Cinder and Ella Blog Tour

10 Jun, 2011 by in Uncategorized Leave a comment

Fire and Ice is honored to be a stop on the Cinder and Ella virtual blog tour hosted by Cedar Fort publishing which runs June 1-June 3oth.
Cinder and Ella
by Melissa Lemon
Paperback, 208 pages
Expected publication: November 8th 2011
by Bonneville Books
ISBN 139781599559063
Source: NetGalley
4 stars
Synposis: After their father’s disappearance, Cinder leaves home for a servant job at the castle. But it isn’t long before her sister Ella is brought to the castle herself—the most dangerous place in all the kingdom for both her and Cinder. Cinder and Ella is a Cinderella story like no other and one you’ll never forget.
I’ll have to be honest, normally I am not a sucker for fairy tales or re-tellings of princess stories. However, Cinder and Ella kept me interested. In this version, Cinder and Ella are sisters in a family of six. Their father has disappeared since a mysterious visit from the Prince who plants seeds of discontent and darkness in the home,and their mother is a shadow of a woman who spends her days at the spinning wheel–isolated and mostly mute.

The sisters are left to fend for themselves, Cinder taking a motherly codependent role, Ella strong and silent. Ella’s identity gets somehow merged into Cinder’s and the two become simply known simply as Cinderella. Their mother forgets Ella all together and turns entirely to Cinder to care for her remaining two daughters, a vain self-centered one and a spoiled young child whiteout proper attention.

As Cinder and Ella grow weary of their daily routine, Cinder turns to the palace where she retains a job as a servant and Ella runs away. Soon Cinder is swept up into the beguiling trap of the sinister Prince and praise of the court, and eventually Ella is found,captured and brought to the castle.

Cinder must learn to discern good from evil. Ella must uncover the secret that awaits in the Prince’s secret chamber. Melissa Lemon uses the legend of the trees, a twisted fairy tale and a knight in shining armor to spin a completely new take on an age old story. While some of the characters seemed a bit undeveloped and the ending was abrupt I must say I enjoyed Cinder and Ella much more than anything else I’ve read recently. I think it would be suited for middle grade readers ages 12 and up as the content is clean. There is one small swear word and only vague references to ungentlemanly behavior by some of the antagonists. I’ll be curious to hear what moral other readers pull from this story. And, I can’t help but to wonder where the Prince is lurking…will he be back?

Thanks so much to Cedar Fort and NetGalley for the early peek plus the thoughtful discussion questions at the end of the book.

Visit all the stops on the Cinder and Ella blog tour for your chance to win a copy. Or you can go directly to NetGalley and request one yourself! To find out more about the author Melissa Lemon, please check the following links:

Melissa’s Facebook fan page
Melissa on Twitter
Melissa’s author blog
Melissa’s author page on Goodreads

Book Giveaway- Starcrossed

09 Jun, 2011 by in starcrossed 15 comments

Starcrossed
by Josephine Angelini
Hardcover, 496 pages
Published May 31st 2011
by HarperTeen
ISBN 0062011995

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it’s getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she’s haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they’re destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

Fire and Ice is giving away our paperback advanced reading copy of Starcrossed. To enter to win, fill out this form. Giveaway ends July 9, 2011

ARC Tour- The Apothecary

08 Jun, 2011 by in ARC tour, putnam Leave a comment

The Apothecary
by Maile Meloy
Hardcover, 368 pages
Expected publication:
October 4th 2011
by Putnam Juvenile
ISBN 039925627X


It’s 1952 and the Scott family has just moved from Los Angeles to London. Here, fourteen-year-old Janie meets a mysterious apothecary and his son, Benjamin Burrows–a fascinating boy who’s not afraid to stand up to authority and dreams of becoming a spy. When Benjamin’s father is kidnapped, Janie and Benjamin must uncover the secrets of the apothecary’s sacred book, the Pharmacopoeia, in order to find him, all while keeping it out of the hands of their enemies–Russian spies in possession of nuclear weapons. Discovering and testing potions they never believed could exist, Janie and Benjamin embark on a dangerous race to save the apothecary and prevent impending disaster.

Together with Ian Schoenherr’s breathtaking illustrations, this is a truly stunning package from cover to cover.

We are accepting five readers in the U.S. for this blog tour. First come first serve. Must be willing to read and review the book within five days, send it to the next person with delivery confirmation, and send a link of your review and a DCF number to Fire and Ice via email. For a full list of rules and to sign up click here and fill out the form.

The MIS-adventures of PIP Blog Tour

06 Jun, 2011 by in misadventure of PIP 2 comments

The Misadventures of Phillip Isaac Pennby Donna L. Peterson
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 96 pages
Published June 8, 2011
by Cedar Fort
ISBN-10: 1599558939
3.5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Pip, whose real name is Phillip Isaac Penn, feels that the world is against him as he struggles to deal with angry parents, a bossy older sister, a frazzled teacher, and memorable characters such as Bully Bart, Cheater Chaz, Know-It-All Nell, Liar Lizzy, Stealer Steffan, Conman Cody, and Tattle-Tale Tess. Every day of the week brings another challenge that Pip handles in his own endearing way. Yet, no matter how hard he tries, he realizes that it’s just not easy being a kid.

Poor PIP just can not catch a break in life! Author Donna Peterson describes his antics in a chapter for each day of the week. Every morning he wakes up with someone calling his name and as the hours go by he winds up in all kinds of trouble with his teachers, classmates and at home. This enchanting read for first graders and up addresses cheating, bullying and respect for other people’s property. It shows how adults need to take the time to actually figure out what is going on before jumping to conclusions. Told in formulaic, predictable chapters it’s a short book at 96 pages that is recommended for all. Overall a fun summer choice for a middle grade early reader. It’s a great one to read aloud because of the repetition and beautiful illustrations. Thumbs up from Fire and Ice!

About the author: Donna Peterson has enjoyed writing stories and poetry since the second grade. She has been published four times in the Idaho Magazine; wrote a weekly humor column, “Kaleidoscope,” for the Three Rivers Chronicle; and she continues to write short stories for the children at Park Intermediate School, where she has been employed for the past twelve years. Two years ago, Donna took a children’s literature class, which inspired her to finally publish her own stories.

Donna lives in Weiser, Idaho, with her husband, Brad, and her three-legged cat, Sam. Her son, Erik and his lovely wife, Shawna, live in Murray, Utah. Her other son, David, will be attending college in Japan next fall. Learn more about the author and her book at the Facebook Fan Page
and Goodreads page


There are several chances to win a copy of this book for yourself at
So I’m Fifty
I’m A Reader Not A Writer
A Casual Reader’s Blog
Keepin’ Up With LDS Bookstores

and be sure to stop by all the PIP blog tour stops for future chances to win. Thanks so much to Cedar Fort for giving us a sneak peak on Netgalley and inviting Fire and Ice to be a part of the tour!

Circle of Fire Teaser Trailer

05 Jun, 2011 by in book trailer, Heather Gardner Photography, michelle zink, prophecy of the sisters 13 comments

I have been working with author Michelle Zink on the trailer for her upcoming book Circle of Fire to be published August 3rd from Little Brown books. Today, Michelle released a teaser trailer on YouTube featuring my photos which I costumed, cast and shot starting back in February for Michelle. SQUEE!!!

A full trailer will be released August 2nd, the day before the book, the third in her Prophecy of the Sisters series hits shelves. So stay tuned! A huge thanks to Michelle and her children for all the work they put into this project, to my amazing models and to Little Brown publishing.


To celebrate the teaser trailer release I’m giving away an exclusive Michelle Zink Prophecy of the Sisters wristband and 8×12 signed trailer still photo of your choice from the four in the collage below. Simply comment on this post to enter. Giveaway ends July 5, 2011.

Want more photos? Visit my Galleries online at SmugMug, Flickr, Facebook, Tumblr, Etsy and my site at Heather Gardner Photography.

Hourglass Hope on a Chain Necklace Giveaway

04 Jun, 2011 by in myra mcentire 30 comments

It’s been quite a while since we’ve done an Etsy giveaway, and I promised to do another one for Myra McEntire’s book Hourglass which is due to be released June 14th by Egmont. So here comes another giveaway of a necklace made from Kaleb’s hope coin…”He reached into his pocket before placing something in my hand and carefully curling my fingers around it. When he left, I opened my palm. It was a silver circle engraved with the word hope.” -p.333, Hourglass by Myra McEntire

This handmade piece was donated to Fire and Ice by Hope On A Rope Jewelry…”My name is Kim and I live with my wonderful husband on a farm in good ole’ New Jersey with our monster cat. I love anything crafty and I would love to continue to learn new crafts. Handmade Jewelry Inspired by Hope. A portion of each sale is donated to the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Breast Cancer Fund.”

This Hope on a Chain necklace is made of a 3/8 inch Sterling Silver disc stamped with “hope”. Sterling disc is attached to a 16 inch Sterling Silver chain with a Sterling Silver jump ring

To Enter To Win: simply comment below
additional optional entries
+1 add Hope On A Rope Jewelry to your favorites on
Etsy
+1 for each giveaway retweet @fireicephotos
+1 for each follow here, on twitter, Facebook or Tumblr
+1 for visiting our two etsy shops and commenting on your favorite item
+5 for a blog post of this contest
+1 for following @MyraMcEntire on twitter

leave your links and total your entries in one comment
Giveaway is international and ends on Hourglass release day June 14, 2011

Book Blow Out ARC Giveaway

03 Jun, 2011 by in book giveaway 14 comments

Here at Fire and Ice, I have a few extra books on my shelves. So I’m sharing my ARC and BEA love with you readers! Here’s what there is to choose from:

ARC of Shut Out by Kody Keplinger
ARC of Those That Wake by Jessie Karp
ARC of Throat by R.A. Nelson
ARC of Human.4 by Mike A.Lancaster
ARC if A Young Man’s Guide To Late Capitalism by Peter Mumford
ARC of Among the Truthers by Jonathan Kay

There will be six winners. Pick your top book choice and fill out this form. Then stay tuned for more BEA giveaways and new ARC tours! This ARC blow out is international and ends July 3, 2011.

Book Review- Where The Mountain Meets The Moon

02 Jun, 2011 by in YA book reviews Leave a comment

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
Author: Grace Lin
Publisher: Little Brown
Published: June 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-316-03863-8
Paperback: 279 pages
5 stars

Grace Lin, author of the beloved Year of the Dog and Year of the Rat, returns with a wondrous story of happiness, family, and friendship. A fantasy crossed with Chinese folklore, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a timeless adventure story in the classic tradition of The Wizard of Oz.

In the Valley of Fruitless Mountain, a young girl named Minli spends her days working hard in the fields and her nights listening to her father spin fantastic tales about the Jade Dragon and the Old Man of the Moon. Minli’s mother, tired of their poor life, chides him for filling her head with nonsense. But Minli believes these enchanting stories and embarks on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man of the Moon and ask him how her family can change their fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest

“Far away from here, following the Jade River, there was once a black mountain that cut into the sky like a jagged piece of rough metal. The villagers called it the Fruitless Mountain because nothing grew on it and birds and animals did not rest there.” page 1

Minli lives in this poor, broken down village with her Ma and Ba. Although, her mother is extremely negative about the life she’s been given, Minli tries to see the positive. Her favorite thing to do is to listen to Ba tells stories. For every question Minli has about a subject, there is a story. Every story has a lesson, and every lesson is learned by the character that needs to hear it, so stories are told throughout the book. The stories Minli enjoys the most are “The Story of the Fruitless Mountain”, and “The Story of the Old Man of the Moon”. (There is a lot more to explain about the stories told, but I don’t want to give everything away.)

Minli is a very sweet and curious girl. She was given two pieces of copper when she was a baby, they sit in a blue rice bowl, and they haven’t been spent. One day a goldfish peddler comes to the village, Minli has been trying to think of ways to change her families fortune. She runs in her hut, takes a copper coin and buys a goldfish with the intention of starting that change. Of course, her Ma is upset, there is barely enough rice to feed the three of them, much less a silly goldfish. Minli feels guilty, so she decides to let the fish go. Then suddenly the goldfish starts talking to her. And with that, her adventure begins.

I loved this book. The illustrations are beautiful. It was almost to pretty to open and enjoy. The story was so sweet. I loved Minli’s adventure and also was entertained by what happens to all the characters, even the ones that are subjects in stories. Most of all, I loved Ma’s change of heart.

5 stars out of 5. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a Newbery Honor Book. Grace Lin has written many books, which I’m sure I will be enjoying too. Read more about the author here.

Thanks to Heather for giving me the opportunity to read and review this amazing book. –Guest Review by Mindy Holt of LDSWBR.