Mundie Moms

Thursday, January 7, 2016

EW Reveals the Cover of HEARTLESS by Marissa Meyer / Read an Excerpt!


Entertainment Weekly has revealed the cover of HEARTLESS by Marissa Meyer! Check out the cover below!  



This cover looks AMAZING!! This is one of our most anticipated reads this year on Mundie Moms. HEARTLESS is the prequel to Alice in Wonderland, and is about The Queen of Hearts. Though the book doesn't hit shelves until November 8th, 2016, fans can read an excerpt from the book via EW's cover reveal, here. I've included part of the excerpt below. 


Excerpt from Heartless by Marissa Meyer

A prequel to Alice in Wonderland by the bestseller author of the Lunar Chronicles.
Long before she was the terror of Wonderland—the infamous Queen of Hearts—she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.
Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the yet-unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend and supply the Kingdom of Hearts with delectable pastries and confections. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen. 
At a royal ball where Cath is expected to receive the king’s marriage proposal, she meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

Catherine fled out to the balcony, running as fast as her heeled boots and strangling corset would allow. The cool night air sent a chill racing across her enflamed skin, but every breath remained a struggle.
She lifted her skirts and slipped down the steps into the rose gardens. She heard a splinter of glass and startled cries behind her and wondered what chaos Cheshire must be causing now, but she dared not look back, not even as she reached the gardens.
The world tilted. She paused at a wrought-iron gate, gripping one of the decorative finials for support. Catching her breath, she stumbled on. Down the clover-filled path between rose arbors and trickling fountains, passing topiaries and statues and a pond of water lilies. She reached for the back of her dress, desperate to loosen the stays. To breathe. But she couldn’t reach. She was suffocating.
GO HERE to read more of the excerpt! 

TRUTHWITCH by Susan Dennard / Book Review



By: Susan Dennard
Published by: Tor Teen
Released on: 1.5.16
Purchase From: Amazon | Barnes & Noble 
Add it to Goodreads
Rating: 5 Stars - I LOVED IT!
* I received a copy of this book from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

On a continent ruled by three empires, some are born with a “witchery”, a magical skill that sets them apart from others.

In the Witchlands, there are almost as many types of magic as there are ways to get in trouble—as two desperate young women know all too well.

Safiya is a Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lie. It’s a powerful magic that many would kill to have on their side, especially amongst the nobility to which Safi was born. So Safi must keep her gift hidden, lest she be used as a pawn in the struggle between empires.

Iseult, a Threadwitch, can see the invisible ties that bind and entangle the lives around her—but she cannot see the bonds that touch her own heart. Her unlikely friendship with Safi has taken her from life as an outcast into one of reckless adventure, where she is a cool, wary balance to Safi’s hotheaded impulsiveness.

Safi and Iseult just want to be free to live their own lives, but war is coming to the Witchlands. With the help of the cunning Prince Merik (a Windwitch and ship’s captain) and the hindrance of a Bloodwitch bent on revenge, the friends must fight emperors, princes, and mercenaries alike, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.
 

Quick Review

An epic new fantasy, Susan Dennard's TRUTHWITCH has set a high bar for my reading standards in 2016. This will be a hard book to beat. It's everything I had hoped it would be, and a whole lot more. I LOVED everything about this book! This book more than lived up to it's hype. I don't know what else to say other than I LOVED IT! Go pick this book up! Susan Dunnard, don't ever stop writing. I need the sequel!

My In-Depth Review

TRUTHWITCH has found it's new home on my favorite's bookshelf nestled in between other favorites like Sarah J. Maas & Morgan Rhodes's books. Similar to their books, Dunnard's newest release is one I absolutely loved! Since reading their books, I've not been so enthralled in a book until now. TRUTHWITCH is an epic, new fantasy that I have completely falling in love with, and want more of. 

At the heart of this story are two characters who's relationship will change the world in which they live. The relationship between Safi and Iseult is easily one of my all time favorites. These two have an unspeakable bond that will resonate with readers who have that once in a life time relationship with their best friend. Safi and Iseult have an unbreakable bond. They have a trust, and knowing of what the other needs. Their love for each other, their understanding, their unwavering support, and the just knowing what the other needs, was so beautifully written. Their purpose is destined, and I loved watching them figure out their place in all that's going on.

The characters of TRUTHWITCH are some of my all time favorites. Each character is so well written, and has a purpose for being apart of the story. They're each fascinating characters and I loved getting to know them. Each of their lives are intricately woven together, and connected in a way that fueled a complex plot line. I loved how each character is connected to the next, and their place within the story. Not all characters end up being who I thought they were, nor are they destined for the journey they start out on. I loved that Dunnard made it impossible for me to predict the turn of events. 

The romance in this book is fabulous! It's one of my all time favorites. It's not a love at first kind, but rather they have an immediate attraction to each other. It's one where the characters challenge each other. They push and infuriate each other. They also do something else, they make each other think outside their own boxes. They're enemies and allies are rolled into one. They are the perfect match. They both are fiercely loyal, and will do anything for those they love. I loved how their paths kept crossing, and how they inadvertently end up apart of each other's lives. I loved watching them go from driving each other crazy, and pushing each other's buttons, to falling for each other. 

The world building is visually stunning. Dunnard describes her world in such away that it easily comes to life. The world is just as important in this book as the character are. I loved the differences in the landscapes, and each area that the characters comes from. It's rich, and diverse, just as her characters are. 

TRUTHWITCH has all the elements I look for in 5 star book. Rich world building, unforgettable characters, a scorching character chemistry, romance, danger, deceptions, betrayals, action, and dangerous politics that lead to deadly secrets. Dunnard's writing is captivating. I loved everything she gave me, and wanted so much more. This book is one I stayed up past my bed time for it, and it was totally worth the lack of sleep I had. I couldn't stop reading this book, nor did I want to. I loved everything about this book. My only complaint is that this book ended. 

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