Book Club

One of my New Year's Goals was to get back into reading for personal enjoyment. Between our busy schedules, keeping up with household duties, and Peyton, it's easy for me to put something like reading a book on the back burner. However, I have been managing to work it into my schedule somehow, and I've decided that I want to read at least one book per month this year. I used to read at least 25 books per year when I was a teacher and challenge my students to do the same. Therefore, 12 books in a year should be no problem. I figure if I give myself an entire month then I can manage to get the book read. To hold myself accountable, I want to review each book here on the blog...so today I'm sharing my book from January!

Here is a synopsis from Amazon.com:

In Lisa Genova’s extraordinary New York Times bestselling novel, an accomplished professor diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease learns that her worth is comprised of more than her ability to remember. 

Alice Howland is proud of the life she worked so hard to build. At fifty years old, she’s a cognitive psychology professor at Harvard and a world-renowned expert in linguistics with a successful husband and three grown children. When she becomes increasingly disoriented and forgetful, a tragic diagnosis changes her life—and her relationship with her family and the world—forever.

Here is an Editorial Review from Barnes and Noble: 

This may be one of the most frightening novels you'll ever read. It's certainly one of the most unforgettable. Genova's debut revolves around Alice Howland - Harvard professor, gifted researcher and lecturer, wife, and mother of three grown children. One day, Alice sets out for a run and soon realizes she has no idea how to find her way home. It's a route she has taken for years, but nothing looks familiar. She is utterly lost. Is her forgetfulness the result of menopausal symptoms? A ministroke? A neurological cancer? After a few doctors' appointments and medical tests, Alice has her diagnosis, and it's a shocker -- she has early-onset Alzheimer's disease. 

What follows is the story of Alice's slow but inevitable loss of memory and connection with reality, told from her perspective. She gradually loses the ability to follow a conversational thread, the story line of a book, or to recall information she heard just moments before. To Genova's great credit, readers learn of the progression of Alice's disease through the reactions of others, as Alice does, so they feel what she feels -- a slowly building terror.

In Still Alice, Genova, who has a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Harvard, uniquely reveals the experience of living with Alzheimer's. Hers is an unusual book -- both a moving novel and an important read.

My thoughts on the book:

First and foremost, I love this author. Dr. Lisa Genova (author) holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University in neuroscience which leads me to believe that she has the educational background and knowledge to be able to tackle something as difficult as portraying a disease like Alzheimer's accurately. She also did extensive research. After reading this book, I read an interview with her about all of the preparations she did prior to writing it. Her professional background and Ph.D. gave her an all access pass to the right people and information. She worked with the leading physicians and scientists in Alzheimer's research, genetic counselors, neuropsychological testing experts, caregiver support experts...basically anyone who is an expert in all things related to the research and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. She also spent time working with a variety of actual patients, caregivers, and their families to best understand the disease from all sides and how it is experienced by all parties involved. Having been at the center of caring for someone with Alzheimer's recently, I would say that her depiction is spot on. In addition, this book has been given the "stamp of approval" by the Alzheimer's Association, which is not something they normally do; however, they found this book to be valuable and accurate enough to do so. Kudos to Lisa Genova for executing this project so well. Now, on to the actual book itself...

You need to read this book. Seriously, go out and buy it right now. Especially if you have a loved one or know someone who currently is or has suffered from Alzheimer's disease. This book will change your entire perception on the disease, that person, everything. I love how Genova chose to present the story from Alice's perspective, it is so powerful in that way. We are able to see Alice's struggles first hand, as well as her thoughts about what is going on inside her head. From the outside, it is hard to understand what Alzheimer's patients are thinking or feeling, and what it must be like to not be able to make those cognitive connections. This book gives you a glimpse into their minds. Not only do you feel empathy for Alice, but you can start to feel her frustration and anxiety as her mind slowly deteriorates. Genova intentionally writes the later half of the story in a way that mimics the way Alice's brain is functioning as the disease progresses. It's repetitive, chunks are missing, it's hard to follow, it's confusing and difficult to comprehend. It makes you as the reader feel like you are experiencing disease yourself. Reading it requires a lot of focus and frustration, which immediately made me understand how trying and difficult it must be to have to feel that way 24 hours a day. That is what makes this book so eye-opening and powerful.

My personal experience with Alzheimer's disease comes from caring for my grandmother. She is currently living in a long-term memory care facility because the disease has put her beyond the type of care that we were able to provide for her at home. She now requires full time service by memory care professionals. Prior to Peyton's birth and my grandma's move into memory care, I would visit her at least once per week to spend time with her and take her places. I would observe her and try to understand as best I could what she was going through and how I could best help her. I'm so glad that I read this book because I feel like more than ever, I now have a better understanding of what she must be feeling and why she did some of the things that I observed. Throughout the book, I kept thinking of her. As Alice progressed in the disease, I felt like I was reliving the past 6 years with my grandma. I kept stopping as I was reading and thinking to myself, "yes, yes, that is exactly what happens!". Of course this was saddening and hard for me to read because it hits so close to home, but it was also enlightening and inspirational. This book really made me appreciate my grandma more than ever before. Beyond what I am even capable of articulating here. Thinking about her disease and her suffering used to make me feel angry, lost and frustrated in so many ways. Why is this happening to her? Why is she acting this way? What is going on? Why can't I help her or stop it? Why, Why Why? But now, I feel at peace with the whole thing. I get it. I understand why she does and acts the way she does. I understand my role in her life. I understand (as much as is even remotely possible) how she feels. I get it. I've accepted it. I can enjoy the time I have left with her and appreciate what she still has to offer to my life.

Can you believe it? A 292 page fictional book did all of that to me. Which is why I am telling you, you must read this book. A movie version of this story did come out last month, which I'm sure is great and I fully plan on seeing that as well. However, if you want the full experience then you have to read the actual book. Not even listening to it on tape will suffice. If you want to truly feel Alice's frustrations and struggles, you have to read her words. You will not get that experience from listening or watching. If you want all of the power that this book can provide, you have to read it. Trust me, it's worth it and you will never forget it.

Book Club

This is almost like a part two of my previous Book Club post from two weeks ago. Many things have happened in my literary life since that post. First of all, I discovered that they are making The Giver into a movie. Hooray! I'm not even sure why I'm excited because I'm sure that this movie will just disappoint me in the same way that most other cinematic adaptations of novels tend to. Either way, I'm going to see it and I'll probably reread the novel again so that I can be on my A-game when it comes to critiquing the film. Watch the trailer here.

Since writing my book review of Divergent, I went to see the movie. Standing alone as just a movie, it was good. As an adaptation of a book, it was simply decent. I feel like there was so much left out, but then again I realize that they can't make the movie 4 hours long. I did not like how they changed the ending...seriously, why was that necessary? I also feel like they did not portray the character of Peter nearly intense enough for my liking. I felt like in the movie he was just kind of a jerk. In the book, I loathed him and wanted to jump into the pages and kick his ass myself. I'll be interested to see how that plays out in the future films. Overall, there were just a lot of little details that I really enjoyed about the book that were left out of the movie. No surprise here though, that always happens...which is why the book is always, always better.

Today I am sharing...

Here is a synopsis/review of the book from Amazon: 

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

My thoughts...

Insurgent was definitely a solid sequel to the first book of the series, Divergent. Obviously, the first book was still my favorite as it is typically with any series that I read. However, this second book did a good job of picking up the story right where it left off, as well as continuing the develop the characters along with the story line. I hate when a book series puts the characters all out there up front and then doesn't allow them to grow with the story. If the characters truly are human beings, they should be changing and becoming more in depth as they experience various situations throughout the entire series. Luckily, Roth succeeds at this endeavor and consistently has her characters evolving throughout Insurgent. We discover shocking secrets and alliances among characters that we never would have expected. She makes it very difficult for you to chose sides (or stick to just one side) and to know who to trust. Even as the reader, your alliances and feelings about various characters are constantly changing as new layers of the story are revealed. I especially enjoyed seeing how the characters from the different factions interacted with each other (since each faction is so focused on living out one particular trait) when they were forced to work together or attempt to understand one another, which something that they are unfamiliar with doing. I also like how the romantic side of the story is not overwhelmingly obnoxious. I feel like that often takes center stage in a lot of Young Adult novels and overpowers the plot which makes me annoyed. Thank you Roth for not putting a stupid love triangle in this series. There are a lot of twists and turns throughout this book (as well as sub-plots and changes in setting) which keeps things exciting, but can also become confusing at times so you really have to pay attention. There were a lot of good surprises, especially the ending, which makes me very intrigued about how this is all going to play out in the third book. Overall, Insurgent was darker and edgier than the first book which makes complete sense seeing as how that seems to be the natural progression of this plot. Another good read, enjoy. 

Book Club

In the sixth grade, I had to read The Giver for summer reading. Yes, I was the kid who actually did the required summer reading every year and really did read all of the books in their entirety, not just the SparkNotes. What can I say, I absolutely love to read and I will give any book a fair chance. I secretly loved summer reading because I discovered some of my favorite books that way and I actually enjoyed many of the books that were assigned to us. I'll admit, some of them were terrible and painful to get through, but I'm sure that I am a better, more well-rounded reader because of them. Then again, I'm an English major and literature nerd so I enjoy reading all kinds of stuff that normal people hate.

Back to The Giver...the summer before sixth grade, we had to read this book and it quickly became one of my favorite books ever. The whole concept of a dystopian society and the psychological impact that this type of environment has on human beings seriously fascinated me for some reason. I've never really enjoyed Science Fiction, but I was even more enticed by the genre when we had to read Anthem by Ayn Rand two years later. The dystopian theme has really been the only type of Science Fiction that I have ever enjoyed, and both of these books have remained favorites of mine to this day. I think that I am most impressed by this sub-genre because of the author's ability to create an intricately designed fictitious world completely from his/her imagination and then watch how the human characters adapt to or defy this environment. I think that this type of literature speaks volumes as to how culture and society can influence the human condition. Remember, English nerd over here...I just can't help but over-analyze everything I read...even teen fiction.

As you can imagine, I was super excited when The Hunger Games series came out because it reminded me a lot of the other dystopian books that I had previously enjoyed so much. It did not disappoint. Now, another young adult dystopian series has recently taken over our culture and I have decided to jump on the bandwagon.

Today I am sharing...

Here is a synopsis/review of the book from Amazon:

In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the YA scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

My thoughts...

I read this entire book in one day. Yes, one day, start to finish. I just couldn't find a good place in the story to stop reading, so I kept going. Jared was shocked that I actually managed to sit all day and read a 487 page book. I don't know why he would be surprised, he's knows I'm a super focused speed reader when I want to be...especially when something is really good. This book was fantastic in one of those addicting, can't-put-it-down sort of ways. It was so good and I am very anxious to read the rest of the series. You can't help but love the main character, Tris. She's your typical independent, rebellious, take-no-shit kind of heroine (think Katniss from Hunger Games) who of course refuses to conform to the standards set forth by the dystopian society. You just have to root for her. One thing I especially liked about Divergent that is different from other traditional dystopian novels is that the characters have a choice about where they belong in the society. Typically, status and roles in these societies are assigned and the characters really have very few options when it comes to changing their fate. I like how the characters in this book have to choose where they think they belong and then live with the extreme consequences that come with their eternal choice. I can't imagine that kind of pressure. What if the path you choose does not turn out the way you thought it would? There's no turning back.

I can't wait to go see the movie version of this book, even though I know that the book will be better because it always is. Plus, I've heard that they changed the ending for the movie. Why do they have to do that crap? If the book is that popular, it's for a reason, so don't go changing important details. Duh.

Book Club

I haven't posted a book review here on the blog in quite a while now. Oh well, there's no time like the present, right? Over the past few months, I have not been doing a good job of giving myself time to read which makes me sad because I absolutely love to read. Well, I take that back. I have been reading, just not fun books. I've been reading articles about pregnancy, babies, reviews of products for babies, etc. It's literally taken over my life. Oye vey. I promised myself that I was going to get back into reading for pleasure, and lately I have finally had the time to do so. Thanks to my insanely swollen pregnancy feet, I have to take time out of each day to sit down, elevate my feet and relax. This is not something I am good at. I especially hate propping my feet up, it makes me feel so antsy and trapped. However, I have found that the only way for me to successfully relax is to read while I do so. It keeps me distracted enough that I forget that I'm antsy and that I want to get up an move around. So now for an hour or two each day, my swollen feet get some relief and I get to enjoy some quality reading time. Win win.

I have finally finished a book that I have been trying to read for a little while now, which is the one I am reviewing today. This book has saved my swollen feet and forced me to sit down and relax.

Today I am sharing...

Here is a synopsis/review of the book from Amazon: 

Marriage can be a real killer. 

  One of the most critically acclaimed suspense writers of our time, New York Times bestseller Gillian Flynn takes that statement to its darkest place in this unputdownable masterpiece about a marriage gone terribly, terribly wrong. The Chicago Tribune proclaimed that her work “draws you in and keeps you reading with the force of a pure but nasty addiction.” Gone Girl’s toxic mix of sharp-edged wit and deliciously chilling prose creates a nerve-fraying thriller that confounds you at every turn. 

   On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer? 

   As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?

   With her razor-sharp writing and trademark psychological insight, Gillian Flynn delivers a fast-paced, devilishly dark, and ingeniously plotted thriller that confirms her status as one of the hottest writers around.

My thoughts...

To say that this book is a psychological thriller is quite an understatement. It is dark and suspenseful in ways I could never have dreamed in my wildest imagination. It keeps you guessing and analyzing every single minute detail with the turn of each page. However, just when you think you have it figured out, each new twist in the story is more shocking than the last. There are so many clues and finite details to figure out the meaning and significance of and just when you think you have accomplished that, you find that those details simply cover up an even deeper meaning. I can't even begin to fathom how an author could write with so many complicated layers as Flynn did in this book. The main characters, husband and wife, are so complex and manipulative that you don't know whether to trust them, like them or hate them. My opinion of them changed constantly throughout the book. Just when I thought I had pinned down that character's personality or motive, another detail came along and changed my entire perspective. The story just became more intense and complicated as you peeled back each layer. I never in a million years could have predicted the ending of this book. In fact, when I first read it, I actually hated the ending. Then, the more I thought about the ending, the more I realized how brilliant it was. It's actually very difficult to articulate my reaction and comprehension of this book without spoiling it. Let's just say that when I came to the end and closed the book, I just sat there. Mind blown. This book turned out to be nothing like I expected, which is what I loved about it.

Book Club

Sometimes we all just need a good laugh. We need to read something trashy and hilarious, something that allows us to escape our troubles and simply entertain us. My best friend and I are notorious for reading a vast variety of materials. We are both obsessed with owning paper copies of books (screw you Kindle), and lots of them. The 3rd bedroom in my house has three 6-foot tall books shelves filled with books. And on said bookshelf, I might have a copy of the Bible, next to a copy of Ernest Hemingway (I own every book he has ever written, so he shows up a lot in my personal library), next to a copy of Harry Potter. I don't discriminate, I read everything. There is a time and a place for every type of literature. Right now in my life, I am in the mood to read something mildly inappropriate and laugh out loud funny. Alas, a care package arrived in the mail from my best friend with some books she has recommend for my current state of being. Which brings me to the fine piece of literature I am sharing today...

Today I'm sharing...

Here is a synopsis/review of the book from Amazon: 

After winning Southern women's hearts with her SEBA bestseller Bless Your Heart, Tramp in 2000, Rivenbark has penned a new-and equally sidesplitting-collection of essays, offering Northern and Southern sisters alike a woman's "take on those irksome little yuks in daily life." Although she warns certain readers (Yankees, namely) that they may need a Southern lexicon to decipher her folksy, down-home prose style, Rivenbark's focus on familiar topics like family, relationships and child rearing should appeal to most females, regardless of geography or age. Marked by a feisty, sarcastic tone and tempered with plenty of cries of "yoo hoo" and "Well, shit," even chapter titles (e.g., "Stop Watching Your Plasma TV and Start Selling Your Plasma: How to Become Honest-to-Jesus White Trash" and "Here Comes the Bride: Let's Just Get 'Em Hitched Sometime Before We See the Head") don't escape the author's wry humor. The most mundane situations become laugh-out-loud scenarios. When, for example, Rivenbark is confronted by the "Pre-School Nazis" and intimidating "granola moms" at her four-year-old's school, she admits asking her daughter to lie about what she had for breakfast (a foil-wrapped breakfast bar instead of the required "scrambled eggs, a bowl of real oatmeal-the kind you have to cook on top of the, uh, you know, stove-two slices of whole wheat toast and a glass of soy milk"). Rivenbark is a hoot, and her book will be best enjoyed while listening to the Allman Brothers Band and eating "a plate of, what else? collards and cornbread."

My thoughts...

I loved this book. I literally laughed out loud throughout the entire thing. If you are truly a Southern lady, you need to read this book. Her observations and witty sarcasm are so spot on, honest and no-holds-barred that you can't help but laugh because you know that she is so right. Warning to all you Yankee folk out there, you probably will find this book trashy, stupid and offensive so better to not waste your time. This book is written as a collection of essays so it is quick and easy to read at any given time. It is a perfect read from your beach chair or your couch with a glass of wine (perhaps some Boone's Farm?) in hand. Don't worry, when you finish this one there are plenty more where that came from. Rivenbark wrote a whole series of these books, complete with even more hilarious and inappropriate stories and titles as this one. 

Reading Goal

Do you know what the #1 best selling book is every single year? The Bible. Have you ever read the Bible? Like the entire Bible? I am a huge reader. I read dozens of books every year. I am a Christian. I go to church, take my Bible with me and follow along during the sermons, but I've never actually read the thing in it's entirety. Well here goes nothing...

The #1 item on my Bucket List has always been to read the Bible cover to cover. Why you ask? Because in some ways I feel like I am supposed to. How can you correctly practice something without reading the manual? I feel like all Christians should read the Bible...all of it, not just the good parts. I also want to read it because I feel like it will be interesting and I'll learn something (or a lot of things) from it.

The Bible I currently own is 1773 pages long and I plan on reading every single page. I know that seems like a lot, and it is. However, I read War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy in one semester of college which is over 1400 pages and horribly boring, so I feel like there isn't anything I can't read.

My goal is to read the entire Bible by the end of 2013. I am hoping to actually finish it way before that, but I want to give myself a reasonable goal so I won't become overwhelmed and give up.

Today is Day 1. Here is page 1 of 1773 - Genesis 1:1 all ready to go!

I am also going to be using this handy dandy ap on my iPhone called YouVersion. It's a Bible ap that has a bunch of nifty features. You can use it to track your progress (which is what I am using it for), it will read aloud to you, give you daily Bible verses and lots of other cool things. I thought about reading the Bible in chronological order (the order in which the events happened historically by time), but then I decided that I wanted to read it canonically (the order in which it was written) instead. So instead of jumping around throughout the text, I will be reading from page 1 to page 1773 straight through. 

Don't worry, I'm sure there will be many updates along the way. Wish me luck!

Book Club

I am currently re-reading one of my all-time favorite books. Which really speaks volumes for this book because I have read a lot of books in my time. A lot. It's an American classic and I am sharing it today on Book Club because I feel like every American adult should have this book on their must read list. I know that classic literature is not everyone's thing (even though it is my thing since I was a Lit major in college), but I promise this one is actually enjoyable to read.

This week I'm sharing...

Here is a synopsis...

In 1922, F. Scott Fitzgerald announced his decision to write "something new--something extraordinary and beautiful and simple + intricately patterned." That extraordinary, beautiful, intricately patterned, and above all, simple novel became The Great Gatsby, arguably Fitzgerald's finest work and certainly the book for which he is best known. A portrait of the Jazz Age in all of its decadence and excess, Gatsby captured the spirit of the author's generation and earned itself a permanent place in American mythology. Self-made, self-invented millionaire Jay Gatsby embodies some of Fitzgerald's--and his country's--most abiding obsessions: money, ambition, greed, and the promise of new beginnings. "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter--tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And one fine morning--" Gatsby's rise to glory and eventual fall from grace becomes a kind of cautionary tale about the American Dream.

It's also a love story, of sorts, the narrative of Gatsby's quixotic passion for Daisy Buchanan. The pair meet five years before the novel begins, when Daisy is a legendary young Louisville beauty and Gatsby an impoverished officer. They fall in love, but while Gatsby serves overseas, Daisy marries the brutal, bullying, but extremely rich Tom Buchanan. After the war, Gatsby devotes himself blindly to the pursuit of wealth by whatever means--and to the pursuit of Daisy, which amounts to the same thing. "Her voice is full of money," Gatsby says admiringly, in one of the novel's more famous descriptions. His millions made, Gatsby buys a mansion across Long Island Sound from Daisy's patrician East Egg address, throws lavish parties, and waits for her to appear. When she does, events unfold with all the tragic inevitability of a Greek drama, with detached, cynical neighbor Nick Carraway acting as chorus throughout. Spare, elegantly plotted, and written in crystalline prose, The Great Gatsby is as perfectly satisfying as the best kind of poem.

~ via Amazon.com

If you have never actually read this book before (I know we were all supposed to read it in high school), I highly recommend it. And if you did actually read it in school, you need to read it again. As an adult, you will have a completely different perspective and take-away from this book. Promise. I have read it probably 8+ times and every time I read it, I find something new that makes me enjoy it even more. Then again, I'm a literature nerd, so of course I love this book. It's short (only 180 pages) and exposes the glamorous, yet darker side of the American Dream. Just read it. You won't be disappointed.

And in case you weren't already aware, they are making a new film version of this book and I'm pretty excited about it. Good 'ole Leo DiCaprio has been cast in the leading role as Jay Gatsby, which I think is going to be amazing. You better believe I will be in the theater on May 10th to see this movie.

Hemingway

Today is my favorite author's birthday! I am absolutely obsessed with Ernest Hemingway and have been ever since high school. I love his writing and I'm pretty sure that I own a copy of everything he has ever written. Yes, I realize this is rather lame, but I was an English major so what do you expect. The best class I ever took at Florida State was all about Hemingway and his writing, I was in heaven. Happy Birthday to my all time favorite author! He would have been 113 today.

Being the Hemingway addict that I am, I insist that we make a trip down to Key West every time we go to the Keys to visit my husband's family.

I always have to go to Sloppy Joe's for a drink...obviously my favorite author would write some of his most important works in a bar :)

My favorite Hemingway novels are The Sun Also Rises and The Garden of Eden. If you have never read either of them, then you need too.

Book Club

I finally finished my book...which means that I get to link up with Heather this week for Book Club Friday!

This week I'm sharing...

Here's a synopsis...

          In his 14th book, bestselling author Nicholas Sparks tells the unforgettable story of a man whose brushes with death lead him to the love of his life.
         After U.S. Marine Logan Thibault finds a photograph of a smiling young woman buried in the dirt during his tour of duty in Iraq, he experiences a sudden streak of luck — winning poker games and even surviving deadly combat. Only his best friend, Victor, seems to have an explanation for his good fortune: the photograph — his lucky charm.
         Back home in Colorado, Thibault can't seem to get the woman in the photograph out of his mind and he sets out on a journey across the country to find her. But Thibault is caught off guard by the strong attraction he feels for the woman he encounters in North Carolina - Elizabeth, a divorced mother — and he keeps the story of the photo, and his luck, a secret. As he and Elizabeth embark upon a passionate love affair, his secret soon threatens to tear them apart — destroying not only their love, but also their lives.
         Filled with tender romance and terrific suspense, THE LUCKY ONE is an unforgettable story about the surprising paths our lives often take and the power of fate to guide us to true and everlasting love. 

~ via Barnes & Noble

So you may have heard about this book because the movie version of it just came out, staring Zac Efron. I haven't seen the movie yet, but I am planning on going to see it this weekend now that I have finished the book. This book was awesome. Seriously. I can't even explain why I loved it so much, so you'll just have to trust me. Read it. You won't be disappointed. It tells one heck of a beautiful love story in a way that only Nicholas Sparks can do it.

Book Club

Happy Good Friday everyone! I love Good Friday for a couple reasons...#1: I get the day off of work, #2: I was born on Good Friday 25 years ago. In case you weren't aware, Easter fell on April 19 in 1987, thus making me a Good Friday baby. My #3 and most important reason is that Good Friday always reminds me of why we are celebrating this holiday in the first place. Every year, I put out my Easter decor...eggs and bunnies...but when Good Friday rolls around it helps me remember the true meaning of Easter. I hope y'all have a wonderful Easter weekend!

Now, onto my link-up with Heather for Book Club Friday!

Today, I'm sharing...

Here's a synopsis...

Have you ever made a drunken bet? Worse, still, have you ever tried to win one? In attempting to hitchhike round Ireland with a fridge, Tony Hawks did both, and his foolhardiness led him to one of the best experiences of his life. Joined by his trusty traveling companion-cum-domestic appliance, he made his way from Dublin to Donegal, from Sligo through Mayo, Galway, Clare, Kerry, Cork, Wexford, Wicklow—and back again to Dublin. In their month of madness, Tony and his fridge met a real prince, a bogus king, and the fridge got christened. They surfed together, entered a bachelor festival, and one of them had sex without the other knowing. And unexpectedly, the fridge itself became a momentary focus for the people of Ireland.

~ via Barnes and Noble

I started reading this book right before we went to Ireland because someone told Jared that we should read it while we were there. If you have ever been to Ireland before, I highly recommend this book. It is hysterical and how could it not be...it's a drunk guy hitchhiking around a country with a refrigerator. It is especially fun to read while traveling around Ireland because he writes about all the places that he visits on his journey and while we were traveling, we actually went to some of the same places that he did. This book is not only entertaining, but it is a good representation of the country of Ireland. It truly depicts the fun and hospitable nature of the Irish people.    

Oh, How Pinteresting!

Well, we've made it half way through the week yay! Time to celebrate our small victory with another edition of Oh, How Pinteresting! brought to you by Michelle. Since I am on a home decor pinning trend, I thought I would continue my theme and feature another special room of the home on this week's post.

Whenever we build our own home (aka: my dad builds us a home), Jared insists on having a man cave in our house garage. So I made him a deal. If he gets a man cave, then I get a reading nook. What I'm really shooting for is a craft room with a built in reading nook (shh, don't tell yet though...I'm trying to build up to that) Anyways, craft room I could live without, but I am dying to have a cute reading nook in our future home. Hence the theme of this week's pins!

Oh, How Pinteresting! - Reading Nook Edition

                                                                                                        Source: Uploaded by user via Jacki on Pinterest

                                                                                                             Source: houzz.com via Jacki on Pinterest

                                                                                                      Source: anonyvox.com via Jacki on Pinterest

                                                                                                          Source: tumblr.com via Jacki on Pinterest

                                                                                               Source: desiretodecorate.com via Jacki on Pinterest

                                                                                Source: theoldpostroadblog.blogspot.com via Jacki on Pinterest

                                                                                   Source: thecaptivereader.wordpress.com via Jacki on Pinterest

                                                                                   Source: your-daily-dose.tumblr.com via Jacki on Pinterest

                                                                                       Source: thezhush.blogspot.com via Jacki on Pinterest

                                                                                                      Source: google.com via Jacki on Pinterest

                                                                                 Source: heartbeatoz.tumblr.com via Jacki on Pinterest

Book Club

Happy Friday! I just had to link up for Book Club Friday this week because my life is going to be so literacy themed today. This week has been Literacy Week at my school and today is Dress As Your Favorite Book Character Day. So I will be going to work dressed as Hermione from Harry Potter today! Don't worry, there will definitely be photographic documentation :)

Ok, now on to Book Club...

Today I'm sharing...

Here is a synopsis...

Mockingjay, the conclusion to The Hunger Games trilogy, will have fans racing through the book to reach its edgy, highly probable yet oh so unexpected, and utterly jaw-dropping conclusions. In the final, spell-binding novel, author Suzanne Collins doesn’t spare blood or gore—or creativity as she paints graphic images in the path of two-time Hunger Games survivor, Katniss Everdeen. Katniss has emerged from the 75th Annual (Quarter Quell) Hunger Games as the sole symbol of the Districts’ rebellion against the Capitol: the Mockingjay.

Flung into the underground, socialist District 13, Katniss is relieved, appalled, and bitter about the District’s existence. With Gale Hawthorne by her side and Peeta Mellark at the hands of the Capitol, Katniss is forced to weigh the motives and actions of those around her as she navigates her role as Mockingjay. District 13’s President Coin reunites Katniss with former Tributes and an assortment of Rebel leaders scraped together from the surviving Districts with carefully laid plans on how to gain the remaining Districts’ support and infiltrate the Capitol.

Katniss’ mom and her sister Prim seal their roles in District 13 as part of the medical team, and Hunger Games’ mentor Haymitch Abernathy is as unpredictable and insufferable as can be as he assumes a pivotal role in the Rebel’s schemes. Both Peeta and Gale hurt Katniss in terribly deep ways, leaving Katniss to decide once and for all if she ever really loved either of them. Katniss struggles to decipher the decisions of war and weighs what her future should hold if she manages to survive the multitude of gut-wrenching attacks she faces in her effort win the rebellion by storming the Capitol to capture and kill President Snow.

Expertly crafted twists and turns reveal more fantastical thinking than the previous two novels in the series, The Hunger Games and Catching Fire. Moving at warp speed with game-changing events in every chapter, readers will race through Mockingjay to learn the fate of so many of their beloved characters, or to finally understand those whose motives and actions always left a question hanging in readers’ minds.

Collins tidily wraps up all of the loose ends with head-nodding certainty even though the trilogy’s startling conclusions are lobbed at readers from left field, leaving them completely shell-shocked at times. By the end of the trilogy, fans are left with a deeper and richer understanding of humanity and a “what would Katniss do?” mentality that’s hard to shake.

~ via Hunger Games Capitol

I finally finished the series, yay! This is my 3rd Book Club post about the Hunger Games series. See my other posts here and here. This final book, Mockingjay, was probably my least favorite of the 3 books, but that doesn't mean that it wasn't a good read. I was satisfied with the way that the series ended even though the ending of Mockingjay wasn't super exciting...not nearly as exciting as the endings of Hunger Games and Catching Fire. The series overall is amazing so you have to read them all and do it now :) 

Book Club

It has been a while since I linked up with Heather for her Book Club Friday link-up. Therefore, I think it's time to do so. I wish I had more time to myself for reading, but life and work tends to get in the way.

Today I'm sharing...

Here is a synopsis...

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

~ via Barnes and Noble

This book is the 2nd of the Hunger Games series and personally I liked it better than first one. I finished this book back in December and I am currently reading the 3rd and final book of the series, Mockingjay. I read Catching Fire super fast because I was so addicted to it. Like I said in my last Book Club post about the first Hunger Games book, the main character Katniss is such a bad ass. The more her character develops in the series, the more I want to be as awesome as she is. If you have not read this series yet, you are seriously missing out. I can't wait until the first Hunger Games movie comes out in March!

Book Club

Part of my recent absence from blogging has been due to my new addiction to The Hunger Games series. The time after work that I usually spend blogging, I have been spending reading these books. So obviously I have to share the one that I have finished already with you for Heather's Book Club Friday link up.

Today I am sharing...

Here is a synopsis...

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games," a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. 

~ via Amazon.com

For months, people have been telling me to read this book. I was pretty unmotivated to read it even though it kind of reminded me of The Giver and Anthem which are two books that I absolutely love. I finally broke down and decided to read it and at first, I was still unsure about whether or not I was actually going to like it. However, once I got into it, I was hooked. It was absolutely fantastic and the main character, Katniss, is such a badass. Her character is very well written and the whole concept of the society in which the story takes place is really interesting. Although this is technically a "young adult" novel, it is enticing for adults as well. It has a lot more depth than other "young adult" novels, like Twilight. I really enjoyed it and I am now currently reading the second book of the series, Catching Fire, which is awesome so far. In March, the movie version of The Hunger Games is coming out and I think it is going to be really cool. Hopefully they will stay pretty true to the book. See for yourself...

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! Happy Black Friday :)