Mundie Moms

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Book Review: The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams


Published by: Simon & Schuster
Released on: January 3rd, 2012
Source: Book from publisher to review
5 stars: I Loved It
Purchase from: Simon & SchusterAmazon | Barnes & Noble

Seraphina has been alive since the 1300's, made immortal when the boy she was beginning to love back then, Cyrus, saved her from death with a strange liquid - a method of alchemy that lets them swap bodies with any human being. But now, in modern day America, Sera has decided that she can no longer bear the weight of stealing people's lives so she can keep living on. So she decides to run away from Cyrus and end her stolen existence once and for all. Her plan goes awry when she accidentally takes the body of a dying teenager and feels forced to take over her life. When the lines between Sera and Kailey's identity begin to blur, Sera finds a reason to desire to live once more. But she can't shake the guilt of having taken Kailey's life, even if she was dying. And what if Cyrus finds her? -quoted from Goodreads

A gripping, fast paced, unpredictable read you won't be able to put down.

Wow, what an awesome debut! Do you have one of those books that you've had sitting on your shelf for a few months now, and you've had every intention of picking it up and reading it, but just haven't gotten around to doing so yet? That was me with this book, and boy was I missing out! Had I only known what an awesome read this was I wouldn't have waited so long. Which really seems silly since I was already hooked with this book's synopsis. Now that I finally read it I'm wondering why I didn't do so sooner. 

This is one of those books I sat down to read and unexpectedly got completely sucked into what was going on, that I couldn't stop reading it. Avery's writing is solid, fast paced and completely engaging. I already find Alchemy fascinating and what Avery did with that in her story was really intriguing to me. I loved the concept that a few of the characters have been around for hundreds of years. It was believable to me to have one of them, the story's main character Sera, question the life she's been living. Everything she's done up to this point and has been forced to do has taken a toll on her emotionally and spiritually, if you will. I admired the fact that she would rather risk it all for the unknown life she's never lived, than to never taste that bit of freedom and getting to really live. I think that's one of the things that drew me to her character.

Sera is one of those well rounded, grounded characters who is well defined and was so easy for me as a reader to gravitate too. Though she's wise beyond the years she now embraces in her "new" body, Sera is really experiencing life for the first time. I liked getting to see her try to make amends for some of the things she's done, through the new person she is now. I appreciated the way Avery gave me glimpses into Sera's past life through her brief flashbacks and allowed me to also get to know her creator/one time boyfriend Cyrus a little more. Holy crow, this guy is bad! I'm talking the possessive, controlling kind who's calculative, always gets what he wants, and isn't someone who gives up. This of course stinks for Sera, since she thought she had rid him off for good. He is so well written! I will admit I'm freaking out a bit for Sera with the way this story ended.

This story has a little bit of everything in it. Great characters, a well written plot line, suspense, a little bit of romance, redemption, murder, twists, and a little bit of humor. In summary it's an awesome read. It's enjoyable, leaves me wanting more and it's completely unpredictable. I had to read the ending twice, because I was like "Wait, What?! No way!". When you get to the ending you'll know why I'm wishing the sequel was already out. I need to know what Cyrus is going to do next! I highly recommend picking this book up! 

Books, News & Other Things: The Week of Many Surprises (IMM #128)

Happy Sunday! I'm going to change up my IMM this week and for the sake of not having a really long post I'm not going to include the extras I normally do ie. my news, and other things. Personally this week was a tough one for me, but book wise this was on heck of an exciting week! All these surprises, well except my purchased books, arrived in the mail! There might have been some arm failing and happy dancing going on. I am beyond excited to be featuring the titles below through out the coming weeks on my blog. 


For Review:


  • Rift by Andrea Cremer, published by Philomel, to be released on 8/7/12
  • This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel, published by Simon & Schuster, released on 8/23/11, LOVED this book, and I LOVE the new covers. 
  • Such Wicked Intent by Kenneth Oppel, published by Simon & Schuster, to be released on 8/21/12
  • The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski, published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux, to be released on 10/30/12 *look for the cover reveal taking place on MM's this Tuesday!
  • Rapture by Lauren Kate, published by Random House, released on 6/12/12
  • The Vindico by Wesley King, published by Putnam, to be released on 6/14/12
  • Promised by Caragh M. O'Brien, published by Roaring Brook Press, to be released on 10/2/12
  • Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier, published by Henry Holt, to be released on 10/30/12
  • Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin, published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux, to be released on 9/18/12
  • Outpost by Ann Aguirre, published by Feiwel & Friends, to be released on 9/4/12
  • A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger, published by Poppy, released on 6/5/12
  • Size 12 and Ready To Rock by Meg Cabot, published by William Morrow, to be released on 7/10/12
  • Mothership by Martin Leicht and Isla Neal, published by Simon & Schuster, to be released on 7/10/12
  • The Best Night of your (Pathetic) Life by Tara Altebrando, published by Dutton, to be released on 7/5/12
  • Red Thread Sisters by Carol Antoinette Peacock, published by Viking, to be released on 10/16/12


Purchased:


  • Shadow and Bone by Leigh Barduco
  • Taken by Storm by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
  • Underworld by Meg Cabot
  • Dreamless by Josephine Angelini
  • Destiny and Deception by Shannon Delany
  • Burn Mark by Laura Powell


For Mundie Kids:


  • Island of Silence by Lisa McMann, published by Aladdin, to be released on 9/4/12
  • Guys Read, The Sports Pages by Jon Scieszka, published Walden Pond Press, to be released on 7/10/12
  • The Creature from the Seventh Grade by Bob Balaban, published by Viking, to be released on 9/13/12
  • Goddess Girls, The Girl Games, Super Power by Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams, published by Aladdin, to be released on 7/10/12
  • Paranorman by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel, published by Little Brown, to be released on 6/5/12
  • Little Tug by Stephen Savage, published by Roaring Brook Press, to be released on 10/2/12
  • Children's Book-A-Day Almanac by Anita Silvey, published by Roaring Brook Press, to be released on 10/30/12
  • STAT by Amar'e Stoudemire, published by Scholastic, to be released on 

Thank you to: Penguin Teen, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Simon & Schuster, Little Brown, Random House, Walden Pond Press, Scholastic, Suzanne Williams & Joan Holub, and William Morrow for this week's awesome goodies. What goodies arrived in your mail box this week?

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