Reading is not working these days...

I miss reading I really do.  But every time I pick up a book, I fall asleep.

I am going to finish the reviews that I have listed and then drink LOTS AND LOTS of coffee and am going to sit down and finish the two books I started MONTHS ago and finish them.  They are close to being done but well, I still need to finish them.

I don't want to give up on my reading just because I am having another kid.  I know that I can read and be a mom, so I am going to get better.

Plus I am going to give myself some limitations on Pinterest since it's devouring all my time.

I miss this blog, but not for looooong  :)  I am coming back.  And this time, I mean it  ;)

Well I think the neglect should be over

I have been off the reading bandwagon for long enough, and with that, the blogging bandwagon too.  I really miss reading, but I haven't found anything that has been taking my full attention.  That's ok though, sometimes that happens.

I will be spending the rest of this week finishing up the reviews that should have been done months ago, and I will also dedicate some of my "valuable" time to finishing the books I have started.  There is no reason I won't have them done by the end of this week if I just put my nose in them.

The hour each night that I usually have dedicated to reading, has turned into my recent pinterest addiction, and while that is all fine and dandy, I can't get much reading done when I am looking at fun stuff on the internet.  So I just need to manage my time better.

Also, I don't think it is any surprise that I will come no where near meeting my goal of 111 books this year.  As much as this saddens me, I am also ok with it.  A lot has gone on this year that has distracted me and taken my reading time.  And there is always next year.  It's not like my To Be Read list is going anywhere  :)

Thanks for sticking around if you are still reading.  I promise to get better!!  Again.

What Happened to Good-Bye

What Happened to Goodbye

By Sarah Dessen

402 pages

Grade A

What can I say, I am a sucker for teen chick lit, and Miss Sarah did not fail to impress me. All of Sarah's characters are usually some kind of troubled teen, but somehow she still makes them moderately different. Same thing with the guys in her books too. What I liked so much about this book was that the main character, McLean, lives with her dad. She choose to live with her dad after her parents divorced. Now I grew up with my dad. I didn't have a choice between my parents like McLean did so I don't know how hard that choice would have been to make, but I am happy with how my life turned out living with my dad. I know now, especially since I am a parent myself, that I would not be the person I am today had I not grown up being raised by my dad. And for that, I thank him because I think I turned out ok. So dad, if you are reading, I love you and you did a great job!!!

Anyway, back to the story...McLean's dad works for a consulting company that forces him to travel, and in his travels, he carts his teenage daughter along with him. McLean learns to adapt, maybe not in a healthy way, but in her own way. I think out of all of Sarah's lead characters, I liked McLean the best. For me she has been the easiest to relate to. But most of Sarah's books have the same idea or concept behind them, odd girl falls for a guy, something happens, the girl and the guy split and then at the end of the story they work it out and get back together. And this book went along with that basis too, but for me, this book wasn't like reading just another Sarah Dessen book. There was something about this book that really set it apart from her other books. So good job Sarah. I can't wait to read what you put out next!!

Some Girls: My Life in a Harem

Some Girls: My Life in a Harem

By Jillian Lauren

352 pages, read on my Kindle

Grade C-

A friend of mine hosted book club a few months ago, and this was her book choice. She is friends with the band Weezer and when she found out that the lead singer (I think it's the lead) was married to Jillian, and that Jillian had written this book, she decided it to be her book. Because she is friends with Weezer, she also made arrangements for Jillian to Skype with us during our book club, which was pretty cool seeing as I had never really "talked" with an author like this before.

Ok so on to the review...

This book is actually a memoir. It's really really hard to believe that it is a memoir when you start out because Jillian as an 18 year old girl goes to Dubai to live and be a prostitute for one of the princes. There are nights of partying, drugs, shopping and sex. It's so hard to imagine that someone would actually sign up for something like this. I mean, the idea of getting handed wads of cash and taken to the mall with an unlimited spending amount and being given gifts of expensive jewels is pretty exotic and intriguing, but knowing that you have to sell your body in order to get these things totally changes the "awesomeness" of it.

Towards the end, Jillian goes home to NY for a little while and all of a sudden she becomes very whiny. A friend of mine actually told Jillian that she sounded insipid (10 point word if you ask me) to avoid saying whiny and spoiled brat. After she goes home to NY, she ends up going back to Dubai for a short stint where things in the harem have changed, she isn't happy anymore, and goes back home...again. She then meets her husband and they adopt a son. And then BAM! just like that, the story ends. Very, very anticlimactic.

Jillian as a person, was really fun to talk with. She was very down to earth and we all had a great time. I admire her for telling her story and coming out with it. It takes a lot of courage to do something like that. She is also writing another book that is coming out here soon, and it will show up on this blog at some point because the same friend that selected this book is picking her next book. Maybe we will Skype again, because honestly, that was pretty cool.

Where She Went

Where She Went

By Gayle Forman

264 pages

Grade A

This book is the book that follows If I Stay, which I read last year. I finished this book in about a day and a half. For me, it was amazing. I really really liked it.

Basically in the first book, Mia is in a terrible car accident and has an out of body experience and watches as everyone around her wonders if she is going to make it or not, it's really tough. I cried, a lot. Where She Went is actually told by the perspective of her ex boyfriend, Adam. I kinda fell in love with Adam's character. I really liked him.

But anyway, Adam runs into Mia in New York one night. They spend the whole night together and catch up with each other's lives. The journey between them is just incredible to read. I LOVE how the author completely entraps you in her story. I am really happy that I got a chance to read this book. I think I am going to pick up a copy of the first one in print so I can re-read them because it was really just that good.

**************

This post was my first post for "Book Review-a-thon" hosted by Jacki over at the Lovely Little Shelf.

Book Review-A-Thon

Hey everyone, since I am behind again, not only in my reviews, but in blog maintenance in general, I decided to participate in this, the First Annual Book Review-A-Thon, hosted by Jacki over at Lovely Little Shelf. I am hoping I can take one week out of my oh so busy new stay at home life (what am I talking about, I watched Rio about 14 times last week) that I can get caught up, and make you all love me again.

So there you have it...let's see if I can do it!

Wish me luck!!!

Fall for Anything

Fall for Anything

By Courtney Summers

Grade B+

I don't normally do this, but I like this summary of the book, my review will follow:

From Goodreads.com:

From the author of Cracked Up to Be and Some Girls Are comes a gripping story about one girl’s search for clues into the mysterious death of her father.

When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he seemed to find inspiration in everything he saw? And, most important, why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. Culler seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on...but are some questions better left unanswered?

I was totally blown away by this book. I am not sure if it was because I have experienced some of the same emotions that stem from knowing someone that has killed themselves, or if Ms. Summers was just that good at gripping your heart. Either way, I can't believe I put this book off for as long as I did. And when it only took me about two days to finish it, I was mad that I read it so fast.

Hunger Games, Catching Fire (re-listen)

Hunger Games and Catching Fire

By Suzanne Collins

Re-listen

I started to re-listen to this series before I quit my job, and as it was the first time, it was amazing! I didn't get a chance to finish Mockingjay on audio, so I think I will pick it up in print before the end of the year. Either way, this series is incredible. If you haven't jumped on the bandwagon yet, then you just need to do it. You won't regret it!

Some more Janet E.

Three to Get Deadly

Four to Score

High Five

Hot Six

By Janet Evanovich

Grade D

To continue on my Stephanie Plum series journey, while I still was working I finished four more of them on audio. At least I think it was four more. I might have finished number 7 but I can't be for 100% sure because since my laptop died I can't see what book I left off on my iPod.

However, honestly, these books are only moderately entertaining. I don't remember much of the plots of each book, only that there is a lot of very corny story lines, and ridiculousness. I am not impressed with them, and if I never finish this series, I doubt I will lose any sleep over it.

I know I said it before, and I will say it again...I don't get what the appeal to this series.

So how incredibly lame am I???

I am sorry I have been MIA for so long. Things have been a *little* crazy on my end. I have finished probably four more books that I need to list on my sidebar, which will put me at like 40 books behind in reviews. AAAHHH!!! Well I am going to be working on catching up. But first I will catch you up to a little of what has been so crazy, as I am sure you all are just *dying* to know.

First, my laptop broke. The battery died, or the power cord doesn't work anymore, but either way, I can't get the damn thing to turn on anymore, so this weekend we are going to head to the repair shop and see if I can get a new battery or something. I feel lost with out it and I really don't like using my husbands Mac.

Second, I recently became a stay at home mom. The first week I was off work, my little brother who is 12 was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and was in the hospital for most the first week, and then he spend the rest of the week days with me while my mom was at work. It was exhausting, but thankfully he is completely ok with it and he is doing much much better.

And lastly, which also just happens to be the most exciting part of my crazy life, I found out I am pregnant! I am now 11 weeks pregnant and the dr has told us everything looks good. I have been experiencing some pretty bad morning sickness and I also have been getting mild bouts of dizziness. This is causing me some problems when I try to read because I get dizzy and want to puke. But it's all starting to subside and I am hoping that I can get on with my normal life here pretty soon.

So that is the news with me. I am hoping that I will get caught up on reviews here within the next week, it's not like I am strapped for time or anything!

Thanks for being patient with me :)

Ok Ok I know....

I have no excuse for getting this far behind, HOWEVER, we did move, we have been unpacking and it's been slightly crazy around here.

I think I might have also lost count of books that I have finished in the passed few days.

The GOOD news, is that soon, I will have plenty of time to catch up on everything soon.

So sit tight, don't give up on me, and just know that there are a ton of new things coming up!!!

Weight Loss Update

Well, there really isn't anything to report here. I lost three lbs in the first week, and I gained back at least 2 of them...I have been jumping from one to two for two weeks.

Anyway, we have had a lot going including moving into a different house so I have been an emotional eater lately. I am hoping once we get moved into the new house and things settle, I can get back on track. I am falling severely behind and the closer to my goal I get, the more I fall behind.

Well, at least I have been getting to the gym three days a week.

Gang Leader for a Day

Gang Leader for a Day

By Sudhir Venkatesh

8 hours and 48 minutes listening time

Grade D

Let me preface this by saying, I know this book was a research book and was based on true events. That being said, most of what was written was so unrealistic and far fetched, that I didn't believe it. Maybe, that's just me living in my cushy little world, but I just don't believe it. I also don't believe how this guy could just sit back and watch things that happened and NOT REPORT ANY OF IT. How he isn't in jail himself for just being around the drugs is beyond me.

This book was picked by one of my book club gals for our club this month, and that is why I read it...had it been up to me, this wouldn't have been a choice of mine. I didn't much care for it at all.

Someone like you

Someone like you

Sarah Dessen

6 hours and 38 ,minutes on audio

Grade C

Don't get me wrong, I love Sarah Dessen. Her books are light, fluffy and easy to read. But I was not a super huge fan of this book. There is no real reason why I didn't much care for it, but I didn't. For one, the main guy in the book was named Macon. All I could think of was bacon. And I didn't think that he was very well developed.

Scarlett, the main character's best friend, gets knocked up but doesn't find out until two months after that baby daddy dies in a motorcycle accident. It's very sad indeed. What I found to be pretty unrealistic was that the main character, Halley, her mom is a child therapist, but doesn't tell her daughter that she can't hang out with Scarlett anymore. When I was growing up, my best friend got pregnant at 15 too, and my dad told me I couldn't hang out with her anymore. But this kids mom was totally supportive of it.

So for me....it was just eh. Sarah has had far greater books, and I can't wait to read her latest one that was just released.

The Immortals Series

The Immortals Series

By Alyson Noel

Evermore, audio and print

Blue Moon, print

Shadowland, audio

Dark Flame, audio

Night Star, audio

Grade B-

My cousin gave me a bag of books about a year ago and in that bag was the House of Night series, which I read all that were released at the time in about a week, I could not put them down. I also noticed that there was Evermore and Blue Moon in the bag, and I figured that it was another series. I didn't want to start it because I didn't want to get involved in another series like I did with the HON books. But my curiosity got the best of me, and I started Evermore about a week ago. And yes, I was hooked. I was able to get the remaining books on audio and finished them up at work. Fortunately for my sanity, the sixth and final book comes out in a few weeks and I can finish the series, unlike HON where I feel like I have been waiting forever.

Now these books aren't great. They aren't fabulous. They are only moderately entertaining. I say this because 90% of the book is the main character, Ever, describing how wonderful and gorgeous her immortal boyfriend is. Sound familiar any Twilight fans? Ever is also very quick to give up her whole universe and her everything for this guy, Damon...plot dejavu? I think so!

If you can get passed the constant "...and even the way he passes gas is sexy" crap, then you can move on to the weak boring plot lines. The first book basically went into how Damon made Ever an immortal, and their struggles with that. Ever finds out that in her past lives, Damon has found her, making them "soul mates" blah blah blah. Well it turns out that in all of her past lives over the past 400 years, when ever they try to get to the grand finale in the bedroom, something gets in the way of them actually doing it. Which in my opinion should be the fact that she is only 16 but alas, that is not the case. In all 5 books, Ever and Damon struggle to get it on. It actually gets really ridiculous.

At one point in one of the book Ever says, "little did I know this was how it was going to turn out..." and all I could think about was in Stranger Than Fiction when Dr Hilbert says, "Little did he know. That means there's something he doesn't know, which means there's something you don't know, did you know that?" One of my favorite quotes of all time. But what I kept thinking the whole time was "little did I know that Ever must have a platinum crusted who-ha because in each book, there is another dude trying to get in her pants and take her virginity." Everyone wants a piece of Ever, but Ever only wants Damon, and they can't do it because if they do, Damon will die. Why will he die? Well good question. Because when Ever tries to save his immortal life, she mixes her blood with her arch enemy's immortal elixer and that gets fed to Damon making it impossible for them to touch. OMG, I can't believe that I wrote all that. Do these books not sound just ridiculous after all that? Because when I try to explain it to people I feel stupid, kinda like how I do now as I am typing...

As time wasting as I thought these books were, they were simply easy and moderately entertaining. I don't know if I would be quick to recommend this series to anyone, but I don't regret that I read them. I also will pre-order the 6th book because really, I need to find out the most important question of all...

Does Ever ever get laid???

Wow

I can't believe how behind I am....

I will get somewhat caught up tonight. I promise. I also have fitness updates.

Got a little caught up with life recently and fell behind, plus I've been spending a lot of time reading in print.

Ok, see you all tonight!!

Heaven is for Real

Heaven is for Real

By Todd Burpo

4 hours and 16 minutes listening time

Grade D+

Someone posted on one of my online discussion boards and how it was a great book. They mentioned about how one part moved them to tears and that everyone should read it. On impulse, I got the audio and tried it, thinking four hours is not much of an investment. My opinion? Eh.

In this book the author's son had a short encounter with death and months after his surgery, he started telling his parents about how while in surgery, he visited with Jesus. Now, we are not religious in our household. At all. I am not saying anything against people who are, just in our house, we aren't.

As much of a good story as this book *could* have been, it was just eh. And the reason for me was because it was just so damn preachy. It seemed that for every sentence there was, there was another sentence that quoted the bible. For people who like this kind of stuff, more power to you, but for me it was slightly annoying.

The reason I picked this book up was because someone had said that in part of this book, the little boy meets his unborn older sister. His mother had a miscarriage a few years prior to him being born, however the parents had never discussed this with the boy. But when he went to heaven, he meets his sister. The parents then ask him what her name was and he tells them that she didn't have a name because they didn't name her. I thought that part was going to be the "WOW" moment for me because I have had two miscarriages and didn't really name either of them, but the moment was over before I even grasped the umph moment.

So, even though I don't really subscribe to this kind of thing, I might go through and name my unborn children, because there is always that "just in case" feeling, but other than that....this book was just not my cup of tea.

The Truth About Forever

The Truth About Forever

By Sarah Dessen

12 hours and 14 minutes listening time

Grade A+

I read this book last July, and just felt this buzz to read it again. I think I loved it more this time than I did the first time. I have read almost all of Sarah's books, and I haven't read one that haven't liked yet.

My original review is here, so I don't want to go and repeat everything I said last year because none of it has actually changed. Just take this with you, I love Sarah Dessen, but I don't think she loves me because she won't retweet me, and I have tweeted her like 4 times. Oh well....guess maybe one day she will....

Sing You Home

Sing You Home

Jodi Picoult

17 hours 26 minutes listening time

Grade A

I finished this book about three weeks ago, but I have been stewing on it so I couldn't write about it. I have never had a book make me feel so many emotions before ever. I spent the first 1 hour of the book, bawling. I spent the next part of the book sad. Then I was happy and frustrated. After that, I was ANGRY and PISSED, and wanting to punch a couple characters in their stupid faces. I think I was scared for a minute then I was angry AGAIN. Right when I didn't think I would take anymore, it ended, and I was crying, again.

With a minimal amount of spoilers here is the run down, main characters suffer multiple losses, and then have a still born at 28 weeks, breaking their marriage, where only weeks after the still birth, the husband leaves the marriage. Wife ends up meeting up with a friend and spends all her time with this women, husband moves in with crazy Christian brother and sister in law. Wife then decides she wants to try for another baby and remembers there are frozen embryo in a fertility bank, husband decides he then wants them to give to his brother and sister in law since they are also having fertility problems.

There is so much more to it but I don't want to give away too much. All I know, is that you will need tissues. I didn't think I would be able to finish it in places, but the story attacked me in the first few minutes and wouldn't let go until I was done. I won't lie either, but I listened to the ending of the audio book probably 4 times just because I just wanted to live it again.

In summary, this book was amazing.

My recent books

So I have a few books to review, but a couple of them have been a little emotional for me, and I am still stewing on them. Soon, this weekend perhaps.

On my 30X30 goal, I started this goal at the starting weight of....ugh.....176. there I said it. The pictures I took were lost when my phone recently crashed, I will have my husband retake them this weekend seeing as I haven't lost any weight yet, but I am in a lot of pain thanks to my friend that is helping me at the gym. I am pretty sure every single muscle of mine hurts right now.

Going off in another direction, I started on my book again. I have been doing almost nothing else but writing. I have been dreaming about my characters, and as a matter of fact, I had to reconstruct part of my story line because thinking about what I was going to write, I almost started to cry. So I have a lot to rewrite now, but at least I will be more comfortable.

I am slacking in the books and reviews this year, but I plan on kicking it up a notch here soon. I started a new position at work, and I will be able to pick up my audio books again, and I am in the middle of like 4 books in print, and will be finishing most of those in the next couple of weekends.

Well there you have it. At least for now.

Empty Promises

Empty Promises

By Ann Rule

14 hours 7 minutes audio

Grade undecided

If you haven't read anything by Ann Rule before, and I hadn't, she is a true crime author. I had no idea what to expect going into this book but I kept my hopes up. And then I started the stories. Holy crap. Basically they are stories of people who get murdered by their significant others. I thought it would be one novel about one particular case, but this book had like 13 stories in it. And it was pretty good. I honestly cannot imagine a case where I would actually take someone's life. I mean I feel guilty freaking killing a spider or roach, and those are just nasty pests.

I will not lie, at about 12 hours of listening, there was a story about a little girl that gets murdered and I turned off the book. I wasn't sure if I would be able to pick it up again, but I did, and fortunately for me, it was over quickly. I think any crime against a child is the worst crime you could possibly commit because they are just such innocent pieces to our world.

I don't know if I will be able to read more of her books, at least I most definitely won't be able to pick them up any time soon because they are very stressful, but I think getting through at least one of them would be worth it.

And there you go.

Garden Spells

Garden Spells

By Sarah Addison Allen

320 pages

Grade B+

This book was similar to Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman. There is a family named the Waverlys and they have what would seem as magical powers. The older sister Claire lives in the family home as an owner of a catering company. However, her catering company is not like regular ones, because she cooks with the flowers from her garden, and special things happen when she cooks certain flowers with certain foods and when she pairs them up with each other. Honestly, some of the foods that she makes in the book sound completely and utterly delish and all I wanted to do was eat.

The younger sister Sydney, has flown the coup and lived a crazy life, leaving her in a terribly abusive relationship and a 6 year old daughter. When things get tough, Sydney comes home to Claire, however their relationship is really rocky.

Their cousin Evanelle, was by far my most favorite character in the book. She had the talent of knowing that people needed something, whether it was batteries for your smoke detector because there would be a fire that night, or a blanket because your heat would go out that night and you would be extra cold. I just loved everything about her character.

What I liked most about this book was that it was light. It wasn't terribly deep, but it was lifting. Sadly the two books that I read following this book were anything but. However, this book was just a feel good book, all around. I finished it in probably 2 days, I really couldn't put it down. And even though I was sure I knew what was going to happen, and I was right, I was just blown away by it.

I really really really enjoyed this book. The only reason why I am not giving it an A+ is because I was able to predict some of what was going to happen, but it was a good book. I say give it a chance if you need something light. A huge thanks to my friend Mandi in my book club that hosted this book in February. It was wonderful!

A quick update

Well, I have three books to do reviews on, and I will hopefully be getting those done this week.

I am also in the middle of three books, which I also hope to finish this week.

Today is ALSO the last day before "Operation Get Not Fat" starts. I will be getting off work by 230 tomorrow (hopefully) and heading to the gym right afterward (hopefully). Tomorrow is going to be my short day at the gym regardless because I also bowl Monday nights.

I will also be posting pictures of my fat ass this week with how much I weigh (ugh), and hopefully with measurements but that I cannot promise.

I have 6 months. 6 months to meet my 30 lbs by age 30. That is only about 5 lbs a month, which I hope will be totally doable.

Happy Sunday everyone!

One Night that Changes Everything

One Night that Changes Everything

By Lauren Barnholdt

256 pages

Grade C+

The premise of this book is that the main character, Eliza, has been writing secrets in her note book. Not so much secrets as just things she is really scared to do, simple little things, like sing karaoke, talk to (and make out with) a boy you have had a crush on, and a few other things. Eliza forgets her notebook in her locker one day and it's stolen by her ex boyfriend's group of friends. Throughout the night the guys call Eliza and tell her that she has to start performing these fears or they will publish her notebook online for all the school to see. A recipe for high school disaster right? Well, duh.

You all know how I feel about YA books. I have a soft sticky place in my heart for them. This book did not fail to provide me with fluffy YA enjoyment. I polished it off in about 24 hours, and as much as I am happy that I did read it, I should have waited to read it after the book I just finished, which I will review soon (probably tonight as well) because I needed something light and fluffy, but instead I picked a book that has had me in tears from the first page. Either way, if you are a YA fan, this book will not let you down.

I will leave you with my favorite quote of the book:

"That is definitely the work of a sociopath. Actually, I'm not sure what a sociopath is, exactly. But I think it has to do with not caring about the feelings of others."

This is a little non book related (NBR) but...

I will be ::gasp:: turning 30 this year. OMG, I really cannot believe that I said that. Not that I can't believe that I admitted it, I just can't believe that I am old enough to say it. I still feel 18. But that isn't what this is about. What this post is about is me and how lazy I am. I already host like 20 blogs, and I simply cannot take on the pressure of another one. So because of my laziness, I am going to do my next idea on my book blog, and I am sure most of you can relate...it's weight loss.

My husband and I have been together for 7 (maybe 8) years now. In these 7 (or 8) years, I have gained 35 lbs. I guess 35 lbs in 7 (or 8) years isn't that bad...I guess. I gained 40 lbs with my daughter, and lost most of it, but still hung on to some of the baby fat. Then last year, I lost two babies and suffered from some pretty bad depression while struggling with infertility, and it put my self image over the edge.

I say every year I want to lose weight, but I never do anything about it. But this year, this year will be different. I am going to start working with a friend of mine who is going to be my "personal trainer" and we are going to work out together 5 days a week, and I am going to lose it.

And this is where I am going to introduce

"30 BY 30"

I plan on losing 30 lbs by my 30th birthday. And in order to keep my motivation, I am going to post numbers, yes, my actual real weight, and I am going to post pictures. I hope to do this weekly, and I will be starting this weekend. So there you have it.

Rosa Parks: My Story

Rosa Parks: My Story

By Rosa Parks

192 pages

Grade A

I wanted to read a book for Black History Month in February. When I went to the book store looking for a book, I debated between this book, and the presidential book by President Obama because I figured I could get a president book out of the way too. BUT, I don't know if you guys have seen the Obama book, but it's kinda huge. Like really huge, and I couldn't invest that much time into a book like that. Not that I don't want to invest into a large, book, but I try very hard to stay out of politics, and a huge book like that about politics.....I have entirely to many other things I would rather do.

So when I saw this book, I thought, "self, this would be a good book" (I often think in quotes). I always knew the story of Rosa Parks, ("wasn't she that black lady that decided she wasn't going to move to the back of the bus for a white lady?") but I never knew all the details. I mean honestly, who does? Just me?

The only terrible thing I have to say is that I am sorry I am the one that has to review this book here! My reviews have sucked lately, but well here you go...I LOVED this book. I really enjoy historical fiction, and though I know that this book is non-fiction, I have read so much historical fiction that will reference back to Rosa Parks and you know in school they tell you about Rosa but you never get the whole story. This book tells you just that. You get to hear about how Rosa grew up, her marriage, and her hard work. She actually did a lot of work with the NAACP and was a big park of the Civil Rights Movements, outside of her epic move on the bus. I really admire her as a person. She was a flat out hard worker.

I got chills reading this book more than once. The part that really moved me was when the entire black community, and some of the white, boycotted the buses. It was so incredibly amazing to see how one person, one simple act could change history forever. And that is what I loved about this book so much, the simplicity of the act that helped change our country for ever.

I could go on and on and on about how happy I was that I picked up this book, but you just have to go for it yourself. Had I just been at home reading I probably would have had it done in an hour, I mean it's only 192 pages long, but I enjoyed that it took a couple of days. Some books need a few days. This was one of those books. And I still think about it, almost daily. So just go for it.

Happy Birthday!

To Dr. Seuss that is. I was going to write some super witty post that actually made sense (unlike whatever this garbage that I have been producing). I was going to read a book with my daughter and then review it from her point of view, which I will might do, I don't know. But what I want to share with you now is a post from a fellow blogger. I have been following her for over a year now, and I love her blog. She is Tameka over at Imperfection is the New Pink. She wrote this AMAZING post about Dr. Seuss, and I won't lie, it made me cry. I feel the same way she does in just about everything she has set for herself in goals, because I am already in love and married.

Well anyway, I just wanted to share that with you. If I don't get my own Dr. Seuss post, her post says it all for me :)

Something, Maybe

Something, Maybe

by Elizabeth Scott

5 hours and 23 minutes listening time

Audio book

Grade C-

I have two words for this book: Totally forgettable. I had to actually think, and think HARD, what this book was about before writing this review. And so here is what I can remember (remember I barely finished it last week on audio), there was a girl, the main character, and her name was Hannah, and I only knew that because I just looked it up. Hannah's mom was/is a soft porn star and her dad is, well her dad is based loosely on Hugh Hefner. She doesn't see her dad very often, but Hannah is known all over her school for her parents.

This book had the potential of being really really cute, and there were parts that were cute, but then crashed and burned. If I didn't know better, I would have thought this was the author's first book.

Anyway, I would just skip it.

Excuse me...

How freaking awesome is my husband? He was at the library at UNLV today, saw this on their "Just In" shelf and he picked it up for me!

Oh I am in nerd heaven right now. Yes, NERD heaven!!!!

I keep trying to tell myself that I really should finish my Obama book, my book for book club this weekend and my Vegas book that I have been reading.....but it's about Harry Potter.....How can I possibly say wait??

Ugh, maybe if I stay up all night to read one of my previously started books, I could start this one tomorrow?

What to do! What to do!!!

Room

Room

By Emma Donoghue

366 pages

Read on my Kindle

Grade B

I can sum this book up in two words, Beautifully Depressing.

The story is written from the perspective of a 5 year old boy. He was born in an 11x11 size room where his mom lived as a captive. There are no windows, there is only one door that is locked and only one person has the combination to the door, and neither the mom or the boy have the combination, only Old Nick.

The beauty of this book comes from the innocence that Jack, the child, holds. The author did an amazing job of capturing how simple and amazing life is through the eyes of a child. AMAZING. That was my favorite part of this book. Jack was so incredibly lovable. Reading it as an adult, you realize the adult issues that are underlying, but you get to live them through the experiences of Jack.

I really can't express the beauty of this book. I know that my Book Club Bitches (it's what we call my IRL book club) didn't like it, but I really really enjoyed it. I really wish I would have finished it before our actual get together so I could tell them how much I loved it. Now I will just have to wait until next month :P

Anyway, it's really good. I don't care what anyone says.

Anna and the French Kiss

Anna and the French Kiss

By Stephanie Perkins

Grade B+

After like a million reviews on this book, I figured I might as well just read this book. A-mazing! Ok, picture this....getting shipped off to PARIS for high school....HELLO!!! I think it would have been incredible to have spent my high school years in another country learning the language, the culture, the everything. As amazing as that would have been, Anna, the main character, only got one year, her senior year.

I freaking loved this book, and I cannot tell you one reason why. But maybe I could tell you 5 reasons. I loved that it took place in Paris. I love that it was a boarding school. I love that were was normal teenage drama. I loved the characters. And last but not least, have I mentioned that it takes place in Paris?

Here is the thing, what I loved about this book is the friendship that grew into a relationship between Anna and Etienne. So much about their relationship reminds me of my husband and I because we started out as friends, just hanging out, and then well.....we got married.

My favorite kind of books are the ones where I feel like I am actually friends with the characters, and that is how I felt while reading this one. I finished it in practically one sitting, staying up until 3 am to finish it. The second I finished it, I wanted to pick it up and start it over.

And since I am completely and totally all over the place with this review......I will just end it now. My review is totally not doing this book the justice it needs, so please, just read it. It is really cute, and I will probably read it again before the year is over.

Just Listen

Just Listen

By Sarah Dessen

400 pages

Grade C

If you haven't noticed, there is a trend in my last couple of books...books about music. Or rather, books with a huge emphasis on music. And of course, they are all YA. I am pretty sure this is my fourth or fifth Sarah Dessen book also, and if you don't follow her on Twitter, you should because she is awesome.

Ok, onto the book. Maybe it's because I have read so many of her books, that I was pretty expectant of what was going to happen next. The super cute lovable girl that of course has her own quirks, falls for the guy she never thought she would, then all of a sudden, there is a terrible issue, the character and her man fight, and 12 pages before it ends, all conflicts are resolved and everyone is happy.

Although the story line is pretty much the same, I really really really iked this one. mainly because I LOVED Owen. I really liked how he just wasn't afraid to be himself, and how he used music to get through so many of his issues. I loved how he could relate to music so completely, an dhow he just wanted to show the world the beauty of all types of music. It was weird reading some parts because found that I do that with people and music. I am always saying "listen to this, and this is amazing, check this song out" etc.

So even though this wasn't my favorite Sarah Dessen book, I would put this in my top three of her books.

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour

By Morgan Matson

Grade A-

There is nothing I move more than a book about music...well except a book about books (ie The Thirteenth Tale). But books about music....AMAZING!

The story line with this book was cute, it was fluff, but look, the fact that these kids were able to tour the country... I have always wanted to just drive. Get in the car and drive. We used to go on road trips all the time with my dad growing up, and maybe that is where my obsession with road trips have stemmed from. But I found myself just really wishing I could be there with Amy and Roger.

One of my favorite parts was right in the beginning when they are driving through Nevada. They were both getting nervous because there was a whole lot of nothing as they were driving. And that is EXACTLY what driving through Nevada is like. A whole lot of nothing....It's a terribly boring drive, and it's a scary drive too because it really feels like you are just on a conveyor belt with the same scenery with an occasional...nothing. That's right, there is the occasional nothing.

I really enjoyed following the growth of Amy. It really made me feel great to see how she overcame the issues in her life. And I really liked Roger as a character. He was just so.....neat. I don't know how else to put it.

Anyway, the other thing that is awesome about this book, is that each chapter is accompanied by a play list. Yes, each chapter has their own soundtrack. How freaking cool is that! I cannot wait to start downloading!!

Did I disappear?

In the immortal words of my almost three year old daughter "NAHHH" I am just busy reading. See here is the thing, everyone in my IRL circle last year gave me crap because I listened to a lot of audio books. So this year, I am reading more in print. But I have done, what I normally do, and that is I have started like 8 books, 8 different books than I had already started.....

Currently I am reading:

Anna and the French Kiss

Room

The Potluck Club

Etiquitte

365 days of Good Manners for children

It

Tales of Old Las Vegas

Jeebus I need to get it together. I am hoping I will finish Anna and the French Kiss in the next couple of days. And then I need to finish Room which was actually the book for last weeks book club, and THEN I need to get on the next book for my next book club. I think my problem is this, I just really really love to read, but I also a multitasker. This is why audio books work so well for me because I really have a hard time concentrating on reading when I am not doing 12 other things. BUT, I am working on it.

So there you go. I am here. I am still reading, it's just hard to finish one book when all I can do is start more.

The Help

The Help

By Kathryn Stockett

18 hours and 19 minutes

Audio book

Grade A

Sooooooooooooo, I decided I needed to re-read this book. I started it on audio right before my husband and I went out of town for our anniversary. When we got on the road I asked my husband if he would mind if I restarted it. he didn't mind, so I did. And you know what was totally awesome? He GOT INTO IT! He listened to it the whole time we were out of town, and then when we got back, he wasn't done listening, so he would listen on his own, which I totally didn't think he would do.

Ok, so I read this book last year, and when I had recommended it to a friend of mine, I started it again when she did. I TOTALLY fell in love with it all over again. When I finished it, I wanted to start it again right away. That is how you know a good book.

I am pretty sure I cried 5 times more this time than I did last time I read it. I cried because I was so sad that Elizabeth couldn't love her daughter, and I cried because the daily struggles Minnie went through, I cried because Skeeter overcame her obstacles.

This book is just so incredible. The ending is a little eh, but the book as a whole, is just amazing. I will probably re-read it again before the year ends, it's turned into my new Harry Potter haha.

So why are you still here, go RUN to the book store, buy it, read it, and put it on your shelf, because you will want to read it again, and again. And if you don't, I will be sad.

Awakened

Awakened

By PC Cast and Kristin Cast

304 pages

read on my Kindle

Yikes, I am kinda behind in my reviews, and it looks like I have neglected my blog for a while. Anyway, Awakened. It's the 8th book in the House of Night series, or what I would like to call "The House of Crack" series. Last year I read this entire series in about two weeks. When this book came out I pre-ordered it so it would be here at my house when I got home from work. Well after everything I ordered at Christmas, Amazon waited to email me the DAY that the book was released saying that my debit card on my Amazon account was expired. Stupid Amazon tried to charge an expired card. So I fixed it so my order would ship. I went in and inactivated the expired card. I then decided that I couldn't wait for the book to get here, so I downloaded it to my Kindle.....where they tried to run the expired card again.....::sigh:: Eventually I got the correct card charged and got my freaking book (obviously). And the day I finished it on my Kindle, it showed up on my front door.

Anyway, it was a good book, not great, but the series isn't life changing, just addicting. The reason why this series drives me banana sangwich is because, yes the books pick up right from the last sentence of the previous book, and they are mostly all action packed, but I HATE that they end the books at such a cliff hanger. I mean, WHAT? I am not going to post spoilers, but how do you END a book that way?!?!?!? And now I have to wait until November to read the next book. UGH.

All I know is that I am going to make sure my debit card info is correct in my account FIRST and then place my pre-order.

Around the World in 80 Days

Around the World in 80 Days

By Jules Verne

Audio: 7 hours and 51 minutes

Grade B+

Since I am behind in my reviews, so this one won't be as thorough as I would like.

I really really liked this book. It was a re-read for me, but I always enjoy this one. The plus side is that it is also narrated by Jim Dale which is my favorite ever.

I can't wait to start reading this one to my daughter when she gets a little older, I think it will really get her imagination running with all the same adventures. Also I know this book is like a million years old, but it never really felt old. Like Alice in Wonderland was just old, but this one never really was too old.

So there you go, a terrible review of a book I liked a lot. That is what I get for procrastination. Or rather, that is what you get when I procrastinate.

My piles of books

This my friends is my book collection. At least I am sure this is all of it. I could be wrong, but I have books in every little hidey hole around here. I have sorted them into three piles as you can see, a to be read pile, a read pile, and a "I started it but haven't finished it yet" pile. I was really shocked and a little upset with myself that my read pile was so small, but I just have to keep reminding myself that most of the books I read this year were audio from the library, and I also loaned out about 8 books, and I still don't know who has them.

So the stack with three piles are the books that I still have to read. I am ashamed to say, that I will probably not read most of these this year, but you know, I am going to try...

The stack that includes The Stand and Narnia, is my read pile. This pile does not include the HP books or the Series of Unfortunate Events, mainly because we keep those books put up and for show right now. And like I mentioned before, I have loaned out like 8 books this year, and they are all missing, and I have no idea who I loaned them to.

The last and smallest stack that is topped with Johnny Cash's book is the pile that I have started. I have started all these books over the past year (except for the George Carlin book, I started that one before I got married like 8 years ago and didn't even realize I even had it, so I shouldn't even consider it in this stack since I don't even know what the first part is about). I am about 10 pages into most of these and just never picked them up again, but not because they are terrible, but because I would just grab the next best thing and start that one. I WILL finish this stack this year. I have to. I hate looking at it, so for that reason alone I want to get through them.

So well there you go. My crazy stacks of books. I am going to do this again half way through this year and hopefully the stacks will change.

CHEERS!