The Love of Life

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen.

I bought this book about a year ago (maybe longer), and I decided to read it late last night.

I finished at about 4am.

I was pleasantly surprised that this book turned out to be a lot better than I was expecting. The story was unlike any I’ve read before. I loved it. I found myself laughing out loud at some parts and rereading them just to laugh again. The author has a natural charm.

Synopsis: The New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Chased the Moon welcomes you to her newest locale: Walls of Water, North Carolina, where the secrets are thicker than the fog from the town’s famous waterfalls, and the stuff of superstition is just as real as you want it to be.

It’s the dubious distinction of thirty-year-old Willa Jackson to hail from a fine old Southern family of means that met with financial ruin generations ago. The Blue Ridge Madam—built by Willa’s great-great-grandfather during Walls of Water’s heyday, and once the town’s grandest home—has stood for years as a lonely monument to misfortune and scandal. And Willa herself has long strived to build a life beyond the brooding Jackson family shadow. No easy task in a town shaped by years of tradition and the well-marked boundaries of the haves and have-nots.

But Willa has lately learned that an old classmate—socialite do-gooder Paxton Osgood—of the very prominent Osgood family, has restored the Blue Ridge Madam to her former glory, with plans to open a top-flight inn. Maybe, at last, the troubled past can be laid to rest while something new and wonderful rises from its ashes. But what rises instead is a skeleton, found buried beneath the property’s lone peach tree, and certain to drag up dire consequences along with it.

For the bones—those of charismatic traveling salesman Tucker Devlin, who worked his dark charms on Walls of Water seventy-five years ago—are not all that lay hidden out of sight and mind. Long-kept secrets surrounding the troubling remains have also come to light, seemingly heralded by a spate of sudden strange occurrences throughout the town.

Now, thrust together in an unlikely friendship, united by a full-blooded mystery, Willa and Paxton must confront the dangerous passions and tragic betrayals that once bound their families—and uncover truths of the long-dead that have transcended time and defied the grave to touch the hearts and souls of the living.

Resonant with insight into the deep and lasting power of friendship, love, and tradition, The Peach Keeper is a portrait of the unshakable bonds that—in good times and bad, from one generation to the next—endure forever.

Rating (out of 10): 9

When I bought this book, I thought I would give it a try. Why not? I was looking for something quick to read, and I thought I would try the wolf thing. I’ve heard these books were good so I thought I might like it.

I was a little skeptical, but I ended up liking this book SO MUCH! I just really love the characters. This book literally made me feel for them. I cried. It was great. I bought the second one recently, and I’m going to try to read it the next time I have a chance. 

Rating (out of 10): 8

So I never posted whenever I finished this book! It was actually really really good!

I did not expect to like this series this much, but I cannot wait to read the next one!! :))) I will be living at Barnes and Noble this summer since I am a poor college kid :(

I also need to find my library card and hang out there too….

But I digress..

This story was really original, and surprisingly, it was well written! I enjoyed the story a lot and all of the twists and turns. However I was totally like WTF towards the end (if you’re a fan you know what I’m talking about). It took me a while to actually finish the book because I was a little pissed when I read that part, but I’m glad I finished it :) lol 

CAN’T WAIT TO READ THE NEXT ONEEEEEEEE!

Okay so I absolutely love this movie! I think it is a great cute and girly holiday movie!

Perfect for snuggling up in your pjs and drinking hot cocoa :)

No synopsis or description.

Just watch it :)

Rating (out of 10): 8

I saw the movie Water for Elephants a couple of nights ago, and I ended up really liking it. It follows the life of Jacob Jankowski after he has lost both his parents in the Depression Era. He is left with nothing due to the poor state of everyone so he runs away and ends up jumping on the train of the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. There he finds love in the form of Marlena, the wife of the boss, August. He not only fights to keep her from the harsh violence of August but also to save the lives of his friends, Walter, Camel, and Rosie the Elephant.

Now, if you’ve read the book, there are noticeable differences like with every book turned movie. The movie was still good, though, in its own way. If you haven’t read the book, you probably won’t feel quite as moved by the story as someone who did read the book and has a better understanding of the characters.

Christoph Waltz did an excellent job as August (though his character was mixed in with the character of Uncle Al). He played the charming and violent sides well. In one scene however, the movie toned down his violence which I found odd considering movies like to be overly dramatic.

Though I’m not the biggest fan of Rob Pattinson in Twilight, I actually like seeing him in other movies, and he did a good job playing Jacob.

Now Reese Witherspoon was not my favorite choice for Marlena. I felt she didn’t really do the character justice, and some of her lines were said with the same tone which can make things flat.

When the movie got closer to the end is when I felt her character shined, and I felt her and Rob had more chemistry.

All in all, though different from the book, it was a pretty great movie, and I will probably buy it when It comes out. I think it is worth seeing.

I DO suggest you read the book because it was amazing!

Rating (out of 10) : 7

Finally saw the movie Hereafter, and I have mixed emotions.

Part of the time when I was watching it, I had the feeling that the storyline was going nowhere. By the end, it kind of didn’t go anywhere, but it still was a good movie, if that makes any sense. 

It follows the lives of three characters and how certain events have changed them. Their lives are heading on a path that intersect in the near future. I enjoyed this movie because it had a layed back feel to it. If you are a person who needs a big emotional peak of the story, I wouldn’t suggest watching this movie.

I think it is worth it to see it because if you keep your mind open, parts of it could really touch you.

Rating (out of 10): 6

Another movie that I watched today was The Passion of the Christ (I know, very different side of the spectrum compared to Lemonade Mouth). I am not going to rate this one because I don’t really think this is a straight forward rateable movie.

I saw that this movie was on when I was checking the TV guide on my phone, and I remembered a couple of days ago a video I had seen on youtube. I was listening to the song “We Remember” by The Newsboys. It had clips from the movie to the song, and I thought maybe I was ready to watch it. I am 20 now, and I know what Christ went through to show us mercy give us eternal life.

Boy, this movie was everything anyone has ever said it would be. It is very emotional, but very eye opening. It’s easy to say that Jesus died on the cross for us, and sometimes it maybe be easy to take it for granted. After seeing htis movie, it just changes the term “died on the cross.”

If you think you are ready for this, think you can handle it, I would recommend watching it. Definitely have the tissue box next to you.

Lord Jesus Christ, I am so thankful that you gave your life for me. I take my life for granted, but I pray that you will help me to really take a look around and see You in everything. To know that this life is amazing, this world is amazing. And thanks to you, Lord, I will have an even more amazing eternal life waiting for me after.

Amen

Okay, so today I watched this Disney Channel Original Movie (or DCOM) Lemonade Mouth. I knew it was coming on, and I was actually planning to watch something else, but I decided to watch this when I was flipping through the channels.

I’m REALLY glad I decided to watch it.

It did NOT turn out to be the cheesy totally horrible movie I thought it would be. It turned out to have really great music and a pretty great and memorable story. I was not totally annoyed with the characters and parts made me tear up. I give kudos to Bridgit Mendler after that movie. I like her more now than I did before.

I would recommend at least seeing it twice if you’re into musical type movies (not like HSM).

Rating (out of 10): 8

Splice is pretty much one of the worst movies I have ever seen. It’s not the slasher/horror movie they make it look like. It basically shows the unethical aspects of science with a tad bit of gore. 

There are also some scenes that will just make you feel creepy for days but mostly because they’re sick in the “parents shouldn’t sleep with their kids” kind of way. Throw in a little rape too.

This movie is definitely NOT WORTH IT.

Rating (out of 10): 2