Mundie Moms

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

BETWEEN WORLDS by Skip Brittenham / Book Spotlight / Author Interview


Hello and welcome to today's book spotlight for BETWEEN WORLDS, a brand new sci-fi, adventure by Skip Brittenham. Released yesterday, August 30th, 2016, this book is Skip's YA debut! Today I'm thrilled to introduce you to both Skip and his book. Below you'll find more about the book, including an exclusive interview that Penguin Random House recently had with Skip.

 If you love sci-fi and adventure, you'll want to check out this book. Here's a little bit about the book:

Per Penguin Random House:

A fantastical world, terrifying monsters, breathtaking magic, and two determined and brave teenagers. Welcome to BETWEEN WORLDS, the debut of a new young adult science fiction/fantasy series by Skip Brittenham, the co-creator of Anomaly, the longest original full-color graphic novel ever published, which was praised in USA Today as “awe-inspiring” and “the kind of book you’d want on a desert island,” as well as Shifter, called “fast-paced and captivating” in the New York Times.

A Conversation with Skip Brittenham per Penguin Random House


Q. Why did you write Between Worlds

A: I’ve always had an interest in storytelling and have learned a lot through my work with clients reading and commenting on their movie scripts, but I’ve built my professional career on the business side of entertainment. Quite simply, my wife dared me to be creative, so I accepted her challenge. I’ve since created two graphic novels, Anomaly and Shifter, with my creative partner Brian Haberlin and am making my young adult fiction debut now with Between Worlds. 

Q: Mayberry, the main character of Between Worlds, is a brave and resourceful girl who’s not afraid to be her own person—whether it’s how she looks or who she befriends. Who inspired this character? 

A. I have three daughters who are all strong, active feminists. One is a lawyer, one a singer and teacher, and my youngest is a very independent and strong-willed teenager. The name Mayberry came from my oldest daughters’ childhood. When they were both very little, I’d tell them bedtime stories about a girl named Mayberry who embarked on all sorts of daring adventures. I’d end each story at a cliffhanger, and they’d clamor for more, but I’d make them wait until the next night to find out what happened next. In Between Worlds, Mayberry has purple streaks in her hair, wears maroon lipstick and jet black fingernails, and has a temporary tattoo under her eye. When my two older daughters read the novel, they were shocked, because they each had made their own decisions long ago about what Mayberry looked like, and my description of her didn’t match what they had envisioned. 

Q: Is Between Worlds science fiction or fantasy? And is it written specifically for young adults? 

A: My intent with this book was to try to create something new. Mayberry and Marshall travel magically through time and space to another planet, so Between Worlds is a genre mash-up. And while my two main characters are teenagers (and I have my teenage daughter to thank for helping get their dialogue right), I believe, or at least hope, that the adventure, suspense, and high stakes will have a universal appeal to readers of all ages.  

Q: What can you tell us about the science in the novel? 

A: I majored in electrical engineering in college, invest in tech startups, and have always been interested in advances in science and new technologies. All of the scientific detail, from the epifluorescence microscope to string theory, is factual. I did research on the quaking aspen tree in order to write about the aspen grove in the book. And it’s true that the most massive and maybe the oldest single organism on Earth is a quaking aspen colony that lives on the shores of Fish Lake in Central Utah. It covers more than a hundred and twenty-six acres and weighs more than thirteen million pounds.   

Q: How does augmented reality (AR) you feature in the book enhance the storytelling experience? 

A: We first used AR with Anomaly. For Anomaly, we created more than sixty interactive 3-D models that literally jump off the pages. AR is very user friendly—you just point your iOS or Android device at a page, and you’ll see an image come to life.  It will even react if you poke it with your finger. So with Between Worlds, I wanted to create the opportunity for people to actually see strange characters like the Slevvics, Monga, and Co-Co in another weird world as they read the story. All they have to do is download the free app at betweenworldsapp.com to get started on an experience that I think will enhance the reading of the book. Generation Z wants interactivity, so here it is! 

Q: Why did you set the “real world” of the book in Eden Grove, Minnesota? 

A: I picked a made-up, Middle America town where (theoretically at least) the teenagers that live there have customs and dress that contrast markedly with Mayberry’s.

Q: Between Worlds is the first in what you’re planning as a series. What can readers look forward to in future books?

A: The tree acts as a portal to the parallel world that Mayberry and Marshall visit, and it connects countless other worlds to ours. Readers can expect the two friends will have more adventures in other equally amazing universes.

* * * * *

ABOUT THE BOOK

BETWEEN WORLDS (Putnam: on-sale August 30, 2016; Ages 12+; $18.99; hardcover) combines good old-fashioned storytelling with cutting edge technology to offer the reader an enthralling multimedia experience. Paired with the novel is totally immersive Augmented Reality (AR) capability, which allows the characters to literally pop off the pages in interactive 3D. All thirteen illustrations in the novel are AR-enabled. The “magic” can be easily activated by downloading the free “Between Worlds AR” app from the Apple App Store or Google Play onto one’s mobile device. Interact with the characters by tapping on them to see what they do and read “Mayberry’s Diary,” which shares additional details not included in the novel and expands the universe for the reader. 

In the book, Mayberry Hansen and Marshall Jackson are two best friends and fellow outsiders at their high school in Eden Grove, Minnesota. Misunderstood and restless, the teenagers wish for a lot of things, including being on another planet altogether. Somewhere with magic and adventure—someplace where they can be heroes. They’ve heard the legends about a magical Wishing Tree, and while on a hike through the forest, they actually find the ancient, magnificent aspen. The pair make their wish, fall asleep . . . and wake up on Nith, a mysterious and dangerous world that is exactly what they asked for—and then some. The alien landscape is stunningly beautiful, but it’s also full of dangerous and fantastic creatures. Creatures that are, almost without exception, hungry… Mayberry and Marshall soon learn two very important facts about their wish: first, that magic comes at a very steep cost, and second, that they can only be heroes if they survive. Their quest to get home will test the limits of their courage and strength . . . and change them in profound ways.

This is integration of the printed page and the latest technology like never before. For more information, visit betweenworldsapp.com. 

* * * * *

PRAISE FOR THE BOOK 


"An unforgettable journey of magic and adventure."—Harrison Ford

“This is an inventive and fluid fantasy novel with likable characters.”
School Library Journal

"Between Worlds has echoes of the best classic fantasy—yet it's also completely original. I was entranced from beginning to end." —Joe Roth, producer of Disney's Alice in Wonderland and Maleficent

"The action-packed intensity of this modern mythological adventure will keep readers enthralled." —Chris Meledandri, founder of Illumination Entertainment and producer of Despicable Me and Minions

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Skip Brittenham is an entertainment lawyer who lives in Southern California with his wife and daughter, and has two older daughters as well. He’s an avid fly-fisherman and outdoorsman who has traveled to some of the remotest parts of the globe. He has written two graphic novels, Anomaly and Shifter. Between Worlds is Skip’s first young adult novel.

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

OUT TODAY - Tuesday 8/30/2016

Happy Book Birthday to some of today's newest YA and MG releases! 



Which new releases will you be picking up today?

Monday, August 29, 2016

New Snippet from THE MAGISTERIUM SERIES: THE BRONZE KEY by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare


Tomorrow THE BRONZE KEY, the next book in THE MAGISTERIUM SERIES by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare, will be out! Check out their latest snippet, and video they shared here. I'm seriously jealous Holly is holding an owl in this video. Check out the new snippet below:


“Most human beings will never truly see the soul,” she went on. “We work like the blind, in darkness. But you can see. Call and Aaron, face each other.”
Call turned to face Aaron. He realized with some surprise that they were about the same height; he’d always been a bit shorter than his friend. He must have shot up an inch or two.
“Look at the other person,” said Alma. “Concentrate on what makes them them. Imagine you can see through skin and bone, blood and muscle. You’re not looking for their heart —you’re looking for something more than that.”
Her voice had a lulling cadence. Call stared at Aaron’s shirtfront. He wondered what he was supposed to be seeing. There was a dark spot on the shirt where Aaron had spilled tea at the Refectory.
He flicked a glance up at Aaron’s eyes and found Aaron looking at him. They both grinned, without being able to help it. Call stared harder. What made Aaron Aaron? That he was friendly; that he always had a smile for everyone; that he was popular; that he made bad jokes; that his hair never stuck up like Call’s? Or was it the darker things he knew about Aaron — the Aaron who flew into rages, who knew how to hotwire a car, who had hated it when he turned out to be the Makar because he didn’t want to die like Verity Torres?
Call felt his vision shift. He was still looking at Aaron, but he was also looking into him. There was a light inside Aaron, a light that was a color Call had never seen before. He couldn’t describe it, the new color. It was shifting and moving, like a glow cast against a wall, the reflected light of a lamp that was being carried.
Call made a noise and jumped back in surprise. The light and color vanished, and he found that he was just looking at Aaron, who was staring back at him with wide green eyes.
“That color,” Aaron said.
“That’s what I saw, too!” Call exclaimed. They grinned at each other recklessly, like two climbers who had just made it to the top of a mountain.
“Very good,” said Alma, sounding pleased. “You two have just seen each other’s souls.”
“This seems awkward,” said Call. “I don’t think we should mention it to anyone.”
If you haven't yet checked out this middle grade series from Holly and Cassie, I'd recommend picking up all three books in the series tomorrow, or pick up the first two books now. 

Saturday, August 27, 2016

TALES OF THE PECULIAR by Ransom Riggs / Blog Tour: Post / Giveaway


Hello and welcome to the next stop in the TALES OF PECULIAR blog tour, hosted by Penguin! Today I'm thrilled to feature Ransom Riggs's upcoming release, which will be released on September 3rd, 2016, from Dutton Books for Young Readers. Part of the Peculiar world, this book is perfect for fans of the series, and a wonderful for read for those who love a great story. If you haven't yet picked up a Peculiar book, you can definitely read this one first, and then trust me, you'll be itching to get your hands on the rest of the books. 

Today's post features a giveaway, and a list of 5 things I think you can expect to find when you read this book. First, here's a little bit about the book:

ABOUT THE BOOK



Before Miss Peregrine gave them a home, the story of peculiars was written in the Tales.

Wealthy cannibals who dine on the discarded limbs of peculiars. A fork-tongued princess. These are but a few of the truly brilliant stories in Tales of the Peculiar—the collection of fairy tales known to hide information about the peculiar world, including clues to the locations of time loops—first introduced by Ransom Riggs in his #1 bestselling Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series.


Riggs now invites you to share his secrets of peculiar history, with a collection of original stories in this deluxe volume of Tales of the Peculiar. Featuring stunning illustrations from world-renowned artist Andrew Davidson, this compelling, rich, and truly peculiar anthology is the perfect gift for not only fans, but for all lovers of great storytelling.

Purchase from: The Publisher | Amazon | B&N
Add it to Goodreads



FIVES THINGS TO EXPECT in TALES OF THE PECULIAR 

TALES OF THE PECULIAR will be released soon! I am so excited for readers to get their hands on this book. Chances are, you've either read the Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children book series, heard about the movie coming out (for the first book in the series), have seen the books gracing book store shelves, or have heard your friends talking about the book series. No matter if you're a die hard fan of the series, or just starting out reading the series, this new book is one that will renew long time fans love of this series, and introduce new fans to a whole new world of unforgettable characters that only Ransom Riggs could conjure up. 

While the TALES OF THE PECULIAR is set in the world of Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, it is not part of the series itself. This book is a fabulous companion to the series, and also a great stand alone / introduction to an unforgettable world. There are a few things I imagine readers can except to discover/find in this book. *This is a no spoiler post. I'm writing this as though I've not read the book yet. 

First, if this book is anything like Ransom's previous books, than we can expect to expect the unexpected. Trust me, that is a wonderful thing in this world. It's part of what I love about the peculiar world. Nothing is as it seem. Which leads me to my second expectation, be prepared to enter a world unlike one you've read about before. The world building is fantastic! I imagine that the Tales of the Peculiar will only take fans deeper into a fascinating world that's full of danger, surprises, and makes the 'what-ifs' seem possible. The world building itself is half of what makes this series irresistible. It's frightening and intriguing all the same time.

The third thing I think readers can expect to find are more unforgettable characters. If you read Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series, than you'll know that these characters aren't ones you can soon forget. The characters of the Peculiar world make you realize that everyone's differences are what make you unique or in this case peculiar. There's a character everyone can relate to that will make you wish you could jump into their world, and hang out for just a little bit longer. 

Fourth, the discovery of secrets and answers to our burning questions! No matter the book series, any time I read a series I'm always left wanting to know more of the secrets of the series, a more detailed history of the world or characters, and there are always a few things I wish I had answers too. I'm expecting Ransom will unravel more of the mysteries of this world just a bit more to give us answers, and share a few secrets about the Peculiar world with his readers. 

Last but not least, the fifth thing I expect from the Tales of the Peculiar is, that this book will be a huge hit with not only long time fans of the series, but new fans as well. Whether you're a long time of the Peculiar world, a new fan just starting to read the series, or maybe you've not yet picked up the series, and this book will be your introduction to Ransom's books, I think this is book readers will be talking about for awhile. I love books like this, because if you're a new fan to the Peculiar series you can expect to be introduced to incredible story telling, unforgettable characters, and a mesmerizing world. If you've long been a fan of the Peculiar world, you'll be reminded about what you first fell in love with, or enjoyed about this world, and it's characters. 

Whether you're a new fans to the Peculiar world, or a long time fan, this book is one you can expect to enjoy! Plus what's not to love about a collection of short stories, featuring some stunning illustrations, and did I mention there is a ribbon bookmark in this book? Also, look very carefully at this book's cover. There are a few things hidden within it's illustration. 



ENTER TO WIN 

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Enter for a chance to win a finished copy of Tales of the Peculiar by Ransom Riggs and a Tales of the Peculiar poster and enamel pin (ARV: $27.00).

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:01 AM Eastern Time on August 24, 2016 and 11:59 PM Eastern Time on September 3, 2016.  Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about September 9, 2016. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

FOLLOW THE TOUR 


8/24: A Page with a View

8/25: Bookish Antics
8/26: Across the Words
8/27: Mundie Moms
8/28: YA Bibliophile
8/29: The YA Book Traveler
8/30: Lost in Literature
8/31: Tales of the Ravenous Reader
9/1: The Book Lounge
9/2: YA Interrobang
9/3: Bookish Lifestyle

LOOP DAY IS COMING~




Friday, August 26, 2016

Looking for Alaska by John Green / Flashback Friday Audiobook Review



By: John Green
Published by: Speak
Audiobook by: Brilliance Audio
Narrated by: Jeff Woodman
Released on: December 28, 2006
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound | iBooks | Book Depository
Add it to: Goodreads
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5 stars - I loved it!!!!

Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (François Rabelais, poet) even more. He heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.

After. Nothing is ever the same.

If I'm being truthful, I will share with you that this is the last John Green book that I read. I came across his work because of all the hype (well earned) over release of The Fault in our Stars. A book that this mama was never, ever, ever going to read. But, when I finally steeled my heart and read it (link to my review on goodreads), I fell so very much in love with Hazel and Gus, and you guys know the rest of the story because many of you fell in love with them in just the same way. What you don't know is that while I was going through my "never, ever, ever"s, I read all of his books, but TFioS and Looking for Alaska. Why didn't I read Alaska? I truly don't know. Perhaps, I wanted to save the best of his works for last.

John has a way of crafting characters that are geeky, awkward, memorable and sweet. Miles is just that character. A fish-out-of-water sent to a progressive Southern prep school in Alabama at the start of his junior year in high school. He meets a group of friends, who are character studies in bored, privileged boarding school kids. But, John's plot makes this book far from a predictable coming-of-age story.

The plot unfolds in a backwards timeline. A trick that I love because the characters know what's happened and the reader doesn't, so you are left with the trickiest of tensions. One that begs that moment all readers struggle with -- do you cheat and take a peek at the ending or do you take that journey and let the words lead you to the conclusion? I chose the latter, although I was very tempted to take a peek at the ending. There is a sense of sadness and of foreboding especially as you near the climactic moment. And when it happens, you are mirroring all the emotions that Miles feels. Good writers lead you to those moments and you love them all the more for it.

The narrator of the audiobook, Jeff Woodman, brought all the colorful characters to life. I am notorious for putting audiobooks on 1.25 speed, and in this case, I didn't have to do any of my usual tricks to speed up the narration. Jeff acted out the words beautifully and his delivery made the most powerful moments in the book stand out even more.

Looking for Alaska was released with a new Tenth Anniversary cover last year. If you've waited to read it, now's the perfect time to pick up this new edition. School has started for most of us, and while some of us are no longer worried about pre-calc, it's interesting to go back and re-visit that particular year of high school where so much happens. Miles' junior year was not like mine, but it does explore some of the common themes in that particular age group. For most of us, that year was filled with getting to know ourselves and how we fit in within our own social structure. I encourage you to read Alaska and see what the hype is all about. This is a story that lives up to the buzz.

Thursday, August 25, 2016

FURTHERMORE by Tahereh Mafi / “Tahereh’s Favorite Things” giveaway #Furthermore #TaherehMafi


Hello and welcome to today's awesome book spotlight! Today I'm thrilled to host a giveaway for one of my favorite authors, Tahereh Mafi! Her debut middle grade book, FURTHERMORE will be out next week!! To celebrate, I've got a prize pack featuring some of her favorite things! Before I tell you how to enter to win, here's a little bit about her book:


ABOUT FURTHERMORE


By: Tahereh Mafi
Published by: Penguin / Random House
To Be Released on: August 30, 2016
Purchase from:
Add it to Goodreads

The bestselling author of the Shatter Me series takes readers beyond the limits of their imagination in this captivating new middle grade adventure where color is currency, adventure is inevitable, and friendship is found in the most unexpected places. 
 
There are only three things that matter to twelve-year-old Alice Alexis Queensmeadow: Mother, who wouldn't miss her; magic and color, which seem to elude her; and Father, who always loved her. The day Father disappears from Ferenwood he takes nothing but a ruler with him. But it's been almost three years since then, and Alice is determined to find him. She loves her father even more than she loves adventure, and she's about to embark on one to find the other.

But bringing Father home is no small matter. In order to find him she'll have to travel through the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore, where down can be up, paper is alive, and left can be both right and very, very wrong. Her only companion is a boy named Oliver whose own magical ability is based in lies and deceit--and with a liar by her side in a land where nothing is as it seems, it will take all of Alice's wits (and every limb she's got) to find Father and return home to Ferenwood in one piece. On her quest to find Father, Alice must first find herself--and hold fast to the magic of love in the face of loss.
TOUR POST

Today's post topic is; UNIQUELY YOU. Alice feels out of place in her world, but is eager to prove her worth and talent. Today I'm sharing one thing that makes me feel fabulously unique, and that is sharing my love of reading. 

When I was in elementary, I was in a reading class, because I struggled with reading. I was in that class for a lot of my elementary school years. I hated it. I was made fun of a lot for it, but that never stopped my love of reading/looking through books. I substitute teach, and love to talk books with the kids I teach. I love talking to them about reading. They're often times surprised when I share with them that when I was their age, I struggled with reading. I tell them, that while that may be their struggle now, it's not something that defines who they are, and to keep trying, and not give up. Read every day. It motivates them when they see me as a teacher and learn that one of the things I do is review books. 

Running my sites has given me the chance to not only get books in a lot of children's hands, it's also allowed me to talk to kids about various books, the importance of reading. I love that I'm able to do that. Spreading the importance of reading / my love of reading, and letting kids know that their reading struggle is something they can over come, is one of the things that makes me feel uniquely fabulous.


We'd like to know, what is one of your own hidden talents; or what part of you makes you feel most uniquely fabulous.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Tahereh Mafi is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Shatter Me series. She can usually be found over-caffeinated and stuck in a book. You can find her online just about anywhere at @TaherehMafi or on her website, www.taherehbooks.com.

LEARN MORE
Read an excerpt of the first few chapters here!
Follow Tahereh on Twitter and Instagram
Follow PenguinTeen on Twitter and Instagram
#Furthermore #TaherehMafi

ENTER TO WIN “TAHEREH’S FAVORITE THINGS” GIVEAWAY PRIZING




Tahereh’s Favorite Things!
Four different prize packs including various items picked out special by Tahereh will be offered in giveaways across the Blogosphere. Collect them all!

Tahereh’s Favorite Things: Prize Pack #3
One (1) winner from your site receives:
·         a copy of Furthermore
·         Tarte™ Matte Lip Tint
·         Gimme Brow Volumizing Gel

Giveaway open to US addresses only.
Prizing and samples provided by Penguin Random House.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


GOOD LUCK~


Wednesday, August 24, 2016

LORD OF SHADOWS Snippet: Jace Asked Clary ...... #Shadowhunters

By Cassandra Jean, source

Hello Shadowhunters! If yesterday's twitter snippet Cassie shared in honor of Clary's birthday (which was yesterday 8/23) wasn't enough to get your imagination running wild about the endless possibility it could lead to, today's snippet may have you nervously biting your nails, waiting on the edge of your seat until this book's release. Check it out Clary's birthday snippet below.


Clary’s birthday is August 23rd, so it’s a bit late, but a tiny Clary and Emma snippet from Lord of Shadows: 
“Clary, what are you not telling me?”
There was a long silence. Clary looked out toward the dark water, biting her lip. Finally, she spoke. “Jace asked me to marry him.”
“Oh!” Emma had already begun opening her arms to hug the other girl when she caught sight of Clary’s expression. She froze. “What’s wrong?”

SAY YES Clary! 


If you missed yesterday snippet, check it out here:


“I haven’t told anyone but you.” Clary looked at Emma anxiously."


Cassie is the queen of slaying our hearts....which is why I'm worried about what Clary's answer may be. I can't wait for this book to be out. I need to know what Clary says to Jace!

CLANLESS by Jennifer Jenkins / Waiting on Wednesday #284




By: Jennifer Jenkins

Published by: Month9Books
To Be Released on: October 4th, 2016
Series: Nameless #2
Pre-Order from: Amazon | B&N | TBD
Add it to: Goodreads
Striker Gryphon has lost his position of honor among the Ram, and is now a hunted man. A traitor. 

Zo, the object of his affection, was murdered by members of his former clan. To honor her memory, he journeys to the highly secretive Raven “Nest” to warn strangers of their impending demise—though it could cost him more than just his pride.

He doesn’t know that Zo is very much alive and in another part of the region assisting Nameless refugees over a mountain swarming with wild men known as “Clanless.” 

As each struggle to make sense of what their lives have become, they fight and claw to reach the Allied Camp, their last hope in bringing peace to the region.

But the road back to one another is treacherous and uncertain. And freedom will come with a price.
I have been waiting to read this sequel since I breezed through the first book in this series, NAMELESS. This series is definitely not like any other series I've read, and it's so good! You can check out my review for Nameless, here. My review for CLANLESS will be coming soon! 

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