The Host- Stephanie Meyer

I have to begin by saying that I read the entire Twilight series in college {2007-2008} and I did loved devouring those books. I also feel the need to mention that I am aware that these were not the best books in the planet, they were not the most intelligently written novels, and it was a very shallow topic. At the end of the day, I admit I am a fan, I saw all the movies {at midnight..} and I reccommend these books often.

With that said, I just now read The Host. Post Twilight Saga, I realized that Stephanie Meyer is not the best of the best and I truly didn't feel like wasting my precious reading time on a Twilight with aliens. Hence, the delay. I had been pushed a couple of times in the past two years to read The Host to no avail. But, if you know me, the way to get me to read a book is for that movie to come out in the box office. So, as soon as The Host became a movie, good ol' Cata HAD to read it. And I did. And I am so happy I did!

The Host is nothing like Twilight. I felt it was deep, intricate, detailed, and meaningful. Maybe some people disagree, but I shall support my opinion. See this is a story about humanity above all. Humans, we are strange. With bombings like ones in Boston, I wonder "how can we do this to each other?" "why?" and these are the questions that the aliens {called souls} that invaded Earth had too. They inhabit planets that are no longer "good" and they then live within hosts, because these souls cannot live apart from a host. The souls are a highly intelligent species and also extemely honest and pure kind. This story is a long one, but it is a journey where you feel for both the host and the soul as they teach each other lessons in life. The end leaves off to where I HOPPEEEEEE there will be a second book. If there is a second book, it will defintely be REALLY juicy and I am sure I will pre-order it as soon as it hits Amazon.

Here is the publisher's summary:

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring one of the most unusual love triangles in literature, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the essence of what it means to be human

Loved:

• Hearing about the many different worlds these souls inhabit
• The descriptions, I could see it all in my head vividly
• The lessons learned by both Melanie and Wanda
• Love-- one true love, growing love, the beauty within
• Possibly and hopefully first of two or three books?
• Medicines the souls have created
• The ending!!!!

Loathed:

• Length... man this was a LONG book!
• Parts that were dragged out that could have definitely been edited out
• Wanda's searcher! Uhhh, thinking about her gives me the creeps

All in all, I truly loved reading this long long book. It was different, it was sweet, and I was able to reflect on humanity as a whole. I reccommend this book, but be aware of its length and the fact that it is extremely descriptive. If you like sci-fi and romance, this book is defintiely for you!

Prevent Pre-ordering

No... not really. I truly love pre-ordering books on my Kindle app. What I don't love, is the fact that every single day I wonder if one of the many books I pre-ordered are coming out soon. See, if you pre-order far in advance like I do, this become a painful daily, weekly, monthly routine.


What I have currently in pre-order:

• The Elite by Kiera Cass {April 25}
• Of Triton by Anna Banks {May 28}
• Allegient by Veronica Roth {Oct 22}

Obviously, The Elite by Kiera Cass is coming out this Thursday, and is the book I am currently dying to get my hands on! But, I am eaxcited, if not more excited, to read Allegient and Of Triton.

So, lets start with The Elite. You should remember I read The Selection last year and LOVED LOVED LOVED it! It was totally Hunger Games meets The Bachelor. I felt like I was watching a new reality TV show and, I will admit, I enjoyed that part about it. This book takes off where the first one ended. I cannot tell too much without spoiling The Selection, so I will leave it at that. If you haven't read it yet, I suggest doing so ASAP!

Next up, coming in May is Of Triton. This is book is the sequel of Anna Banks's Of Posedion. I did not review this book yet, but I can quickly tell you I found it refreshing and very interesting. This is not a dystopia {whaaattttt???? I am not reading a dystopia?} but, it is a YA fantasy about mermaids. Ok, don't stop reading, this is not The Little Mermaid. Emma is a girl who lives on land, has no clue about the Syrenas {mermaids} and winds up being extremely entangled in their world. Here is a quick publisher's summary, that I think truly doesn't hook as much as I would like it to:

Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen — literally, ouch! — both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma's gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom . . .

Of Posedion left us on a cliff hanger and I am telling you, I find myself wondering about Of Triton OFTEN! I am extremely excited to May to roll around so I can devour this book and find out what is going onnnnn!

The last book but definitely MOST AWAITED book on my pre-order list is Allegient. Now let me tell you something, I. AM. DYING. TO READ THIS BOOK! If you have not read Divergent or Insurgent, stop reading this blog RIGHT NOW get on your Kindle and order this now, or hop in your car and drive to Barnes and Noble {get with the times people} but, whatever you do-- you need to get your hands on these books! I am a huge fan of dystopias {I'm sure by now you've noticed that} and Allegient is the third installment in Veronica Roth's dystopian planned trilogy. I am assuming book three may have similarities to Mockingjay, but I'm ok with that because I truly loved The Hunger Games series. Veronica Roth even has a movie in the works with cast members already picked out. These books {if they aren't already  there} are going to be the next Hunger Games, Harry Potter, Twilight... you get my point.

So, pre-ordering books... I do it because I must must must get the books I want ASAP but, man it does suck waiting. Luckily April 25th is coming VERY soon, and I will hopefully have time to write about The Elite.

Summer is soon approaching and I can already see myself blogging verrrrrrrrrryyyyy often!

Catch ya on the flip side!


EDIT April 23, 7:46 AM: I just refreshed my Kindle app andddd... THE ELITE JUST DOWNLOADED! Yay!!!

Brief appearance

Oh blogeth, how I've missed thee!

Reading will ALWAYS be a constant in my life. Blogging about books I read, however, is a little more time consuming. Hence, the lack thereof. 

As of late, I've been reading about 2 to 3 books a week. When? At night before bed, in the morning before work, at the gym on the stair master or elliptical, on the couch in between commercials, in the kitchen while cooking, in the bathroom while blowdrying my hair... honestly the list could go on indefinitely. Thats how deep my love for books is. . 

Today tonight I shall give some insight on how I select the books I spend my free time pursuing. 

Cata's 10 foolproof steps to buying an e-book worth reading

1. Figure out what you're in the mood for {dystopia, young adult, mystery, romance, smut, indie... etcetera etcetera}
2. Look over recommendations from your browsing/purchased history on amazon.com
3. Compare said list to your goodreads.com recommendations 
4. Find covers that depict the sort of novel you gravitate toward
5. Narrow down covers that look professional enough to actually be found in stores
6. Check for more than 4 star ratings
7. Make sure that at least 100 people have reviewed this novel
8. Read through comments, if there are 1 or 2 star ratings read those especially!
9. Download sample before purchasing 
10. Buy with confidence and enjoy a vacation of the mind 

On that note, I cannot seem to find my newest conquest so I am going to get some much needed shut eye. Until next time, {probably this summer} happy reading!

 

Oh Summer have thee ended so soon?

Yes. Yes Summer has ended and I am in full blown teacher mode. No time for blogging, but trust me I have definitely found time for reading.

Here is a list of my latest reads in no particular order:

Currently on...

• Unwind by Neal Shusterman*
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Finished...

• Cloaked by Alex Flinn
• Clash by Nicole Williams*
• Crash by Nicole Williams*
• Teach Me by Amy Lynn Steele
• Flat Out Love by Jessica Park*
• Ceaseless by Abbi Glines
• A Modern Witch by Debora Geary

To read list...

• Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
• Double Clutch by Liz Reinhardt

One of these days I will tell you about all of them and which ones were wonderful. For now, the little star {*}  means I reccomend it for sure without explanation since I truly don't have time!

:)

Where We Belong- Emily Giffin

I am a huge fan of Emily Giffin. She has written some of my all time favorite books including: Something Borrowed, Something Blue & Baby Proof. She has an amazing way of telling a story from the protagonist's point of view and making you truly feel what is happening as the story unfolds. Her stories and characters are interesting, and in my opinion, realistic and fresh. 

Where We Belong Synopisis:

Marian Caldwell is a thirty-six year old television producer, living her dream in New York City. With a fulfilling career and satisfying relationship, she has convinced everyone, including herself, that her life is just as she wants it to be. But one night, Marian answers a knock on the door . . . only to find Kirby Rose, an eighteen-year-old girl with a key to a past that Marian thought she had sealed off forever. From the moment Kirby appears on her doorstep, Marian’s perfectly constructed world—and her very identity—will be shaken to its core, resurrecting ghosts and memories of a passionate young love affair that threaten everything that has come to define her.

For the precocious and determined Kirby, the encounter will spur a process of discovery that ushers her across the threshold of adulthood, forcing her to re-evaluate her family and future in a wise and bittersweet light. As the two women embark on a journey to find the one thing missing in their lives, each will come to recognize that where we belong is often where we least expect to find ourselves—a place that we may have willed ourselves to forget, but that the heart remembers forever.

Loved:

• how choices always affect your future
• true love and first love 
• nature vs nurture issue
• flashbacks to how Marion and Conrad met, made Kirby, etc.
• perfect on paper men that maybe aren't perfect in reality
• Emily's book covers always have a similar look

Loathed:

• sometimes a little slow
• I wanted to know more about Kirby's adoptive parents and their struggle
• not seeing more at the end, I felt like it sort of ended! book hangover?!

I kind of gobbled this book up. It was an easy read, as all of Giffin's books are. It was interesting to read both Kirby and Marion's perspectives throughout getting to know each other. I wanted to know what was going to happen the whole time I read the book, so much so that I'm sitting here typing wondering... what is happening still! I guess it's a good thing when you truly want to know what happens after a book ends, so I'll take this as a good sign and you should too! If you love Emily's books, you'll enjoy this one for sure. If you haven't read any, I suggest digging into Something Borrowed, then Something Blue and definitely dig into Where We Belong.

Book Hangover

We've all felt that terrible sensation when one finishes a book or a series that really enthralled and once it's done there's an abyss left in your soul.

I felt it after Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Sisterhood Everlasting, The Fault in our Stars and even Twilight. I get so wrapped up in the story and the world that I even begin talking like the author writes. When it's all over with, it feels like nothing I read will ever get me like this book or series did.

Well, eventually we move on! In the mean time, I have TONS of books to blog about. I just finished The Vanpire Academy by Richelle Mead and I'm just in the beginning of Emily Giffin's {author of Something Borrowed} Where We Belong.

Slowly but surely I will review all the books I have read, but for now go add me on Goodreads.com. I've been consistently reviewing books and listing ones I want to read next.

Also, I am now really fond of audible.com. If you are REALLY into audio books this site is for you. I have a one month free trial and I even got one audio book free. Then it becomes $14 a month and you are entitled to significantly cheaper audio books. If you've ever bought an audio book, they cost around $25 and up. Recently I got an email saying that audible.com had certain audio books for sale at print prices. Some were as low as $5!

Anyway, that's my little piece of advice for the day. Go join Goodreads.com and audible.com. Also, if you're having a book hangover maybe the best cure is a good recommendation! Good reads does that for you! ;)

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