out the list of books we're trying to collect

* See what books we've currently collected

* Check out the list of books for her boys, and see what books we've recently collected

** All books received are crossed off on the list

If you have any questions about any of the lists, please feel free to contact myself at adminmundiemoms AT gmail.com or Stacey stacey AT pageturnersblog.com . We're both working together, along with Susan from Wastepaper Prose to ensure the lists are accurate and up to date every day.

Please be sure to check out the new facebook page, which is listing everything you need to know about all the donations going on for Yara and her family.

I know a lot of friends are concerned about her Twilight books, and I can confirm that The Twilight Saga book ARE TAKEN CARE OF.

If you can't donate, please just keep Yara and her family in your thoughts and prayers! If you have any questions about donations outside of books, please let Lisa know or visit TwilightMOMS for more information.

There's also a link set up on Twilight Moms to donate $ and other goods they're in need of. Please go HERE to read more about it or to donate. They have some great links to other drives, and donation relief efforts for Yara and her family.

THANK YOU so much to everyone who's donated, worked behind the scenes to help Yara in any way and have done so much already for her and her family. You can read more about this on Once Upon a Twilight.

Cover Reveal: Renegade by J. A. Souders

2012-01-23T09:00:00.008-06:00

By: Jessica Souders

Published by: Tor Teen

To Be Released on: Fall 2012

Pre-Order from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.

But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie.

Her memories have been altered.

Her mind and body aren’t under her own control. And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all -quoted from Goodreads

Follow Jessica: Website | Blog | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook

Debut author Jessica Souders is giving away an ARC of her upcoming released, RENEGADE (when available), but in the meantime she's also giving away 1 copy of ANY YA book via The Book Depository! This is open internationally, as long as they ship to your country.

To ENTER:

You'll have to visit the six blogs who posted puzzle pieces (see below), because each blog posted a word. Collect each word, 6 total, to enter the contest. If you unscramble them in the right order you'll get an extra entry.

The form on this site is the same form on all the other blogs who are part of the reveal today (see below). You can ONLY ENTER ONCE, no matter which blog you visit.

Jessica will answer any comments you leave, but no entries will be accepted through the comments, those have to be done on the form.

The contest will start now and end on Monday Jan. 30th. The correct tagline along with the winner will be announced that morning on Jessica's blog.

You also get extra entries (5 total) for spreading the word: tweeting using the #renegade hash tage, blogging, facebooking etc

Puzzle Piece Blogs:

Woven Strands
Writer's Ally
The Oasis
Fire and Ice

Confessions of a Bookaholic
Jessie Harrell-The Daily Harrell

Full Cover Reveal Blogs:

Reading Teen Books Complete Me
Mundie Moms
Simple Love of Reading
Stuck in Books

Middle Grade Monday

2012-01-23T08:32:00.010-06:00

It's back!!! I've severely slacked off on my Middle Grade posts towards the end of last year, but that's going to change, because each Monday along with my Mundane Monday post I'm going to not only feature Middle Grade books I've reviewed on my children's book review blog, Mundie Kids, I'm also going to try and spotlight an upcoming MG release. The source of this jump start is from author Shannon Messenger who has an awesome Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post. She's the author of last week's WOW, Keeper of the Lost Cities.

Excuse for me just a moment as I get overly EXCITED about this year's upcoming MG and Children's Book releases. I love YA, but man alive I feel like it's Christmas time over the excitement with this year's MG books & children's picture books. Some of the pictures are absolutely STUNNING! As in I would totally purchase the art work and hang it in my house stunning.

Since I just got back from ALA, I wanted to share with you guys some of the upcoming releases to be on the look out for. Here's some of my goodies I came home with and I can't wait to read and talk about here and on Mundie Kids:

If you haven't already I highly recommend adding these books to your lists! I know it's hard to see some of them, but I'll be spotlighting them through out this year. There are a lot of exciting titles coming up. They will rock your socks off!

Here's a few recent MG books I've read and HIGHLY RECOMMEND picking up!

By: Jasmine Richards

Published by: Harper Collins Children's

Released on: January 17th, 2012 TODAY

Source: ARC from publisher to review

Ages: 10 & up

5 stars: I LOVED It!

Purchase from: Harper Collins Children's | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Magic, Djinn, Ogres, and Sorcerers. Thirteen-year-old Zardi loves to hear stories about fantastical beings, long banned from the kingdom of Arribitha. But anyone caught whispering of their powers will feel the rage of the sultan—a terrifying usurper who, even with his eyes closed, can see all.

When her own beloved sister is captured by the evil ruler, Zardi knows that she must go to any lengths to rescue her. Along with her best friend, Ridhan—a silver-haired, violet-eyed boy of mysterious origins—and an unlikely crew of sailors led by the infamous Captain Sinbad, Zardi ventures forth into strange and wondrous territory with a seemingly impossible mission: to bring magic back to Arribitha and defeat the sultan once and for all -quoted from Goodreads

A fantastic debut that's full of adventure, fantasy, friendship and a whole lot of charm. I felt like a kid all over again while reading this compelling story. There's something about a well written middle grade book that reminds me of the excitement I had when I first started reading them (what feels like eons ago), and this book has that excitement. The journey with Zardi and her best friend Rhidan isn't just thrilling, it was completely engaging. The world of Arribitha screams of adventure, because it is dangerous, full of myths, magical creatures and a place where magic is strictly forbidden. It's also ruled by an evil and cunning Sultan who isn't afraid to do whatever it takes to keep his people in line. He definitely gives evil villains a who new meaning. Mixed into the story's danger are two well characters I've really come to admire.

You can read the rest of my 5 star review here

By: Kirk Scroggs

Published by: Little Brown kids

Released on: September 5th, 2011

Source: book from the publisher to review

Ages: 8 & up

4 stars: I Enjoyed It

Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

On a scale of one to ten, sixth-grader Danvers Blickensderfer's life is a solid minus two. But he really hits rock bottom when he auditions for the local talent show: his death-defying hula-hooping-ninja tribute to Gonzo the Great is beat out by the world's most obnoxious middle school boy band, Emo Shun.

With his daredevil dreams dashed, Danvers goes to bed... and wakes up feeling a little fuzzy-literally! He's turned into a Muppet! Fortunately, there's an internship open at the Muppet Theater and Danvers has a chance to meet his long-nosed, stunt-lovin' hero! All aboard The Electric Mayhem bus as this misfit makes good and joins the zaniest crew ever: The Muppets! -quoted from Goodreads

Growing up a Muppets fans, I adored this book and it's one my son enjoyed just as much as I did. Scroggs does a great job at staying true to the humor and misadventures that the Muppets are known for. I thought it was really creative in the way the story is told, which is through a kid name Danvers who wakes up one morning to find himself now a Muppet. Not only do readers get a behind the scenes glance of all that goes in the Muppet's world, but it was really cool to see how a huge fan of the Muppet's himself tries to adjust being one now.

You can read the rest of my review here

By: Kathryn Lasky

Published by: Scholastic

Released on:

Source: Book from publisher to review

Ages: 7-10

4 stars: A Really Fun Read

Purchase from: Scholastic | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Can the world's friendliest spiders spin a web strong enough to catch . . . a criminal?

They're sweet and friendly . . . but they just happen to be super toxic. The Deadlies are the world's most misunderstood family of spiders. Kicked out of home after home, all the Deadlies want is to settle down in a cozy web with no exterminators around.

Now they've found the perfect place - the Rare Books room at the Boston Library. The librarian isn't afraid of the Deadlies, and they have lots of lovely books to explore. But their peace is threatened when a thief starts targetting the library. Can the Deadlies spin a web big enough to catch a crook - or is it back on the road once more? -quoted from Goodreads

What a fun adventure with a unique family of crime fighting spiders. Who would have thought that spiders could be so cool? Certainly not me, but if this family of spiders lived in my house I'd definitely keep them around. Not only do they protect the Boston Public Library's collection of books from those pesky silverfish who eat through pages and the collectable paintings, but together they stop thieves who keep stealing pictures out of books.

You can read more of my review here

Mundane Monday #120

2012-01-23T07:11:00.004-06:00

Happy Mundane Monday!! I LOVE this picture of Tessa and Will. I found this image on Cassie's tumblr. You can also visit the artist's page on Deviantart.

This is just an excerpt taken from one of my favorite scenes in Clockwork Prince....

She stood as if mesmerized as he gathered her hair in his hands, draping it over one of her shoulders, winding her curls between his fingers, "My Tessa," he said, and this time she did not tell him that she was not his.

- Clockwork Prince, page 289

In My Mailbox #107

2012-01-22T11:27:00.002-06:00

Happy Sunday!! Sorry no Vlog today as I'm just getting back from ALA. Here's the goodies that arrived in my mailbox this past week.

For Review:

* Dreamless by Josephine Angelini, published by Harper Teen, to be released on 5/29/12

* Destined by Aprilynne Pike, published by Harper Teen, to be released on 5/1/12

* Until I Die by Amy Plum, published by Harper Teen, to be released on 5/8/12

* Darkness Before Dawn by J.A. London, published by Harper Teen, to be released on 5/29/12

* Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins, published by Harper Teen, to be released on 5/1/12

* Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock, published by Katherine Tegen Books, to be released on 5/8/12

* Wanted by Heidi Ayarbe, published by Balzar + Bray, to be released on 5/1/12

* The Lost Code by Kevin Emerson, published by Katherine Tegen Books, to be released on 5/22/12

* Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick, published by Balzar + Bray, to be released on 5/8/12

* A Confusion of Princes by Garth Nix, published by Harper Teen, to be released on 4/25/12

* A Wrinkle in Time by (50th Anniversary Edition) by Madeleine L'Engle, published by Farrar Straus Giroux, to be released on 1/31/12, read my blog tour stop here

* Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale, published by Bloomsbury, to be released on 1/31/12

* The Immortals Rule by Julie Kagawa, published by Harlequin Teen, to be released on 4/24/12

* The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers by Lynn Weingarten, published by Harper Teen, released on 12/27/11

* Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith, published by Greenwillow Books, released on 12/27/11

* Cold Kiss by Anna Carvey, published by Harper Teen, released on 9/20/11

* Love & Leftovers by Sarah Tregay, published by Katherine Tegen Books, released on 12/27/11

* The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams, published by Simon & Schuster, released on 1/3/12

* The Pregnancy Project by Gaby Rodriguez & Genna Glatzer, published by Simon & Schuster, released on 1/17/12

* Princess of the Wild Swans by Diane Zahler, published by Harper Collins Childrens, to be released on 1/31/12

* Fall From Grace by Charles Benoit, published by Harper Teen, to be released on 5/8/12

Gifted:

Thank you to my wonderful friend A for this lovely package that arrived in the mail this week

Thank you to: Harper Teen, Simon & Schuster, Harlequin Teen and A. for this week's fabulous reads/goodies! I'd love to hear what goodies you received. Please leave me your link so I can visit your post & leave a comment :)

IMM is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren where bloggers share what goodies arrived in the mail the previous week for review, were purchased, traded, gifted etc.

Forbidden Blog Tour: Author Interview with Syrie James & Ryan M. James

2012-01-22T10:29:00.000-06:00

We're the next stop on The Teen Scene's Forbidden blog tour and today we have both Syrie James and Ryan M. James on the blog today to talk a little bit about their upcoming release. First, here's a little bit about Forbidden:

She should not exist.

He should not love her.

Claire Brennan has been attending Emerson Academy for two years now (the longest she and her mom have remained anywhere) and she’s desperate to stay put for the rest of high school. So there’s no way she’s going to tell her mom about the psychic visions she’s been having or the creepy warnings that she’s in danger.

Alec MacKenzie is fed up with his duties to watch and, when necessary, eliminate the descendants of his angelic forefathers. He chose Emerson as the ideal hiding place where he could be normal for once. He hadn’t factored Claire into his plans. . . .

Their love is forbidden, going against everything Alec has been taught to believe. But when the reason behind Claire’s unusual powers is revealed and the threat to her life becomes clear, how far will Alec go to protect her? -quoted from Goodreads

You can read my spoiler free review

How would you describe Forbidden in five words or less?

A thrilling, witty paranormal romance.

I really like Forbidden's title. What inspired the title and did you have a hand in picking it?

Our editor suggested it, and we love it. It perfectly encapsulates the book’s subject and theme: a teenage girl discovers that her relationship with the boy she loves, as well as her entire existence, are both forbidden.

The setting is so descriptive, it feels like a real place. What was your inspiration for Emerson Academy?

Emerson Academy was inspired by Ryan's middle/high school, Brentwood School in Los Angeles, which has had a very lasting, positive influence on both our lives. The school was filled with dedicated and nurturing faculty who not only challenged their students and gave Ryan and his brother a wonderful background in both arts and sciences, but gave us some wonderful specifics for the teachers in this novel. We hoped that the paranormal elements of our story would feel all the more real, if we grounded it by placing the characters in a very real setting.

Being moms ourselves, we love that you're a mother & son writing team. Was Forbidden a collaboration of both of you writing the characters together, or did one of you focus on Claire's character and the other focus on Alec's?

With a few exceptions, everything was written with both of us sitting in one room, crafting all the material together. Sure, sometimes Syrie insisted "I don't believe a girl would ever say that," or Ryan would implore that Alec "be a little more reserved here emotionally," but it was all in the name of balance and compromise. Ultimately, we both wanted a book that both men and women would appreciate, regardless which perspective each chapter was from.

What character surprised you the most in terms of their growth or development from the first outline to the published book?

I don’t know that we were really surprised by any of our characters’ growth, since we worked from a carefully detailed outline—but we are especially happy with Claire’s journey, the way she learned to deal with her growing powers, the truth about her origins, her feelings for Alec and Neil, and the way that she summoned all her inner strength in a moment of need in the climactic scene. It was great fun to craft the arcs of all the characters, and to be part of their journey!

SYRIE: My favorite classic novels are Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. I’ve read them dozens of times, and gain something new with each re-reading. On a more modern note, I loved the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, and the fantasy adventure The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.

RYAN: I’m always torn when it comes to reading, between a love for regular novels and graphic novels (i.e. comic series). I can highly recommend The Sandman series by Neil Gaiman to anyone who wants to see how comics aren’t just about superheroes, as well as the more recent series Y: The Last Man by Brian K Vaughan. In regular novel-land, I was inspired just like everyone else as a child when I read The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien, and have always loved mysteries like The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett. And one of my favorite uses of a magical world that melds with our own? That would have to be Too Many Magicians by Randall Garret.

*************

Thank you Syrie and Ryan for stopping by today!

Follow Syrie & Ryan on their websites, and learn more about Forbidden here

Pre-Order Forbidden from: Harper Teen | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

ALA Mid Winter 2012: Dallas, TX

2012-01-20T08:52:00.004-06:00

The blog's going to be a little quiet this weekend as I'm headed up to Dallas for ALA-Midwinter! I am so excited to meet up with a HUGE group of bloggers who will be attending, getting to meet some friends I talk to all the time via twitter, emails and our blogs, and attend some fun publisher events. If you're going to be there, come say HI! I can't wait to meet you guys. If you not able to make, don't worry, I'm hoping to get some fun things from this weekends events to giveaway on the blog. I'm going to be posting about the events when I get back too.

If you're attending, be sure to check out the publisher/author events, and check out all the info for tonight's big blogger/author meet up here. See you in Dallas!

The Childe Blog Tour: Guest Post, The Cast of The Childe

2012-01-20T06:35:00.008-06:00

We're the next stop in the Childe blog tour stop and today's guest post comes from authors Carol & Adam Kunz, who have stopped by to share their dream cast for their series. You can read my reviews for The Childe & Dark Days here. *I had a few problems trying to get the pictures to load, but I'll have those up soon*

Cast Our Book

Before we begin the post we wanted to send a big thank you to Katie from Mundie Moms for hosting us today! We hope that you all enjoy the post. Oh, and don’t forget to comment ☺
So it would be an understatement if we said that we absolutely love reading “Dream Movie Cast” posts. We find these posts to be really neat, and we love to see which celebrities authors choose to play their characters if their books were ever to be made into movies. Not only do we like to read these posts, but we love writing them as well because they’re so much fun! So without further ado, here’s our fantasy dream cast for The Childe movie:

Cat Colvin: Molly C. Quinn

A pretty spot on Cat in our opinion. From the pale skin, to the blue eyes, to the fiery red hair, she’s just perfect. Also, she’s really great on the TV show Castle! The only thing we’re unsure about though is the actress’s height.

Ryan Beckford: Colton Haynes

We think he’s a pretty close match to Ryan. He’s got the blue eyes, the brown hair, looks like a football player, and has that vulnerable quality about him. Oh, and he looks like a great partner match for the girl we chose as our Cat (wouldn’t they look cute together in real life?).

Amanda Stevens: Chloe Moretz

Alright so we have to admit that we LOVE Chloe Moretz and think she has the look and feisty-ness to fill Amanda’s shoes. Plus she’s shown through her acting that she has the kick butt and take-no-prisoners attitude that is needed for Amanda’s character.

Matt Thomas: Miles Higson

Perrrrrfect match in our eyes. He looks to have the right amount of awkwardness/dorky-ness (shown in other pictures) that Matt possesses and is just as we pictured him. Also he seems like he could easily fill the shoes of the jokester and “protector” of the group, which is what Matt is.

Julie Winters: Dakota Fanning

Another one of our favorite young actresses, and we feel that, just like Julie’s character, Dakota Fanning can act much older than she really is. And since Julie is the “mother” of Cat’s group, we thought she was a great match.

Elle Porter: Abigail Breslin

If anyone has seen “Little Miss Sunshine” you know exactly why we’re choosing Abigail Breslin for Elle, who is the shy and awkward member of Cat’s group.

Taylor Colvin: Lucas Till

First of all, Lucas is exactly how we saw Taylor. He is tall, has an athletic build, chiseled face, and looks like he could very well be the product of Rachel Weisz and Nathan Fillion (our choices for Rachel and Sam Colvin, hahaha!)

Rachel Colvin: Rachel Weisz

Rachel Weisz plays such a great mother character and Rachel Colvin is a great mother character in our story, so this was a no brainer for us. Plus, her name is already Rachel ☺

Sam Colvin: Nathan Fillion

Ohhhhh Nathan Fillion! He’s one of our favorite actors and we think he’d play a great absent minded college professor and father. Not only does he look like Sam to us, but he’s also funny, and Sam is quite the character in our novel.

Isaac Bancroft: Kelly Blatz

Talk about BROODING and menacing looking. Kelly was an instant pick for us because he can look so darn cold. An absolute spitting image of Isaac.

Hannah Bancroft: Saoirse Ronan

Oh the angelic looking sister of evil incarnate (Isaac). This “Hannah” star had us seeing Hannah Bancroft the moment we looked at this picture. She looks very sweet, has blonde hair, is pale, and has blue eyes. She is the complete opposite of Kelly Blatz and that’s exactly what we wanted.

Amelia Rowe: Taylor Momsen

We had to choose this Gossip Girl star for our Amelia. We think she’d make such a good bad girl! Plus we’d love to see what she could bring to the character.

Kirsten Fuller: Phoebe Tonkin

Can you say MEAN GIRL? Well we think this actress has the chops to bring the right amount of cattiness to the character, and she kind of looks spot on to how we imagined Kirsten to look like anywho.

Lucien Bancroft: Michael Fassbender

Michael Fassbender is such a great actor and we think he would bring A LOT to the character of Lucien. In this picture in particular, he looks JUST like Lucien does in our mind. Plus, did you see the latest “X-Men” movie, he plays such a great tortured character (Lucien is very much a tortured character).

Ulla Bancroft: Kate Winslet

Ulla is a strict, uptight, and mean spirited woman with a soft side that most do not get a chance to see. Now we’re not saying that Kate Winslet is all these things, but we definitely think she could pull them all off very well. Also, this picture is EXACTLY how we pictured Ulla.

Dr. Harold Bane: Tom Welling

So Dr. Harold Bane is the name on all the women’s lips in the small port town of Astoria. So who better to play the dear doctor than none other than SUPERMAN himself? Tom Welling has quite a lot in common with Dr. Bane and that’s why we think he’s a great match.

Aldon Allendorf: Sean Connery

Sean Connery is such a wonderful actor and we think he would make the perfect Aldon. His voice is exactly how we think Aldon would sound and he meets all the requirements to play the mature and wise character of our story.

Miss Amaya Phillips: Michelle Williams

Michelle Williams is such a fun and light hearted actress which makes her a great fit for Miss Amaya. She can be quirky, and has just the right amount of spunk that is needed to fill our character’s shoes. We think she would make an absolutely lovely Miss Amaya ☺

Gretchen Halloway: Anjelica Huston

Well what can we say really other than Anjelica Huston was born to play a witch (good or bad), and we wouldn’t have it any other way! We absolutely LOVE this woman and feel she can do no wrong. We’ve also seen pictures of her with silver hair (just like Gretchen’s) and she looks just like Gretchen

Thank you to C.A. Kunz for stopping by. You can follow the rest of the tour here.

Blog Tour/ Book Review: Between by Mary Ting

2012-01-19T08:02:00.007-06:00

By: Mary Ting

Published by: World Castle Publishing

Released on: January 12th, 2012

Source: arc from author to review

Crossroads Saga: Book #2

4.5 stars: I Really Enjoyed It

Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

As the alkins head back to Crossroads, Claudia leads her normal life; but not for long. Having a special soul, Claudia attracts danger, and she soon finds out who Gamma asked to watch over her. The Twelve, known as Divine Elders on Earth, are very much involved when they find out that Aliah, one of the God’s first angels, escaped from the Abyss when the gates were opened by Aden.

Needing Claudia’s soul to escape the only place Aliah can reside–a place between Heaven and Earth–he sends his demons in search of all Claudia Emersons on Earth. Taking her soul will enable him to be released from Between and cross over to Crossroads, which would give him immense power. As more secrets are revealed Claudia learns about the venators—nephilim, demon hunters. Now two opposing forces must work together in order to save Claudia and humanity from the most dangerous angel ever created. But along the way, trust becomes a big issue.

Will love be enough to keep Claudia and Michael together? Who will make the ultimate sacrifice? Who will betray them all? - quoted from Goodreads

A breathtaking sequel that is just as addicting as Crossroads, Between will lure you in and leave you wanting so much more. With new characters, a swoon worthy new love interest, danger, betrayal, romance and plenty of plot twists, I couldn't get enough of Mary's enchanting world or her mesmerizing mythology.

Between is a a fabulous sequel that has everything I had hoped it would be and more. The romance is taken up a notch, the danger and betrayal are fabulous and the plot twists were awesome! I didn't see that betrayal coming, and I couldn't get enough of this well written love triangle. I adore Michael and Claudia, but wow, Austin unexpectedly stole my heart in this story. I love the situations (keeping this spoiler free) that occur between the three of them. There's moments of humor when things heat up between Austin and Michael and moments were both guys had the romantic fan in sighing.

Poor Claudia.... I know where her heart is, but this girl definitely has some tough choices to make and I loved how she held her own through out the entire story. She's definitely a strong character who can hold her own and she proves she can handle more things that she's given credit for. I loved the moments where her humor and stubbornness shine through in the story. It makes her such a lovable character. The thing I wasn't prepared for, and neither was Claudia was the ending. It completely shocked me and ripped my heart out! Now I'm anxious to get my hands on the next book, because now this story can go in any direction and I need to know what's at stake for Claudia.

Mary Ting's writing is fabulous in this sequel. She emotional connected me to her story, and she kept me engaged with all the action, the romance, and her well developed, unpredictable plot twists. How could I not love a classic good vs evil battle, an epic love story and a story that keeps me on my toes? If you're looking for a new paranormal series to fall in love with, I highly recommend picking up Crossroads and Between. Mary's angel lore in unique, exciting and completely addicting.

Be sure to follow the rest of the Between blog tour hosted by Late Bloomers Online.

You can read my 4 star review for Crossroads here.

A Wrinkle in Time: 50 Years, 50 Days, 50 Blogs Celebration

2012-01-18T09:17:00.009-06:00

I am thrilled to be apart of this week's A Wrinkle In Time: 50 Years, 50 Days, 50 Blogs Celebration tour.

For me when I think of "a classic childhood book", I think of books that made an impact on me as a young reader, and I'm just talking about books that were popular at the time like the Baby Sitter's Club, Sweet Valley High or the Choose Your Own Adventure books, all of which I loved. I think of books that made an impact on me like Charlotte's Web, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe, The Little Prince, and many more. I think it takes a curtain kind of author to create a story that's not just popular when the book is first published, but it becomes a book that's love and cherished for generations after that, which all of these book are. I think A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle is also one of those books.

First published in 1962, this book 50 years later is still a beloved classic for so many of us. I still remember the first I read this book and the impact it left on me. When I was growing up we didn't have YA or Middle Grade sections, which makes me sound really old. We had a library that had everything from the books I've listed above to Stephen King and more. Aside from The Chronicles of Narnia, this was one of my first books I read and loved that had that epic battle of good vs evil. I love that years later it's still making an impact of readers world wide. This year marks the 50th year of it's publication! What an awesome achievement to celebrate. With that, I highly recommend picking up the newly released 50th Anniversary Commemorative edition (shown below) by MacMillan. This edition includes:

* A letter from the 1963 Caldecott winner, Ezra Jack Keats

* An introduction by Katherine Paterson, US National Ambassador for Young People's Literature

* A new afterword by Madeleine L'Engle's granddaughter, with some never before seen photos.

* A Murry-O'Keefe Family Tree complete with artwork

* Madeleine L'Engle's Newberry acceptance speech

* Fronispiece photo

* Photo scrapbook with approximately 10 photos

* Manuscript pages

Be sure to like the A Wrinkle in Time facebook page

Follow the 50 Years, 50 Blogs, 50 Days Celebration tour

Purchase the 50th Anniversary edition of A Wrinkle in Time from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

How did A Wrinkle in Time impact you as a young reader?

Book Review: Untraceable by S.R. Johannes

2012-01-18T08:34:00.007-06:00

By: S.R. Johannes

Published by: Coleman & Stott

Released on: November 23rd, 2011

Source: book from author to review

4 stars: I Really Enjoyed It

Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

16-year-old Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival.

When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him.

One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent and a secret. As her feelings between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into the wilderness to escape and find her father.

Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever relationships and lives. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save everything she loves

A thrilling murder mystery set deep in the heart of North Carolina's Smoky Mountain's, Untraceable is a suspenseful page turner loaded with plot twists, action, and a swoon worthy romance. Not everything is as it seems in this story, and that element of wanting to uncover the mystery kept me hooked the entire time I sat reading Grace's story. It's a story about survival, corruption, love, the outdoors and so much more. I completely fell in love with this story's beautiful setting. The outdoors/woods of the Smoky Mountains plays such a huge part in the book that it felt like it was a character in itself. It really set the tone for a lot of the action scenes and some of the sigh worthy moments between Grace and Mo that take place there.

Grace is a strong willed, courageous teenager who will stop at nothing to uncover the mystery behind her father's supposed death and the corruption that's happening in her own back yard. Her independence and quest for the truth is the driving factor in her uncovering what's really going on in her town's woods, and what happened to her father on her own. Her quest for the truth is something I really admired about her. When everyone else has all but given up on him, she's his only hope and WOW does she uncover one heck of a complicated conspiracy that's going on. Growing up with a forest ranger father they often roamed the back woods, and her father taught Grace all she knows about the survival skills she relies on through out her story. On a side note I really liked each chapter of the book is titled with some form of survival skill, which also clues readers into what they can except to happen each chapter. I loved Mo and Grace together. These two have a fabulous chemistry together. They have those sweet sigh worthy moments, and other moments they had me laughing out loud with the things they say or do to each other.

S.R. Johannes's writing is engaging. She does such a great job at throwing readers into what's going on, and she definitely pulls out all the stops through the story. The end is full of one twist after the other and I was totally shocked at some of the revelations. I didn't see those ones coming. That ending makes me want to go take my own notes to try and solve the big mystery, because just as I thought I had it figured out who was behind all that happens, S.R. threw in another twist. While I thought she did a great job wrapping up this story, I need more answers! I can't wait for the sequel to be released. This is one thrilling read that I highly recommend picking up. There's plenty of heart bounding action, swoon worthy romance, and plenty of twists that will keep readers glued to the pages. There is very mild language, and a some realistic action scenes that may not be suitable to younger readers. I'd definitely recommend this to fans of YA.

Waiting on Wednesday: Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

2012-01-18T06:48:00.006-06:00

By: Shannon Messenger

Published by: Aladdin

To Be Released on: October 2nd, 2012

Pre-Order from: Amazon | iTunes

Twelve-year-old Sophie has always been different -- she's years ahead of the other kids in school and can read minds. She's always assumed there's some kind of logical explanation for her talents, but when she meets an adorable and mysterious boy, she finds out the shocking truth. She's never felt at home because she, well, ... isn't.

There are secrets buried deep in her memory, secrets about her true identity and why she was hidden among humans, that others desperately want and would even kill for. And she must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new world, before the wrong person finds the answer first -quoted from Goodreads

I know I rarely featured MG (middle grade) books for my WOWs, but there's some fabulous MG's releases this year that I want to feature on here and this is one of them. Check out this awesome cover! I would seriously pick this book up based on the cover alone. I'm really looking forward to reading Shannon's debut. This is one book I'm looking forward to featuring both on Mundie Kids and here on MM's. What book are you waiting on?

Hallowed Blog Tour: Author & Character Interviews

2012-01-17T07:32:00.010-06:00

I am so excited about today's Hallowed blog tour stop. It's HALLOWED release day and Cynthia along with Christian, Tucker and Clara have stopped to answer a few of my questions. I also have an awesome prize pack I'm giving away today. First, let me tell you a little bit about Hallowed, the sequel to Cynthia's debut, Unearthly.

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning. -quoted fromGoodreads

I absolutely love this sequel and I highly recommend PICKING it up TODAY! You can read my 5 star (spoiler free) review here.

Hallowed is such a fabulous sequel. I felt like I was so much emotionally invested in this story with all that goes on. How do you separate yourself or get through writing some of the more emotional/challenging scenes that happen in Hallowed?

The short answer is: I didn't. Separate myself, that is. I totally let myself get caught up in the moment, and there were times when I had tears streaming down my face while I was writing. One particular scene (and those who've read Hallowed will know which one I mean, I think) I was sitting there bawling my eyes out, which was problematic because I was writing in the Pepperdine University library and I was about 6 months pregnant. I think people assumed I was having a breakdown, and it was a tad embarrassing explaining that I was only writing a very sad scene in a book. You should have seen the looks I got! It was emotionally exhausting to write some of those scenes, but at the end of the day I always felt good about them, because what I thought was most important about writing them was to really tap into the emotions that happen when you lose someone you love, and I felt like I succeeded at that.

I adore both Christian and Tucker and with each book I've found it's harder and harder to choose one over the other. What's something you've come to admire about each of them?

I got to know Christian a lot better in the writing of this book, and one thing I admire about him so much is his-- hmm, how do I put this?-- gracefulness when it comes to dealing with Clara. He could have easily been angry about how the whole purpose thing went down, and he could have blamed her for messing up his own destiny, and he could have been a whole lot more arrogant about what he thought she should do to make things right, but he wasn't any of those things. He was so incredibly accepting of her, who she is, what she was going through.

I feel like we got to know Tucker better in this book, too, although in more subtle ways. The thing I admire most about Tucker in Hallowed is how open he is with his heart, and how brave he is in facing all the angel-related craziness that comes his way. The angel stuff scares Tucker, as it would, I think, scare any smart human being, but he tries to accept it, because he loves Clara.

The direction in which some of the characters choose in Hallowed was a little surprising. What character has surprised you the most in terms of their development in Hallowed?

Hmm, tough question. Jeffrey, I think. I knew he was going to be angry about some of the revelations in this book, but the specifics in how he dealt with it were surprising to me. The Boy has some rage issues. And I get that. I feel for him so much, probably more than any of my other characters, at the end of the day.

Clara has this quiet strength I've really come to admire about her. She's really grown into a strong character with all that she deal with in Hallowed. What's one of your strengths that you see in Clara?

One similarity between Clara and I that I consider a strength is her ability to handle tough times with humor. Sometimes this can backfire for her (as it can for me too, eep) by making her seem flippant in the face of some serious-and-not-at-all-funny situations, but overall I think her sense of humor helps her weather the storms.

I love the setting for your series. What's one of your favorite outdoor activities todo when you're in Jackson Hole, WY?

What I love to do most in Teton National Park is to hike to a nice spot, preferably by one of the string of lakes, plant myself by the water, and just gape at those mountains and let their silent beauty fill me up. I would do that every day, if I could. I like to fish and boat and raft and cook hotdogs over a campfire, but more than any of that, I want to look at those mountains. I watch the wind stir the water, the birds (there are eagles and herons and swans) move overhead, the sun set behind those jagged peaks. Sigh. I wish I was there right now.

Did you have any "writing must haves" while you were working on Hallowed? (like music, coffee, chocolate etc).

I am trying to become a writer who can work in the midst of noise, like in the middle of a coffee shop or the park while my kids are playing, but so far I haven't been very successful at that. I need quiet. I also find that I need a bit of wind-down time (around a half hour) where I can relax and empty my brain of all the daily crap, all the papers to grade and housework and marketing stuff, and quiet my mind for the day's writing. Music is great during my wind-down time. I had a playlist of songs for Hallowed (you can find some of these in the sidebar of my blog) that were perfect for getting me into the right mood for the book. I also need a good pen, a nice flowy one. I can be pretty particular about pens.

Character Interviews:

Christian

What do you admire the most about Clara?

Clara's beautiful and funny and smart, but she's also humble. She doesn't think she's all that. Plus there's this look she gets on her face when she's trying to be brave that always makes me want to hug her.

Would you rather be on a mountain watching the sunrise or the sunset?

Sunset. On the ski hill. After a full day of mogols and powder.

What do you think your greatest strength is?

I'm patient. I'm not the type who just rushes into things. I wait. I figure it out. And then I make my move.

Clara

What's something you always have to have with you?

This is going to sound shallow or whatever, but I'm in love with my phone. I like to be connected with the people in my life, able to talk to them any time. The phone is vital. This was a problem when I was in Italy this summer and couldn't call people.

What's one thing you like about both Christian and Tucker?

One thing I'm proud about, and maybe it's dumb to be proud of something like this, is that I don't date jerks. Both Christian and Tucker are decent people. They're both hot, obviously, but they are also both good guys. Tucker can act the tough cowboy sometimes in front of people, but in private he's unbelievably sweet. Christian can be distant and mysterious, but deep down he's also very kind.

With all you deal with in Hallowed, what's something you come to admire about yourself?

I guess I admire that I held it together when the going got tough. Mostly.

Tucker

If you could go back and change anything about the past few months, would you?

Oh man, I don't know. Hindsight is 20/20, isn't that what they say? I'm not the type to obsess about what could have been. I want to live my life without regret. There are some things I regret about this past year, definitely. But maybe it's all for the best.

What's your favorite thing about Clara?

I don't have a favorite thing, really. She's the sum of her parts, you know? She gets me, maybe that's the best thing. She makes me laugh. She makes my heart beat fast, every time I see her, but I can also relax when I'm with her.

How would you describe Hallowed in three words or less?

Angels are complicated. So are girls.

*************

Thank you to Cynthia, Tucker, Christian and Clara for stopping by today!

Please be sure to follow Cynthia via her Blog | Twitter | Facebook

You can follow the entire Hallowed Blog Tour to read more interviews, guest posts, spoiler free reviews and enter the other fabulous giveaway that will be posted through out the two week tour.

GIVEAWAY TIME!! Thank you to Cynthia, 1 lucky winner is going to win a fabulous Unearthly/Hallowed Prize Pack:

- A Team Christian Ski Hat (made exclusively for the tour)

- Unearthly patch, poster and bookmark

To enter, please fill out the form below, my standard giveaway rules apply:

- 1 entry per person

- residents of the US only

- 13 yrs & older, if under you must have a parent/guardian's permission to enter

- this giveaway will end on 1/28/12

Blog Tour/ Book Review: Forbidden by Syrie James & Ryan M. James

2012-01-17T05:38:00.009-06:00

I'm thrilled to be the next stop on The Teen Scene's Forbidden Blog Tour. Please be sure to follow the entire tour here.

By: Syrie James & Ryan M. James

Published by: Harper Teen

To Be Released on: January 24th, 2012

Source: ARC from publisher to review

3.5 stars: I Liked It

Pre-Order from: Harper Teen | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

She should not exist.

He should not love her.

Forbidden for me is one of those book that you sit down to read thinking you'll read a few chapters, but before you know it you're almost done with the book. While this book didn't sweep me off my feet, it's one that I really liked spending time reading. The story's intriguing, and it's one that kept me reading, because I wanted to know what was going to be revealed next. More importantly I wanted to know what Claire and Alex where. I love it when an author doesn't reveal everything at once. That's what keeps me invested in the story. Beyond the reveal, Forbidden also has a unique spin on angel lore, a great paranormal mythology, fun characters, and a sweet romance, plus there's a bit of action. Did I mention the main love interest has a Scottish accent?

I liked that the story is told in third person, and from the point of view of both Claire and Alex. It made it really easy to following along, and I liked being able to see both sides of it the story through them. I really enjoyed getting to know them and what they are. The story follows Claire, a teenager who's just trying to blend into her new high school and has grown tired of always moving around from place to place with her mom. Recently she's started to develop some strange powers, and it's until Alex shows up (unrelated to what Claire is dealing with), that she discovers who and what she really is.

Let's just say there's a lot that happens in this story and a lot of people aren't who you think they are, which made the story line that much more exciting. I loved feeling like I was apart of the story in trying to figure things out along with Claire. Especially Alex. He definitely has his secrets, but there's something about him that makes you realize he's not the scary, dangerous kind of guy. The more I learned about him, the more I loved his character. The chemistry he and Claire have is great. I liked they had this instant attraction to each other, which given that the story takes place in high school felt realistic to me. I loved the way they end up falling for each other, even though it's forbidden. Well, there's a few things in this book you'll find out are forbidden, like Claire's existence which was a great spin to this story. I really adored Claire's two close friends and I loved how accepting they are of her and Alex, especially after they find out about their abilities and what they are.

Over all I thought Forbidden was a good read. There's some great fight/action scenes, and I liked two of the plot twists that happen towards the end of the book, which surprised me, because I found part of the story line easily predictable. Even though I felt that way, I still enjoyed it. Sometimes it's fun to sit down and just read a good book, which I felt Forbidden is. I'm definitely looking forward to finding out what direction the series will go in. There's just enough unanswered questions at the end of this book that have hooked me and have me wondering what will be in store for Claire and Alex in the sequel.

Be sure to stop by on Sunday to read my interview with Syrie and Ryan.

Twitter Tuesday - Ally Carter

2012-01-17T03:15:00.001-06:00

I may have burned up my router clicking over to the new Gallagher Academy site. Have you guys seen it, yet? I know, I know...what's a MOM doing on that site? Well, I'm checking out the extras that Ally's posting on there. Yes, "bonus stories every week" until the release day of Out of Sight, Out of Mind on March 13th.

And you guys, we get Zach's POV. Not that I'm excited or anything, but I'm refraining from using a ton of exclamation points. So who's joining me on the site? I know, I know, there really should be a Gallagher/Heist Society Moms forum. Whoever starts that, please (oh please), be sure to tweet me.

Mundane Monday #119

2012-01-16T07:33:00.002-06:00

Happy Mundane Monday! Enjoy today's little teaser....

image found here

His hands lay flat on either side of him, his arms at his sides. He seemed barely to be breathing; she wasn't sure she was breathing herself. She slid her own hand across the bedsheet, just far enough that their fingers touched-so lightly that she would have probably hardly been aware of it had she been touching anyone but Jace; as it was, the nerve endings in her fingertips pricked softly, as if she were holding them over a low flame. She felt him tense beside her and then relax. He had shut his eyes, and his lashes cast fine shadows against the curve of his cheekbones. His mouth curled into a smile as if he sensed her watching him, and she wondered how he would look in the morning, with his hair messed and sleep circles under his eyes. Despite everything, the thought gave her a jolt of happiness.

She laced her fingers through his. "Good night," she whispered. With their hands clasped like children in a fairy tale, she fell asleep beside him in the dark.”

- City of Glass, page 334

Book Review: Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

2012-01-15T08:43:00.009-06:00

By: Veronica Rossi

Published by: Harper Teen

Released on: January 3rd, 2012

Source: ARC from publisher to review, purchased book

5 stars: I LOVED It!

Purchase from: Harper Teen | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Browse inside the book via Harper Teen

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.

They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers a barbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY -quoted from Goodreads

What a stunning debut! I really wasn't prepared to be totally swept off my feet with this book like I was. Veronica's writing is brilliant and it didn't take me long at all to totally fall in love with her amazing story. I LOVED the feel of this book. For me it felt like a blend of fantasy, dystopian and a little bit of sci-fi, which worked beautifully for this book. Along with the fascinating world that Veronica's created are some unforgettable characters. I really enjoyed the journey I took with Aria and Perry, so much so that I kept turning the blank pages of the ARC hoping to find just a little bit more of the story. I didn't want to leave the world or the characters just yet, and I'm sure I'll have the same longing feeling even with this series ends, and it's just beginning.

Aria is one of those beautiful characters who truly grows so much through out this story. I liked her from the moment the story opens, but I really feel in love with the person she becomes. Her story begins when she's banished from her home and left to "survive" on her own in a world she knows nothing about, except for the scary stories she's been told. Someone like her isn't made to survive in the "wild", or so she thinks. Aria isn't one to sit back and accept her fate, she's a fighter and a survivor, and she's also has the help of Perry, a Savage. These two have such an awesome chemistry together! I loved every moment I spent reading about them.

They both start having these preconceived prejudices against each other, but during the course of their journey things start to change between them as they learn more about each other and their abilities. I really enjoy watching the two of them change and grow closer together as they learn to trust in each other. Veronica does such a beautiful job at unraveling their relationship little by little. Their relationship really comes full circle during their journey, and that ending...*sigh* The world they're surrounded by is enticing, wild and totally dangerous, and I really liked that Veronica created characters who were able to adapt to this world, and in Aria's case learn to adapt in it. Aside from Perry and Aria, I absolutely adored Roar! He totally brings the humor into this story and at all the right moments too. He's the best sidekick for Perry and Aria, and I loved the history he and Perry have together. There's some hilarious moments between the three of them. He's someone I seriously wanted to spend more time with in this story.

I'm going to sound generic when I say this, but I seriously loved everything about this book. I swear I was completely mesmerized by it. Veronica's writing is one that just hooks me. It's clear, it's beautiful, it's inviting and she makes me feel as though I'm right there experiencing everything her characters are. Under the Never Sky's world is truly unique and completely fascinating. I love a book that makes me wish I could hang out in it's world for just a little bit longer. The characters are brilliant! They're detailed, realistic and so easy to just love. Plus there's this little bit of history we get to learn about with both Perry and Roar's tribes, and the complex world they all live in. I really liked the attention to detail that Veronica gives with Perry's people, also known as the Outsiders. While there are still things that I'm curious to know more about in the next book, I really liked how Veronica wrapped up everything up with the first book. It felt complete even though I know there's a lot more to come.

There are so many more things I want to say about this book, but I don't know what else I can say that won't be a spoiler. I seriously highly recommend picking up this book! It's definitely being added to my shelf of all time favorites. I'm blown away this is only Veronica's debut book. I'm eagerly waiting the rest of this series to be released.

In My Mailbox #106 & Weekly Feature

2012-01-15T07:23:00.028-06:00

Happy Sunday! Last week was a lot of fun as I was able to take part in a few blog tours, and I kicked off my blog tour for Cynthia Hand's HALLOWED. Be sure to follow the blog tour as there's a lot of AWESOME giveaways, author guest posts, interviews and spoiler free reviews that will be posted through out the two week tour.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by and visited my A Million Suns Launch Party blog post. If you've not yet picked up this book, I highly recommend it. You can read my spoiler free 5 star review here. Thank you to Beth Revis for asking MM's to be apart of it.

Don't miss Sophie's post about Veronica Rossi's Under A Never Sky launch party she attended in California last weekend. If you've not year read this book, we both HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT! It's sooooo good.

This coming weekend I'll be at ALA!! If you're coming, let me know as I'd love to meet you in person and say HI! You can find out all about this weekends upcoming events HERE. I'm looking forward to this coming weekend and sharing all about my ALA adventures next week on the blog.

**********

Here's this week edition of In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. I still don't have a voice, so I didn't do a vlog this week. Here's the goodies I received this week for review, were gifted and purchased.

For Review:

* Everneath by Brodi Ashton, published by Harper Teen, to be released on 1/24/12 , published copy

* Perception by Kim Harrington, published by Scholastic, to be released on 3/1/12

* Last Rite by Lisa Desrochers, published by Tor, to be released on 5/8/12, signed

* Masque of Red Death by Bethany Griffin, published by Harper Teen, to be released on 4/24/12

* Halfmoon by Jordan Deen, published by Blackrose Writing, to be released on 1/13/11, signed

* Windchaser by Krissi Dallas, published by Tate Publishing, released on 12/13/11 , signed

* Windfall by Krissi Dallas, published by Tate Publishing, released on 12/13/11, signed

* My Family of the War by Anne C. Voorhoeve, published by Dial, to be released on 2/16/12

* The Final Four by Paul Volponi, published by Viking, to be released on 3/1/12

Gifted/for Giveaway:

A ton of Don't Breathe a Word swag from Holly Cupala. I'll be giving away book marks, stickers, mini posters and some other cool stuff here on the blog and on twitter.

I also received signed book marks from Lisa Dez to giveaway

Mundie Kid Reviews:

* The Boy on Cinnamon Street by Phoebe Stone, published by Scholastic, to be released on 2/1/12

* The Case of the Deadly Desperadoes by Caroline Lawrence, published by Putnam & Sons, to be released on 2/14/12

* The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan & Peter Sis, published by Scholastic, paperback edition to be released on 3/1/12

* The Underworlds, The Battle Begins by Tony Abbott, published by Scholastic, to be released on 4/1/12

* The Underworlds, When Monsters Escape by Tony Abbott, published by Scholastic, to be released on 4/1/12

* Rainbow Magic, The Magical Animal Fairies: Ashley the Dragon Fairy by Daisy Meadows, published by Scholastic, to be released on 3/1/12

* Rainbow Magic, The Magical Animal Fairies: Caitlin the Ice Bear Fairy by Daisy Meadows, published by Scholastic, to be released on 3/1/12

* Dragons Easter Egg Hunt adapted by Mae Marks, published by Scholastic, to be released on 3/1/12

* The Fairy Treasure Hunt by Daisy Meadows, published by Scholastic, to be released on 3/1/12

Purchased:

* Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer (B & N special edition)

* Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

* Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder

* The Fault in our Stars by John Green, signed

* Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney

* LadyBug Girl collection of books

Thank you to:

Scholastic, Harper Teen, Penguin, Lisa Dez, Jordan Deen, Krissi Dallas, and Holly Cupala for this week's awesome reads and goodies. What did you receive this week? Leave me a link so I come check out your goodies!

Book Review: Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

2012-01-14T09:15:00.007-06:00

By: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Published by: EgmontUSA

Released on: December 27th, 2011

Source: book from publisher to review

5 stars: I LOVED It

Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Read an excerpt

Every other day, Kali D'Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She attends pep rallies. She's human.

And then every day in between . . .She's something else entirely.

Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.

When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her and, unfortunately, she'll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive. . .and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process. -quoted from Goodreads

This is an awesome, fast paced, action packed paranormal read and I loved every bit of this book. Jennifer Lynn Barnes has done a fabulous job at creating a unique world were humans and paranormal creatures are aware of each other, and introduces readers to a one kick butt heroine in Kali, the story's main character. Kali is only human every other day, and on those "other" days she's one fierce paranormal killing machine, meaning she hunts down the "bad guys", well guys really isn't the correct term. Thanks to the awesome government and their protection of those scary monsters like hellhounds, and other creatures that go bump in the night, Kali finds herself hunting them down. Kali's something entirely unique, or so you think. In finding out more about Kali and her ability is only part of this story's fascinating twist on this paranormal world.

Aside from this intriguing world are the human characters. I liked that they didn't fall into the normal high school drama club, I mean, there is drama, but the way in which Jennifer weaves high school, the characters, Kali's ability and the paranormal world is really a quite interesting. When you take Kali who's only human every other day, and then becomes friends with the loner Skylar, who I totally loved, and not just because she's physic! Now add in the queen witch and cheerleader Bethany who just so happens to date Elliot, one of Skylar's brothers, and an enemy to Skylar, mix in some fate and you've got one interesting storyline that's about to get a lot more twisted. As in a huge conspiracy that unravels a few secrets and leaves just enough still covered up that makes me wish I had more of this story in my hands.

I seriously loved the trio of Kali, Bethany and Skylar. Despite their differences, they're all loyal to each other, which given all they deal with wasn't surprising to me. I loved that there's much more than meets the eye with all three of the girls. That little bit of fate I mentioned above is called a chupacabra, and from the moment that Kali spots it on Bethany the story kicks into high gear and becomes action backed, twisted and a ton of fun. Not only is the alluring Zev introduced to the story, but Kali becomes entangled with a dangerous world she knew nothing about, and it's one that links to her and a few other of the characters together. Oh wow did I enjoy this story. It's not just the action that I loved, or how awesome Kali is, but I was completely enchanted with the "moments" and I use this term loosely for a reason, between Kali and Zev. That thing between them was just the icing on the cake for me.

This is one fascinating paranormal read I highly recommend picking up! Jennifer's writing is awesome! I know I've used that word one too many times in my review, but I seriously love her writing. Her paranormal world is unlike any of the other ones I've read, and I loved that she incorporates so much into her world without being overly detailed about it. There's plenty of action, the right about of sarcasm/snark, and some sizzling character chemistry. That combination right there is a total win for me. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough while reading Every Other Day. I want more!!! If you're a fan of YA paranormal reads go pick this one up!!

Book Review/Blog Tour: Dark Days by C.A. Kunz

2012-01-13T09:28:00.011-06:00

I'm excited to be the next stop in The Childe blog tour, and today's stop includes my review for their sequel, Dark Days.

By: C.A. Kunz

Published by: self published

To Be Released on: 2012 date not yet released

Source: ARC from authors to review

4 stars: I Really Enjoyed It

Purchase from: n/a

Series: Book 2 in The Childe Series

*********

Secrets, action and a lot more surprises unravel as Cat not only learns more about who she is, the power that lies within her, but she realizes that there's more to many of the town's people's and it's secrets than she first thought.

What a fantastic sequel! I really enjoyed the fast paced storyline, getting to learn a lot more about Cat and the history of those around her as well as learning more about the series' mythology. I surprised with how wrapped up into the story I became. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see what was going to happen next, and there's a lot of exciting things that go on in this book.

With out giving away any spoilers, I can say that I really liked the direction this series is going in. There's so much that's revealed to both Cat and to readers in Dark Days. A lot of questions I was left with at the end of The Childe are answered and now I have new ones I can't wait to have answered in the next installment. I was pleasantly surprised that it's not just Cat who grows up a bit more in this sequel, but a few other characters do as well. I liked the introduction of some new characters and the way their presences only intensifies the mystery that's a big part of this storyline. There's a few shocking discoveries and some fabulous moments between Ryan and Cat.

I didn't think I could adore Ryan any more than I did in the first book, but he's definitely got that irresistible, charming quality about him that it's hard not to. Plus I love how he is with Cat. He can dish it too when she needs, comfort her, and give her the strength she needs at other times. He's that all around great guy who protects, supports and does what every he can for his girl, while also letting her be who she is. Cat for me really grows more into herself in this story. She asks more questions, seeks out answers and does everything she can to protect those around her. She makes a few minor mistakes that I was expecting her to as she learns to accept her heritage and what she is. There's also a good shake up with the things that happen between her and her friends, as well as some people at school.

If you read The Childe, I highly recommend picking up Dark Days. This story literally picks up right where The Childe ended. I love that when a series does that. I think fans will be pleasantly surprised with all that goes on in Cat's world in Dark Days. Talk about a killer ending! There's a fabulous betrayal and a few twists that I didn't even see coming. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next installment in this series. Like The Childe, this is a clean cut read that even tween fans of YA paranormal books will enjoy reading.

******

You can read my review The Childe here

Don't forget to LEAVE A COMMENT to be entered to win a KINDLE FIRE via The Childe Blog Tour. Find out all the tour giveaway info HERE and follow the entire tour HERE.

Flashback Friday / Book Review: The Childe by C.A. Kunz

2012-01-13T07:39:00.011-06:00

Last September I started a new meme here on Mundie Moms called Flashback Friday. The purpose of this meme was to spotlight books that I've had sitting on my shelf to read that have been out for awhile. Since there's a lot of books I didn't get around to reading that were released in 2011 I'm also incorporating those releases into this meme, even though they're out "older" releases. Today's feature is: The Childe by C.A. Kunz

By: C. A. Kunz

Published by: self published

Released on: February 18th, 2011

Source: Book from authors to review

3 stars: It's A Good Read

Purchase from: Amazon

Cat Colvin

Average Teenager? Or Something Else Entirely? Cat Colvin is pretty much your typical run-of-the-mill teenager. Sure, she’s taller than most girls, has a mane of fiery red hair that’s impossible to tame, is left-handed, and her eyes are two different colors, but that’s where the differences end . . . unless you include the minor detail of her slow transformation into a Childe.
High school can definitely be challenging, and for Cat it’s no different. This is especially true when she’s faced with the daunting task of trying to hide her budding Childe traits as they begin to reveal themselves at the most inopportune times. To make matters worse, her family is oddly dead set against Ryan, the boy she grows to like. But everyone has their secrets: is Ryan really what he seems to be, and what is Cat’s family not telling her?
The Childe is the first book in this coming-of-age fantasy series which follows Cat's life through the twists and turns toward finding out whom and what she really is. Come and take the plunge with Cat into a world filled with mystery, biting humor, and the paranormal -quoted from Goodreads

An intriguing paranormal debut that meshes together mystery, romance, and adds a unique spin to a the vampire world.

I really enjoyed getting to meet Cat, and her good group of friends. They were just fun characters to meet, and I liked that many of them came across as genuine, though I'm sure a few of them may surprise me in the sequel. I liked that each of the characters introduced into the story, good or bad, seem to have a purpose in the story. A few of them added to the story's over all mystery, and I wanted to figure out how they were tied to the tiny town's hidden secrets. I of course loved meeting Ryan, and the chemistry between he and Cat. I liked that Ryan always managed to keep his cool in any sort of situation, especially around Isaac when it was obvious that he was holding back when they were around each other. Even though I wanted to despise Isaac, I found hard to do so, because I felt like I some what understood why he acted the way he did.

While I enjoyed the entertaining plot, getting to know the various characters and the paranormal elements that make up this debut book, I felt the story's pacing hindered my ability to like the book more than I excepted to. The pacing was great for the first and last part of the book, but I sadly lost my excitement with the story line through out the middle part of the book. For me I start to lose interest if there's a lot of build up and then nothing happens for awhile and I felt that's what happened in the middle of The Childe's story line. Luckily the characters kept me engaged with the story during this time and I was pleasantly surprised with how the story picks up more at the end.

This is a clean cut book with a lot of interesting paranormal elements, myths and a fascinating history. I love the story's setting and the interesting web of characters that are introduced through out the course of the book. I'm looking forward to finding out how all these character's connect and what their rules will be in Cat's life as the series continues. This book is targeted more to younger YA readers, and it's one I would even recommend to tweens who enjoy reading YA paranormal books. I can't wait to read the sequel. I have a feeling that book will be a lot more action packed and pick up right where The Childe ended. I want to add that there is a big difference between reading the first copy of the book that C.A. Kunz sent me compared to the second copy, which is much more polished and cleaned up editing wise.

Don't miss the BLOG TOUR stop & review for Dark Days HERE

City of Fallen Angels News & Giveaway Winners

2012-01-12T15:55:00.006-06:00

USA Today published it's list of 100 Best Selling Books of 2011 and we're THRILLED that City of Fallen Angels is listed! Cassie's 4th installment in The Mortal Instrument series came in at #75!

Congratulations Cassie!

image found on google

Congratulations to our latest giveaway winners!

Switched by Amanda Hocking Giveaway

#80- Donna

A Million Suns Launch Party Giveaway

#131- Teeza

Both winners have already been notified via email. I've got a few more giveaways that will be up soon and don't forget to enter to win a BOX OF BOOKS, ARCS, signed swag and more. Enter here.

Book Review: Tempest by Julie Cross

2012-01-12T09:38:00.008-06:00

By: Julie Cross

Published by: St Martin's Griffin

To Be Released on: January 17th, 2012

Source: ARC from author/publisher to review

3 stars: It Was A Good Read

Pre-Order from: St. Martin's Griffin | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Series: 1st in the series

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world. -quoted from Goodreads

Tempest for me has a really intriguing story line, and the concept behind time travel fascinates me as it does many other fans, hence the popular BBC series, Dr. Who. I'm not sure if I for one would want to travel back in time, because I fear I'd do something stupid that would alter things that change my future, not saying I don't have a few things I wish I could change. For Jackson, the story's main character, that's precisely what he wants to do. I couldn't fault him for wanting to save the love of his life, but things seem to go wrong when he gets stuck in his past and can't get back to the date he left.

I liked that the story starts off with Jackson and his girlfriend Holly, both of whom are college students in 2009. Jackson, along with his best friend Adam are testing/researching his abilities to time travel, when through the course of one of his jumps something happens which sets off a whole chain reaction of events. As I said above, I liked the whole premise of time traveling, but I had a very hard time keeping up with all of Jackson's jumps and his motives for going back to the various dates he goes to. This made it really hard for me to connect to both the story and the characters. I needed more of a clarity of Jackson's rules for his jumps, the consequences of those jumps, and I wanted to have an over all better understanding of his ability to time travel. I got lost as a reader with the numerous and what felt like random jumps he makes, or maybe it's the fact that many of his jumps are short bursts and it felt like he bounces back and forth between a few years too often that I didn't keep up with his reasoning for them.

Don't get me wrong, I can definitely see why other readers really enjoyed it. There's an intriguing storyline with secrets, romance, danger, action, cover ups, love, loss and of course the CIA and it's secret group. I liked that through some of Jackson's jumps Julie introduces readers to Jackson's sister, what happened to her, how that shaped the person Jackson is now, his love for Holly, who is Dad is and what division of the CIA he works for and of course the "bad guys" who are after Jackson. Like many first books in a series Tempest seems like it sets up a lot more of what's to come with the rest of the series. Though I felt a bit lost at times with the book in trying to keep up with all that was going on and didn't love the story as much as I had expected to, I am looking forward reading the sequel. I think this is just the beginning of what sounds like an fabulous series. There's been others times where I didn't love the first in a series and loved the sequel, and I'm hoping that's the case with Tempest. There is some mild language, a few mentions of the f word and a non-graphic sex scene in the book.

Before you check out the trailer, visit Julie's blog here to see how you can down load your *free* Tempest series short story Tomorrow is Today and listen to a snippet of the audiobook here.

Be sure to "like" the Tempest Series facebook page to keep up with the latest book and movie news & read the first 4 chapters HERE

Blog Tour: Guest Post with Unraveling Isobel author Eileen Cook

2012-01-12T08:58:00.009-06:00

I'm thrilled to have Unraveling Isobel author, Eileen Cook on MM's today, as part of the Unraveling Isobel blog tour. Today Eileen has stopped by to share with us some of her favorite books.

***********

It’s so hard to pick a favorite! I love such a wide range of books from contemporary, YA, thrillers, historical fiction and even non-fiction. What I’m reading at any particular time depends on my mood. Growing up I loved The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, anything by Judy Blume or by Lois Duncan. Some of my all time favorites include the entire Harry Potter series, A Prayer for Owen Meany, The House at Riverton, and Rebecca.

My most recent favorite books include The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson, Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake, The Fitzosbournes in Exile by Cooper and The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. Two books that I had a chance to read early versions of were Never Enough by Denise Jaden and The Right and the Real by Joelle Anthony- you’ll want to check those two out when they come out this year!

************

Thank you Eileen for stopping by today! Be sure to follow the rest of the tour here.

Follow Eileen on her Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Purchase Unraveling Isobel from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble |IndieBound

Read my review

Isobel’s life is falling apart. Her mom just married some guy she met on the internet only three months before, and is moving them to his sprawling, gothic mansion off the coast of nowhere. Goodbye, best friend. Goodbye, social life. Hello, icky new stepfather, crunchy granola town, and unbelievably good-looking, officially off-limits stepbrother.
But on her first night in her new home, Isobel starts to fear that it isn’t only her life that’s unraveling—her sanity might be giving way too. Because either Isobel is losing her mind, just like her artist father did before her, or she’s seeing ghosts. Either way, Isobel’s fast on her way to being the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons. -quoted from Goodreads

Thoughtful Thursday- These Times are Hard, But They Will Pass

2012-01-12T07:10:00.005-06:00

Today's post is a little different in the fact I wanted to share with you guys a music video I first saw last week on my friend Ginger's blog (GReads). She had posted a powerful, and totally inspiring new video from the band Safety Suit called These Times. Let me just say this video totally ROCKS! It's not only uplifting it's as I mentioned, inspiring. The message in this song is we all have had or are having tough times, but they will pass. These times will pass and we'll come through them stronger than we were before. It's in a way comforting to know that if you're going through a tough time, you're not the only one.

Check out the empowering video here and look for Ginger in it!!

HARBRINGER Book Trailer

2012-01-11T11:24:00.004-06:00

I am really looking forward to HARBRINGER'S upcoming release on 2/2/12 and I'm thrilled to share the official book trailer that has recently been released! Check it out here:

About the book:

Set in a world in which a diminishing oil supply has lead to chaos and mass rioting, sixteen year old Faye is plagued by waking visions and nightmares. Her parents think the only solution is to send her to Holbrook Academy, the creepy prison-like school for disturbed teenagers. When she and her friends wake up on the floor with their hands stained red, Faye has no idea what it means, but fears she may be the cause. But despite the strangeness of Holbrook and the island on which it sits, Faye feels oddly connected to the place. The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain he is trying to kill her –and the rest of the world too.

Advance Praise for Harbinger:

· “Heart-wrenching, terrifying, hot, and un-put-down-able!” – Tamora Pierce, New York Times bestselling author

· “Intricate, suspenseful, completely absorbing. Harbinger is masterfully done.” – Lisa McMann, author of the New York Times bestselling Wake trilogy

Book Review: INCARNATE by Jodi Meadows

2012-01-11T10:08:00.014-06:00

By: Jodi Meadows

Published by: Harper Teen

To Be Released on: January 31st, 2012

Source: ARC from publisher to review

4.5 stars: I Enjoyed It

Pre-Order from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

NEWSOUL

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL

Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART

Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life -quoted from Goodreads

If you like something that's a little unique, refreshing, addicting and has a few key elements like a well written romance, dragons, tensions, battles, a MASQUERADE BALL (nope not like the CP one, but this one is still really good), sylphs and a few reincarnations, than you need to go pick up this debut book from Jodi Meadows. This combination of elements made for an incredibly hard to put down book that felt like a cross between fantasy, and paranormal. I really enjoyed getting wrapped up into Jodi's story telling, her unique mythology and her incredibly fascinating world building.

The characters were all interesting to say the least and I liked that I got to know them more over the course of the story. Ana is someone that truly grows into a stronger character as the story goes along. She's had one heck of a horrid upbringing and it isn't until after being rescued from the alluring love interest Sam, does she start to really grow into the character she's meant to be. *sigh* Sam. It definitely wasn't hard for me to be swept off my feet by Sam. He's complicated, level headed and he pushes Ana in a very different way than most lead male characters in YA books do. Ana herself is stubborn, persistent and I admire her for asking questions and seeking out answers. It's through Ana's quest to get answers and learn more about herself and her existence that we learn more about this society's history. Ana and Sam's romance is so well done! It's drawn out, it's complicated and boy do they have some great character chemistry. I LOVE this romance. It reminded me a little of the romance from Graceling. It's beautiful, pure and it's one that blossoms as the characters learn to trust in each other and get to know one another.

The other thing that I really enjoyed about this story is Jodi's unique mythology with reincarnation and the rich history that comes with it. I found it fascinating that her characters would not only keep coming back after living numerous lives, but they'd be able to keep their memories of all their past lives. Not only that, but they could be a different sex when they are reincarnated. The story's society is bit a intriguing as they are made of members who have known each other over the span of generations giving the different lives they've lived. Each time they come back they keep the same friendships. I liked that the concept of "new" or "no" souls. No matter how many times a character is reincarnated they keep their same soul, good or bad.

Incarnate is a fabulous debut! Jodi's writing is simply beautiful. I fell in love with the way she tells her story, and I loved that it's both simple and complex all at the same time. It's well paced, it's engaging and at the heart of the storyline is an enchanting love story that truly a breath of fresh air. The battles, the tensions and twists that are revealed at the end of the book are fabulous! My only compliant is having to wait so long to pick up the sequel. I highly recommend picking up this book when it's out later this month.

Don't miss your chance to meet Jodi Meadows on tour via the Pitch Dark Days!! Go HERE to find out what stops she'll be at and if you're in Austin, TX be sure to stop by and meet her on 2/17 at the Barnes & Noble in the Arboretum at 7 pm!

Waiting on Wednesday: Stolen Away by Alexandra Harvey

2012-01-11T06:05:00.004-06:00

By: Alexandra Harvey

Published by: Bloomsbury Teen

To Be Released on: January 17th, 2012

Pre-Order from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

I can't wait to go pick this book up! It sounds like it's going to be another fabulous Fae book, and I'm a sucker for Fae books. I like the cover for it as well. What book are you waiting on?

Book Review: A Million Suns by Beth Revis

2012-01-10T12:45:00.003-06:00

By: Beth Revis

Published by: RazorBill/Penguin Teen

Released on: January 10th, 2012- TODAY

Source: ARC from publisher to review

5 stars: I LOVED It

Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.

It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies.
But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.
In book two of the Across the Universe trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis mesmerizes us again with a brilliantly crafted mystery filled with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship. -quoted from Goodreads

Wow! What a fabulous sequel! Everything you thought you knew or thought you figured out in Across the Universe holds no bars when it comes to reading A Million Suns. Beth Revis not only surprised me with her numerous plot twists, and surprising revelations, she had me yelling "no way" numerous times through out the course of reading this book. Seriously, the plot twists continue to the very end of the book. If you loved Across the Universe, wait till you find yourself back on Godspeed in A Million Suns.

I don't even know where to begin my review. Beth's writing is brilliant, it's engaging, and boy do I wish I had the next book in my hands. The plot twists are so unpredictable, the revelations, the secrets and the betrayals are FABULOUS!! I couldn't have asked for a better sequel. It completely exceeded all my expectations. I loved every heart pounding moment I spent back in Amy and Elder's world. It's not just those sweet moments between the two of them that I enjoyed, but the fact that I could not figure out what was going to happen next. All the key players from ATU are back and wow, there's some startling discoveries with a few them that I never would have imagined possible.

Let me just say if you LOVED Across the Universe you need to go pick up this book today! I can not say anything else about this book with out giving away sort of spoilers, which I'm not about to do. I love Beth's writing. Her world building is incredible, her characters are well written and her plot line is flawless. She doesn't hold back on killing characters off, causing friction, an uprising, and putting her characters in positions that make them think outside the box. Through various events her characters learn to take charge of different and often times difficult situations which makes them grow into characters that I as a reader enjoyed seeing. This is a fast paced, thrilling sequel that I HIGHLY RECOMMEND picking up.

Join the LAUNCH PARTY here