The Lucky One- Nicholas Sparks

This was another great book. Quick read. It's a Nicholas Sparks book, I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to say. He write pretty much the same thing, only different, but it's always a pleasure to read it. I'm looking forward to watching the movie!

Tamar- Francine Rivers

This is the first book in a series of five by Rivers that explores women of the Bible and how their faith got them through difficult times. Jesus is a direct descendant of each of the women. The choices they made lead up to the birth of Christ. If they had no chosen to follow God's will, things could have been a lot different.

Tamar is a woman (girl really) who is "sold" into marriage to a man she despises. Through a series of events, she must go to great measures in order to have a son. I won't go into a lot of it. It's a great read. It's very interesting to read about what she has to do, considering a lot of it would seem wrong in today's world, but in the old testament was acceptable. But it's all true. Obviously, the Bible doesn't go into as much detail as Rivers, and some of it is expanded to make a good long story, but the events are true.

Rivers does an excellent job of writing about these events, and I can't wait to read the next one.

Skinny Bitch- Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

i picked up this book at the library thinking it would help and inspire me to eat healthier and lose weight.

I was very wrong. The writing is unique in that there quite a bit of swearing throughout. The first few chapters are no-nonsense about eating junk food, so I thought I was off to a good start. However after those few chapters, each chapter becomes a lecture on how meat and poultry are manufactured. These two (both were at one time models, only one actually has a degree) insist that the only way to become skinny is to become a vegetarian, if not vegan. Give up all meat, poultry and dairy. Completely.

Yes, according to these two, the treatment of animals being slaughtered is pretty gruesome, but don't try and sell a book about being skinny and then just feed me lines about that part. I picked up the book to read about being skinny, not about animal mistreatment.

They had a few good points, but overall, this book was a waste of my time.

Mortal Instruments Books 2-4- Casandra Clare

I started the first of these books earlier last summer, but only just got to reading the latest three this winter. It took me a little while to get going in the second book since I had to remember what had happened in the first one, but once I got going, I couldn't put it down. Luckily, the library had three and four available as soon as I got done with the next one.

Clary is a Shadow Hunter. She was born to kill demons. Her father is an evil Shadowhunter trying to (basically) take over the world. The guy Clary had a huge crush on, she finds out, is apparently her brother. The closest thing Clary has to a father is a werewolf and her best friend turns into a vampire.

There are many intense fighting sequences throughout these books and every time you think you're about to have a good stopping place, something else happens that makes you want to read more.

The book is thrilling, adventurous, heartwarming, and sexy without being inappropriate. If you're into YA paranormal, these books are a great read. Fast too. The next book comes out in May. I can't wait!

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall- Anne Bronte

If you're a fan of Victorian literature, I definitely recommend this book. I was a bit leary of it at first, because I've tried to read her sisters' works, and they're not the easiest for me to read. However, Anne had me captivated from the very beginning. The characters are all wonderful. (Not in that, I love every character kind of way, but just that their characters are brilliant.) The plot is really quite exquisite, and it keeps you guessing the whole way. If you're not a fan of Victorian lit., it probably won't appeal to you as much, but if you are, this book really is a must-read.

City of Bones, Mortal Instruments, Book 1- Cassandra Clare

Clare really brings you into a completely different world. It's a pretty intense book, one with lots of twists, a big one in which the reader doesn't see coming. (At least, I didn't...) Clare brings the reader into a world of Angels and Demons, and Shadowhunters, and Warlocks. Battling against each other.

It's a pretty thick book, but I read it pretty fast. Although, I know I say that in a lot of my posts, so I'm starting to think that I just really do read rather fast, and it may not go as fast for others. Although, one of the reasons I get done so quickly is because once I start a book that I'm seriously interested in, I can't really put it down until it's completed. If you're reading this, I hope you can relate!

where she went- Gayle Forman

This woman writes some heart wrenching stuff. In the sequal to if i stay, Forman writes from the prospective of the boyfriend three years after the accident. What unfolds within this story is an amazing journey for Adam. The reader visits his past and is looking foward to what lies ahead in his future.

I started and ended this book within one work shift, granted, basically all I've been doing is reading, but still, it's a fast-reading sequal that may even bring you to tears, but in one of the best ways a novel can.

if i stay- Gayle Forman

This book is riveting. A family gets into a car accident, leaving all but one dead. Mia, a seventeen year old girl, has to decide whether she wants to "stay" in this world, or leave it to be with the rest of her family.

The point of view is reminiscent of The Lovely Bones with how Mia sees everything happening around her. It's another YA quick read, but it has a power to move you. The sequel to if i stay, is where she went. On the book cover, it has a review from USA Today, saying it "will appeal to fans of Stephenie Meyer's TWILIGHT", which, I don't really get. Yes, I'm a fan of Meyer's, but I don't see much of a correlation, so if you're not a fan of Twilight, don't let that dissuade you from reading this book.

Gregor the Overlander- Suzanne Collins

Another great book from Collins that takes you to a completely different world. It's a pretty quick read, but definitely worth while. This is the first book in a series of, I think, five. I'm excited to read the rest of them eventually, but I have many other books on my reading list to finish before I continue.

Gregor is an 11 year old boy who gets transported to an underground world through a secret portal in his laundry room. (I know you're probably thinking Chronicles of Narnia, but it's really more like Alice in Wonderland.) He has to help the people of the Underland fight against enemies in order for him and his sister to get back home. There are lots or twists and turns in this book that make you want to keep reading. Definitely worth checking out.

The Help- Kathryn Stockett

I'm on a kick now where I'm reading books that are being made (or have been made) into movies before I go to see the movie. The Help was the first one on my list. This is a great novel. It's rather long, but completely worth the time.

The Help takes place in the early 1960's. One girl decides that people's attitudes towards their help, or colored people in general, isn't quite right. She decides to write a book on how "the help" are really treated in Jackon, Mississippi at that time, a very controversial thing to do.

Pick up this book, read it, and think about it.

Something Borrowed- Emily Giffin

Another book made to movie that I had to read before watching. I couldn't put this book down. It's quite enjoyable. Good for some light reading. It's no where near my favorite book or anything, but it's right down my alley, and I enjoy the drama that is in books rather than in my own life, and this book has drama. Maid of Honor falls in love with the Groomthat loves her back-even though there's a wedding type drama. It's great. It reads pretty fast, or maybe I just do when I want to know what's going to happen...who knows. But I really do like it. Another movie I'm looking forward to watching. I think I may like the book better however. As opposed to Water for Elephants, which I think I may actually like the movie better. We shall see...

Water for Elephants- Sara Gruin

I started reading this book because I was interested in the movie, but wanted to read the book first. After reading, I'm quite excited to see the movie.

This book is not quite what I expected, considering it was becoming a movie. It was a little too resque for my taste at times, but besides those few times, the story is great. The reader goes back and forth between Jake at 24 and Jake at 90, or 93, he can't remember. He tells his story about working for a circus, and it it quite a story. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone over...18 :)

The Hunger Games Trilogy- Suzanne Collins

I'm really hoping the movie that comes out does the book justice, because I thought the whole series was amazing. I read them quite fast (they are YA). I love when a book can captivate me that much.

The story is based around a 16 year-old girl who unknowingly starts an uprising in her country. The country of Panem hosts the Hunger Games every year to show their citizens that the government is not to be messed with. The Hunger Games consists of two young children, one boy and one girl ages 12-18 from each district (there are 12 districts) fighting til the death on national television in an arena filled with my different landscapes and danger factors. The children are picked by drawing names.

The first book is completely based on the Hunger Games themselves, but the next two are what happens after. These books are a lot blood and gore at times, but I think it helps to portray the message that that's the way war can be. They also get a little darker as the series goes on, but nothing that I don't think YA readers or older can't handle.

There are probably a lot of underlying messages that could be taken from this book, but I didn't really see them. I took the book for the story it was, and I loved it. It's action, adventure and romance all in one. It literally made me laugh at times, and at other times, it made me want to cry. If you need a good series to get into and don't want to wait for the next book to be written (the series is done), then I would definitely pick these books up.

Total Money Makeover- Dave Ramsey

If you're having any kind of financial difficulties, or would just like to be debt free, this is a book for you. It's not a get-rich-quick scheme. It's a proven method of getting debt free if you work hard at it for a certain amount of time. Dave walks through every step with you. This book gave me hope that I won't be paying off my student loans forever if I work really hard at getting them paid off, and to never, ever use a credit card, and that you don't have to go into debt. MOst of what he says, you would think people would already know, but you'd be surprised with how many people at broke.
One thing Dave talks about is broke people. If you see all those people, let's just call them the "Joneses", and you think they have it all, that may be true, but they're also probably in debt way over their head with no way of knowing how to get out. Do you really want your life to be like that?

"If you live like no one else now, you can live like no one else later."

Legacy- Michelle Bredeson

I have the privilege of knowing the author of this book personally. I am quite proud of her accomplishment with publishing this book. I had no idea what to expect when opening this book, other than knowing the genre (YA supernatural fiction).

I was completely swept away from the first page. I couldn't put the book down, seriously. The story centers around 16 year old Carly who finds out she's a shapeshifter. That, obviously, is just the very surface of the story, and there's so much more to it! So you'll have to check it out to find out more! I just loved it. The only complaint I really had about it was that it was too short! I wanted more, even after the last page. So now, of course, I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out!

Well done, Michelle.

Dracula- Bram Stoker

This. Book.

I'm not sure where to start....It was not what I thought it was, in the best way possible. When I think of classic books, I think of Jane Austen, Brontes...but this is nothing of the same sort of writing. And I loved it. Though seemed to read quite long, it wasn't difficult to read. It's so well and cleverly written: The whole book is written in journals from different characters, or newspaper clippings and the such....Anyway, I'm not going to say much plot wise...All I'm going to say is READ IT. Do it. Now.

1. Bossypants- Tina Fey

This is the first book I read in my summer reading list. It's great. I was very intriged by Tina's life. There's little tidbits in there that I don't think many people know, hence a biography, I guess. There's little stuff in there like: She doesn't drive. She doesn't have a license. To me, that's just weird! To her, it's normal. She talks about life at SNL and at 30 Rock, and before both of those, her early life, which is quite entertaining. If you are a fan of Tina Fey, or Mean Girls, or SNL, or 30 Rock, I'd say you better read this!

Summer Reading List!

Here it is...the moment you've all been waiting for (just kidding). My summer reading list! Which, I'm sure, will have my additions. Also, these are not listed in any particular order.

1. Jane Eyre- Charlotte Bronte
2. Bossypants- Tina Fey
3. Dracula-Bram Stoker
4. Lord of the Rings (trilogy)- J.R.R. Tolkien
5. Gone with the Wind- Margaret Mitchell
6. Anna Karenina- Leo Tolstoy
7. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland- Lewis Carroll
8. War of the Worlds- H.G. Wells

...I know I have more than 8, but I just can't think of them at the moment...I'll get back to you :)

No Country For Old Men- Coramc McCarthy

This is not a very happy book. It's also filled with tons of violence. That being said however, I still liked it for some reason. I had to read it for one of my classes, so I was pretty rushed in the time I had to read it, but at the same time, I really wanted to finish it. Story puts you into the lives of three different characters: Chigurh, Moss, and Bell. They're very diverse, and the story is very well put together. Personally, I like this book way more than I did the movie, though many would argue the movie is exceptional.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest- Ken Kessey

The story is told through a Natvie Amerian's point of view (they call him Chief). He's in a mental institution, and you see everything happening through his eyes. McMurphy is the character that comes in and disrupts everything. I knew that Jack Nicholson was portrayed by this character in the movie, so I had him pictured the whole time. It was actually pretty cool. We're watching the movie now for a class, and it's pretty great as well.