Mundie Moms

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare, Final Chapter Excerpt LEAKED


It's now April, which means NEXT MONTH City of Heavenly Fire will be out!! Teen.com has something all of us fans want to see! Someone from Simon & Schuster spilled the beans to them and they have a LEAKED excerpt from City of Heavenly Fire!! This is from the final chapter called "The Reaping of Alicante".......  Talk about a killer of an ending.
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     The sky was on fire. Clary never imagined that Jonathan could wreak such havoc. The demon towers of Alicante were cracking, sparking, as though all of Idris could not bear to hold the forces of the Dark Shadowhunters. The city was weeping, screaming in fury at the blood running through the streets.
     Brother fought brother. Sister fought sister. Shadowhunter fought Shadowhunter.
     No one knew that Jonathan had invaded the Topeka Institute. Oh sure, they heard the building was flattened, but they had thought it was just a tornado, like in The Wizard of Oz. They’d never thought that the Dark Shadowhunters had… upgraded. Or that they would bring their new weaponry to Idris.
     ”Dive, Clary!” Simon called, and she leapt out of the way of an oncoming tractor. The Endarkened Topeka warriors had might on their side. Bulldozers plowed through the streets of Alicante. Tillers left the mangled bodies of Shadowhunters in their wake. And up above, crop dusters dive bombed the crowds, dropping powdered electrum — lethal to Shadowhunters when inhaled. Clary noticed Jace, Alec, and Izzy wheezing a bit from the electrum’s influence, but they were truly too hardy to take down.
     Alec stood back to back with Magnus, slinging his arrows while Magnus struck the planes down from the heavens. Dark Shadowhunters fell at their feet. But one of the crop dusters was proving evasive, and it swung low overhead, pouring something thicker than powder out the side. Clary screamed as Alec and Magnus dove too late, and were covered with molten electrum. Holding hands, their fate together was now sealed for all eternity.
     Clary tried to reach Isabelle, who was shrieking for her brother. Izzy attacked the tractors, trying to gain leverage. Her whip snapped around the neck of a Dark Shadowhunter, and she screamed “That’s for my brother, you bastard!” as he fell off the side.
     Clary turned back to Jace, glorious, resplendent Jace, more at home on the battlefield than anywhere else. He spun, seraph blades dancing, slicing into everything in his path. Limbs flew, heads rolled, as he made his way to Jonathan, who was standing atop a giant combine harvester.
     ”If it isn’t my friend Jace,” called Jonathan, laughing from atop the machine. “If only you Shadowhunters had learned about proper agricultural machinery, you would have been able to stop me. If only you hadn’t maligned the Topeka Institute for so long. They begged to join me. And you should too.”
     ”I’ll never join you. Clary will never join you. I will die protecting her from you, and with my very last breath, I will defy you.”
     Jonathan sighed. “Oh well, I only ask once. Dance before these blades, little Shadowhunter.” The harvester started. The blades whirled. Jace tried to run, but the machine was too fast. He screamed as he got sucked into the blades.
     ”Stop, Jonathan!” Clary and Simon sat side by side on a tractor. She glared at her brother’s quirked eyebrow. “Don’t you remember?” she asks. “I spent every summer on Luke’s farm!”
     And then she gunned the engine, and rammed the combine harvester. It came to a crashing halt. Simon leaped off and attacked Jonathan, biting his neck. Jonathan’s blood soaked the ground. Clary flew off the tractor and found Jace, who was lying between the harvester’s blades and tires, coughing up blood.
     ”It wasn’t supposed to end like this!” she cried. “We were going to be together forever.”
     ”We will be together forever,” Jace sputtered. “I’ll just be waiting on the other side for you.” She wept into his wounds, her flame red hair cover his chest. “Clary?” he asked.
     ”Yes, Jace?”
     ”When I’m gone… promise me… you won’t date Simon.” And he died in her arms.
     Clary wept. She wept for the injustices of the world, and for her beloved boyfriend Jace.
She looked around the field and realized the day was not lost. Isabelle and Simon were still fighting. Isabelle tackled the last tractor, but Clary watched as her whip got caught in the machinery. Clary dropped Jace and raced to help Izzy, but she reached her too late. Isabelle was pulled under the tractor, screaming, and flattened.
     As the machine reached her neck, the ruby pendant snapped off and flew at Clary, soaring through her open mouth and lodging in her throat. She sputtered, choking — heaving — but was unable to dislodge it. Her breathing was shallow, and she rasped out a final cry: “Simon!” before she died, mere feet from Jace’s broken body.
     At her call, Simon ran over to her, forgetting the final crop duster, circling above. As he knelt before Clary and cried “Nooooo!” to the heavens, he saw his doom fast approaching. The last, listing plane, had dropped a piano. Not even Simon, with his vampire reflexes, could dodge it.

NOOOOOOO! Holy crap! Talk about Jaw dropping! Can we have the book now please!!
*Beware of things you read on April Fools* ;)

Regine's Book by Regine Stokke; Blogging For Regine Blog Tour



By: Regine Stokke / Harriette Larsen
Published by: Zest Books
Released on: April 1st, 2014
Source: book from publisher to review
5 Stars: Inspiring
Purchase from HERE
Add it to Goodreads

March 31 - April 6 is Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week. Today to help spread the word and show my support, I'm thrilled to be apart of Zest Book's blog tour: Blogging For Regine. This tour is a little bit different than most blog tours. Being that it's Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week, Zest Books wanted to have a week that paid tribute to an amazing young women who died all too soon. 

Regine's Book is a journal of sorts that introduces readers to Regine Stokke. Regine's story started out as a blog that journaled her 15 month battle with an aggressive form of leukemia. Normally books like this, you know the ones you know you're going to sob while reading, are not ones I sit and read, because I am not someone who likes getting overly emotionally. There was something about this book I couldn't say no to. How could I? While reading Regine's book, I sobbed, I laughed, and I have walked away feeling inspired by someone so courageous. 

I hate cancer. I know, I shouldn't use that word. That's not a word that my kids are even allowed to say, but I feel I can use it when talking about cancer. I hate cancer. I hate that one day you can feel heathy and fine, and the next cancer can strike. I hate how it's taken the lives of some sweet young angels that left this earth all too soon. I hate how I've had to watch family and members fight an incredible fight against and thankfully they've beat it. Most of all, I hate cancer when it strikes children. 

There was no doubt in my mind about whether or not I'd be apart of Zest Books Young Adult Cancer Awareness week tribute. The moment Regine's book arrived I sat down and started reading it. Let me tell you a little bit about this amazing girl and her book, per the publisher:

During the 15 months that Regine Stokke was sick and to her death she transformed from an average teenage girl, upset that she didn't have a private hospital room, to a grateful and humble young woman with a deep appreciation for the beauty all around her. 
She began her blog after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia in 2008. Her goal was to paint a realistic picture of what it is like battling a life-threatening illness-and to share her experience with the world. Regine's Book: A Teen Girl's Last Words is Regine's personal story as it was written on her blog and features her own photography and artwork, as well as comments from readers and entries from those who loved her most. The book touches upon every facet of living with cancer, from the good days to the bad and everything in between.

At an age when Regine's biggest concern should have been what dress she was going to wear to prom, she was worrying about whether or not the wig she wore looked natural and about all the things she may soon be leaving behind. "The fear of no longer existing never goes away," Regine confesses only months before her death. "I'm afraid to leave the world and I don't want to do it. I think about my family, and about my friends. I have to fight for them. I can't leave them behind with that sorrow. I have to try everything I can, despite how bleak everything looks." Her story is inspiring, and provides a valuable window into the life of a young adult enduring cancer. 



These are some of the pages featured in Regine's book. *click on the images to enlarge*

Regine gives a horrible illness a brave and courageous face. Her story is one that is open, honest, moving, raw, emotional, and it's heartbreakingly real. Her story is inspiring. Regine opened herself up to the world, and in turn those who read her blog, and all of us who have since read her story since, have come away more inspired because of it. 

Normally I'm not someone who is rendered speechless, but with this book I am. I don't feel I can honestly review a book about someone's life, the way I normally review books here. What I can say is this. This was an inspiriting and incredibly moving read. I cried, I cheered on Regine, and even though I knew the outcome of her brave fight, I was so caught up in her journey, I felt that I was right there along side the entire way, and wanted her to beat the odds. Many times through out reading her story I wished I could reach through the pages and hug both her and her mother. Just so they knew that I, like so many others, were there supporting them in their fight against cancer.

Regine's Book is a keepsake for her family and friends, and for the rest of us, it's a story about courage. Regine's left behind a story that will inspire, and encourage those who are looking for ways to beat cancer, those who are battling it, and will hopefully bring some comfort to those who are grieving over the loss of their loved one/friend who fought a brave fight.

I like to think I'm tough, and I could handle a lot of things, but the true tough spirits are the children who fight a hellish disease. To me, Regine, and the other countless children and teens who are diagnosed with cancer every year are the true heroes. They have that kind of bravery and courage it takes to stare death in the eyes and fight it. 

I thank Zest Books for inviting me to be apart of their tribute to Regine. Her book is one that changed me. I don't know how anyone could read a book like Regine's and not be changed in some way. I have a feeling Regine's spirit will not only live on with her family and friends she left behind, but with all those who read her story. 

April 2014 YA Releases

Happy April! I have no idea how it's already April. I'm not going to complain at how fast this year is already flying, because look at the fabulous books hitting shelves this month! Previously I always posted the links to the new releases, and this year I started posting the book's cover. I've had some requests about posting the links, hence why this particular posts isn't all book covers. 


Week of April 1st


Week of April 8th


Week of April 15th


Week of April 22nd


Week of April 29th

Looking for some new MG books to read this month? Check out some of this month's MG releases HERE on Mundie Kids. 

Don't see a new YA releases you know is out this month? Just leave me a comment with the book's info, and I'll include it on the list. * This list is complied from books I've received from authors/publishers, and from books I found via this month's release list here on Goodreads.

City of Heavenly Fire Snippet


Good Morning Shadowhunters! Last night Cassie teased fans with a snippet from City of Heavenly Fire, here. Check it out below:


“And I suppose you know who Magnus’ father is?” Luke said.
“I paid a lot of money once to find it out,” Raphael said.

Next month!!! I can not wait! 


VOTE for Clockwork Princess in the 2014 Children's Choice Book Awards


VOTE for Clockwork Princess in the 2014 Children's Choice Book Awards for Book of the Year!

Clockwork Princess is currently tied with Rick Yancey's The Fifth Wave, which also has 37% of the votes. Other books up against Clockwork Princess include Allegiant by Veronica Roth, Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, Smoke by Ellen Hopkins. 



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