Books: October Edition

Hey y'all! It's officially November and I am loving it. October was wonderful! Here in Utah, the weather has been a delicious mixture of warm yet cool, that great fall crisp-ness. There was a skiff of snow, but mostly I have been able to fully enjoy the gorgeous fall colors and really nice weather. I got stuck on a book early in the month, so I didn't get too many reading done, but now that I gave up on that one, I have been going strong. Ha ha. So here are my book reviews for October.

The book I got stuck on was The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter. Here's a short summary (thanks to BN.com):

His powers--inhuman. His passion--beyond immortal.

All her life, Ashlyn Darrow has been tormented by voices from the past. To end the nightmare, she has come to Budapest seeking help from men rumored to have supernatural abilities, not knowing she'll be swept into the arms of Maddox, their most dangerous member--a man trapped in a hell of his own.

Neither can resist the instant hunger that calms their torments...and ignites an irresistible passion. But every heated touch and burning kiss will edge them closer to destruction--and a soul-shattering test of love....

Sounds pretty interesting, right? I love a good romance novel, especially when it sounds like there is a great plot behind it (Greek mythology? Count me in). Yeah, this one did not interest me at all. I read the prequel to it (a short novella, I suppose) called The Darkest Fire, and I should have just given up there. It was so cheesy and there was no reason why the characters suddenly fell in love. But I read some reviews that said the full-length novels were much better. And while The Darkest Night was better, it still wasn't something I looked forward to reading. The characters were fairly well developed, but the story-line moved so slowly and it was so cheesy, that I just gave up. Two out of five stars, and that's being nice. 

So I gave up on that, thank goodness, and next I read Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares. Here's what this one's about: 

Despite having jobs and men that they love, each knows that something is missing: the closeness that once sustained them. Carmen is a successful actress in New York, engaged to be married, but misses her friends. Lena finds solace in her art, teaching in Rhode Island, but still thinks of Kostos and the road she didn’t take. Bridget lives with her longtime boyfriend, Eric, in San Francisco, and though a part of her wants to settle down, a bigger part can’t seem to shed her old restlessness.

Then Tibby reaches out to bridge the distance, sending the others plane tickets for a reunion that they all breathlessly await. And indeed, it will change their lives forever—but in ways that none of them could ever have expected.

First of all, if you haven't read the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, I would definitely recommend them. These books are wonderful. I loved this book because although these characters each have their own lives, they have not forgotten their friends. The characters are not super relatable to me, and I often find myself thinking, Why!? Why did you do that?? But I think that is what makes these books and characters great. They make me question life and give a perspective on how different people handle the struggles life throws at all of us. And through it all, these books are about the importance of friendship. This was a wonderful book. Five stars out of five.

Then I read The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown. Here's a summary:

Three sisters have returned to their childhood home, reuniting the eccentric Andreas family. Here, books are a passion (there is no problem a library card can't solve) and TV is something other people watch. Their father-a professor of Shakespeare who speaks almost exclusively in verse-named them after the Bard's heroines. It's a lot to live up to.

The sisters have a hard time communicating with their parents and their lovers, but especially with one another. What can the shy homebody eldest sister, the fast-living middle child, and the bohemian youngest sibling have in common? Only that none has found life to be what was expected; and now, faced with their parents' frailty and their own personal disappointments, not even a book can solve what ails them...

I liked this book. Mostly. These characters, the three sisters, were not relatable at all to me. And while I can still enjoy a book if this is not the case (see above), in this instance these characters kind of drove me nuts. I also just cannot wrap my mind around sisters who "love each other" but don't really "like each other". Yes, I know sisters fight or disagree or whatever. But I have never not liked my sisters. So it was kinda weird for me. The plot was slow, but enjoyable, and towards the end of the book I was finally happy with the choices the characters were making. However, there were times when I would be reading and I felt the author was trying way too hard to be a "writer" instead of just writing. That was obnoxious. Overall, I would give this one three out of five stars. It was a good book about discovering yourself and family love.

After that, I read Wither by Lauren DeStefano (isn't that cover so pretty and yet kinda creepy? I love it!). Here's a quick summary: 

By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males born with a lifespan of 25 years, and females a lifespan of 20 years—leaving the world in a state of panic. Geneticists seek a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children.

When Rhine is sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Yet her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement; her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next; and Rhine has no way to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive.

Sorry, that's kind of wordy, but that's basically the book in a nutshell. I want to say, first off, that I read many reviews on Goodreads that were not in favor of this book. On the other hand, I read quite a few blog reviews that raved about this book. I would definitely be leaning more towards the raving side. I flew through this book. I loved the characters, the plot, the way the author writes. I really liked it! I will, however, acknowledge that the dystopian world this author creates is completely improbable. This would never happen. No virus is ever going to kill people at a specific age. If the polar ice caps were vaporized, Manhattan (where Rhine is from) would probably not exist. And if World War III destroyed every continent besides North America, I don't think anyone would still be living on it (besides the fact that that itself would probably not happen so neatly). So that part of the book, I had to look past. If the author had thought that all through, it really could have been even better. I gave this one four out of five stars. I'm curious how the author will continue the series. 

Well, that's all my books for October! Hope you enjoy some of these great reads. 

Yours,

Cait

Crazy Connection

So, I'm just chillin' in my comfy bed watching Hocus Pocus, the classic Halloween movie I have been watching since I was a kid. I caught the movie just as it's starting, where it's back in the past and the boy, Thackery Binx (by the way, weirdest name ever), tries to save his sister and then the crazy witches turn him into a cat. And just then, I think to myself, No way! Is that? Is that McGee??

McGee as in NCIS McGee? You guys! It is! McGee from NCIS was in Hocus Pocus! Of course, I checked my facts and consulted IMBD.com. I still feel kinda like twilight-zoned over here, because what a crazy connection, right?
Yours,
 Cait

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Yesterday I went in to see my school advisor to talk about registering for spring semester (which starts  at the end of the month! Holy cow!). She wrote down a list of the classes I should try to take next semester, and I'm just sitting there trying to work up the courage to ask how many more classes I have left. Scary thought. So I ask and she is looking at my info and then says, "Oh, you have about 19 classes left."

For a moment my mind went blank, and then I swear I saw the light at the end of the tunnel. 19 classes left, including the ones she wants me to take in the spring. What?! That's like, three semesters if I push myself! And okay, that might seem like a long time, but for me? I was happy. I was getting scared I would be stuck in school the rest of my life! So right now, I'm pretty optimistic and all, Yeah, let's do this!

Next week when I try to schedule my classes, I will probably want to punch something, but until then, I'm in a great mood about school! Especially since this semester has been so good so far. I am not feeling the doubt I did last semester that I chose the wrong major or that I would fail. Right now, I am way driven to put everything I have into school. I sure hope that feeling doesn't fade when I stress out about registering for classes (cause really, that's always a nightmare).

Also, this is me today, probably thanks to the large mug of coffee I had this morning.  Love me some coffee.

Yours,
Cait

Vamp-ness

I can never say how much I love The Vampire Diaries tv show. I am literally obsessed. I am finally watching the season premiere that I recorded on my DVR and seriously! So much awesomeness! I absolutely love how thrilling this show is. There is nothing blah about it. I love the drama between Elena, Stefan, and Damon. I love that Damon is finally calling Elena out on everything having to be done her way. And is Bonnie not the baddest, coolest witch ever? I heart her! Here are some pics. If you haven't seen this show, you are definitely missing out.

Yours,
Cait

Final Season

Tonight is the season premiere of Gossip Girl and it's the final season. I am so excited! I have been watching this show for so long now, I feel like it's my go-to girly-guilty-pleasure. I am so sad that it's the final season! I remember all the awesome times I have watched it with Jill or my sister and those are just such great memories. I'm so ready for some new episodes!
Yours,
Cait

Books: September Edition

I feel like September was a long, slow month. Which is fine. It means I got some good reading time in between school, work, and family life. I read six books this month, although one was a re-read. I couldn't help it. Ha ha.

First I read Perfect You by Elizabeth Scott. Here's a quick summary, via BN.com:

Kate Brown's life has gone downhill fast. Her father has quit his job to sell vitamins at the mall, and Kate is forced to work with him. Her best friend has become popular, and now she acts like Kate's invisible.

And then there's Will. Gorgeous, unattainable Will, whom Kate acts like she can't stand even though she can't stop thinking about him. When Will starts acting interested, Kate hates herself for wanting him when she's sure she's just his latest conquest.

Kate figures that the only way things will ever stop hurting so much is if she keeps to herself and stops caring about anyone or anything. What she doesn't realize is that while life may not always be perfect, good things can happen — but only if she lets them....

This book was sweet, simple, and very reminiscent of a novel by Sarah Dessen. I liked the secondary characters a lot; Will was funny and genuine, Kate's grandma cracked me up, and the drama with her parents felt very real. However, Kate was whiny, annoying, and kinda blah. I really liked the ending of the book, but I feel like it was rushed. Overall, three out of five stars. 

Then I read a two-part series by Nicole Williams. The books are called Crash and Clash. Here's the overview: 

Southpointe High is the last place Lucy wanted to wind up her senior year of school. Right up until she stumbles into Jude Ryder, a guy whose name has become its own verb, and synonymous with trouble. He's got a rap sheet that runs longer than a senior thesis, has had his name sighed, shouted, and cursed by more women than Lucy dares to ask, and lives at the local boys home where disturbed seems to be the status quo for the residents. Lucy had a stable at best, quirky at worst, upbringing. She lives for wearing the satin down on her ballet shoes, has her sights set on Juilliard, and has been careful to keep trouble out of her life. Up until now.

Jude's everything she knows she needs to stay away from if she wants to separate her past from her future. Staying away, she's about to find out, is the only thing she's incapable of.

For Lucy Larson and Jude Ryder, love's about to become the thing that tears them apart.

I really liked these books a lot. First of all, they are very real and gritty. I could relate to Lucy so much and I really enjoyed her as a main character. She is everything I try to be, independent, strong, and unique. Jude is your typical bad boy, but with a very sweet side. At first I was annoyed by him and his stupidity, but as the books went on, I found myself liking him more and more. I also loved how these books really explored every aspect of love and making a relationship work. They were wonderful! Four  stars for Crash and five stars for Clash. 

After those two, I tried a book called Taking Chances by Molly McAdams. I was looking for something like Easy by Tammara Webber. Here's the summary for Taking Chances: 

Eighteen year old Harper has grown up under her career Marine of a father's thumb. Ready to live life her own way and experience things she's only ever heard of from the jarheads in her father's unit; she's on her way to college at San Diego State University.

Thanks to her new roommate, Harper is introduced to a world of parties, gorgeous guys, family and emotions. Some she wasn't expecting yet, and others she never knew she was missing.

She finds herself being torn in two as she quickly falls in love with her boyfriend Brandon, and her roommate's brother Chase. Covered in tattoos, known for fighting in the Underground and ridiculously muscled...they're exactly what she was always warned to stay away from, but just what she needs. Despite their dangerous looks and histories, both adore and would do anything for Harper, including stepping back if it means she's happy.

It sounds great right? Full of drama, love triangles, college life. And there are some seriously rave reviews for this book on Goodreads.com. But for me, it did not live up to what I wanted. At all. It was extremely dramatic, in a bad way like a soap opera. The main character, Harper, was annoying, stupid, and had basically no personality. Nothing that happens in this book would happen in real life. Seriously. It was ridiculous. I liked the idea behind the book, and there were parts I enjoyed, but over all, it was way too long, too dramatic (even for me), and too cheesy! I found myself rolling my eyes and was happy when it finally ended. The writing was pretty bad and there was virtually no editing done on this book (a huge pet peeve of mine). Only three stars for this one (although it probably should be two; I'm being nice!).

Then I read Down To You by M. Leighton. Here's the summary, from Goodreads (sorry it's kinda long):

 Olivia Townsend is nothing special. She’s just a girl working her way through college so she can return home to help her father run his business. She’s determined not to be the second woman in his life to abandon him, even if it means putting her own life on hold. To Olivia, it’s clear what she must do. Plain and simple. Black and white.

But clear becomes complicated when she meets Cash and Nash Davenport. They’re brothers. Twins.
Cash is everything she’s always wanted in a guy. He’s a dangerous, sexy bad boy who wants her in his bed at any cost. He turns her insides to mush and, with just one kiss, makes her forget why he’s no good for her.

Nash is everything she’s ever needed in a guy. He’s successful, responsible and intensely passionate. But he’s taken. Very taken, by none other than Marissa, Liv’s rich, beautiful cousin. That doesn’t stop Olivia from melting every time he looks at her, though. With just one touch, he makes her forget why they can never be together.

Black and white turns to shades of gray when Olivia discovers the boys are hiding something, something that should make her run as far and as fast as she can. But it’s too late to run. Olivia’s already involved. And in love. With both of them.

I absolutely loved this book. Honestly. The characters were wonderfully real, the writing was great to read, and the plot was intriguing and yet simple. It was a fast, enjoyable read and I really did like everything about this book. I would definitely recommend it if you are looking for a good, steamy romance. Five out of five stars. It's that simple. 

Finally, I read Easy by Tammara Webber for the second time. I have already done a review for this one, so I will skip the summary (if you are interested, it was back in my July Books Edition). This book has stuck with me ever since I read it. I can't stop thinking about it. So I decided to re-read it. And it was just as wonderful the second time. You guys, I cannot hate anything about this book! I just love it. Nothing else in the genre has lived up to it. This is wonderful book about college life, relationships, and standing up for the right thing. I love the main characters, the plot, everything. If you haven't read this one yet, read it. You can thank me later. I would give this one six stars out of five, but I guess that's cheating, so five it is! 

Well, sorry this ended up being a long post! I guess I had a lot to say about these books, ha ha. Enjoy!

Yours,

Cait

Pitch Perfect

You guys, yesterday I went with my mom and step-dad to a movie. I had no clue what movies were out (Brad and I don't go to movies often), but I had heard that this movie called Pitch Perfect was really funny. So I suggested it and we went to go see it. I love that I knew absolutely nothing about this movie, because that made it even better (if that's possible).

 This movie was seriously the funniest, most clever movie I have seen in a long time! Not even a minute into the movie and I was busting up and could not stop laughing (maybe because I was a choir geek...). Basically, it is about college a capella groups, in particular one made up of a bunch of kinda misfit girls and another group of boys who always win. Obviously, it's a huge competition for the girls to win it all at nationals!

 It has Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, and a bunch of other hilarious people in it. It was, in a word, awesome. So if you are looking for a hilarious, clever, feel good movie, go see this one. Seriously. So. Funny.
Yours,
Cait