"To find out what a story's really about,' the Librarian said,

'you don't ask the writer. You ask the reader."


- SNOW & ROSE by Emily Winfield Martin


Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Book Spotlight Blog Tour (Excerpt and Giveaway): CHARMED (Fairy Tale Reform School #2) by Jen Calonita (MG)


Welcome to today's book spotlight!


Fairy Tale Reform School #2
by Jen Calonita
Release date: March 3rd, 2016
Published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Genre: Middle Grade 


SUMMARY

Charmed is the exciting sequel to the wildly popular Flunked -- second in the brand new Fairy Tale Reform School series where the teachers are (former) villains. "Charming fairy-tale fun." -Sarah Mlynowski, author of the New York Times bestselling Whatever After series.

It takes a (mostly) reformed thief to catch a spy. Which is why Gilly Cobbler, Enchantasia’s most notorious pickpocket, volunteers to stay locked up at Fairy Tale Reform School…indefinitely. Gilly and her friends may have defeated the Evil Queen and become reluctant heroes, but the battle for Enchantasia has just begun.

Alva, aka The Wicked One who cursed Sleeping Beauty, has declared war on the Princesses, and she wants the students of Fairy Tale Reform School to join her. As her criminal classmates give in to temptation, Gilly goes undercover as a Royal Lady in Waiting (don’t laugh) to unmask a spy…before the mole can hand Alva the keys to the kingdom. 

Her parents think Gilly the Hero is completely reformed, but sometimes you have to get your hands dirty. Sometimes it’s good to be bad…


BUY LINKS




EXCERPT

The Magic Mirror’s voice crackles throughout the school, “Let the first annual Fairy Tale Reform School WAND WHAT YOU WANT hour begin!”
            I hear students cheer and wands begin popping up in kids’ hands as we walk through the halls. POP! My wand arrives in my hand; long, dark-gray and nicked like its seen a few battles. What to try first… I’m just about test the wand out, when I feel the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I dive out of the way just as a classmate casts a spell on the girl next to me, turning her into an ice sculpture.
            POP! POP! POP! Kids begin casting all around me. The crowded hallways is suddenly full of talking woodland creatures, toads, fireworks, and a pretty impressive cloud raining licorice. Kids are cheering, fighting, and the sound of all those wands working is enough to give me a headache.
            SLURP!
            The chaotic hallway disappears and a new empty hall arrives in its place. The magic hallways are always changing for security reasons, but I happen to know this hall leads to the school courtyard. More students appear and new spells begin zapping around me. I run out into the quiet school courtyard to test out my wand in peace. The warm sun is shining bright high above the castle walls, making me wistful for adventure. I can never sit still for long.
            “We hope you enjoy your wand experience, but remember, all wands disappear at the hour mark so choose your magic wisely,” I hear Miri continue. I’m relieved to find no mirror in the courtyard, which means she can’t see what I’m up to. That magic mirror is forever tattling on students for bad behavior. “Flying is not advised.”
            “Not advised, but she didn’t say it was against the rules,” I say to myself. I flick the wand over my stuffy, uncomfortable pale blue uniform and turn it into a comfy peasant shirt and pants. I get rid of my ugly school shoes and swap them out for my beloved high-lace up boots. Now that I’m comfortable, I get to the task at hand. I’m sure an actual spell would work better, but since I don’t know one, I just imagine myself flying and bam! I’m slowly floating up, up, up in the air. Score!
            A Pegasus flies by pulling a coach with four students in it.
            “HI GILLY!” they shout and wave.
            When you save your school from a wicked fairy, people tend to remember your name. Even if you don’t remember theirs.
            “Hi!” I say, lying back like I’m floating on a cloud. Wow, this is relaxing. I stretch my arms wide and -- oops!
            My wand falls from my grasp. Uh oh. I begin to plummet, spinning, faster and faster with no sign of stopping. Before I can even think of a way to break my fall, WHOOSH! I feel my body hit a blanket, bounce up, then land again on a magic carpet being steered by my friend Jax.
            “Ten minutes into WAND WHAT YOU WANT and you’ve already had a near death experience?” Jax says, a glint in his violet eyes. His curly blond hair looks white in the bright sunlight. “You’re getting sloppy.”
            “I’m not getting sloppy!” I’m seriously offended by that statement. “How’d you even know where to find me?”
            “I thought to myself, ‘What would Gilly do with wand access for an hour?’ and I knew right away you’d try to sneak home for a bit,” Jax says.
            My usual partner in crime steers our magic carpet over the castle walls and across the vast school grounds. Below I can see students fanned out on castle rooftops, in the garden mazes, near the lake, all casting away with various results. Jax flies the carpet faster, the wind whipping our hair and making it hard to see. I push the hair away from my eyes and strain to see home. There, beyond the gleaming pillars of Royal Court, where the princesses who rule our kingdom live, is my small village of Enchantasia. Somewhere down there, my family is working, playing and hopefully missing me as much as I miss them. The carpet is nearing the Hollow Woods which separates us and the village--CRACKLE! Our magic carpet is stopped by an invisible wall that keeps us from escaping school grounds. Clever of Flora to put the barricade up during wand training. Oh well. Leaving was a long-shot, but maybe I could wave my wand and at least see what my family was up to. “My wand! I realize. “I need to go get it.”


Also by Jen Calonita... 

Fairy Tale Reform School, Book One
Release date: March 3rd, 2015
Published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky 
Genre: Middle Grade 

SUMMARY

Would you send a villain to do a hero's job? An exciting new twisted fairy tale series from award-winning author Jen Calonita.

Full of regret, Cinderella's wicked stepmother, Flora, has founded the Fairy Tale Reform School with the mission of turning the wicked and criminally mischievous into upstanding members of Enchantasia.

Impish, sassy 12-year-old Gilly has a history of petty theft and she's not too sorry about it. When she lifts a hair clip, she gets tossed in reform school-for at least three months. But when she meets fellow students Jax and Kayla, she learns there's more to this school than its sweet mission. There's a battle brewing and she starts to wonder: can a villain really change?



BUY LINKS




GIVEAWAY
- TWO winners will receive ONE set of Fairy Tale Reform books!
- Giveaway starts on March 1st, and will end on March 31st, 2016.
- U.S. and Canada only, sorry.

(Bumbles and Fairy-Tales will not be held responsible for any lost, damaged, unclaimed, etc. prizes.)


ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Jen Calonita


Jen Calonita is the author of the Secrets of My Hollywood Life series and other books like Sleepaway Girls and Summer State of Mind, but Fairy Tale Reform School is her first middle-grade series. 

She rules Long Island, New York, with her husband Mike, princes Tyler and Dylan, and Chihuahua Captain Jack Sparrow, but the only castle she’d ever want to live in is Cinderella’s at Disney World. 

She’d love for you to visit her at jencalonitaonline.com and keep the fairy-tale fun going at happilyeverafterscrolls.net 




Monday, March 28, 2016

Book Spotlight Blog Tour (Excerpt and Giveaway): CALLING ALL CARS by Sue Fliess (C)


Good day! Welcome to today's book spotlight!!!


by Sue Fliess
Illustrated by Sarah Beise
Release date: March 1st, 2016
Published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Genre: Children's Picture Book


SUMMARY

Big cars, small cars, let's call ALL cars! This bouncy text explores the wonderful world of cars zipping up, down, fast, and slow. A perfect basic concept books for eager young learners from the author of Tons of Trucks. Then cruise into bedtime!

Rest cars, Hush cars
No more rush, cars. 
Cars pull in, turn off the light. 
Sweet dreams, sleepy cars...goodnight!

Filled with vibrant art, adorable animal characters, and cars of all kinds from love bugs to the demolition derby, Calling All Cars is for every child who loves to read about things that go! Surprise bonus -- follow one long road throughout this vividly imagined world and don't miss the hidden clues in the artwork!


EXCERPT



BUY LINKS




GIVEAWAY

- THREE winners will win ONE copy of CALLING ALL CARS!
- Giveaway starts March 1st, ends on March 31st, 2016.
- U.S. and Canada only, sorry. 

(Bumbles and Fairy-Tales will not be held responsible for any lost, stolen, damaged, unclaimed, etc. prizes.)



ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Sue Fliess


Sue Fliess is the author of more than a dozen children’s books, including the popular Tons of Trucks and Robots, Robots Everywhere! 

Her background is in copywriting, PR, and marketing, and her articles have appeared in O, the Oprah Magazine; Huffington Post; Writer’s Digest; and more. Her article from O, the Oprah Magazine was chosen for inclusion in O’s Little Book of Happiness (March 2015).

Sue lives with her family and a Lab named Charlie in Northern Virginia. Visit her online at www.suefliess.com.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Goodreads



ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR - Sarah Beise

Sarah Beise, a graduate of Minneapolis College of Art and Design, is an innovative illustrator and designer who loves to create fun and unique characters that help tell stories. 

Originally from Matthews, NC she now makes Kansas City her home along with her two dogs, Maxwell and Mazzie May. 

For more info visit www.SarahBeise.com.

Friday, March 25, 2016

Bumbles and Fairy-Tales UPDATE...


Hello friends!!!

It's been too long!!! 
So, I thought I'd do a quick update with lots and lots of pictures :) 


Yes, I'm still reading!!!
However, I have become a very sloooooow reader, lol! It's a combination of SO many distractions and exhaustion. But, I'm okay with it! I've made my peace! I'm a mom first; and I have other hobbies that I am pursuing right now too. And I am all for multi-tasking, even if it does take longer to get it all done, lol! I'm just having so much fun with it all, I don't want to settle on just one thing - I've done this in the past and it doesn't work for me. I love to read, I love my books! But I also love to be creative, in many ways... 


My bookshelves have been cleaned and updated!!! 
However, this may be the last time you seen these shelves, sigh...
We are moving this summer, and since these shelves are built-in, they can't come with me to our new home *sobs* 


My latest book haul!!!
All of these books were less than $26 - including shipping!!!
Love me some Book Outlet deals :) 


What I'm currently reading right now... 
... and, a few others, lol! Like I said, I'm always multitasking ;) 


What my nightstand currently looks like! Whoops :) 
A few I have read already, but, most need to be read ASAP!


If you don't follow me on Instagram (@thebumblegirl), you may not know that I am a hardcore plannergirl now! I have numerous planners that I love to plan, decorate and make lists in... 
I have revive my addictions to pens, stickers, stationery and more!!! 


I am very lucky and blessed to currently be creating and working with a few great companies right now... 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNB8hCHC67s



 and Cocoa Daisy
  

Did I mention I also have a thing for mason jars filled with pretty washi tapes!!! 


And lots and lots of planner and decorative stamps!!! LOL 


On that note, Bumbles and Fairy-Tales will continue on, but it will no longer just be a book blog!
I will be sharing all of my hobbies and more :) 

Thank you all for following and your continue support!
Much love to you all!!! xoxo 

 
Imagination Designs
Images by LabyrinthofDreams