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The Metamorphosis Trilogy #1
Caterpillar
In a small college town in northern California, a lonely young man is working himself to the bone to solve a sixty-year-old problem ... a stranger with a will of iron and eyes the color of ice is searching for someone he can't identify ... and a girl who loves plants is about to grow roots of her own.
When Cara Gallagher's parents are transferred overseas again, she's off to spend her senior year of high school living with her sister, a graduate student at the famed McNair University. Cara, a girl with a passion for science and an indifference to people, hopes this move will be her first step in claiming the independence she craves. Cara has her future planned down to the letter: her college, her major, her career.
Then she saves Will Mallory's life, and both of their futures are completely rewritten.
The last years of Will's life have been spent shifting from one identity to the next, dodging the FBI, and trying desperately to find a way home. But Will's home is forty-four light years away, and to reach it he'll have to outwit the man who's hunting him--and leave behind the only love he's ever known.
When Cara Gallagher's parents are transferred overseas again, she's off to spend her senior year of high school living with her sister, a graduate student at the famed McNair University. Cara, a girl with a passion for science and an indifference to people, hopes this move will be her first step in claiming the independence she craves. Cara has her future planned down to the letter: her college, her major, her career.
Then she saves Will Mallory's life, and both of their futures are completely rewritten.
The last years of Will's life have been spent shifting from one identity to the next, dodging the FBI, and trying desperately to find a way home. But Will's home is forty-four light years away, and to reach it he'll have to outwit the man who's hunting him--and leave behind the only love he's ever known.
338 pages, Paperback
First published March 23, 2012
2 people are currently reading
1212 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
June 21, 2012
I love paranormal romance, and Caterpillar did not disappoint. Oliver has done an excellent job it creating an alien that is unique and bringing to life his world.
Cara is an earthy, natural kind of character, almost a tree hugger type, without the activism. Her constant moving has left her with no friends and she isn't sure she wants to change that. Even when she does make a few friends they are more of a group that latches on to her and she can't shake them, despite wanting to. Though she doesn't really like them, she still suffers the feelings of peer pressure and it's easy to understand why she doesn't drop them completely. But it's Cara's interactions with Will, where I found myself liking her even more.
Will is an alien who has been stranded on Earth for sometime. He is becoming desperate in his search for a way home, and while he thinks he may be on the verge of discovering that, he struggles with the consequences of leaving, namely leaving Cara behind. Put of the book is told from his point of view and it was interesting to see how he was dealing with his life on Earth and possibility of returning home.
Alien romances have always confused me in their simplicity. In movies and other alien books I've read, aliens fall into two different categories: monsters or humans with super powers. Either they're going to eat you, or there's no reason why you can't be with them. Oliver though has created an alien where there are problems. Although Will is in a human form, he doesn't experience things the same way as them, and he can't do everything they can. This made the romance angle of the book even more interesting.
Caterpillar is a fast paced read for paranormal lovers, and is a great start to a new series.
Check out my other reviews on my blog Turning the Pages
Cara is an earthy, natural kind of character, almost a tree hugger type, without the activism. Her constant moving has left her with no friends and she isn't sure she wants to change that. Even when she does make a few friends they are more of a group that latches on to her and she can't shake them, despite wanting to. Though she doesn't really like them, she still suffers the feelings of peer pressure and it's easy to understand why she doesn't drop them completely. But it's Cara's interactions with Will, where I found myself liking her even more.
Will is an alien who has been stranded on Earth for sometime. He is becoming desperate in his search for a way home, and while he thinks he may be on the verge of discovering that, he struggles with the consequences of leaving, namely leaving Cara behind. Put of the book is told from his point of view and it was interesting to see how he was dealing with his life on Earth and possibility of returning home.
Alien romances have always confused me in their simplicity. In movies and other alien books I've read, aliens fall into two different categories: monsters or humans with super powers. Either they're going to eat you, or there's no reason why you can't be with them. Oliver though has created an alien where there are problems. Although Will is in a human form, he doesn't experience things the same way as them, and he can't do everything they can. This made the romance angle of the book even more interesting.
Caterpillar is a fast paced read for paranormal lovers, and is a great start to a new series.
Check out my other reviews on my blog Turning the Pages
June 19, 2012
A Huge THANK YOU to YA Bound for allowing me to be a part of this tour. Caterpillar is one of those stories that will stay with you long after you have read it. I have to admit that the book cover threw me because it speaks of nothing in the book. Usually I am a cover girl. I know I know I am shallow like that but lord knows I love a good cover and if the cover is off I wait and see what the reviewers are saying. I have to say this cover grabbed me from the beginning and the blurb did the book justice so I took a chance and decided to read this book and I am so so glad I did.
Imagine this you are entering into your senior year and you want nothing more than to stay under the radar and get good grades to go to the college of your dreams. You have everything mapped out and then your parents come in and say they are going overseas and you have to pack up and move in with your older sister. You are devastated to say the least but your a good daughter and sister and don't put up a fight and just go to your sisters house to live.
Will is running for his life because someone is trying to kill him. He is tired of changing so he can escape. He would like to go home but that is light years away and in order to make it home he has to out run this person who is trying to kill him. Then he meets Cara and his life is about to change for the good. He and Cara become friends and as their friendship grows they fall in love. But what cost is love? Will they be able to be together? What will Will do now that he has found Cara? Will he want to go home or will he want to stay with Cara?
Come along for a true ride on a love roller coaster. Where it will end no one knows but where it is headed is promising. Will Cara follow her heart or her dreams? Will the connection Cara and Will share be enough? This is the first book in the trilogy and I can't wait for book two!
Imagine this you are entering into your senior year and you want nothing more than to stay under the radar and get good grades to go to the college of your dreams. You have everything mapped out and then your parents come in and say they are going overseas and you have to pack up and move in with your older sister. You are devastated to say the least but your a good daughter and sister and don't put up a fight and just go to your sisters house to live.
Will is running for his life because someone is trying to kill him. He is tired of changing so he can escape. He would like to go home but that is light years away and in order to make it home he has to out run this person who is trying to kill him. Then he meets Cara and his life is about to change for the good. He and Cara become friends and as their friendship grows they fall in love. But what cost is love? Will they be able to be together? What will Will do now that he has found Cara? Will he want to go home or will he want to stay with Cara?
Come along for a true ride on a love roller coaster. Where it will end no one knows but where it is headed is promising. Will Cara follow her heart or her dreams? Will the connection Cara and Will share be enough? This is the first book in the trilogy and I can't wait for book two!
September 9, 2012
My review can also be found on my blog Collections.
I was pretty impressed with the way Caterpillar made me feel. Even when some moments were a bit unbelievable or typical of the YA genre, there was just something about this book that I found really entertaining. I couldn't help but to enjoy it! It honestly was a guilty pleasure sort of read for me, and I truly am looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.
By the time I was done with chapter two, I was hooked into the story. It may have started off in a way that happens a lot in paranormal/sci-fi YA books (high school girl moves to a new city to live with a family member), but how the girl meets the boy was very different. When Cara meets Will, Will's trying to end his life. I think this scene is the one that stood out the most throughout the entire book. It's not something you can easily forget. And it's the one that made me start rooting for the characters and their relationship. After Cara basically saved Will and she went on her way, I couldn't wait for them to meet again. I knew it was the beginning of a sweet romance, and I wanted them to interact more. Thankfully the wait wasn't long at all!
I thought Cara was a likeable character. She's caring and compassionate. I didn't even find fault in her not being a people person. While that may make her sound like an ungrateful and stuck-up teenager, I felt like I understood where she was coming from. I actually could relate to her with the way she acted around people; it's kind of similar to how I am with people. She is a bit shy, gets embarrassed easily, and lacking some self-esteem. But unlike some main characters in certain other books, I felt Cara had very good reasons, and it made it easy to relate to her. Another thing I appreciated about Cara was her relationship with her older sister Liv. These two got along so well! And they're pretty hilarious when they joked around with one another. Siblings sticking together is something I like to find in books. It's just much more realistic to me than siblings who can't stand each other.
Will was another good character. I like nice guys. Ones who are sweet and kind. Reading the summary, it's quite obvious he's not an ordinary human. He's an alien who's been on Earth for over 60 years. It might sound creepy that he has disguised himself as a 23-year-old college student, but the way it's explained doesn't make it weird at all. (And at least he isn't pretending to be a high school kid!) What was refreshing about his character was that even though he's been on Earth for decades he hasn't tried to learn everything about every single subject. He's no genius just because he's an alien, and it was believable to me.
But I admit Will made me scratch my head at some points. When there were chapters from his POV, I was surprised at how clueless he was about things that don't require much brain power. For example, he had no idea what to do with mousse. Okay, I can understand if he doesn't get physics, but to not know what mousse is when he's been around for over half a century? Now that's completely unbelievable. I mean, it was only suppose to be a funny scene, but it did make me facepalm. In trying to make Will seem clueless and naive about womanly things (which wasn't convincing to begin with considering his past), he ended up lacking common sense at those moments. Even if he didn't know what mousse was, he could have easily read the label. Maybe his nerves caused him to act that way. Either way, the scene wasn't such a huge deal, but it wasn't something I could dismiss.
There were a few other things that I couldn't help but notice like how on some parts the pacing was too quick or how the high school scene was the same old same old (mean girls and such). But overall, they were minor in the scheme of things and really didn't overshadow my enjoyment of the book. (Plus, there was way more college scenes than high school scenes, so that's always great.) Caterpillar was an enthralling read for me from the very beginning. I liked the characters, the romance, and the story, and I cannot wait to know what happens to Cara and Will next. A good read!
June 21, 2012
This review originally appeared HERE on My Life is a Notebook, as part of a YA Bound blog tour with an international giveaway that goes til June 26, 2012!
Some people put down a book if, only a couple of chapters in, the book isn’t hooking them. I am not one of those people. I will stick with books until the absolute end, if only to be continuously horrified. Sometimes, I’m even excited I did.
This was one of those times.
The beginning of the book might put readers who are quick to judge off, because Cara does not begin the novel out as a likeable character at all. She sounds like one of those snotty, stuck up teens for whom everything is horrible.
Once Cara gets to hanging out with her sister, Liv, for a while–and, of course, meets Will–she starts to open up and becomes a heck of a lot more interesting AND likeable. Of course, that is replaced by the insta-love that, to be fair, I knew was coming, but ah well. It’s more often than not these days, so it shouldn’t shock anyone. At least there isn’t a love triangle.
I struggled with the beginning first with Cara, and then with the romance between Will and Cara. Well, besides the fact that they actually go on more than one date, which was absolutely fantastic. That’s right, you heard me, DATES. Like they were actually trying to have a real relationship or something.
This novel can actually be separated into two halves: the first half, with ALL of the romance, and the second half with a great deal of action. The first 1/2, 2/3 of the book are actually pretty slow, focusing on Will and Cara falling in love and being in love and dealing with the fact that Will is an alien and needs to go home but they love each other and ohmygod. To be perfectly honest, these two eventually won me over and made me melt just a little bit. I’m a sucker for romance when it’s done at least halfway right, and this is one of those times.
The second half was actually a lot more exciting than I thought it was going to be. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but this chain reaction gets set off with one little thing and then all of a sudden there is a car chase, bullets and explosions. I certainly wasn’t expecting THAT kind of action. Why?
The writing in this book.
This is both were I found love and issue. See, Oliver writes a lot “slower” than many other YA books. What that means is that her writing is more lyrical, more descriptive, and less BOOM-BANG-BAM. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, and I enjoyed the change. In places, her descriptions and musings were spectacularly gorgeous. My issue was the constant POV change. Cara is the lead, switching back and forth a few times with Will’s journal entries. Then there is the whole section were Cara is MIA and Will is pretending to be her. While it was awesomely epic to read about him being a girl, it completely threw me for a loop, especially because after that Cara came back for a long while, solo, and then it was Will again at the end. I’m tricky when it comes to POV switches. I like them, but there has to be a logical sequence to them. There wasn’t that in this book.
All and all, I found Caterpillar to be a wonderfully sweet book. It was the sweetest teen romance I’d read in ages, and one of the first this year that didn’t completely have me headdesking over insta-love, cliché stupidity. Though technically Will is an alien, the fantasy trappings are few and far between, with most of the focus being on the romance. I’d absolutely recommend this if you were looking for a cute teen romance with some fantasy trappings that let’s the romance really speak for itself. There is insta-love in the beginning, but they won me over and that is HARD to do!
Some people put down a book if, only a couple of chapters in, the book isn’t hooking them. I am not one of those people. I will stick with books until the absolute end, if only to be continuously horrified. Sometimes, I’m even excited I did.
This was one of those times.
The beginning of the book might put readers who are quick to judge off, because Cara does not begin the novel out as a likeable character at all. She sounds like one of those snotty, stuck up teens for whom everything is horrible.
Once Cara gets to hanging out with her sister, Liv, for a while–and, of course, meets Will–she starts to open up and becomes a heck of a lot more interesting AND likeable. Of course, that is replaced by the insta-love that, to be fair, I knew was coming, but ah well. It’s more often than not these days, so it shouldn’t shock anyone. At least there isn’t a love triangle.
I struggled with the beginning first with Cara, and then with the romance between Will and Cara. Well, besides the fact that they actually go on more than one date, which was absolutely fantastic. That’s right, you heard me, DATES. Like they were actually trying to have a real relationship or something.
This novel can actually be separated into two halves: the first half, with ALL of the romance, and the second half with a great deal of action. The first 1/2, 2/3 of the book are actually pretty slow, focusing on Will and Cara falling in love and being in love and dealing with the fact that Will is an alien and needs to go home but they love each other and ohmygod. To be perfectly honest, these two eventually won me over and made me melt just a little bit. I’m a sucker for romance when it’s done at least halfway right, and this is one of those times.
The second half was actually a lot more exciting than I thought it was going to be. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but this chain reaction gets set off with one little thing and then all of a sudden there is a car chase, bullets and explosions. I certainly wasn’t expecting THAT kind of action. Why?
The writing in this book.
This is both were I found love and issue. See, Oliver writes a lot “slower” than many other YA books. What that means is that her writing is more lyrical, more descriptive, and less BOOM-BANG-BAM. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, and I enjoyed the change. In places, her descriptions and musings were spectacularly gorgeous. My issue was the constant POV change. Cara is the lead, switching back and forth a few times with Will’s journal entries. Then there is the whole section were Cara is MIA and Will is pretending to be her. While it was awesomely epic to read about him being a girl, it completely threw me for a loop, especially because after that Cara came back for a long while, solo, and then it was Will again at the end. I’m tricky when it comes to POV switches. I like them, but there has to be a logical sequence to them. There wasn’t that in this book.
All and all, I found Caterpillar to be a wonderfully sweet book. It was the sweetest teen romance I’d read in ages, and one of the first this year that didn’t completely have me headdesking over insta-love, cliché stupidity. Though technically Will is an alien, the fantasy trappings are few and far between, with most of the focus being on the romance. I’d absolutely recommend this if you were looking for a cute teen romance with some fantasy trappings that let’s the romance really speak for itself. There is insta-love in the beginning, but they won me over and that is HARD to do!
June 18, 2012
As seen on Ed and Em's Reviews!
This book was very strange. Overall, enjoyable, but definitely not my usual kind of book. I'm still a little befuddled over everything that occurs in the story. While I liked it, it definitely was not love. I almost didn't write this review and asked for a promotional post because it's hard to explain my feeling about this book.
First, I don't like the cover. I know a lot of people don't care about covers and how others feel about them, but for me, a usually judge books by their covers. So reading this went against my usual norm. I expected a little more from it, to be honest. It wasn't awful, but it really needed some tweaks and edits.
The title is Caterpillar. What a weird title, right? But when you read the book, it makes sense. Though, I think a better title might have been "Orchid" because the main character loves plants and orchids are her favorite. This is the story of a girl named Cara and the way she finds love, defeats fear and becomes a woman. Her parents have just moved across the Atlantic ocean, so she moves in with her older sister, Liv, in California. At her sister's college, she meets Will. She's immediately entranced, falls in love, even though he warns her not to, and gets in deep trouble.
Sounds familiar, I know, but the tale is woven with concepts that were totally original. While the plot wasn't unique, the ideas the book revolves around definitely were. Basically, it's about aliens. I'm pretty positive I've only read one other book about aliens in my lifetime and that was The Host by Stephenie Meyer. And while both of these stories are about aliens, they are completely different. And not in a bad way, Caterpillar is just much more subdued and aimed at young adults.
Cara, the main character, was okay. She's not my favorite, but she led a very interesting life. Well, duh… I mean, she's in love with an alien. Besides that she's pretty much a genius, along with her sister and mother. They all have affinities for science. I can't relate to science specialists, and that could be why I didn't love it. There were jokes and metaphors involving things that I learned in high school biology, but couldn't remember for the life of me today. All of those went over my head and just annoyed me. Those anecdotes made it hard to relate and connect with the characters. Liv really loves Cara, but is pretty selfish and hypocritical. Will is… interesting. I guess, I don't really understand him.
I didn't like the point-of-view switch up. Those couple of chapters confused me immensely. Maybe I just skimmed over the point of it, but I was told I was frowning as I read it. The journal entries were neat and I would've liked to see those at the end of every chapter, but point-of-view changes never really sit well with me. I think the story could've done without it.
This really could be a standalone book. I don't know if I will read the next one, because I don't know what the author plans to do with the series next. When she comes out with a blurb and cover for book two, I will decided. This could be the book for you, though. If you love science, drama, romance and young adult novels, you would probably love this!
I received a free e-copy of this novel for a blog tour in exchange for my honest review.
This book was very strange. Overall, enjoyable, but definitely not my usual kind of book. I'm still a little befuddled over everything that occurs in the story. While I liked it, it definitely was not love. I almost didn't write this review and asked for a promotional post because it's hard to explain my feeling about this book.
First, I don't like the cover. I know a lot of people don't care about covers and how others feel about them, but for me, a usually judge books by their covers. So reading this went against my usual norm. I expected a little more from it, to be honest. It wasn't awful, but it really needed some tweaks and edits.
The title is Caterpillar. What a weird title, right? But when you read the book, it makes sense. Though, I think a better title might have been "Orchid" because the main character loves plants and orchids are her favorite. This is the story of a girl named Cara and the way she finds love, defeats fear and becomes a woman. Her parents have just moved across the Atlantic ocean, so she moves in with her older sister, Liv, in California. At her sister's college, she meets Will. She's immediately entranced, falls in love, even though he warns her not to, and gets in deep trouble.
Sounds familiar, I know, but the tale is woven with concepts that were totally original. While the plot wasn't unique, the ideas the book revolves around definitely were. Basically, it's about aliens. I'm pretty positive I've only read one other book about aliens in my lifetime and that was The Host by Stephenie Meyer. And while both of these stories are about aliens, they are completely different. And not in a bad way, Caterpillar is just much more subdued and aimed at young adults.
Cara, the main character, was okay. She's not my favorite, but she led a very interesting life. Well, duh… I mean, she's in love with an alien. Besides that she's pretty much a genius, along with her sister and mother. They all have affinities for science. I can't relate to science specialists, and that could be why I didn't love it. There were jokes and metaphors involving things that I learned in high school biology, but couldn't remember for the life of me today. All of those went over my head and just annoyed me. Those anecdotes made it hard to relate and connect with the characters. Liv really loves Cara, but is pretty selfish and hypocritical. Will is… interesting. I guess, I don't really understand him.
I didn't like the point-of-view switch up. Those couple of chapters confused me immensely. Maybe I just skimmed over the point of it, but I was told I was frowning as I read it. The journal entries were neat and I would've liked to see those at the end of every chapter, but point-of-view changes never really sit well with me. I think the story could've done without it.
This really could be a standalone book. I don't know if I will read the next one, because I don't know what the author plans to do with the series next. When she comes out with a blurb and cover for book two, I will decided. This could be the book for you, though. If you love science, drama, romance and young adult novels, you would probably love this!
I received a free e-copy of this novel for a blog tour in exchange for my honest review.
June 23, 2012
MICHELLE'S REVIEW:
RATING : 4 WILL STARS!
I have just read a book called Cicada and now Caterpillar, both funnily enough had the same theme behind them, both also insect titles...hehe!!
Caroline aka Cara is a 17 yr old Foreign Service Brat. She has come to live with her 22 yr old sister Liv...... thinks just got interesting.
A blown tyre changes Cara’s life. She isn’t a very social person and when she is seeking out help , as her sis does not have her jack in her boot to change a tyre, she finds a beautiful boy who is looking rather suicidal.
Cara seems to be attracting like a moth to a flame, a mysterious man in a dark suit, who gets a bit forceful with her.
I really liked Liv, the protective sister, sometimes I forgot she was only 22 yrs old herself as she took on a parent type role. Cara always knew how to throw back in Liv’s face, what was good for the goose was good for the gander, or something like that.
Adeep the ‘My Little Pony’ blue hair styled dude was a bit of fun.
Will Mallory doesn’t stay a mystery for long. He is outed by Kate and there begins most of the book dodging the guy in the dark suit and Will and Cara’s friendship.
I will be honest and say I would have liked Kate to have given me something more faster paced in the time we spent going to the opera, Fremont Park, the journals of Will, meeting Bob and drunken birthday drinks. I would have liked more about Will. We learnt stuff, sure, but more danger and some faster paced excitement involving Will’s thing. I am trying not to give anything too much away here.
The latter third of the book definitely picked up the pace. I have read three of these themed books in a row now , without realising it until I read the book...spookie I know.
I did love the waltzing on the sand scene, that was quite gorgeous and I did love switching to Will’s POV and a certain bra incident chapter. I enjoyed that whole chapter.
The high school chapters , possibly felt a bit like filler chapters as not much really happened that was of great impact to the story. I think more dodging dark suit guy and dangers associated with that would have been more exciting.
Mum unfortunately wasn’t very likeable, I think she was just fed up with her life. The girls didn’t seem to show much respect for her.
Will , I think I liked him the most and connected with him. He had such a sad vulnerability to him. Kate wrote him very well. There was a loneliness about him , until he found the girl that shared fifteen minutes and a peanut butter sandwhich with him.
I enjoyed Kate’s story, especially Will, and am looking forward to reading the sequel. I LOVE the book cover, it is absolutely gorgeous.
RATING : 4 WILL STARS!
I have just read a book called Cicada and now Caterpillar, both funnily enough had the same theme behind them, both also insect titles...hehe!!
Caroline aka Cara is a 17 yr old Foreign Service Brat. She has come to live with her 22 yr old sister Liv...... thinks just got interesting.
A blown tyre changes Cara’s life. She isn’t a very social person and when she is seeking out help , as her sis does not have her jack in her boot to change a tyre, she finds a beautiful boy who is looking rather suicidal.
Cara seems to be attracting like a moth to a flame, a mysterious man in a dark suit, who gets a bit forceful with her.
I really liked Liv, the protective sister, sometimes I forgot she was only 22 yrs old herself as she took on a parent type role. Cara always knew how to throw back in Liv’s face, what was good for the goose was good for the gander, or something like that.
Adeep the ‘My Little Pony’ blue hair styled dude was a bit of fun.
Will Mallory doesn’t stay a mystery for long. He is outed by Kate and there begins most of the book dodging the guy in the dark suit and Will and Cara’s friendship.
I will be honest and say I would have liked Kate to have given me something more faster paced in the time we spent going to the opera, Fremont Park, the journals of Will, meeting Bob and drunken birthday drinks. I would have liked more about Will. We learnt stuff, sure, but more danger and some faster paced excitement involving Will’s thing. I am trying not to give anything too much away here.
The latter third of the book definitely picked up the pace. I have read three of these themed books in a row now , without realising it until I read the book...spookie I know.
I did love the waltzing on the sand scene, that was quite gorgeous and I did love switching to Will’s POV and a certain bra incident chapter. I enjoyed that whole chapter.
The high school chapters , possibly felt a bit like filler chapters as not much really happened that was of great impact to the story. I think more dodging dark suit guy and dangers associated with that would have been more exciting.
Mum unfortunately wasn’t very likeable, I think she was just fed up with her life. The girls didn’t seem to show much respect for her.
Will , I think I liked him the most and connected with him. He had such a sad vulnerability to him. Kate wrote him very well. There was a loneliness about him , until he found the girl that shared fifteen minutes and a peanut butter sandwhich with him.
I enjoyed Kate’s story, especially Will, and am looking forward to reading the sequel. I LOVE the book cover, it is absolutely gorgeous.
June 21, 2012
Cara is almost 18 years old, she is starting her senior year in high school at another school, yet again, the only perk being that she gets to live with her sister. With her dad being in the Foreign Services, Cara has moved around so much and has been in so many different schools that she doesn't make a lot of friends and kind of stays to herself. After arriving in California, she takes her sister's car out to do a little sightseeing, has a flat, jumps a guard rail to try to find the person who owns the car she parked next to, and in the process ends up saving Will Mallory's life. She feels drawn to him but thinks she will never see him again, and tries to put him out of her mind. As fate would have it though, she attends an event with her sister for the University and who does she run into there, but Will Mallory.....and Will Mallory is as taken with her as she is with him. A strange man has been following Cara, and she sees him again when she is with Will, but Will doesn't want this man to see him. Then the strangest thing happens, and Cara's world is forever changed. She finds out there is a whole lot more to Will than she imagined. You see, Will is an alien, and not just an alien, but a hot swoon-worthy alien, and she finds herself falling hard for him.
I really liked Will. Not only is he hot, and I really love hot aliens, he really loves Cara to. She fills the empty void he has had in his heart for so very long. Their relationship does have its challenges though. Cara's sister Liv thinks Will is too old for her, the FBI is snooping around and suspicious, and to top it off, Cara's overbearing and bitter mother decides to show up. Then there is also the problem of Will being able to "hold himself together" when things get to steamy in the romance department. I loved Cara's sister Liv, and their relationship added a lot of humor to the story. As the FBI closes in on them, there is definitely a lot of action and drama. The romance in this book was really beautiful. Cara and Will have the type of love that endures despite what life throws at you, a forever kind of love. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the characters, the story line, and the romance. I thought the book was very well written and interesting, and would highly recommend it. I am looking forward to seeing where Kate Oliver takes the story from here. I really hope that Will will be able to hold himself together so that he and Cara can truly be together in every way. This was a great read, and if you love romance, hot aliens, with some action and a little humor thrown in, then Caterpillar is well worth checking out.
I really liked Will. Not only is he hot, and I really love hot aliens, he really loves Cara to. She fills the empty void he has had in his heart for so very long. Their relationship does have its challenges though. Cara's sister Liv thinks Will is too old for her, the FBI is snooping around and suspicious, and to top it off, Cara's overbearing and bitter mother decides to show up. Then there is also the problem of Will being able to "hold himself together" when things get to steamy in the romance department. I loved Cara's sister Liv, and their relationship added a lot of humor to the story. As the FBI closes in on them, there is definitely a lot of action and drama. The romance in this book was really beautiful. Cara and Will have the type of love that endures despite what life throws at you, a forever kind of love. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the characters, the story line, and the romance. I thought the book was very well written and interesting, and would highly recommend it. I am looking forward to seeing where Kate Oliver takes the story from here. I really hope that Will will be able to hold himself together so that he and Cara can truly be together in every way. This was a great read, and if you love romance, hot aliens, with some action and a little humor thrown in, then Caterpillar is well worth checking out.
June 23, 2012
RATING : 4 WILL STARS!
I have just read a book called Cicada and now Caterpillar, both funnily enough had the same theme behind them, both also insect titles...hehe!!
Caroline aka Cara is a 17 yr old Foreign Service Brat. She has come to live with her 22 yr old sister Liv...... thinks just got interesting.
A blown tyre changes Cara’s life. She isn’t a very social person and when she is seeking out help , as her sis does not have her jack in her boot to change a tyre, she finds a beautiful boy who is looking rather suicidal.
Cara seems to be attracting like a moth to a flame, a mysterious man in a dark suit, who gets a bit forceful with her.
I really liked Liv, the protective sister, sometimes I forgot she was only 22 yrs old herself as she took on a parent type role. Cara always knew how to throw back in Liv’s face, what was good for the goose was good for the gander, or something like that.
Adeep the ‘My Little Pony’ blue hair styled dude was a bit of fun.
Will Mallory doesn’t stay a mystery for long. He is outed by Kate and there begins most of the book dodging the guy in the dark suit and Will and Cara’s friendship.
I will be honest and say I would have liked Kate to have given me something more faster paced in the time we spent going to the opera, Fremont Park, the journals of Will, meeting Bob and drunken birthday drinks. I would have liked more about Will. We learnt stuff, sure, but more danger and some faster paced excitement involving Will’s thing. I am trying not to give anything too much away here.
The latter third of the book definitely picked up the pace. I have read three of these themed books in a row now , without realising it until I read the book...spookie I know.
I did love the waltzing on the sand scene, that was quite gorgeous and I did love switching to Will’s POV and a certain bra incident chapter. I enjoyed that whole chapter.
The high school chapters , possibly felt a bit like filler chapters as not much really happened that was of great impact to the story. I think more dodging dark suit guy and dangers associated with that would have been more exciting.
Mum unfortunately wasn’t very likeable, I think she was just fed up with her life. The girls didn’t seem to show much respect for her.
Will , I think I liked him the most and connected with him. He had such a sad vulnerability to him. Kate wrote him very well. There was a loneliness about him , until he found the girl that shared fifteen minutes and a peanut butter sandwhich with him.
I enjoyed Kate’s story, especially Will, and am looking forward to reading the sequel. I LOVE the book cover, it is absolutely gorgeous.
I have just read a book called Cicada and now Caterpillar, both funnily enough had the same theme behind them, both also insect titles...hehe!!
Caroline aka Cara is a 17 yr old Foreign Service Brat. She has come to live with her 22 yr old sister Liv...... thinks just got interesting.
A blown tyre changes Cara’s life. She isn’t a very social person and when she is seeking out help , as her sis does not have her jack in her boot to change a tyre, she finds a beautiful boy who is looking rather suicidal.
Cara seems to be attracting like a moth to a flame, a mysterious man in a dark suit, who gets a bit forceful with her.
I really liked Liv, the protective sister, sometimes I forgot she was only 22 yrs old herself as she took on a parent type role. Cara always knew how to throw back in Liv’s face, what was good for the goose was good for the gander, or something like that.
Adeep the ‘My Little Pony’ blue hair styled dude was a bit of fun.
Will Mallory doesn’t stay a mystery for long. He is outed by Kate and there begins most of the book dodging the guy in the dark suit and Will and Cara’s friendship.
I will be honest and say I would have liked Kate to have given me something more faster paced in the time we spent going to the opera, Fremont Park, the journals of Will, meeting Bob and drunken birthday drinks. I would have liked more about Will. We learnt stuff, sure, but more danger and some faster paced excitement involving Will’s thing. I am trying not to give anything too much away here.
The latter third of the book definitely picked up the pace. I have read three of these themed books in a row now , without realising it until I read the book...spookie I know.
I did love the waltzing on the sand scene, that was quite gorgeous and I did love switching to Will’s POV and a certain bra incident chapter. I enjoyed that whole chapter.
The high school chapters , possibly felt a bit like filler chapters as not much really happened that was of great impact to the story. I think more dodging dark suit guy and dangers associated with that would have been more exciting.
Mum unfortunately wasn’t very likeable, I think she was just fed up with her life. The girls didn’t seem to show much respect for her.
Will , I think I liked him the most and connected with him. He had such a sad vulnerability to him. Kate wrote him very well. There was a loneliness about him , until he found the girl that shared fifteen minutes and a peanut butter sandwhich with him.
I enjoyed Kate’s story, especially Will, and am looking forward to reading the sequel. I LOVE the book cover, it is absolutely gorgeous.
January 30, 2016
I wanted to read this book after seeing the cover and reading the summary. The cover is beautiful and the summary sounded mysterious. I wanted to give it a try and I was blown away.
I want to start this review by saying that the story was beautiful and the writing was amazing. It has been a very long time since I had a book make me smile, cry, laugh, and feel the way this one did. I could not put it down from the moment I picked it up. It's a love story between a girl and a boy. New town, new school, new faces for the girl and a lonely life for the boy. The two meet. The way they meet really sets the tone for the story and says so much about both characters. I love that when they meet, it's the girl saving the boy not the other way around.
The characters just took over my mind, heart, and soul. I fell in love with them from the start. Cara is a bit of a loner, she has been moved around her entire life and she has found it easier not to get close to anyone. The only person Cara has ever been close to was her sister, a sister who is 5 years older and eventually left her on her own. Now that she is a senior, Cara's life is starting a new chapter. She is given the choice to live with her sister instead of traveling with her parents. Cara's first full day in the new city she runs into Will. A lonely and very cute boy.
Will owns my heart. Will is different and a little strange at first. He is drawn to Cara right away. She saved him, she cared about his well being, she took the time to see he needed help. Will enters Cara life and changes it drastically. Cara's life will never be the same. Cara entered Will's life and gave it purpose, gave him a friend and love, and gave him hope.
Will loves Cara's heart, I love Will's heart. They are both very caring people and the chemistry between the two is amazing. I can't remember the last time I felt so much chemistry in words. I found myself getting chills often and yearning to be apart of Cara and Will's world. I found myself thinking about this book when I couldn't read it and I am still thinking about it long after I have finished.
When I finished the last page of this book I could not stop smiling, yet I wanted to cry. I have to wait a while before I can enter this world again. I will be raving about this book for a while and anticipating the next book in the series.
I want to start this review by saying that the story was beautiful and the writing was amazing. It has been a very long time since I had a book make me smile, cry, laugh, and feel the way this one did. I could not put it down from the moment I picked it up. It's a love story between a girl and a boy. New town, new school, new faces for the girl and a lonely life for the boy. The two meet. The way they meet really sets the tone for the story and says so much about both characters. I love that when they meet, it's the girl saving the boy not the other way around.
The characters just took over my mind, heart, and soul. I fell in love with them from the start. Cara is a bit of a loner, she has been moved around her entire life and she has found it easier not to get close to anyone. The only person Cara has ever been close to was her sister, a sister who is 5 years older and eventually left her on her own. Now that she is a senior, Cara's life is starting a new chapter. She is given the choice to live with her sister instead of traveling with her parents. Cara's first full day in the new city she runs into Will. A lonely and very cute boy.
Will owns my heart. Will is different and a little strange at first. He is drawn to Cara right away. She saved him, she cared about his well being, she took the time to see he needed help. Will enters Cara life and changes it drastically. Cara's life will never be the same. Cara entered Will's life and gave it purpose, gave him a friend and love, and gave him hope.
Will loves Cara's heart, I love Will's heart. They are both very caring people and the chemistry between the two is amazing. I can't remember the last time I felt so much chemistry in words. I found myself getting chills often and yearning to be apart of Cara and Will's world. I found myself thinking about this book when I couldn't read it and I am still thinking about it long after I have finished.
When I finished the last page of this book I could not stop smiling, yet I wanted to cry. I have to wait a while before I can enter this world again. I will be raving about this book for a while and anticipating the next book in the series.
June 19, 2012
I have to admit, I was a little worried about this book once I started getting into the story. I tend to stray from stories involving aliens falling in love with humans (unless the story has Daemon from the Lux Series in it- I would not mind at all then!), and seeing how Caterpillar is exactly that type of alien/human love story, I approached it with trepidation. I ended up being worried for nothing! Overall, the story was well written, and the romance, save for the slight instant attraction factor, was very believable. (I did not get any creepy alien-loves-mortal vibes, so that was a good thing!) Caterpillar was a pleasant surprise and a wonderful debut by Kate Oliver.
I liked Cara as a female lead, but my heart went out to Will. He is a guy who is wracked by loneliness, has never really experienced what it means to care for someone else or be cared for, and just seems to have an inability to connect to those around him. He feels like he lives on the periphery, and he just ends up feeling a large disconnect to the life he is leading and his emotions. He meets Cara, and he is slowly able to show more of himself and find beauty and love in the life he is leading. I loved the deep, emotional connection between Cara and Will. Cara is also a bit of a loner, a girl who is just looking to outrun her emotionally turbulent past and her mother’s complaints. When she and Will come together, they bring out the best in each other, and I loved reading about their budding relationship.
Caterpillar is the first book in The Metamorphosis Series, but it can be read as a stand-alone work. There is a no cliffhanger and the conflicts with the villain were resolved. Seeing as to how this novel can be read by itself, I am not too sure how the series will progress. The issue with Will being basically immortal and Cara being only human is still open, so maybe the next book will settle that? I am not too sure what to expect, but I will definitely be checking it out!
I liked Cara as a female lead, but my heart went out to Will. He is a guy who is wracked by loneliness, has never really experienced what it means to care for someone else or be cared for, and just seems to have an inability to connect to those around him. He feels like he lives on the periphery, and he just ends up feeling a large disconnect to the life he is leading and his emotions. He meets Cara, and he is slowly able to show more of himself and find beauty and love in the life he is leading. I loved the deep, emotional connection between Cara and Will. Cara is also a bit of a loner, a girl who is just looking to outrun her emotionally turbulent past and her mother’s complaints. When she and Will come together, they bring out the best in each other, and I loved reading about their budding relationship.
Caterpillar is the first book in The Metamorphosis Series, but it can be read as a stand-alone work. There is a no cliffhanger and the conflicts with the villain were resolved. Seeing as to how this novel can be read by itself, I am not too sure how the series will progress. The issue with Will being basically immortal and Cara being only human is still open, so maybe the next book will settle that? I am not too sure what to expect, but I will definitely be checking it out!
June 1, 2012
Let me start off by saying that this is a beautifully written book. I didn't go into this with a ton of expectations, as normally when I accept author review requests I tend to scope out goodreads to see what other people have thought of it before making a decision. This book wasn't even listed on goodreads when I accepted it, which was both thrilling and scary.
That being said, the first chapter in and I was pretty much hooked.
Cara is an interesting girl. Her family isn't functional (but whose are these days?) with her father being a workaholic and her mother being super unhappy and vocal about it. Her father has been transferred overseas and so Cara goes to live with her older sister to finish out HS.
I loved the sister relationship between Cara and Liv. It felt so similar to mine and my sister's relationship. Despite their age difference, and suddenly Liv being like the adult figure for Cara, they got along really well.
In a weird turn of events, Cara ends up meeting Will, who isn't who he seems to be. I felt like there was some insta-love going on, however, I was actually ok with this (usually I'm irked by it). They just felt attracted to each other, and they did actually get to know one another (and it wasn't love because they were bound to each other or anything like that, which was a relief).
I found myself giggling at some parts, becoming angry at some parts (the parts where you're supposed to be angry), and sighing at others.
The only thing that kinda caught me off guard was the neatly wrapped up ending, because from what I can tell, this is supposed to be a trilogy. I'm wondering where the next two books are going to go story wise.
Overall, an interesting read and I definitely want to see where this story goes!
That being said, the first chapter in and I was pretty much hooked.
Cara is an interesting girl. Her family isn't functional (but whose are these days?) with her father being a workaholic and her mother being super unhappy and vocal about it. Her father has been transferred overseas and so Cara goes to live with her older sister to finish out HS.
I loved the sister relationship between Cara and Liv. It felt so similar to mine and my sister's relationship. Despite their age difference, and suddenly Liv being like the adult figure for Cara, they got along really well.
In a weird turn of events, Cara ends up meeting Will, who isn't who he seems to be. I felt like there was some insta-love going on, however, I was actually ok with this (usually I'm irked by it). They just felt attracted to each other, and they did actually get to know one another (and it wasn't love because they were bound to each other or anything like that, which was a relief).
I found myself giggling at some parts, becoming angry at some parts (the parts where you're supposed to be angry), and sighing at others.
The only thing that kinda caught me off guard was the neatly wrapped up ending, because from what I can tell, this is supposed to be a trilogy. I'm wondering where the next two books are going to go story wise.
Overall, an interesting read and I definitely want to see where this story goes!
June 23, 2012
When I first read the blurb for this book, I read it very quickly, but what I did catch intrigued me enough o want to read this book. Before I started reading this book and then I caught this part of the blurb: “Will's home is forty-four light years away.“ That is a very important part, lol. That made me ever more excited to read this book. The cover to me didn’t match the story well. It is not a bad cover, but for all the different elements this book brought, the cover does not do this story justice.
I am always a bit afraid to read books about aliens and humans. I have a whole big issue with how media and such portray aliens, always making them pretty much just like humans, but with a few different features. This was not the case in this book. I had nothing to worry about here, Kate Oliver must have the same idea about aliens that I do :)
Right away when I started this book, I felt for Cara. Being a military kid is hard, moving all the time, having to make friends over and over again. When her parents decided they were moving overseas, I can understand Cara not wanting to go. So she moves in with her sister, who is totally blunt and a spit fire, but very loveable character.
Will, when we first meet Will, my heart breaks for him. He is a man who is just destroyed. He is ready for it all to be over with, but Cara happens to find him. From there on out, the story between Cara and Will blossoms into an amazing and out of this world (bad pun I know) love story. This book had a very happy ending, but I can totally see where Kate Oliver can move on from this book and I cannot wait for the second book in this series.
I am always a bit afraid to read books about aliens and humans. I have a whole big issue with how media and such portray aliens, always making them pretty much just like humans, but with a few different features. This was not the case in this book. I had nothing to worry about here, Kate Oliver must have the same idea about aliens that I do :)
Right away when I started this book, I felt for Cara. Being a military kid is hard, moving all the time, having to make friends over and over again. When her parents decided they were moving overseas, I can understand Cara not wanting to go. So she moves in with her sister, who is totally blunt and a spit fire, but very loveable character.
Will, when we first meet Will, my heart breaks for him. He is a man who is just destroyed. He is ready for it all to be over with, but Cara happens to find him. From there on out, the story between Cara and Will blossoms into an amazing and out of this world (bad pun I know) love story. This book had a very happy ending, but I can totally see where Kate Oliver can move on from this book and I cannot wait for the second book in this series.
June 19, 2012
Did I enjoy this book: I did enjoy this book. I read it every free chance I had and finished rather quickly. I didn't want to put it down until this unique story ended.
Cara Gallagher is a very smart, yet quite naive high school senior. Her attitude and behavior at school was not endearing to me. I didn't like her at school. She bothered me. That is until the end, Cara definitely redeemed herself in my eyes.
Liv is an older sister that everyone would want to have. She is very protective of Cara yet gives her her own space and life. She loves Cara and is always there for her, wanting her to have a great life. She helped keep Cara from her parents' drama.
Will was the typical young adult love interest. He was perfect but had a catch. He falls for someone he shouldn't and he has a past that he is reluctant to reveal. Will was sweet and caring and, at times, overly romantic...but not in a bad way. I liked him despite all of the usualness of a young adult love interest. He and Cara made a great pair.
The writing was well done and it helped the book to keep moving. The end - last quarter - of Caterpillar came out of left field for me. I so was not expecting it. It was very good and provided such a great climax...I just wasn't expecting it. It really grabbed me and kept me glued to my Kindle until the book was over.
Would I recommend it: I would recommend this book to any YA fan!!!
Will I read it again: I will not read this book again but I will be anxiously awaiting the next two books in the Metamorphosis Trilogy!!
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Cara Gallagher is a very smart, yet quite naive high school senior. Her attitude and behavior at school was not endearing to me. I didn't like her at school. She bothered me. That is until the end, Cara definitely redeemed herself in my eyes.
Liv is an older sister that everyone would want to have. She is very protective of Cara yet gives her her own space and life. She loves Cara and is always there for her, wanting her to have a great life. She helped keep Cara from her parents' drama.
Will was the typical young adult love interest. He was perfect but had a catch. He falls for someone he shouldn't and he has a past that he is reluctant to reveal. Will was sweet and caring and, at times, overly romantic...but not in a bad way. I liked him despite all of the usualness of a young adult love interest. He and Cara made a great pair.
The writing was well done and it helped the book to keep moving. The end - last quarter - of Caterpillar came out of left field for me. I so was not expecting it. It was very good and provided such a great climax...I just wasn't expecting it. It really grabbed me and kept me glued to my Kindle until the book was over.
Would I recommend it: I would recommend this book to any YA fan!!!
Will I read it again: I will not read this book again but I will be anxiously awaiting the next two books in the Metamorphosis Trilogy!!
http://everyfreechancebookreviews.blo...
June 28, 2012
**Originally on Read-A-holicZ**
I normally do not like the whole sci-fi genre. The idea of other planets and other beings out there scares me a little. BUT this book was AMAZING.
The author made the “alien” seem so real, very human. (And super gorgeous in case you were wondering) Cara was also my type of girl. Non-social and such. In the beginning of the book I wondered if her gift for planting would grow into some special power, because of the cover. Will and Cara I think are amazing for each other.
I can’t believe Liv (Cara’s sister) didn’t knife Will when she found out his secret! I would have. I think the author did a really good job at captivating the different reactions of Cara and Liv when they find out Will’s secret. I personally would have run away and not looked back.
My favorite scene in the book would have to be when Cara has her first hang over and begins opening her birthday presents. “This one is from Dad.” She handed me the second package, a smaller box that rattled as I took it from her. I peeled off the paper, and inside found … a box of tampons.”You’d be surprised at what actually was in that box.
I don’t understand why, if she loves Will so much, Cara doesn’t ask Will to stay. The climax of the story though is toward the end when everything crumbles. The alien is wanted and Liv is being held captive. Will the alien turn himself in? ;) READ the book to find out.
There may or not be a fight at the end involving the main characters, guns and maybe even someone out to avenge their mother.
I give it 4/5 feathers. -Karina
I normally do not like the whole sci-fi genre. The idea of other planets and other beings out there scares me a little. BUT this book was AMAZING.
The author made the “alien” seem so real, very human. (And super gorgeous in case you were wondering) Cara was also my type of girl. Non-social and such. In the beginning of the book I wondered if her gift for planting would grow into some special power, because of the cover. Will and Cara I think are amazing for each other.
I can’t believe Liv (Cara’s sister) didn’t knife Will when she found out his secret! I would have. I think the author did a really good job at captivating the different reactions of Cara and Liv when they find out Will’s secret. I personally would have run away and not looked back.
My favorite scene in the book would have to be when Cara has her first hang over and begins opening her birthday presents. “This one is from Dad.” She handed me the second package, a smaller box that rattled as I took it from her. I peeled off the paper, and inside found … a box of tampons.”You’d be surprised at what actually was in that box.
I don’t understand why, if she loves Will so much, Cara doesn’t ask Will to stay. The climax of the story though is toward the end when everything crumbles. The alien is wanted and Liv is being held captive. Will the alien turn himself in? ;) READ the book to find out.
There may or not be a fight at the end involving the main characters, guns and maybe even someone out to avenge their mother.
I give it 4/5 feathers. -Karina
June 6, 2012
Oh sweet baby Jesus. This was the BEST love story I have read in my whole entire life.
I did not know what to expect when I picked up this novel. But I certainly did not expect to be wooed. No sweeter words have ever been spoken and written as beautifully. I never dreamed the lifecycle of a caterpillar could be so poetic and yet this book is about so, so much more. This is a love story about girl meets alien. ….and fall in love…. an alien, with no physical form! Imagine that! Cara is from an international dysfunctional political family living her senior year with her college intern sister. The way the lovebirds journey into discovering LOVE is explored with a sense of innocence and wonder. I have never found myself saying, “I wish I was the girl in this book”, until now. Will Mallory….*sigh*….you make my heart flutter! I didn’t always agree with the actions of Cara. She was a bit naive and just plain stupid at times. Yet her humbleness was genuine and believable. When the plot was intense with action and secrets being revealed, it was super lovey dovey. That is not at all a complaint. Perhaps at a different time and place I would grumble about that tad bit, but this is written in matter that would have you craving more. I have never read an adult book or any book for that matter with the romance scale turned up this high and there not be anything sexually explicit. I need….no,no,no….I want more of this!
*Book provided via book tour. Tour Stop Courtesy of YA Bound Blog Tours!
I did not know what to expect when I picked up this novel. But I certainly did not expect to be wooed. No sweeter words have ever been spoken and written as beautifully. I never dreamed the lifecycle of a caterpillar could be so poetic and yet this book is about so, so much more. This is a love story about girl meets alien. ….and fall in love…. an alien, with no physical form! Imagine that! Cara is from an international dysfunctional political family living her senior year with her college intern sister. The way the lovebirds journey into discovering LOVE is explored with a sense of innocence and wonder. I have never found myself saying, “I wish I was the girl in this book”, until now. Will Mallory….*sigh*….you make my heart flutter! I didn’t always agree with the actions of Cara. She was a bit naive and just plain stupid at times. Yet her humbleness was genuine and believable. When the plot was intense with action and secrets being revealed, it was super lovey dovey. That is not at all a complaint. Perhaps at a different time and place I would grumble about that tad bit, but this is written in matter that would have you craving more. I have never read an adult book or any book for that matter with the romance scale turned up this high and there not be anything sexually explicit. I need….no,no,no….I want more of this!
*Book provided via book tour. Tour Stop Courtesy of YA Bound Blog Tours!
June 20, 2012
Overall Thoughts:
I've never read an alien story in Young Adult before so I definitely appreciate the unique plot!
Caterpillar is about a 17 year old girl named Cara Gallagher who is a foreign service brat, meaning she's always moving around and never has any constant friends. When she's forced to live with her beloved older sister for her senior year in high school, she not looking to find any attachments to anything or anyone. All of that is soon forgotten when she ends up saving the life of a college boy named Will Mallory. But what happens when this young boy who's shown Cara more love and kindness than she's used to, is exposed for who he really is? Not warm-blooded human, but an intergalactic alien...
What I liked about this book:
Like I said before, I've never read a young adult book about aliens and I'm a huge supporter of creativity and trying things differently. I also liked how, even though Will and Cara were created completely differently, they're feelings and personalities are so similar.
What I disliked about this book:
I wish there were more supernatural elements added into this book. It would've been nice if Will had laid out all of his abilities on the table and presented it in some epic or climatic way. He does show Cara some of his cool skills but because this was an alien story, I felt like there should have been more metaphysical, space, and/or ghostly related ideas in the story.
Verdict:
It was definitely refreshing to read a story about aliens, and I'm surprised that this was the author's very first book!
I've never read an alien story in Young Adult before so I definitely appreciate the unique plot!
Caterpillar is about a 17 year old girl named Cara Gallagher who is a foreign service brat, meaning she's always moving around and never has any constant friends. When she's forced to live with her beloved older sister for her senior year in high school, she not looking to find any attachments to anything or anyone. All of that is soon forgotten when she ends up saving the life of a college boy named Will Mallory. But what happens when this young boy who's shown Cara more love and kindness than she's used to, is exposed for who he really is? Not warm-blooded human, but an intergalactic alien...
What I liked about this book:
Like I said before, I've never read a young adult book about aliens and I'm a huge supporter of creativity and trying things differently. I also liked how, even though Will and Cara were created completely differently, they're feelings and personalities are so similar.
What I disliked about this book:
I wish there were more supernatural elements added into this book. It would've been nice if Will had laid out all of his abilities on the table and presented it in some epic or climatic way. He does show Cara some of his cool skills but because this was an alien story, I felt like there should have been more metaphysical, space, and/or ghostly related ideas in the story.
Verdict:
It was definitely refreshing to read a story about aliens, and I'm surprised that this was the author's very first book!
April 5, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. Even though it was pretty long, I couldn't put it down. I can't wait until I read the next of this series. I really like watching Cara grow as an individual. I also enjoyed watching Cara and Will's relationship develop and become stronger.
Cara ends up moving in with her sister because her parents are relocated out of the country for her father's job. She doesn't know anyone but her sister and just has to finish her last year in high school so she can move on. When she first meets Will, she feels comfortable around him. They end meeting again and then decide to start dating. They decide to keep it a secret because she is a few months shy of her 18th birthday and he is in his early 20's.
Will has been around for many years. He has been trying to find a way home. Then he meets Cara and his world is turned upside down. He starts to develop feelings for Cara. I enjoyed reading his journal entries and working his feelings out for Cara. Then he finally decides to tell Cara his biggest secret. He has never told anyone before. Instead of running away screaming, she embraces him for who he really is. There were moments during this story that might have made me cry. I just wanted everything to work out for them. They have obstacles that they have to overcome if they want to stay together.
Also, there is a strange man that follows Cara around because he is searching for Will. Who is this strange man and what does he want from Will?
Cara ends up moving in with her sister because her parents are relocated out of the country for her father's job. She doesn't know anyone but her sister and just has to finish her last year in high school so she can move on. When she first meets Will, she feels comfortable around him. They end meeting again and then decide to start dating. They decide to keep it a secret because she is a few months shy of her 18th birthday and he is in his early 20's.
Will has been around for many years. He has been trying to find a way home. Then he meets Cara and his world is turned upside down. He starts to develop feelings for Cara. I enjoyed reading his journal entries and working his feelings out for Cara. Then he finally decides to tell Cara his biggest secret. He has never told anyone before. Instead of running away screaming, she embraces him for who he really is. There were moments during this story that might have made me cry. I just wanted everything to work out for them. They have obstacles that they have to overcome if they want to stay together.
Also, there is a strange man that follows Cara around because he is searching for Will. Who is this strange man and what does he want from Will?
July 12, 2012
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hmmm 3.5 scrolls. I'm really stumped on this review. It's got some great elements to the story. The combination of Cara and Will are totally and completely in sync. They are a brilliant couple together and they make the novel worth reading. I loved how alone they both are in the world, yet because they both understand the feeling, they begin to understand the world together as well as escape their loneliness. Ok, it's not awfully lovey-dovey cutsey-wootsey love story. It is all played out extremely well. I loved how much of our own world we were in while in this fantasy story. Everything played out so well and so much like our very own reality today. Without the fantasy-alien element, it would be your classic YA story of a young girl finding herself and learning to grow in a world she feels outcasted and tormented. Then as she comes across a boy and they change each other's world for the better and they get more confortable in their own skin. This was the best part of the novel. Where the downfall is, was that it didn't seem to pull me in as I wanted to. It seemed to drag on at times and not have a steady pace that I liked. It was a great story, but as I said, it seemed to drag on a bit too much.
hmmm 3.5 scrolls. I'm really stumped on this review. It's got some great elements to the story. The combination of Cara and Will are totally and completely in sync. They are a brilliant couple together and they make the novel worth reading. I loved how alone they both are in the world, yet because they both understand the feeling, they begin to understand the world together as well as escape their loneliness. Ok, it's not awfully lovey-dovey cutsey-wootsey love story. It is all played out extremely well. I loved how much of our own world we were in while in this fantasy story. Everything played out so well and so much like our very own reality today. Without the fantasy-alien element, it would be your classic YA story of a young girl finding herself and learning to grow in a world she feels outcasted and tormented. Then as she comes across a boy and they change each other's world for the better and they get more confortable in their own skin. This was the best part of the novel. Where the downfall is, was that it didn't seem to pull me in as I wanted to. It seemed to drag on at times and not have a steady pace that I liked. It was a great story, but as I said, it seemed to drag on a bit too much.
June 18, 2012
Reviewed at http://www.mandikayereads.com/archive...
Without a doubt, this was the most surprising book I’ve read all year.
The cover was very iffy to me (yes, I most definitely judge books by their covers) but the summary sounded sort of interesting so I thought I would give it a try.
I am so glad I did.
From the moment I began reading, I knew this was going to be a one-sitting book. And it was! I simply couldn’t put it down.
Cara is very much a main character I can relate to. She is a loner – primarily because she moved so much as a child (her dad works for the Foreign Service). She is certain she will never know love in her life. She has mapped out her future already. And then… she meets the love of her life.
Though Will is an alien, this is not truly a Sci-Fi novel; it is most decidedly a romance.
And if, like me, you are a hopeless romantic, you will absolutely not be disappointed by Caterpillar. Though it did fall into that category of “instant LOVE” that is usually a pet peeve of mine, it totally worked here for some reason. It felt real. I think I fell in love with Will as much as Cara did. In fact – if I hadn’t already submitted all of my nominations, I’d totally nominate Will in the YA Sisterhood Crush Tourney.
It can definitely be a standalone book, but it is the first book of the Metamorphosis Trilogy.
Without a doubt, this was the most surprising book I’ve read all year.
The cover was very iffy to me (yes, I most definitely judge books by their covers) but the summary sounded sort of interesting so I thought I would give it a try.
I am so glad I did.
From the moment I began reading, I knew this was going to be a one-sitting book. And it was! I simply couldn’t put it down.
Cara is very much a main character I can relate to. She is a loner – primarily because she moved so much as a child (her dad works for the Foreign Service). She is certain she will never know love in her life. She has mapped out her future already. And then… she meets the love of her life.
Though Will is an alien, this is not truly a Sci-Fi novel; it is most decidedly a romance.
And if, like me, you are a hopeless romantic, you will absolutely not be disappointed by Caterpillar. Though it did fall into that category of “instant LOVE” that is usually a pet peeve of mine, it totally worked here for some reason. It felt real. I think I fell in love with Will as much as Cara did. In fact – if I hadn’t already submitted all of my nominations, I’d totally nominate Will in the YA Sisterhood Crush Tourney.
It can definitely be a standalone book, but it is the first book of the Metamorphosis Trilogy.
February 17, 2013
I was originally planning on giving this book 4 stars but I just couldn't. I really liked the beginning of the book as I think that it started off really well but about 100 pages from the end it just sort of went a bit downhill for me.
I loved that Cara and her sister were science geeks being one myself so I loved the terminology used in here. Will was a sweet hero especially considering how lonely he must have been all by himself. I love the way he first met Cara and his POVs were great as well.
The problem for me was Cara because at the beginning I liked her but near the end I felt like she wasn't doing anything herself and everyone was solving the problems for her while she was going along with the flow.
Also some parts of the book were so bloody cringeworthy "You've turned my life into a fairy tale," I murmured. "I was hidden in a tiny room in a tower and then you came and climbed up to me and I wasn't alone anymore." Ugh.
Also "Until I met you, I never wanted to. I never even wanted to be free." "Be free," he whispered. What the hell!? That just gives me the most stupid image in my head.
Overall the book was good although I'm not sure I'll read the sequel.
I loved that Cara and her sister were science geeks being one myself so I loved the terminology used in here. Will was a sweet hero especially considering how lonely he must have been all by himself. I love the way he first met Cara and his POVs were great as well.
The problem for me was Cara because at the beginning I liked her but near the end I felt like she wasn't doing anything herself and everyone was solving the problems for her while she was going along with the flow.
Also some parts of the book were so bloody cringeworthy "You've turned my life into a fairy tale," I murmured. "I was hidden in a tiny room in a tower and then you came and climbed up to me and I wasn't alone anymore." Ugh.
Also "Until I met you, I never wanted to. I never even wanted to be free." "Be free," he whispered. What the hell!? That just gives me the most stupid image in my head.
Overall the book was good although I'm not sure I'll read the sequel.
June 29, 2012
I am always a bit afraid to read books about aliens and humans. I have a whole big issue with how media and such portray aliens, always making them pretty much just like humans, but with a few different features. This was not the case in this book. I had nothing to worry about here, Kate Oliver must have the same idea about aliens that I do :)
Review originally posted at Step Into Fiction
Review completed by: Ashley
Review originally posted at Step Into Fiction
Review completed by: Ashley
April 30, 2013
Kate Oliver has written a beautiful love story. The characters in this paranormal romance meet during a time when they are each searching for direction. Through conflicts from outside forces, (federal agents, selfish relatives and spoiled high school students) their relationship reaches a depth neither thought possible.
Since this is the first in a trilogy, I'll definitely look for the second installment! I'll also look for her other books, including those she has written for children.
Thanks for this Goodreads Giveaway!
Since this is the first in a trilogy, I'll definitely look for the second installment! I'll also look for her other books, including those she has written for children.
Thanks for this Goodreads Giveaway!
June 22, 2012
I enjoyed it. It was fun. but it was lacking a strong plot, as in the plot just didn't move forward fast enough. I just keep going this is nice but when do things go wrong and they are running for their lives? I did love the ending and the life lessons and messages through out the book!
dnf
May 28, 2012I just won this book in a giveaway! Can't wait for it to arrive!
September 1, 2012
Real easy read, couldn't put it down, an unusual story, something I have never read before really enjoyed it can't wait for the next in the trilogy.
August 18, 2022
Excellent book!!!
April 8, 2013
I really wanted to rate this a 3.5, mostly because it was 4 star quality for 80% of the book and only started failing right at the end.
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