if i stay and finish...or not

Finished If I Stay, ok yes I cried. It was a quick read, thought-provoking and characters (even tertiary ones) were fleshed out well.  What I really liked is that Mia (the lead) wasn't your typical conformist teenager -she didn't get on my nerves as some YA character leads tend to. I'm in queue at the library to get the next one - Where She Went (I think it's called). 

J. Crusie's Charlie All Night - funny characters, good dialogue - fast and easy (pun intended ;0). 
I skipped over the one before in this JCrusie book bundle though...couldn't finish it, don't remember what it's called but about hiring a PI and a diary, and winning a bet and mafia family?...whatever...couldn't finish it. 

Another book I couldn't finish - Outlander you'd think I'd love it (like seemingly everyone else). It's right up my alley! I just couldn't do it. Maybe I'll try once again to join the bandwagon? ...for the 3rd time... one day. Not today though, cause it's release day for Larissa Ione's MoonBound Vampire book and Kristan Higgins new one!

 I love both authors (they're both "pay for release day" worthy for me) but oy... I almost couldn't finish the first of Larissa Ione Moonbound series book - I'm holding off on buying/reading the second.  

We'll see how Kristan Higgins goes...she's not disappointed me yet!

a little Tipsy/Remembrance

I'm still on my Jennifer Crusie book marathon but I've hit a lull. Some books of hers are definitely better than others.  So I also picked up reading If I Stay (Nothing amazing but not bad so far).

I did snag the tv away from Jamie's Football madness to catch Pride and Prejudice on HBO too the other day. Yep I'm a Mr. Darcy fan girl (especially this Keira Knightly version one)...it's just one of those movies I have to stop and watch again when I see it.

I have several " must read again" favorite books. One of them is Jude Deveraux's Remembrance. Seriously, from beginning to end - I just love this book. It's truly an engaging time travel story. The lead is made all the better in that (similar to Pride and Prejudice) she's not written as a stunning beauty - what carries her story is that she's smart and captivating and stubborn (to a fault). It's one of those that you're sad when it's finished and just stare at the wall for a bit in mourning. Ha!

On a side note - Jamie and I did an impromptu bar hopping sangria/bloody mary adventure yesterday morning through Dallas! It's so fun to do things that aren't planned! Might've not been the best idea to show up a little tipsy at a 2pm baby shower on a Sunday ....but hey whatever...we had a grand ol' time!

in a bubble....or a peach!

So I'm going to my neighbor's baby shower this weekend. I won't know anyone, really I hardly know her, but I'm going cause  I am eternally curious to see how other people's worlds work.

Nobody tells you that as an adult you'll easily get locked in your little bubble of work and home. Or how time goes so fast in this bubble. That's why I like traveling and why I like sitting at a bar. You'll ALWAYS find someone to talk to that has a story to tell and lets you see different perspectives on things. I guess books do that too don't they...

So, about the shower - instead of a card with the gift, they asked us to bring a book to help build the baby's library. I find this brilliant! ...but also very difficult for someone like me. Which book to choose. WHICH BOOK TO CHOOSE?!!

I went with Roald Dahl's James and The Giant Peach . Ok not a baby's book I know. But I'm pretty sure Roald Dahl was the author that got me started on my love of books. I never realized how twisted and really kind of morbid his books are. All I knew is they fascinated me...the imagination was amazing. Seriously, who thinks of an adventure about a boy living with bugs in a giant peach? Or a candy land that tests temptations. Or bald witches (who wear painfully cute shoes) that turn kids into things that humans kill.

Speaking of cute shoes - what shall I wear? I'll have to dig up something to "represent". I think these girls are fashion-centric so maybe I'll learn something.  At least I still got my tan from going to Destin a couple weeks ago. My legs look great!

The Cinderella Deal attempt

My chocolate craving reached critical stage and Jamie, on his way back from his board meeting stopped over to get my favorite chocolate cake from Lucky's Cafe last night. Seriously I got a catch in that man...11 years together and (though he tests my limits) I'm a lucky gal.

I deviate - about last night - around 8:45 I attempted to break the mold by trying to only read a few pages/chapters of Jennifer Crusie's - The Cinderella Deal. I couldn't do it. I read the first page and knew it's either stay up for 4ish more hours or stop right there. So I stopped. Don't judge - I'm 33 and love my sleep. I can't hang like I used to.

She first caught my interest on Monday when I read Anyone But You - I really liked how Nina (the lead) wasn't the typical perfect 20-something female lead. She's 40 and had a life. She'd let herself become someone not herself and she broke out. The interaction with Fred (the stinky dog) was adorable and hilarious. I like that she and Alex became friends before anything else. Overall - good story. And I love good stories!!  So....since the book was entertaining now I'm reading all of Jennifer Crusie.

It's fun finding a new author!

First post...cause why not

I recently dug up a diary and a box of notes I kept through middle school/high school -Yikes (the angst of a teenager!) -  and well - there's something to be said about writing your personal thoughts down and reading the you 20+ years ago.

So here I go - and in 20+ years, we'll see how I've changed.

In an attempt to streamline I'm making a mental note to write mostly about books (to help me keep track- cause I love to read), some about travel...and maybe about Jamie's shenanigans (cause he's diary-worthy). Or blog worthy. whatever. I'll try not to ramble. It gets boring.

So! Books! I'm a romance book reader for the most part. I can't help it! I love them. This time though I'm steered toward talking about Gone Girl,  mostly because it's about to come out in theater and all of the sudden it's all the rage. (Seriously! I read that book a long time ago. Yes, I liked it. It was messed up - but don't start talking like you're a book connoisseur cause you read one book a year! It drives me bonkers.)

Anyway back to Gone Girl - it was twisted, it played well in my head,  and I absolutely loved that I couldn't quite figure out how it would end. So much anger and resentment and with a twist of mental instability. Yep. Good.

Gotta get home to feed my BB girl dog - and so I'm out.... or Gone - Girl. Ha!