2014 - In Books

This year I challenged myself to read 25 books (because last year I slacked a bit). And I'm happy to say that I read 37! beating my challenge.

1. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
2. Tenderness - Robert Cormier
3. After the First Death - Robert Cormier
4. Esquire's Big Book of Fiction - Various
5. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
6. Wintergirls - Laurie Halse Anderson 
7. Someday, Someday, Maybe - Lauren Graham
8. 1984 - George Orwell
9. Elixir - Hilary Duff
10. Devoted - Hilary Duff
11. True - Hilary Duff
12. The Moon and More - Sarah Dessen
13. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury 
14. The Green Mile - Stephen King
15. Delirium - Lauren Oliver
16. Pandemonium - Lauren Oliver
17. Requiem - Lauren Oliver
18. Before I Fall - Lauren Oliver
19. Burn for Burn - Jenny Han, Siobhan Vivian
20. Fire with Fire - Jenny Han, Siobhan Vivian
21. Icons - Margaret Stohl
22. Let the Sky Fall - Shannon Messenger
23. Let the Storm Break - Shannon Messenger
24. Cinder - Marissa Meyer
25. Scarlet - Marissa Meyer
26. Cress - Marissa Meyer
27. The Fault in Our Stars - John Green
28. Lone Wolf - Jodi Picoult 
29. The Things They Carried - Tim O'Brien
30. The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender - Leslye Walton
31. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - Benjamin Alire Saenz
32. In Perfect Light - Benjamin Alire Saenz
33. Hush, Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick
34. Crescendo - Becca Fitzpatrick
35. Silence - Becca Fitzpatrick
36. Finale - Becca Fitzpatrick
37. Beautiful Lies - Jessica Warman

Favorite: The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender

Least Favorite: Lone Wolf & Before I Fall

Surprising Like: The Color Purple
Surprising Hate: Before I Fall
Beloved Re-Read:The Things They Carried
Would Re-Read: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Wondered Why You Bothered Finishing It: Lone Wolf
Made You Cry: The Fault In Our Stars
Made You Laugh: Someday, Someday, Maybe
Want to See it Turned into a Movie: Tenderness would make a good thriller
Overrated: The Catcher in the Rye
Underrated: The Green Mile
Best/Most Promising Series: The Lunar Chronicles
Started Good but Petered Out: Hush, Hush Series & Delirium Series
Started Slow but Stuck the Landing: The Color Purple
Author to Watch Out For: Leslye Walton
Best Book Cover: The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender & Aristotle and Dante Discover the Universe
Bad Cover, Good Book: The Fault in Our Stars (I would never have picked up the book if I didn't already know and love John Green.)
Made You Think: Dante and Aristotle Discover the Secrets of the Universe & The Things They Carried
Guilty Pleasure: Sky Fall Series
Best YA: The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender
Best Adult: The Things They Carried
Favorite Character: Cinder - Cinder
Least Favorite Character: Everyone in Lone Wolf
Most Hated Antagonist: Percy - The Green Mile
Most Hated Protagonist: Sam - Before I Fall
Fictional Crush: Alex - Delirium Series

*I'm part of the Amazon Associates Program. Buying from my affiliate link helps monetize the blog.*

2014 - In Hindsight

This year seems to have gone by even faster than the last one. I remember when I was younger I'd hear older people say that all the time but I never believed it would happen to me. It has sadly. It has.

Even though it seems to have whizzed by, this year was full of new experiences, first times, old traditions, and new friends. Here are some of the highlights.

• We had a New Year's Eve get together at our new place and rang in the new year with friends and a fire pit. 
• John and I celebrated our one year anniversary.
• I had my one year work anniversary. 
• I tried a new exercise - lyra. 
• I finally stuck with and USED my planner for an entire year. I think I'm hooked. 

• John and I got TWO dogs this year: Boyboy & Belle. 
• We road tripped to San Diego! Day 1, Day 2, Day 3
• I learned how to paint...sort of. 
• We got third place at Lion & The Rose Pub Trivia! 
• I've been trying to sew a lot more. Hopefully I'll post some more updates in the future. 

• I've gotten a lot better at cross stitching and am kind of ashamed I haven't shared any finished projects on here yet. 
• I started cooking a whole lot more. 
• Da, Brother, John, and I went kayaking downtown! 
• We re-redid the living room. 
• We had a Halloween party at our house. 
• I turned 26! 

• I volunteered for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. 
• I found a new idol - her name is Martha Stewart.
• I've started becoming more aware of current events and how biases and prejudices shape a lot of our future. 

• We went to see Matisyahu in Austin.
• We visited an old-timey town - Enchanted Springs. 
• John and I pretended to be tourist and took a barge ride on the Riverwalk. 

• We took in a stray poodle for two nights and I miss him so much. 
• Two of my favorite things - books and snail mail - were combined when I participated in my first Book Swap! 
• I was nominated for a Liebster Award.

As for my fun goals for the year - I didn't even do half of them but the ones I did do were pretty awesome.

This year was seriously great. I love going back and looking at all the things I've done. It kind of puts things into perspective. The year may have felt like it went by in a flash but I got a lot of things done and am in a good place. I've got a roof, a family, a full time job, and the rest is basically up to me to make happen. And I'm confident I can continue to do that.

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Pandemonium
Author: Lauren Oliver
Published by: HarperTeen

*This post contains spoilers.*

This book is the second in a three part series. To read my review of the first book, Delirium - go here! 

Lena has learned a lot from her time in the Wilds. She's grown hard, tough, resilient. Now she's a totally new person in New York. With Raven and Tack as her guides, Lena has officially become part of the resistance. Her job is to learn everything she can about the DFA's young superstar, Julian Fineman. This task becomes both harder and easier when they are taken hostage at a rally. Stuck together in a tiny cell, Lena learns a lot about Julian. She learns about his father, his past, and she learns a lot about herself.

First, let me start off by saying that this book was just as good as Delirium. I loved every second of it. In a matter of 350 pages, you've learned a lot about Lena, the resistance, the Scavengers, and the ever-impending war between the Uncureds and the Cureds.

Oliver divides the chapters between Then and Now which help the book become something better.

THEN talks about Lena when she has just crossed over into the Wilds. We learn how she becomes stronger, how she gets accustomed to the changes and ways of life. We see her learn to fight, to forage, and to compartmentalize her feelings. We see her broken by love and question whether leaving Portland was really for the best. We see her weak and vulnerable in a way she had never been before.


The NOW chapters are Lena a few months later, when she has been given a new (false) identity and is living in New York as a Cured. Her job as part of the resistance is to keep an eye on the DFA and more specifically, Julian Fineman. But when the rally is ambushed by the Scavengers, Lena and Julian are taken captive. As they share a cell, the two of them become close. Julian tells her of his father and his brother and Lena, against her better judgement, tells Julian about her past. Soon, the two of them are growing closer together as they try to find a way out.

What I really liked about this book was seeing Lena in a new way. She was sad, lost, and longing for Alex in the Wilds but she had to overcome that. She's had to bury that part of herself. We start to see Lena experience other intense emotions that stem from love: loss, healing, rage, empathy. Without understanding what love is these other emotions wouldn't be possible. I like that we also see her struggle with it. She struggles a lot with her past. She gets angry at that fact. She knows that she shouldn't have to bury, hide, or fake her feelings. She no longer questions her feelings about the procedure. She knows what side she is on and she's willing to fight for it.

I think Julian is OK. He's different than Alex. He's softer and unsure of himself. He's nice and kind. I don't hate him and I think some of the scenes between Lena and him are steamy...but he's no Alex. I think I just like the bad boy vibe.


Anyway, this book is a great second novel and seemed the perfect fit as the next installment. I am so excited to read Requiem - you have no idea.

I give this book 4 out of 5 cateyes.

Happy Christmas

Happy Holidays everyone! 

Christmas is usually a time of cuddling on the couch, watching Elf and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. There is hot chocolate to drink, coffee to drink, lots and lots of dark chocolate to eat.

This year though...none of that happened.

It's been unseasonably hot. I haven't worn my peacoat once this year - sticking mostly to jeans and hoodies. It's way too hot for soup, hot chocolate, or cuddling on the couch with blankets and sweaty bodies.

It doesn't feel like Christmas at all. Sure the stores have been blasting the music, the presents were wrapped underneath the tree, lots of people are wearing red. But it still doesn't really feel like Christmas. At least not one I'm used to. I guess people who celebrate south of the equator always have hot Christmases.

Anyway...

In keeping with tradition we got another real tree and decorated it soon after Thanksgiving.

There were wrapped presents underneath it but John and I opened each other's gifts last night.

John got me a lot of awesome stuff most notably a BOOKSHELF! Yes, yes, and three times yes!

Via Target.

And Taylor Swift's CD.

Not even kidding!

We listened to it on repeat while we built the shelf last night.

I gave him a lot of tools that he had been wanting and needing. Clamps, a toolbox, a work light, and some other stuff.

Because we have no kids, just furbabies, we spoiled them a bit and got them new harnesses, some rope toys, some squeaky toys, a new lead, and tasty bones.

Mum made them liver treats that they absolutely LOVE.

I got some other gifts from my parents and uncles and aunts. My parents gave me some lefty fabric scissors that I HOPEHOPEHOPE will give me better cutting control when I sew. And this awesome, super soft SHEEP ROBE.

That I wore to work to keep myself warm during my shift. 

All in all, this was a pretty good Christmas. Looking forward to New Year's Eve/Day when I'll be OFF of work and will get to have unbridled fun ringing in 2015!

Easy Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes

I love the combination of peppermint and chocolate. 

And I'm not alone. 

The first results on Pinterest. 

I was having a pretty bad craving yesterday so I decided to make a quick batch of peppermint chocolate cupcakes to satiate my craving. 

These cupcakes are easy because they use a box cake mix and canned frosting. But they taste like Christmas. 

Easy Peppermint Chocolate Cupcakes

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Yield: 24 cupcakes


Ingredients

• 1 box Chocolate Cake Mix
• 1 tsp Peppermint Extract

For Frosting

• 1 can White or Chocolate Frosting
• Candy Canes 

Cooking Directions

1. Put all of the ingredients the cake mix calls for into a bowl (water, eggs, oil, and cake mix). Before you start to mix the batter add the peppermint extract.
2. Mix all the ingredients together, according to the box instructions.
3. Pour the batter into your cupcake liners and bake according to the box instructions.
4. After the cupcakes have cooled - frost them.
5. Take a few candy canes, put them in a sandwich bag and using a can or jar, crush the candy canes until the pieces are bite size.
6. Sprinkle the candy cane bits on top to decorate.

Some Helpful Tips:

• Before you add the batter to the liners, taste the batter to see if there's enough peppermint flavor. You may want to add more. The flavor does lessen as the cakes bake but I found that one teaspoon was a great way to have a hint of peppermint without overpowering the chocolate flavor. 
• I piped the frosting on the cupcakes. You CAN use canned frosting but it helps if you whip it with a mixer. The peaks will become stiffer and they'll frost prettier. Sometimes, depending on your area (humidity, elevation, etc.) you might have to add some confectioner's sugar on top of whipping the frosting to get the right consistency. 
• You DEFINITELY don't have to pipe them. 

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium
Author: Lauren Oliver
Published by: HarperCollins



Lena has been scared of amor deliria nervosa since it killed her mother over ten years ago. Since then, she's been counting down the days until her 18th birthday. That's the day she can finally be sure that she'll be cured from love forever. She'll get evaluated, matched with a partner, and have the procedure done just like everyone else. She'll live her days out in contentment. In stability. But before she can have the procedure done she meets a boy named Alex. He isn't scared of the Invalids who hide out in The Wilds, uncured and filled with passionate emotions. As Lena learns more and more about what the government isn't telling her, she starts to question whether love really needs a cure at all.

I am a hopeless romantic. There, I said it. I love chick flicks and chick lit. I love YA books because they don't tend to focus on sex as much as the build up of the relationships. Those awkward first dates, fleeting glances, and all the nervousness that just touching a boy can bring.

So because of all that and more, I absolutely fell in love with this book. I fell in love with Alex immediately. As soon as he whispers to Lena, "I prefer the ocean when it's gray. Or not really gray. A pale, in-between color. It reminds me of waiting for something good to happen." I died. It took all of my willpower not to squeeee! while at work. But he's also actually a great character. He has a sketchy history, a need for change, a streak of rebellion. He isn't afraid of his feelings or what they mean. He's not ashamed to love beautiful things.

In the beginning I felt kind of ho-hum about Lena. She may seem weak but she has to overcome a lot of history and a lot of self doubt.  We see how people in this disease-free US are raised. She has to fight this inner battle between the future where the thought of her mother's suicide won't cause her pain and a past where laughing and dancing make her feel something. She has to decide how she wants her present to be and she teeters a lot. It's understandable. I think it makes her more relatable.

I like the world that Oliver has created. If you've ever had your heart broken you can totally understand how being cured of love can sound appealing. But it's not just romantic love that these people are giving up. Children are raised by loveless parents, pets are nothing more than continuously fed animals. What is probably the most terrifying is that children, all those under 18 are still capable of love. They haven't had the procedure so they flit around the city capable of beautiful things, of kindness and compassion, but they are routinely taught to stifle these emotions. No one sees losing these feelings as a bad thing. When you're cured, everything becomes duller, lessened. Your favorite hobbies, your favorite people - you won't even miss them anymore. And it's not even a sacrifice to to them - it's just growing up.


I loved this book. It is a dystopian novel but it is, first and foremost, a love story. I cannot wait to read the next books in the series.



I give it 5 out of 5 cateyes.

American Horror Story: Coven - Review

American Horror Story: Coven 

Created by: Brad Falchuk, Ryan Murphy

Starring: Jessica Lange, Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson, Taissa Farmiga

Season 1 & 2 are on Netflix

Season 4 is airing on FX. 

*This post contains spoilers.*

I started watching American Horror Story (AHS) because everyone WOULDN'T shut up about it. When it came to Netflix, John and I watched Season 1 and were intrigued.

It was different. I wasn't used to seeing this type of genre on TV. The writing was good, the acting was good, the story left me wondering what was going to happen next. I think we finished the season in under a week.

Then we watched AHS Asylum. This one was harder for me to watch. I'm not a fan of gore porn. I hate gross things simply for the sake of being gross. But again, we watched it and finished it. There were some unanswered questions - aliens?! Really? But it wasn't horrible.

When I got the email last week from Netflix telling me that Coven was finally available I made John watch it with me. We finished it yesterday and I wasn't impressed.

It seemed that so many things in this season didn't really have a true purpose to the development of the story. 

For instance: Delphine LaLaurie (Kathy Bates). I get it - she was a horrific person, terribly racist, and insane. But...what does that have anything to do with the coven? To introduce Marie Laveau? Marie is voodoo. The coven are witches. I can see a natural rivalry between the two without Delphine. Was the purpose to explain why Marie was immortal? We got an explanation for that and it had nothing to do with Delphine. What bugs me is that Delphine lived solely to remind us what she did in her past life. All the horrible, terrible things she did to her slaves. And yet if you take out all of her story - you'd still have a story about the fate of the coven intact. 

I also thought the Axeman was dumb. Even though, I admit, his theme song was pretty awesome. There really was no reason for him to be a murderer. He was a throwaway lover for Fiona. Any man could have done that job. But noooo, they needed someone who creeped her for years and killed innocent women...for no reason. Take away the Axeman and replace him with Joe NotAMurderer and you still have a character to play the lover. Actually, it would probably be better if he was a normal person who legitimately loved her and then went on a killing rampage. But whatever.

I hate that Kyle's mother was never found out. A minor thing I suppose considering her murder is considered her comeuppance. Still, I hate that Kyle never told Zoey why he killed her. It was with this first act that Zoey became afraid, and aware of, Kyle. If she had known why he killed her might it have made her regard him differently? 

Madison got on my nerves every time she spoke but I understood that that was her character. 

The JesusFreak neighbor and her son also seemed unneeded. She was only there to show how creepy she could be with her unblinkingly bulbous eyeballs. Any female neighbor could have been shot and alerted the coven to the witch hunters. 

This season they also used a lot of turning, off-kilter shots. I don't mind them every once in a while but when they put so many of them together it gets a bit old. Those types of shots are usually to alert the audience that something is off. Something isn't right and you're supposed to feel off-kilter too. But everyone in this series is crazy, gross, insane, racist, or whatever else so why shoot everything sideways? In this instance because there was no "normal" person, crazy becomes normal and therefore the shots could have stayed leveled. 

And last but not least, I hated Stevie Nicks. The entire musical sequence looked like a two-for-one music video special. I don't hate her and I don't hate her music but I hated her in this series. She looked so awkward every time she was on screen. It felt as if she didn't belong. They spent so much screen time on her that I wondered if she had paid to be on the show.

Brad and Ryan are also the creators of Nip/Tuck and Glee. I watched all of Nip/Tuck though the last few seasons were lacking. And I loved the first couple seasons of Glee and then stopped watching. It looks like I'll be doing the same with AHS. I wanted to watch Freak Show but I think I'll just skip it and wait for whatever their next creation is. 

I give this season 2 out of 5 popcorn. 

After the First Death - Robert Cormier

After the First Death
Author: Robert Cormier
Published by: Laurel Leaf

*This post contains spoilers.* 

Told from multiple perspectives, After the First Death is a story about the difference between terrorism and patriotism and how sometimes those differences are nothing but a fine line. Artkin and Miro are freedom fighters who have taken a bus full of children hostage. Ben's father is a general in charge of capturing the terrorist and getting the children back safely. Kate, the bus driver, was in the wrong place at the wrong time; filling in for her sick uncle. Each person's narrative gives insight to the events that transpired on that day.

The book delves into strange and scary territory. 

Miro describes his childhood and how he became indoctrinated into the ways of the freedom fighters. You feel sorry for him. He who knows nothing but destruction and loss. He values a country he has never seen over the lives of innocents and even himself. He is patriotic to the cause. He will do anything to secure his land again. 

Artkin and the General are both fighting for their lands. One for the freedom of it and one for the safety of it. These men are willing to do whatever it takes in the best interest of their country. Both of these men put their children into battle. Who can say which of the two is more evil?

Miro's circumstances may have taught him how to be a terrorist but he too is nothing but a sacrifice for a cause. Why else choose children as soldiers in a war? Artkin may not have been Miro's father but he was a father-figure and Miro tries to please him. The same is true of Ben who tries to please his father and do his duty to his country.

This is what I found the most terrifying. We expect terrorists and "bad" people to resort to extreme measures. Artkin and Miro were obviously brought up knowing nothing else. Their value, or lack thereof, for life has been ingrained into them for years. What we do not expect is for the "good" guys to do the same. The General sends his own son to be a messenger in a negotiation standoff. We would think that the General should know better.

Does that make Artkin's use of Miro less evil? Should the General be punished more severely? The General suggests his own son to be the messenger. It seems ridiculous that the General would send a child to save the lives of children.

What also made me pause while reading was the fact that as an American, we view Ben as a child. An innocent. A scapegoat. We focus all the anger and hatred towards his father, the General. But Miro is himself a child. As Kate notices, his innocence is seen as more sinister because he doesn't understand what it is he does. Yet, we never see Miro as a scapegoat. We expect more humanity from him. We blame him as much as Artkin for his role in the terrorist act. 

Cormier does a good job of making believable characters and keeping the tension high through the entire novel. The end may upset you but it speaks of so many truths. Some that are unpleasant, unfair, and overall unjust. 

I give the book four out of five cat eyes.

Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick

Finale
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Published by: Simon and Schuster

This is the final installment of the Hush, Hush series. You can read the reviews for Book One, Book Two, and Book Three.

*This post contains spoilers to all four books.*

Nora and Patch no longer have to worry about Hank. He deserved something far worse than death but at least they don't have to deal with him anymore. But before Hank died, he made Nora promise to lead his Nephilim army. Now, Nora has no choice but follow through or risk her, and her mother's lives. With Patch by her side, Nora decides that the best way to finish all of this is by stealth and working both sides from within. What Nora doesn't expect is that straddling both is a lot harder than she thought. She'll have to pick one side once and for all. But she can't side with the Nephilim and lose Patch forever. With Patch's life on side and the entire nephil race on the other which side will she end up fighting for? 

As I mentioned before I didn't have much hope for this book. But it actually surprised me a little bit - if only because my expectations were so low. This book was most similar to the thrill I got when reading Hush, Hush with its romance, action, and some plot twists and turns. 

In this book, Nora finally, FINALLY realizes that she can completely and totally trust Patch. With her jealousy out of the picture, the two of them make a great pair and are able to accomplish a lot towards the war-effort. Nora and Scott are still friends, Vee tells Nora a secret she's been hiding for a while and Marcie makes a last minute appearance.

The myriad of twists and turns towards the end of book seem a bit overwhelming. I don't think they all needed to be there but it does make the book more interesting. Some characters came back into the story only to make an appearance, such as Marcie. She wasn't needed at all and the fact that she is jealous of Nora and trying to avenge her father seems a bit out of left field. I know that Marcie missed her dad but to try to overtake the army and feel that she is his rightful, true heir was a bit much. 

Overall, I think the book did a better job that the middle two of being true to what the entire series should have been. Nora was a stronger woman, no longer sniveling and self-conscious every two seconds. Which made it easier to read and not cringe every page. The action had a beginning, middle, and an end that left me satisfied when it was all said and done. 

I give the final installment 3 out of 5 cat eyes.

Movies to Watch in December

The Christmas decorations have been up since before Halloween and the carols have been blaring since before Thanksgiving. I'm sure you're more than aware of how close it is to Christmas time.



But hey, let's say you've been living under a rock the past few months and you are not yet in the mood for hot chocolate, steaming mugs of coffee, and the smell of pine trees in the weirdest of places.

Why don't you watch some of my favorite December movies? They're not all about Christmas but they might make you rethink the hot chocolate part.


Bridget Jones's Diary 

Mum has had a crush on Colin Firth since she saw him in the BBC Pride and Prejudice mini-series years ago. She'll watch any movie with him in it and so by default I usually do too. He's kind of grown on me. He's great in this movie and so swoony. Bridget is hilarious and makes me feel better about my life when I'm having a shitty day. I want to be her friend.


Elf

My family watches Elf every year. We can't get enough of Will Ferrell and his naviete and big heart. There's no other movie that will bring along the Christmas spirit quite like Buddy.




How the Grinch Stole Christmas

When I say I love How the Grinch Stole Christmas I am only referring to the animated thirty minute version. I absolutely love how cute the Grinch looks. The moral isn't bad either. I've seen this movie so many times I can probably quote the entire thing. I also can't get the song out of my head for at least a week and no, that's not a complaint.






Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

I loved this movie so much when I was younger that I broke the VHS. I would watch it all the time. Constantly. I'm sure my parents hated me for a bit. Another movie that I can quote my entire way through. I love every single one of the characters but have a special ventricle in my heart reserved for all the misfit toys!


Hatchi

With all of the sugar-rushes, endorphin-highs from the shopping sprees, and the blissful melodic carols you might just find yourself looking to CRY IT ALL OUT. You know, to even things out. Hatchi is the perfect crying-but-still-feel-good movie that will leave you feeling grateful to see your family fight over their Christmas presents.


Beauty and the Beast 

Ok, let's be cereal right now. There is NEVER a wrong time to watch the most beloved Disney movie of all time. But it definitely feels better when you're cozied up on the big couch, drinking hot chocolate out of your favorite Chip mug, snuggling next to your loves, underneath a ton of blankets, watching the Beast transform from a semi-rude-but-totally-normal-eleven-year-old-boy into a kind-of-handsome-but-definitely-nicer Prince Charming.


These are just some of the movies that make the never-ending Christmas season more bearable. This year though I'll probably watch them to remind myself what winter feels like. We've had weather in the 70s here and I'm dying!


What are some of your favorite December/Christmas movies?