Mundie Moms

Monday, October 31, 2016

THIS IS OUR STORY by Ashley Elston / Book Review


By: Ashley Elston
Published by: Disney Hyperion
To Be Released on: November 15th, 2016 
Preorder from: Amazon | B&N
Add it to Goodreads
Rating: It's A Good Read
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review

No one knows what happened that morning at River Point. Five boys went hunting. Four came back. The boys won’t say who fired the shot that killed their friend; the evidence shows it could have been any one of them.

Kate Marino’s senior year internship at the District Attorney’s Office isn’t exactly glamorous—more like an excuse to leave school early that looks good on college applications. Then the DA hands her boss, Mr. Stone, the biggest case her small town of Belle Terre has ever seen. The River Point Boys are all anyone can talk about. Despite their damning toxicology reports the morning of the accident, the DA wants the boys’ case swept under the rug. He owes his political office to their powerful families.

Kate won’t let that happen. Digging up secrets without revealing her own is a dangerous line to walk; Kate has her own reasons for seeking justice for Grant. As she and Stone investigate—the ageing prosecutor relying on Kate to see and hear what he cannot—she realizes that nothing about the case—or the boys—is what it seems. Grant wasn’t who she thought he was, and neither is Stone’s prime suspect. As Kate gets dangerously close to the truth, it becomes clear that the early morning accident might not have been an accident at all—and if Kate doesn’t uncover the true killer, more than one life could be on the line…including her own.
 


A haunting, suspenseful read that will have you guessing until the very end! 

Normally this is not a book I would read, but the cover called to me. As soon as I picked it up to thumb through the book to see if I really wanted to read it, I was actually reading the book, and couldn't stop reading it until I was done with it. This is one of those books that once you pick it up, it is extremely hard to put it down. There is so much that happens in this book. 

Not all things are what you think ..... Just as you think you may have it all figured out, Elston throws in a huge twist, and shocking new discoveries. Like the kind that if you start this book at night, you'll be up all night reading it, because you have to know. Not to mention there is a HUGE twist that I did not see coming! Normally I can figure out early one, but not this time around. 

Part of what I liked about this book, is the way it's told. Part of this is told through a series of text, police reports, entries, and of course, untrustworthy characters. All these elements definitely made it that much harder to figure out exactly what happened. I enjoyed the unpredictable elements. It definitely kept me guessing, and made it hard to figure out exactly what happened, and who was to blame. The wanting to know, and needing answers is what kept me reading. 

There's so many sides to the events that happen in this book, and so much to talk about. Unfortunately all of it is spoilery. If you've followed our blog for awhile, you'll know how much I hate spoilers. For the sake of not spoiling anything, I will say this, if you enjoy an entraining, page turner of a book, pick this one up. It's a good read, with a killer twist!

*There is some language in this book.

Friday, October 28, 2016

GLITTER by Aprilynne Pike / Blog Tour: Book Review / Giveaway


Hello and welcome to the last stop in the GLITTER blog tour, hosted by Rock Star blog tours. Today's stop features my review, along with a giveaway. After you check out my review, be sure to enter to win! First, here's a little bit about the book

ABOUT THE BOOK 


By: Aprilynne Pike
Published by: Random House Books for Young Readers
Released on: October 25, 2016
Series: Glitter #1
Purchase from: AmazonBarnes & NobleiBooks
Add it to Goodreads

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Aprilynne Pike comes a truly original new novel—Breaking Bad meets Marie Antoinette in a near-future world where the residents of Versailles live like it’s the eighteenth century and an almost-queen turns to drug dealing to save her own life. 

Outside the palace of Versailles, it’s modern day. Inside, the people dress, eat, and act like it’s the eighteenth century—with the added bonus of technology to make court life lavish, privileged, and frivolous. The palace has every indulgence, but for one pretty young thing, it’s about to become a very beautiful prison.


When Danica witnesses an act of murder by the young king, her mother makes a cruel power play . . . blackmailing the king into making Dani his queen. When she turns eighteen, Dani will marry the most ruthless and dangerous man of the court. She has six months to escape her terrifying destiny. Six months to raise enough money to disappear into the real world beyond the palace gates.


Her ticket out? Glitter. A drug so powerful that a tiny pinch mixed into a pot of rouge or lip gloss can make the wearer hopelessly addicted. Addicted to a drug Dani can sell for more money than she ever dreamed.


But in Versailles, secrets are impossible to keep. And the most dangerous secret—falling for a drug dealer outside the palace walls—is one risk she has to take.

A quick, intriguing read. This is a story I quickly devoured. There was something about it that fascinated me. This was not at all what I was expecting, and I kind of liked that. There was something about this story, and about Dani, and the situation she found herself in, that intrigued me. That's not to say I agreed with Dani's choices, however to some degree I sympathized with her, and wanted to see how she was going to get out of her predicament. 


Character wise, there's not much in way of emotionally connecting with the characters. Normally that bothers me, but not with this story. These characters don't emotionally connect to each other, which is part of the deception, the power struggles, and the twisted game so to speak, that's being played in court. In order to protect themselves, they have to be on guard. Not emotionally connecting with the characters, when they themselves fight so hard to not emotionally connect to each other, worked well in this story. 


I really liked this setting. Pike created a fascinating blend of royalty, history, and modern day technology, that really worked well for this story. I was completely hooked with way she crafted these elements together, especially the historical part of it. I loved how that part into this story. Just as I would expect any court to have, there are plenty of deceptions, secrets, and power struggles that often times lead to deadly consequences. 


Romance wise, I'm really curious about where one of these romances will lead. It's a little hard to figure out who's in it for the right reasons, vs who's obviously in this for the power play. With the way this story ended, I'm really hoping we'll get a sequel so I know what happens next, not just with Demi, but with the direction one of the romances is going. 


Glitter is a fast paced, unique story that quickly held my attention, and had me wanting to know more. It's definitely not a story I was expecting, and I liked that it was something different. I don't think I've read anything quite like this one. Normally this wouldn't be something I'd like. Yet, I found myself curious about the Court, the politics, deadly secrets and blackmail that went on behind the scenes. It definitely made for an interesting read, and had me wondering how it was all going to end. That was a brutal ending and one that may be different in the finished book vs what was in the arc. It definitely has me looking forward to reading the sequel. 


There are definitely some sensitive subjects in this book. There are also darker elements than Pike's previous books have had. There's murder, a forced marriage, sexual context, drug use, and some mild language. 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR



Aprilynne Pike is a critically acclaimed, #1 New York Times best-selling author of young adult fiction. At the age of twenty she received her BA in Creative Writing from Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. When not writing, Aprilynne can usually be found running; she also enjoys singing, acting, reading, and working with pregnant moms as a childbirth educator and doula. Aprilynne lives in Arizona with her husband and their four children.


ENTER TO WIN
3 winners will receive a finished copy of GLITTER, US Only.


FOLLOW THE TOUR
10/17/2016- Tales of the Ravenous ReaderInterview
10/18/2016- Lisa Loves LiteratureReview
10/19/2016- Pandora's BooksExcerpt
10/20/2016-  BookHounds YAReview
10/21/2016- Two Chicks on Books- Interview
10/24/2016- Brooke- ReportsReview
10/25/2016- Brittany's Book RamblesGuest Post
10/26/2016- Seeing Double In NeverlandReview
10/27/2016- A Glass Of Wine BlogInterview
10/28/2016- Mundie MomsReview

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Cassandra Clare's November Signings #Shadowhunters


Don't miss seeing Cassandra Clare! She's got two upcoming signings happening in November! The first signing will be on November 3rd, and the next one will be in NYC on November 18th. Check out her Tumblr post here, for details. I've also shared the details below:


I’ll be doing two signings/appearances before the end of this year. (So I won’t be around for quite a bit of November, but: )
1) November 03, 16 : Sharjah Book Fair, UAE
SHARJAH EXPO CENTER

























2) NOVEMBER 18
New York, Barnes and Noble in Tribeca:
 97 Warren Street
New York, NY 10007
212-587-5389 



The Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy event includes readings from upcoming books, the reveal of the Lord of Shadows cover, and and SPECIAL SURPRISE GUESTS. If you can’t be there I’ll be letting you know how to stream it online.
Hopefully I'll see some of you in NYC on the 18th of November!

Shadowhunters TV: Empire Online Exclusive; Changes Coming In Season Two


The count down for Shadowhunters Season 2 is on! While we're still a couple months away, the buzz is making it nearly impossible for fans to wait that long. With more cast members added, and two new showrunners to the series, fans can expect some changes. From the latest interview show runner Todd Sklavkin recently had with Empire Online, it sounds like there's going to be a lot of changes. I think it's both exciting and a little worrisome all at the same time. I'll admit, his interview gives me hope that this season of Shadowhunters will be much better than the last. I've included a few quotes from his interview, which you can read in full here

One of the things that really stood out to me from Todd's interview are the changes they're making. Here's what Todd said about the writing, and the character changes:
From a writing standpoint, we felt like there could be more depth in the show. We felt like the characters could have more depth and there could be a more resonant emotionality in the show. In season one, we felt like things moved along very, very quickly, and the show was a little bit more plot-driven as opposed to being character-driven. What appealed to us in the great books that Cassie Clare created were these very interesting characters. It would slow down and you'd have these great moments where you'd get to know them and their back stories. 
I also like that he pointed out what the characters and their screen time. I love that he also mentions Jace's humor, that was almost nonexistent in the first series, but very much present in the books, will be apart of this season. Here's what he said: 
 Jace, in the books, is really funny and really has a great, wry sense of humor. You didn't really see that as much in season one. There seemed to be an emphasis on the adults in the show, and it felt like some of the stories were getting away from our seven people on the poster. They were getting less screen time than we felt like they needed. That's not to say that we're shutting the adults out. Of course not. Such a great part of the show is this generational, "Mom, Dad, you did it your way. That's not the only way. We're young and different and we look at things with a different perspective." We did that, we love that, but it felt a little tilted. We wanted to focus a little bit more on our core people.


 

From being a huge fan of the books, and wanting to like the series more than I previously did, I really liked that Todd mentioned they'd be honoring the material they already have in the books, while also creating something new for TV fans. Here's what he said:
Our initial instinct is to follow our inner compass. Darren and I have been working together forever, and we have very similar tastes. The reason that we were brought on is I think the powers that be shared our taste and knew our work, so at the end of the day our goal is to take the mythology, and this is very similar to what we did on Smallville with DC, and honor the source material and treat it with a reverent hand. But do our own thing. I think when you do that, the book lovers and the show lovers totally get it and are on board. They understand that we get it.
Todd went on to say:
I immediately wanted to get on the phone with Cassie Clare, and I wanted to talk through her mindset. The books really were inspiring to us and it was interesting, because so much of it's tone. She's very cool with letting the material evolve, understanding that a television show is different than a series of novels or movie, and understanding the medium. What she was so pleased about was maintaining the tone from the books. If you're a fan of the books, you're going to watch the show with a smile on your face and you're going to get it, even though the things that are happening might not be exactly what happened in the book.

Based on what Todd said, I think we have a lot to look forward to this season. I wasn't a big fan of last season, and a lot of that had to do with what Todd pointed out. Todd's renewed my faith in the show. I'm excited to see the direction the character stories go as well. There's so much that was rushed last season, and a lot of material was missed. I'm looking forward to seeing how the story unfolds this season, and what's in story for the characters. 

Will you be watching the second season of Shadowhunters? What are you most looking forward to seeing on the show?

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

ROSE AND THORN by: Sarah Prineas / Book Review


By: Sarah Prineas
Published by: HarperTeen
Released on: October 18th, 2016
Series: Rose & Bramble #2
Purchase from: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks
Add it toGoodreads

This beauty isn’t sleeping! Sarah Prineas’s darkly imaginative retelling breaks down the classic story of Sleeping Beauty in a big, bold way. Brimming with action and romance, beautiful Rose must escape the curse that will force the kingdom to fall into a century-long slumber and fights for the freedom to find her own happily ever after.

After the spell protecting her is destroyed, Rose seeks safety in the world outside the valley she had called home. She’s been kept hidden all her life to delay the three curses she was born with, curses that will have drastic consequences if they take effect. Accompanied by the handsome and mysterious Griff and Quirk, his witty and warmhearted partner, Rose tries to escape from the ties that bind her to this forced fairy tale. But will the path they take lead them to freedom, or will it bring them straight into the prescribed story they are trying to avoid?

Set in the world of Prineas’s Ash & Bramble fifty years later, Rose & Thorn is a powerful retelling of Sleeping Beauty. If you like your fairy tales dark, your heroines daring, and your suitors dashing, this is the book for you.

Picking up years after Ash and Bramble ended, Rose and Thorn thrusts readers back into that same world. One where the Story of this classic fairytales retelling is really alive. Things are definitely not quite the same as it was when Shoe and Pin's story ended. I liked that while Shoe and Pin are not the main focus of this story, they are definitely apart of the story. The main focus of this story is Rose. A character who is inspired by Sleeping Beauty. 

Raised and protected in a valley by magic, Rose, has grown up being very sheltered. I some what get why, but being this sheltered made her a very naive character. I have a very hard time with naive characters. It made Rose lack any common sense with regards to the world around her, and it definitely didn't protect her in the ways she really needed it, especially in the beginning of the story. One of the things the really irked me in the beginning of this story is the almost rape scene and how it was handled, especially by someone who was suppose to be helping Rose. I may have almost thrown the book with that scene. 


I am a huge fan of fairly tale retellings, but I had a hard time with this one. For the sake of spoilers, I won't mention all the details, because it's part of the twist with this story. To be fair, fairytale retellings can be a challenge to write. For me personally, I think if I had gone into this book without expectations, I would have liked it more. Not to mention Rose's character was not one I really liked.  Thankfully there's much more to this story than Rose, that I did enjoy. While this book maybe inspired by Sleeping Beauty, it's definitely a lot more twisted vs being a retelling. There is a much darker tone to it. I think fans who love twisted fairytales will like it. 

What I did enjoy with this twisted fairytale/retelling, was the part of Story. It was such a unique accept of this story. Story itself is part of the evil, dark plot. Having Story itself be apart of this book, definitely made for 
an interesting read. It also posed an interesting question. If Story has already been written, and is trying to take over another city, and appoint a new Fairy Godmother, can the characters change the story, and rewrite one of their own? Again, another aspect of this story I liked. I also, over all, enjoyed the cast of the characters. 

Prineas has definitely created a dark and utterly fascinating world with this series, and this book. I really liked how those elements played important roles in this story, and how it really set the tone for it. Over all, this was a good read. I wish I could have liked it more, but you can't love all the books you read, and sometimes just liking it is okay. If you read the book first book in this series, I'd recommend picking this one up. I also think this book could be as a stand alone. Some of key events from that book are also mentioned in this one.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

THESE SHALLOW GRAVES and UNFORGIVEN Now in Paperback Blog Tour


Hello and welcome to the next stop in the THESE SHALLOW GRAVES and UNFORGIVEN, Now in Paperback Blog Tour, hosted by Random House. I'm so thrilled to share these fantastic covers. I've a huge fan of both authors, and their books. I love these paper covers for both of these books. Now is a great time to pick up these books if you haven't already! 

ABOUT THE BOOKS



By: Jennifer Donnelly
Published by: Random House
Paperback Edition Released on: October 25th, 2016 - TODAY! 
Purchase from: Amazon | B&N
Add to it Goodreads

From Jennifer Donnelly, the critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of A Northern Light and Revolution, comes THESE SHALLOW GRAVES, a thriller mystery about dark secrets, dirty truths, and the lengths to which people will go for love and revenge. From women’s rights to socioeconomic disparity, THESE SHALLOW GRAVES explores topics relevant to adults and teens of today. The paperback of THESE SHALLOW GRAVES goes on sale October 25, 2016.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jennifer Donnelly is the author of three adult novels—The Tea RoseThe Winter Rose, and The Wild Rose—as well as the young adult novels Revolution and A Northern Light, winner of Britain’s prestigious Carnegie Medal, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature, and a Michael L. Printz Honor Book Award.


By: Lauren Kate
Published by: Delacorte Press
Paperback Edition To Be Released on: November 8th, 2016
Pre-Order from: Amazon | B&N
Add it to Goodreads 

Fans clamored for the story of brooding bad boy Cam, and now the diabolical, desirable foe takes center stage in UNFORGIVEN. Cam made a bet with Lucifer: he has fifteen days to convince the only girl who really matters to him to love him again. If he succeeds, Lilith will be allowed back into the world, and they can live their lives together. But if he fails . . . Hell is waiting. The paperback of UNFORGIVEN goes on sale November 8, 2016.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lauren Kate’s series of star-crossed lovers has sold over 3.2 million copies in North America alone and has capturing the hearts and imaginations of readers all over the world, with rights sold in 33 countries. The major motion picture Fallen is currently in development, starring Jeremy Irvine and Addison Timlin.


FOLLOW THE TOUR

THESE SHALLOW GRAVES and UNFORGIVEN Now in Paperback Blog Tour: Monday through Friday, October 17th through November 11th

Monday, October 17: Bookish Lifestyle
Tuesday, October18: Once Upon a Twilight
Wednesday, October 19: No BS Book Reviews
Thursday, October 20: Paper Trail YA
Friday, October 21: Live to Read

Monday, October 24: Pandora’s Books
Tuesday, October 25: Mundie Moms
Wednesday, October 26: The Young Folks
Thursday, October 27: Fiction Fare
Friday, October 28: Ex Libris

Monday, October 31: Curling Up with A Good Book
Tuesday, November 1: Dark Faerie Tales
Wednesday, November 2: The Lovely Books
Thursday, November 3: Novel Novice
Friday, November 4: The Fandom

Monday, November 7: YA Bibliophile
Tuesday, November 8: Jessabella Reads
Wednesday, November 9: Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile
Thursday, November 10: Lili’s Reflections
Friday, November 11: Confessions of a Readaholic

OUT TODAY! New YA Releases 10/25/16!


Happy Book Birthday to today's new YA releases! Check out the list of today's new YA releases hitting book store shelves, below:


Which new releases will you be picking up today?

Monday, October 24, 2016

ROSE BLOOD by A.G. Howard / Blog Tour: Spotlight / Giveaway


Hello and welcome to today's spotlight tour stop in the ROSEBLOOD blog tour. I am so excited about this book's upcoming release. I am a huge fan of Phantom of the Opera, and I'm really looking forward to seeing the twist A.G. Howard puts on this story.  Find out more about the book, check out the book trailer, and enter to WIN below!

ABOUT THE BOOK




Author: A.G. Howard
Published:  Amulet Books
To Be Released on: January 10, 2017
Pre-Order it from: The PublisherAmazon | B&NiBooks 

Add it to Goodreads 

In this modern day spin on Leroux’s gothic tale of unrequited love turned to madness, seventeen-year-old Rune Germain has a mysterious affliction linked to her operatic talent, and a horrifying mistake she’s trying to hide. Hoping creative direction will help her, Rune’s mother sends her to a French arts conservatory for her senior year, located in an opera house rumored to have ties to The Phantom of the Opera.


At RoseBlood, Rune secretly befriends the masked Thorn—an elusive violinist who not only guides her musical transformation through dreams that seem more real than reality itself, but somehow knows who she is behind her own masks. As the two discover an otherworldly connection and a soul-deep romance blossoms, Thorn’s dark agenda comes to light and he’s forced to make a deadly choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or face the wrath of the phantom who has haunted the opera house for a century, and is the only father he’s ever known.


Check Out The Book Trailer




About A.G. Howard




A.G. Howard was inspired to write SPLINTERED while working at a school library. She always wondered what would've happened had the subtle creepiness of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland taken center stage, and she hopes her darker and funkier tribute to Carroll will inspire readers to seek out the stories that won her heart as a child.

When she's not writing, A.G.'s pastimes are reading, rollerblading, gardening, and family vacations which often include impromptu side trips to 18th century graveyards or condemned schoolhouses to appease her overactive muse.


Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Pinterest | Goodreads

ENTER TO WIN

5 winners will receive a finished copy of ROSEBLOOD and a Mask, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Exclusive Tour Stop Giveaways!

Make sure to stop by each blog below for a chance to win awesome prizes and the giveaways are International!

Stories & Sweeties - INTL Rafflecopter Stop #1: Masquerade Pendant, Eiffel Tower Key Chain, Emoticon Key Chains


Two Chicks on Books - INTL Rafflecopter Stop #2: Metallic "Dream" Bookmark, Phantom of the Opera Tote


Seeing Double In Neverland - INTL Rafflecopter Stop #3: Modern-gothic Angel of Music Print Dark Faerie Tales - INTL Rafflecopter Stop #4: Signed Panoramic RoseBlood Poster


Bookemoji - INTL Rafflecopter Stop #5: 1 - Signed & Personalized Arc + Mask Set & a Super Secret Phantom-themed Prize . Please Note: On this rafflecopter, participants have to answer a question after reading the last 1⁄2 of the chap on Pique to open the other entries.


Tour Schedule

10/24/2016- Mundie Moms - Spotlight 

10/24/2016- Stories & Sweeties - Guest Post 
10/24/2016- Adventures of a Book Junkie - Review

10/25/2016- Once Upon a Twilight - Spotlight 

10/25/2016- Two Chicks on Books - Guest Post

10/26/2016- Tales of the Ravenous Reader - Spotlight 

10/26/2016- Seeing Double In Neverland - Guest Post

10/27/2016- BookHounds YA - Review 

10/27/2016- Dark Faerie Tales - Guest Post

10/28/2016- Fiktshun - Review 

10/28/2016- Bookemoji - Guest Post 

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