Mundie Moms

Latest News & Giveaway Winners!

2012-02-02T08:15:00.005-06:00

There is a lot of exciting things going on this month! First, Mundie Moms turns 3 on the 14th!!! YAY! I can't believe how fast 3 years has flown by. We'll be celebrating with giveaways I'll be posting about soon....

Here's a hint of a few of the ARCs I'll be giving away... You might be Destined for a Dreamless night's sleep when you stay up all night to read Until I Die and Black Heart. Yes laugh all you want. I'm a bit delusional from a lack of sleep as I sit here and write this. There are lots more goodies coming up your way this month in celebration of MMs turning 3!

In other news, Dark Days is coming to Austin, TX on 2/17!! I'll be there as the live blogger for the event. I'll be interviewing Courtney Allison Moulton, Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows, as well as tweeting from the event.

AND Alex Flinn will be signing at the Round Rock, TX Barnes & Noble at 7 pm on 2/16!! I hope to see you guys there.

Congratulations to our recent GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

1,000,000 visitors BOX of Books Giveaway winner is:

#513- Diane E

Hallowed Blog Tour Giveaway: Team Christian pack

#87- Amanda P

Both winners have been notified and have 48 hrs to reply to their emails or new winners will be selected. Thank you to everyone who entered! Don't miss our latest giveaways that are featured in our right hand side bar.

Thoughtful Thursday: MM Q&A Part 2

2012-02-02T06:16:00.002-06:00

For last week's Thoughtful Thursday I posted my answers to some questions I often receive via email, twitter, messages on facebook etc. and this week I thought I'd post a few more that I didn't answer last week.

What Do You Do With All The Review Books You Get?

I keep some, use some for giveaways, but I donate the majority of the books and ARCs I receive. There's a lot of great organizations in my local area that are in need of books. A lot of my books have gone to my local public library, Safe Place, and to my local schools (high school and elementary school), and I've also donated books to local book drives the Austin Area Bloggers have donated too.

How Do I Get On Your Blog Tours?

At one time I was going to open my tours up, but since 1) I have a limited amount of time to put into book tours and 2) since they're free, I've not opened them up. I'm very selective on the tours I host and they're a combination of ones I've worked with for authors I've either built up a friendship with outside of blogging, ones I've done stuff with before, or ones who's books I've already read and loved, publishers that I have a closer relationship with and/or tour I've put together myself (w/ the permission of the author or publisher). I learned the hard way that I'm not as successful in promoting a book I really didn't like, which is why I currently only host tours for books I've read and loved.

Why Have You Cut Back On Your Giveaways?

I've had to cut back due to costs. I currently do not make any money on blog (which I'm hoping to change shortly), and with a young family I've needed to put my money where it's most important. The majority of my giveaways are done out of pocket, unless it's one hosted by a publisher. In which case they graciously send out the books. Since this month is MM's birthday month, I do have some more giveaways coming up! I am planning to host monthly giveaways, they just won't be numerous as they have been.

Do You Get Envious Of Other Bloggers?

I can honestly say not really. I'd be a liar if I say I've gotten envious, but it's been a long time. I seriously get so excited over seeing what everyone gets in their IMM's and over the success my friends have on their blogs. Why get envious over that? It's pointless to me. I'd much rather spend the energy on celebrating successes and what everyone does on their blogs vs wasting time getting envious over petty things.

Will You Be Hosting More TMI/ ID series Read Alongs?

Yes!! The next one is scheduled is for City of Fallen Angels and it will start on April 18th and end on May 7th. That one will also be followed up with a chat with Cassie either at the end of that month or the beginning of June.

I'll be able to pin point a date for the Clockwork Prince read along once there's a firm release date for Clockwork Princess.

When's Your Next Chat with Cassie Scheduled?

It will either be at the end of May or the beginning of June. This one will also be a spoiler filled chat, which is why it will most likely be a month after COLS release.

Book Review: Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne

2012-02-01T15:14:00.005-06:00

By: Sara Wilson Etienne

Published by: Penguin Teen / G.P. Putnam & Sons

To Be Released on: February 2nd, 2012

Source: ARC from the publisher

3.5 stars: It's A Good Read

Purchase from: Penguin | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

When sixteen-year-old Faye arrives at Holbrook Academy, she doesn't expect to find herself exactly where she needs to be. After years of strange waking visions and nightmares, her only comfort the bones of dead animals, Faye is afraid she's going crazy.

Fast.

But her first night at Holbrook, she feels strangely connected to the school and the island it sits on, like she's come home. She's even made her first real friends, but odd things keep happening to them. Every morning they wake on the floors of their dorm rooms with their hands stained red. Faye knows she's the reason, but what does it all mean? The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain she can't trust him; in fact, he may be trying to kill her - and the rest of the world too. Rich, compelling writing will keep the pages turning in this riveting and tautly told psychological thriller -quoted from Goodreads

A gripping, psychological thriller that's hard to put down. This debut is as terrifying as it is fascinating. Sara did a masterful job at creating a story that will make the reader feel just as insane as her main character Faye. Getting inside the head of Faye made it hard to distinguish what was real and what was an figment of her imagination. I have to say, that really made for an interesting read, because it was impossible for me to figure out what was really going on. This is one of those story's that similar to the writings of Nova Ren Suma and Michelle Hodkin's where you spend the entire time trying to piece everything that's going on together, only to get to the end of the book and realize that it was an impossible task to do.

Faye is one of those characters you root for when they become rebellious. How could I not? She basically gets dumped at Holbrook Academy, is forced to take pills to "feel normal", has to deal with the crocked Dr. Mordoch, deal with takers who treat her like an animal and the rest of the residents there, and essential have her individuality taken away from her. I give Faye props for trying to escape. Shoot, I would have done the same thing. Even solitary confinement can't break her spirit, but some of the strange things going on at the Academy can. There's plenty of secrets, betrayals and plot twists that keep on coming until the very end. Not to mention a hot little romance on the side.

Faye's story is a bit confusing at times, but that's what kept me reading. I know that sounds weird and there's very few authors who have been able to hold my attention during a confusing plot, but there's something about Sara's writing that captures your attention. Really, there's so much that's going that it was hard to put the book down. The characters, and the setting really help paint the picture of the disturbing things that happen. Like Faye, I had a hard time trying to figure out what were lies, who I could really trust and what was really the reasoning behind Faye's terrifying visions. When the plot twists unravel and Faye's secrets are revealed all I can say is hold on tight for one wild crazy ending that I never saw coming. It's during this time that I had my "oh that totally makes sense" moment.

Again, Sara's writing is crafted so well that by the end of the book when she unravels everything neatly, I was able to look back and see the hints she had dropped, but with out knowing the outcome there is no way I would have been able to pick up on them. Sounds confusing doesn't it? Believe me when you read it you'll know what I mean by that. The other thing that I was fascinated by is Sara's notes at the end of the book (ARC), where she talks about her inspiration for the story. I loved how she was able to take a little bit of fact and history and create a whole fictional story around that. Overall I felt this was a Good Read. There's nothing I can pin point that I didn't like, it's just not a book I fell in love with like I wanted to, but it's one I liked reading it. There is some mild language, and darker undertones in the book making it one I'd recommend to older YA readers.

Cassandra Clare's TMI/TID Unidentified Snippets

2012-02-01T07:58:00.007-06:00

I'm loving the snippets Cassie has recently been posting/ teasing us with. We'll be updating this post as she posts more snippets. You can also follow Cassie on her tumblr, and read all her snippets under her unidentified-snippets posts on her tumblr account.

As Cassie mentioned on her tumblr, these are unidentified snippets, meaning they can be either from TMI or TID series.

1/2012 - To my son,

If you are reading this letter, then I am dead.

1/2012 - “In your eyes, I have always found grace.”

1/2012 - He stopped dead. “Tessa told you?” he said.

1/2012 - his parabatai rune was bleeding

1/2012 - Marry me today.

1/2012 - She slid the gold ring back onto her finger before heading into Jace’s bedroom.

1/31/12- Will’s hand looked brown and sunburnt by contrast, their fingers dovetailed together like piano keys.

2/1/12- He kissed each finger, and with each one of them spoken a word. Five kisses, five words. His last.

** All snippets are taken from posts Cassie's made on Tumblr.

Waiting on Wednesday: Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock

2012-02-01T06:33:00.007-06:00

By: Kathleen Peacock

Published by: Harper Teen / Katherine Tegen Books

To Be Released on: May 8th, 2012

Pre-Order from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | IndieBound

Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered.

Since then, Mac’s life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac’s hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy’s killer: A white werewolf.

Lupine syndrome—also known as the werewolf virus—is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control.

Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy’s murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy’s boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.

Kathleen Peacock’s thrilling novel is the first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spellbinding urban fantasy series filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love -quoted from Goodreads

I am really looking forward to reading this! I love that it's a paranormal, murder mystery with what sounds like laced with a bit of romance. This book is definitely moving up on my TBR list. I was fortunate to receive an ARC of Hemlock at ALA and I can't wait to sit down and read it. I'll have my review up for it in April.

The other day on twitter there was discussion about Hemlock's US vs UK cover. Since I love them both, I wanted to share with you what the UK cover looks like. *hint* Look really closely at the cover and what Mac is looking back at.... there's something in the trees.

What book are you waiting on?

February 2012 YA Releases

2012-02-01T00:53:00.002-06:00

I thought January kicked off the year to a pretty good start with YA release, but wait till you check out this month's awesome upcoming releases!

February 1st

February 2nd

February 6th

The Rivals by Daisy Whitney

February 7th

February 8th

February 10th

Devotion by Kristie Cook

February 14th

February 16th

February 21st

February 28th

*All links go to the book's individual page on Goodreads

If I missed any YA books that were being released this month, please let me know so I can list it.

Book Review: Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton

2012-01-31T12:42:00.017-06:00

By: Courtney Allison Moulton

Published by: Harper Teen / Katherine Tegen Books

Released on: January 31st, 2012 TODAY

Source: ARC from the author to review

5 stars: I LOVED It!

Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Series: Book #2

Life as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined.

Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night.

She’s been warned. Cadan, a demonic reaper, comes to her with information about Bastian’s new plan to destroy Ellie’s soul and use an ancient relic to wake all the souls of the damned and unleash them upon humanity. As she fights to stay ahead of Bastian’s schemes , the revelations about those closest to her awaken a dark power within Ellie that threatens to destroy everything—including herself.

She’ll be betrayed. Treachery comes even from those whom she loves, and Ellie is broken by the deaths of those who stood beside her in this Heavenly war. Still, she must find a way to save the world, herself, and her love for Will. If she fails, there will be hell to pay. -quoted from Goodreads

Talk about needing to catch my breathe... Wings of the Wicked is a non stop, action packed, thrilling sequel that's sexy, dark, and emotionally gripping. Courtney Allison Moulton pulls out all the stops in this book and I have no idea how she's going to top this sequel with book #3. I don't think I've ever read over 500 pages this quickly before. There is so much that happens that I literally was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Between the plot twists, the battles and those who get killed off, this is one book that will appeal to readers who enjoy endless action.

I loved the characters in this sequel, and was really blown away with how much Ellie changes. She deals with some very realistic concerns. She's the Preilator, she's powerful, she's being hunted and she also wants to enjoy just being human. I understood the range of emotions she deals with. The time has come for her to embrace her true self and sacrifice one life for the other... the angel side or the human side. As readers will learn, when the two worlds collide it's costly for her and all involved. The things between Will and Ellie really heat up and their chemistry is smoking in this sequel. Their scenes together were some of the ones that emotional grabbed me. There's so much history between the two of them, an undeniable love, and danger. Courtney couldn't have written their relationship any better than she does in this book. I can't even begin to sum up what is developed and revealed between Will and Ellie. It's so fitting for their history and the way the story line goes.

Along with Will, whom I adore, is Caden. I seriously have fallen in love with Caden, though not as much as I have with Will. He shows up when you least except it and delivers quite the plot twist when he does. When he's around it's hard to tell if there's something he's hiding or if he's really the guy you'd least except to fall for. There's plenty of swoon worthy and gut retching moments that will leave you clinging to the pages of this book. There's an epic battle though I'm sure this isn't the last one we'll witness in this series. I liked that there were times Ellie had to decipher where the fine line between good and evil stood. There's betrayal, unlikely allies and plenty of scenes that will leave you thinking, "I can't believe she just went there." Oh Courtney definitely goes there and it's fabulous!

This is a fantastic sequel and one I highly recommend picking up. There is an underage drinking scene, an attempted rape scene, plenty of butt kicking scenes that obviously contain violence, the subject of domestic violence, very mild language, grief, guilt and the actions that can stem for those. I will say Courtney does a great job in the way she handled each of those topics in her story. Due to some of the content, I think this is a book older YA fans will enjoy the most. If you loved Angelfire just wait till you read Wings of the Wicked! If you're looking for a book that will sweep you off your feet, is full of brilliant writing, breathtaking romance and a well developed storyline than this is one you need to read. Now that I've caught my breathe I may need to sit and read it again. I can't wait to read the next book in this exciting trilogy.

Guess what!?! Courtney will be in Austin on 2/17/12 for the Dark Days stop! I am so excited I'll be there to interview her along with Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows and Brodi Ashton. Find out all the details HERE.

Find out more about Fear The Reaper HERE

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

I have 2 SETS of bookmarks that feature Will, Ellie and Caden on them to GIVEAWAY and one set of Will and Ellie!! Just leave me a comment with your name and email address to enter. This giveaway will end on 2/13/12. It's OPEN INTERNATIONALLY!

Catching Jordan Blog Tour: Guest Post w/ Author Miranda Kenneally

2012-01-31T06:20:00.008-06:00

"Breaking through the Ranks: Jordan is symbolic for the many girls/women who choose to fight the status quo. What have some of your own experiences been like?"

When I was in elementary school, I wasn’t popular to say the least. Kids teased me because I liked Star Trek and science and animals and wanted to know how hurricanes worked. I didn’t know what the popular radio stations were and I barely knew which bands were cool. Some people at my school couldn’t believe I loved reading at night. Books and Discover magazine and National Geographic. I was a dorky, unattractive nerd who boys did not like.

But I was damned good at certain sports, like softball and volleyball.

For a long time in elementary school, when captains chose teams in gym class, it was all based on popularity. I was usually picked somewhere toward the end, even though I knew I could help the captain win games. I had proven myself. But no one ever seemed to notice because my lack of popularity hid my talent.

Then in sixth grade, I made it onto the school’s volleyball team. We were going to play the teachers in a game right before holiday break! Only eight kids were on the team: four boys and four girls. One of the boys was named Josh, and he was extremely popular, but had always been kind to me.

So one night our team went to Open Gym night, to practice so we could beat the teachers. I was practicing my serve – I was the only girl on the team who could do an overhand serve, and it was awesome. A fifth grade boy called out to Josh, “Wow, she’s good!” And Josh replied, “I know she’s good.”

And that was the first time in my life I really felt worth something when it came to sports. I smiled and smiled, and when we played softball in the spring, Josh picked me first when he was captain. When anyone questioned him, he replied, “Have you seen Miranda bat? Or seen her play third base?”

He was a truly good person and a good friend, because he saw my strengths and focused only on them, disregarding any pretense he may have had toward my popularity. I remember in junior high, he wrote in my yearbook, “Stay cool until the Next Generation.” That was incredibly corny but I loved it, because he knew I loved Star Trek: The Next Generation and accepted that about me, that I could like something other kids at my school didn’t like.

In my book CATCHING JORDAN, seventeen-year-old Jordan Woods loves football. She’s been playing the game for a long time and the guys all accept that she loves the game. Her friends don’t question it. She’s the captain and quarterback of her school’s team because she’s proven herself to be a great player and a capable leader.

Early on, when test readers were reading the book, they wanted to know, “Why does Jordan like football so much?”

I couldn’t really answer that. Jordan loves it, so she plays. Isn’t that enough? She likes running and the strategy involved. She likes leading a team. She likes running in for a touchdown.

If I say I love Mexican food, people don’t say, “Tell me why you like Mexican.” If I say I love figure skating, people don’t ask me why. It’s okay that I like those things because it’s normal for a white woman in American to like chips and dip and sparkly leotards.

But people do ask why Jordan’s into football, just because she’s a girl. I know that’s the sole reason.
My view is that people should do what they are good at. And even if they aren’t amazing at something, they should do it if they want to. If they dream of doing something, then they should work toward that dream, tackling obstacle after obstacle.

People will respect that. Maybe not all people, but a good portion will. Besides, you should do what you want to do.

That’s what Jordan Woods does, and that’s what I try to do every day. You should too. And if it ever gets hard, just remember those special people in your life who believe in you and your skills, regardless of sex or race or social status.

*******

Thank you Miranda for joining us today!

Please be sure to follow Miranda via her Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr

By: Miranda Kenneally

Published by: Source Books

Released on: December 1st, 2011

Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate - quoted from Goodreads

You can read my review here and be sure to check out the book trailer here:

Twitter Tuesday - Saundra Mitchell

2012-01-31T03:46:00.003-06:00

Can you feel our excitement over Saundra Mitchell's The Springsweet? No, well, take a glance at her newly released book trailer:

Then read this synopsis:

It’s a long way from Baltimore to Oklahoma Territory. But Zora Stewart will go any distance to put the tragic events of her sixteenth summer behind her. So this city girl heads to the tiny frontier town of West Glory to help her young widowed aunt keep her homestead going.

When another Baltimorean shows up in West Glory, Zora couldn’t be more surprised. Theo de la Croix made the long trip out west hoping to court Zora, whom he has long admired from afar.

But Zora has developed an attraction to a rather less respectable fellow: Emerson Birch, a rough-mannered young "sooner" whose fertile land is coveted.

As Zora begins to suspect that there may be more than luck behind Emerson’s good land, she discovers an extraordinary, astonishing power of her own: the ability to sense water under the parched earth. When her aunt hires her out as a "springsweet" to advise other settlers where to dig their wells, Zora feels the burden of holding the key to something so essential to survival in this unforgiving land.

Even more, she finds herself longing for love the way the prairie thirsts for water. Maybe, in the wildness of the territories, Zora can finally move beyond simply surviving and start living.

And finally, here's a snippet from Kirkus Reviews:

Throughout, the author conjures a convincing picture of life on the Oklahoma prairie, painting an absorbing portrait of the landscape and of the people there. Paranormal abilities aside, this is an effective historical novel. Mitchell includes a barn raising and dance, a prairie fire and a town founded and run by blacks, demonstrating solid research. Writing, story and romance maintain interest throughout. A high-quality, absorbing drama.

Okay now you understand why we're excited -- "high-quality, absorbing drama"? I'm so there. Pre-order The Springsweet at your local bookstore now; the release date, April 17th, is just around the corner.

Book Review & Giveaway: Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale

2012-01-30T08:29:00.010-06:00

By: Shannon Hale

Published by: Bloomsbury USA

To Be Released on: January 31st, 2011

Source: Book from publisher to review

5 stars: I LOVED It!

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

Series: Austenland #2

When Charlotte Kinder treats herself to a two-week vacation at Austenland, she happily leaves behind her ex-husband and his delightful new wife, her ever-grateful children, and all the rest of her real life in America. She dons a bonnet and stays at a country manor house that provides an immersive Austen experience, complete with gentleman actors who cater to the guests' Austen fantasies.

Everyone at Pembrook Park is playing a role, but increasingly, Charlotte isn't sure where roles end and reality begins. And as the parlor games turn a little bit menacing, she finds she needs more than a good corset to keep herself safe. Is the brooding Mr. Mallery as sinister as he seems? What is Miss Gardenside's mysterious ailment? Was that an actual dead body in the secret attic room? And-perhaps of the most lasting importance-could the stirrings in Charlotte's heart be a sign of real-life love?

The follow-up to reader favorite Austenland provides the same perfectly plotted pleasures, with a feisty new heroine, plenty of fresh and frightening twists, and the possibility of a romance that might just go beyond the proper bounds of Austen's world. How could it not turn out right in the end? -quoted from Goodreads

Everything I love about Shannon Hale's writing is evident with her newest release. Midnight in Austenland is witty, charming, has the right amount of romance, a strong female lead character and a murder mystery to be solved. I loved being back at Pembrook Park. The setting really sets the tone for the book, and though it's a great ode to Jane Austen's works, this time it was more fitting for her novels, Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park. Shannon Hale does suburb job at creating a unique story based on these two classics.

Shannon Hale is an author who's works I've come to love whether if it's children, teen or adults. There's something about her writing that's light hearted, inviting and always leaves me feeling satisfied and wanting more all at the same time. Reading this book was no different. I was totally surprised with how much I loved Charlotte, the main character. She's a successful, independent single mom who's dealing with a broken marriage, trying to mend her heart and in doing so sets off to do something for herself, which leads her to Pembrook Park. Though I couldn't relate to dealing with a broken marriage, Shannon wrote her in such a way I felt like I understood where she was coming from, her need to do what she does, and her drive to stay true to herself and her children. I even understood her hesitation with the romance that takes place in the book, which is so Jane Austen like. I loved it. Charlotte's inner monologue during one of these moments is hilarious! It's adding that little bit of humor into scenes I would least except it to be in, that I love about Shannon's writing.

I really enjoyed Austenland, but I LOVED Midnight in Austenland. Shannon's writing was tighter and the plot line was so well done. There were plenty of exciting plot twists that kept me on my toes, the way the murder mystery wrapped into the story was fabulous, and the romance was of course sigh worthy! This is truly one of those delightful reads you can sit down and enjoy in one sitting. Sometimes it's nice to take a break from YA reads and just get lost in a book that appeals to my adult side. Shannon does a brilliant job at staying true to Austen's books as well as creating a story that's completely unique to her own writing style. This is a book I think Austen fans will love! You'll find everything you adore about Jane Austen's writing and more in Midnight in Austenland.

*********

Thank you to Bloomsbury, I have 2 published copies to giveaway!!!!

To enter, please fill out the form below:

- 1 entry per person

- US residents only

- You must be 13 yrs & older to enter (under must have a parent/guardian's permission to enter)

- The giveaway will end on 2/13/12

Don't miss Shannon's launch party THIS Saturday! Find out all the info HERE

Mundane Monday #121

2012-01-30T06:09:00.003-06:00

Happy Mundane!! Here's a lovely little scene between Jem & Tessa. This was taken from the original teaser Cassie posted back in October. *sigh* What a great scene....

He curled his fingers around her hand, where it lay on his arm. His own scorched her skin, hot as fire. And then he turned her, and drew her toward him.

They stood face to face, chest to chest. His breath stirred her hair. She felt the fever rising off him like mist off the Thames; sensed the pounding of the blood through his skin, saw with a strange clarity the pulse at his neck, the light on the pale curls of his hair where it lay against his paler throat. Prickles of heat ran up and down her skin, bewildering her. This was Jem — her friend, steady and reliable as a heartbeat. Jem did not set her skin on fire or make the blood rush fast inside her veins until she was dizzy.

Did he?

“Tessa,” he said. She looked up at him. There was nothing steady or reliable about his expression. His silver eyes were dark, his cheeks flushed. As she raised her face, he brought his down, his mouth slanting across hers, and even as she froze in surprise they were kissing.

- Clockwork Prince

Artwork by Kara-Lija found on Deviantart

Book Review: Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

2012-01-28T14:39:00.005-06:00

By: Jack Gantos

Published by: Farrar Straus Giroux

Released on: September , 2011

Source: ARC from publisher to review

3.5 stars: It's A Good Read

Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, Dead End in Norvelt is a novel about an incredible two months for a kid named Jack Gantos, whose plans for vacation excitement are shot down when he is "grounded for life" by his feuding parents, and whose nose spews bad blood at every little shock he gets.

But plenty of excitement (and shocks) are coming Jack's way once his mom loans him out to help a fiesty old neighbor with a most unusual chore—typewriting obituaries filled with stories about the people who founded his utopian town. As one obituary leads to another, Jack is launced on a strange adventure involving molten wax, Eleanor Roosevelt, twisted promises, a homemade airplane, Girl Scout cookies, a man on a trike, a dancing plague, voices from the past, Hells Angels . . . and possibly murder.

Endlessly surprising, this sly, sharp-edged narrative is the author at his very best, making readers laugh out loud at the most unexpected things in a dead-funny depiction of growing up in a slightly off-kilter place where the past is present, the present is confusing, and the future is completely up in the air. Dead End in Norvelt is a Publishers Weekly Best Children's Fiction title for 2011. One of Horn Book’s Best Fiction Books of 2011. -quoted from Goodreads

An interesting story with a unique voice and cast of eccentric characters makes for an intriguing read. There's something about the quirkiness of the story that kept me reading it, when normally this style of writing isn't my thing. Dead End in Norvelt has this great mix of history, laugh out loud moments, and some entertaining characters. I was really drawn to the voice of twelve year old Jack, who's the only child to two constantly feuding parents, and lives in the small town of Norvelt, named after Eleanor Roosevelt. For some reason while reading this book I kept alternating between the voices of Napoleon Dynamite and Ralphie from A Christmas Story as the story's narrators in head. The story kind of has a similar feel to both of these movies. It's one part funny, one what "what the heck is going on" and one part intriguing that I couldn't put it down.

Set in what I believe is the early 1960's, the entire feel of the book matches that time period. From the way the characters act, the things they say, what they do and their mind set. Jack himself is a kid that just can't catch a break. He finds himself grounded for the summer after playing with some of his father's weapons from the war he fought in and for mowing down his mother's rows of corn so his father could build a bunker. I seriously grew frustrated with Jack's parents, especially since they're the cause of some of his poor choices. He literally got caught up between their feuding and both of them telling him to different things. He had to pick which parent he was going to disobey. Poor guy. His saving grace from being grounded is his elderly neighbor his mom sends him to help each morning, Miss Volker. She is hilarious and just calls it like she sees it.

Wrapped up into Jack's story is a old fashion murder mystery, the threat of the Hells Angels coming to down, a father who's anxious to get his bomb shelf built along with his run way for his war plane he's building and mother who's more worried about growing food and feeding the poor than what's going on with Jack. There's a lot that's wrapped up into this story, and I don't think my review will do this book justice. It's one you really have to pick up and read for yourself. It really felt like I was getting a glimpse to Jack's journal from growing up and the summer he learned an important life lesson. It's realistic, the humor in this book comes at all the right moments, and it's story with an important life lesson learned for Jack. It's truly a book that will be appealing to many ages and I can see why it's won both the Publisher's Weekly Best Children's Fiction and Horn's Best Fiction Books in 2011, and was announced at last weekend's ALA winner for the John Newbery Medal.

If you love audiobooks, be sure to listen to a sample of the book here.

In My Mailbox #108

2012-01-28T13:19:00.026-06:00

Happy Weekend!! I hope you guys are all having a great Saturday. I am so excited about the lovely surprised that arrived this week in my mailbox. I can't wait to share my thoughts about them with you guys. 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- MM's Q & A on Book Reviews, Blogging & More

2012-01-26T05:40:00.006-06:00

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

2012-01-23T12:05:00.030-06:00

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 ** this is only a small portion of books Yara had, and you can donate more than what's shown on this list**

* You can see all the books she's had listed on her Goodreads page (a lot of you have asked for the link to see what books she had listed under her TO-READ list, since our list we're collecting is from her READ list)

* See what books we've currently collected, what books Yara received from ALA

* 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.