Mundie Moms

Saturday, May 31, 2014

Shadowhunter Giveaways At BEA This Morning at 11 am!


Shadowhunter fans attending BEA today, be sure to stop by the HUGE Shadowhunter display at BEA this morning at 11 am! Simon & Schuster will be giving out some exciting TMI/ID related prizes!

Cassandra Clare is Signing TODAY at #BEA14



HI Shadowhunters! Cassie is signing twice TODAY at BEA! 

Her first signing is at 10 am - 11 am in the author signing area of BEA at table 1. This is a ticketed event and will be for The Shadowhunter's Codex.

Her second signing is at 11:30 - 12:30 with Holly Black for The Iron Trails at table 3. This event is also ticketed. 

Tickets will be handed out first thing in the morning before BEA opens at the autograph ticket booth.

Friday, May 30, 2014

#BEA14 - My First Day Re-Cap


BEA has been in full swing this week, and I'm so excited I was able to join in the fun today. I arrived early this morning.... like at 2 am. No, I've not gone to bed yet. Upon my arrival, I left Newark, NJ for the Yotel hotel in NYC. There I roomed with friends, Fangirlish, Page to Premiere and TMI Source. 

It was so great to see friends, to finally meet on line friends I've not yet had the chance of meeting, as well as meet publicists I've worked with for awhile now, and meet new ones. 


Today was a low key day for me. Outside of a Simon & Schuster's luncheon (which I'll be posting about next week), and a fabulous meeting with Disney (I can't wait to share some exciting up coming things from them on Mundie Kids), I got the one book I was really hoping to get today!


Upon entering BEA, they have the coolest Shadowhunter/TMI display.
 I can't even begging to tell you guys just how awesome this is. It's massive. 
The characters are way bigger than I am. It's that's cool! 


I of course had to have a little fun with it, and LOVED seeing Will on this. Due to the size, and spacing, Jem was not featured on it, but each cover for Cassie's books is featured on the bottom of the display. AND this is the area that Simon Teen is giving away TMI goodies every day at 10 & 2! You don't want to miss the goodies they have for fans. 


A huge part of what I loved about BEA is making connections. I love connecting face to face with publishers I work with, and online bookish friends I've made. Today I loved getting to see a lot of friends, and meet a few I've not yet met in person. 

Above: Jen (Jenuine Cupakes) & I / Hannah (Irish Banana) & I


It was so great to see DJ again, and I finally got to meet Jayne from Reads All The Books. 


I love this girl!! Jennifer left TX for NYC months ago (we totally miss her), and she's now working at Penguin. We were so thrilled to see each other. 

SIGNINGS:


There were a lot of signings happening today, but there was one that was a must have for me, and that was Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas! I love this series, and this was one book I was really hoping to get. With her signing starting at 11am, I was in line at 9:30. I am so excited to have seen Sarah again, and I GOT THE BOOK!

It was also wonderful to see Becca Fitzpatrick (Black Ice), Holly Black (The Darkest Part of the Forrest), attend Simon & Schuster's luncheon with Scott Westerfeld (Afterworlds), Becca Fitzpatrick (BlackIce), Kresley Cole (Poison Princess), Martina Boone (Compulsion), and Christina Lauren (Sublime). Simon & Schuster treated those in attendance to a bag of each of their books, signed. It was so great to hear a little bit about each author and their books. I posted about those here on Instagram


Here is my BEA book haul. 

Signed: 
- Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas
- Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini 
- BlackIce by Becca Fitzpatrick
- Poison Princess by Kresley Cole
- Starry Night by Isabel Gillies
- The Fine Art of Pretending by Rachel Harris
- Sublime by Christina Lauren
- The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
- Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld


Other Goodies:
- The Iron Trial by Cassandra Clare & Holly Black 
* I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS BOOK!!
- Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater
- Legacy of the Claw by CR Grey
- Sway by Kat Spears
- Hook's Revenge by Heidi Schulz
- Pennyroyal Academy by M.A. Larson

Today was a blast! I have a lot more pictures I'll be posting in the coming days as part of my BEA wrap up. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone coming tomorrow for BEA / BookCon. 

Please check by next week for a more detailed re-cap of my two days at BEA!!

Thursday, May 29, 2014

BEA (Book Expo America) or Bust


I am so excited about this weekend! I will be in NYC for BEA!! Last year was my first time going, and it was a blast! There was so much going on, and on top of that, it was my first time in NYC. Of course I had to mix in book fun with site seeing. I still don't know how I crammed in so much into the 5 days I was there. Check out last year's fun here.

This year will be a little bit more laid back, but still just as exciting. I'm so thrilled that this year I was approved for a Press Pass! I fly out tonight and will be at BEA for two full days on Friday and Saturday. I'm excited about some of the publisher events / meetings I will be going to. Bummed I couldn't go out earlier in the week to attend some exciting events that took place yesterday and today., but I've loved seeing everyone's pictures from the events. Once I'm there I'll be posting pictures from the events and from around BEA via twitter | instagram | tumblr facebook

On Saturday CASSANDRA CLARE will be there. If you're going to her signings, you'll see me there!!

A huge part of the fun of going to BEA is meeting publishers, authors and online book friends. If you're at BEA, I'd love to see you! I won't be blogging while there. I look forward to doing a write up about this weekend when I get back. Have a great weekend!


Armchair BEA


Can't make it to BEA? Attend Armchair BEA!!!

Book Expo of America, known as BEA, has kicked off this week! That means many bloggers will descend upon NYC for this week long book conference which includes publisher parties, author signings & much more. Plus, it's in NYC!!! Attending BEA is not an option for everyone, which is how Armchair BEA started!


I love this week long, international online blogger party. Since it started a few years ago, I have taken part in this every year until last year when I was able to attend BEA. I highly recommend this for those who are not able to be in NYC for BEA, to join this event. There are daily giveaways, chats and more. It's a really fun event to take part of. Plus it's fun to have the experience of BEA from the comforts of your own home. Join the fun HERE! Follow them on Twitter.


#YAParty Tonight at 8 pm EST

Check it out YA readers! Tonight a few BEA party goers are throwing a HUGE #YAParty! They want you to join them. I'm only posting a little bit about tonight's fun, because there are a TON of giveaways that will be taking place. Be sure to head over to Party Host: Liza Wiemer's site HERE to find out all the info about the party, and to check out all the giveaways. 

Here's a little bit about tonight's party:

HOST LIZA WIEMER CORDIALLY INVITES YOU TO ATTEND

THE #YAPARTY

WHERE: Twitter

WHEN: May 29, 2014, 8-11,PM EST

(Please tweet during those hours!If you won’t be around during that time, I recommend scheduling tweets using TweetDeck. ONLY entries during that time will count!)

WHY: Because space for the BEA YA Author/Blogger Party is very limited and I want everyone to be able to participate.

HUGE THANK YOU to the publishers and bloggers who provided the prize packages! See each one below.

(You must be 13 years old or older. This post and the prize packages are accurate as of 5-23-14, but are subject to change until the 11:00 PM EST on May 29, 2014. Notification will be done through Twitter. Prizes are not exchangeable. Winners will be notified by June 15, 2015 or sooner. Shipping will be done through the prize donors. You must contact the donor within 24 hours or another winner will be chosen.)

What do you need to do?

It’s Simple:

Follow @LizaWiemer on Twitter

Follow the publisher or specific prize donor and tweet (information listed below for each prize)!

PRIZE #2: (USA Only)

NOVL-Logo-tagline-12-12-12 copy

From Little Brown @TheNovl


  • Rapture Practice Paperback
  • The Walled City ARC
  • Famous in Love ARC
  • Secrets & Lies Hard Copy
  • Just Call My Name ARC

Tweet: I joined the  & follow @TheNovl & . I hope to win a Little Brown five-book package! Info: 

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PRIZE #3: (USA Only)

From Spencer Hill Press and Spencer Hill Contemporary SIX (6) NEW TITLES!

Tweet: I joined the  & follow @SHContemp & . I hope to win a six-book package! 

PRIZE #5: (USA Only)

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From Books of Wonder a signed copy of DOROTHY MUST DIE

Tweet: I joined the  & follow @BooksofWonder & . I hope to win a five SC books, my choice! 


There are a ton of giveaways! Check them out HERE and find out more about the party HERE

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins, Book Review


Author: Rachel Hawkins (tumblr | twitter | blog)
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Release Date: April 8, 2014
Series: Rebel Belle series
Source: Purchased
Purchase: IndieBound | amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository
Rebel Belle

Rating: 5 out of 5 pearly stars

Synopsis: Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him—and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

With snappy banter, cotillion dresses, non-stop action and a touch of magic, this new young adult series from bestseller Rachel Hawkins is going to make y'all beg for more.

Clasp your pearls, slip into your debutante heels, pour yourself some sweet tea and get ready for one fun paranormal story. You guys know how much I love Rachel's stories, and I have to admit that I've been looking forward to this for what seems like years. After all, Rachel is writing about one of the things she knows best -- The South and all of those elaborate Southern traditions and not to mention, all those complex Southern character types. If you hear the sound of clapping, it's from me, and I'm clapping with giddiness at all the good in this story.

Rachel has a way of weaving in mythologies (in this case, the Paladin in Charlemagne's court) that makes me want to research the topic a little more. But don't worry, no research is needed because you will follow Harper's story and in it you will discover more about these guardians although these have a paranormal twist.

In Harper, Rachel gives a main character that you will relate to immediately. I loved Harper Price and her seemingly perfect life from the very first page. I loved her relationship with her nemesis, David Stark, the very boy she (in  one heck of an accident) has to protect. And I loved the push-pull feeling of her relationship with her boyfriend as well as the natural tension with her rival, David.

It's no surprise that once again, I've fallen in love with another one of Rachel's series. As an over-achiever myself, I'm looking forward to seeing how Harper will balance out her new responsibilities with her old ones and how her relationship with the two boys will change. So when you're out thinking about which books to add to your summer vacation reading list (yes, I'm running with the assumption that every Mundie Moms has one), add Rebel Belle to it and move it up to the top. The well developed characters, the tense paranormal plot and the laughs you expect in a Rachel story are all there and they will not disappoint, not one little bit.


Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas, Waiting on Wednesday




By: Sarah J. Maas
Published by: Bloomsbury
To Be Released on: 9/2/14
Series: Throne of Glass #3
Pre-Order from: Amazon | B&N
Add it to Goodreads

Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy. 

While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?

This is one of my all time favorite series!! I can not wait to get my hands on this book. I need to know how this all ends. Sarah will be signing at BEA, and this is one of the few I have on my list of books I'm really hoping to get. *crossing my fingers* Either way, I can't wait to read this book.

What book are you waiting on?

#TMITuesday - The Inside Jacket Artwork

Yesterday was the release of City of Heavenly Fire, and the last #TMITuesday. You can catch up on all the other #TMITuesday posts by clicking the highlighted link. Check out what was revealed today!! The full art piece by Cliff Nielsen, which is featured on the inside jacket.


*click the images to enlarge*


This artwork looks amazing. I'm a little ticked I've not yet received my pre-order for the book. I'm hoping it arrives today. In the mean time, if you'd like to talk about the COHF, be sure to check out our COHF Forum. Within the forum is a BEFORE YOU'VE READ IT (spoiler free) forum, and an AFTTER YOU'VE READ IT (spoiler) forum. 

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

An Interview with Cassandra Clare About City of Heavenly Fire; TMI Wrap Up Blog Tour & A Giveaway


It's finally here!! City of Heavenly Fire is out in the world and I for one can not wait to read it. It will be a bitter sweet read. One of my all time favorite series is coming to an end. *sniff, sniff* And, with this ending, I know from past reading experiences with Cassie's books, that this ending will be bitters sweet, as not every character will make it. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens with Jace & Clary, and each of the other characters I've come to love. 

Recently I asked Cassie a few questions about the series and City of Heavenly Fire. Before I share her answers, here is a little bit about City of Heavenly Fire.


Published by: Margaret McElderry Books
Released on: TODAY (May 27, 2014)
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books of Wonder
Add it Goodreads
Shadowhunters and demons square off for the final showdown in the spellbinding, seductive conclusion to the #1 New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.
Darkness has descended on the Shadowhunter world. Chaos and destruction overwhelm the Nephilim as Clary, Jace, Simon, and their friends band together to fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary’s own brother. Nothing in this world can defeat Sebastian—but if they journey to the realm of demons, they just might have a chance…
Lives will be lost, love sacrificed, and the whole world will change. Who will survive the explosive sixth and final installment of the Mortal Instruments series?
Gah, lives will be lost and love sacrificed. I am just going to pretend that this series has a Disney fairytale like ending, and everyone goes off into the sunset happily ever after. 



HI Cassie! Thank you for being on Mundie Moms today. Congratulations on today's release of City of Heavenly Fire. I imagine this is a bitter sweet day for you. It's your book's release day, and also the last book in a series you've been writing for years. How do you prepare yourself for saying "goodbye to your characters in The Mortal Instruments?
Well, I’m more prepared for the end than anyone else, because it’s something I’ve been working towards for years. Endings are always bittersweet, but I’ve worked hard to give these characters a resolution that’s worthy of them, so it’s also exciting to send them off into the rest of their lives. I guess I feel a bit like a parent sending a child off to college. “Okay, I’ve done what I can, hopefully you’re ready for the world now.”

There are so many fabulous characters in TMI series. I've enjoyed seeing how each of them has grown and changed. Through out the entire series, which character or characters surprised you the most in regards to the changes and choices they made from the first draft, to the end of the published copy of City of Heavenly Fire?

Certainly Magnus, since he was initially supposed to be a minor character. He had other ideas about that! I think every character does a few zigs and zags from my initial plans for them. I would say that what goes on with Simon in CoHf and the choices he makes take him extremely far away from the way he was first introduced, as this very boyish, sincere, innocent character who exemplified what it meant to be human in this treacherous supernatural world. He’s really been through the fire.


I'm asking you these questions prior to City of Heavenly Fire's release, so I've not read the book yet, but I have to know, what's a favorite line or scene from the book that you can share with us? 

There’s a bit on page 515 of my copy, where Jace and Alec are interacting. I wanted to do some work to explore what it means to them to be parabatai when they’ve both changed so much since the beginning of the books. And Alec says “Thank you for seeing me.” I liked that, because to me that’s what most important fictional relationships, whether they are romantic or platonic, are about. We all want someone who sees us.

Let's talk about the ending. Is the end of City of Heavenly Fire, the conclusion you always knew would happen for The Mortal Instruments series/characters, or did the end change through out the course of writing CoHF?

It’s the ending I planned when I outlined the final three books. Initially I had a different idea how I was going to spin off the story after City of Glass, but when I realized it was essentially going to be a second trilogy, I outlined it very sharply because I intended to braid it into the story of the Infernal Devices. And for that I had to be very careful! The endings had to work together thematically, and also temporally — the epilogue of Clockwork Princess actually takes place during the events of City of Heavenly Fire. Reading The Mortal Instruments had to reward readers of The Infernal Devices but also not punish those who hadn’t read it! So I hope it does both, and I do think the ending of CoFA is the right ending for the series — it’s certainly the ending that was always planned.

Clary will always have a special place in my favorite fictional character heart. She was one of the first YA heroines I read and fell in love with. How would you describe the Clary we first meet in City of Bones, to the Clary we see in City of Heavenly Fire? 

I love how Clary evolves. When I set out to write TMI, I wanted to write an epic hero narrative where the hero is a girl, and a relatively ordinary-seeming girl at that. The series is structured on the hero’s journey to the Underworld — the theme of the first book is descent, the theme of the second is hell or the underworld, and the third book’s theme is ascent or heaven. As for the second trilogy, the themes are temptation ("Fallen Angels"); the fall ("Lost Souls"); and redemption ("Heavenly Fire."). The Clary we meet in City of Bones is mostly concerned with her day-to-day life: her art, her relationships with Jocelyn and Luke and Simon. The Clary we meet in City of Heavenly Fire is a warrior. She knows what she needs to do, and she’s prepared to go to great lengths and make sacrifices in order to do it. But one thing both of them share is that neither of them accepts failure. They’re both determined to fight, against any odds.


****************


Check out where you can find Cassie this week!


About Cassie

Cassandra Clare was born to American parents in Teheran, Iran and spent much of her childhood travelling the world with her family, including one trek through the Himalayas as a toddler where she spent a month living in her father’s backpack. She lived in France, England and Switzerland before she was ten years old.
Since her family moved around so much she found familiarity in books and went everywhere with a book under her arm. She spent her high school years in Los Angeles where she used to write stories to amuse her classmates, including an epic novel called “The Beautiful Cassandra” based on a Jane Austen short story of the same name (and  which later inspired her current pen name).

After college, Cassie lived in Los Angeles and New York where she worked at various entertainment magazines and even some rather suspect tabloids where she reported on Brad and Angelina’s world travels and Britney Spears’ wardrobe malfunctions. She started working on her YA novel, City of Bones, in 2004, inspired by the urban landscape of Manhattan, her favourite city. She turned to writing fantasy fiction full time in 2006 and hopes never to have to write about Paris Hilton again.

Cassie’s first professional writing sale was a short story called “The Girl’s Guide to Defeating the Dark Lord” in a Baen anthology of humor fantasy. Cassie hates working at home alone because she always gets distracted by reality TV shows and the antics of her two cats, so she usually sets out to write in local coffee shops and restaurants. She likes to work in the company of her friends, who see that she sticks to her deadlines.

City of Bones was her first novel.

You can find me online at her Website | Twitter | Tumblr | Facebook 


You can find Cassie at the following places this week (US Tour stops):



Wellesley, MA
When: May 27 @ 7 PM
Where: Wellesley Middle School
50 Kingsburg Street
Get more info HERE

West Chester, PA
When: May 30 @ 6:30 PM
Where: Stetson Middle School
1060 Wilmington Pike
West Chester, PA 19382
Get more info HERE

Cassie will be signing at BEA on SATURDAY from 10-11 am at Table 1 in the Author Signing Area. Stop by! I'll see you there ;)


She'll also be signing with Holly Black on Saturday from 11:30-12:30 at table 3 in the Author Signing Area. 


The Giveaway
Thank you to Simon & Schuster, I've got a SIGNED copy of City of Heavenly Fire and a Shadowhunter hoodie to giveaway to 1 lucky winner! To enter, please fill out the form below *US residents only 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han, Book Review


Written by: Jenny Han
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Release Date: April 15, 2014
Source: Purchased
Grade Level: 7 and up
Purchase: Barnes and Noble | IndieBound | Book Depository | amazon
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Rating: 5 out of 5 shiny scrapbooked stars

Synopsis: Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control in this heartfelt novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer I Turned Pretty series.

What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them... all at once?

Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren't love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she's written. One for every boy she's ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control.


I need to admit a few biases right now -- I love any plot having to do with love letters and sisters. As an only child, I always wondered what it would be like to have an older or a younger sister, and Lara Jean has both. But, she also has a mom who died when her youngest sister was barely a toddler. Living in the perfect shadow of her older sister and in the proximity of her older sister's boyfriend, the boy-next-door Josh, makes life interesting for Lara Jean. Complicating the matter is the fact that her older sister has left for college and somehow the unsent letters to all of Lara Jean's crushes (including Josh) have been sent out.

Those of you who know my taste in books just gasped with me. I was hook-line-and-sinker-ed within the first few chapters. Jenny Han complicates and twists those family bonds so well that I felt like I could invite all the Song girls over for dinner and it would be like having old friends over for a drink. These girls know their roles -- the responsible oldest, the dreaming middle one and the pining-for-a-puppy youngest. But in Jenny's hands they are complex and completely three dimensional.

Jenny also handles that much maligned Love Triangle concept really well. I'm a fan of well executed love triangles, and I know even the biggest critics will love this one. As a reader, we are meant to fall in love with Josh, but Josh isn't always as dreamy a choice as he appears to be. Conversely, Peter (the big man on campus) isn't as stuck-up and jerk-ish as he appears to be. The blurring of these lines makes choices much more difficult and therefore much more realistic. I won't tell you who I was cheering for, but it may have to do with a certain boy in a hot tub who knows just the kind of donuts a certain girl likes. See? No spoilers.

Then there's Jenny's gorgeous phrasing and ability to convey the deepest sadness and disappointment as well as a poetic understanding of family ties. I think I highlighted more quotes in this story than I have in any other this year or last. Here's one of my favorites (from page 294):
When someone's been gone a long time, at first you save up all the things you want to tell them. You try to keep track of everything in your head. But it's like trying to hold on to a fistful of sand: all the little buts slip out of your hands, and then you're just clutching air and grit. That's why you can't save it all up like that.
Watching Lara Jean mature and step out of the spotlight of her older sister reminded me of so many of those "new chapter" moments in my own life. Those moments when I accepted changes, new people and yes, shocking developments. I'm placing this on my Share with the Kids bookshelf. In fact, I've already told my soon-to-be-sixth-grader about it. I have a feeling that she will love this story as much as her mama does.

Monday, May 26, 2014

Livecast from COHF Launch Party at 92Y is On Right Now




\Mundie Moms,  join Cassie's lifestream launch that is going on right now. Cassie's reading some of the most hysterical voicemails that are left on  Magnus's phone. Click over here to see Cassie and her special guest stars, Holly Black, Maureen Johnson, Josh Lewis and Kelly Link.

ENSNARED by A.G. Howard, Cover Reveal / Blog Tour: Guest Post & Giveaway


Hello & welcome to the next stop on the ENSNARED cover puzzle reveal tour. I'm so thrilled to be apart of this tour. I absolutely adore A.G. Howard, and have loved her series. Before I shared today's puzzle piece and tell you about the giveaway, here's a little bit about ENSNARED and the series. 

About the series:



About Splintered, book #1 in the series, was released on January 1, 2013. 

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.



About Unhinged, book #2 in the series, was released on January 7, 2014 from Amulet books.

Alyssa Gardner has been down the rabbit hole and faced the bandersnatch. She saved the life of Jeb, the guy she loves, and escaped the machinations of the disturbingly seductive Morpheus and the vindictive Queen Red. Now all she has to do is graduate high school and make it through prom so she can attend the prestigious art school in London she's always dreamed of.

That would be easier without her mother, freshly released from an asylum, acting overly protective and suspicious. And it would be much simpler if the mysterious Morpheus didn’t show up for school one day to tempt her with another dangerous quest in the dark, challenging Wonderland—where she (partly) belongs.

As prom and graduation creep closer, Alyssa juggles Morpheus’s unsettling presence in her real world with trying to tell Jeb the truth about a past he’s forgotten. Glimpses of Wonderland start to bleed through her art and into her world in very disturbing ways, and Morpheus warns that Queen Red won’t be far behind.

If Alyssa stays in the human realm, she could endanger Jeb, her parents, and everyone she loves. But if she steps through the rabbit hole again, she'll face a deadly battle that could cost more than just her head.

About ENSNARED, book #3 in the Splintered Series, will be released on January 6th, 2015 by Amulet Books.

After surviving a disastrous battle at prom, Alyssa has embraced her madness and gained perspective. She’s determined to rescue her two worlds and the people and netherlings she loves. Even if it means challenging Queen Red to a final battle of wills and wiles . . . and even if the only way to Wonderland, now that the rabbit hole is closed, is through the looking-glass world—-a parallel dimension filled with mutated and sadistic netherling outcasts.
In the final installment of the Splintered trilogy, Alyssa and her dad journey into the heart of magic and mayhem in search of her mom and to set right all that’s gone wrong. Together with Jeb and Morpheus, they must salvage Wonderland from the decay and destruction that has ensnared it. But even if everyone succeeds and comes out alive, can they all truly have their happily ever after?

*****************

I'm thrilled to have A.G. Howard on the blog today! Here's what she's here to share with fans today: 
I hope you had a great weekend and are ready to continue our unveiling of the official Ensnared book cover. For the full reveal schedule, go here.


Without further adieu, here is Puzzle Piece #4...


https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG2YFN4nO8xOLpDaezwuliPGmrTZGE2i1qeMowOTIa4FN1FF1cKJ570eKkz2CitwQYzoRtimTsaYc79Ly264_z1eZE7ZMYgr1mv3chkKUQhdBZtHp22CCTD01misSJoK5JFvsyZ5GFh965/s1600/Ensnared+cover+puzzle5.png


The spotlight character on book 3’s cover has gone through some changes (putting it mildly) since the last time we saw them. Confused about what you’re seeing in the sample? The clue is in the prize pack: A set of garnet-red press-on face gems…






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.
Find A.G. here:

The Giveaway

And I’m throwing in some personalized Splintered Series swag + a corded necklace, too (both the crown and heart play a huge role in bk 3):




Good luck with the giveaway! Join us again tomorrow at Tales of a Ravenous Reader where I’ll share some of the symbolism behind Ensnared’s cover and another glimpse of the spotlight character.

Keeping reading to ENTER to win:

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