Last Minute Summer Reads

I think it hit me last week that with summer coming to an end, and this pregnancy coming to an end, I might not have too much leisurely reading time available. So I got my but in gear and sped through three books this last week!

A Child Called It. Don't ask me why I decided to read this… I guess I thought it was one of those books everyone knows about and everyone has read, so I decided I needed to too. It was horrifying. Absolutely cringe worthy, and my jaw was dropped open in shock for most of it.

Amazon's Description:  This book chronicles the unforgettable account of one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history. It is the story of Dave Pelzer, who was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother: a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games--games that left him nearly dead. He had to learn how to play his mother's games in order to survive because she no longer considered him a son, but a slave; and no longer a boy, but an "it."

Dave's bed was an old army cot in the basement, and his clothes were torn and raunchy. When his mother allowed him the luxury of food, it was nothing more than spoiled scraps that even the dogs refused to eat. The outside world knew nothing of his living nightmare. He had nothing or no one to turn to, but his dreams kept him alive--dreams of someone taking care of him, loving him and calling him their son.

Where She Went. This is the sequel to If I Stay. And I loved it. More than the first. Sometimes I get mixed feelings about love stories because I want it to have a happy ending but I get annoyed when the story line is too predictable. But this was the perfect balance.

Amazon's Description: Picking up several years after the dramatic conclusion of If I Stay, Where She Went continues the story of Adam and Mia, from Adam's point of view. Ever since Mia's decision to stay - but not with him - Adam's career has been on a wonderful trajectory. His album, borne from the anguish and pain of their breakup, has made him a bona fide star. And Mia herself has become a top-rate cellist, playing in some of the finest venues in the world. When their respective paths put them both in New York City at the same time, the result is a single night in which the two reunite - with wholly satisfying results.

The Maze Runner. I didn't realize that this was a series until I finished it, so now I'm going to need to read the rest of them. But once again, the movie is coming out, so I needed to read it. I thought the writing was a little immature (I guess that's what I get for reading YA novels, right?) but it was definitely a page turner that kept me up way past my bedtime.

Amazon's Description: 

If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human.

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.

Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.

Everything is going to change.

Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.

Remember. Survive. Run.

And the trailer: 

What about you guys? What have you been reading lately? What should I add to my list before Baby M gets here?!

Property Owners!

It's official! We closed on our loan on Friday and now are officially land owners! We bought a half acre lot in Hayden, close to Hayden Lake. This was quite the process, with a lot more steps then I even could have imagined, but we are so excited to finally have our lot! We are now waiting for permits, and will brake ground hopefully within a week! We hope to be in our new home by Christmas, or maybe a little bit after.

The One and Only

I love Emily Giffin. I've read all of her books. So when I found out about this new one I downloaded it to my kindle pretty quickly.

Amazon's review: Thirty-three-year-old Shea Rigsby has spent her entire life in Walker, Texas—a small college town that lives and dies by football, a passion she unabashedly shares. Raised alongside her best friend, Lucy, the daughter of Walker’s legendary head coach, Clive Carr, Shea was too devoted to her hometown team to leave. Instead she stayed in Walker for college, even taking a job in the university athletic department after graduation, where she has remained for more than a decade.
 
But when an unexpected tragedy strikes the tight-knit Walker community, Shea’s comfortable world is upended, and she begins to wonder if the life she’s chosen is really enough for her. As she finally gives up her safety net to set out on an unexpected path, Shea discovers unsettling truths about the people and things she has always trusted most—and is forced to confront her deepest desires, fears, and secrets.
 
Thoughtful, funny, and brilliantly observed, The One & Only is a luminous novel about finding your passion, following your heart, and, most of all, believing in something bigger than yourself . . . the one and only thing that truly makes life worth living.

Like a lot of these quick romantic reads, I thought I knew exactly where this book was going. And when I realized I was right, I didn't like the book. I thought it was a little weird and didn't feel quite natural to me. I can never give up on a book though, I pushed on. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with how the book ended, and I even shed a few tears. But that could have just been the pregnancy hormones. ;)

This is my 12th book on my 30 Before 30 list! Good thing I'm reading books, because I'm not getting much else crossed off that list!

Mommywood

Remember those chain letters you could do when you're little where you send off your letter to some friends and they send it to their friends and then in like a month you'd get a sticker book back in the mail?

I got to participate in one of those for books! And I have only gotten two books back so far, but hey… 2 books is better than no books right?! One of the books I got was Mommywood by Tori Spelling.

Amazon's Review: 

Tori Spelling might have grown up with everything a girl could wish for, but these days she's just another suburban working mom...whose toddler regularly recognizes her in the pages of Us Weekly. Welcome to Mommywood, where the stars are two feet tall and your neighbors know who you are before you move in. 

Like most parents, Tori wants her children to have the one thing she didn't have as a kid -- a normal family. On their hit Oxygen reality show, Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood, the starlet and her husband Dean McDermott regularly wrestle dirty diapers, host the neighborhood block party, and tackle temper tantrums on the red carpet. But when the cameras aren't rolling, Tori's still having awkward run-ins with a former 90210 costar at a laser tag birthday party, scooping rogue poo out of the kiddie pool on a resort vacation, and racing to win back her pre-baby body before the media starts calling her fat. For all her suburban fantasies, Tori Spelling is no June Cleaver. 

With the same down-to-earth wit that made her entertaining memoir sTORI telling a #1 New York Times bestseller, Tori tells the hilarious and humbling stories of life as a mom in the limelight. From learning to be the kind of parent her own mother never was to revealing what it's like to raise a family while everyone is watching, Mommywood is an irresistible snapshot of celebrity parenthood that you won't get from the paparazzi.

Going into this, I wouldn't say I was really a fan of Tori Spelling. I didn't dislike her either, but definitely like her a little more after reading about this part of her life. There were definitely some hilarious parts to this book. Funny enough that I stopped and reread a section to Justin, or told my sister about it later, or laughed out loud while reading it. Other parts I thought were a little off. She definitely has some deep rooted mommy issues that are addressed quite a few times, and some parts I thought got just a little redundant. Like hello… didn't she say this exact same thing 3 chapters ago?

Overall, I liked the book but I don't think I would recommend buying it. If you have the opportunity to borrow it from someone, or rent it, do that.

If you do read it, or have any fun mommy book recommendations, please let me know!!

The Giver

I know most people read this when theyre in like 8th grade or something, but I somehow missed that. Anyway, when I saw a preview for it I knew I needed to read the book pronto. There's something about knowing a book is going to be made into a movie that just makes me HAVE to read it. That's also why The Maze Runner is on my list to read soon.

It's a pretty famous book. But in case you dont know what it's about, here's Amazon's review:

Jonas lives in a "perfect" world where war, disease, and suffering have all been eradicated. Everything is in order; everything is under control. The people have no worries or cares. The Community strives for "sameness," in which everyone and everything are the same and equal. To help the Community function as a cohesive unit, each member is assigned a position in society. When Jonas turns twelve, the Community selects him to be the new "Receiver of Memories." Only the "Giver" knows the truth and memories of the past, and now he must pass these memories on to Jonas.

I thyought it was good, and a super quick read. If youre into reading books before you see the movie, this will defiitely not take you very long to get through. It was also a lot deeper and a littlwe bit creepier than I expected it to be, knowing that it's a book most people read in their middle school years.

And here's the movie trailer, with quite a few A-list stars!

Room & Belly Laughs

First let me say I could not be more happy that today is Friday. It has been a long long week for me and I am ready for my weekend! Also, I gave up ice cream and frozen yogurt for Lent and there is nothing that sounds better to me than vanilla froyo with rainbow sprinkles. You know where I will be after church on Sunday.

Anyway, it has been a little while since I have posted about what I have been reading.

I read Room by Emma Donoghue at the recommendation of a fellow book lover. I was warned that it was intense and about a boy who's mother is impregnated by her kidnapper, and who has spent his whole life living in this one room. I was intrigued and sped through it. I think I read the whole thing in about 4 hours.

Once again I feel that the Amazon description gives away the whole story so I don't recommend reading it if you'd like to maintain a little mystery, but here it is:

To five-year-old Jack, Room is the entire world. It is where he was born and grew up; it's where he lives with his Ma as they learn and read and eat and sleep and play. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits.

Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it's not enough...not for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work.

Told entirely in the language of the energetic, pragmatic five-year-old Jack, ROOM is a celebration of resilience and the limitless bond between parent and child, a brilliantly executed novel about what it means to journey from one world to another.

Also at the recommendation of a friend, I just finished Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy. Another super quick read. You could probably read he whole thing in one sitting but I chose to space it out over the span of my pregnancy so far. I really enjoyed. I laughed, I cried, I grimaced, I nodded in agreement, and shuttered at what is to come. It was great. I definitely recommend if you're in the process of making  a human.

Revealing the naked truth about the tremendous joys, the excruciating pains, and the inevitable disfigurement that go along with pregnancy, Jenny McCarthy tells you what you can really expect when you're expecting! From morning sickness and hormonal rage, to hemorrhoids, granny panties, pregnant sex, and the torture and sweet relief that is delivery, Belly Laughs is must-read comic relief for anyone who is pregnant, has ever been pregnant, is trying to get pregnant, or, indeed, has ever been born!

I'm just now realizing that both of these books have to do with motherhood, not on purpose at all. But I guess it's my sub conscience or something!

Also if you're following along with my 30 Before 30 list, these two books make 8 and 9!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and Easter Sunday! See you next week!

High Five for 5 Things Friday

It's Friday. Can I get an amen?!

It's been a long week for me. A week filled with report cards, naughty children, a fridge that didn't get replenished with a grocery trip like it should have, not enough hours in the day, and for sure for sure for sure not enough hours to sleep at night.

With all of that being said… Here's 5 things you should know. (Or maybe just 5 things I feel like telling you all).

1. I just realized that I never reviewed Fire for you all! I mean my book reviews are not my most popular posts, so I'm sure no one is particularly saddened by this news. But I like keeping track of what I've read, and adding to my 30 Before 30 list. So here you go… wanted or not.

Amazon's Description: It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. In King City, the young King Nash is clinging to the throne, while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to unseat him. War is coming. And the mountains and forest are filled with spies and thieves. This is where Fire lives, a girl whose beauty is impossibly irresistible and who can control the minds of everyone around her. Exquisitely romantic, this companion to the highly praised Graceling has an entirely new cast of characters, save for one person who plays a pivotal role in both books. You don't need to have read Graceling to love Fire. But if you haven't, you'll be dying to read it next.

This is the last book of the Graceling realm for me to read. I read them out of order as this one was actually published second, but it didn't ruin anything. I think you could read them any which way and still enjoy them all. Well… read Graceling first. But if you are into young adult fantasy books… (how dorky does that make me sound?) you should definitely read them and tell me what you think!

2. I've received my second Birchbox! I like this one a lot better than my first. This one has a delicious smelling shampoo, lotion, a lip balm, a bb cream, and an awesome exfoliator. All things that I will use!

3. A little while ago I won a $25 gift card to danaleighapparel.com from an instagram giveaway! My second giveaway win! I used it to buy some super cute items!

If you haven't checked them out before you definitely should!

4. Big news! We MIGHT be moving. I don't want to jinx anything… but we got an offer, we approved it and now we are waiting on the banks! Our temporary plan is to pay off our debt and move in with my in-laws to save some major moolah. With that being said my weekend is going to consist of packing. Again, I don't want to jinx anything, but we know we are going to be moving eventually, even if this particular offer doesn't work out. So we might as well start packing up our guest room and office. Justin already got a storage unit too. Things are really progressing quickly. Here's to this (or Justin getting the storage unit) not jinxing it!

5. Cliff hanger. I'm not planning on posting a weekend recap, like I said… I'm planning on packing this weekend I doubt you guys want some of that. BUT I have a major post going up on Tuesday that I am super stoked about so please make sure to check in for that!!

Have a good weekend you all! See you Tuesday!

Bitterblue

I finished another book over the weekend. I feel like I am just a reading machine lately! That makes 6 on the 30 Before 30 list!

Bitterblue is a book written by Kristen Cashore. She has written Graceling, Fire, and Bitterblue (published in that order). They call them companion novels. They go together, include some of the same characters but can be read alone. Although Bitterblue was the third one written,  I read it second, after Graceling. But not to worry, I have already started Fire.

So far I think I like the order I chose, but the jury is still out. I'll let you know.

So full disclosure... these books are young adult fantasy. If that is your cup of tea, you need to read them. They are easy reads that are fast paced and addicting. Once I start them I seriously cannot put them down.

Here's Amazon's description of Graceling: Kristin Cashore’s bestselling, award-winning fantasy Graceling tells the story of the vulnerable-yet-strong Katsa, a smart, beautiful teenager who lives in a world where selected people are given a Grace, a special talent that can be anything from dancing to swimming. Katsa’s is killing. As the king’s niece, she is forced to use her extreme skills as his thug. Along the way, Katsa must learn to decipher the true nature of her Grace… and how to put it to good use. A thrilling, action-packed fantasy adventure (and steamy romance!) that will resonate deeply with adolescents trying to find their way in the world. 

And Amazon's description of Bitterblue (Which doesn't do it justice): When Queen Bitterblue took the throne of Monsea, she was a child, and her advisers ran the kngdom for her. Now she is beginning to question their decisions, especially how they handle the legacy of her father Leck, who who ruled through his Grace—a special talent for mind-altering—and his taste for darkness and violence. Bitterblue needs to know Monsea’s past to lead it into the future, so she begins exploring the city sreets at night, disguised and alone. As she does, she meets two thieves, who hold a key to the truth of Leck's reign. And one of them, with a Grace that he hasn't yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

I convinced Justin that he should make dinner last night when it was my night so that I could have that extra 45 minutes to read. I'm terrible I know.

Let me know what you think!

Dark Places

Dark Places was the last book of Gillian Flynn's that I hadn't read. I wouldn't say that I liked it as much as Gone Girl and Sharp Objects, but it was still good. And it's going to be turned into a movie later this year! Charlize Theron is going to play the main character Libby, and it's set to come out September 1st.

Amazon's Description:
Libby Day was seven when her mother and two sisters were murdered in “The Satan Sacrifice" of Kinnakee, Kansas.” She survived—and famously testified that her fifteen-year-old brother, Ben, was the killer. Twenty-five years later, the Kill Club—a secret secret society obsessed with notorious crimes—locates Libby and pumps her for details. They hope to discover proof that may free Ben. Libby hopes to turn a profit off her tragic history: She’ll reconnect with the players from that night and report her findings to the club—for a fee. As Libby’s search takes her from shabby Missouri strip clubs to abandoned Oklahoma tourist towns, the unimaginable truth emerges, and Libby finds herself right back where she started—on the run from a killer.

All of her books are a little dark and twisted so prepare for that. And they all have tons and tons of plot twists. I think the reason I didn't love this one, is that I found it just a little bit easy to tell where it was going. Not the whole time, but it definitely was not as shocking as the other two!

If you read it be sure to let me know what you guys think!

Also, now I don't know what to read next! If you have any good suggestions please let me know!

The Witches Books

My MIL and GMIL (Grandma In Law... is that a thing? It is now.) are obsessed with Nora Roberts. Also did you guys know that J.D. Robb, author of all of the In Death books, is Nora Roberts. Mind blown. But anyway... When they find a book that they particularly love, it gets turned over to me so that I can be in the loop with them.

Last year it was the Bride Quartet. Justin's aunt (AIL) gave me the whole set when I got engaged. And they were great.

This time it was The Three Sisters Island Trilogy. Or as we like to call them... The Witches Books.

Book One Description from Amazon: (This pretty much sums up the whole book, so if you're into some suspense and planning on actually reading the books, maybe skip over this part.)

Set on a remote, rocky island off the coast of Massachusetts, steeped in history, romance, and legend, Dance Upon the Air is an unforgettable tale of friendship, fate, and the mysterious ways of the heart… When Nell Channing arrives on charming Three Sisters Island, she believes that she’s finally found refuge from her abusive husband—and from the terrifying life she fled so desperately eight months ago… But even in this quiet, peaceful place, Nell never feels entirely at ease. Careful to conceal her true identity, she takes a job as a cook at the local bookstore café—and begins to explore her feelings for the island sheriff, Zack Todd. But there is a part of herself she can never reveal to him—for she must continue to guard her secrets if she wants to keep the past at bay. One careless word, one misplaced confidence, and the new life she’s created so carefully could shatter completely. Just as Nell starts to wonder if she’ll ever be able to break free of her fear, she realizes that the island suffers under a terrible curse—one that can only be broken by the descendants of the Three Sisters, the witches who settled the island back in 1692. And now, with the help of two other strong, gifted women—and with the nightmares of the past haunting her every step—she must find the power to save her home, her love…and herself…

I really liked the books. They are really quicks reads and you can't help but get caught up in the legend of the Island. If you're looking for a quick read that doesn't require much concentration, or flipping back to previous chapters to look things up, then I would definitely recommend them! 

I also added books 2,3, and 4 to my 30 before 30 list!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

I am loving that we are already half way through the week! Yay for Wednesdays!

I am loving how I spent my New Year's Eve. Justin and I went to a family friends' party in the early evening. Then we went home and watched the ball drop from the comfort of our couch. It was really nice. And no beer tears were shed. Record setting over here.

I am loving that last weekend I got to spend 5 days with some of my favorite people on earth. #forreal
I went to Seattle to have a girl's weekend and it was so wonderful. Spending time with these girls is so theraputic and fun and relaxing. Our conversations pick up just like we saw eachother the day before. I am so thankful to have such amazing women as friends.

We did a lot of shopping, eating, drinking, catching up, and laughing. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the trip:

Sorry for the photo overload. I love them.

I am so so so so so loving that my dad's biopsy results came back and he is offically cancer free!!!! I am so ecstatic.

I am loving that I finally got our Christmas decorations put away! It took me long enough, but I blame it on girl's weekend.

Check back on Friday for a delicious recipe I'm sharing!!