Mundie Moms

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Book Review- The Demon's Surrender


Published by Simon & Schuster
Released on June 14th, 2011
Source- ARC from publisher for review
4.5 stars- It's A Great Read

The Goblin Market has always been the centre of Sin's world. She's a dancer and a performer, secure in her place. But now the Market is at war with the magicians, and Sin's place is in danger. Keeping secrets from the market she loves, struggling with a friend who has become a rival, Sin is thrown together with the Ryves brothers, Nick and Alan - whom she's always despised. But Alan has been marked by a magician, to be tortured as the magician pleases, and as Sin watches Alan struggle to protect the demon brother he loves, she begins to see both brothers in a new light. But how far will brother go to save brother - and what will it cost them all?

What a fabulous ending to a captivating series. In true Sarah Rees Brennan style she takes readers on a darker, twisted ride with a lot of action, romance and an ending that wraps up the series perfectly.

Normally when a series ends I dread getting to that last page, because I feel like I'm saying good bye to a good friend. There is so much nonstop action going on through out the book, that I didn't get a second to feel sad. Not only is the ending a perfect fit for the series, but the story line itself flows perfectly. I'll admit, I was a little worried about reading The Demon's Surrender, because I was worried about how series would end, I worried about who Sarah might kill off and I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the story coming from Sin's point of view. Can I just say, there was no reason to to be worried.

I really enjoyed getting to know Sin. She is a an amazingly strong, resilient heroine, who I think a lot of fans of the series will love getting to know. Boy can she dish it to Nick and Alan. I loved it and even laughed out loud a few times at what she would say to them. Like Sin, I've always liked Nick more than Alan, but I ended up liking Alan a lot more in this book. I don't know what it was about him, but I could definitely understand Sin's feelings towards him, both good and bad. The history Sin has with the Ryves brothers comes full circle and I liked the role Mae and Jamie played in the story as well.

In true Sarah fashion, there is also the right amount of romance which always seems to happen in between some of the more intense scenes. She definitely knows how to hold my attention through out her books. One of the things I have admired about the series is how each of the characters continues to grow with each story and how often Sarah surprises me with her plot twists. The Demon's Surrender is no exception. There are some great twists with both the story and the characters that I didn't even see coming. If you've enjoyed reading the rest of the series, wait till you dive back into this world with Nick & Alan. I highly recommend picking this book up today.

Author Interview with Jessi Kirby

One of my favorite Summer Reads is Jessi Kirby's debut Moonglass, and you can read my review here. I'm really excited to have Jessi on the blog today. She graciously answered a few questions I had for her about Moonglass. If you haven't already picked this book up, I highly recommend it.

From Jessi Kirby, a debut novel about confronting the past in order to move ahead.

I read once that water is a symbol for emotions. And for a while now, I've thought maybe my mother drowned in both.

Anna's life is upended when her father accepts a job transfer the summer before her junior year. It's bad enough that she has to leave her friends and her life behind, but her dad is moving them to the beach where her parents first met and fell in love- a place awash in memories that Anna would just as soon leave under the surface.
While life on the beach is pretty great, with ocean views and one adorable lifeguard in particular, there are also family secrets that were buried along the shore years ago. And the ebb and flow of the ocean's tide means that nothing- not the sea glass that she collects on the sand and not the truths behind Anna's mother's death- stays buried forever (quoted from Goodreads).



Congratulations on your recent debut! One of the things that I loved about Moonglass was the setting. What inspired your setting, Crystal Cove and the cottages that are nestled along the shore?
Thank you so much! I’m happy you liked the setting, as it’s one that’s near and dear to my heart. It’s also one I get to see each and every day since I live in the real Crystal Cove. I guess you could say I was constantly surrounded by inspiration as I wrote Moonglass. From Anna’s early morning runs, to the tumbling down cottages, to the frosty pieces of sea glass hidden in the sand, all of it was right there for me to soak up. It’s such a special place I had to write about it.

I really liked the realistic portrayal you gave your characters, especially with Anna's family. It was heart breaking, and hopeful. I really liked how you tied her family's history into Crystal Cove. When you started writing Moonglass, did you already know that Crystal Cove would play a significant role in Anna coming to terms with what happened to her mother?
I did! When I moved to Crystal Cove, I had a vague idea of the story in my mind, but as soon as I got to know the place and its history, I knew I had to set Anna’s story here. There’s almost a mythical quality about this beach, so it was the perfect fit.

I loved the scenes that talk about Anna walking with her mother looking for sea & moon glass. Were those scenes inspired by things you experienced growing up?
I grew up in the mountains, eight hours from the nearest beach, so no. But those scenes are inspired by some of my most favorite things to do with my own kids. We search for sea glass, and talk about mermaids, and how magical the beach is.

What is one thing you enjoy the most about the beach?
I love those few minutes just before sunset, when almost everyone has gone and everything is quiet. It’s the most peaceful time of day, and I try to be out there for it every day if I can.

If you're stranded on a deserted island, what are 5 items you want to have with you?
Notebook, pencil, chapstick, bikini, hammock.

Moonglass is definitely on our "Must Have Summer Reads" list. Have you read anything lately that you'd recommend we add to our list?
Ooh, I just read IMAGINARY GIRLS by Nova Ren Suma, and it’s amazing. So beautiful, and unlike anything I’ve ever read.
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Thank you Jessi for being with us today! Be sure to follow Jessi on her blog, twitter and facebook. You can find out more about Moonglass on Simon & Schuster's site here.

Happy Release Day To:















































Today is HUGE release day with some fabulous, must have summer reads.

You can follow our Official Blog Tour for Myra McEntire's Hourglass, and we'll also be hosting a giveaway for Hourglass on Twitter today! Be sure to follow us and find out some of our favorite things about this AWESOME debut book here.

You can read my reviews for Passion and Trial By Fire. My review for The Demon's Surrender will be posted later today. Don't miss our blog stop on June 28th for Imaginary Girls.

You can find out what books are being released next week here.

Twitter Tuesday - Myra McEntire

It's here, finally, Myra McEntire's fabulous timeslip romance, Hourglass, is in bookstores today. Have you gone out and gotten it yet?? Here are my top five reasons why you need to:

5) Page-turner: You will not be able to put it down. So when you're outside on your lunch break enjoying the sunshine and an iced tea, remember to set a timer. Trust me on this. My oldest texted me from the middle school parking lot, "Mama, did u 4get me?" Ooooops.

4) Romance: Ah, the best kind of romance...the kind that makes perfect sense from the beginning. Yes, I'm sighing. Caught me, did you?

3) Emerson: Wait until you meet her. She's the protagonist and she's smart, spunky and logical. Her internal dialogue caused a lot of "HA!" moments as I sat through my daughter's relatively quiet ballet lessons. See item no. 5. I couldn't put the book down.

2) Michael and Kaleb: Neither one has a sword but whoa, Hot Boy Alert. Mundie Moms, you need to meet these two. No, I'm not fanning myself. It's just a little hot in here. Must be the weather.

1) The Ending: No, I will not spoil it but when you read it...you will think, "Yes, now I know what Sophie meant by that." Oh wow, the ending. WOW. Just...WOW.

We are so excited about this release that we will be sponsoring a one day Twitter Contest which will be announced on our twitter account later on today. I promise to keep it simple. The prize will be your very own copy of Hourglass. So are you following @MundieMoms on twitter yet?

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