Pre-Show A-nalysis Working Theories - With Vi and Nan

Here's what we know about The Big A:
1. Was in Season 1
2. It's "Bittersweet" per Keegan Allen
3. It's twisted . . . (also per Keegan Allen)

1. The Twisted Version: Toby & Jenna have been a secret couple the ENTIRE time and are jointly A. We don't have a lot to back this up, but it is a pretty twisted guess.

2. The Bittersweet Version: Emily is A and the reason Paige suddenly left town & dropped Emily like a hot potato is because she figured out. Paige should've drowned her when she had the chance. We don't really have anything to back this up, other than it would be pretty sad if the sweetest member of the Liars gang was A.

3. Most Probable Version: Hanna is A. She and Mona (the first A) were best friends in Season 1. She's the most similar-looking to Ali. Ali humiliated her the most, making fun of her eating habits, her size, and the fact that her first kiss was with Aria's brother Mike. By Season 1, she was skinny, popular and re-invented with Mona's help. Remember Mona? She's dead now, but she was the original A. . .

Most of Hanna's A-prompted humiliations, like eating a bunch of cupcakes and bad-mouthing her soon-to-be step-mother at her father's wedding, were very public while those of the other liars were less visual.

Her mom was the first Rosewoodian to get put in jail, perhaps throwing the scent off Hanna? And Mrs. Marin would do anything to protect her daughter, including sleeping with Officer Wilden to keep her shop-lifting daughter our of juvie.

Let's talk about Hanna's men, shall we? Lucas was on Team A for awhile, and we all know he had a crush on Hanna. Caleb is a no-brainer with his cyber talents and "I would do anything for love" devotion to her. Then there was that little tryst with Wren at Radley while visiting Mona (re: Original A). And the time she kissed Officer Holbrook? Yep - you mustn't forget that Kodak moment.

Hanna vs the Liars:

Ali - Ali was the cruelest to her and the obvious target of her revenge. Hanna practically became Ali, aka the coolest girl in school, after Ali disappeared. She and Mona ruled the school. She needs Alison either gone or in jail to continue her reign.
Emily - Emily always loved Ali the best and in most seasons, was eager to do anything for the girl she loved. That might make Hanna dislike her.
Aria - (Still working on this one)
Spencer - She's a smart cookie. A spent a lot of time trying to get Spencer in jail, first for killing Ali, then for murdering Mona. It only makes sense that the Liar voted Most Likely to Solve for A, would be Spencer, therefore, she needed to be taken out first and foremost.

Hanna was also Ali's named "accomplice", and was the only person other than her mom and Jason who knew about that random night of MILF passion. A made sure it came up in Ali's trial.

Season 5 revealed how smart she is (getting a high score on the SATs and getting into Ivy League schools). She's had the smarts all along to run the A scheme.

Who do YOU think A is?

Per-Show A-nalysis of the Big A on PLL!

I feel like we’re in an 80’s Choose Your Own Adventure book, because ANY of these characters could be A!

It’s t-minus 4 hours to A’s bid showdown, and I thought I’d take a moment (or 20) to go over my thoughts on who the Big A might be and why . . . Feel free to weigh-in in the comments section! I’m dying to read your theories!

Jenna Marshall – Conniving Jenna dominated Seasons 1-3 with sensitive, scared Jenna showing up in Season 4. However, other than the random Alison-Mask-Face moment in the Christmas episode, she’s been inexplicably absent from Season 5. She may be the Big A, but I think she’d be featured a bit more prominently in this season. I’m ruling her out.

Alison DiLaurentis – It would be great if the one suspected all 5 seasons of being A, was, actually, A! But, that wouldn’t be any fun . . .

Vivian Darkbloom – Was that really Ali dressed up or does Ali have a twin? Can you say, “Satan A?”

Jason DiLaurentis – Um, sex with Mrs. Marin? That earned a few out-loud “No’s” screamed by my friend and I during Season 5. He’s always seemed sketchy to me, and is at the center of everything, being not only Alison’s brother but also Spencer’s. I wouldn’t count him out.

Jessica DiLaurentis – She’s obviously not “the” A since we all know she’s dead and buried . . . but who killed her? That’s what I still want to know. And did she really think Spencer killed Ali? And why did she bury her own daughter? Perhaps she thought Jason murdered his own sister. . . and perhaps he tried to. . .

CeCe Drake – Alison’s evil twin. She’s definitely worked for A if she’s not “the” A. I think it would be too obvious if she was, though, so I’m ruling her out.

Melissa Hastings – Dear old Melissa: one minute, pretending to be protecting Spencer, the next, eyes narrowing in evil desire to hurt her sister and her friends. I don’t trust her, so she’s still in the running.

Peter Hastings – He’s practically in bed (figuratively) with all of his daughter’s (Melissa) misdeeds. These two come as a pair. If she’s an A, then so is he. Hey, maybe an entire family is the Big A. Maybe it’s “The Hastings = A.” Wouldn’t be shocked.

Toby Cavanaugh – Maybe he didn’t just put himself in the police department to keep Spencer safe. Maybe he’s really there to keep on top of things as the Big A! He was an A helper, afterall. I almost peed my pants during that reveal scene!

Spencer Hastings – She’s too obvious a choice for A. She’s smart and nosy as hell. I don’t think it’s her.

Wren Kingston – Melissa’s boyfriend who makes out with Spencer which breaks up his relationship with Melissa which sends him packing but pops him up at Radley of all places being best buds with former A, Mona, and now he’s back with Melissa???? We haven’t seen him in Season 5, but I’ve never trusted him and want to learn more about his connection to Radley. Don’t we all?

Lucas Gottesman – Lucas Lucas Lucas. He loves Hanna, but hates Ali. He even destroys her memorial. Then there was that whole canoe-kidnapping of Hanna in Season 3 or 4. Wait. Didn’t someone try to drown Jenna in the same episode? Who was that? I can’t keep up with all of this stuff!!

Emily Fields – Gentle Emily. I think she’s the least likely of all the “girls” to be the Big A, so perhaps PLL will blow my mind and choose her.

Paige McCullers – Tries to drown Emily, then tries to sleep with Emily. Emily sleeps with the enemy. She’s always been a bit obscure and on-edge. It’s strange that in Season 5 she was all gung-ho Emily, then suddenly super happy to move away and never talk to Emily again. Suspect, much?

Ezra Fitzgerald – Still don’t trust him. I still think he’s a head-runner for the Big A. He clearly has the spyware and the detective skills. I don’t trust him anymore, and Aria and her friends shouldn’t either. What adult teacher dates a 16-year-old student anyway? Ew, gross!

Noel Kahn – Evil as sin, but I don’t think he’s smart enough to pull all of this off. He needs people like Ali to tell him what to do.

Sydney Driscoll – She and her terrifying lips showed up in Season 4, but thankfully only reared their ugly, uh, lips in the Christmas episode of Season 5. Maybe her mouth is A!

Aria Montgomery – Besides Emily, she’s the least likely Big A in my opinion. That would, by default, make her a good A . . .
Mike Montgomery – He’s not smart enough to be the Big A, but he’s certainly doing favors for A or for a dead Mona.

Andrew Campbell – Clearly he’s a regular on Season 5 and we all saw the end of that one episode where A was putting “Andrew Jackson” bills in each prison Bible. But wouldn’t that just be TOO obvious of PLL to make him A? He’s certainly helping A, but I doubt he’s the Big A. Maybe he doesn’t even know about A at all. Maybe he’s just a random psychotic *sshole Aria’s managed to get mixed up with.

Officer Holbrook – Too obvious plus he hasn’t been around in all the seasons. Not sure why he was dumb enough to let Ali mess with his head, but clearly he’s weak somewhere inside. Oh, and the Santa outfit looked stupid, by the way.

Lt Tanner – Yeah, no.

Pastor Ted – Um, possibly. I can’t remember them now, but I feel sure I had some funny feelings about him in the past. It would just make sense for someone as proper and devout as Pastor Ted to be A. Pastors can be creepers, you know.

Hanna Marin – I’ve gone down the list of all the other Liars, leaving her for last. Season 5 has really promoted Hanna being the smartest of the girls. She’s looked pretty evil/guilty to me at times, and I really just feel Season 5 has set her up to be the ultimate A, with or without Caleb’s interwebs help.

Caleb Rivers – See above. He’d do anything for Hanna. Anything – even be on a really bad tv show named Ravenswood that anyone could see was going to be cancelled after the first season!

Oh! Mona's Mom - Where has she disappeared to this season? Maybe the reason Mona was so smart is because she learned it from her mom!!

In all sincerity, with Keegan Allen calling the reveal "tragically beautiful," I feel like it HAS to be one of the Liars. I'm going to settle on Hanna.

TTT: Books on my Spring TBR List

From the Broke & the Bookish
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Books on my Spring TBR List!
1. The Enlightenment of Nina Findlay by Andrea Gillies - For her whole life Nina Findlay has been in a love triangle with two Italian brothers, Paolo, whom she married, and Luca, with whom she was always in love and who remained her best friend throughout her marriage.

2. Second Position by Katherine Locke - Four years ago, a car accident ended Zedekiah Harrow's ballet career and sent Philadelphia Ballet principal dancer Alyona Miller spinning toward the breakdown that suspended her own. What they lost on the side of the road that day can never be replaced, and grief is always harshest under a spotlight…

3. Leaving the Beach by Mary Rowen - Erin Reardon gets her first kiss from Jim Morrison. She loses her virginity to David Bowie. When she flunks out of college, Bruce Springsteen is there to comfort her, and Elvis Costello breaks her heart in Europe. So what happens when she actually meets a rock star?

4. The Guest Cottage by Nancy Thayer - New York Times bestselling author Nancy Thayer whisks readers back to the beloved island of Nantucket in this delightful novel about two single parents who accidentally rent the same summer house—and must soon decide where their hearts truly lie.

5. Visiting Hours by Amy Butcher - A memoir about a woman who remains friends with her murderer friend while he's behind bars.

6. Resilience by Jessie Close & Pete Earley - A memoir of cults, mental illness, and family.

7. Where We Belong by Eve Connell - At the age of seventeen, Amelia Baide won silver at the Olympic Games and was the second-fastest woman in the pool. Then one tragic night she crashed into a lake and was dragged out without a pulse. Now twenty-four, she is still haunted by it and hasn’t swum again. Until this year’s anniversary of the accident. It is a day unlike any other and a strange turn of events finds Amelia back at a swimming pool.

8. MacDeath by Cindy Brown - Like every actor, Ivy Meadows knows that Macbeth is cursed. But she’s finally scored her big break, cast as an acrobatic witch in a circus-themed production of Macbeth in Phoenix, Arizona. And though it may not be Broadway, nothing can dampen her enthusiasm—not her flying caldron, too-tight leotard, or carrot-wielding dictator of a director. But when one of the cast dies on opening night, Ivy is sure the seeming accident is “murder most foul” and that she’s the perfect person to solve the crime.

9. Nearly Broken by Devon Ashley - Nineteen year old Megan Smith has spent the past year working in a small town diner in the middle of nowhere. Life is quiet, simple, safe. Then comes the news that her look-a-like has gone missing.

Monday Mish Mash

I apologize for kind of being absent on this site for awhile. A lot has been going on. I've basically been working 2 jobs which has taken up a lot of my reading and blogging time.

Here's what's been going on:

1. Been making LOTS of autograph books on my etsy site

2. Been reading Closer Than You Think by Karen Rose - it's my 1st paperback in awhile.

3. Had a friend from out of town stay in my house while she attended a funeral

4. BF got a new job paying $15k more a year and is located close to home. He currently works 1 1/2 hours away during the week.

5. I didn't get to go to my nephew's 3rd bday b/c my SIL thinks a cold sore on my lip is somehow going to infect him. Um, you can't pass that unless you kiss someone or drink after them. I need to research it and send her the info. It's ridiculous. She acts like I have AIDs (which I STILL couldn't transfer via air).

6. I'm getting a new nephew this month (from the same crazy SIL).

7. I found this really interesting article on synethsesia. I'm a grapheme.

8. BF from #4 started talking about sharing bank accts and being more serious. Eek! Stresses me out b/c I don't ever want to get married. We've been together 4+ years.

9. I can't wait until May 24th when we find out who the real "A" is on PLL!! EEK!

10. I can't wait until Orphan Black's 3rd season comes on BBC America in April.

What's been going on with YOU?

The Summer After You and Me by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

The Summer After You and Me

by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
Add to Goodreads | Purchase on Amazon
Published by: Sourcebooks Fire - May 5, 2015
Genre: YA, Romance
Rating: 3 Stars

NOTICE: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

For Lucy, the Jersey Shore isn't just the perfect summer escape, it's home. As a local girl, she knows not to get attached to the tourists. They breeze in during Memorial Day weekend, crowding her coastal town and stealing moonlit kisses, only to pack up their beach umbrellas and empty promises on Labor Day. Still, she can't help but crush on charming Connor Malloy. His family spends every summer next door, and she longs for their friendship to turn into something deeper.

Then Superstorm Sandy sweeps up the coast, bringing Lucy and Connor together for a few intense hours. Except nothing is the same in the wake of the storm, and Lucy is left to pick up the pieces of her broken heart and her broken home. Time may heal all wounds, but with Memorial Day approaching and Connor returning, Lucy's summer is sure to be filled with fireworks.

I love a good summer tale, especially when the previous summer ended in conflict between the MCs. This quick-read YA novel fit the bill.

Lucy grew up on the Jersey shore with her parents and twin brother Liam. There's growing tension between her and Liam just as there is with her ex best friend Meghan. Then there's Connor - the boy of her summer dreams - the one she spent an intense few hours with - the boy who never called her again.

This summer Lucy is back and ready to face her fears, her enemies, and the truth about it all.