Mundie Moms

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

The Isle of the Lost by Melissa de la Cruz; Enter To Win! #DisneyDescendants




Hello you beautiful book you! This is a book I was given this past week while attending TLA. I was talking fairy tale retellings, and great reads with one of the publicists in the Disney booth. We started talking about this book, and a few others they have coming out (which I'll be featuring both here on the blog, and on Mundie Kids). When asked if I would like to help promote the book, I jumped all over the chance to do. You can't go wrong with books and Disney. Originally this is a giveaway I featured here on Mundie Kids, but this is a book I think that both MG and YA readers a like will enjoy, hence my featuring it on both blogs. Check out more about the book below! Be sure you enter to win an awesome prize pack Disney has provided. 

About the Book
Evil tree. Bad Apple?

Twenty years ago, all the evil villains were banished from the kingdom of Auradon to the Isle of the Lost--a dark and dreary place protected by a force field that makes it impossible for them to leave. Stripped of their magical powers, the villains now live in total isolation, forgotten by the world.

Mal learns from her mother, Maleficent, that the key to true darkness, the Dragon's Eye, is located inside her scepter in the forbidden fortress on the far side of the island. The eye is cursed, and whoever retrieves it will be knocked into a deep sleep for a thousand years. But Mal has a plan to capture it. She'll just need a little help from her "friends." In their quest for the Dragon's Eye, these four kids begin to realize that just because you come from an evil family tree, being good ain't so bad.

Isle of the Lost is the spell-binding prequel to Disney Descendants, A Disney Channel Original Movie Event this summer!

THE ISLE OF THE LOST: A DESCENDANTS NOVEL
by Melissa de la Cruz
In stores May 5th

READ AN EXCERPT

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melissa de la Cruz is the author of many best-selling novels, including all the books in the Blue Bloods series: Blue Bloods, Masquerade, Revelations, The Van Alen Legacy, Keys to the Repository, Misguided Angel, Bloody Valentine, Lost in Time, and Gates of Paradise. She lives in Los Angeles, California with her husband and daughter.

OFFICIAL LINKS
Learn more at the DisneyDescendants.com
Visit Melissa de La Cruz at her Official Site
#DisneyDescendants

ENTER TO WIN


MEET THE DESCENDANTS prize pack
One (1) winner from your site receives:
·         copy of The Isle of the Lost;
·         branded tank top, water bottle and temporary tattoos;
·         and a GadgetGrip smartphone home button sticker.

Giveaway open to US addresses only.
Prizing and samples provided by Disney Publishing.

CRIMSON BOUND by Rosamund Hodge; Blog Tour: Author Guest Post / Giveaway



Hello and welcome to today's CRMSON BOUND blog tour! I'm so thrilled to have author Rosamund Hodge on the blog. I loved her debut, and I'm so thrilled that her sequel is out. If you've not picked up her books yet, I highly recommend that you do. Before Rosamund takes it away, after you read her guest post, please be sure to enter to win the giveaway at the  end of the post. I highly recommend reading Rosamund's post before you skip to the bottom. It's a very empowering post. 

AUTHOR GUEST POST



Cosmetics for Bad*****
by Rosamund Hodge

To begin with, I went to Oxford for my Master's degree, and I lived in a garret.

Maybe that's not the best place to begin. Let me try again:

When I was planning out Crimson Bound, I knew right from the start that there would be a subplot involving cosmetics: that my badass warrior heroine's best friend would be an aspiring makeup artist, that her use of cosmetics would be treated as a serious artistic endeavor, and that the heroine letting her friend put makeup on her would be an important moment of bonding between them. 

Why?

When I was a teenager, voraciously reading novels about teenaged girls having magical adventures, it felt like most of those novels had a scene where the heroine talked about how she hated skirts, embroidery, and makeup--with the implication that this made her special and not like all those other vain, shallow girls. As a girl who loved skirts, embroidery, and makeup (but also swords, horses, and killing dragons), I found that trope extremely frustrating.

Nowadays, it seems like it's a lot more common for novels to let their heroines be both girly and badass. For instance, both Leigh Bardugo's Grishatrilogy and Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass novels have extremely badass heroines who also enjoy dressing up and looking pretty. And in discussions of books, there are a lot more people saying that "feminine" shouldn't mean "weak," and girls should be allowed to want to be pretty andwant to have adventures.

I am 100% on board with these developments. Go, girliness!

But there's one part of my experience with makeup that I still haven't seen written, and that's what I really wanted to put in Crimson Bound.

I didn't wear makeup as a teenager. It's not that I was forbidden it so much as that I wasn't sure if it was something that real people actually did. My mother was completely uninterested in it, and I didn't have any sisters who might have blazed a more girly path. All my close friends were online, so I wasn't learning it from them, either. I knew that I wanted to wear makeup, but I was pretty embarrassed about it, because most of the novels I read said that it was silly.

When I went to college, I discovered that there were actual, intelligent girls who liked wearing makeup. I realized that it really was okay if I wanted to look pretty. And my friends taught me that makeup could be about more than just looking nice. When they helped me do my makeup for the Spring Formal, I leaned that somebody trying to make you pretty could actually be an expression of love.



Then I graduated and went to grad school in Oxford, where I lived in--not quite a literal garret, but nearly: a tiny little room on the fourth floor, at the top of a narrow spiral staircase where I nearly broke my neck about twice a day. But the view more than made up for the near-death experiences, and anyway: OXFORD.

On the whole, I had a pretty wonderful time getting my degree. But I did make a few questionable life choices. Not buying any real blankets, for one: by the time they turned on the interior heating in December, I had spent several months wearing four layers of clothing to bed and still shivering.

More importantly, I didn't talk to anyone. Pretty much ever, except for monthly meetings of the Oxford C. S. Lewis Society (where they basically kidnapped me and forced me to become club secretary, but that's another story). And while I'm pretty introverted, it is depressing for even an introvert to realize that if you were dead in a ditch, it might take a week before anyone noticed.

I was lonely in Oxford. And when you're lonely, it's easy to feel bad about yourself. "Nobody loves me and I deserve it" starts to sound pretty plausible when you literally have not had physical contact with another human being since that cashier accidentally brushed your hand while handing you groceries six days ago.

And that's when I discovered makeup all over again. I hadn't brought much with me to Oxford--at that point, I still didn't wear it everyday, just for special occasions. But one day I was sad and wanted retail therapy, so I started buying cheap makeup at the drugstore. I started putting it on in the mornings, even though I wasn't going anywhere special, even though I knew I wasn't going to talk to anybody, even though I felt sure nobody would notice if I died or wore lip gloss.

And I found that I felt better when I wore makeup. Not just prettier, but like I was more in control of my life. Like I mattered.

I'd always thought of makeup as being something you did because you wanted to look pretty. And I really, really wanted to be pretty, so I really wanted to wear makeup. But what I learned in Oxford is that makeup can also be a way of saying that you matter. It can be a way of saying: I deserve to look pretty. I deserve to be taken care of. I am precious and my body is precious and I deserve to spend time perfecting my mascara technique. 

Crimson Bound is a novel that deals a lot with self-hatred. The heroine, Rachelle, killed somebody to save her own life and has never been able to forgive herself for it--because that killing also gave her supernatural badass powers, so she's still benefitting from it. She feels completely unworthy of being alive, let alone loved or happy or pretty. Her only lifeline is her friendship with Amélie, a girl who dreams of being a makeup artist and likes to practice on her.  And it's through Amélie's cosmetics that Rachelle is first able to imagine what it might feel like to be worth loving again.

Makeup is not enough to solve your problems, especially if your problems involve magic swords, a corrupt king, and an evil magical force that wants to destroy daylight itself. But it can be a first step. It was for me, and that's what I wanted it to be for Rachelle.

Photographs were provided by the author. Photo credits: 
Lipstick photo from http://www.maccosmetics.com 
Oxford image from : https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:OxfordBuilding.JPG




ABOUT THE BOOK


When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Crimson Bound is an exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption.

(This is a standalone novel, not part of the Cruel Beauty Universe.)
Crimson Bound will be available in stores and online on May 5, 2015 in hardback, as well as on audiobook. Add it to your GoodReads shelf here!



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rosamund Hodge loves mythology, Hello Kitty, and T. S. Eliot. She writes YA fantasy that draws on two of those things. In her wild youth, she studied Medieval English at Oxford; she now lives in Seattle and writes wildly. Visit her on the web at http://www.rosamundhodge.net or follow her on Twitter: @rosamundhodge.

ENTER TO WIN


Thanks to Harper Teen, we're giving away two prizes! The first prize is a bundle of Rosamund Hodge books, including hardback copies of CRIMSON BOUND and CRUEL BEAUTY, and the second prize is a giveaway for the fantastic audiobook narrated by Elizabeth Knowelden. Let us know in the comments which of the two you'd prefer, or if you're open to either one.
Open to U.S. and Canadian residents, see entry form for complete details.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the Tour
Crimson Bound Tour: April 20th – May 1st, 2015

Monday, 4/20              The Midnight Garden         Fairy Tale Inspiration: Little Red Riding Hood & The Girl with No Hands

Tuesday, 4/21             Mundie Moms                    Cosmetics for Badasses
Wednesday, 4/22        Two Chicks on Books        Audiobook Clip + Interview
Thursday, 4/23            YA Romantics                    Flash Fiction #1
Friday, 4/24                 Cuddlebuggery                  The Obligatory Strong Heroine Post
Monday, 4/27              YA Midnight Reads             Writing a Bad Girl/Good Boy Romance
Tuesday, 4/28             Alice Marvels                       Flash Fiction #2   
Wednesday, 4/29        The Daily Prophecy             Interview
Thursday, 4/30            The Social Potato                Death Before Dishonor
Friday, 5/1                   The Starry-Eyed Revue       Flash Fiction #3

Why the cast of The Mortal Instruments Movie Won't Be The Cast for The Shadowhunters TV Series


The TMI fandom is abuzz right now with the most recent casting news for the Shadowhunters TV series. You can read about our new Jace here. While we have loved our TMI movie cast, we're so excited about a brand new cast for the TV series. While many fans are thrilled about the new cast, some are still hoping the TMI Movie cast will be apart of the series. Here's the truth, they won't be. Which I think it good. Why? Because the movie cast is the movie cast.

I think the best thing the studio and network are doing is bringing in a brand new cast for the series. Does that mean I don't love the movie cast? Not all. I adore the cast. They're all wonderful actors and I loved how they brought the TMI characters to life. But as I mentioned above, they were with the movie. The movie and the TV series and two totally different things. The TV series is not a continuation of the movie. It is a brand new thing that starts at the beginning of the TMI series. In being different, a new cast needed to be cast.

There's more to why the TMI movie cast won't be apart of the series. Here's why we won't be seeing the TMI Movie Cast, cast in the Shadowhunters TV Series

1) Schedules. Most all of them are incredibly busy and working on new projects. Jamie for example, is doing a musical throughout the year. Lily is filming her latest movie, How To Be Single. Aiden is in Poldark. Lena is in Game of Thrones. Robert has been working on various projects. Other movie cast members have projects in the works, they're just not made public yet. With the series filming set to start next month, it is impossible for movie cast members to walk away from their engagements to come and film. As in, they won't be apart of the series.

2) The Show Is It's Own Thing.  The Shadowhunters TV series is it's own thing. It is not a continuation of the movie. The two things are not even related other than the fact Sony was behind both of them, and they're about the Shadowhunter series that Cassandra Clare created. Other than that, there is nothing that ties the two together. Which is awesome! We all know the movie wasn't all that great. The TV series needs to start over, which it is, and it needs to do so on a clean slate. It needs to differentiate itself from the film. It can not do that with the same cast as the film (or screen writers or directors, etc for that matter). If the film had been successful, then maybe there could have been a small (really small) chance someone may have crossed over from the film to the TV series. Looking back through the history of shows that were spun off from a successful film, there's been maybe one actor who has, if that. That leads me to the next reason.

3) Not All Movie Actors Are TV Actors. Yes, it's true. Movie and TV actors are not the same thing, and often the two stay separate. Yes, there are times where movie actors come to TV and TV might do movies. More often than not though, it doesn't happen. This is due in part to the fact that if a movie actor commits to a long term series, they won't be able to do other films during that time, because of time and filming schedules etc. Most movie actors want to do film. Many shows, like TMI, will have stipulations in place letting the actors know what kind of outside projects they can do, if any. Most stipulations say no films. With a TV series, often times they hold the actors to the role for five or more years. For someone like Lily or Jaime, who are building their careers are have projects in place already, filming the tv series is impossible for them.

4) Then there are Budgets. It is crazy at how much movie actors cost. It is a lot. Film actors get paid well too, but movie actors are paid nicely. When a film budget is set, often times they can't afford a movie actor budget, as it can eat up their entire budget for the series. Film actors need to get paid too. Plus, I love it when a series starts off with lesser named, or fresh faced actors, and then the series takes off and these actors become household names.

5) Contracts. Rumor has it that contractual stipulations forbid the TMI movie cast from reprising their roles in the TV show anyway. That doesn't surprise me. Then again, this is something I've been told happens more often than not in the film industry, which is why we don't see a lot of actors crossing over from their film to the TV series. Who knows, maybe at some point down the road when the TMI movie cast doesn't have contracts to fulfill, maybe we'll see one of them stop by the series for a guest appearance. I'm not holding my breathe on that, though it would be cool if that did happen.

Here's the thing, TMI Movie cast will not be apart of the TMI series. Fans are welcome to get mad and complain about the TMI movie cast not being apart of the tv series, but it won't change things. Getting mad at Cassie is pointless. She has nothing to do with casting, nor can she magically walk in to the studio and demand they change things (I'm pretty sure that was the case I'm sure the movie would have turned out much differently). Getting mad at Shadowhunters TV and McG won't change things. The movie cast is not being cast in the series, and a new cast is already in place. Now, I'm all for letting our voices be heard, and believe me, they've heard our voices. Instead of getting mad over things that can not happen, we can instead welcome the new cast with open arms to the TMI family.

I for one, am thrilled to have a new cast. I love my movie cast. They're the movie cast, and that won't ever change. With the new TV series, I'm looking forward to falling in love with a whole new cast. I'm just glad that the hate the movie cast was getting during their casting announcements, is not even nearly as bad as it is now that the series cast is being announced. If any worries should be addressed to McG or Shadowhunters TV, it should be that they get the story right this time. That's my biggest concern. I have all the faith in the new cast, whomever they'll be. I'm looking forward to our next casting announcement.

Happy Release Day to THE WHITECHAPEL FIEND (Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy #3) by Cassandra Clare & Maureen Johnson!


The third installment in the Tales from The Shadowhunter Academy is out today! Cassandra Clare and Maureen Johnson's The Whitehapel Fiend is available for purchase wherever e-books are sold.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Jack the Ripper stalks through London, and only the Shadowhunters can stop him. One of ten adventures in Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy.

Simon learns the truth behind the Jack the Ripper murders—“Jack” was stopped by Will Herondale and his institute of Victorian Shadowhunters.

This standalone e-only short story follows the adventures of Simon Lewis, star of the #1 New York Times bestselling series The Mortal Instruments, as he trains to become a Shadowhunter. Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy features characters from Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments, Infernal Devices, and the upcoming Dark Artifices and Last Hours series. The Whitechapel Fiend is written by Cassandra Clare and Maureen Johnson.

Out Today!

Check out the book pretties what are out today!

Week of April 21st



Which books are you looking forward to picking up today?

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