Inheritance

So the fourth book in the Inheritance series came out this past week. You know...Eragon? It's been much anticipated because the author has taken forever to write the last book. Not surprising since he's only 24! Anyway. I've been reading it. And for some reason it has taken me longer than usual to finish. I usually blow right through books. I guess maybe having busier and busier kids is putting a damper on my style;) In any case...I got to the super involved part of the book and couldn't stop. I put it down after the major battle ended and went to bed at 215 in the morning. Needless to say, my dreams were a bit on the wild side!

And I've been making crazy references to it. It's been amusing...to me at least. haha.

This picture was taken a few days ago. And it screamed a magic reference. 

 "Mom, I think we need to call someone. She-devil has cast a spell on brother".

I never said they were good or witty references. 

But references all the same. ;)

My unofficial book reviews

I've worked through some stuff and finally took some 'mental time' for myself:) First on the list is:

I found this book to be an o-k read. I have previously read the Hunger Games and this book follows kind of the same story. Minus the gore. Actually, I think Jen and I talked about how they are but aren't very similar. Haha, I know that doesn't really make sense, but it would if you read it. It's about a girl that gets 'matched' for marriage to her best child-hood friend. The government controls all of it. Even when you die. But when her grandfather dies he leaves her with words that get her mind going to change how things are.

I fund it a quick read and entertaining. The second comes out in less than a month and I will be reading that one as well:)

Next was:

I think I am WAY behind the eight ball on this one. I just started hearing about it when my Aunt in Arizona was less than impressed the theatre in her town didn't have it in opening day! I didn't even know it was a book. Luckily I went to book club and it was on the reading list for October.

I really enjoyed this book. The writing style was a little different so it took me a few chapters to get the hang of it per say. It's about a Jackson MO and the changes that were taking place in the 1960's with segregation. Or, the changes that MO didn't want to happen. A young college graduate applied for a writers job and not having any experience was told to write something worth reading. She decides that enlisting the help of the African American maids is the best way to go. She gets the  inside scoop of life with white women, and not all being bad.

I'm ready to go see the movie, but will wait until Jen starts and finishes it...so she better get on it!

Now my reading list is empty. I'm patiently waiting for the next Ally Condie book, and the fourth Eragon book is due out in November also! Pretty stoked about that. So till then, I'll just prepare for the next Pinterest Challenge!

MIA

Some days/weeks blogging just takes a back seat. 

It takes a back seat to reading. I have been doing a bit of that. I finished (finally) the third book in the series These is my Words. I found that after I read the first book, that it really felt done to me. When I realized that there were two other I was somewhat hesitant about reading them. Did I really want to taint the ending that I thought was perfect? Well I did. This last book was good. I enjoyed the way the author wrote them.

I also finished the seventh book in the Maise Dobbs series. I love these books! I love the fact that they are set back in the 1930's and include as many realistic details as possible. I have googled a few things from them and learned things about the 'Great War' that you don't learn about in school. I also love how the author kept to the era in her writing. There is no language and when you read the intense sections it's not gory. Now I've got to figure out when I'm going to read the 8th, and latest installment, that my Aunt sent me for my birthday.  If you are ready for a new series I highly recommend it! 

I have been, thus far, unable to find the books you guys suggested for me. They are always checked out!!! It's almost half-way through the year and my total so far is 12. Wow...that's it? Boo! I can't even cont the book club read 'The Secret Life of Bees' because I have already read it! I gotta get on the ball. Do you think I can count self help books? Like photography ones? Let me know your opinions my friends! 

Blogging also takes a back seat to family. I mean obviously. We have been trying to do more things on weekend so so that a certain male figure in our house isn't so cranky/hyper. So yesterday we went to a park at a school. I took along the camera and snapped some cute ones....but I am behind in helping my SIL edit some pictures she sent me. So that's on the back burner also. I am just a big can of lame-o! :) I've got to get myself organized! 

On a side note I have been running in the morning with a neighbor and it has been great! She is pushing me out of my comfort zone and not letting me quit when it gets a little tough.

And another note, lol, I LOVED your comments on my last post! I didn't think it was going to be nearly as funny as it was! I thought you would just chuckle at the nothingness that was there, and instead, wrote about refreshing your browsers a few hundred times! Ha!! I appreciate you my readers and sticking in with my insanity!

Book review from my first "book club" read

This isn't the first opportunity I've had to read this book. My Aunt had given it to me a couple of years ago, but I hadn't had a chance to read it. So when a woman in my ward asked me to be a part of the 'book club', I was pretty excited. 1) it gives me an excuse to lock my kids in their room and threaten them to silence  read. 2) get to be part of something with other women.

Synopsis of the book:

Basically a guy sets out to climb K2, and after an unsuccessful try, stumbles upon a village in Pakistan and promises to build them a school. He completes this school and gets the help of other mountain climbers and raises money to build 100+ more schools. You can read the actual write up here<--.

Over all this book was a decent read. 

I like the idea of donating time and money to better someone else. It also gives another look into how the 'real' Islamic culture is. Also how education is such a valuable asset to any culture. 

The prose in it was pretty bad for my taste. I personally don't like meeting 5 different characters in a paragraph. Especially when you are reading about people with very similar names. There was some propaganda towards the government that I didn't think added anything, besides stabs, to the book. (it runs the course through 9/11) I found that the author also was a little flagrant in his descriptions of events.

On a scale of 1-5 with 5 being all time bestest ever...I'd give this one a 3.

Not sure what our next read will be but I'm excited to be part of a 'sophisticated society'. Reminds me of "the finer things club" in the Office. Maybe I'll host next meeting and we will eat on real china and have cheese!

Up for air

So, I'm following this blog. And if you go there you will notice that she has a meter reader...for books. Her goal is 50...and I'm pretty sure it's for the year. Well, she has inspired me to read...a lot. That and having had 90% of my brain cells impaired from having kids, I have a desire to feel smarter. And what better way to build your smarts and vocabulary than by reading!

I'm at nine books so far.

Lucky for me one of the women in my ward invited me to be in their book club. The book of choice is Three cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson. My Aunt had given me this book back when we were living in Utah but I never read it. I'm fairly interested because it deals with the Islam. I've read The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns which I enjoyed very much and they are in the same playing field.

I'm supposed to have it done by the 21st. I hope I do because I've got a waiting list at the library for some others that I'm really anxious to read! Lucky for the kids too cause they get to pick out books and switch up bedtime reading from the five we brought up! 

Or maybe that's lucky for us..

A good read

My SIL Stacie sent me this book after she mentioned that I should read it. It was awesome. A fairly easy read but a definite page turner. I flew through it in about a day and half between taking care of children, and sleeping:) 

Once in a while I come across something that really 'hits home', I guess, in my life. The last time I had something move me like this was when I bawled my eyes out at The Notebook. No, not the actual book but, the movie. The love story is absolutely compelling. It has left my stomach with butterflies and my heart craving the passion for love that the main characters have for each other.

Matt came home after I finished it and I was drawn to him. I asked him if he loved me so much it hurt. (Being completely sincere mind you!) His answer...."you have no idea how painful it is to love you"! Nice guy huh ;) So I guess I will reserve my 'pioneer love story' to my mind. I said to him that I wished we lived back then so we could have a "simple" life....and quickly thought of all the children born in this book...without pain killers and no way to stop the fertilizing! No thanks!

All in all...if you haven't read it...mark it on your list. I'm pretty positive you won't be disappointed!

So now, I've recommended a book...it's your turn...any page turners I should pick up?