Mundie Moms

Sunday, June 30, 2013

A Thank You Tweet from Godfrey



Godfrey is such a sweetheart...look at the thank you he tweeted to all of us who want to see him at San Diego Comic Con.

Gotta love a guy who is so sweet. Be sure to follow him on twitter; he tweets gorgeous photos from his travels.

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Tweets in Reaction to New Clip from TMI Movie Shown at LeakyCon

LeakyCon announced that they were showing an exclusive clip from "TMI:City of Bones" today. And no, the clip is not released to the public, but we have the second best thing -- fans' tweeted reactions.






Love the excitement of "near perfection", "awesome", "looks amazing"...oh when, oh when does August get here?

21 New Images from 'The Mortal Instruments Movie Companion'

Twenty One New Pictures from The Mortal Instruments Movie Companion! imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com

Cassie Stages a Surprise for Sarah Rees Brennan






Cassie tweeted this series of tweets this morning and I know none of us quite knew what was going to happen, until well, take a look Mundie Moms. I think this is one of THE cutest pics EVER.


Me and Sarah and Godfrey Gao out and around in London. Godfrey once saved a kitten from a well.
Sarah Rees Brennan, Godfrey Gao and Cassie. 

Book Review: Adorkable by Sarra Manning

Adorkable
Author: Sarra Manning
Publisher: Little Brown
Release Date: April 1, 2013
Source: Purchased
Buy: amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound |
Adorkable

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars -- this story is adorkable!

Synopsis:  Jeane Smith's a blogger, a dreamer, a jumble sale queen, CEO of her own lifestyle brand, and has half a million followers on Twitter. Michael Lee's a star of school, stage, and playing field. A golden boy in a Jack Wills hoodie. They have nothing in common but a pair of cheating exes. So why can't they stop making out? This novel is about an unlikely relationship, but it's also about roller derby, dogs on skateboards, dogs on surfboards, dogs doing any form of extreme sport, old skool hip hop, riding your bike downhill really fast, riot grrrl, those boys you want to kiss but punch in the face at the same time, dyeing your hair ridiculous colors just because you can, stitch 'n' bitch, the songs that make you dance, the songs that make you cry, being a bad ass, cake, love, death, and everything in between.

Oh Jeane Smith, I loved you even when you were snarky, abrasive and sometimes a little too-in-your-face. I adored you when you were outspoken, firm in your beliefs (and everyone else’s wrongs) and most of all, I adored you because being quirky was your full-time job.

When summer strikes, my hand seems to pause over shelves containing contemporary books in the library and bookstore. And this summer is no different, so Adorkable fit the requirement perfectly. It was first and foremost a contemp read, the book is full of British-isms (you guys know my weakness for those) and, well, there's Jeane (see above gushing comment for reference).

In a chick-lit plot, I expect two things: a great character voice (check) and something deeper not just fluff (double-check). Let me just say that Jeanne's back-story was heart-crushingly real. I loved Jeane all the more for what she survived (hint with no spoiler: the parents' mid-life crises are just the tip of the  iceberg). The glimpse we get of her mother and that wonderfully awkward dinner with her father made me understand their own motivations for choosing their directions in life. And I know there's a lot of hulabaloo in YA about absentee parents (also in this case, an absentee older sister), but Sarra explained it all so well that I bought all the circumstances which left Jeane on her own.

Now to  my most favorite part of all -- the romance. Here we go folks, this story had the same slow and  therefore believable build-up of my beloved Pride & Prejudice. I think it helped that it's a dual point-of-view story, so we get Michael's thoughts alongside Jeane's. In juxtaposition to Jeane's family circumstances, Michael is the golden child of his family, and he's the big man on campus at school. Nothing could go wrong with him, could it? Until that one day when he notices his girlfriend with Jeane's geek boyfriend and he knows that things are not the same.

I adored Michael, too. He's proud and quietly opinionated. My favorite parts were when he called Jeane out on some of her more outspoken, hurtful moments. My other favorite moments were when, well okay, no spoilers (tiny hint: kissing and awkward moments of more than kissing may have been involved). I liked his family, too; and while they served as a nice what-is-normal comparison to Jeane's family, they weren't perfect. The scene with the shower door and his dad was my favorite.

Oh, and let's not forget the fashion blogging angle and the hysterical tweets between Jeane and her followers. As a tweetaholic, I completely related to those moments. Jeane has tremendous success with her blog and her fashion opinions are valued by the highest of international and local publications. But is that success all there really is in life? What about success with real-life friends and family? Where does that fit in our virtual-sharing-everything-online world? See what I mean? A deeper story than you first thought, right?

When you're in the mood for a smart, quirky main character and a boy who quietly contemplates what will truly make him happy, pick up some Haribo products (trust me, you'll want a few bags) and settle in for a great story. What a satisfying summer read.

If you're a social media geek like me, you may want to click over to Atom Books' Adorkable pinterest board as well as Sarra's spotify playlist for the book.

Friday, June 28, 2013

An Official TMI Movie tumblr Plus Official Licensed Jewelry





Cassie just posted this on her own tumblr, but TMI Movie has a tumblr of its own. And lo and behold,  officially licensed jewelry, too.

Time to save our pennies, MMs!!!

#GodfreytoSDCC Trends WORLDWIDE



Congrats TMI Fandom! We trended #GodfreytoSDCC worldwide! We want him there. Can not wait for Comic Con!

We Are Getting You Ready for The TMI Movie!

readalong
Our announcement. Mundie Moms, Fangirlish, Page to Premiere, and TMI Source will be conducting a read along of City of Bones to prepare you for the release of The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. We'll be taking turns, recapping chapters, sharing our thoughts, and here's the exciting part - we are giving you the opportunity to win PRIZES. We don't care if you like in Antarctica, we are willing to ship anywhere in the world. In the midst of all of the read along, we are going to be giving away prizes. Signed books from Cassie and we have spent hundreds of dollars on Hot Topic TMI Items that we will ship anywhere. That's a lot of prizes. The read along is coming! This fandom is amazing and we are proud to be a part of this fandom!

Tarnish by Katherine Longshore, Book Review


By: Katherine Longshore
Published by: Viking (Penguin Teen)
Released on: June 18th, 2013
Source: arc from publisher to review
5 Stars: I LOVED IT!
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Add it to Goodreads

Anne Boleyn is the odd girl out. Newly arrived to the court of King Henry VIII, everything about her seems wrong, from her clothes to her manners to her witty but sharp tongue. So when the dashing poet Thomas Wyatt offers to coach her on how to shine at court--and to convince the whole court they're lovers--she accepts. Before long, Anne's popularity has soared, and even the charismatic and irresistible king takes notice. More than popularity, Anne wants a voice--but she also wants love. What began as a game becomes high stakes as Anne finds herself forced to make an impossible choice between her heart's desire and the chance to make history

I have long been a fan of this era, and Katherine Longshore has done such a brilliant job at bringing it to life in Tarnish. Though I didn't know a lot about Anne Boleyn (except her fate) prior to reading this book, Katherine peeked my interest in her after reading Tarnish, that I went and read up about her. From all that I've read about her, I loved the way Katherine brought her to life. It's apparent in the way Katherine told Anne's story that she did a lot of research in the era and about Anne. Everything came to life in this book, so much so that I felt like I was getting a glimpse into the past. 

Telling Anne's story prior to her meeting King Henry VIII was intoxicating. I have to say, I loved this character. Knowing that she's based on a historical person made this story that much more intriguing, and captivating. If you've been a reader of my reviews,  you'll know how much I admire a strong protagonist who does not falter on her values, and what she wants. Anne Boleyn is this character/person. I loved her intelligence, her quick tongue, her truth speaking, and how she played the game. I loved that Katherine writes Anne's story after her return to England from France, and the role that plays with her, and her interactions with the King. 

Flawed characters based on historical people make for the best type of characters. Tarnish is rich with character depth. There are things the character do that made me laugh, sigh, cringe, and seriously made me angry. What Katherine does in Tarnish, is give readers an intimate look into the inner circle of King Henry VIII's court. If you've watched Tudors, than you'll now how the court was run, and the games that were played. Aside from the King, and his wanting to have Anne, I loved, loved, loved the stolen moments between the poet, Thomas Wyatt and Anne. These two were snarky, truthful, lustful and had this awesome chemistry that just light the pages on fire. Now part of me feels wrong for saying that, because Thomas was wed, though he left his wife, he wasn't divorced from her. Anne in this book falls for him, and has these stolen away moments with him, but she doesn't cross the line that so many people thought she did. And that plays a huge role into the way Thomas wanted her to viewed by the court, and Anne's brother George.

The family dynamics in this book are well written. Like any family, nobles have their fights, their moments of love, loyalty, betrayal, and forgiveness. Katherine gave us all that and more with Anne, her brother George, and their sister Mary. I'll say it, I wanted to slap George and huge Mary. Mary's role in this book plays a big role in Anne's standing firm with what she wants, especially from the King. I know that may not make sense, but it will after you read the book. Katherine does such a fabulous job at creating a story based on real people, and creating these situations that I can only assume rang accurate for a time period where everyone wanted to be better their associates. The court may look dazzling on the outside, but on the inside it's deceitful, cut throat, and full of prejudices.

Oh Katherine Langshore, please do not stop writing Historical books. I really, really, REALLY enjoyed this book. There's nothing I didn't like about it. It has romance, moments that made me laugh, intrigue, plenty of history, and a character that has won my admiration. Any one who stands up to the King gets to sit on a pedal stool in my book. This is one book I hope YA fans pick up. It's one that even while I was reading it, is one I hope classes that are studying this time period, pick up and read. Be sure to add this to your Summer reads!


Thursday, June 27, 2013

New Photo Shoot with Jamie Campbell Bower, Lily Collins, and Robert Sheehan


Love this new photo shoot with Lily Collins, Jamie Campbell Bower, and Robert Sheenan. What do you think?

imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com imagebam.com SOURCE

Let's Get GODFREY TO COMICCON!


So there's a rumor that is attending ComicCon. Sadly it's just a rumor & WE WANT HIM there! Let's get him there! We're asking all TMI fans to join myself, Fangirlish & TMI Source & a whole lot of us TMI fansite in our Twitter campaign to get GODFREY to COMICON. 

TOMORROW at NOON EST we're going to start trending  
To join us, all you need to do is use that hashtag. I'll be on the road, and won't be able to tweet much, so please make up for me and tweet A LOT!

Defy The Dark by Saundra Mitchell, Book Review & Giveaway


Edited by: Saundra Mitchell
Stories by:
Published by: Harper Teen
Released on: June 18th, 2013
Source: arc from the author to review
4.5 Stars: I REALLY Enjoyed It!
Purchase it from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Add it to Goodreads

Defy the Dark, an all-new anthology edited by Saundra Mitchell. Coming Summer 2013 from HarperTeen!

It features 16 stories by critically-acclaimed and bestselling YA authors as they explore things that can only happen in the dark. Authors include Sarah Rees Brennan, Rachel Hawkins, Carrie Ryan, Aprilynne Pike, Malinda Lo, Courtney Summers, Beth Revis, Sarah Ockler, and more.

Contemporary, genre, these stories will explore every corner of our world- and so many others. What will be the final story that defies the dark? Who will the author be?


Being afraid of the dark just got exciting!

What happens when you have one book that has a ton of your favorite authors in it? You get on seriously awesome anthology full of must read paranormal short stories. Defy the Dark has it all! Romance, danger, paranormal elements, hauntings, and stories that will leave you wanting so much more. Not to mention there's a few short stories that take you back into the worlds we first fell in love with. 

Talk about some power house story tellers. When you include stories from Sarah Rees Brennan, Saundra Mitchell, Carrie Ryan, Beth Revis, Jon Skovron, Tessa Gratton, Rachel Hawkins, Myra McEntire, Malinda Lo, Sarah Ockler, Christine Johnson, Valerie Kemp, Aprilynne Pike, Jackson Pearce, Courtney Summers, and Dia Reeves, you know you're going to have one heck of a read that will have clinging to each page. Do not be fooled that the size of this book. This one book that once you pick it up, you will not be able to put it down. I read this one in one sitting. Believe me, when you're done with each story you'll be wishing there were more stories to read from. 

There's a little something for everyone in each story. There's paranormal short stories, stories that will haunt you, a physiological thriller, and stories with the right amount of romance that will either leave your heartbroken, or sighing, or of course hopeful. Or you could be like me and when you read the title of Myra McEntire's Naughty or Nice, immediately think of Kaleb. *snort laughs* What?! You know you did too. Though Kaleb has nothing to do with this story, it was one of my favorites. Young love, Bavaria, and monsters.... perfection. 

My absolute favorite story was Saundra Mitchell's Now Bid Time Return. Seriously, please make this into a book. A trip to Norway, the northern lights, time travel, romance, and Kristian. This short story was fabulous!! As in I seriously want more of this story. I loved it. If you're in the mood for something paranormal, you'll enjoy Sarah Rees Brennan's I Gave You My Love by the Light of the Moon. Oh yes, a fabulous tale of love between a vampire and a werewolf. If you're the Sci-Fi fan, then you'll love Beth Revis's Night Swimming. Ooh this one was good. This story take you right back to that that spaceship we've come to love and all I can say is Eldest. No he's not the main character in this one, but he's definitely part of the story.

Okay, let's talk about the monsters. Yes, there are some in this book, and Rachel Hawkins's Eyes in the Dark and The Dark Side of the Moon by Dia Reeves take the cake with those. Like if these were 300 page stories, I would not have read them at night. Thanks to Rachel, the next time I'm camping in the woods I'll be scanning the trees for red eyes. 

If you twisted stories, then you'll enjoy Sleepstalk by Courtney Summers and The Moth and the Spider by Sarah Ockler. Yeah, these two stories definitely had me rereading them again. To date this is by far my favorite collection of short stories. In addition to the ones I've mentioned, Nature by Aprilynne Pike, Ghost Town by Malinda Lo, Stillwater by Valerie Kemp, Almost Normal by Carrie Ryan, There's Nowhere Else by Joh Skovron, Shadowed by Christine Johnson Where The Light Is by Jackson Pearce and This Was Ophelia by Tessa Gratton are all fabulous reads. Every short story that makes up Defy The Dark complimented the others perfectly. If these stories were turned into lengthier books, I'd read each one of them. 

Defy the Dark is truly one of those must have reads. It's thrilling, addicting, and makes being a afraid of the dark that much more exciting. How could it not be when you have 16 mesmerizing stories from 16 spellbinding story tellers. Definitely go and pick up your copy of DEFY THE DARK!  


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I've got a little something extra for you guys today. THANK YOU to Saundra Mitchell, you can now read two stories! AFTER ILLUME by Emily Skrutskie, and BOGWATER by Taure Shimp


To celebrate the recent release of DEFY THE DARK, we've got an awesome giveaway! THANK YOU to Saundra Mitchell, one lucky reader will win a DEFY THE DARK prize pack featuring a hardcover of Defy the Dark, a couple of glow in the dark wristbands and some shiny bookmarks! To enter, please fill out the form below (US/Canada residents only):

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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