Mundie Moms

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Every Last Breath Blog Tour: Character Interview with Layla / Enter To WIN


Hello and welcome to today's blog tour stop for EVERY LAST BREATH hosted by Harlequin Teen! I'm so thrilled to have recently had the chance to interview Layla, the main character from Jennifer Armentrout's The Dark Elements series. As much as I wanted to, I didn't ask her any spoilery questions. If you've not yet read the book, don't worry, we're not given anything way. ;) 




Character Interview with Layla

Hi Layla! Welcome back to Mundie Moms. I have a lot I'd love to chat with you about, but I'm going to keep today's interview spoiler free, so that we don't spoil what happens in Every Last Breath. I'll just say it, this book had me feeling all sorts of emotions. I can only imagine how you felt going through it all. Knowing what you know now, if given the chance to do something differently in your story, would you change anything? 
Everything with Roth and Zayne got really complicated.  If I could change something, I wouldn't hurt either of them.

 There have been some great moments between you and Roth, as well as you and Zayne, through out the series. Though I have to say I've loved the Roth moments the most since I'm Team Roth. Without saying which guy this involves (and readers, no jumping ahead to read this scene), what chapter or page number is one of your favorite scenes from Every Last Breath found in or on? 
 I don't want to ruin anything for the readers who might skip ahead, so I'm not going to answer this question.  But there are definitely a couple of scenes in this book that make me blush when I think about them.  (giggles) 

Can we talk about Bambi for a minute? How cool is she? I love how she bonded with you in Stone Cold Touch. How long did it take for you to get used to her?  
It took awhile to get used to her constantly moving on me because it tickles!

I've loved your growth through out this series. I've admired your strength, and how unwavering you are in your convictions, no matter who's on your side, or how much heartache it may cause you, or how bleak things looked. It's so important to follow your own heart. What's one word you'd use to describe yourself in Every Last Breath?  
Strong    

OKay, I have to ask this for the fans dying to know, who's the better kisser, Roth or Zayne? Who's the better snuggler, Roth or Zayne? Don't worry, we won't tell either one of them your answer. 
I won't kiss and tell.  Or snuggle and tell for that matter.  I think those are secrets that I'm going to keep. 

Because this is an important question, who would be better at baking cupcakes, Roth or Zayne? I can see both guys rocking an apron in the kitchen. *pictures Roth making red velvet cupcakes*   
Zayne would probably be better at baking cupcakes.  Roth's a demon, so he can be impatient and want instant gratification.  Baking cupcakes from scratch would take too long for him.

Without telling us who you pick in Every Last Breath, if you could take a trip anywhere around the world with this person, where would you go and why?  
There are so many places that I want to visit that I can't choose just one!

Speed Round Questions
  • One item you can't live without - Lip Gloss
  • Favorite desert - Cookie Dough
  • Favorite article of clothing - Cardigans
  • Favorite thing about Roth -  He constantly surprises me.
  • Favorite thing about Zayne -  He never lets me down.
  • Favorite thing about yourself- I love that I'm learning to balance the different sides of myself. 

Thank you to Layla for stopping by the blog today! You can read my review for Every Last Breath here.


* * * * * * * * * * 

ABOUT THE BOOK

By: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Published by: Harlequin Teen
Released on: 7.28.15
Series: The Dark Elements #3
Purchase from: Amazon | B&N | iBooks
Add it to Goodreads
Some loves will last 'til your dying breath

Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust.

Layla has a new problem, too. A Lilin—the deadliest of demons—has been unleashed, wreaking havoc on those around her…including her best friend. To keep Sam from a fate much, much worse than death, Layla must strike a deal with the enemy while saving her city—and her race—from destruction.

Torn between two worlds and two different boys, Layla has no certainties, least of all survival, especially when an old bargain comes back to haunt them all. But sometimes, when secrets are everywhere and the truth seems unknowable, you have to listen to your heart, pick a side—and then fight like hell…


ENTER TO WIN

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EVERY LAST BREATH by Jennifer L. Armentrout / Book Review



By: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Published by: Harlequin Teen
Released on: 7.28.15
Series: The Dark Elements #3
Rating: 5 Stars - I LOVED IT
Source: Book Gifted from Publisher
Purchase from: Amazon | B&N | iBooks
Add it to Goodreads

Some loves will last 'til your dying breath

Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust.

Layla has a new problem, too. A Lilin—the deadliest of demons—has been unleashed, wreaking havoc on those around her…including her best friend. To keep Sam from a fate much, much worse than death, Layla must strike a deal with the enemy while saving her city—and her race—from destruction.

Torn between two worlds and two different boys, Layla has no certainties, least of all survival, especially when an old bargain comes back to haunt them all. But sometimes, when secrets are everywhere and the truth seems unknowable, you have to listen to your heart, pick a side—and then fight like hell…

The Short Review:


This is how you wrap up a series! With plenty of action, romance, wit, and shocking surprises. I laughed, I cried, and in the end, when I wanted to cry over the fact that this is the last book in one of my all time favorite series, I instead felt hopeful for Layla's future, and with whom she choose to be with. I admire the character Layla has become. I loved it all! Especially the characters, their relationships, the mythology/world building, and of course the romance. I couldn't have asked for more in this series's ending!

The Longer Version: 

This was the perfect ending for one of my favorite series. I loved all that Armentrout gave me in Every Last Breath. There's romance, action, suspense, humor, and those emotional moments that as a reader leave you a hot mess while reading them. I felt like I got everything that I had hoped for and more in Every Last Breath. But true to Armentrout's form, she still threw in plenty of surprises not this book.

Layla is an incredible character. Her journey has been a tough one. She has grown and changed so much since I first met in White Hot Kiss. I love and admire the character she has become. She really shines in this book as she for the first time, really takes charge of her life, and her own decisions. It's not been an easy road for her to get her. She's been betrayed, and hurt by those whom she's trusted the most. She's had to face a lot of fears, and make some incredibly hard decisions. But through it all, she has become so much stronger. For the first time, Layla not only embraces who she's become, she literally discovers what she is. 

I loved the in-depth look we get into the world building /mythology of this series, and how it ties to Layla. I loved that huge surprise. Talk about having to deal with a lot. There is so much that is going on in Layla's world. Not only does she have to break the heart of one of the guys she loves, she also has to try to save those she loves from the wraiths as well as the world, and embrace what she discovers what herself. But mixed into the craziness, and feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders, Layla also gets to spend time with the person who has had her heart, since the moment they met. Talk about some sizzling, hot scenes between those two. I loved the moments they had together.

The relationships in this book are fabulously written. Both the romantic ones, and the friendships. While I've always had a favorite, I knew going into this book that Layla had a hard choice to make. I knew that it wasn't going to be easy for her. Having to choose between two people you love, is never easy. Layla had a tough choice to make. I loved how Armentrout made it so clear that while Layla loves both Roth and Zayne, her heart has allows been for one of them. That was very evident in her decision making, why she picks that person she does. It's explained, and I think in the end both teams will be happy. 

I really respected both Roth and Zayne for allowing Layla to make her own decision, and follow her own heart. I felt like that says a lot about both of them.  What I didn't except was to feel so emotionally tied to her decision. The character emotions and their reactions to Layla's choice, and all that is going on around them, were incredibly easy to emotionally feed of off. I liked that Armentrout didn't just brush of this huge decision Layla makes. It's something that effects the characters a great deal, whether for better or worse. I know I shouldn't have been surprised at how emotionally connected I was to all that was going on. Armentrout has done an amazing job with emotionally connecting me to this series. 

Speaking of emotions, I was totally shocked at how sad I felt over the death of one of the characters. There's no shortage of surprises in the conclusion of one of my favorite paranormal series. There is plenty of action, a lot of suspense mixed in with heart break, redemption, romance, and the right amount of humor at all the right moments. I've always loved the humor and wit Jennifer Armentrout's characters have. It always comes at just the right moments in the book. And don't worry, there is plenty of the hot, swoon worthy romance, Armentrout has been known to write. 

It's never easy saying goodbye to characters you've come to love. Nor is it easy knowing that as a reader we won't get another book with these beloved characters in it. However, if a series has to end, this is the way to end it. This was the perfect wrap up for this chapter in Layla's life. While I wish I could peak in from time to time, and see how she and the love of her life are doing, I like knowing that their future together will be a good one. As for the other characters, there's hope with what's to come for their futures. That is the best way to leave their story. 

*This book does contain some well written sensual scenes.


ENTER TO WIN - I'm giving away a copy of Every Last Breath! Head over to HERE to enter to win a copy of Every Last Breath! It's open internationally!


DRIFT & DAGGER by Kendall Kulper / Waiting on Wednesday #257



By: Kendall Kulper
Published by: Little Brown
To Be Released on: 9/8/15
Pre-Order from: the Publisher | Amazon |B&N
Add it to Goodreads


In Mal's world, magic is everything. But Mal is a "blank," the anti-magic. Blanks can't be hexed or cursed or saved or killed by magic. And everyone is afraid of them--even Mal himself.

So Mal hides what he is--except from Essie Roe, a witch and his best friend. On the day Essie reveals his secret and casts him out from the only home he's ever known, Mal experiences the true shock of betrayal.

Now Mal travels the world in search of rare, illegal magical relics. When his partner in crime, Boone, hears rumors of a legendary dagger that can steal a witch's power, Mal knows he's finally found his means of revenge. But as the chase for the fabled knife takes them from Boston to Paris to Constantinople, Mal realizes there are secrets afoot that he's only beginning to understand--and all the while the blank monster inside him threatens to escape.

This is one of those fabulous books, that until it arrived in the mail last week, I had no idea existed. Quite frankly, I have no idea how I didn't know about this book. Which is why it is this week's WOW. I'm hoping I'm not the only one who didn't about this book. In reading more about it, I've realized it's one that has my name all over it! And can we talk about that cover? I totally love it. I'm really looking forward to this book hitting book store shelves soon. I'll also be sharing my thoughts on it shortly, here on Mundie Moms.

What book are you waiting to get your hands on?


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