who writes these murder fiction stories. Then one day, some murderer out there decides to kill in the exact way Richard Castle wrote in his book, so the NYC Police Department starts talking to him to see if he can help solve the mystery since you know, he did write the book. Except the woman who comes interview him is Detective Kate Beckett. Basically, he likes her so much he unofficially joins the task force.

There are so many reasons why I adore this TV show. Each episode is a new case, with some underlying themes that run through all episodes. This means there’s barely the whole this-show-is-going-on-a-break-hah-here’s-a-major-cliff-hanger-for-you kinda thing, which I actually enjoy more. It also means sometimes if you want, you could skip episodes (although why you would do that I can’t even fathom) and still understand what’s going on-ish It’s also ridiculously funny. It’s the perfect eclectic mix of comedy-action-romance-drama all rolled into one tv show. Some bits are so hilarious my abs start to hurt… True story.

Say hi to Richard Castle!

Please let me know if you can wiggle your eyebrows like this

Detective Kate Beckett (I don’t want to ruin anything so I’m going to leave her name as Detective). BUT OMG THE CLIFFHANGER AT THE END OF THIS SEASON. Uuuuh I can’t wait 4 months to know

Okay now apart from Castle and Beckett, they also have two other detectives on their team – Detective Ryan and Detective Esposito (I had to google his name to see how it was spelt). Ryan’s the one talking.

Together, they make the perfect team at crime solving. Beckett is all logic and facts, enterwine that with Castle’s crazy stories and theories and BOOM they solve the crime. Helps that Esposito also has that ballsy-ness to him, and Ryan idk… they all just work so well as a team together it’s amazing to watch. It’s as if they can read each other’s minds, but I guess that’s what you need in a partner right? This show is just too perfect for words. I love it.

I’m off to go do more revision and live the boring IB life until TOMORROW IN WHICH I’M DONE WITH IB FOREVER

Jin x

Question of the Day: Have you watched Castle before? What do you think of it!

The shirt: I love this combination of a casual denim shirt combined with a dark blue tailored suit.

Design by:  Blank NYC

Original price:  unknown

The episode: 5×24: Watershed – “Beckett has an interview with a federal law enforcement agency which compels her to reassess her job and her relationship with Castle. The latest case involves skid row and turns up many peculiar things about the death of a young woman found inside a water tank there.”

. . .

Boy Blue Denim Shirt
by Blank NYC 

find it here: polyvore.com (currently sold out)

* * *

Get The look

1) Western Denim Shirt by J. Crew – $89
Decked with rugged details, it has a slim, tailored fit that always looks perfectly put together.
Find it here: jcrew.com

2) Fitted Chambray shirt by Splendid – $175
This fitted woven shirt features contrast stitching, a traditional collar, full front button closure, two flap pockets at the chest, and long sleeves with button closures.
Find it here: farfetch.com

3) Chambray Shirt by Blank Denim – $61.60
A chambray button-down blouse with a softly undone look, designed with a frayed shirttail hem and subtly worn spots. A fold-over collar and welt pockets add a crisp finish, and buttoned cuffs finish the long sleeves.
Find it here: shopbop.com

4) Boy Blue Denim Shirt by Blank – *sold out*
Feel free to toot your horn over this Blank top! Long-sleeved denim shirt with two front snap-button pockets and snap-button closure. Snap-buttons on sleeves.
Find it here: freepeople.com

5) Women’s Blouse Rock-it by Only – $38.63
Fitted denim shirt with two front pockets and sleeves can be willowed.
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6) Denim Shirt in Who Shot Sam by Blank NYC – $79
Denim shirt with raw cut hem, fading throughout and button cuffed sleeves.
Find it here: revolveclothing.com

* * *

They spent the episode fighting, and each was prompted to really consider how they feel about their relationship. We know how Castle feels – that proposal! – but we’re left with one massive cliffhanger: will Kate pick the ring or the job? We’re modern women here at Pond Hopping Girls so we reckon she can (and will) pick both.

Last week, we laid out the possibility of a complete format change for Castle Season 6. We’re revising that slightly this week. Castle and Beckett in DC, and Espo and Ryan in New York. A bi-locational show, at least for a while. We’re anticipating Tori Ellis (that tech expert, played by Maya Stojan [Entourage, Sinners and Saints], who appeared out of nowhere in “The Fast and the Furriest” and seems to be becoming a sneak member of the cast) will be part of the boys’ new team. There has to be a reason for her increasing presence, and this is as likely as any.

We’re looking forward to finding out in just a few months. – K

Quoteworthy: “Whatever happens, and whatever you decide, Katherine Houghton Beckett, will you marry me?”

The shirt: Beckett wore this lovely lavender blouse in ‘Rise’ when she came back to the precinct. We see the blouse again in ‘The Human Factor’.

Design by: Vivienne Westwood

Original price:  unknown

The episode: 4×01: Rise – “As Beckett fights for her life, Castle attempts to find the person responsible for the shooting. Meanwhile back at the precinct, Ryan and Esposito try to adapt to the new captain in charge.”

5×23: The Human Factor- “Castle and Beckett find themselves shut out of a crime scene by Homeland Security. Things get complicated when they discover that the victim, a government whistle-blower, was killed by a military drone’s missile.”

* * *

Get the look!

1) Purple Noniron Fitted Sateen Shirt by Banana Republic ($59,50)
Lavender cotton shirt with non-iron Technology.
Get it: bananarepublic.gap.com

2) Nexx silk shirt ($88,00)
Fresh lilac silk button-front shirt.
Get it: Nordstrom.com

3) Wineberry Drapey Knit Shirt by Land’s End ($59,00)
Ultrafine women’s knit top with two button-flap chest pockets and curved bottom hem.
Get it: landsend.com

Renewal Status: Renewed for season six

Pre-finale Thoughts: This has been one of the most enjoyable seasons of Castle for me. While there have been some misses, this season has also had some particularly incredible episodes. I have been really happy with that they have done with Castle and Beckett’s relationship this season (with the exception of the events in The Squab and the Quail) and I feel hopeful that I will continue to be happy with the choices made for them. I liked that both Ryan and Esposito got an episode this season that allowed us to learn a little more about their past and I like the way Gates has started to become more of a part of the team.

Finale Thoughts: I think I missed something at some point in the last five seasons. Until the last episode, I have never gotten any sort of impression that Beckett wanted more than to be a homicide detective. She’s proud of the work she does and of the answers she can give to the families who have lost a loved one. She would be amazing at this new job but I was surprised she wanted it. Like she said in this episode, that precinct is her home and her co-workers are her family.

I do think Castle was right to be upset with her. I understand why Beckett didn’t tell him and I understand those walls, but I also know that they can’t be as fortified when you are in a relationship. Castle felt hurt and I don’t blame him.

I’m glad that they finally both got a chance to think about what they wanted and where this is going. They have been dancing around each other for five years now, they’ve just moved a little closer. Beckett needed to hear what Castle had to say on the swings and he’s going to need to hear what she has to tell him next season. Stana did a fantastic job portraying the heartbreak followed by an instant hardening so she wouldn’t fall apart when Beckett thought Castle was breaking up with her. Nathan followed it up with the look on his face when he proposed. Castle is terrified and still hurt but he knows he wants Beckett in his life, even with the walls.

Hopes for Season Six: Please don’t break them up or do something to seriously damage their relationship. I am so tired of couples getting together only to have something completely derail them.

I want Beckett to stay in New York. I want her with the people who love her and I want her to be confident that she is where she is supposed to be. She knows she’s good. She just needs to know that even though she isn’t solving national cases that affect the future of the country, she is making a difference through the cases she does solve.

I also wouldn’t say no to more of Lanie. Until we get this, this will always be one of my biggest hopes because I love Lanie and Beckett’s friendship and will always want more of it.  

Castle better hurry up and put a ring on Kate’s finger, otherwise, she may be packing her bags and moving to DC. It is disheartening to see the couple forced to weather another crisis, but this situation is a million times better than the stuff they’ve had to face in past. Remember that time Beckett got shot and almost died? Yeah, I think a long distance relationship is a road bump compared to that Mount Everest. The job in DC is a great opportunity for Beckett to advance her career and I don’t see any reason why Castle couldn’t move with her, however, this is TV. Season finales are NEVER supposed to be that logical. Whatever happens, I have faith that these two will work it out.

Castle playing

This is what I love about Castle. He never allowed adulthood hamper his imagination. His “toys” are more high-tech than what a twelve year old would posses, but he is not afraid to construct a mini-battfield in his living room with real sand and pretend he is in a war film. Rather than succumb to the pressure of the world to “grow up,” Castle made a living using his imagination creating worlds he would rather experience, and I think that’s something we can all admire.

Sentimental Castle

The feds can take all of their evidence, but they can’t take away their love. I don’t know about you, but New York should give Beckett some kind of award for Best Detective of the Century. The girl has 100 percent closure rate and she can solve a case even after her entire crime scene was seized. That’s impressive.

Rise of the machines

There needs to be more scenes of Beckett and Castle playing pranks on each other. They are adorable together when they are relaxed playing house.

Book sale

I was on a train once with a woman reading, “Heat Wave” and I contemplated going up to her and talking about the show, but I constrained myself. I didn’t want to look super awkward walking across a packed train to talk to a stranger. Have you ever gone up to someone reading a book based off of your favorite TV series or film? If so, what happened?

Who saved the day?

This is like the chicken/egg question. Who save the day? I like to believe it was Castle, but you can have your own conclusion. I think we can all agree they looked like an awesome spy couple. 

The season finale is next week. Are you ready?

Thanks for reading and thank you to castle-fans.org for the screencaps.

-Mary

Favorite Moments from past episodes:

5×22 “Still”
5×21 “The Squab and the Quail”
5×20 “The Fast and the Furriest”
5×19 “The Lives of Others”

Castle

We think part of the problem may have been the subject matter – domestic drone warfare. This felt almost of the ilk of recent Glee episodes. This felt like a ratings grab. This felt like the writers sat in a room one day and said, “Hey. There’s been a big to-do in the press over domestic drone activity. Let’s turn that into an episode so we can get a reaction.” We’re just not sure that they’ll like the reaction they got, from us at least. We make no secret of the fact that we resent any effort to tell us what to think or what we should be caring about. This week? Trying to tell us about the dangers of domestic drone use on private citizens? It was a cheap tactic of jumping on the bandwagon of lazy scaremongering. While we’re not the biggest proponent of unmanned warfare, and while the acknowledgement of the ‘human factor’ inherent in current drone strikes (and how that will be lost with the advent of AI) appealed to us, we still feel it had no place in Castle. It felt far too political.

There was one aspect of the show that gave us hope for a better episode next week, but that only came in the final moments. The special investigator for the Attorney General, Gerard Stack, impressed with Beckett’s skill at investigation and interrogation, offers her a job (or at least an interview) at the AG’s office in DC. As the episode closes, we’re left with a Beckett who is clearly mulling over her options. We know the most likely course will involve her staying in New York, with Castle, but part of us would like to see her picking up sticks and moving to DC. Bring Castle, bring the boys for all we care, but it would be refreshing for a show to completely change it up mid-run. Next week should decide a lot, and will undoubtedly give us a hint of what’s to come in Season 6. Should be worth a watch. – K

Quoteworthy: “It’s rise of the machines.” – Castle

The coat: Here’s Becketts’ first Burberry trench coat to open the new Season. Leather sleeves toughen the classic Burberry Brit trench coat for an uptown style infused with downtown edge.

Design by: Burberry (see item 1)

Original price: $1,495

The episode: 5×23: The Human Factor – “Castle and Beckett find themselves shut out of a crime scene by Homeland Security. Things get complicated when they discover that the victim, a government whistle-blower, was killed by a military drone’s missile.”

5×01: After the Storm - “Picking up the morning after, Castle and Beckett now have to decide if they’re a couple or was it just a onetime deal. But before they can tackle that, they must deal with those responsible for Kate’s mother’s death who are now a threat to Beckett.”

Get the look !

1) Mixed Leather and Canvas Trenchcoat by Burberry Brit – $1,495
If you want the original coat like the one Kate is wearing in this episode… you can
get it here: saksfifthavenue.com or  bloomingdales.com

2) Double Trouble Trenchcoat – $68
Army green trenchcoat with black leather sleeves.
get it here: nastygal.com

3) W118 by Walter Baker  - $54.59
Light brown cotton trench with black quilted faux leather sleeves.
get it here: theoutnet.com

4) Mixed Media Trench Coat by bebe – $149
Faux-leather sleeves and gleaming goldtone hardware lend rich contrast to a slight flared trench.
get it here: shop.nordstrom.com

This episode worked. A flashback episode that worked! We may die of shock. We have a few theories about why it wasn’t a complete disaster. Both fall under the umbrella of one overarching explanation: Castle strayed from the norms of flashback episodes, and did things a little differently.

The first instance of this was the format the flashbacks took. In most episodes like this, the flashbacks consist of whole scenes that are simply being rehashed, making us feel like the writers ran out of ideas and are using their old work to remind us (and themselves) that they could write, once. We resent having to schlep through what feels like an episode we’ve seen before just because they were having an off week. Castle took a new approach. Each flashback sequence was a montage, perfectly summing up a relationship that has spanned five years. They were skillfully put together (some of them had us welling up) and used to add to the story. Not to prop it up.

That latter point is the second reason why this episode worked. In so many flashback episodes, the plot is secondary to the flashbacks. It’s an afterthought. In “Still”, the flashbacks were a symptom of circumstances, not the reason for them. The plot of the episode – the scenes between flashbacks – was meaty and treated with the same level of importance and attention as the flashbacks, and even advanced the overarching narrative a little. We love, for instance, that Gates has known about Caskett all along, and that they can ‘go public’ now.

And the episode was sweet. It was emotional. It was moving. It had us pretending we had dust in our eye. And it went a long way toward allaying the fears we had after last week’s closing moments. Gone were our worries about the future of Caskett. But only temporarily. While the romance and tugs on the heartstrings were upped significantly, we’re conscious of the fact that “Still” and “The Squab and the Quail” were switched in the schedule very last minute. Therefore, the end of “The Squab and the Quail” is the one we should still be using as the guide for Caskett ‘bliss’. It’s altogether likely that next week’s episode will land us right back into uncertainty as Beckett tries to decide if she wants to stay with Castle when he seems unable to consider their future. We’re going to spend the next few days preparing ourselves. – K

Quoteworthy: “Oh for Heaven’s sake, Detective. Just kiss the man… As long as we’re on neutral ground here, I’d say he deserves it, wouldn’t you?” – Gates

PS We are now suffering from semantic satiation. ‘Flashback’ will never look like a word to us again.

It’s montages galore! What if you collected all of the Castle gifs on Tumblr and and edited them together? You would produce this week’s episode. In “Still,” Beckett accidentally triggers a bomb and is forced to stand still until it can be deactivated. Castle remains by her side and lightens the dismal mood by conjuring a petty fight of who fell in love with the other person first. It provided some cute banter and set the stage for a retrospective episode. Here’s a clip from one of my favorite montages:

Castle in the car providing his own theme music

Danger!

Oh, these crazy kids. Stepping on bombs. Getting locked in freezers. And getting shot. What will they do next?

Caskett fight

Castle and Beckett have adorable fights. It’s always a pleasure to see Castle handle imminent death so lightheartedly.

Montages, montages, montages

The montages not only highlighted the couple’s interaction over the years, but it also put Beckett”s changing hairstyles front and center. I cannot recall any other show in which the main character has had so many different hairstyles over the course of a show.

Dramatic declaration of love

Their time together was almost over. Castle was told to leave the room and leave Beckett alone to face her demise. She tearfully said goodbye to Rick and her father, but she underestimated the power of Caskett. Castle returned. For me, this was a bigger proclamation of love than his “I love you.” He risked losing his daughter and mother to be with Beckett because he never wanted her to feel alone ever again. He helped her remove that sense of isolation she was burdened with after her mother’s death, and he refused to let her experience that once again. Castle returned and greeted her like he always does, with a smile and coffee.

Capt. Gates Knows

Did they really think they were fooling Captain Gates? It was quite obvious she knew what was going on since the two roamed around the precinct like two teenagers after prom. I’m happy everything is out in the open now and Gates had the sense of humor to joke about the situation and say what the fandom has been yelling for the entire episode, “Kiss already!”

Kissing montage

Oh no, they didn’t!!!! THEY INCLUDED A KISSING MONTAGE!!!  Excuse me while I go catch my breath. A kissing montage is the nail in my fangirl coffin. Did anyone else experience an acute myocardial infraction?

Do you have a favorite flashback from the episode? Share in the comments section. Mine were the kissing scenes and Castle acting like a cop:

Thanks for reading!

-Mary

Favorite Moments from past episodes:

5×21 “The Squab and the Quail”
5×20 “The Fast and the Furriest”
5×19 “The Lives of Others”
5×18 “The Wild Rover”

The top : Here we see Beckett in an oversized, off-the-shoulder light grey pull-over sweater.

Design by: -

Original price: -

The episode: 05×21 Still – “While the team looks for a way to disarm the bomb that Beckett has stepped on, Castle diverts her attention by engaging in an argument about who fell for whom first.”

Get the look!

1) Super soft washed pull-over by Free People ($88,00)
Super soft and cozy lightweight pullover sweater with slight high-low hem and exposed seams.
Get it: freepeople.com

2) Inverted shoulder pull-over by Forever 21 (15,80)
Heather grey pull-over with hem neckline.
Get it: forever21.com

3) Dolman sleeve slub pullover ($20,99)
Light grey jersey pullover with three quarter sleeves
Get it: gap.com

4) Alex Knit Lace Inset by French Connection ($128,00)
Oversized sweatshirt with lace insets and wide neckline.
Get it: Bloomingdales.com

The shoes:

Design by: Robert Clergerie

Original price: $ 695,00

The episode: While the team looks for a way to disarm the bomb that Beckett has stepped on, Castle diverts her attention by engaging in an argument about who fell for whom first.

ROBERT CLERGERIE
Shalia black ankle boots

Get them here or here

* * *

(thanks to Gina for the link)

je t’aime stana par j. kiley © jennifer kiley 2013

being as it’s to time by j. kiley © jennifer kiley

Castle/Beckett — Best Love Story Part One

Castle/Beckett — Best Love Story Part Two

Castle/Beckett — Best Love Story Part Three

Philip Wesley — Two Souls

QUOTATIONS on DESIRE:

“To crave and to have are as like as a thing and its shadow. For when does a berry break upon the tongue as sweetly as when one longs to taste it, and when is the taste refracted into so many hues and savors of ripeness and earth, and when do our senses know any thing so utterly as when we lack it? And here again is a foreshadowing — the world will be made whole. For to wish for a hand on one’s hair is all but to feel it. So whatever we may lose, very craving gives it back to us again.” ― Marilynne Robinson, Housekeeping

“To burn with desire and keep quiet about it is the greatest punishment we can bring on ourselves.” ― Federico García Lorca, Blood Wedding and Yerma

“I want her to melt into me, like butter on toast. I want to absorb her and walk around for the rest of my days with her encased in my skin. — I want.” ― Sara Gruen, Water for Elephants

“Profound desire, true desire is the desire to be close to someone.” ― Paulo Coelho, Eleven Minutes

“But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at noon hour and meditate love’s ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise on your lips.”
― Kahlil Gibran

“Ultimately, it is the desire, not the desired, that we love.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche

“Desire makes life happen. Makes it matter. Makes everything worth it. Desire is life. Hunger to see the next sunrise or sunset, to touch the one you love, to try again. “Hell would be waking up and wanting nothing.” ― Karen Marie Moning, Shadowfever

“Language is a skin: I rub my language against the other. It is as if I had words instead of fingers, or fingers at the tip of my words. My language trembles with desire.” ― Roland Barthes

“I have outlasted all desire,
My dreams and I have grown apart;
My grief alone is left entire,
The gleamings of an empty heart.

The storms of ruthless dispensation
Have struck my flowery garland numb,
I live in lonely desolation
And wonder when my end will come.

Thus on a naked tree-limb, blasted
By tardy winter’s whistling chill,
A single leaf which has outlasted
Its season will be trembling still.”
― Alexander Pushkin

“There is no fulfillment that is not made sweeter for the prolonging of desire”
― Jacqueline Carey, Kushiel’s Dart

“Please, touch me, I pray.” ― Jess C. Scott, The Intern

“Oh to have you with me, to have you here, not to be alone, but to be with you, my beauty, you of all souls! You.” ― Anne Rice, Pandora

“I spin worlds where we could be together. I dream you. For me, imagination and desire are very close.” ― Jeanette Winterson

“….love and desire enjoy a symbiotic relationship, meaning that one cannot exist without the other. Desire is an enemy to contentment; desire is illness, a feverish brain. Who can be considered healthy who wants? The very word want suggests a lack, an impoverishment, and that is what desire is: an impoverishment of the brain, a flaw, a mistake.” ― Lauren Oliver, Delirium

“When you were a wandering desire in the mist, I too was there, a wandering desire. Then we sought one another, and out of our eagerness dreams were born. And dreams were time limitless, and dreams were space without measure.” ― Kahlil Gibran

“Her cheeks were flushed. She caught hold of the Savage’s arm and pressed it, limp, against her side. He looked down at her for a moment, pale, pained, desiring, and ashamed of his desire. He was not worthy, not… Their eyes for a moment met. What treasures hers promised! A queen’s ransom of temperament. Hastily he looked away, disengaged his imprisoned arm. He was obscurely terrified lest she should cease to be something he could feel himself unworthy of.” ― Aldous Huxley, Brave New World

“To be desired is perhaps the closest anybody in this life can reach to feeling immortal.” ― John Berger

“Anxiety and desire are two, often conflicting, orientations to the unknown. Both are tilted toward the future. Desire implies a willingness, or a need, to engage this unknown, while anxiety suggests a fear of it. Desire takes one out of oneself, into the possibility or relationship, but it also takes one deeper into oneself. Anxiety turns one back on oneself, but only onto the self that is already known.” ― Mark Epstein, Open to Desire: Embracing a Lust for Life – Insights from Buddhism and Psychotherapy

“Because life is short. I feel we’re made of a hunger, a desire for life – if that can be described as a material. As I get older, I’m trying to open that channel more. If you don’t, if you close off desire and get complacent, life loses its freshness and sweetness, and that’s what I crave. That’s my bliss.” ― Sarah Slean

I went in to reading Gameboard of the Gods, Mead’s newest novel, a dystopian/sci-fi adult novel that’s the first in her new “Age of X” series, with some trepidation. Ha! Completely unfounded. Gameboard of the Gods is fantastic. Here’s why:

Meet Mae Koskinen. She’s not just any law enforcement officer. Mae is a Praetorian. These elite, enhanced warriors are the pinnacle of the Runa’s armed forces – as terrifying as they are effective.

As a Government investigator of bogus religious groups, Justin Marsh has never had too much to do with the Praetorians. Except for the time they escorted him politely outside the Runa, never to return. You see, religious extremists nearly destroyed the world not too long ago, and the Runa will do anything to stop that happening again. But Justin’s seen too much. He knows there are forces at work that the Runa won’t acknowledge. And he fears that these forces aren’t going to remain in hiding much longer: whether the powers that be are ready to face up to them or not. When Justin refuses to cover up the paranormal truth behind one of his investigations, he’s fired and exiled.

After five years living in the uncivilised world outside the Runa, Justin is offered a chance he never expected – a chance to go back. If he can solve a set of murders that have stumped everyone else, the government will waive his banishment. With Mae as his babysitter bodyguard, Justin has only a few weeks to get to the truth – no matter how strange.

My main concern with any novel is how well I connect with the characters – and Mead’s characters are fantastic. Mae is AWESOME. She’s completely kick-ass, funny, smart and really not willing to put up with Justin’s crap. For his part, Justin is damaged by years of bitter regret and alcohol, but still smarter than everyone else around him. And for all his faults, he is determined to find and face the truth. They’re an unlikely duo – of course – but an excellent pairing, with shades of pairings like Richard Castle and Kate Beckett.

The writing is up to Mead’s usual standard, which is excellent. And her world is fascinating. Mead does something I really enjoy, which is to not overly flesh out the setting – instead giving us a picture from the protagonist’s points of view, and allowing details to emerge naturally from there. This means you don’t get a particularly clear take on the world, but it’s a wonderfully organic way to experience a new culture. Much like when you travel overseas, you piece together the picture over time. This is one of my favourite world building techniques. It’s something Garth Nix also does beautifully.

But the main reason I am way too excited about Gameboard of the Gods is because it is so darn clever. The back story of the Runa is complex, the reactionary new government realistic, and the mysterious powers lurking in the shadows absolutely enthralling. Mead feeds her story through a drip, letting only tiny reveals filter through over time: it’s both maddening and exhilarating, dragging you along for the ride. I am fascinated by this world, and I want to know more. Thank goodness there’s going to be a sequel!

If you’re a Richelle Mead fan, you’ll love this book.

If you’re into powerful characters and a mystery you won’t be able to parse (until Mead lets you), this book is for you.

If you like intelligent and compelling dystopia, Gameboard of the Gods is a story you do not want to miss.

Have you read any Richelle Mead? Does her latest sound appealing?

“It’s the guy from ‘Ringer’!!” His name is actually Ioan Gruffodd but I don’t know how to pronounce it so I call him “Ringer Guy” after the short lived show on the CW starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. His role in this week’s episode strangely felt like he was still playing Andrew Martin- a rich, handsome businessman. Same suits. Same hair. Just no SMG. That’s okay. Jealous Castle made up for it.

Gamer 4 Life

Poor Beckett. She had to fight with Patel for Castle’s attention. It’s funny how he spent four years trying to be with her and now when they are a couple, he decides to put a teenage boy in India before her. Silly Castle.

Jealous Castle

Jealousy is all Castle needs to become super detective.He goes on hyperdrive following leads in the case to minimize the time Vaughn spends with Beckett. I know we shouldn’t want to see our favorite characters distressed but jealous Castle is ADORABLE.

Eric Vaughn flirts

Um, dude, she is in a relationship! Who does Eric Vaughn think he is? He may be an eligible bachelor but girlfriend stealer is NOT attractive. Plus, Beckett doesn’t roll that way. She is loyal to the Caskett fans.

Celebratory champagne

He’s a handsome, billionaire and a klutz. I guess when you are that rich, you have butlers to open champagnes bottles for you. Vaughn tried to be romantic and chivalrous opening the bottle, but he failed miserably. He almost blinded himself with the cork bottle and proved that he is probably a bigger threat to his own safety than the killer. He is definitely the damsel in distress.

No one beats Clooney

Eric Vaughn may be hotter than Clooney, but he is not cooler than the Cloon man Gorgeous George. Clooney has all of the “cool” points. He is suave, an Oscar winner, and his BFF is Brad Pitt!!!! I could deliver a filibuster on Clooney’s awesomeness but I won’t. You are here for Castle not Dr. Ross. Seriously, though, if you are still fangirling over Dr. Ross/Nurse Hathaway, please leave a comment. It will make my day. 

Face to face

I’m sure in France it is customary to talk that close. Poor Castle. The guy went from worrying about Beckett’s safety to finding out his rival and a secret crush kissed Beckett. It was a peck but still counts as a kiss. I’m REALLY surprised Beckett let Vaughn so close to her. Sure, she pushed him away but it was AFTER their lips touched. I’m disappointed in her and worried that she may have let this happen because she has doubts about her future with him. Yikes.

Beckett wants more

Beckett wants to know where this relationship is going. She loves Castle, but could this mean she may get on the next exit if he doesn’t make a more permanent commitment to their relationship? Gah, the season finale is coming and things are gonna get rough. Stock up on those tissues Caskett fans.

Only three more episodes left in the season. What do you think will happen? Is this week’s episode a bad omen? Share your ideas in the comments section.

-M

Favorite Moments from past episodes:

5×20 “The Fast and the Furriest”
5×19 “The Lives of Others”
5×18 “The Wild Rover”
5×17 “Scared to Death”

The case itself was blessedly surprising. Even though the focus of the episode was, undoubtedly, on all things romantic, the writers penned a skillful whodunit that kept us guessing throughout. There was no immediately obvious motive or suspect. This did (unfortunately) lead to a somewhat hurried conclusion, and an arrest that came a little bit out of left field, but we were glad to have a killer truly sprung on us. It was refreshing. – K

Quoteworthy: “It’s amazing how fate changes lives, isn’t it?” – Vaughn, to Beckett. Has meeting him changed hers?

PS After this episode, we’re adding Ioan Gruffudd to our list, too. Just look at that picture!

“I don’t look. I hunt.”

That was never more obvious than this week, when Castle was there mostly as the comic relief. He cried Bigfoot at the start of the episode, and the case did (kind of) relate to Bigfoot, but at no point did his assertion drive the investigation. And it was a great episode because of it. There were many aspects of the episode to enjoy outside of the case, as well, from the natural rapport between Beckett and Castle to the ‘mystery’ of the disappearing food and a nice moment between Castle and Alexis. It was also great to see the return of Greek’s Beaver (Aaron Hill, playing Kurt Wilson) to our TVs. All in all, a very enjoyable episode. – K

Quoteworthy: “Ah, spork. They all laughed at you.” – Castle