50 out of 101: Breaking Dawn

OMG! What a great book, and a great ending (?) to the Twilight Saga. This book was very good, a lot happened, and it happened fast. But not at all in a bad way. It didn't feel rushed or anything like that.

I was *very* pleased with this book. The worst thing about this book was finishing it, because now it's over. At least for now anyway. I would totally love it if the saga continued on. Keeping my fingers crossed.

49 out of 101: Eclipse

So this is a little late, as I finished Eclipse (book 3 of the Twilight saga) a few weeks ago and am already about 1/3 of the way through the last book- Breaking Dawn. I really enjoyed Eclipse, the continuing love triangle between Bella, Edward, and Jacob is quite gripping. The dynamics of the relationships between Bella/Edward, Bella/Jacob is so intense (although I am totally on team edward--LOL) The action really picks up in this book, and makes it much harder to put down. While I did enjoy New Moon, I must say that Eclipse is a better book (a lot of people agree that New Moon, while still good, is probably the least favorite or least enjoyed book of the saga).

There were a few parts in Eclipse that were incredibly frustrating. It's hard not to form an attachment to the characters in this series. And with certain situations in Eclipse I had a hard time keeping quiet and not sharing my frustrations with my co-worker who happened to still be on New Moon.

I'm totally hooked on the Twilight Series.

48 out of 101: New Moon

Continuing with the Twilight Saga I just recently finished New Moon, which is book 2 of the series. And I must say, I am still hooked. I don't want to give away too many details of the book, but this one continues the story, and is filled with lots of drama, romance, and action. I'm definitely loving the series, I'm loving that a couple of the girls at my work are reading it too so we can all chat about it, and I can not wait til the movie comes out.

Onto Eclipse...book 3!

47 out of 101: Twilight

So after seeing this book around for a while, and wondering what it was all about I finally decided to give it a try, since my friend and co-worker also started reading the book. I must say that I was very impressed, and enjoyed this book that I truly had a hard time putting it down. Despite the size of the book, it wasn't such a long read considering the font size is rather large. The writing style of the author is smooth and makes for easy reading. Plus the story line itself is just awesome and completely captivating.

I'm not one to be into vampires or any kind of science fiction type books like that, but this one was really great. Because overall it is a love story, and who doesn't enjoy a good love story every once in a while. This book was so great that I already bought New Moon (the second book in the series) and will start reading it tonight. I have started a few series (The Left Behind Series, Eragon, Confessions of a Shopaholic--etc) but this is the first since the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants that I enjoyed so much I want to read the books consecutively. Hopefully this next one will be just as good.

46 out of 101: Dragons of Autumn Twilight

So this book was unlike any book I've ever read before. It is definitely out of my normal genre of reading and wouldn't have been anything I would have picked up on my own. But it's part of the dragonlance series that my boyfriend Rick just loves. So we made this little deal that I'd give on of his books a try and he would give one of mine a try as well. (I'm still trying to decide what book of mine I'll have him read).

So this book was very much fantasy. Kind of had the whole Lord of the Rings type thing going (never read those books-- but I did *love* the movie). And actually it did remind me a bit of Eragon, which I really enjoyed too. It had everything a good fantasy book should have. It had a lot of action, a good plot line as they struggled to combat dark and evil forces, and of course love and honor. I really, really enjoyed it. Initally I found myself trying to read it so that I could finish it... but just a few chapters into it and I was hooked. I wanted to know what was going to happen next. Which is always a sign of a good book.

It was a nice break from the typical stuff I tend to go towards in choosing my books. However it is part of a very large series of books, and as I told Rick I just love reading too much to be able to committ myself to a large series of books. As it is I still have to finish the Eragon series, as well as the Left Behind Series.

Haha... which is funny actually, because the next book I plan on reading is Twilight... which is also a series. LOL

45 out of 101: The Kite Runner

Okay, so I'm probably a little behind with my reading. Especially considering I just barely read (and finished) the kite runner. Which was an awesome book and it definitely lived up to the hype. I will admit it was a pretty heavy read, which I did expect, although I was pretty shocked by some of the story line. I never would have expected some of the things that occured.

I really enjoyed this book though. It had so many elements that helped to make it the powerful book that it was. The relationships in this book were so deep, that you couldn't help but feel their pain and struggles. The relationship between Amir and Haasan was unlike anything else...

Overall just a great book, that far exceeded my expectations.

44 out of 101: Sweet Love

When I initally picked up this book in Barnes and Noble, I'll admitt I was judging it based off of the pretty pink cover with the delicious looking cupcake on the cover. But I sure am glad I chose this book. The story line is one that many people can relate to: life, love, and the complicated yet beautiful relationship between a mother and a daughter, and the love of food... all wrapped up into one wonderful story!

This book was great. Easy to read... touching... and you really began to care for the characters and all of their unique personality traits. I enjoyed this book very much, and I hope that the next book I read will be just as wonderful!

43 out of 101: A Child Called It

So I borrowed this book from a friend, and started it the other day. It's a really short read, however because of what the book is about it's not necessarily an easy read. Honestly it's pretty disturbing what this man went through as a child. How a mother could ever be so sick to do the things she did is just beyond me.

It's a sad story, and it is inspiring to know that he managed to survive his horrible childhood. I think I'm gonna move on to one of my own books though before I read his next book.

42 out of 101: The Bastard of Istanbul

After nearly two long months I have finally finished this book! Woo Hoo! It's been tough for me to read as often as I would like because life has been so wonderfully busy for me lately. I did come to the realization however, that had I liked this book more I probably would have been able to finish it a lot sooner. It was a good book, but I didn't think it was necessarily great. It was a rich, complicated story, and the characters were closely interwoven, even more than they necessarily realized.

Here is the synopsis from B&N.com :

In her second novel written in English, Elif Shafak confronts her country’s violent past in a vivid and colorful tale set in both Turkey and the United States. At its center is the "bastard" of the title, Asya, a nineteen-year-old woman who loves Johnny Cash and the French Existentialists, and the four sisters of the Kazanci family who all live together in an extended household in Istanbul: Zehila, the zestful, headstrong youngest sister who runs a tattoo parlor and is Asya’s mother; Banu, who has newly discovered herself as a clairvoyant; Cevriye, a widowed high school teacher; and Feride, a hypochondriac obsessed with impending disaster. Their one estranged brother lives in Arizona with his wife and her Armenian daughter, Armanoush. When Armanoush secretly flies to Istanbul in search of her identity, she finds the Kazanci sisters and becomes fast friends with Asya. A secret is uncovered that links the two families and ties them to the 1915 Armenian deportations and massacres. Full of vigorous, unforgettable female characters, The Bastard of Istanbul is a bold, powerful tale that will confirm Shafak as a rising star of international fiction.

Hopefully I'll finish my next book much faster than this! I'm a little behind on my reading....

41 out of 101: Yoga Chick: A Hip Guide to Everything Om

So It's been a while since I've done any reading. I started this book back in April, and although it is a very short and easy read, I had a lot of personal stuff going on and just didn't make the time to finish it. But I went to Barnes and Noble today and bought a few new books, so I knew that I had to make the time to finish it, so that I can move on to all the new books I have waiting to be read and enjoyed.

I thought this was a great book about yoga, and it covered all the basics. Perfect for anyone who is new to yoga. It does show a lot of the same poses, with the same exact descriptions, but it also had a lot of useful information as well. A great, quick read!

Here is the synopsis from Barnesandnoble.com :


Synopsis
Roll out your mat, breathe deeply, and chant "Om." A book of portable calm for the girl on the go, YOGA CHICK holds the key to balancing mind, body, and spirit. Its six unique, fully illustrated sessions will help you build strength and flexibility, and its easy-to-follow practices will help you relieve stress, increase energy, and manage your moods.
Throughout this handy book, wellness tips, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques give you much-needed breaks from a hectic day, while hearty recipes and bite-size guides to chakras and aromatherapy nourish the soul. For both beginners and blossoming yoginis, Yoga Chick is all you need for total well-being.

40 out of 101: Shopaholic Takes Manhattan

Haha... so like I said in my last blog post, I really enjoyed Confessions of a Shopaholic. And as a result the day I finished reading it, I went out and bought the second book in the series. This book follows Becky's adventure in New York, the ups and downs of her new life and career, and of course more SHOPPING!

It was another fun, light read. I really enjoyed this book, and I was satisfied with the ending. I thought it was just perfect. I can't wait to read the next book in the shopaholic series. Although it may be a few weeks because I have a nice stack of books right here just waiting to be read.

Happy Reading everyone!

39 out of 101: Confessions of a Shopaholic

From b&n.com:

Rebecca Bloomwood just hit rock bottom. But she's never looked better....Becky Bloomwood has a fabulous flat in London's trendiest neighborhood, a troupe of glamorous socialite friends, and a closet brimming with the season's must-haves. The only trouble is that she can't actually afford it -- not any of it.

I LOVED this book!!! Seriously, what could be better than a book about shopping?! It was a light, easy read, and it was really easy to get attached to the characters, especially Becky. And I could definitley relate to Becky when it came to the powers of retail therapy---there is nothing better! I can't wait for the movie (yup, there is one in the works!). And there are like 4 other books in the Shopaholic series... Yeah, you can find me at Borders today after class picking up the next book in the series. LOL

38 out of 101: The Tenth Circle

From Barnesandnoble.com :

Synopsis
Fourteen-year-old Trixie Stone is in love for the first time. She's also the light of her father, Daniel's life -- a straight-A student; a pretty, popular freshman in high school; a girl who's always seen her father as a hero. That is, until her world is turned upside down with a single act of violence. Suddenly everything Trixie has believed about her family -- and herself -- seems to be a lie. Could the boyfriend who once made Trixie wild with happiness have been the one to end her childhood forever? She says that he is, and that is all it takes to make Daniel, a seemingly mild-mannered comic book artist with a secret tumultuous past he has hidden even from his family, venture to hell and back to protect his daughter.
With The Tenth Circle, Jodi Picoult offers her most powerful chronicle yet as she explores the unbreakable bond between parent and child, and questions whether you can reinvent yourself in the course of a lifetime -- or if your mistakes are carried forever.

I thought this was another great book from Jodi Picoult. I started it on Friday and finished it up early this morning, dispite having tons of homework and studying to do this weekend. It was just engrossing. While I'll admit this wasn't necessarily her *best* book, it was still really good. She is just an amazing author and is probably my absolute favorite... I could go on and on about how much I love her books, but it just wouldn't do her justice.

Thanks to my friend Maddy for sending me this book!!!!

37 out of 101: Stop Whining, Start Living

I had high hopes for this book, as I loved the last book I read by Dr. Laura... but to be honest it was just okay. There were some parts that I found very useful and highlighted, but overall this book sort of let me down. I found myself just reading so that I could finish and move on to something else, which is never a good sign.

From www.barnesandnoble.com:

Dr. Laura Schlessinger agrees that there are things worth whining about! A certain amount of whining allows for some venting of reasonable pain, disappointment, fear, frustration, or frank rage. However, staying stuck in whining mode can become a life-long problem. This is where Dr. Laura steps in with Stop Whining, Start Living to help folks conquer the temptation to retreat from living life to the fullest. As she reveals in her introduction, "No matter what you've suffered or continue to suffer, while you are alive you have the opportunity to get something from this life, and I'm going to do my best to help you with that. . . . I know of what I speak, as this has been my torturous journey also." Building on the principles developed during her long career as a licensed marriage and family therapist, and addressing the chronic struggles of so many of her listeners and readers, Dr. Laura issues an important message in the no-nonsense but compassionate voice that is her trademark: If you don't like your life, quit talking about your unhappiness and try to fix it, no matter how difficult or impossible your situation seems. While it is healthy to vent occasionally, endless rumination on the negative only keeps you paralyzed in misery, reinforces hopelessness, and demoralizes those around you who feel helpless to bring any happiness into your life. Instead, Stop Whining, Start Living encourages "whiners" to reject negative thoughts, emotions, and attitudes; shift perspective; open up to gratitude and goodness; and embrace obligations to loved ones and the world in general. Before long, just doing what you're supposed to be doing -- instead of moaning about why you can't or won't or shouldn't fulfill your responsibilities -- will have you feeling better about yourself and will uplift your interactions with family, friends, colleagues, and even complete strangers in incredible ways.

Sounds like a good book right? But yeah, just didn't live up to my expecations. Hopefully others will be able to get more out of it than I did. But it's not a book that I'd necessarily reccomend to others. Oh well.

On to something better (I hope!)....

36 out of 101: The Secret Life of Bees

From BarnesandNoble.com ---"Living on a peach farm in South Carolina with her harsh, unyielding father, Lily Owens has shaped her entire life around one devastating, blurred memory - the afternoon her mother was killed, when Lily was four. Since then, her only real companion has been the fierce-hearted, and sometimes just fierce, black woman Rosaleen, who acts as her "stand-in mother."
When Rosaleen insults three of the deepest racists in town, Lily knows it's time to spring them both free. They take off in the only direction Lily can think of, toward a town called Tiburon, South Carolina - a name she found on the back of a picture amid the few possessions left by her mother.
There they are taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters named May, June, and August. Lily thinks of them as the calendar sisters and enters their mesmerizing secret world of bees and honey, and of the Black Madonna who presides over this household of strong, wise women. Maternal loss and betrayal, guilt and forgiveness entwine in a story that leads Lily to the single thing her heart longs for most. "

I loved this book.... it was such a GOOD read! I remember the first day I read it I was a little tired from my long day and before I started reading I flipped through to see how long the first chapter was... when I saw that it was about 30 pages or so I though "okay well I'll get started but probably won't even be able to finish a chapter tonight". But I was wrong! The story immediately sucked me right in. You can't help but fall in love with each of the characters. I also really enjoyed the author's writing style as this whole book just flowed. I'd highly reccommend this book to others!

35 out of 101: A New Earth

Wow! I really think this book is amazing. Essentially it discusses how the disease of humanity is the ego, and how our ego affects every aspect of our life. I read this book with a highlighter in hand, marking up everything that gave me one of those "aha" moments... Its not a terribly long book. But the content of it makes it a long read, some of the concepts went over my head at first so I found myself having to re-read certain passages. And I found it difficult to read more than a chapter or two at a time.

I signed up to participate in Oprah's A New Earth web event, however I wasn't able to access it last Monday night so I'll be watching it sometime this weekend. I'm hoping I'll be able to get into it this Monday. But regardless I look forward to using the tools on her website to gain a better understanding of this book.

34 out of 101: Can You Keep a Secret

Haha... I just realized that the last book I read also had the word "secret" in the title... how funny!

Okay but this book was nothing like the last. This book came from one of my favortie genres... CHICK LIT! I love, love chick lit, as it is the equivelant of a chick flick. A nice read that is light ad fluffy. And I would have to say that this was one of the best chick lit books I have read in quite sometime.

Basically it's about a girl, who on a flight spills all of her secrets to the stranger sitting next to her. Not too big of a deal right??? At least not until she goes to work the next day and sees "him", it just so happens that this stranger happens to be the CEO of the company she works for. The book is light and funny, and the characters are enjoyable. I would have to say that Sophie Kinsella definitely has some of the best chick lit books.

Overall a really fun, lighthearted read.... just what I was needing!

33 out of 101: The Secret

Recently a friend of mine recommended to me a book that she read (and enjoyed) called The Secret. So I went out and bought it, since I had also heard postive reviews of it from others. It was a fairly quick read, I definitely think I could have finished it a lot faster if it hadn't been for homework and just overall tiredness. But I finished it today, so even with everything going on it only took me a few days.

Overall it was a decent read. The Secret's main focus is on the importance of positive thinking, and how like attracts like. I really enjoyed the concept of the book, and the overall message truely did make a lot of sense to me. The only big downfall I could see in the book was that it was a bit repetitive.

I think its time for a break though, and my next book is going to be some chick lit.... something light and fluffy sounds great right about now.... :) Happy Reading!

32 out of 101: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Okay, so I admit that this wasn't a book I chose for myself. It was required reading for my intro to politics course at school. But still, I read it, and even finished it before we even need to have it finished, so I figured I'd go ahead and count it.

When I first started this book last week I wasn't too excited about it. I don't know if it was because of some distractions in real life or what but I just couldn't focus on the story line and I found it terribly confusing. However as I got a little further along in the book I started getting into it, and wanting to know what was going to happen next. Overall it was a pretty good book. Not something I'd choose to read again, and probably not even something I'd come right out and reccomend to anyone to read. But if you find yourself having to read this for a class or something I think it'd be safe to say it's an enjoyable read.

31 out of 101: The Fabulous Girl's Guide to Decorum

Blah. I didn't really enjoy this book at all. It was one of those books that I found myself just trying to finish already so that I could move on to something else. I even found myself skipping pages, not a good sign at all.

I just didn't find it that great. Honestly it was almost annoying. It was especially irritating to me that the authors kept saying "An Fabulous Girl" or "An FG" instead of "A". Maybe it's because their Canadian?

On to something better (I hope!)...

30 out of 101: The Proper Care and Feeding of Marriage

So I've been MIA for a while, but I promise the reading hasn't stopped. I just finished reading the Proper Care and Feeding of Marriage by Dr. Laura Schlessinger. Overall I thought it was a good book with a lot of helpful information. I found myself highlighting many parts and having lots of "Aha" moments. However I don't think this is necessarily a good book for everyone, considering Dr. Laura has some views that not all will like.

I also just purchased New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer, which is a daily devotional book. So far I really like it and I feel like every one that I read truly speaks to my heart.