Breaking Dawn Part 1 Soundtrack

I love it when the Twilight Saga soundtrack listings come out. It is like a mini-christmas.  If you know nothing of Izzy and Sassy, please know this, we LOVE music.  It is a huge part of our life.  So when a soundtrack comes out, we get the chance to listen to new bands that we probably would never have got to listen to otherwise. 

So this is a pretty simple post. We are going to list the songs on the soundtrack and also include a song by that artist so we can get a sample of their music. Just from a few quick clicks, I can already tell that I have at least a couple new bands albums that I will be downloading.

I must say that I am simply excited about this soundtrack because Carter Burwell is involved. We loved the first soundtrack and score the most out of the first three movies and just by sampling these artists, I have a feeling this will be a great soundtrack.

1. End Tapes By The Joy Formidable

2. Love Will Take You - Angus and Julia Stone

3. It Will Rain - Bruno Mars

4. Turning Page - Sleeping at Last

5. From Now On - The Features

6. A Thousand Years - Christina Perri

7. Neighbors - Theophilus London

8. I Didn't Mean It - The Belle Brigade

9. Sister Rosetta - Noisettes

10. Northern Lights - Cider Sky
Can't find a song by Cider Sky....???
11.  Flightless Bird, American Mouth (Wedding Version) - Iron & Wine
      So freaking excited about this one. I absolutely love this song from the first soundtrack.  Now we get a wedding version?!?!

12. Requiem on Water - Imperial Mammoth
Can't find a song by them either...
13. Cold - Aqualung and Lucy Schwartz

14. Llovera - Mia Maestro

Nothing by her either, but that is probably because she hasn't recorded before (just my thoughts). I believe Mia Maestro is Carmen from the cast of Breaking Dawn.

15. Love Death Birth - Carter Burwell
    This little title pretty must sums up the entire series. Bella falls in love, dies, and is reborn a vampire. Or I guess Birth could be referencing Renesmee.  Who doesn't love Carter Burwell? He did an amazing job with the score for Twilight.  You can here a song from the score and instantly know where it belongs in the movie. (I hope that isn't from just watching the movie too many times. lol)

So what are everyone's thoughts? Are you excited?  We are so excited.  I have heard a lot of comments that they think the soundtrack will be too main stream.  I can agree. I love the indie sound to the previous soundtracks, but I am staying positive.  I already have a few new bands to check out.

What do you think of the Bruno Mars' song, It Will Rain?  I have no clue where they will put that song, but as a song, I absolutely love it!

*As always no copyright infringement intended. We just love music. Thanks to all the youtube users for posting these great songs by these amazing artists.*

Purpose by Kristie Cook

Thoughts…

I don’t know about anyone else, but the beginning of this book was hard to handle.  I won’t go into detail in case you haven’t read the first book, Promise, in this series, but Alexis is very depressed. The depression is what makes about a large portion at the beginning of the book. The author takes us where Stephenie Meyer did not take us in New Moon. In New Moon, most of the depression is skipped over and shown with simple pages marked with a month.  In Purpose, the author explains the emotions that Alexis is dealing with down to the “alternate” personalities that she has (evil, swirly, foggy, and almost Alexis).  It was tough reading about. While I appreciate the vivid descriptions, I wanted Alexis to get over herself and just do something. Good or bad, just act!

I’m not sure why, but I didn’t love this book as much as the first one.  Maybe it is because I felt like the plot didn’t develop fast enough. I normally never ever say this, but I found a lot of similarities between this book and Twilight.  Seriously, I try to never compare things to Twilight because it is too cliché.  Young adult paranormal books are always going to have similarities to Twilight.  But, this one had A LOT.  I don’t feel like I can go into too much detail without giving away any spoilers.

Here is how I break it down, the first book, Promise, was wonderful. I considered it a must read. Before beginning the next book, Purpose, I felt that it was a must read since you were left with such a cliff hanger from the first book. However, after reading the second book, I am not loving this series as much. The third book in the series comes out next year and I am sure that I will read it just to find out where everything is going with Tristen and Alexis.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Good Reads Description:

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?

Thoughts...

Awww! I loved this book. Do you ever feel like you just need to read something light and easy? I do. And this would be one of those books.  It was so cute and so sweet. I literally laughed out loud during some parts of the book.  There are a great set of characters in Anna and the French Kiss. Anna seems like a cool chick. She doesn't care too much what other kids think (for the most part). She is film junkie, aspring to me a film critic that wears a bleached stripe in her otherwise dark brown hair. Her father forces her to boarding school in France as it is the new cultural experience for children. Anna goes kicking and screaming the whole way. She doesn't want to leave her best friends in Atlanta behind. And she leaves just when things are getting good between her and her co-worker, Toph. On her first day, Anna meets her new neighbor, Meridith.  Life is lookin up for Anna after Meridith takers her under her wing and introduces her to her friends. Anna's new click. Life gets interesting when Anna literally runs into Etienne St. Clair.

I might have a little teen girl crush on St. Clair.  I love me an accent especialy an English accent.  St. Clair is from England, fluent in French as he spends much time in Franch due to it being his fathers home, and lives in the United States. Anna says it best when she calls him a mutt. That he is, but an oh, so sweet one.  Anna and St. Clair have wonderful chemistry.  They are honestly great friends. He is wonderful to her. I'm not sure what girl wouldn't want a St. Clair in her life.  As all guys in novels are never perfect, St. Clair's downfall (to me) was his weakness.  If you have already read the book, please don't think I am referring to his mother, father, or any other thing that happens to him. Those are justifiable reasons for holing yourself up in your room. No, St. Clair was weak and just plain stupid when it came to Ellie.  That bothered me several times throughout the book. 

Paris sounds so romantic and wonderful. After reading this, I want to go there immediately. (Hah, maybe in my dreams...) I loved every page of this book. It is a sweet and wonderful coming of age story.  Like I said, this a light and easy read, but I still couldn't put the book down. My cheeks actually hurt when I finished this book at 1:00 am this morning.

Twilight Charms

Okay, so I've been really "behind-the-ball" when it comes to posting. Thank goodness for Izzy who has been the glue to our entire blog (Promise that I WILL eventually get things going on my end - just have a HUGE task staring at me every time I think I have an extra second) But ANYWAYS...I just had to share this little etsy site which made me smile since... a certain MOVIE is being released November 18th **squeal/do a little dance/clap hands 3-4 times really fast **

You can find this AND...

 

wait for it... 

OUTLANDER charms too! 

 I think this is just adorable, and although I may never actually wear a charm bracelet which advertises my love of Twilight - I will happily pour me a glass of wine and attach a cute little charm with one of these while raising my glass.

Your welcome!

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Good Reads Description:

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How do you defy destiny?
Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women w

...moreHow do you defy destiny?
Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.
As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

Thoughts...

Once and while, you stumble upon a great book that sticks with you even after you turned the last page. Starcrossed is one of those books. I sat for while after finishing and just pondered some of the characters motives and wondered what would happen next in the sequel. This is definitely a must read.  Starcrossed was incredible!  This part of the review will be short and sweet, but beware below, there will be spoilers because I need to vent!  I always loved mythology in high school and this book makes me wish that I had paid more attention.  The book is full of mythology lessons that are very interesting as they become intertwined into every day life.  There are so many twists, turns, and gasps in this book that some parts just left me reeling.  Nothing turned out as I expected...NOTHING.  It was so so good!

SPOILERS BELOW.....



OK, So I hope you have read this if you are reading here...one more chance to scroll back up because I DO NOT want to spoil any gasp worthy moments!


So, I am not going in order to here, but just what comes to mind.  The thing that I can't get over right now is the whole "Hi Lucas, by the way Lucas, were first cousins and now I need to throw up." Um what? I never saw that shit coming.  NEVER, I say. How many times did they mention that Ajax was killed 19 (yes, 19) years ago?  More than a few if I remembered it as soon as I read the bit about being cousins.  Now, people, mere mortals as ourselves can do the math to figure this one out, so surely Demigods wouldn't have to much trouble thinking about the fact that it just don't add up!  Again, Ajax died 19 years ago, Helen had literally just turned 17 days before the news broke out, and finally her mother would have only been pregnant for 9 months.  Hmmmm.....We have a little over a year gap here people! Why would no one have thought this through?!

Which leads me to my next though, I DO NOT trust Helen's mother. She is definitely up to something. She definitely has alterior motives when it comes to the Delos family and her own daughter.  She has plans for her daughter Helen that do not include Lucas. I haven't figured out why yet. I do think that she wanted Pandora to be killed for at least two reasons, she would reveal her secret that Helen and Lucas were not actually cousins and also to create chaos in the Delos home.  It wasn't just about stalling for time. With everyone mourning the death of Pandora and the fact that Hector was deemed an outcast, she will be able to get away with much much more than she would have. The spot light is lifted from her. I feel like she might also try to manipulate Hector into doing her bidding since she has befriended him at such a low time in his life.

I need these answers. I need the next book. PLEASE!!!!

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

Good Reads Description

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

His life depends on it.

Thoughts..

Before I say anything negative about this book, I just don't think it was my cup of tea.  I love supernatural and paranormal stories, but this was something different altogether. It held paranormal characteristics, but was overly dark and angsty. So others may love this book while it just wasn't mean't for me. I would rate this at 2.5 stars. Suprisingly, this book did not leave me with too many thoughts to discuss. I am kind of indifferent to it.  It wasn't a horrible book, but it isn't on my "to be recommended" list.

I felt like I never fully "got" what was even happening throughout the book. I was constantly confused, just waiting for an epiphany so everything would click.  It never clicked. I didn't feel like the love story was ever developed.  It was constantly switching from cold to luke warm. It never got to "hot".  Just out of the blue for no apparent reason, Isobel decides she loves Varen more than life itself and will sacrifice everything for him. I just didn't feel it was justified. Isobel might have been in denial about the depth of the attraction to Varen, but love? Maybe. Maybe not.  And Varen never really did anything to make me fall head over heels for him. I definitely did not have a literary crush on him.  He was just constantly cold to her.

The book was just too full of questions that were never answered. Like I said, this book might be more aimed at someone who enjoys angst, dark themes, and mystery.  End of rant.... :o)

Promise by Kristie Cook

Good Reads Description:

Alexis Ames decides to learn who she really is, with or without the help of her mother, who guards their secrets closely. After meeting Tristan Knight and discovering that he s not normal either, the secrets begin to unravel. Their union brings promise to the future of mankind. But it also incites a dangerous pursuit by the enemy. Because they are a match made in Heaven and in Hell.

Thoughts..

First off, the cover and book description do not do this book justice.  This book was so much better than I thought. It had it all.  Soul mates, intriguing supernatural elements, action, and suspense.  I haven't heard much about this book so I didn't have high expectations, but I was pleasantly suprised.  Right from the beginning the book grabs you and pulls you in.  Alexis is in the dark for most of the book regarding why she is the "freak" that she is.  So you are reading quickly just to solve that mystery and then you are introduced to Tristen.  You have to keep reading to find out what his role will play in the story. Through it all the the suspense keeps you reading and you cannot put the book down. In fact, I barely did. I started reading this on a Saturday night and  at 2:30 on Sunday afternoon I was looking for the next book in the series. 

Tristan and Alexis have such a powerful love that you get wrapped into it and try to get one step ahead of them to figure out what might happen next for them.  You just always feel like something is just lurking around the corner (which is kind of was). Most of the things, I just never saw them coming.  The end of the book...I PROMISE not to give anything away, but let me just say HEART WRENCHING!  I NEED the next book right away.

I cannot forget to mention that I thought this was a young adult book (which is fine, I love YA too), but was pleasantly surprised that this was more of a college age - adult book.  It had more adult themes in the bedroom. :) That was a nice change from the constant fade to black that you get accustomed to in YA novels.

Deep Dish by Mary Kay Andrews

Deep Dish by Mary Kay Andrews

Summary: After years of hard work, Gina Foxton, chef extraordinaire and former runner-up Miss Teen Vidalia Onion, is hosting her own show, Fresh Start, on Georgia public television. She's also dating the producer. But when Fresh Start goes bad—and her boyfriend is caught in flagrante delicto with the boss's wife—Gina decides it's time to pursue bigger dreams. Namely a gig on national television.

Gina knows she's destined to be the Cooking Channel's next superstar. But the execs also have their eyes on Tate Moody, Mr. "Kill It and Grill It" himself, host of the hunting, fishing, and cooking show Vittles. The ultimate man's man, Tate is a tasty side of beef with a large, swooning female fan base. Gina's loyal devotees consist of her free-spirited college-dropout sister and her mother . . . who calls every single day.

When the smoke clears there can be only one TV chef standing, and Gina and Tate are ready for the cook-off of their lives. -- Harper

I was extremely reluctant to pick up this book out of fear it was just another chick-lit book with little to no plot. Matter of fact, it took me about a month to get to chapter 5; not because it wasn't good but because it was so different from what I have read in the last few years. The more I learned about the main character, the more curious I was to what the author had in store for me. And lets just say once I met Tate Moody - I was hooked.

Tate Moody: To-the-T!

My interpretation of Gina Foxton

To be honest, I was a little annoyed with Gina's "good-girl" perfectionist personality through the beginning of the book. I wanted to like her, she seemed nice-enough. But her character constantly was acting snotty about things and I wanted to slap her a few times and just say "get-a-grip honey! Who do you think you are?" Enter Tate Moody. His fly-by-the-seat of is 'britches' (as my grandmother used to say) and call'em out comments were just what was needed.  The constant bickering added such lightness and a fun dynamic to the story that I would find myself giggling aloud...a lot.
I am not going go so far as to say that this would be an MUST READ story of epic proportions, however it was certainly a GREAT summer read and one that I am very glad I was loaned. I thoroughly enjoyed the author's writing style and many of the character depictions (however, felt that she spoke a little too much about socks or lack thereof - of all things.) If you're in the mood for a feel-good chick-lit book, this is Perfection... I will be reading more from Mary Kay Andrews, I hope you give it a try too. Toodles.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Good Reads Description:

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.
But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Thoughts...

This book was brilliant. I have caught onto the hype that is the dystopian novel. I have read two wonderful dystopian series to date (Hunger Games and Divergent). That caused me to be a bit skeptical about this book. When you have read what you thought is the best out there, how is something else even going to compare? While this wasn’t as good as Hunger Games or Divergent, this book was still great. I would rate it at 4 stars which I am stingy with my stars (lol).

Seriously, the whole idea of this book is mind blowing. First off, I think this book appeals to a reader who enjoys analyzing things. The idea that a government would “cure” love is blasphemous. But yet, if you really think about it, it would solve so much. Love and Hate are two sides of the same coin. As much as they are two radical extremes, they are also only a shred of difference between the two. You have to love something so much to end up hating anything else in return. Without love (and in return hate), there would be no violence because you can’t contain the emotion to care enough about anything to act out. You would constantly have a feeling of contentment because there is no other way. Now, do not think I am in any way in favor of eradicating the disease that is love (even if it were possible). I am just saying that I can see the reasoning behind a government wanting to eradicate the emotion.

I often put the book down to just sit and think about what I actually just read. The government gave many reasons as to why love was a horrible disease, but yet you can figure out the meaning behind it. Once you have the procedure and are cured, you are a drone. You are just a robot that follows the governments plan for you. They tell you who to marry, what job you will have, and even how many children you must have. You are always just content. Content is good, but imagine never experiencing any heightened emotion; Never being euphoric with excitement or depressed with grieving. Nothing.

I could go on and on about the meaning behind this book, but I will stop here. I found this plot original in the sense that I have never heard of a dystopian novel controlling emotions to get the result that they want. I have heard of many ways to control the population, but this was new to me. It contains great characters that are easy to like. The love story is sweet and almost sappy at times. You are fighting right along with Lena and Alex, just hoping that there is a way for them to be together. But, let me just say, the ENDING. OMG. I NEED THE NEXT BOOK LIKE RIGHT AWAY. I can’t believe that Lauren Oliver would do this to us. I will admit to shedding a few tears and having chills at the end.

"I run for I don't know how long. Hours, maybe, or days. Alex told me to run. So I run. You have to understand. I am no one special. I am just a single girl. I am five feet two inches tall and I am in-between in every way. But I have a secret. You can build walls all the way to the sky and I will find a way to fly above them. You can try to pin me down with a hundred thousand arms, but I will find a way to resist. And there are many of us out there, more than you think. People who refuse to stop believing. People who refuse to come to earth. People who love in a world without walls, people who love into hate, into refusal, against hope,and without fear. I love you. Remember. They cannot take it."

Masterpiece Monday (Week 7)

Happy Monday!

Enjoy our read of Stephanie Meyers: Breaking Dawn (Chapter 5 -Isle Esme) this is a continuation of week 6's Masterpiece Monday, but we couldn't resist the FEATHERS passage. I hope you enjoy our latest 'mix' of tunes which included: Adel, Better than Ezra, Ludacris, Nappy Roots, and Nickleback!