mini book review :: the passage by justin cronin

4 out of 5 stars.

Well, actually it would probably be more like 3.75 stars.

The actual story/writing itself was great. 

Government experiment gone awry leads to a devastated human race.

I really enjoyed the book as a whole.

The Passage is the first book in a trilogy.

It was published in 2010, #2 will be published this year, and I think #3 is slated for 2014.

What I didn't like was that in the 766 pages of book one, you could easily have gotten several books.

There were multiple story climaxes and, to me, the way it was written almost warranted multiple books.

And seeing as the books are being  published every other year, I think I would have preferred smaller books and faster publication dates.

All in all I give it two thumbs up.

xo

a reading challenge

One of my resolutions goals just about every year, is to read more.

If you know me, or read my posts (like this one OR this one) , then you know that I'm something of a bookworm.

Always have been, always will be.

I did go through a bit of a dry spell when my daughter was little, maybe that's why I vow every year to check more books off of my "to-read" list.

 

One of the ways that I'm doing this is by being a loyal visitor of the Goodreads website.

Not only does this site track books that you either want to read or have read, it also lets you keep your friends up to date on the progress that you're making on books you are currently reading.

Add to that the ability to rate and review books and you've got one awesome site for book lovers.

Oh, but WAIT, you can also create your own reading challenge!

You decide how many books you want to read and the site keeps track of your progress (I really like that it tells you how far ahead or behind you are in your challenge by both book amount and percentage).

 

My personal goal for 2012 is to read 52 books, or one book a week.

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) I  feel like I'm challenging myself even more by being on my third books already this year that has 750+ pages in it.

I have, however, been able to stay ahead of my one book a week goal, and am currently 2 books ahead, having completed 7 books so far this year!

 

One of my blog goals for this year is to also start posting more book reviews, so if you're interested in what I've read and what I think about those books, be on the lookout.

photos via

Do you have any reading related goals for this year?

If so, what are they and how are you keeping yourself accountable to them?

xo

monday misc.

This past weekend was wonderful. 

A lot of hanging around the house, reading and napping.

I love my weekends with my family.

Even if we don't have any major plans, I get giddy as Friday progresses, thinking about spending time with my favorite people.

The week ahead is going to be a busy one.

I have three mornings of work scheduled.

Kid A has her very first field trip on Thursday, where she will be visiting a tree farm to do all sorts of fun Fall things with her classmates.

And on Saturday, we have the Fall Fest for Kid A's school.

I'm really looking forward to that one.

I used to love when we would put on Fall Festivals when I was in school.

Definitely looking forward to some fun family time.

I will also be making sure that I carve out a little time to go spend my birthday gift cards.

Anthropologie and Barnes & Noble, here I come!

I am currently reading this book.

It's about a girl who is a zombie.

Yes, you read that right.

She's not being attacked by zombies.

She is one.

It's definitely an interesting idea and I'm curious to see how this book pans out.

I have several upcoming posts that I'm looking forward to sharing with you, including one showcasing my Halloween decor, and a few talking about a few habits I've recently picked up, that I hope will positively impact my health and wellness.

Stay tuned.

Advice to live by....

{via}

Tonight seems like a homemade burgers and fries kind of night.

{via}

Hope wherever you are in your day, you're smiling!

{via}

inspiration workshop! - inspiring books

This week the Inspiration Workshop!from Gussy Sews prompt is Inspiring Books.

If you read this previous post of mine, you could probably already tell that I'm a bit of a bookworm.



Reading is something that I grew up loving to do.
Some of my fondest memories revolve around bookstores.
As a kid, my uncle (who was/is also a book nerd) used to take me out on a Saturday morning to brunch and then Half Price Books.
He would go his own way, probably to the sci-fi section, and I would go mine, most likely to check out which Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley Twins books they had in stock.



And as an adult, with a family of my own, some of our best Saturdays have been spent eating pizza from Little Caesars ($5 Hot 'n Ready, baby!) and perusing 3 or 4 different Half Price Books around town.



A love of reading is definitely something that the hubs and I hope to pass on to our kidlets.
So far we're succeeding with A, in that regard.
At 5 years old, reading is in her blood.
Sometimes she will drag a huge stack of books into whatever room I'm in, find a spot to settle into and just read, read, read.
And, two of her favorite places just happen to be the bookstore and the library.
Between the hubs and I, there is really no hope for our kids.
I just counted the books that I have on 2 small-ish bookcases, the total was 140.
Add to that 3 more (larger) bookcases, a dresser full of stacks and multiple small boxes of books, and we are well on our way to having our own library.
Oh, and A has a bunch of books too.



All if this to say, I love to read.
Always have, always will.
And, if you aren't a "reader", I strongly encourage you to become one.
You won't regret it.

Check out my books on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/profile/jen_l_06



All photos via Pinterest.

book review - room

This book has been on my 'to-read' list for awhile. Although, I have been kind of apprehensive to read it. A co-worker of the hubs let me borrow it, and let me tell you I was captivated from page one.

Room is the story of Jack and his mother, as told by Jack, who is 5 years old.
Jack's "Ma" (who's real name is never mentioned) was kidnapped when she was 19 years old and has been held captive in a room for the past 7 years. She has been and is continued to be repeatedly raped by her captor, whom Jack calls Old Nick. Jack is a result of these rapes.

There are definitely times when this book is hard to stomach. Everything is done from his point of view and when he is scared or confused you can just imagine what he's going through. As the mother of a 5 year old, this book straight out broke my heart at times. All Jack has ever known is this room. It houses the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, etc. He has never once been outside it's walls. But his mother makes the best possible life that she can for him inside those four walls.

Room chronicles some time inside the room, as well as Jack and his mother's escape and their life immediately after. During the escape and after, there are times when I felt like screaming at his mother, but I had to remind myself that 7 years in confinement would do a lot to a person's psyche.

There might be a few times that you have to reread sentences to really understand what Jack is saying (unless you're used to be around little kids and their broken English). Not only is he only 5, but his lack of knowledge of "the Outside", as he calls it, can make for some confusing moments on the reader's part.

I have to say this book is unique. Not only for the plot line, but also for the way it is written. I found that I had a hard time putting it down.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

i love books!

There isn't much that I love more than a really good book. Books have a way of capturing your mind and transporting you to another world. You can go on journeys to other worlds and realms. You can befriend wizards, vampires, angels, centaurs, hobbits and the like. You can pay a visit to the past or maybe to the future. The possibilities are endless.





One of the things that I want in my dream home is a library of some sort. A place that is cozy and warm. Homey. Somewhere that you want to just curl up with a blanket and a cup of tea and let the hours pass you by while you're engrossed in a great work of literature.


How about a room like this? With big, comfy pillows and a table to put your mug on. Oh, and I love the books piled haphazardly on the highest of shelves, that you need a ladder to get to.



Or this? With a bed to curl up in and snuggle under the covers with your book.



I love, love, love this book corner. The color scheme is fabulous and wouldn't you love to be able to look out the window on a rainy day while perhaps reading a story that takes place in Forks, WA? ;)



And, of course, this little gem of a room. With all of it's designer touches against the dramatic backdrop of a floor to ceiling bookcase. I adore the green curtain, although if this were in my house, the curtain would never be drawn all the way across the wall. Why cover up all that beauty?!

{all pics via}

What about you? What elements would your dream "library" have to have?

random eight

1. When I first got pregnant with A, I developed an aversion to spaghetti that lasted for almost 3 years. Now we eat spaghetti AT LEAST once a week.




2. The hubs and I got married after dating for less than 8 months (less than 2 weeks after I turned 20). We are now going on 8 years of marriage.




3. I do not like dark meat chicken, UNLESS it is a fried chicken drumstick.




4. My favorite author of all time is Dean Koontz.




5. My parents once figured out that by the time I turned 18, we had moved upwards of 15 times (most of it in the same city). How many times have they moved since then? Zero.




6. Pregnancy amnesia is real. Even though I was super sick and uncomfortable while I was pregnant this last time, within a week of Baby L being born I missed being pregnant.




7. My favorite superhero is Dr. Jean Grey/Phoenix.




8. And, speaking of the X-Men, Baby L was *almost* named Logan, after Wolverine, who is the hubs favorite superhero of all time.