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

Welcome to today's book spotlight!

CHARMED

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

Amazon / Apple / Barnes & Noble

BooksAMillion / !ndigo / Indiebound 

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... 

FLUNKED

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

Amazon / Apple / Barnes & Noble

BooksAMillion / !ndigo / Indiebound

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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

(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 

Author Website / Book Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Goodreads

Blog Tour (Excerpt, Review and Giveaway): FLUNKED (Fairytale Reform School #1) by Jen Calonita (MG)

FLUNKED
Fairytale Reform School #1
by Jen Calonita
Release date: 
Published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Genre: Middle Grade Fairytale
Format: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook
Format read: eARC from the publisher.

SUMMARY

OUR MISSION:

To turn WICKED DELINQUENTS

and FORMER VILLAINS

into FUTURE HEROES

Gilly wouldn’t call herself wicked exactly… but when you have five little brothers and sisters and live in a run- down boot, you have to get creative to make ends meet. Gilly’s a pretty good thief (if she does say so herself).

Until she gets caught.

Gilly’s sentenced to three months at Fairy Tale Reform School- where all of the teachers are former (super-scary) villains like the Big Bad Wolf, the Evil Queen, and Cinderella’s Wicked Stepmother. Harsh. But when she meets fellow students Jax and Kayla, she learns there’s more to this school than its heroic mission. There’s a battle brewing and Gilly has to wonder: can a villain really change?

Amazon / Barnes & Noble

BAM / !ndigo / IndieBound

EXCERPT

There’s a boy up there, standing on the crystal chandelier! He has slightly curly blond hair and is wearing a uniform—­a navy sweater vest over a white shirt with khaki pants—­but his boots are muddy. He’s stepping on priceless crystals with cruddy boots? Is he insane?

“Jax! What are you doing up there?” Kayla whispers heatedly.

“I’m cleaning the crystal for Flora,” Jax says and rolls his eyes. “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m making a break for it.”

Kayla applauds. “Yay! This time I know you can do it.”

I shade my eyes from the light bursting through the stained-­glass window next to the chandelier Jax is perched on. “Busting out? Why?” I ask Kayla. “I thought you said this place was cool.”

Jax laughs loudly and looks at me. I feel slightly stunned. I’ve never seen violet eyes before. “FTRS was fun for a while, but strange things have started happening and I don’t want to be here when something bad goes down.”

Strange things? What kind of strange things? Why does Kayla suddenly look pale?

“He’s exaggerating,” Kayla tells me, but she doesn’t sound convincing.

Drip. Whatever Jax is holding is leaking. Kayla and I move out of the way so we don’t get wet. “Grease,” Jax explains to me. “It lubes the window.” He swings the chandelier, and as it nears the window, he uses a fork to try to pry the window open. “A few more tries and I’ll have it.”

“Then what are you going to do, genius?” I ask. “You’re two stories up.”

Jax’s eyes gleam. “I’ve jumped from higher spots before.”

“It’s true,” Kayla says to me. “Jax once jumped from the gym to the dining hall turret. That was three stories up. We call him the Escape Artist. One time he even managed to break into Azalea and Dahlia’s rooms and borrowed their keys to the indoor pool so the whole dorm could take a midnight swim.”

“Impressive,” I tell him. “And I thought I was good at tricking obnoxious royals.”

“She stole a dragon’s tooth clip from one this morning,” Kayla fills him in.

“Nice,” Jax says. “Your first pull?”

“No, I’ve been doing it for a while,” I brag.

“Me too,” Jax says. “My father is a farmer. You can only get so far trading vegetables. I needed to kick things up a notch.”

For some reason, I don’t think any of us are going to make the transformation Headmistress Flora is looking for. “Why do you want to break out so bad?”

“I’ve got places to see, and Enchantasia isn’t one of them.” Jax swings the chandelier so hard the crystals clang together. The window latch pops open, and I watch Jax leap from the chandelier to the tiny window ledge. I’m in awe. Jax looks down at us smugly before pushing open the window. “Are you sure you two don’t want to join me?”

“There’s no time for us,” Kayla says. “Get out of here. Wait!” Her eyes widen. “You deactivated the alarm on the window, right?”

“There isn’t one,” Jax insists. “If there was, I wouldn’t be able to do this.” But when Jax lifts the window, we hear:

EEEEEE! EEEE! EEEE! Unauthorized exit! Unauthorized exit!

The shrieking sound is so intense that Kayla and I cover our ears. Within seconds, Flora is out of her office and running toward us.

Swoosh!

I feel something brush past me and I whirl around. When I look up at Jax again, a large, muscular man with a long mane of hair is hanging on to the window ledge, his furry hands pulling Jax back by his shirt. How did the man get up there without a ladder?

“Mr. Jax,” the man says in a low growl, “we really must stop meeting like this.”

MY REVIEW

Amusing, witty and full of magic - FLUNKED has a wonderful assortment of fairytales and their characters, most notably, their villains. A wonderful book that will make you think about what defines the good from the bad, giving second chances and who your true friends are.

Gilly is a 12 year old who has developed a Robin Hood complex due to her father's dying shoemaking business. She steals from the nobles in order to help put food in her siblings bellies and smiles on their faces. One of six siblings who live in a shoe, Gilly has brought it onto herself to take the risks to do what she can. She knows that if she is caught she will be sent to Fairytale Reform School and her siblings will suffer.
When Gilly pulls off her biggest heist to date, she is completely unaware of the trail she leaves behind until she is caught. Having to see the disappointment on her families faces is hard, but being sent away to school is even worse. Who will help and look after her siblings.

Fairytale Reform School was founded by the reformed "Wicked Stepmother", Flora. After realizing how badly she mistreated Ella, Flora decided to change her ways and what better way to complete the process than to extend a hand to others who have done wrong and help them find a way to better themselves. After reforming these "villains", she recruited them to do something worthy with themselves within society and asked them to join her faculty at the school. A few of these memorable characters are - the Werewolf that ate Little Red's grandmother, the Sea Witch and the Evil Queen, who is still obsessed with apples.  
The school itself resembles a castle - with ornate rooms and furniture, and nothing is lacking. Gilly's classes and meals are better than anything else she's ever had in her life. She feels guilty for not being able to take care of her siblings, but also, for living better than them too.
However, strange things have been happening at the school. Unexplained disappearances and teachers and students acting differently... something is happening. And Gilly and her friends are going to find out what it is.

What I love most about this book is Gilly's personality, she is very strong-minded and not only sticks up for what she believes in but for others too. She won't tolerate any type of bullying towards anyone and is very loyal to what and who she believes in. Gilly is definitely someone you can count on. Her new friends all fit an important role in her life and situation. There is a little magic here and there, but by all means, this is no fairytale where magic fixes everything and things are swept away with a swish of a wand. Everyone has to work hard and your best is always expected.

The story is wonderfully written and told strictly from Gilly's point of view, primarily through conversations and her thoughts. We see and know precisely what Gilly does without unnecessary details, which is exactly what my boys enjoy.

Fun, sassy and bold - we cannot wait to read the next book in this series! One of the best middle grade books of this year!

*I received an eARC from the publisher for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

Take the Fairy Tale Reform School Quiz!!!

If you get sentenced to Fairy Tale Reform School, it will help to have an ally. 

Take the quiz and find out who your mentor would be.

GIVEAWAY

- 5 winners will receive a print copy of FLUNKED!

- Giveaway ends 3/31/2015.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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 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 drop her a line at jencalonitaonline.com or keep the fairy tale going at http://books.sourcebooks.com/enchantasia/

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Review: EVEN MONSTERS by A. J. Smith (C)

EVEN MONSTERS

Written and Illustrated by A. J. Smith

Release date: April 1st, 2014

Published by: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Genre: Children (ages 1yo and up)

Format: Hardcover, eBook

Format read: eGalley via Netgalley/publisher for an honest review. 

SUMMARY

An exciting new picture book-perfect for the little monster in your life!

Everybody knows monsters can be...well, MONSTERS. 

But did you know sometimes even monsters get scared? 

They can be sad, they can be kind, they can miss their mommies. 

Sometimes, they're just plain silly. 

And even monsters need to brush their teeth!

A funny and family-friendly picture book by innovative author/illustrator A. J. Smith, who combines traditional storytelling with exciting interactive digital components.

MY REVIEW

Such a sweet book to share with the little monster... I mean... the child in your life!

Every child at one point or another questions why they have to eat all of their vegetables at dinner before they can have dessert, and why they have to brush their teeth before bed. Most kids also develop a fear or two - of the dark, monsters under the bed, going to school alone... and this adorable book shares with them that they're not the only ones that go through these things everyday; and that it is okay to have these feelings, and that they should be able to share these feelings.

These little monsters are perfectly illustrated - not overly scary, but a fun kind of scary that kiddos will enjoy seeing. And these little monsters are just like them too! Even though they look scary and may growl sometimes, they have to do things that they don't like to do too in order to be better monsters! They still have to take the bus to school, eat all of their dinner, and brush their teeth before bed too.
And, just like the monsters in the book, its okay to be scared sometimes, and with a little help, the people who love them will be there to help build their confidence and ease their fears.

This fun and interactive book will help a child know that they're not alone in their little world - it will also ease a child's anxiety of the things that they fear the most. This book may also be a great way to open a line of communication with your toddler, which can be difficult when they are still learning how to find and use their words. I highly recommend this book for anytime of the day or night! 

Blog Tour/Guest Post: THE NINJA LIBRARIANS: THE ACCIDENTAL KEYHAND by Jen Swann Downey (MG)

THE NINJA LIBRARIANS: THE ACCIDENTAL KEYHAND

The Ninja Librarians #1

by Jen Swann Downey

Expected release date: April 15th, 2014

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky Kids

Genre: Middle Grade - Mystery, Adventure

Format: Hardcover, eBook

SUMMARY

Just a little story about your average sword-swinging, karate-chopping, crime-fighting ninja librarians.

Dorrie Barnes had no idea an overdue library book would change her life. 

When Dorrie and her brother Marcus chase her pet mongoose into the janitor's closet of their local library, they accidentally fall through a passage into Petrarch's Library - the headquarters of a secret society of ninja librarians who have an important mission: 

protect those whose words have gotten them into trouble. 

Anywhere in the world and at any time in history.

Dorrie would love nothing more than to join the society. 

But when a traitor surfaces, she and her friends are the prime suspects. 

Can they clear their names before the only passage back to the twenty-first century closes forever?

GUEST POST

Why mix Ninjas and Librarians???

Ah yes. Why mix ninjas and librarians? Even as a child, I thought of librarians as fulfilling a sort of sacred magical duty. They were the keepers of the books! The keepers of stories, legends, and great fat tomes full of history's unplumbed secrets. As I got older, I began to also appreciate librarians as important players in the long-term struggle by many to nurture and protect notions about the need for citizens to have access to freely flowing information. They understand well the need to protect books and other writings from those who would suppress or destroy them, and the need to protect the authors of such writings from censorship or punishment.

Once I realized that I wanted my story to revolve around a secret society of librarians, it was terrifically easy to imagine librarians not just as intellectual warriors, but literal ones as well, with only a slightly expanded job description, and only a slightly altered typical day. Hm...something like:  1p.m. - catalogue new arrivals: 2 p.m. - assist a patron to find a book when said patron knows only one word in the title, and the author's middle initial;  2:30 p.m. - excuse one's self from colleagues in order to slip through time in order to help break out an imprisoned "heretical" writer in a different century, an hour before he was scheduled to be burned at the stake. 

The lybrarians of Petrarch's Library are not literally ninjas. They don't wear black hoods (unless that works for a particular mission), and are not members of a feudal Japanese society of mercenaries. They do, however, share with historic ninjas, a high degree of training in secrecy, stealth, and specialized skills useful to attaining their goals. That similarity suggested the strangely elastic modern qualifier of "ninja" for librarian.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Jen Swann Downey

Jen Swann Downey's non-fiction pieces have appeared in New York Magazine, the Washington Post, Women's Day, and other publications. 

Her first middle-grade novel, THE NINJA LIBRARIANS, will be published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, April 1, 2014. 

Jen divides her time between libraries and other places, and will never stop looking for lickable wallpaper.

Goodreads / Website / Twitter

http://www.sourcebooks.com/

Review: I'LL NEVER LET YOU GO by Marianne Richmond (C)

I'LL NEVER LET YOU GO

by Marianne Richmond

Release date: March 1st, 2014

Published by: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Genre: Children (ages 1 and up)

Format: Hardcover

Format reviewed: eGalley from Netgalley/publisher for an honest review.

SUMMARY

Marianne Richmond is quickly becoming a classic children's book author. 

I'll Never Let You Go speaks straight to a parent's heart in the same sweet, thoughtful way that If I Could Keep You Little did, playfully using a Blankie to beautifully illustrate what it means to let a child grow while still keeping them in your heart.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

MY REVIEW

One of the most sweetest, memorable and touching children's book I have read in a very long time. 

I would shelve this in between The Kissing Hand and Good Night Moon... 

Edward is very fond and attached to his little Blankie. He never goes anywhere or does anything without it... "I'll never let you go," he says every time they do something together. So many heartfelt moments that he will never forget. 

When Edward's mom explains that he will be starting school soon and when he goes to school, Blankie must stay home, Edward is sad and does not want to leave Blankie behind. 

The perfect book for the child who will be going to daycare or pre-school and must leave their precious 'blankie' home for safe-keeping! The pictures are drawn to be soft and delicate, which emphasizes the importance on how sensitive this subject is for toddlers...
Will definitely help you explain to them the why and how come.

I adore it!
And will definitely be buying this to have on my shelf ready for when my youngest reaches this milestone!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Marianne Richmond

Author and illustrator Marianne Richmond has touched the lives of millions through her delightful gift books, greeting cards and gift products distributed worldwide. Her enchanting artistic style and sincere sentiment, which adorn a growing number of products truly offer fans the most heartfelt way to celebrate the feelings of life.

Goodreads / Website / Facebook / Twitter

Book Spotlight and Giveaway: REAL MERMAIDS DON'T SELL SEASHELLS (Real Mermaids #4) by Helene Boudreau (MG)

Teenage girls have to deal with a lot of tough firsts. 

First zit. First crush. First... mermaid’s tail?

In the fourth installment of Hélène Boudreau’s breezy, fun and “unputdownable” Real Mermaids series, our favorite mer-girl Jade can’t think of a better way to celebrate peace in the underwater mer-world than with a tropical vacation in the Bahamas with her family and BFF.

REAL MERMAIDS DON'T SELL SEASHELLS

Real Mermaids Series #4

by Hélène Boudreau

Release date: February 4th, 2014

Published by: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Genre: Middle Grade 

Format: Paperback, eBook

SUMMARY

Sun, surf and tropical breezes are no ‘day at the beach’ because being a teenage mermaid never takes a vacation.

With all the mers in Jade’s life now safe, happy and legit (with passports to prove it) and the underwater mer-world off the coast of Port Toulouse on the road to democracy, it’s time to relax and plan for the future. Jade can’t think of a better way to celebrate than with a tropical wedding in the Bahamas with Mom and Dad to finally make their family ‘official’.

Soon, Jade is enjoying the tropical sunshine, all-you-can-eat buffet, and island day trips. But when Jade gets lost in the island’s famous waterfront Straw Market, something doesn’t feel quite right. A body splashes into the water as a cruise ship enters the harbor and a teen boy selling conches from his boat behind the market knows more than he’s willing to admit.

With no body, no leads, and no other witnesses, though, the local police don’t seem too concerned. Maybe Jade’s imagination has been acting up on her, just like Cori said, considering everything she’s been through in the past few months.

But with Mom and Dad off on a honeymoon excursion it wouldn’t hurt to check things out, would it? Little do Jade and Cori realize, they are about to uncover more secrets about the splashing body, dangerous cruise ship cargo, and more questions than answers lurking in the nearby Caribbean waters.

MY THOUGHTS

I adore this series to pieces!!! It has been so much fun reading all about Jade and her mermaid experiences - being a teen is not easy. And being a mermaid-teen is even harder!
Lots of humor and adventure!!!
I am really looking forward to reading the conclusion to the Real Mermaid saga!!!

To see my reviews of the first three books to the Real Mermaid series,
please click here!!!

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Hélène Boudreau

Hélène Boudreau never spotted a real mermaid while growing up on an island surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, but she believes mermaids are just as plausible as giant squids, flying fish, or electric eels. 

She now writes fiction and nonfiction for kids from her land-locked home in Ontario, Canada. 

Real Mermaids Don’t Wear Toe Rings was a 2011 SCBWI Crystal Kit Member Choice award finalist.

Goodreads / Website / Facebook / Twitter