My Top 5 of 2007

Anyone who knows me, or who's been checking out this little blog of mine knows I love to read and I've read an awful lot this year. I've read a lot of good books this year, but there's only been a handful of truly awesome books. So here is my own little list, the top 5 books I read in 2007 (obviously some of them have been out longer, not sure what took me so long to discover their greatness!)

1. Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (Gregory Maguire)

2. My Sister's Keeper (Jodi Picoult)

3. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)

4. Nineteen Minutes (Jodi Picoult)

5. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (Lisa See)

Last Book of 2007--- 29 out of 101: Every Marriage is a Fixer Upper

So on Friday night I wasn't feeling too good and decided to spend the evening curled up with a book. I've had this book lying around for a while, but never was able to read it (honestly I enjoy reading books on relationships, but I hesitated to take this book with me to work, as people can tend to look too much into that sort of stuff. Know what I mean?) Anyways I enjoyed this book. It was a quick easy read, and it gave some pretty good ideas as well as listed some good resources for additional reading, etc. I don't think it's the best book on relationships (so far the best I have read was The Five Love Languages) but it was still pretty good. Besides I finished it the next day, can't complain about that.

28 out of 101: Dear John

So this was my second attempt at reading a Nicholas Sparks book and honestly I just don't see what all the fuss is about. The first book of his I read was the notebook, and after loving the movie sooo much I was very excited to read the book. But it just wasn't anything special, and I felt that it fell way flat. So I figured that maybe I was just biased since I saw the movie first. So I decided to give Dear John a try, thinking that I may enjoy it more since it also has a military theme to it. Nope.... just didn't happen that way.

I found the book boring and predictible. Everything that occured in the storyline, you could see happening. It was one of those books that I wanted to be done with and just read to finish so that I could move on to something better. Very blah. I don't think I will be attempting to read any other books by Nicholas Sparks, guess I'll just stick with the movie versions from now on.

27 out of 101: Nineteen Minutes

So I just finished reading my fourth Jodi Picoult book, and I must say it was another amazing read. (Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors, and if you haven't read her yet, I would highly suggest her!) Nineteen minutes was a complex and gripping novel about highschool shooting. Like her other novels, this was very thought provoking. I often find that when I am reading her books I just can't stop thinking about the story. You would think that an issue like school shootings would be a clearly black and white issue, but Picoult does a great job of helping you to see the grey areas. I think that a book like this would be of beneficial to anyone-- especially teenage students, something that can help show the effects of bullying and the effects that school shootings have on everyone.

Synopsis:

In nineteen minutes, you can mow the front lawn, color your hair, watch a third of a hockey game. In nineteen minutes, you can bake scones or get a tooth filled by a dentist; you can fold laundry for a family of five....In nineteen minutes, you can stop the world, or you can just jump off it.
In nineteen minutes, you can get revenge.
Sterling is a small, ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens — until the day its complacency is shattered by a shocking act of violence. In the aftermath, the town's residents must not only seek justice in order to begin healing but also come to terms with the role they played in the tragedy. For them, the lines between truth and fiction, right and wrong, insider and outsider have been obscured forever. Josie Cormier, the teenage daughter of the judge sitting on the case, could be the state's best witness, but she can't remember what happened in front of her own eyes. And as the trial progresses, fault lines between the high school and the adult community begin to show, destroying the closest of friendships and families.
Nineteen Minutes is New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult's most raw, honest, and important novel yet. Told with the straightforward style for which she has become known, it asks simple questions that have no easy
answers: Can your own child become a mystery to you? What does it mean to be different in our society? Is it ever okay for a victim to strike back? And who — if anyone — has the right to judge someone else?

26 out of 101: PS I Love You

I just finished reading PS I Love You this afternoon at work. I had just bought this book last week because I had seen that the movie was coming out very soon. It was a great book. It was sad, and funny, and you couldn't help but care about the character. Considering what the book is about it was a little tough for me to read this at work. I'm sure if I had read this book in the privacy of my own home I would have been bawling like a baby through out some of it. But instead I had to keep it together and try not to get all teary eyed at work. I can not wait for the movie to come out. I know that it is not going to follow the book exactly, but just from what I've seen from the previews and from the movie's website I still think it is going to be very good. I can't wait for Jesus to take me to see it!

This is the synopsis of the book from barnesandnoble.com :


A novel about holding on, letting go, and learning to love again.
Now in paperback, the endearing novel that captured readers' hearts and introduced a fresh new voice in women's fiction — Cecelia Ahern.
Holly couldn't live without her husband Gerry, until the day she had to. They were the kind of young couple who could finish each other's sentences. When Gerry succumbs to a terminal illness and dies, 30-year-old Holly is set adrift, unable to pick up the pieces. But with the help of a series of letters her husband left her before he died and a little nudging from an eccentric assortment of family and friends, she learns to laugh, overcome her fears, and discover a world she never knew existed.
The kind of enchanting novel with cross-generational appeal that comes along once in a great while, PS, I Love You is a captivating love letter to the world!

25 out of 101: Soul Harvest #4 in the Left Behind Series

Well I started this book last week, but it took me a little longer than I would have liked to finish it, but I suppose that happens when you have a long (and busy) weekend. So I just finished this book today (I was sort of in a rush to finish it so I could get on with my next book). I thought it was okay. I still don't think the Left Behind books are the most amazing books I've ever read. They look a lot bigger than they are, but the text is actually pretty large so they tend to be quick reads. I've noticed with these books that they seem to have a pace where they pick up in the begining, slow down in the middle, and then they pick up again really fast in the end and you get a lot of info in the last chapter or so. Just kind of an interesting observation.

I'm not sure when I'll read the next book in the series, I feel bad since that lady let me borrow them and I have the rest of them sitting in a box, but I just can't see myself reading one right after the other.

24 out of 101: Nesting, It's a Chick Thing!

From barnesandnoble.com :

Synopsis
Check it out--the Chicks are back. Authors of It's a Chick Thing, with 110,000 copies in print--"A must book for the reader who knows that chicks rule" (Publishers Weekly), "a smart and sassy compilation" (Chicago Tribune)--Ame Mahler Beanland and Emily Miles Terry celebrate chicks nesting, or what it means to have a home filled with laughter, good friends, lovingly prepared foods and crafts, all with personal style.Seasoned with attitude and packed with stories, history, how-tos, quips, advice, recipes, folklore, and crafts, Nesting is all about finding personal style and showing it off, putting an entirely fresh, it's-a-chick-thing spin on entertaining, decorating, cooking, and gardening. In "Chicks and Chow," the food chapter, there are unexpected stories by M.F.K. Fisher, Ruth Reichl, and Erma Bombeck; a Spice, Spice Baby! guide to spices; sixteen recipes for great Chicktails; and Towels That Snap Back (how to make personalized dish towels). "Flocking Together {hen parties and sassy soirees}" has Sally Quinn on being a guest while in labor; Ina Garton's "The Worst Party I Ever Had"; the How to Be a Hostess Cupcake guide to party girl preparedness; Upper, Lower, and No-Crust hors d'oeuvres; Monotony Killers; and decorating inspiration from Elsie de Wolfe: "I believe in plenty of optimism and white paint."Nesting is totally un-Martha in its approach--it's easy, it's light, it's like your best friends hanging out and offering advice with a quip--and it's illustrated throughout with hilarious retro photos and illustrations.

I totally loved this book! I have had it for a few years now, but for some reason I never got around to reading it. It was a fun read, the whole book was filled with cute quotes, and tons of awesome tips. I also enjoyed all of the little stories from women that filled the many pages of this book. I love being a wife, and all of the domestic stuff that entails, so this book was perfect for me. My favorite section was the one on entertaining since I really enjoy having people over and I love to cook for people. I found myself marking this book up with a highlighter and even putting little sticky tabs on the pages I want to reference later. Awesome, girly read!

23 out of 101: Cinderella Lopez

From BarnesandNoble.com:

Fifteen-year-old Cynthia Lopez made a promise to her dying father: she will live with her two stepsisters, Ami and Lila, until she turns 25, at which point she'll inherit his large estate. Now, nine years later, twenty-four-year-old Cyn is counting down the days to that fateful birthday. At first, living with Ami and Lila had been fun, even exciting at times. Two of New York’s hottest It-Girls, they know all the right people, own all the right things, and go to all the right parties. Sensible Cyn used to be content hiding in the shadows of her larger-than-life sisters. Now, Cyn is finally wising up and realizing that she is no longer stepsister to the starsshe is personal assistant/slave to the stars (or Las Diablas, as the Latin press likes to call them). And, when Prince Charming enters, Cyn must go head-to-head with her truly wicked stepsisters in order to win back her father’s fortune, her perfect man, and, most importantly, her life. “A fairytale for today's woman who wants her Cinderella to be smart, tenacious and with ganas . . . not to mention with a great pair of shoes! Charming, hilarious and at times surprising, you can't put this one down."—Mary Castillo, author of Hot Tamara


I enjoyed this book more than I initally thought I would. When I grabbed this book off of my bookshelf I wanted a chick-lit book, something light and that would be a fast, easy read. It certainly did the trick. I thought the book was pretty good, and I enjoyed the fact that it was Latina chick-lit. My only complaint is that the ended left me a little disapointed. I think that it could have ended in a way that would have been a bit more satisfying to the reader.

22 out of 101: The Latino Holiday Book

From barnesandnoble.com:

The Latino Holiday Book is the essential resource for everyone wanting to celebrate and honor the special traditions and celebrations of Hispanic-Americans. Author Valerie Menard takes us through the full year, covering new year’s traditions, Día de los Reyes, Calle Ocho, Easter, Cinco de Mayo, the feast day of San Juan Bautista, the Cuban and Mexican celebrations of independence, National Puerto Rican Day, the feast of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre and Our Lady of the Divine Inspiration, Día de la Raza (the Latin American version of Columbus Day), Día de los Muertos, the feast day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, and Christmas. Weddings, birthdays, and quinceañeras are also explored in rich detail. For each celebration, Menard discusses their religious or social history, typical customs, special foods and activities, and gives recipes and instructions for making the authentic foods and crafts that particularly represent a day’s traditions.

Overall I enjoyed this book, it was a fast, easy read. And it was full of information. I love learning new things, and this was a great way for me to learn more about my culture and some of the celebrations of other latinos.

21 out of 101: Memoirs of a Geisha

So I just finished reading Memoirs of a Geisha a few minutes ago. Let me just say it was a beautiful story and I enjoyed it sooo much! The whole story just pulled you in, and it was hard to put the book down. I have the movie and had seen it about a year ago, and I can honestly say that this is a rare book where reading or watching the movie first really shouldn't impact your experience with the other. Typically I tend to enjoy which ever I did first, but this book was different. I enjoyed the book sooo much, and the movie is really beautiful as well and I can not wait to see it again. I'm actually hoping we can find some time this weekend to watch it.

It's a great book, and if you haven't already read it I would highly suggest you do so. My only complaint is that it is a long book, and the font is pretty small. So my eyes felt more tired than usual after reading.

20 out of 101: Get your own damn beer, I'm watching the game!: A Woman's Guide to Loving Pro Football

Synopsis:
Year after year, Sunday afternoons and Monday nights during the NFL season have belonged to men. While they cheer and argue play calls, the women in their lives are relegated to beer and chip detail. It's time for these women to join the action, and Holly Robinson Peete, star of 21 Jump Street, For Your Love, and Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, and wife of NFL quarterback Rodney Peete, has written this hip, smart, cheerful guide to help them do so.Peete shares her infectious enthusiasm for pro football
and takes the complexity out of the game by breaking it down to its component parts. She explains the role of each position player, provides a rundown of all on-field penalties and referees' hand signals, and offers an illustrated guide to some of the most common plays in the NFL. She gives her take on the most memorable plays in NFL history and dishes some inside dirt-in a breezy, girl-talkin' narrative that promises to turn the novice spectator into a well-informed football fanatic.

Well I thought I'd really enjoy this book since I already love pro-football (Especially my San Diego Chargers!) but honestly I thought this book was a little much. Who really needs all of this information? Just to enjoy the game of football. While there were a few things I found interesting, I certainly could go without knowing the entire history of each and every NFL team. And I could go without hearing how difficult it is to be the wife of a quaterback. (Yeah, because you know they only get paid a TON of money!) And because it's so stressful for her as a quaterback's wife to watch her hubby play. Okay, I acknowledge that football is a physical game and that there is always that risk involved... but as much as I love football I find it ridiculous that they get paid astronomical amounts just to play a game. I'm sure the wife of any soldier (or service member in general) would agree that it's much more stressful to send your loved one off to war, worrying about their safety, and yet they get paid so little for putting their life on the line for their country that the majority of military families literally live pay check to pay check.

I wouldn't recommend this book to people (unless of course you're writing a report on football, LOL, cuz like I said it's filled with lots of useless history). Just enjoy the game for what it is. You don't need a book like this to love football. If anything I think it would turn a lot of new fans off.

19 out of 101: A Farewell to Arms

I had high hopes for this book, especially since it is such a classic piece of American Literature. I have been hoping that over time and as I get older I would learn to enjoy literature more and more. However with the exception of Jane Austen, it hasn't happened for me yet. (I'm not losing hope though!)

I thought that Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms started out great. It was very strong in the begining and although I was only slightly confused by some of the dialogue and trying to figure out exactly what was going on at times, I still was getting into it. I honestly though the interaction between Mr. Henry and Catherine was a bit odd. Even still I got over it. As I was finishing up today I got into the whole scene where they were retreating and Mr. Henry had to escape. But then the last few chapters were all about the time Mr. Henry and Catherine spent reconnecting. Which led back to that strange interaction, and the horrible abrupt ending. I felt like I spent all that time and he built the story up so much just for the ending to fall flat.

I remember seeing the movie a long time ago, and although I don't remember the specifics or how closely it matched the book, I do remember enjoying it much more than I enjoyed this book today.

Bummer. Guess I'll have to stick with fiction for now until I find some other literature that I enjoy.

18 out of 101: The 10 Women You'll be Before You're 35

Book Description:

Everyone from your mother to your boyfriend-is always telling you who you are and who you should be. But who are you, really, and who do you really want to be?
New Graduate
Dollarless Diva
Worker Bee
Party Girl
Body-Conscious Babe
Chameleon
Crisis Chick
Ms. Independence
Wirl (half woman/half girl)
True You
In The 10 Women You'll Be Before You're 35, author Alison James takes you on a journey of self-discovery-from wide-eyed ingénue to the real woman you were born to become. You'll learn how to finesse each phase with poise-experimenting with abandon but ultimately keeping only what perfectly fits the True You. With The 10 Women You'll Be Before You're 35, you'll dare to become the woman you never dreamed you could be!


This was a good, enjoyable read. I loved the way the book was, it had quotes all throughout the book (which I love) and it also had cutesy lil designs on the edges of the paper. It was very cute. Overall I enjoyed the book, I couldn't find myself easily fitting into every "phase" but I think that is because the life of an Army wife is a little different than that of our civilian counterparts. This would be a book that I would totally get my husband's little sister who just graduated highschool and is starting her first semester at college.

17 out of 101: The Jane Austen Book Club

Eh, this book was just okay. Honestly I bought the book when we were in San Diego, before having read any reviews for it. If I had read the reviews first, I wouldn't have bought it. It wasn't anything special, and the characters in the novel didn't really grow or change or anything at all. Kind of felt like everything went in a big circle. I only read it before some of the other books on my to read list because they made a movie out of it and that'll be coming out soon. I glanced at the review for it in Us Magazine and I believe they gave it a decent review. So I wanted to read the book before I see the movie.

I wouldn't reccommend anyone go out and buy this book. Save your money.

16 out of 101: Gift from the Sea

Well I wasn't kidding when I said that this book was going to be a short, easy read. I finished it in about an hour or so yesterday afternoon. It was a good book, nothing spectacular. A lot of what the author talked about was something that I (and probably many other women) can relate to.

Here's what the publisher says about the book (from B&N.com):

In this inimitable, beloved classic—graceful, lucid and lyrical—Anne Morrow Lindbergh shares her meditations on youth and age; love and marriage; peace, solitude and contentment as she set them down during a brief vacation by the sea. Drawing inspiration from the shells on the shore, Lindbergh’s musings on the shape of a woman’s life bring new understanding to both men and women at any stage of life. A mother of five, an acclaimed writer and a pioneering aviator, Lindbergh casts an unsentimental eye on the trappings of modernity that threaten to overwhelm us: the time-saving gadgets that complicate rather than simplify, the multiple commitments that take us from our families. And by recording her thoughts during a brief escape from everyday demands, she helps readers find a space for contemplation and creativity within their own lives. With great wisdom and insight Lindbergh describes the shifting shapes of relationships and marriage, presenting a vision of life as it is lived in an enduring and evolving partnership. A groundbreaking, best-selling work when it was originally published in 1955, Gift from the Sea continues to be discovered by new generations of readers. With a new introduction by Lindbergh’s daughter Reeve, this fiftieth-anniversary edition will give those who are revisiting the book and those who are coming upon it for the first time fresh insight into the life of this remarkable woman. The sea and the beach are elements that have been woven throughout Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s life. She spent her childhood summers with her family on a Maine island. After her marriage to Charles Lindbergh in 1929, she accompanied him on hissurvey flights around the North Atlantic to launch the first transoceanic airlines. The Lindberghs eventually established a permanent home on the Connecticut coast, where they lived quietly, wrote books and raised their family. After the children left home for lives of their own, the Lindberghs traveled extensively to Africa and the Pacific for environmental research. For several years they lived on the island of Maui in Hawaii, where Charles Lindbergh died in 1974. Anne Morrow Lindbergh spent her final years in her Connecticut home, continuing her writing projects and enjoying visits from her children and grand-children. She died on February 7, 2001, at the age of ninety-four. Reeve Lindbergh is the author of many books for both adults and children, including the memoirs Under a Wing and No More Words.

15 out of 101: Nicolae

Well yersterday I finished the 3rd book in the Left Behind series. It was actually pretty good, much better than the second one. It had a lot more action and it felt like the story really started to pick up.

I must say though that I am glad to finish it so that I can give it back to the lady that let me borrow it. I hate that it took me so long to actually read it, but the topic of the series is obviously a heavy topic so sometimes I just need to read something else. Know what I mean?

Today I'll be reading a book that another lady let me borrow. The lady that let me borrow it is one of our patients, and she is a librarian at Harker Heights High School. I think it is so nice that she thought of me and brought me this book. It is called Gift From the Sea. It's not very long so I should have it done in a day or two.

14 out of 101: Plain Truth

Well I just finished reading my third Jodi Picoult book last night. Plain Truth was a great book, and it kept me interested the whole time I read it. The details about the Amish were fascinating and I was glad to see that Jodi Picoult throughly researched that subject. She even spent time on an Amish farm.

The ending was great, with a nice twist to it. I guess they made Plain Truth into a lifetime movie, I have it recorded on my dvr and I can't wait to watch it to see what it is like in comparison to the book.

13 out of 101: Suze Orman's Money Book for the Young, Fabulous, & Broke

I had been wanting to read this book for a while, and then sort of forgot about it until my friend Emily brought it up on a thread on our discussion boards. So after reading more reviews off of Barnes & Noble. com I decided now was the perfect time to pick it up.

This was a serious great book! I consider myself pretty knowledgeable when it comes to some of this money stuff. Especially since Jesus and I have been working with a financial planner for a few years now. But I still learned a whole lot of great information from this book. I marked it up with a highlight and put little flags on some of the pages that really made an impact on me. And I've already been trying to apply some of the suggestions into our lives.

Overall it was just an awesome book, with lots of handy info. I know that I will reference back to it for many years to come. And it was written in a way that anyone my age can actually understand and relate to.

Now I'm ready to move on to my next book. My friend Nadine (who was recently introduced to the wonderful books of Jodi Picoult) let me borrow Plain Truth. I have been wanting to read this book for a while now, so I am super excited about it! I'm sure I'll love it, but I'll be back soon to let everyone know what I think. Until then Happy Reading!

12 out of 101: Swapping Lives

So last week I started (and finished) another chick lit book, called Swapping Lives, by Jane Greeen. It was cute. Sort of reminded me of the show on ABC called wife swap. Overall I enjoyed the book, however it wasn't as good as I hoped it would be. I think the author was pretty extreme in creating her characters, to the point where it was a little annoying. Especially when it came to the character "Amber" and her day to day life. There was a ton of detail, and I think she spent more time building (and explaning) her characters rather than getting a long with the story.

I wouldn't reccommend this book to someone who is new to chick lit, because I don't think it is as good as it could have been. There are a lot of really fun and great chick lit books that would be much better off as an introduction for a new reader.

Now I'm reading Suze Orman's Money Book for the Young, Fabulous, and Broke. I'll let ya know how it is.

2 boring reads....

Well I finished 2 more books over the course of the last week. They were totally boring.... so boring in fact that I wont even bother to write about them, since I would never ever reccommend them to anyone else to read......

9 out of 101: The Tribulation Force

Well I finished book two of the left behind series and I would have to say it was just okay. The first one was much better. This one was a little slower, and dragged out, and then the last chapter felt kind of rushed with it saying 18 months later and going over all these things that happened during that time. I was very ready to be done with the book when I got to the last few chapters. I guess I can see why they would drag it out, I mean it is a series... but still... do they have to be that drawn out?

I will probably read the rest of the series eventually, just so I can say I finished it and so I know what happens. But I will be borrowing those books or checking them out at the library.

8 out of 101: My Sisters Keeper

Okay, let me just say that Jodi Picoult is an amazing author! I started this book last Friday, and finished it yesterday. Although I could have read it much faster if I didn't take a break from reading over the weekend. The story is so good, and the ending was completely unexpected. I don't want to spoil it in any way, so I will just say you *have* to read this book. Easily is a 5 out of 5!

I've read The Pact before (which is also written by her) and it is equally amazing. They are both stories that I will never forget and that I will read again. I must say I am hooked, and I can not wait to go out and get another one of her books.

I already started a new book today. The Tribulation Force (book 2 of the left behind series). I should have it done by Friday if all goes as planned. Wish me luck!

7 out of 101: The Power of a Positive Woman

Just finished reading this book yesterday. Eh, it was alright. It was a Christian Living/Inspirational/Self Help sort of book. It did have some great ideas and motivators for a new "positive" perspective. However in my experience books that have a heavy amount of bible reference are not the easiest for me to read. But I am glad I read it, and at some point or another I am sure I will reference it so that I can get some ideas on studying my bible.

I'd say if it's a subject that you are interested in then you should def. check it out. It's not terribly long, and the author did a good job of making it fun. I was thinking earlier that I need a rating system for all these books I read. Although I don't officially have one yet, I'd give it a 3 on a scale of 1 to 5.

Up next? Well I was going to read Tribulation Force (book 2 of the Left Behind Series) but I need a little break from books with religious themes. I think I am ready for a regular old fiction book. But Tribulation Force is def. on my list of books I'd like to read in the coming weeks.

Until next time Happy Reading Folks!

6 out of 101: Eragon

Yup, that's right... I finished reading Eragon already. I was acutally kind of surprised how fast I got this one done. Work has been kind of busy lately, but somehow I managed to get a lot of it read this week at work. I only had to read about 20 or so pages this morning.

This book was so fun, and no I don't feel silly at all for reading a "Young Adult Book". I've read a few already (including the entire sisterhood of the traveling pants series--which I will be sending to one of my lil SILs to read. hehe). Eragon honestly didn't even seem like a young adult book. It had great action and obviously lots of fantasy (it is after all about a young dragon rider, Eragon and his dragon Saphira.) The only thing I didn't like about the book was the ending, totally not satisfying-- but then again I know authors do that on purpose so that you read the next book in the series. Which I will have to do. I need to see if Vanessa has book 2, or if I will have to go to either the library or the book store to get it at some point. I kinda want to see the movie now, but I think it'll be one of the rare DVD rentals we do, because obviously I've learned that the movie versions never are as good as the book. And I've already been warned about it with Eragon from Vanessa.

What's next on my list? I'm not so sure. It's either going to be Tribulation Force (book 2 of the left behind series) or the Power of a Positive Woman. Not totally sure yet, guess I'll decide by my mood when I go to grab the next book off of my shelf.

Til next time... Happy Reading friends!

5 out of 101: Left Behind

Yesterday I finished reading Left Behind, which happens to be the first book of a series. I wasn't sure how I would like the book at first. But I had heard so many good things about the book from other friends who had read it (and the rest of the series). Let me just say I really enjoyed it, and I honestly can see myself reading the rest of them. It was pretty out of my normal realm of what I enjoy reading. I've never been one to read a mystery/suspense type book. But this one was great! It kept me interested the whole time. And although it is Christian Fiction, it made me really want to try to make more of an effort to read and study my bible.

It was great! I really want to read Tribulation Force (which is the second book) but I am going to read Eragon next since my friend let me borrow it and I want to have it back to her by the time she gets back from vacation.

Yikes!

Wow, I can't believe how long it's been since I last posted. I am so bad! Okay, but I have been really busy so that has to be a good excuse right? Work and school are kicking my butt right now. But I really need to start making a lil more time to post on here.

I finished Eat, Pray, Love on Sunday. So I didn't exactly make my own personal deadline... but I still finished it in a somewhat timely manner so that has to count for something right? It was a nice book. Very enjoyable. The author's tone was very much like something you'd see in your favorite magazine when they are writing a personal piece. I enjoyed reading about her travels, and it was interesting to read the change that took place within her over the course of a year. I'm not sure which section of the book I enjoyed the most, and it was fun to imagine what it'd be like to visit those places.

I've already started my next book (started on Monday July 16th). I am reading Left Behind. I've always heard that the series is very good, and lots of people have reccommended it to me. A patient from our office actually kept telling me how great the book was. She brought it with her on Monday when she came in for her appointment so I went ahead and started it (instead of the other book I was planning on reading).

Okay, gotta get ready to head back to work. Lunch is almost over. Take care and Happy Reading!

Eat, Pray, Love

So I finally got caught up enough on all of my homework and studying so that I can begin another book. I just started reading Eat, Pray, Love. I'm not too far in it, but I already call tell that I am hooked. The book is about a woman who travels through Italy, India, and Indonesia to "discover" herself. Amazing. I love travel, and although we are not able to do a whole lot of it at the moment, I will enjoy reading about the travels in this book and dreaming up some of my own. Travel is really something that is super important to me. I really want to see the world, and currently the place at the top of my wish list is Greece.

I'm looking forward to this book, and I hope that it will provide some inspiration as well since the author is trying to become the best person that she can be through her travels.

It's a pretty long book, but I'm hoping I can have it finished by next Wednesday. Wish me luck!

3 out of 101: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

So I was a little late on finishing this up, didn't finish it til yesterday (but that was because I have had a crapload of homework to do). I loved this book! From start to finish it totally met my expectations of what a great book should be. The writing was beautiful and flowed through out the whole book. The author's writing was rich and detail and you could picture everything that was happening so well. I also enjoyed that Lisa See did a great amount of research in writing this book. She traveled to China, including the villages that she used for settings in this book. At the end of the book there are a few pages where she talks about all the research she did and thanks a lot of people for all of their help and support.

The book isn't terribly long, I could have finished it a lot faster if I hadn't been so busy with school stuff. But it is really one of those rare books that I found myself trying to pace myself, so that I could savor it and make it last a bit longer. I would love to see this great story turned into a movie one day, even though I tend to think that book versions are better than movie versions. I just think this story is too wonderful to not be shared with those who are not into reading.

I'm Back!!!

Hello All! Jesus and I are back from our San Diego vacation. We've actually been back since this past Sunday, but life has been super busy. I didn't have as much time to read or do homework while we were home so right now I am playing catch up.

I am still reading Snow Flower and The Secret Fan. I am hoping that I will be done with it tomorrow or Friday at the latest. Although I do have lots of homework assignments due so that has to be my priority. I am really enjoying this book, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good read. And I must say that the whole book just flows so well.

From Barnesandnoble.com this is what the publisher says about the book:

Lily is haunted by memories-of who she once was, and of a person, long gone, who defined her existence. She has nothing but time now, as she recounts the tale of Snow Flower, and asks the gods for forgiveness.
In nineteenth-century China, when wives and daughters were foot-bound and lived in almost total seclusion, the women in one remote Hunan county developed their own secret code for communication: nu shu ("women's writing"). Some girls were paired with laotongs, "old sames," in emotional matches that lasted throughout their lives. They painted letters on fans, embroidered messages on handkerchiefs, and composed stories, thereby reaching out of their isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments.
With the arrival of a silk fan on which Snow Flower has composed for Lily a poem of introduction in nu shu, their friendship is sealed and they become "old sames" at the tender age of seven. As the years pass, through famine and rebellion, they reflect upon their arranged marriages, loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their lifelong friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a brilliantly realistic journey back to an era of Chinese history that is as deeply moving as it is sorrowful. With the period detail and deep resonance of Memoirs of a Geisha, this lyrical and emotionally charged novel delves into one of the most mysterious of human relationships: female friendship.

Quick Update and Goodbye

Well I met my goal and finished Pride and Prejudice today. I actually finished it about 1 hour ago while at work. I really enjoyed it. It was a little hard to get into at first, but the more I read the more I wanted to know what would happen next. I thought it was a great story and was very satisfied with the ending. I can not wait to watch the movie! I hope that it will do the book justice.

Well Jesus and I are off to San Diego tomorrow. I should be able to access the computer at my Mom's so I'll try and stop in with an update. I plan to take a few books along with me. I am going to read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan which I am super excited about because all the reviews on barnes and noble.com have been great! I also am taking a book called Eat, Pray, Love. I can't wait!

Hope everyone is well! Happy Reading!

2 out of 101: Pride and Prejudice

This morning I started Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. I selected this book as my novel for my literary research paper that I need to write in my English 2 class. The teacher gave us a list of about 10 novels, and although I thought Lord of the Rings would be a neat choice I decided that 3 books is just way too much to try and write a paper about in an eight week course.

I am very proud of the fact that I am already pretty far in this book. My goal is to try and have it finished on Thursday. As of right now I am on page 130, and I believe there are 360 or so pages in the novel. I must admit that I don't read literature all that much, except for when it is assigned to me in school. I hope that one day I will learn to enjoy it. While I do appreciate literature very much, it's just not my cup of tea.

I am anxious to finish this novel so that I can watch the dvd with Keira Knightly that I bought a few months ago and have yet to watch. But I really want to get through the book first so that the dvd won't influence my feelings toward the book itself. I am really glad that I bought the Sparknotes on this book to help me with my paper because I think I may need a little extra help.

From BarnesandNoble.com :

'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.' Thus memorably begins Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, one of the world's most popular novels. Pride and Prejudice—Austen's own 'darling child'—tells the story of fiercely independent Elizabeth Bennet, one of five sisters who must marry rich, as she confounds the arrogant, wealthy Mr. Darcy. What ensues is one of the most delightful and engrossingly readable courtships known to literature, written by a precocious Austen when she was just twenty-one years old.Humorous and profound, and filled with highly entertaining dialogue, this witty comedy of manners dips and turns through drawing-rooms and plots to reach an immensely satisfying finale. In the words of Eudora Welty, Pride and Prejudice is as 'irresistible and as nearly flawless as any fiction could be.'

Almost...

Well I almost finished Dixieland Sushi yesterday. Except I had tons of short stories to read for my English class (about 12 of them!) And although I love to read, I'm not really into short stories. All that reading was a little boring, and made me kind of sleepy. Hehe... all day yesterday I felt like picking up my "fun" book but I told myself I couldn't read it til I did my school stuff.

So unfortunaltey I didn't exactly make my little deadline. I ended up finishing Dixieland Sushi early this morning. Which I am still pretty proud of. I like the fact that I have been doing so much reading. And with this little project I feel like I have a good reason to read even more.

As far as Dixieland Sushi goes, I think it was a very cute book. I enjoyed it much more than I initally thought I would. Some of the references to Mr. Mayagi (from the karate kid) were a little excessive, but I guess it fit with how the author was trying to build the main character. I also really enjoyed how it went from the present to the past. All in all it was a fun, easy read.

Next up on my list: Pride and Prejudice. Ideally I would like to finish this book before we leave to San Diego on Friday June 15th. Wish me luck.

1 out of 101: Dixieland Sushi

So this first "official" book of my 101 books project is called Dixieland Sushi. I just started this book yesterday and so far it is pretty good. I really enjoy chick lit books, to me they are the equivolent of a good chick flick. Light and fluffy and they usually leave you feeling pretty good once the book is finished. I hope to be done reading this book by tomorrow, Friday June 8th. Hopefully I can get a good amount of reading done today at work.

I got this off of Barnesandnoble.com, it is from the back cover of the book and describes what it is about:

Wax on....
Jen Nakamura Taylor thought she left behind her awkward past of growing up half-Japanese, half-white in a small Southern town when she moved north to produce a popular Chicago television show. But when she gets word that her Southern Belle cousin is marrying Kevin Peterson, the very boy Jen loved-with-a-capital-L for years, she realizes she can't run from her past forever. Not only does the news conjure up sticky memories of growing up with a mixed heritage in the South (soy sauce on chicken fried steak, anyone?) but now the very single and very busy Jen has got to find a date for the wedding — a grand affair that could put Scarlett O'Hara to shame.

Wax off....
Riley — Jen's cute British friend from work — seems just the ticket; even his girlfriend thinks it's a good idea. But as Jen and Riley whistle on down to Dixie, sparks start to fly. Add to the fire the grown-up but still charming Kevin Peterson, who appears to have a soft spot for Jen, and, well, whoa. It's going to take everything Jen has (and a lot of help from the Karate Kid-wisdom of her pop culture hero Mr. Miyagi) to survive the meeting of past and present, and of North and Far East and South...where Jen finally learns to come to terms with her heritage, her love life, and herself.

I'll be back once I finish the book to let everyone know what I though. Happy Reading!

It all started with an idea...

So for a few months now I've had a crazy lil idea... to try to read 1,000 books before I turn 30. I have some time to do this, as I am 23 and wont even turn 24 until December of this year. But I never really expressed this goal of mine to anyone, nor had I ever really set anything into place. I wasn't sure if it was realistic or not, and so it was always just sort of an idea and nothing more.

Until the other day, I was looking at my friend Maddy's blog and she was talking about the 1001 day project. She plans to read 101 books in 1001 days. It was true inspiration. I love to read sooo much and being able to share that passion with a friend is awesome. So I've decided that I am going to join her on her quest of reading a 101 books in 1001 days, and who knows I may even find a way to reach my own lil goal.