Recent Reads

I haven't posted a "What I'm Reading"-esque post in ages. You can always check in with me on GoodReads, but thought I'd share the last few books I've read and loved, plus any pertinent thoughts.

• Summer Rental, by Mary Kay Andrews -- excellent beach read, I found myself interested in picking it up frequently, but could easily walk away when I needed to be productive

• Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns, by Lauren Weisberger -- the sequel to The Devil Wears Prada (also made into a movie); this one was long and drawn out and really the only reason I finished it was because I had a 4 hour plane ride home followed by a day at the lake with my parents. Cute, but way too long.

 

• Matched, Crossed, and Reached by Ally Condie -- one of my recent favorite genres, teen dystopian novels. The first 2 were great, the 3rd one took forever to get through. I recommend them if you are into this type of book, but don't expect the last one to be nearly as exciting as the first two (or others like them)!

 

• Jesus Land, by Julia Scheeres -- truly a fascinating read. If I were really good, I'd have done some research after I read the book to find out how much is true and how much was fictional, but I didn't. Guess what I'll be doing later today?
 
• State of Wonder, by Ann Patchett -- a friend's mother recommended this and it was one I truly couldn't put down. I guess it's another "I should do more research on how much truth is behind this book" but all in all, highly recommended. I think part of why I liked the plot so much was because of how completely unrelatable it was. Never in a million years would I find myself in the environment described in the book (or any of the above books, if we're being honest. That's why I love to read -- getting lost in the truly fictional)

 

Tell me, what are you reading?

 

It's truly one of my passions, and although my free time is scant these days, I have a feeling it's one of the things I'll carve out time for regardless of what's going on around me.

Another book review

I made it my goal for 2011 to read 50 books. To say I am falling short is a vast understatement, but I think I'll be able to do it. Can't give up hope yet! I've read 27 books thus far....so I have a little bit of slack to pick up!

The last book I read was Dreamland by Sarah Dessen. I think I bought it on sale on Amazon so that I could get free shipping on my GRE Study Guide, but I am so glad I did.

I think I loved this book so much because of the way it wove a tale about the complicated relationships of sisters, of being the "perfect" older sister, of the struggles that younger sisters deal with, and how parents are so oblivious to how their involvement and encouragement can feel like too much. It may sound like I can relate to the story, and in a less serious way I can. More than anything I think I could have seen my life playing out similarly, although make no mistake about it, I'm not running away to the big city with a man any time soon. I think this book offered me perspective and understanding that I had been looking for. So, maybe it really was a great book, or maybe it was the book I needed at the time, but either way I truly loved this book and couldn't put it down!

So now I need to pick my next book. What are you reading?

10 Things on a Thursday

1. I talk out loud to myself in my office when the door is shut. Wouldn't you if you had your own office?

2. I woke up this morning feeling so grateful to have such fabulous friends who know me so well. My best friend in the entire world is going to be in town next week and I am going to see so many friends and share so many wonderful memories over the next few months - it just left my heart feeling very full and satisfied this morning.

3. I grew 1 cucumber so far but it was a little...odd-shaped. Hopefully the rest of them will be a little more normal and I'll feel safe eating them.


4. I broke my camera. I sent it in to be fixed, then I bought a point-and-shoot because I have the patience of a 2 year old, then I found out my DSLR is being replaced. But the store I bought it from stopped carrying my model. I mean, really? So now I'm going to get an upgraded model but apparently I have to pay more and just, ugh. I need somone else to deal with this first-world problem for me. I miss my camera :(

5. I have zilch, zip, zero plans for Memorial Day weekend. Well, that's partially untrue. I have a date tomorrow night, and then I'm going to a birthday party, and I have a friend who wants to meet up for a drink on Saturday night. But other than that, my weekend is wide open.

6. I recently read The Pioneer Woman's book. I love P-Dub as much as the next girl (maybe more), but I wished her book ended differently. It was kinda abrupt. Maybe there's a part 2 that I don't know about.

7. I only skipped out on exercise 1 day so far this week, and that was on Monday, and I skipped exercising because I had heart palpitations over my grocery store bill. It was over $100. I only feed one person.

8. It's my job to plan Friday lunch at work this week (and next week too) and I only spent 1/2 of my budget this week. I wonder if that means I get to spend the other half plus my whole budget for next Friday's lunch? PARTAY if that's the case!

9. I skipped yoga last night and went for a walk instead and then I ate dinner at Nuevo Laredo and drank 2 Coronas, because that's what responsible kids do. I tried to convince my dinner companion to take tequila shots but he declined, stating that it would be an aggressive move for 9pm on a Wednesday. Fine, fine.



10. I just typed something incredibly passive-aggressive and then deleted it. See Mom, I'm growing up in the mature young lady you always hoped I would be.

Happy Memorial Day weekend, someone remind me next year that I should take a vacation around this time. I'm long overdue.

Blogger Book Swap

I "met" Claire via the sweet Summer B. Turns out Claire & I grew up in the same suburb of Atlanta! She is now kickin' it on the West Coast but I like to live vicariously through her blog. And I'm secretly jealous of her prison poetry gig -- seriously one of the coolest volunteer jobs I've heard of.

Anyway, Claire is doing a Blogger Book Swap and I am absolutely, 100% participating. I love books, I love new books...why not?!

If you are interested in participating, here's the rundown:

1. Email Claire (kieferclaire@gmail.com) or Lindsay (undomesticchica@gmail.com) with your name, address, blog url, and reading interests. Email them by May 30th! (If you don't have a blog, you can definitely still participate, right Claire?!)

2. We/They will email you with your partner's info on May 31st.

3. Once you get your partner's info, send her a book or two that you have around your house that you think she might enjoy. It could be something you've read and loved, or just something you've heard great things about. All genres are welcome, just try not to send something suuuuper popular (so that you don't end up sending books your partner already has). Mail your book(s) out by June 4th!

4. A week or so after the books have been mailed, Lindsay and Claire will host a little link party and showcase the books people sent/received. Fun, right?

Please spread the word and put our button on your blog! We're so excited about this and can't wait to pair you up. We hope you join us!!

Beachy Weeky

Guess where I am?



Yep, at home with the puppers & the parents.

We farmer's marketed this morning for asparagus and cabbage and fresh oranges, we're Costco-ing this afternoon, and we're having (homecooked, delicious) dinner tonight. And we'll probably hook up the Netflix instant and watch the first episode of the Pillars of the Earth mini-series because my mama's reading the book.

I'm reading this:

with a group from church. And by reading, I mean I purchased and have carried the book around with me for the last 2 weeks. Maybe I'll actually get some reading and highlighting done while I'm here. Although I'm nervous if I whip out that bad boy, someone will start asking questions. Gram is here, she's known to do that.

Tomorrow I go home and my seemingly endless 2 months of traveling are over. Wanna know what I have to say about that?

Talk to the hand, because that's a total lie! Not sure where I'm going yet, but I have 2 tickets burning a giant hole in my pocket. I've got the travel bug big time.

*tap tap tap* is this thing on?

I'm jumping on my soapbox for a quick minute, mainly because I've been holed up in my house for the last 48 hours with no one to talk to and nothing to do except watch TV, watch really terrible movies that I DVR-ed (3 Men and a Baby, really Katie?) and think about things.

So, what was I thinking about? First and foremost, I thought about how I am going to get this homeboy I met on Friday night to stop calling me and offering to make me homemade ____ (insert whatever food here). So far the offers have been for soup, Mexican, and tacos. Gentlemen, when a woman declines your offer to bring over soup when she is sick, she isn't interested, so you should take a hint.

Then, I started watching Twilight: New Moon  (another stellar DVR pick), and I started thinking about all the anti-Twilight and anti-Harry Potter fans that are out there. So many people complain that it isn't real life, or it's setting false expectations for young girls. So what does Gossip Girl do? Or The Time Traveler's Wife?  or any of Nicholas Sparks' books? Because I'm pretty freaking sure that in real life, no self respecting, popular, too-cool-for-school 17 year old boy would go out with the preacher's daughter.

So then why all the hate on Twilight and Harry Potter? What's the matter with allowing kids (and adults) to let their imaginations run wild? I wonder how many teachers have received essays and books written with plots very similar to those books. But so what? The creative wheels are spinning, and isn't that the point?

So to all the haters...step your uncreative, realistic minds to the left. Wizards and vampires are here to stay.

two thousand eleven.

Happy 2011! Last year I started my 101 in 1001 list, and I'm still making my way through it. I said I was going to use it as my New Year's Resolution for 2010, and I think I'm going to continue it through 2011. If it ain't broke... I'm still going strong, and really proud of how far I've come, but there are still some major things to check off! If anyone is interested in participating in any of them...let me know!

However, I am going to make one additional New Year's Resolution, and that is to read 50 books in 2011. I love to read - it's always been one of my favorite hobbies. I have a bookshelf FULL of books that I haven't so much as opened, and a library with neverending books to choose from. There's no reason why I can't read 50 books this year - that's 4 per month. Totally do-able, right?

Who's with me? The other part of this goal is unwritten, but I'm really hoping to blog about most of those books, too. I think it will be fun!

With that being said...I'm going to snuggle up and finish my first book in 2011: Gossip Girl. I never said they were going to be good books.

Friday Confessions

I am a huge booknerd. I don't think it's a secret but it's my confession to you today. I love to read. I've always loved to read. I'm sure I've told the story about how my dog really did eat my summer reading list? My sister & I used to see who could check out more books at a time. We brought our own bags to the library WAY before bringing your own bags anywhere was cool. My sister & I definitely get our love of reading from my mom, who used to sneak into the bathroom to read even though she wasn't doing anything but reading, and who used to open her book at stoplights. Forget texting while driving, my mom needed a law about reading while driving. And you think I'm kidding.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, I'm not really sure, I definitely share my mother's fondness of reading,even at inopportune times. Sometimes you just gotta know what happens next! Although in her books, it's almost always some steamy sex scene... she reads "romantic" books that required her to have book covers on all her books when we were kids.

I have a GoodReads account -- do you? And every so often I go through and add books that friends are reading to my "To Read" list. Then, every once and a while, I jump on the library website, reserve 20 books, and wait patiently for them to come in and for me to go pick them up. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins was one of those. I knew I wanted to read it, but I was so engrossed in Pretty Little Liars that I couldn't interrupt the series for something as trivial as The Hunger Games. Well, sorry Aria Montgomery, but your stupid, crazy friend Alison turned Courtney turned Alison again just doesn't quite stand up to the Hunger Games, and I'm a fool for thinking she did. And sorry if I just ruined Pretty Little Liars for anyone, but the books got a little out of control. And by a little I mean a lot.

Back to the topic at hand, The Hunger Games. I started this book Wednesday night and got through 6 of the 31 chapters, and I knew if I didn't put it down then, I'd be up all night reading. It's that good. All through work yesterday I thought about what was happening to Prim and Katniss and Peeta and Gale. Then, babysitting last night I was able to convince 2 energetic little boys to hang out on the couch with me and all read quietly. WIN. And then I got home and I just couldn't stop. I read while I baked brownies, I read while I walked around packing my bag to go out of town this weekend... and I got into bed and read until 12:30am, WAY past my bedtime. And then the first book was over, but it was like it had just begun, because of course there are 2 more books, and of course I knew what was ultimately going to happen in the first one. I mean, duh.

So I urge you, command you, encourage you, whatever it takes to get you to the library or bookstore to check out this book. It was awesome and fantastic and everything I love in a book. There was even a love story involved with all the drama and suspense.

Hunger Games, I'm addicted. Fulton County Library, please get your ish together so I can have Book 2 promptly on my return from South Carolina.

PS - Heading to the land of orange & purple & cows this weekend to see some of my best friends (although one infamous Roxxy will be missing) Go Jackets!

The bloggy world is buzzing with news of Caitlin's book release. I'll be the first to say that I have never read Caitlin's blog, but I have been meaning to, and I was even kind of skeptical about the book. I almost thought it was one of those "I'm going to love it because my friend wrote it and not because it's all that great, but you should love it too!" bandwagon type things, and I'm not into that. So I keep seeing blogs about it that I skipped over, and I keep seeing tweets about it, so I figured what the heck. So I started reading a little deeper, and realized that holy cow. This is something I can get behind. This is something I believe in. This is something I will be purchasing immediately for my friends, my small peeps, and my sister, ranging in ages from 10-45. And I'm going to give it to all of them right now. Why? Just because. Because they are BEAUTIFUL women! And I'm going to put a post-it note on the inside telling them all the things I love about them and all the things they should love about themselves.

So, I encourage you - check out Operation Beautiful. I'll be the one to tell you that your skepticism is unnecessary, because this book is going to be all sorts of awesome.

I Have A Lot Of Reading To Do

And rather than whittling away my time tweeting with some of my favorite girls about TV shows and life after pregnancy and spending Friday nights watching a cat climb the back of a door and moving and God-only-knows-what-else, I should probably spend my evenings tackling this:

Please note how many books I am in the 1st position for. I'd also like to note that I have 1 overdue book at home that I haven't finished, and 3 more sitting on my counter to be read. All of these books were recommended to me, either by one of the aforementioned chicas, or on other blogs that I read. I need to get busy, methinks.

So in case you were wanting to read something new, or maybe just needed a push in the direction of the library... you can do it all from the comfort of your bed in your pajamas at 11am on a Saturday. Or, I mean, you could get up and be functional, but where's the fun in that?

Happy Saturday and Happy Day-That-My-Baby-Sister-Comes-Home! I can't wait to see her little face and boss her around. It's going to be awesome.

The Poisonwood Bible

I am not a quitter. I've quit 1 thing in my life that I can remember. (But who wants to remember being a quitter?!)

That is why it kills me to give up on a book in the middle of it because I'm not interested. I can usually power through and finish it. But this book, The Poisonwood Bible, is killing me. It's long. It's drawn out. It's repetitive. It's not all that entertaining. And I'm bored, and I have 3 other books sitting on my counter that I KNOW will be far more interesting (and much quicker reads). I love to read. I love books. I have a million on my bookshelves. My mom has a million more in Florida that once belonged to me. There are a million more in storage. That's a whopping 3 million books, for those of you who aren't math pros. So why is this 1 measly book giving me so much trouble? It's maddening, I tell you.

Have you ever quit a book mid-read? Did you feel like a horrible person? I am racked with guilt over this, obviously, and the chances that I quit reading it are slim to none because I'm competitive. And if someone else can finish it, then damnit I can too. But I don't want to. And I might skip a few pages, and skim a few more. But it's my book, so I can do that.

Plus it's so boring that I doubt I'll miss anything too exciting.

Brief Book Review: The Help

After my post about a book club, some friends got together and decided to make it a reality! We haven't had our first meeting of the minds yet, but our first book was The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I took it with me to the beach this past weekend, and FLEW through it, and loved it. When I really love a book, I want it to last forever. I want to know what happens after the book ends.

That's what happened with The Help. Without giving anything away, and without ruining my potential first book club experience, I want to know what happens to Skeeter. And what does Aibileen do now? And does Minny actually do what she said she was going to? Do you think Miss Hilly ever gets over herself? And what does Mae Mobley become? Does she even remember Aibileen, like Skeeter remembers Constantine?

I don't know if this has happened before, but I also wish there was an alternate ending. One where Stuart gets past his prejudices. One where Skeeter can be happy in Mississippi. One where Skeeter & Aibileen & Minny & maybe even Mrs. Leefolt go out for lunch once a week. Is that too much to ask, Miss Stockett? Could you please write me a whole 'nother book to enjoy?

Anyway, I highly recommend the book. Perhaps it's because in a small way I felt like I could relate, being a former-current-wannabe nanny/personal assistant type person and all. Perhaps it's because I know what it's like to live in the South (although not in the same era, duh). Or perhaps it's because I am just a total bookworm with an appreciation for good writing!

What are you reading, and how is it?

Books Galore

I remember very vividly one disastrous summer that I read and read and read until my eyes were practically bleeding, and on August 1, or whatever the deadline was to turn in your list of books you had read that summer (I had like 7 pages stapled to the standard copy the library gave you), we came downstairs to find that my sweet pup had CHEWED MY LIST. I was devastated, heartbroken, and distraught. My mom taped and glued as best she could and I still remember taking the tattered shreds of paper that were my reading list to the children's desk at the library and saying, "The dog ate my summer reading list." The memory still haunts me, and I won't be putting any reading lists at doggie height EVER. AGAIN.

So now that you all know how giant of a book nerd I am, I have to tell you that I have started going to the library again. I live in Fulton County, so that's the library I have to go to. I miss my Cobb County Library system, but these are the sacrifices we make to live in the city. I start by looking at the NY Times Hardcover Fiction Bestseller List. I like to print it and highlight the books I want to read. Then I mosy on over to the Fulton County Library Search Page to search for the books I want, and find out where they are. You can also create an online account (your library card number including the first letter, and the PW is "changeme") and reserve and renew the books online. It's like a book nerds dream!

But sometimes you just have to go in and browse. I like to know if there are 1 or 2 books that I know I want to get, because I just HATE walking out of the library empty-handed. Recently, I have used my library card to check out these books:

Shattered Dreams: My Life as a Polygamist's Wife by Irene Spencer - Fascinating, captivating autobiography that allows many insights and even understanding of the world of polygamy.

The Pact by Jodi Picoult - I like any/all Jodi Picoult, and in fact had already read this once, but forgot what happened, so I re-read it.

The Captive Queen of Scots by Jean Plaidy - I'm only 75 pages in. This book is TOUGH to read, and long. The words are small, and I feel like I've read 200 pages rather than only 75, but it is interesting, and my love for historical fiction makes it tough to put down.

Second Glance by Jodi Picoult - Ok 2 Jodi Picoult books were right next to each other... what else was I supposed to do? I haven't started this one yet, but it's waiting patiently on my nightstand. I'm sure I'll pick it up one Tuesday afternoon and have it finished by Wednesday morning.

What are you reading lately? I'm always looking for more recommendations! I'm also thinking about hosting a book swap. My bookshelves, as you can see, are chock full of a wonderful variety of books, and I'd love nothing more than to trade a few books for a little while. I don't know if I could part with my books forever, although maybe if I was getting a few in return it wouldn't be all that bad.

We could do a girls wine night paired with a book review/swap. Everybody brings 3 books and leaves with 3 "brand new" ones. I think it would be a blast! Boys are welcome too, but I don't think they 'd find much of interest in my book collection... maybe others have a more boy-friendly collection, but not I. Anyone interested?