Book Review: The Sea of Tranquility

The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Maillay

Blurb from Goodreads: 

I live in a world without magic or miracles. A place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. A place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck. I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk. Full of rage and without a purpose, former pianist Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone discovering her past and to make the boy who took everything from her pay. All 17 year-old Josh Bennett wants is to build furniture and be left alone, and everyone allows it because it’s easier to pretend he doesn’t exist. When your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space. Everyone except Nastya, a hot mess of a girl who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. The more he gets to know her, the more of a mystery she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he may ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding or if he even wants to. The Sea of Tranquility is a slow-building, character-driven romance about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.


I read this book back in December after reading Slammed. Reading two epically awesome books in close proximity can take away from the other book. I think that was what happened with this book, but as the blurb says this is a slow building book and not only that, this book has stayed with me. I think that is why I am writing this review more than a month later, because this book creeps into my thoughts on more than one occasion.

The story between Josh and Nastya is, as the blurb says, slow building. That was one of my favorite parts. Many times in books the physical attraction is there and then it seems that they deal with the emotional after the fact. Not that I don't mind reading those books, but this one was so different. The quiet moments when they are hanging out in their garage are my favorite. The fact that by not talking, by simply just being next to each other working, is a calming aspect of their relationship in both of their hectic complex worlds. Their story is truly beautiful. I wish I could say more but it's hard without giving it away and this is one of those books that you discover, that with each turn of the page (or flip of the kindle) and you fall a little bit more in their world, the amazing and tragic aspects.

And the Last Sentence. Perfection.

So I say trust me, this book is a perfect storm of emotion, done in such a unique way. Read it!

And if have read it, let me know in the comments!

Movies and Books

So I don't have TV, I only watch 4 shows during the school year on Hulu, but mostly I just read. The downfall is I miss movie previews. The book Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl has been on my to-read shelf on Goodreads for awhile now. I somehow stumbled on the trailer of the movie that comes out in less than a month.

Oh, geez where I have been?? (stalking the movie news of Divergent, that's where!!)

So I decided to read it, the trailer looked good and it seems to be a pretty popular book. I read the book and you can see my review of it on Goodreads here:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/462684154

Now, today I am here to talk about books being turned into movies. This is what I am feeling with Beautiful Creatures. I liked the book, though, to me it wasn't anything amazing. Now I have a feeling what will happen to me is what I call the Twilight affect.

I read Twilight about 6ish months before the first movie came out. I know I was a bit behind and EVERYONE raved about this book. After reading it I was like....eh. I wasn't really too impressed. I thought there were many aspects that were weak sauce. So I never read the rest of the series. On a cold winter night after the first movie had been out for a few weeks I went with my friends to see it. The theater was pretty empty but what happened. I LOVED the movie. Yep, the movie die hard Twilight fans hated I loved. Weird Right!?! I quickly went home and read the next three books in less than a week.

So I have a large feeling that I will not be reading the rest of the Caster Chronicles until I see the movie. Because I bet I love it.

So lets have a discussion, tell me what books you loved that were turned into movies and which ones you hated. Here is my list.

I think sometimes books are just written knowing that they will be blockbuster romantic comedies/heartfelt tragedies that are released during the month of February *cough* Nicholas Sparks *cough* and I find that a little overdone. But, on that note I will say A Walk to Remember is one of my favorite movies. And I don't like the book. The book is set in the 1950s, yeah it's a little different. And on that same note I loved Spark's Message in a Bottle, the book but hated the movie. I guess I should preface that I don't like actors with the name Kevin (Kevin Bacon, Kevin Spacey, Kevin Costner) so it already had one strike but the movie took away a lot of the emotion the book had.

The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud: While I was in high school (2005?) I was at the dollar store one day and I found this book tucked away behind some book weird cooking book, I grabbed it read the back and said hey why not, its a dollar! Who would have thought I would love this book so much. I love any book that deals with the ocean, living in landlocked Idaho, I have a thing for the ocean. And this story was brilliant. A love story with twists and turns. This book stayed with me for a while and years later (2010??) I was sitting in the theater with D when the trailer for this came on. I had no idea it was being turned into  a movie. With a gasp, I grabbed D by the arm with a huge smile on my face. D was confused, I mean it was just Zac Efron on the screen and he was pretty sure I wasn't a 17 year old fan girl. I told him it was a book I loved! And The movie was pretty great.

I could go on and on about many different movies and books. Which I hope to due in the comments!
So let me know, what have movies have you loved or hated that are books?? And what books do you hope to see turned into movies??

Book Review: Vain

Vain by Fisher Amelie

Blurb from Goodreads: 

If you’re looking for a story about a good, humble girl, who’s been hurt by someone she thought she could trust, only to find out she’s not as vulnerable as she thought she was and discovers an empowering side of herself that falls in love with the guy who helps her find that self, blah, blah, blah...then you’re gonna’ hate my story. Because mine is not the story you read every time you bend back the cover of the latest trend novel. It’s not the “I can do anything, now that I’ve found you/I’m misunderstood but one day you’ll find me irresistible because of it” tale. Why? Because, if I was being honest with you, I’m a complete witch. There’s nothing redeeming about me. I’m a friend using, drug abusing, sex addict from Los Angeles. I’m every girlfriend’s worst nightmare and every boy’s fantasy. I’m Sophie Price...And this is the story about how I went from the world’s most envied girl to the girl no one wanted around and why I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world



So I devoured this book quite quickly. I had heard such good things from many different people and I decided to see what all the hype was about. It was well earned hype!!! These were the things I loved about this book

1. The orphanage in Uganda, while I am sure is fictional, is based on real horrible things going on in that part of Africa. Kony is a real evil man. In the fall of 2006, the Invisible Children organization, who we all know now due to the wonders of social media, came to College of Idaho when I was attending there. It was the first time I had heard of what was happening. It broke my heart. I am a fixer, and when I have no control over how to fix things, I feel at such a loss. I loved how Amelie brought in this real issue in this wonderful fictional story. I think more authors should do this, to gain awareness that is so desperately needed for many different issues in the world.

2. The action, I love romances that have action in it. I think it showcases strength from the characters that they do not even know they have. It brings out the true in people when they are faced with situations that require flight or fight responses.

3. Sophie. This girl is stripped of everything that she thinks makes her, well her, minus her beauty. She has to find herself and I liked how the simpleness in a complex world brings her to find the true beauty that she is.

4. Ian and Sophie are pretty awesome together, and their romance was more than physical but about being partners, opening up, and depending on each other. It was so sweet. The book also was pretty innocent, no really crazy steamy scenes.

5.The writing is great, having read Callum and Harper, Amelie's other work, I didn't even realize it was the same author. I felt that there was real growth between the two books. There are some great passages but I am not going to share because I hope you discover them yourself and feel the depth they bring.

Overall, I say GO  read this book. The only thing I didn't like was the cover, I think it gives this book too much of a light feel (plus that is not at all how I invision Sophie) so ignore the cover, because there is so much more in this book.

Sound off your thoughts in the comments!!!!

Monday Inspiration: Winter Wishes

It is the dead of winter here in Southeast Idaho. We have days that are 2 below and a week later 45 degrees. Then the next day, 2 inches of snow. I love it. But, at the same time, it makes me hole away in our tiny apartment. Last week I read the Unearthly series by Cynthia Hand, which was awesome you all should read it, but what got me was that it was set in Jackson Hole, WY. I am from only 2 passes over in Swan Valley. A tiny town of only 300. The book made me miss summer! So I started to daydream about how all I want to do is to be outside, with the sun warming my skin and spirit. It made me miss times like this: 

Our Quest For Narnia (Timpangoes Caves, UT)

Visiting D while he was away at field camp (Salmon River, Central Idaho)

Adventuring with this guy (Alpine Loop, American Fork, UT)

Sunday Afternoon Hikes (East Mink Creek, Pocatello, Idaho)

And stunning views like this one. (Alpine Loop to Sundance, UT)

So while I am holed away with in my winter wonderland, I am dreaming of summer, and not only dreaming of summer but that fact that my sweet husband will be graduating with his BS in Geology this May and to us, our summer is a mystery. We have no idea where we will be, what we will be doing. But man, I cannot wait!! 

So today I leave you with a song I have had on repeat for the last week and musing form 17-year-old Cait. 

The possession of knowledge does not kill the sense of wonder and mystery. There is always more mystery. 

Book Review: The Sky Is Everywhere

The Sky is Everywhere  by Jandy Nelson

Blurb:

Lennie plays second clarinet in the school orchestra and has always happily been second fiddle to her charismatic older sister, Bailey. Then Bailey dies suddenly, and Lennie is left at sea without her anchor. Overcome by emotion, Lennie soon finds herself torn between two boys: Bailey's boyfriend, Toby, and Joe, the charming and musically gifted new boy in town. While Toby can't see her without seeing Bailey and Joe sees her only for herself, each offers Lennie something she desperately needs. But ultimately, it's up to Lennie to find her own way toward what she really needs-without Bailey. A remarkable debut novel perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block.

As I sat at a tire place waiting three hours (hey it was 20 bucks for a oil change!!) I read this whole book. I sat down and quickly the sounds of the hockey game on the tv, and the sounds of the couple next to me  disappeared as I fell into this world. Lennie is at a loss of how to live her life when she loses her sister, unexpectedly. Now I guess I should preface that I am no stranger to loss and grief. Sadly, many funerals I have been to have been for young people who left before their time. I guess I connected with this book in one way because I understood how Lennie portrayed her grief, her thoughts that ran through her head. To me, it made sense. The blurb highlights that Lennie must choose between two boys but Lennie really has to choose how to live her life. How to be Lennie without Bailey. We see her journey as she begins the slow slow process of accepting what she cannot change. I found the following passage pretty powerful

My sister will die, over and over again for the rest of my life. Grief is forever. It doesn't go away; it becomes part of you, step for step, breath for breath. I will never stop grieving Bailey because I will never stop loving her. That's just how it is. Grief and love are conjoined, you don't get one without the other. All I can do is love her, and the love the world, emulate her by living with daring and spirit and joy. 

This book is about the journey that grief brings about but what Nelson does is also bring about a unique story. I LOVED every character in this book. I loved how they were each so different. This family was odd with a capital O. I embraced this crazy group of characters and how different they were, but how they all were dealing with essentially the same thing. The story has some great twists and revelations as well, keeping you turing the page. And I would also like to find a mystical forest bedroom. So I say go read this book. You will not be disappointed.

As I said, I am no stranger to loss and a day doesn't go by that I am not thinking of my Chelsie. I am constantly trying to live my life and remember all her inspiration and support. So today, I am loving the world. 

Public Administration: Working on the Local Level

"If our histories are to help change the world, they must reach beyond the walls of the academy to affect the views of people who do more than just study the past."

Bill Cronon "The Uses of Environmental History"

This beautiful picture was taken as I was talking to my PA Ethics class on Thursday night as I finished off my first week of school. And the above quote was taken from a reading in my Global Environmental History class. A big reason why I wanted to start this blog was because many times people shy away from talking about what I am learning in school before because they automatically assume that I am a politician. In a way, this is a false statement. Elected officials are chosen by the people and they, in a sense are there to do the will of the people. As a Public Administrator I am hired by the government or the public sector and I am at the service of the public but mostly on a local scale. 

There is so much citizens can do on a local scale for their community. I am interested in sustainability, which is the idea of using resources more efficiently so future generations can have the same opportunities that I have. I am interested in local food co-ops, community gardens, and localized partnerships in a community working together to make sure that citizens have equal opportunities to be successful in their lives. 

Why, might you ask, is this important to understand? To talk about? Because in a community we each have our own experiences, values, morals, thoughts and together we can take those ideas and create something great. It can be a more well rounded discussion with many different disciplines adding insight that might not be seen from my eyes as a PA. Academia has to take a step out in the real world, take theories and apply them to better understand the world around us. I am open and excited to hear your thoughts and opinions on different subjects!! 

So I hope to start some riveting conversations on this blog about actions that you can take locally, and hopefully shed some positive light on "government". 

Follow me on twitter, or on this blog for some great topics in the upcoming semester!! 

Monday Inspiration: Martin Luther King Jr Day

Most kids during a book fair wanted to grab the flashy new coloring book or an adventure book or the crafty books that had titles about how to make friendship bracelets. I was not most kids. During a book fair around 2nd or 3rd grade I remember buying a diary with a cat on it and this

From an early age I was fascinated with the topic of civil rights. I was enamored with the idea that people were treated differently because of their color of their skin. I didn't understand it because they were people just like you and me. They felt the same, their heart beat the same, they experienced heartache, joy, longing, empathy,  and sorrow just like me. I was lucky enough to be raised in a household that was filled with open minds. A household where we accepted and loved everyone despite of our differences, whether on the inside or out. I had no room to judge but only room in my mind and heart to understand and accept. 

So today, on this day filled with hope from a man who had a dream, I challenge each one of you to find something good in each person you meet. Something small or big, and smile. Because when it comes down to it, we know nothing but ourselves, and to be true to ourselves we should be true to others. We can't to even begin to understand most people's trials and hills they have to climb but we can help them with a simple smile, a compliment, or a positive thought.