Mundie Moms

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Book Review: Crash by Lisa McMann


By: Lisa McMann
Published by: Simon Teen
To Be Released on: January 8th, 2013
Source: arc from publisher to review
Series: Visions #1
Pre-Order From: Amazon | Barnes & Noble


If what you see is what you get, Jules is in serious trouble. The suspenseful first of four books from the New York Times bestselling author of the Wake trilogy.

Jules lives with her family above their restaurant, which means she smells like pizza most of the time and drives their double-meatball-shaped food truck to school. It’s not a recipe for popularity, but she can handle that.

What she can’t handle is the recurring vision that haunts her. Over and over, Jules sees a careening truck hit a building and explode...and nine body bags in the snow.

The vision is everywhere—on billboards, television screens, windows—and she’s the only one who sees it. And the more she sees it, the more she sees. The vision is giving her clues, and soon Jules knows what she has to do. Because now she can see the face in one of the body bags, and it’s someone she knows. Someone she has been in love with for as long as she can remember.

In this riveting start to a gripping series from New York Times bestselling author Lisa McMann, Jules has to act—and act fast—to keep her vision from becoming reality - quoted from Goodreads

Lisa McMann you've done it again. You've created another great contemporary with a fun twist! I know every time I pick up one of Lisa's YA books she's going to hook me. Here's my internal thought process when I grab a Lisa McMann book, ie. Crash: "Oh sweet! I'm so excited I can finally sit down and read this. I've only got about 20 mins, which is just enough time to start it..... " *30 mins later* Shoot I really need to stop reading this book I've got x,y and z to get done, but I can't stop reading this. *20 mins later* Okay, my to-do list can wait, this book is good! I can't stop reading it. *more time passes* I can not stop now. I can not believe the crap this girl is dealing with! I need to know what's going to HAPPEN!! *closer to the end of the book* Yes! FINALLY!! *the end* Are you serious? That's the end.... *flips to the blank pages at the end* No way! I need to know what's about to happen! That can not be the end. They had to have left out a few sentences or pages or something...."

Crash is one of those books that doesn't just tell a story, it allows me to feel like I'm getting a glimpse into a person's life vs a characters. I love how Lisa makes her characters feel so real. With Crash, the story centers on Jules and her crazy, close knit family. I enjoyed the family dynamics in Crash, because they were realistic. I loved the unity that Jules, her older brother Trey have, and the relationship they have with their younger sister Rowan. Trey by far was my favorite. He's a great older brother, and I loved the connection he has with Jules. I liked that the siblings all worked together. There were times I felt bad they were forced to work as much as they did, and that they didn't have an option to not work at their family pizzeria, but at the same time, it was the foundation for what drove the family, kept them close, drove wedges between them, and Jules's old best friend's family, and it was the cause for a lot of problems at the heart of this story.

Jules for me was a character I went back and forth on. There were times I felt bad she had to deal with not just these crazy visions, but she had to deal with being a social outcast because of her family's business. Part me of loved that she just didn't care, but the other part of me felt bad that because of this business and her father's dislike for the other family pizzeria in town, she lost her best friend. Now, Jules at times does seem like a creeper with her stalking tendencies toward Sawyer, but at the same time I totally understood why she was acting the way she was. The more I understood her visions, the more I understood her action. I can't say I blame her. It's kinda of a twist in the story, which is why I'm not going into details about it. That's just say betrayal, a brutal family rivalry, a secret crush, and a family dealing with past issues are what Jules is up against. 

Don't worry, this story isn't without it's lighter moments. There's a tiny bit of humor with Trey and Jules, and the list Jules creates, and a slight touch of romance that keep this story going. And oh Sawyer. Once I got to know him my heart broke for him, and I didn't blame him at all for how he acted. He's one of those characters that's just, I don't even know. He's hard not to like, and he's someone who once he knows the truth of certain matters tries to make things right. I love how he and Jules are bound to fix that which was made wrong with their family rivalry. In true Lisa McMann fashion, she touches on the more realistic things in life. She creates moments of heartbreak, sweet moments, moments of hope, and throws in a dash of hope and romance along the way. This is a book I'd recommend to fans of Lisa's Wake series. There is some mild language in the book, a few uses of the f-word. 

Want to win an ARC of CRASH? Leave me you a comment with your email address to be entered to win! I'll announce the winner next week. Happy Reading!

Best of Mundie Moms 2012: Favorite Characters


Today's best of 2012 features our favorite characters. Often times characters make or break a story for us. With all the books we've read this year it takes a certain kind of character to really stand out and keep us talking about them and their story. Luckily for us we read about some outstanding characters this year and here are just a few of our favorites.

Stand out female characters:

Sophie: Clary from City of Lost Souls. She's grown into a one tough girl. Not to be messed with. Determined. All hell's going to break in CoHF and Clary will be leading that charge. I can hardly wait.

Katie: Alina from Leigh Bardugo's Shadow & Bone. She is one character who's journey literally hooked me and impressed me. I loved seeing Alina grow into this amazingly resilient character. She's strong, tough, and boy does she know how to the turn tables! I can't wait for book two.

Sophie: Cammie from Ally Carter's Out of Sight, Out of Time. She is my favorite character of 2013. Why? She has amnesia. She has lost an entire summer/most of fall and she pieces together the puzzle of what happened with such brilliant accuracy that I sat back and wanted to clap. Also cry.

Katie: I'm torn between Ismae from Grave Mercy and Clary from City of Lost Souls. I LOVED Ismae from the moment I met her. She's a character you really do not want to mess with. She's deadly, stubborn, strong willed, and someone I grew to admire. Above all this girl is smart! I loved that about her. She also has this fiery passion that drives her to do the things she does. I feel like Clary's grown with each book, but in COLS I felt like she's finally grown into her skin. I love that she's someone who's not to be messed with. She's also proven time and time again how tough she is, but her toughness shines in COLS. I can not wait to see what butt kicking action she has in store for is in City of Heavenly Fire.

Stand out male characters:

Katie: I really want to put Jace on here, but I feel like Jace is a given, so I'm going to say Duval from Grave Mercy. Not only is his romance with Ismae beautiful, it's down right perfect. What I love about his character is even though he's a strong, fierce, cunning character, I loved how gentle and careful he could be around Ismae.

Sophie: Bennett from Tamara Ireland Stone's Time Between Us. I have a well established weakness for time travelers and romance.

Katie: Roar from Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi. I LOVE Roar! He is one of those characters who livens up any scene he's in. I love the history he has with Perry. Roar is one of those characters who wish I could spend more time with. He stole the show for me in Under The Never Sky.

Sophie: Jackson from Julie Cross's Tempest. See above comment, but add to it consequences that are full of whoa! and no way.


Who are some of your favorite characters from 2012?

Waiting on Wednesday #166: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi


By: Tahereh Mafi
Published by: Harper Teen
To Be Released on: 2/5/13
Series: Book #2
Pre-Order from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble


tick, tick, tick, tick, tick
it's almost
time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life - quoted from Goodreads

I can not wait for this book to be released!! I need more Juliette, Adam and yes, Warner. I can not wait to jump back into this world! If you've not yet picked up Shatter Me I HIGHLY recommend that you do! It's soooooooo good! What book are you waiting on?

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