Sunday, May 27, 2012

Cover Reveal: Sanctum by Sarah Fine

I am so excited to be revealing Sarah Fine's cover for her upcoming release, SANCTUM! This is one of those books you'll want to add to your TBR lists. Check out this awesome cover!





What do you think about the cover? I love it! It has the eeriness about it, but it also convey's fearlessness, chaos, hope, courage, and destiny. I'm looking forward to reading this one when it's out!

About the book:
Published by: Amazon Children's Publishing
To Be Released on: October 16th, 2012

A week ago, seventeen-year-old Lela Santos's best friend, Nadia, killed herself. Today, thanks to a farewell ritual gone awry, Lela is standing in paradise, looking upon a vast gated city in the distance – hell. No one willingly walks through the Suicide Gates, into a place smothered in darkness and infested with depraved creatures. But Lela isn't just anyone – she's determined to save her best friend's soul, even if it means sacrificing her eternal afterlife. 

As Lela struggles to find Nadia, she's captured by the Guards, enormous, not-quite-human creatures that patrol the dark city's endless streets. Their all-too-human leader, Malachi, is unlike them in every way except one: his deadly efficiency. When he meets Lela, Malachi forms his own plan: get her out of the city, even if it means she must leave Nadia behind. Malachi knows something Lela doesn't – the dark city isn't the worst place Lela could end up, and he will stop at nothing to keep her from that fate - quoted from Goodreads

Pre-Order from: Amazon
Add Sanctum to your Goodreads lists
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I recently had the chance to ask Sarah a few questions about her book. Here's what Sarah shared with me about SANCTUM:

Congratulations on your cover reveal! I'm incredibly anxious to read Sanctum based on your book's synopsis. In 5 words or less, how would you describe your book, Sanctum?
Thank you so much!
Let’s see: Dark. Scary. Hot knife-throwing guy.
 What is one thing you've come to admire about each your characters, Lela and Malachi?
Lela is the definition of resilient. Vulnerable yet unbreakable. She grew up in the system and was hurt terribly by people she should have been able to trust. But she’s still able to love, even though she doesn’t believe she’s good at it, and she’s willing to sacrifice everything when it matters.
Malachi … he’s a gentle soul forged by the fires of circumstance. He’s a killer, but he mourns every life he takes, and it’s never gotten easier for him. He’s surrounded by hopelessness, but he still has hope.
What did you enjoy creating more, creating the romance or the paranormal element of your story? Why?
What an awesome question! The dark city behind the Suicide Gates is like one of the characters in the book, and it was deliciously awful to come up with all the strange stuff that happens there.  If I’m honest, though, the relationship between Lela and Malachi was what made my fingers fly across the keyboard. I love these two characters so much.
 I loved reading that love and redemption are a big part of Sanctum. Do you feel those themes go hand in hand? Why was it important to add both to Lela and Malachi's story?
Most of this story takes place in a kind of hellish purgatory, but there’s a way out—people don’t have to be trapped there forever. Without that idea of redemption, there would be no story, no hope. As for Lela and Malachi, they’ve both been through a lot, and that’s an understatement. The idea that these two people, after all they’ve done and suffered, could find something fragile and beautiful in such an ugly place … that was very powerful to me.
Are you able to give us a little teaser (one line) from your book?
“I paced my cell, having fantasies about Malachi—specifically, how I would like to kill him.”
Thank you Sarah for stopping by Mundie Moms today and allowing MM's to reveal your cover.
Follow Sarah on: her Website | Blog | Twitter | Goodreads 

BEA NEWS:

Sarah will be at BEA this year! She'll be there will be a map of the dark city (as drawn by Malachi in the book) included in the final book, and that, although it's not in the ARCs, Sarah will be giving away copies of the map to the first thirty people who come to the Amazon Children’s Publishing booth at BEA (Booth #2663) to get a signed ARC of Sanctum. Sarah will be signing ARC’s at the booth from 11:00-12:00 on Wednesday, June 6th.

Penguin BEA Panel: Life of the American Teenager & Giveaway



Going to BEA? Don't miss an exciting panel called, Life of the American Teenager hosted by Penguin. 

WHO:
Lev Grossman (The Magicians)
Mari Mancusi (Blood Coven Vampire novels)
Veronica Wolff (The Watcher series)
Emily McKay (The Farm)
Laura Harrington (Alice Bliss)
James King (Bill Warrington's Last Chance)

WHAT:
The Not-So-Secret Life of the American Teenager: Bridging the Gap between YA and Adult Fiction
On this panel, Penguin authors Laura Harrington (Alice Bliss) and James King (Bill Warrington's Last Chance) join forces with fellow YA authors Mari Mancusi (Blood Coven Vampire novels), Veronica Wolff (The Watcher series), and Emily McKay (The Farm) to draw comparisons between Adult literature and the growing YA market. How do these authors craft novels that both teens and adults enjoy?  Whether their characters are parents reconnecting with their teenage children or teens battling high school bullies or vampires, each author offers readers a glimpse into teenage life-the milestones, the angst, the blissful moments-that both teens and parents can relate to. Moderated by Lev Grossman, author of the New York Times bestselling novels, The Magicians and The Magician King, these authors discuss books that appeal to readers of all ages.

WHEN: 
Tuesday, June 5th from 6 to 7:30 PM

WHERE: 
South Court Auditorium, located in the Stephen A Schwarzman Building on Fifth Ave at 42nd Street. (New York Public Library)


* If you're interested in attending, please be sure you register here for this event. 

The Giveaway:
There's more! If you're like me, and unable to attend this year's BEA, I have a fabulous prize pack for you! Penguin has offered to giveaway 1 Goodie Bag to one MM's follower who's unable to make it to BEA this year. 

Here's what you'll be entered to win:
  • Penguin Tote Bag
  • 1 copy of Veronica Wolff's Isle of Night
  • 1 copy of Mari Mancusi's Boys That Bite
  • 1 copy of Lev Grossman's The Magician King
  • 1 ARC of The Farm by Emily McKay
  • Bookmarks for Rachel Caine's Bite Club, and Veronica Wolff's Vampire's Kiss and other cool swag, including a YA sampler. 
To Enter:
- 1 entry per person
- US residents only
- You must be 13 yrs & older to enter
- This giveaway will end on June 21st, 2012


Thank you to Penguin for this fabulous giveaway! Good luck to everyone who enters!

Books, News & Other Things (IMM#124)

Happy Sunday! I hope y'all are having a fabulous holiday weekend. I'm excited about today's post, because it's my 3,000 post on Mundie Moms! *throws confetti* I've got some great books to share with you guys today, as well as some of my recent posts here on the blog. You can read about why I changed the name of my IMM here.

For Review:

Mundie Kids:

Purchased
I'm so excited about the books that arrived this week!



  • City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare, B&N special edition, this one is for a giveaway I had and it finally arrived
  • Insurgent by Veronica Roth, loved this one! You can read my review here
  • Until I Die by Amy Plum, also loved this one. You can read my review here
  • The Calling by Kelley Armstrong, I enjoyed The Gathering and I can't wait to read this one
  • The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter, I reviewed this one last year, but I found a signed one at the store and I couldn't resist picking it up. 
  • Brave, the Junior Novelizati0n by Disney, with this movie coming out soon I couldn't resist picking this book up for my daughter so I could read it w/ her. 
Thank you to:

Jay Kristoff and St. Martin's Press, Scholastic and Karen Henry Clark for this week's wonderful reads. 


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* Book Reviews:
* News: (Blog Tours, Cover Reveals, Giveaways & More):
* Cassie News:

Friday, May 25, 2012

Book Review: City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

*Spoiler Free Review* 



Released on: May 8th, 2012
Source: Book from Publisher/Purchased
5 Stars: I LOVED It!
Purchase from: Simon & Schuster | Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

The demon Lilith has been destroyed and Jace has been freed from her captivity. But when the Shadowhunters arrive to rescue him, they find only blood and broken glass. Not only is the boy Clary loves missing–but so is the boy she hates, Sebastian, the son of her father Valentine: a son determined to succeed where their father failed, and bring the Shadowhunters to their knees.

No magic the Clave can summon can locate either boy, but Jace cannot stay away—not from Clary. When they meet again Clary discovers the horror Lilith’s dying magic has wrought—Jace is no longer the boy she loved. He and Sebastian are now bound to each other, and Jace has become what he most feared: a true servant of Valentine’s evil. The Clave is determined to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. Will the Shadowhunters hesitate to kill one of their own?

Only a small band of Clary and Jace’s friends and family believe that Jace can still be saved — and that the fate of the Shadowhunters’ future may hinge on that salvation. They must defy the Clave and strike out on their own. Alec, Magnus, Simon and Isabelle must work together to save Jace: bargaining with the sinister Faerie Queen, contemplating deals with demons, and turning at last to the Iron Sisters, the reclusive and merciless weapons makers for the Shadowhunters, who tell them that no weapon on this earth can sever the bond between Sebastian and Jace. Their only chance of cutting Jace free is to challenge Heaven and Hell — a risk that could claim any, or all, of their lives.

And they must do it without Clary. For Clary has gone into the heart of darkness, to play a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing the game is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she even still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?

Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series -quoted from Goodreads

Cassie Clare is an author who proves to me time and time again just how brilliant of a writer she is. She has this ability to make me fall in love with her complex characters, her richly detailed world building and the entire history that makes up her Shadowhunter world. For me, her books go beyond loving fictional characters and wishing I could visit some of her fictional places that exist in the real world. It's the connection I feel to the series, to what some of the characters are dealing with and what they're going through. I emotionally wrap myself around everything that's going on. With City of Lost Souls she completely hooked me and took me on one heck of emotional roller coaster, and I enjoyed every moment of being back into this world I love so much.

City of Lost Souls is definitely one of those books that throws everything at you. There's some fabulous romance, betrayal, shocking moments, action, murder, heart break, sacrifices that are made, and that perfect balance of good vs evil. In true Cassie fashion she throws in humor when it's so appropriate, which is one of the many things I LOVE about this series. The snarkiness that comes from many of the characters, not just Jace, though Jace always delivers some of my favorite lines makes me, makes me laugh out and has me quoting a few of the lines to some of my friends. It's the bickering, the jabs and the constant back and forth that goes on that creates moments where I'm laughing out loud vs clutching my pillow and crying, or throwing the book and yelling "how could you" to a certain character. Not that I would every throw my book...  I love the comedic side of this series, as it balances with the darker things that happen. 

Cassie is one author who without fail completely hooks me emotional with her books every time I read them. For instance with COLS, one moment I'm fisting bumping the air and egging Clary on to go follow her heart and find Jace. The next moment I'm sighing over Izzy and Simon, laughing out loud at Simon's one liners and the wit I've come to love about him. Then I start wondering what's going to happen with Jace, to wanting to thump Alec on the head and tell him to stop wasting time on things he can't change (though I totally understood why he felt the way he did), to understanding Jocelyn and snickering at Izzy and her bluntness with Clary's mom, because she's right on with what she said. Then there's that part of me for a good portion of the book that thought maybe Sebastian isn't so bad after all.... Than wham! Everything changes and no he did not just do that! 

Cassie has this way of creating moments that give you a false sense of hope, and makes you think that maybe things will be okay. She has a knack for literally blurring the lines between what's right and what's wrong, and it leaves you tittering on the edge of which team you're on at that moment, and then all hell (literally) breaks lose and you realize that everything you thought about a character was so far fetched, you hope a certain someone gets their moment with them in the next book so that they can give him what he deserves. Yes, I'm going to keep it spoiler free, but you can read about the scene I'm referring to in Cassie's post here. I totally got why Cassie wrote this scene, and let me just say it broke me, it made me realize a few things and it had me wishing I was there with Clary, but dang this girl is incredibly strong, and I mean that in every sense of the word. 

Oh the romance. Maia and Jordan, Izzy and Simon and my favorite, Jace and Clary. Yes TMI fans, there are plenty of swoon worthy moments between the two of them and oh how I loved the way Cassie toyed with her fans in a scene. If you've read it, you'll know what I mean. I'm still laughing at how well she wrote that. Aside from some of the sweet Jace and Clary  moments, I really loved the way this story wraps up. There is heartbreak, plenty of swoon worthy moments and in the midst of what's to come in the next installment, Cassie gives fans a chance to take a deep breath and smile with the way this book ends. I HIGHLY recommend picking this one up! 

I do want to say there are some tougher scenes in this book, and Cassie did such a great job with how she tackled some of her more sensitive scenes. There is some violence and an attempted rape scene. Though these are written in a way that depict a certain someone in the book, these scenes may be hard for some fans to read. 

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Book Review: Dreamless by Josephine Angelini



Published by: Harper Teen
To Be Released on: May 29th, 2012
Source: ARC from publisher/author to review
5 stars: I Loved It!
Pre-Order from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books A Million | IndieBound

Can true love be forgotten?

As the only Scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on.

Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out—a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies’ cry for blood is growing louder.

As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen’s sheltered life on Nantucket descends into chaos. But the hardest task of all will be forgetting Lucas Delos.


Josephine Angelini’s compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding as an unforgettable love triangle emerges and the eternal cycle of revenge intensifies. Eagerly awaited, this sequel to the internationally bestselling STARCROSSED delivers a gritty, action-packed love story that exceeds expectation -quoted from Goodreads


What happens when you mix ancient Greek mythology, forbidden love, and a beautiful setting? You get a must read, sizzling, summer romance! Josephine took what I loved about STARCROSSED to the next level in DREAMLESS, and I enjoyed every moment of this book. I couldn't get enough of the well developed, strong characters, the complicated love triangle, and the grueling journey that Helen takes. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to jump back into Helen's world. There's betrayal, action, loyalty, conflicted love, and a few uncovered secrets kept me hooked the entire time I spent reading Dreamless. The flawless storyline, and smooth flowing plot made it so hard to put this story down. 

Dreamless picks up not long after STARCROSSED ends, and throws readers back into the thick of things that happened at the end of that book. If you don't remember everything that happened STARCROSSED, you will be by the end of the first chapter of DREAMLESS. Helen for me is a character who came out swinging in this book. Her dangerous journey she makes almost nightly to the Underworld is starting to take a toll on her, but to save those she cares about she continues to go. Not one for feeling like she fits in with her "family", she tries to accomplish her journey on her own. I can't say I that I don't blame her. She's a strong willed character and had I been in her shoes I probably would have done the same thing. Through a surprising twist "a certain someone" sends my favorite character from this book, Orion to help her. 

Oh my hotness, does this boy turn up the heat and the charm in this story. He's definitely one character that surprised me in this book, and he left me wanting more from him. I loved the chemistry between Orion and Helen, and the way their relationship develops. They relate to each other, understand each other, and one of the things I love about Orion is how honest he is. Well his brute strength and good looks also have a lot going for him, but he's so much more than just another pretty boy character. He's in-depth, supportive and down right funny (at times). Don't worry, there's plenty of Lucas in this story line too, and I really liked what Josephine did with the complicated relationship he and Helen have. 

The characters were fabulous in this book! I felt like a lot of them grew and matured from when I first met them in STARCROSSED, and I love that when an author grows their characters as the storyline continues. I feel like that's crucial for the story, and Josephine does a excellent job with that. Along with that growth comes some surprising twists, a more in-detailed look into this well written mythology and a deeper look into the ancient Greek world. There's so much I want to discuss about this book along with some key moments between a few characters, but I can't do that without giving away spoilers. I'll conclude by saying definitely add this book to your Summer reading list! If you enjoyed STARCROSSED, just wait till you read DREAMLESS! 

Don't miss reading an excerpt from DREAMLESS! Stop by my blog tour post here to read it and enter the blog tour giveaway!

Dreamless Blog Tour: Dreamless Excerpt


I'm excited to be the next stop in the Dreamless blog tour for Josephine Angelini's Dreamless, which will be out on TUESDAY!! This sequel is AWESOME! I'll have my review posted later this morning. In the mean time, I've got a fun little teaser for you guys.

"Okay, I'll try to resist marrying him at the cute little chapel in hell. You know, the one right next to the festering pit of dead bodies?" Helen seethed. She wanted to scream at him, but forced herself to keep her voice down. 

I love Helen and her snarky come backs. This excerpt is taken out of context is from the middle of a conversation she's having with another character. Be sure to visit the the tour page here and stop by Books with Bite tomorrow to read her review of Dreamless.



Published by: Harper Teen
To Be Released on: May 29th, 2012

Can true love be forgotten?

As the only Scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on.

Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out—a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies’ cry for blood is growing louder.

As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen’s sheltered life on Nantucket descends into chaos. But the hardest task of all will be forgetting Lucas Delos.


Josephine Angelini’s compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding as an unforgettable love triangle emerges and the eternal cycle of revenge intensifies. Eagerly awaited, this sequel to the internationally bestselling STARCROSSED delivers a gritty, action-packed love story that exceeds expectation -quoted from Goodreads

Pre-Order from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books A Million | IndieBound

You can follow Josephine on her: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Dreamless EXTRAS: 
The Giveaway: 

Josephine Angelini is giving away a Kindle with either a Starcrossed or a Dreamless gel skin. Please go HERE to enter the Dreamless blog tour giveaway. I'm sorry, I've having issues with the rafflecopter code today.

Thoughtful Thursday: Libraries of Love


This is truly an incredible charity and I am beyond excited to have the chance to take part in their mission this year with my local church group, who has pledged to donate 600 books (being a combination of soft & hardcover for K-12 fiction and non-fiction books) for libraries in Uganda this year. 

What is Libraries of Love

The purpose of Libraries of Love is to partner with Africans to create libraries in 
individual schools. Through reading, students will develop a love of literature, 
as well as strengthen their knowledge in each curriculum subject area.  Lifelong 
readers become lifelong learners. Therefore, the libraries will serve as bridges to 
a better future for the children of Uganda. -quoted from their website


There are a few ways to help. You can make $ donations, donate books, and volunteer your 
time. You can find more ways to help here.

Their brochure: (you can read their brochure online here)



There's something about a book and giving books to children who don't have them that 
tugs at my heart. I firmly believe that reading is freedom, and opens the path of so many
possibilities for children. It allows them to believe, to explore, to learn, and so much more. 
I've already started a a donation box of both books I've purchased and review copies 
(both arcs and published books), and I'm hoping that by our September deadline I'll have 
a few boxes of books to donate.   

If you'd like to learn more about Libraries of Love, please visit them on: 
Website | Blog | Facebook

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Book Review/Blog Tour: Eden by Keary Taylor



Welcome to today's stop in the Eden Blog Tour. I'm excited to share with you my review for Keary Taylor's newest release as well as host a giveaway for an e-book of Eden! 




Published by: Self
To Be Released on: June 6th, 2012
Source: e-book from author
4 stars: I Enjoyed It
Pre-Order from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Eve knew the stories of the Fall, of a time before she wandered into the colony of Eden, unable to recall anything but her name. She's seen the aftermath of the technology that infused human DNA with cybernetic matter, able to grow new organs and limbs, how it evolved out of control. The machine took over and the soul vanished. A world quickly losing its humanity isn't just a story to her though. At eighteen, this world is Eve's reality. 

In their Fallen world, love feels like a selfish luxury, but not understanding what it is makes it difficult to choose between West, who makes her feel alive but keeps too many secrets, and Avian, who has always been there for her, but is seven years her senior. 

The technology wants to spread and it won't stop until there is no new flesh to assimilate. With only two percent of the human population left, mankind is on the brink of extinction. While fighting to keep Eden alive, Eve will discover that being human is about what you will do for those you love, not what your insides may be made of. And even if it gets you killed, love is always what separates them from the Fallen. -quoted from Goodreads

Eden brings plenty of action, romance, and uncertainty that dystopian and post-apocalyptic stories have in them, to the YA book scene. Keary not only created a story that relied heavily on these elements, she created a vivid world that was incredibly easy for me picture. I was fascinated by Eden, and the fact that the world as me know it now no longer exists. Technology rules and the few humans left are now on the run. It's here, in Eden where Eve's story starts. Being among some of the last few hold outs of humans, Eden has become both a refuge for those survivors. I do not envy the characters of this book, and all they have to deal with, but I enjoyed getting to read about them.

Eve is a character I didn't really connect with until towards the end of the book. Which was surprising to me, because I admired how resilient, motivated and tough she is. She will do whatever it takes to support and save those who live in her colony, which has become her family. She has some great butt kicking moments. This girl isn't afraid to get dirty or take a few hits, but she can definitely dish it out to anyone who tries to come after those she loves and cares deeply amount. Any girl who takes a stand and does whatever she can to protect those she loves gets high praise in my book.

This story's world building fascinated me, and I liked how descriptive Keary gets with her setting. It was so easy for me to envision it in my mind as I'm reading about. The colony of Eden was interesting to me. I liked how despite the various age differences, they all work together much like a family would. Each character has a different role and they all take turns hunting, caring for each other, growing food, etc. They world they live in is far from easy. They're constantly on the run and the look out for the Fallen. I enjoyed getting to know some of the characters that reside in Eden.

Aside from Eve, we get to meet Avian and West, the two main love interests. Though I liked West from the moment he enters the scene, Avian won me over. I should back up and say I liked that both guys would do anything for Eve, including risking their lives for her, but the history she had with Avian and the way they acted around each other made it so much easy for me to adore him. I loved their stolen moments together. I enjoy a well written love triangle, but I just didn't get into this one. I felt that Eve's feelings for both guys was believable, and I liked that she worked out her feelings for both guys. I even liked how she finally made her choice, but I personally didn't like how long it took her to make it. I started to lose interest in it, and then wham, something happens (keeping it spoiler free) and she made her choice, and the way she comes to that conclusion made total sense to me. I really wish I could talk about this part of the book, but I can't do so without mentioning spoilers.

I love the surprising twists Keary threw with the last part of Eden. I was not expecting them at all. Eden is a fast paced read with a good plot line, and lots of sizzling romance, and plenty of action. If you've a fan of dystopians and post apocalyptic reads, I'd recommend adding this to your lists! I think Eden is a book YA fans are really going to enjoy.

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Be sure to follow the rest of the tour here. To enter to win an e-book of Eden, please leave me a comment with you email address! This giveaway will end on May 28th, 2012. US residents only please. Good luck!!