Mundie Moms

Saturday, May 10, 2014

SCAN by Walter Jury & Sarah Fine, Blog Tour: Book Review


Welcome to today's SCAN blog tour! I'm thrilled to be able to share my review for Walter Jury & Sarah Fine's new release, SCAN. 


Published by: Penguin / G.P. Putnam's Son 
Released on: May 1, 2014
Source: arc from publisher to review
Rating: 3.5 stars - It Was A Good Read
Purchase from: Amazon | B&N
Add it to Goodreads

Tate and his father don’t exactly get along. As Tate sees it, his father has unreasonably high expectations for Tate to be the best—at everything. Tate finally learns what he’s being prepared for when he steals one of his dad’s odd tech inventions and mercenaries ambush the school, killing his father in the process and sending Tate on the run from aliens who look just like humans. 

All Tate knows--like how to make weapons out of oranges and lighter fluid--may not be enough to save him as he’s plunged into a secret inter-species conflict that’s been going on for centuries. Aided only by his girlfriend and his estranged mother, with powerful enemies closing in on all sides, Tate races to puzzle out the secret behind his father’s invention and why so many are willing to kill for it. A riveting, fast-paced adventure, Scan is a clever alien thriller with muscle and heart.

SCAN is an out of this world read that YA Sci-Fi readers will enjoy. With plot twits, betrayals, intense action scenes, and a story that unfolds like an action packed TV mini series, SCAN takes on the classic alien invasion storyline and gives it a refreshing and exciting make over. SCAN was not at all what I was excepting. I'm not even sure what I was excepting... for some reason why I think of Sci-Fi I tend to lean towards thinking it will be boring and out of touch for me, because it's not typically something I read. But EVERYTIME I've read a well written YA Sci-Fi book, I've either totally loved, or really enjoyed it. I liked SCAN. It's one of those exciting reads that totally proved me wrong.

I liked that the story started off with me viewing the characters one way, and by the time the story really picks up the fast paced crazy wild ride of trying to figure out what the heck was happening, I began to see the characters differently. When Tate, SCAN's main character is introduced, I first impression of him was he was a typical teen character who thought his parent's didn't know much. He never wanted to do things his dad wanted him to do, and he  wanted to do things his way.  At first it seemed that Tate's dad was the kind of dad who pushes his son to exceed, excepts him to do whatever he says, whenever he says it, and allows Tate very little room to do the things he wants to do. It wasn't long into the story that I learned there was more to Tate's dad's actions than first seemed, and Tate himself has to quickly grow up and rely on all his dad taught him.

Tate is a kid, okay older teenager, who just wants to do what he wants. He's not really sure all his dad does, but he knows his dad is someone who takes the dangers of his job seriously. When Tate decides to break into his office and takes his secret scanner, everything changes and Tate is suddenly thrown into the middle of a dangerous secret that both the human and alien races have been fighting for centuries to keep hidden. Now Tate has to figure out, and make sense of everything unraveling around him. If he doesn't, what's left of the human race will be in grave danger. I liked that through out everything, Tate's girlfriend Christina stays by his side, despite the shocking secrets that could easily tear the two of them apart. 

SCAN is an unpredictable, action packed read. I liked the non stop action, the mystery, and the little bit of romance that fueled Tate's decisions. There was a lot that happened in this story that kept me hooked from beginning to end. Mixed into the story are a lot of plot twists & turns, betrayals, and this mystery of trying to figure out who Tate can really trust. A lot of people are after his father's scanner. Tate has to figure out who's on the right side. Other than Tate and his girlfriend, we really don't know who all the bad guys are. I loved the element of surprise. Not only that, Jury and Fine blur the lines a bit by showing readers both sides to the "good and bad" guys. Without giving anything away, I'll just saw that readers will get to see the passion behind both sides of the humans and aliens and I totally found myself 100% on the side of team Tate. 

Scan was seriously a good, fun, entertaining read. There are a lot of engaging elements to it. I liked that right along with Tate, I was piecing parts of the story together to try and figure out what was going on. The writing was great! Jury and Fine's writing complimented each other well. I love it when co-authors can write a book together and give it a voice that is impossible for the reader to distinguish who wrote what scenes. I think fans of YA Sci-fi are going to really enjoy this one. Trust me, you don't need to be a Sci-Fi fan to like it.  I'm looking forward to reading the sequel. That killer of a cliffhanger left me wanting more answers. 

*There is a few mentions of the f-word in this book.

About The Authors


Walter Jury was born in London, has a background in the film industry, is a big fan of the New York Giants, and enthusiast of Jamba Juice’s Protein Berry Workout smoothie only with soy, never whey. “Scan” is his first book for teens. Oh, and under his real name, he’s a producer of one of 2014’s biggest blockbusters. Let’s just say he “diverges” in his career from film to literature quite well. 


Sarah Fine was born on the West Coast, raised in the Midwest, and is now firmly entrenched on the East Coast, where she lives with her husband and two children. She is the author (as Sarah Fine) of several young adult books, and when she's not writing, she’s working as a child psychologist. No, she is not psychoanalyzing you right now. 

Check out the Authors on

About Penguin Group (USA) LLC is one of the leading U.S. adult and children's trade book publishers, owning a wide range of imprints and trademarks, including Viking, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, The Penguin Press, Riverhead Books, Dutton, Penguin Books, Berkley Books, Gotham Books, Portfolio, New American Library, Plume, Tarcher, Philomel, Grosset & Dunlap, Puffin, and Frederick Warne, among others. The Penguin Group (www.penguin.com) is a Penguin Random House company. 



The Falconer by Elizabeth May, Blog Tour: Author Interview


Hello & welcome to today's The Falconer blog tour hosted by Chronicle Books. Today I'm thrilled to have author Elizabeth May on the blog to talk about her recently released debut. First, here's a little bit about the book:

By: Elizabeth May
Published by: Chronicle Books
Released on: May 6, 2014
Ages: 14 and up
Purchase from: Amazon | B&N
Add it to Goodreads

Edinburgh, 1844. Beautiful Aileana Kameron only looks the part of an aristocratic young lady. In fact, she’s spent the year since her mother died developing her ability to sense the presence of Sithichean, a faery race bent on slaughtering humans. She has a secret mission: to destroy the faery who murdered her mother. But when she learns she’s a Falconer, the last in a line of female warriors and the sole hope of preventing a powerful faery population from massacring all of humanity, her quest for revenge gets a whole lot more complicated. The first volume of a trilogy from an exciting new voice in young adult fantasy, this electrifying thriller blends romance and action with steampunk technology and Scottish lore in a deliciously addictive read.

Praise for The Falconer

"A combination of steampunk tech and supernatural danger with a multitalented heroine who can hold her own against murderous faeries and romantic foils alike." Publishers Weekly

“Forget Bella, banish Katniss and Expelliarmus Hermione-there is a new breed of ass-kicker in town. . . . Elizabeth May’s debut is a wicked cocktail of Jane Austen and the Grimms’ fairy tales.” —Claire Nicholls, SciFiNow

“Simply put, my favorite YA paranormal this year. A must read!"--New York Times Bestselling author —Jennifer L. Armentrout

"A riveting world, a fierce heroine, and electrifying action--I burned through this sparkling debut!" —Sarah J. Maas, New York Times bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series


Hi Elizabeth. Welcome to Mundie Moms, and congratulations on the release of The Falconer. How would you describe your debut in 5 words or less?
Thank you!! :) Five words: Victorian-era debutante kills evil faeries.


I was hooked with your book from the moment I read what it was about. You have a lot of my favorite elements in your debut, a tough heroine, romance, action, paranormal, steampunk and more. What element did you have the most fun creating?
I think the paranormal aspect. I’ve studied Scottish folklore while at university, so faery lore is a personal interest of mine. My favourite part of writing this trilogy has been in nodding to aspects of original tales and adapting them for the story. So things like faeries being repelled by iron are mentioned, but in the book it’s considered human misinformation after centuries of faery lore being passed down (and dismissed) as children’s stories. There are probably certain aspects not many people would see unless they were familiar with the stories, but it’s got some easter eggs for those who are.


I love this time period and the setting! What inspired you to set The Falconer in 1844 Scotland?
I’ve always been a huge fan of historical novels; next to YA, it’s actually the genre I read most. So I knew I wanted to write a book set in an historical period. Once I made the decision to use faeries in the book, it was only natural that I set it in Scotland because – while faery lore exists elsewhere – it’s largely entwined with a lot of places in this country, and Edinburgh has its own fae lore. So history and location just naturally entwined together in that regard.


I chose the particular time period I did because it’s the post-Enlightenment, during a time when there was a concerted effort (by the church and influential philosophers and scientists of the day) to purge Edinburgh of what they considered “superstitious thought.” There was a bit of lingering faery belief among people who moved to the city from the country. Those from the Highlands and islands were less influenced by the ideals of the Enlightenment, which emphasized the rejection of anything that couldn’t be proven by reason or science, including belief in faeries. So The Falconer takes place during a time when these stories still exist, and they’re still a part of the culture, but they’re also dismissed by Aileana’s peers.


Lady Aileana is simply put, AWESOME! What is one of the things you came to admire the most about her in The Falconer?
Aileana is such a flawed character, but the one thing she’s never lost – that never wavered at all after her mother’s death – is loyalty to those she loves. In most other things, she can be a bit reckless and single-minded in her quest for vengeance, but not at the expense of her friends and family. I admire the fact that despite everything, she still puts them first.


You have created a great cast of characters. Which of the characters surprised in terms of the role they ended up leading in Aileana's story? 
Definitely Derrick. Derrick had a completely different incarnation when I first came up with his character, but his original character (which would be a bit long-winded to explain here, but I did a summary about him on the Gollancz Blog: http://www.gollancz.co.uk/2013/09/falconer-friday-a-exclusive-interview-with-elizabeth-may/) just didn’t work.


I realized I needed a foil to Kiaran’s character, to show that some faeries could be good. The revamped Derrick ended up having a larger role and a greater influence in Aileana’s life. He’s meant to be her voice of reason about the fae. He’s why she doesn’t kill faeries indiscriminately and, instead, goes after those who hunt humans. If it weren’t for his guidance, she probably would have killed any she came across.

I'm really looking forward to reading the next book in this series. Can you tell us a little bit about what we can expect in it?
Book 2 is pretty different than Book 1. It explores a lot of the darker themes of the faery world, some that Aileana isn’t prepared for. And, yes, you learn Kiaran’s secrets, too. :)


Who are some YA authors who inspired you to write?
Authors like Charles deLint, Garth Nyx, Susan Cooper, Robin McKinley, and Juliet Marillier have been incredible influences on me. And they’re why I love fantasy.

About the Author


Elizabeth May hails from Ohio and is a PhD student in social anthropology at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. An accomplished commercial photographer who counts many book publishers among her clients, she has also spent time in front of the camera as a model for book jackets, including those for young adults. The Falconer is her first novel.


Read an Excerpt


Watch the book trailer

Check out the discussion guide

Follow the Tour
5/6  -  Chronicle Books.com   
5/7 -  Girls in the Stacks        
5/8 - The Book Cellar         
5/9 - Presenting Lenore         
5/10 -  Mundie Moms               
5/11 - Literary Rambles           
5/12- Page Tuners                  

City of Lost Souls Read A Long: Chapter 8 & 9


Hello & welcome to day #8 of our City of Lost Souls Read-A-Long. You can find out more about the read along and find the schedule here. There is no right or wrong way to participate. Your comments can be as long or as short as you'd like them to be. 

Today's discussion is about the Part II Certain Dark Things / Chapter 8: Fire Test Gold & Chapter 9: The Iron Sisters

Chapter 8
  • Maia and Jordan.... I'll admit that it took me a bit to like Jordan in COLS. Given what we know about him, and what he did to Maia, I don't want him hurting her again. Then he acts all sweet and says things to Maia that make me swoon, and want everything to work out between them. What were/are your thoughts when you first read this chapter with Maia and Jordan?
  • Jace and Sebastian. Sebastian is seriously creeping me out, especially with the way he embraced Clary when she ran into him. There's definitely something weird going on. What are your thoughts about the whole Jace/Sebastian thing?
Today's discussion is about the Chapter 9: The Iron Sisters

Chapter 9
  • Alec!! What in the heck of the shadowhunters' codex are you doing?!?! I swear Alec is going to rip my heart out. I don't know if I'm more shocked or mad at him in this chapter. I get he's vain and insecure when it comes to his and Magnus's relationship, but wanting to change Magnus totally crossed the line. I can't believe she's making a deal with Camille. Camille for her part is definitely playing off of Alec's insecurities. What are your thoughts about Alec after reading this chapter? 
  • After Izzy laid into the Iron Sisters, and left, there was a comment by the Iron Sisters about Izzy and how she'd make a great Iron Sister. Do you agree with that? 


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