Book Review: Breaking Free - Abby Sher

Huge eye-opener into the world of sex trafficking. We've all heard about it, but I wonder how many, like myself, were unaware of how big of an issue it actually is, and all over the world too. The three women who shared their personal stories in this book are amazing and full of strength. I admire them for never giving up.

From the GoodReads website: "Somaly Mam was born in the forests of Cambodia in the early 1970’s and sold into sexual slavery by her “grandfather” before she was even twelve years old.

Maria Suarez came to America from Mexico when she was fifteen with her family. She went on a job interview to be a maid. When she got inside, her “interviewer” locked the door and told her he owned her body from that moment on.

Minh Dang was born in San Jose, California. Her house was always neat and there were bright rose bushes in her front yard. Nobody knew that behind closed doors her parents were raping and abusing her from the time she was three years old. Soon they started selling her body to neighbors as well.

These three women could easily have been voiceless victims, lost to the horrors of their own histories. Instead, they not only fought their way out of sexual slavery, they have each become leading advocates and activists in the anti-trafficking movement.

Somaly Mam began her work simply, by supplying condoms and soap to the enslaved girls. Soon she was taking girls into her own home and helping them learn a trade. Eventually, a foundation was born where young women, rescued from the sex trade, could begin new lives for themselves. Maria is a counselor for abused women in California and speaks all over the globe about her experiences and empowering women to speak out for their rights. She is also busy starting the Maria Suarez Foundation, dedicated to Prevention, Rescue and Restoration of survivors. Minh is getting her Master’s in social work and has worked as executive director of Don’t Sell Bodies with actress Jada Pinkett Smith. Minh writes and speaks internationally about what it’s like to be a survivor and on learning how to love fearlessly for the first time.

Breaking Free: True Stories of Girls Who Escaped Slavery, by award-winning author Abby Sher, recounts these women’s incredible journeys from sex slave to survivor to savior— but it doesn’t stop there. The book delves even deeper into the horrors of human trafficking, an issue at the forefront of global outreach and activism.

With help from Somaly, Maria, Minh, and many other survivors and counselors, Sher tells the riveting story of what it means to be liberated from sexual trafficking and find the trust and conviction to help educate new survivors.

Remarkable, timely, and incredibly inspiring, Breaking Free, will strike a chord with all young readers as it recounts the stories of these courageous young women who, instead of running from their pasts, choose to help those still caught in the system. It sends the powerful message that, even in the most tragic circumstances, the unwavering hope and compassion of the human spirit can and will shine through.

The book has already been hailed by activists and educators as a powerful tool for the classroom and beyond. Breaking Free Teacher’s Guides are available for educators to incorporate the book into their lesson plans and include questions and exercises aligned to the Common Core."

Book Review: Ember Island - Kimberley Freeman

Easily the best book I've read so far this year. This very well could be my gateway book into historical fiction, a genre I never had any interest in before. I love how the story alternated between the present and the late 1800's. But it wasn't just that, it was the way the story from the past and the story from the present tied together. This was definitely a book that I wanted to keep turning the page to find out what happens next and very reluctantly had to put down more often than I'd like since I haven't had a whole lot of time to read lately. I didn't want the story to be over either, but I feel that the author stopped at a great place to let me draw my own conclusions as to how Tilly and Nina's lives went on beyond the last page. 

Definitely adding the rest of Kimberley Freeman's novels to my to read list!

This is one of those, if it's not on your list, get it on there, and if it is, put it at the top type of books.

From the GoodReads website: "1890: Orphaned as a small child, Tilly Kirkland found a loving, safe home with her grandfather in Dorset. But nineteenth-century England is an unforgiving place for a young woman with limited means and as her grandfather's health fails, it seems perfect timing that she meets Jasper Dellafore. Yet her new husband is not all he seems. Alone in the Channel Islands, Tilly finds her dream of a loving marriage is turning into a nightmare.

2012: Bestselling novelist Nina Jones is struggling with writer's block and her disappointing personal life. Nothing is quite working. After a storm damages Starwater, her house on Ember Island, she decides to stay for a while and oversee the repairs: it s a perfect excuse to leave her problems behind her on the mainland. Then Nina discovers diary pages hidden in the walls of the old home. And a mystery unravels that she is determined to solve.
Though the two women are separated by years, Starwater House will alter the course of both their lives. Nina will find that secrets never stay buried and Tilly learns that what matters most is trusting your heart."

Book Review: Pretenders - Lisi Harrison

Bring on the next in the series!! I want to know what happens next!

This was a great book! I love Epistolary books. I loved how this book showed each character as themselves and as the person they were trying to portray to their peers that they were (not sure if that made any sense, but I wasn't sure how else to write it). There are so many facets of teenage life represented, and some of it I can relate to as I remember having a crush on someone that didn't know I existed. :)

It's a fun story, that doesn't have an ending yet, and I'm glad for that. Anxiously awaiting the sequel! One of those books where you get to the last page and you're like, "What?! NO!!"

From the GoodReads Website: "Three girls, two guys, five secret journals.

The five most popular students at Noble High have secrets to hide; secrets they wrote down in their journals. Now one of their own exposes the private entries...

I am leaking these because I'm tired and I know you are too. The success bar is too high and pretending has become the only way to reach it. Instagrams are filtered, Facebook profiles are embellished, photos are shopped, reality TV is scripted, body parts get upgraded like software, and even professional athletes are cheating. The things we believe in aren't real.


We are pretenders."

Book Review: He Texted: The Ultimate Guide to Decoding Guys - Lisa Winning & Carrie Henderson McDermott

Meh. Maybe if I were single, I might've put more stock into the information presented in this book. There were a few things that I clicked with, things that were similar to some of my own dating/relationship experiences that shed some light on the guy's behavior. And it would've been nice to know that then, and saved myself some mental anguish, but oh well, what's in the past is in the past. 

On the other hand, if you are single and slightly neurotic, this book may help you figure out some guys' digital behavior. Keep in mind I said, "digital," because we all know that guys can say and do things in person that can confuse the hell out of us as well. 

The book reads kind of like a magazine article, which is no surprise as one of the authors is a former Glamour employee. Each author, along with three different guys weigh in on each subject. The guys' points-of-view can be helpful, but at the same time, if you're not a twenty-something, maybe not so helpful. Some of the advice is very specific to this age group and to women that do not have kids. I understand they're just generalizing, but it seems like it was just the stereotype they were giving advice to. Maybe they could've branched out a bit to include different situations - single mothers, women taking care of family members, etc., etc. 

From the GoodReads website: "The He's Just Not That Into You for the iPhone generation: frank, funny, and refreshingly helpful guide to dating in the age of social media from the creators of the wildly popular blog HeTexted.com.

As Glamour magazine writes, "There are two types of women in the world: 1) Women who've gotten a vague or confusing text message from their crush and analyzed how to respond for hours with their girlfriends (But what does this mean?); and 2) Liars." Today, where everyone is plugged into social media 24/7, lines are blurred and a ton of new confusion exists about whether or not a guy is into you. As any woman who's recently been on a date knows, no one leaves home without his or her phone, and it is literally on the table or in use at some point on every date. So how can women use social media and texting to their advantage and suss out his true feelings?He Texted is here to clear up any mysteries about texting, friending, following, liking, LOLing, and poking that have become commonplace in the smartphone era.

Founders of HeTexted.com Lisa Winning and Carrie Henderson McDermott and their stable of "Bros" go through the most common and confusing romantic cyber situations using actual text exchanges. Offering concrete advice, they'll explain what's really going on in each scenario on a practical and emotional level, lay down a verdict about the guy's intentions, and establish clear-cut rules for any present and future conduct. Hilarious and helpful in equal measure, this is the book that everyone who texts, Tweets, or uses Facebook should own.

My Fair Godmother - Janette Rallison

This is one of those books that put a smile on my face when it ended. I love fairy tale stories, they satisfy the kid in me. And this was a cute rendition on the whole Fairy Godmother thing. Only Savannah's is just a Fair Godmother since she didn't do very well in Fairy Godmother school. Basically, Savannah ends up in a couple different fairy tales and once she gets back home, she thinks it's over. Only to find that it isn't.

Very entertaining, a fun, quick read great for the beach or a vacation, or whenever you want to read something to escape day-to-day life. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next one.

From the GoodReads website: "After her boyfriend dumps her for her older sister, sophomore Savannah wishes she could find a true prince to take her to the prom. Enter Chrysanthemum Everstar: Savannah's gum-chewing, cell phone-carrying, high heel-wearing Fair Godmother. Despite a few wish-granting mishaps, Savannah's fairy-tale ending might not be as far off as she imagined."

Book Review: Divergent - Veronica Roth

Ok, I had wanted to read this for some time and never got around to it. Since I heard about the movie being made, it slowly eeked up to the top of my To Read list. And finally, now that the movie is out, and with the help of a coupon to use Audible for three months for $0.95, I was able to read, er, listen to it.

From the GoodReads website: "In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue - Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is - she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are - and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves.... or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series - dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance."
This is actually more of a 3 1/2 stars (out of 5) rating for me. I liked it, but I didn't love it. The first 60% was just so slow. I understand there's a need for character and plot development, and knowing that this is a series is the only thing that kept me going on it. It's a good thing I listened to the audiobook because if I was reading it, I probably would've stopped. 

As I've said before, I love YA Dystopian reads, and I'm sure I'll love the second book more than the first one. I was actually considering not seeing the movie until it got down to the last quarter of the book. 

Going back to my character development comment, there are a lot of main and secondary characters that you're introduced to in this book, and they all play an important role in the story at some point. 

One thing that I'm wondering about is that it sounds like it takes place in what used to be Chicago. And so far, that's the only area that has been mentioned in the book. What about the rest of the world? Are these the only people left at this time? Does every city operate with these five factions? Was that explained at some point and I missed it? 

In any case, I am set to see the movie and ready to read the next book.

Book Review: The Here and Now - Ann Brashares

This is another gem from Net Galley. :)

From the GoodReads website: "An unforgettable epic romantic thriller about a girl from the future who might be able to save the world . . . if she lets go of the one thing she’s found to hold on to.

Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.

This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins. 

Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth. 

But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves. 

From Ann Brashares, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, The Here and Now is thrilling, exhilarating, haunting, and heartbreaking—and a must-read novel of the year."

I am totally in love with the YA Dystopia genre! I haven't read a book yet that I haven't liked and this is one more to add to that list. 

Prenna and Ethan are great characters, I loved the twists in the plot that made me say, "Oh!" out loud. Reading about things that happen (and are always a possibility) in the not so distant future was super interesting. It made me think about how old I will be at that time and what life could be like if these things actually happened. 

Well written story, well written characters. I had not yet read anything by Ann Brashares so I wasn't sure what to expect. Though I had seen the Traveling Pants movies and thought they were good, so I figured it had to be good. Didn't count on it being excellent. I am not a fan of science, I find it pretty boring, this book made me want to actually Google some of the concepts that were discussed. 

A definite add to your to read list, you don't want to miss out on this one.

Book Review: Happily Ever After - Elizabeth Maxwell

I was contacted by the publisher directly to ask if I was interested in receiving a copy of this book in return for a review. Again, free? Absolutely! I have one other book from the same publisher that I hope to read soon, and I also hope that I hear from them again!

From the GoodReads website: "In this witty, sexy tale, an erotic novelist meets the fictional hero of her most recent book in real life, and must decide whether she wants to get him back between the pages—or between her sheets.At forty-six, Sadie Fuller’s life isn’t exactly romantic. A divorced, overweight, somewhat sexually frustrated mother of an eleven-year-old, she lives in the suburbs, shops the big box stores, makes small talk with her small-minded neighbors, and generally leads a quiet life. But while her daughter is at school, or when Sadie is up late at night, she writes erotic fiction under the name KT Briggs. 

Then, during a routine shopping trip, Sadie runs into someone familiar…too familiar, in fact. She encounters an incredibly handsome man exactlylike the one in her imagination—and her latest novel. Is Aidan Hathaway really one of her characters? And if so, what is he doing in Target? As Sadie tries to negotiate this strange new world, her eyes begin to open to romantic possibilities in places she never dreamed of looking... places where Happily Ever After might not be so far-fetched after all."

A book about an author whose characters turn up in reality? Awesome! Not something I've come across before with all the books that I've read. So entertaining, and I would love to read more like this. 

The MCs were well developed and felt like people that I might know, with the exception of the fictional characters that came into reality, of course. The plot was so fun, it made me want to be a part of the story. :)

I loved the characters, even the snoopy next door neighbor. Even though she irritated me, I was able to feel bad for her once Sadie caught her spying on them at Central Park. For a while, I thought Gretta, the housekeeper, was behind Clarissa, but that turned out not to be. And I loved, absolutely loved, that Lily decided to do what was best for her and go her own path. Turns out the story had two strong female leads. :) 

Definitely add this to your to read list, it's perfect for a vacation, a day at the beach, or pretty much any time you want an entertaining read.

Book Review: Chat Love - Justine Faeth

Justine Faeth posted in my online book group asking if anyone wanted a free ecopy of her book in return for an honest review. Free? Of course! And I love being able to give positive feedback to authors. I will definitely look for more from her.

From the GoodReads website: "City girl Lucia is having trouble finding a man. With a few nudges from her friends, she decides to try out Chat Love, an online dating service for New Yorkers. Hilarity ensues with one disastrous date after another…where do these men come from? Mars? Certainly not Manhattan! She finally meets someone from work who is almost perfect, but decides to move on as he’s still seeing other women. She keeps in contact with a man named Jack on the Chat Love site. Could he be the one? What about her love interest at work? Just like the lovable cast of characters from Sex and the City, Lucia is Carrie, a stylish woman who has found her “Mr. Big” but can’t seem to get him to commit. Danni is Samantha, who loves to have fun and is wild and promiscuous. Autumn is Charlotte, desperate to meet the right man and settle down. Skyler is Miranda, level-headed and quick to offer advice. Will these ladies ever find love? Will Lucia find her man? Chat Love will give you something to talk about!"

If you've ever met someone from the internet, you should enjoy this story. Having been on a few of the dating websites in the past, and I actually had some luck as I met my boyfriend on one, I loved the story, internet dating is becoming more and more common and I love reading about all the good and bad dates that come from it. 

Even though I could tell where the story was going, and figured out a few of the couples that ended up pairing up before they did, I still enjoyed reading how they got there. It's a fun, quick read with a lot of laughs and some romance that we all love. 

Definitely add to your to read list!

Book Review: Don't Even Think About It - Sarah Mlynowski

This book, I was fortunate enough to receive an Advanced Reader ECopy through Net Galley, as she is one of my favorite authors.

From the GoodReads webiste: "Contemporary teen fiction with romance, secrets, scandals, and ESP from the author of Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have).

We weren't always like this. We used to be average New York City high school sophomores. Until our homeroom went for flu shots. We were prepared for some side effects. Maybe a headache. Maybe a sore arm. We definitely didn't expect to get telepathic powers. But suddenly we could hear what everyone was thinking. Our friends. Our parents. Our crushes. Now we all know that Tess is in love with her best friend, Teddy. That Mackenzie cheated on Cooper. That, um, Nurse Carmichael used to be a stripper.

Since we've kept our freakish skill a secret, we can sit next to the class brainiac and ace our tests. We can dump our boyfriends right before they dump us. We know what our friends really think of our jeans, our breath, our new bangs. We always know what's coming. Some of us will thrive. Some of us will crack. None of us will ever be the same.
So stop obsessing about your ex. We're always listening."
I'm a sucker for YA, especially when it involves some sort of paranormal element. The whole telepathy thing is not something I've encountered in any of the YA books that I've read so far so I thought it was awesome, and it made me way more aware of the thoughts that go through my head every day. I can only imagine the pros and cons of having telepathy, and most of those were pointed out in this story. Not only was I more aware of my thoughts, but it made me start to think about what may be in other peoples' heads as I'm talking to them. LOL!

It would've been cool to get a little more background on how some of the flu shot batches got botched, but that info isn't all that integral to the story - it'd just be for the nerd in me. :) I can almost see a second book out of this. Not entirely sure from what angle, but I think it would be possible. 

Add this to the list of Sarah Mlynowksi books that I have really enjoyed (which has been every single one I've read, lol)! It's good for a quick beach vacation read, or a stay-cation read.

Book Review: Must Love Dogs - Claire Cook

Normally, I try to read the book before I watch the movie because we all know the books are better, right? So wait, thinking about it....maybe I shouldn't do that since Hollywood takes its liberties....maybe it is actually better to see the movie, THEN read the book? Yes? No? Your thoughts?

From the GoodReads website: "Ready to put her divorce behind her, Sarah Hurlihy is not sure where she's headed, or if she'll survive the journey. It takes a few wrong men--and some tangles with a St. Bernard--before Sarah appreciates the riotous ride she's on. Now a major motion picture starring Diane Lane ("Under the Tuscan Sun")."

Anyway, I saw the movie YEARS ago and I liked it. Recently, I decided to read (or attempt to) all the books on a top 100 chick lit book list that I found, and a similar one with the top 100 authors. This book killed two birds with one stone and I'm so glad I came across the list because I was able to add another author to my list of want-to-read-more-from-them.

I liked it. I liked Sarah's character, even if she was confused most of the time. I had already watched the movie before reading the book, but it was so long ago, that I don't really remember it. My favorite character is probably Sarah's dad, he's such a lovable cad! And the rest of the characters just felt like real people, people that I might know. They were very well written. I look forward to reading the sequel.

Book Review: Unenchanted - Chanda Hahn

What a superfun read! Love the new take on Grimm's Fairytales. And I'm a sucker for fairy tales, so if there's a new spin on it, I'm reading it.

From the GoodReads website: "Mina Grime is unlucky, unpopular and uncoordinated; that is until she saves her crush's life on a field trip, changing her High School status from loser to hero overnight. But with her new found fame brings misfortune in the form of an old family curse come to light. For Mina is a descendant from the Brothers Grimm and has inherited all of their unfinished fairy tale business which includes trying to outwit a powerful Story from making her its' next fairy-tale victim.
To break the fairy tale curse on her family and make these deadly occurrences stop, Mina must finish the tales until the very Grimm end."
Can't wait to read the rest in the series and see how far she gets with the tales, and the rest of the crazy characters she's bound to meet. This is probably going to be one of those series that I'm not going to want to end.

Book Review: The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death: Reflections on Revenge, Germophobia, and Laser Hair Removal - Laurie Notaro

I've read a few of her non-fiction and fiction books and liked them better. This one....I don't know, there were parts that made me laugh out loud, one part that made me cry, and quite a few where I was ready for the chapter to end quicker than it did. I just didn't enjoy this one as much as I did some of the others. Another one of those, it-feels-almost-like-a-chore-to-read-it-books. 

From the GoodReads website: "Laurie Notaro has an uncanny ability to attract insanity–and leave readers doubled over with laughter. In The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death, she experiences the popular phenomenon of laser hair removal (because at least one of her chins should be stubble-free); bemoans the scourge of the Open Mouth Coughers on America’s airplanes; welcomes the newest ex-con (yay, a sex offender!) to her neighborhood; and watches, against her own better judgment, every Discovery Health Channel special on parasites and tapeworms that has ever aired–resulting in an overwhelming fear that a worm the size of a python will soon come a-knocking on her back door."

Book Review: Eleanor & Park - Rainbow Rowell

This is the case of constantly hearing about an author and finally getting around to reading one of their books.

From the GoodReads website: "Two misfits.
One extraordinary love.

Eleanor... Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.

Park... He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises...Park.

Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try."
Love it, love it, love it. That's what I thought while reading this book. Then when I was done, "WOW!" This is another book that should be moved to the top of your To Read list. 

The life that Eleanor had to live, the things she had to deal with not only at school, but at home....I don't think I've read a book from that perspective before. Yes, I've read books where a kid gets made fun of at school, and from their perspective. But to throw in the kinds of experiences she had at home....just, wow. I loved her character, and I loved Park's character. And I seriously wanted to be able to throttle Eleanor's mother - stupid, stupid woman. 

But again, you seriously need to read this soon if it's on your To Read list, and if it's not, get it on there! :)

Can't wait to read more of her books!

Book Review: The Meryl Streep Movie Club - Mia March

Ever have a book on your To Read list for-freaking-ever and finally get around to it, then when you're done reading it, you want to kick yourself for waiting so long? Yep, this is one of 'em.

From the GoodReads website: "In the bestselling tradition of The Friday Night Knitting Club and The Jane Austen Book Club, three women find unexpected answers, happiness, and one another, with Meryl Streep movies as their inspiration. 

Two sisters and the cousin they grew up with after a tragedy are summoned home to their family matriarch's inn on the coast of Maine for a shocking announcement. Suddenly, Isabel, June, and Kat are sharing the attic bedroom;and barely speaking. But when innkeeper Lolly asks them to join her and the guests in the parlor for weekly Movie Night's Meryl Streep month, they find themselves sharing secrets, talking long into the night . . . and questioning everything they thought they knew about life, love, and one another. 

Each woman sees her complicated life reflected through the magic of cinema: Isabel's husband is having an affair, and an old pact may keep her from what she wants most . . . June has promised her seven-year-old son that she will somehow find his father, who he's never known . . . and Kat is ambivalent about accepting her lifelong best friend's marriage proposal. Through everything, Lolly has always been there for them, and now Isabel, June, Kat, and Meryl, must be there for her. Finding themselves. Finding each other. Finding a happy ending."
Loved it. Absolutely loved it! Loved Lolly, Isabel, June, Kat, Charlie, Henry, Griffin, Pearl. All these characters were so real. I laughed and cried right along with them. And thanks to the discussion of Meryl Streep movies, I now have a bunch of movies to watch! :) Great writing, awesome author. Can't wait to read her next book!!

Book Review: Innocence - Dean Koontz

Normally, I get through Dean's books in two days or less. This one? It took ten days. Ten I-really-don't-want-to-continue-this-story-but-I-have-to-because-he's-my-favorite-author days.

From the GoodReads website: "He lives in solitude beneath the city, an exile from society, which will destroy him if he is ever seen.
 
She dwells in seclusion, a fugitive from enemies who will do her harm if she is ever found.
 
But the bond between them runs deeper than the tragedies that have scarred their lives. Something more than chance—and nothing less than destiny—has brought them together in a world whose hour of reckoning is fast approaching."
Normally, I love Dean Koontz's books, but this one was right there with Icebound and Your Heart Belongs to Me - just not my favorites. It pains me to say that, but I felt like reading this one was a chore. It was so hard to get through, and I really wasn't a fan of the religious aspect of it.

I'm BAAAAACCCKKKKKK!!!

Hey, it's only been about two and a half years since my last post. LOL

What can I say? I was busy. Work, kid, school, life. Not a whole lot of time for much else in there. Especially considering all the BS I had in my life at some points, from an alcoholic, pot-head, prescription pill abusing boyfriend that turned out to be a psycho stalker when I broke it off, to a selfish, immature, cheating boyfriend whom I was dumb enough to get back with a second time, but smart enough not to a third time.

In the midst of all that, I finally bought a house. And I have finally found a boyfriend that met and exceeds my list of standards that have been revised three times in the last four years. This one's a keeper! Oh, and I finished school!!! Wa-hoooo!!!! Now I have more time to do the things I want to do, rather than the things I have to do. I originally had a plan to challenge myself to do one thing from Pinterest daily (yes, I am a Pin-a-holic) for 30 days starting January 1st. Yeah, didn't happen. You know what did happen? Frickin' TV shows. OMG, I have become such a couch potato and I have the weight gain to prove it.

During the time in between the first mistake (the selfish, immature, cheating boyfriend) and the second (same boyfriend), I was so depressed that I ended up losing 69 pounds. Mostly from not eating. I know, I know, terrible way to lose weight. Kills your metabolism and all that. Not that mine had much life in it anyway. And of course, now that I'm happy, I have put back on 47 of it. GRRRR!!!! It's not all from watching TV though. I had stopped drinking soda, stopped any kind of snacking, and stopped eating chocolate/candy. And those are habits that I have picked back up again that need to stop. I tried going cold turkey and made it to just over a week before I broke. Yesterday, I had a soda and two Reese's Eggs (those things are the devil, I tell you). I reasoned with myself that once a week isn't bad. But really? It is. For me anyway. It's a gateway to more and more including more and more excuses as to why it's ok. I think I'm good now though because the soda really wasn't that great anyway. The Reese's on the other hand, always awesome. I wonder if there's some recipe out there for them that I can make - one that's healthier.

Anyway, so I want to get back into blogging. I've read a lot of really good books since I last posted and while I only have two followers at the moment, I want to post about them and get the word out. And hopefully grow my follower list. In the mean time, I plan to try Pinterest things and post about them too. Maybe share a picture if I can figure out how to do that. :)

Until the next time I finish a book or do something Pinteresty, I'm going to post book reviews. And after that, I'm going to Google how to write a review so I don't sound like a moron. :)

It's been a while...

So here it is, the last nice Sunday of the year and I'm probably going to spend it inside. :( I want to read and right now would be a perfect time to do it outside. An early October day that's unseasonably warm. Not uncomfortably warm like it can be during the summer with all the humidity. But just wonderfully warm...I digress....
Why am I not reading outside? Because my back patio, as I have mentioned before, backs right up to a forest. Hello sunshine? Where did you go, all I can see are shadows from all the trees. Not bashing trees, it'd just be nice to be able to sit out back and enjoy the sunlight. Don't want to sit out front either because that's where my trashy neighbors like to live. Yes, I said live. I don't know why they bother renting a place with a roof because it seems as though they are always outside.
The multitude of kids that are over there (mind you, only two actually LIVE there) at all times are usually playing basketball. No, that's not a typo, I meant to write BASKETBALL in a small, four unit, apartment parking lot. I think some of them are confused as to the object of the game because rather than actually making the ball go through the hoop, they seem to think they are supposed to aim for cars by first bouncing it off the rim. If I had a dollar for every time I've heard that ball bounce off of my car or Chad's truck (Sometimes when he's still in it!), well, we'll just say I'd have a lot of dollars.
And if they're not doing that, they're riding their bikes. No, not around the (sort of) wide open spaces of the parking lot, it is apparently more fun to circle cars and bump the handlebars into them causing eight inch long scratches. Oh yes, my car has one of those and Chad's truck has matching scratches on both sides. (No wonder no one ever wants to come here to hang out....) It's always nice to walk out to the car in the morning and see a fresh scratch of some sort on my leased car. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. The best part is that the adults/parents are usually nowhere in sight, and if they are, they're just sitting there calmly with a cigarette hanging out of their mouth looking like they don't have a care in the world. Love it, really, I do.
I should've taken it as a sign when I moved in here on one of the last days of January last year when they had their easily removed Christmas decorations still up (and they remained up until May). If I wasn't so desperate for someplace affordable, I might have looked elsewhere.
But I hold out hope that I will be able to buy a house soon. I've been looking and looking. I really shouldn't since I haven't tried to get pre-approved again since last fall and it's only good for one year. The city I live in (and want to buy in) has this great program for first time home buyers that give assistance up to $3,000 for half the down-payment and closing costs. I had that approval, sort of. To get it, you have to take this class offered by some neighborhood association. I never was able to take the class before I gave up and decided to wait a little longer. I can't even remember how many times I tried to take the class. The whole group running it is about fifty cards short of a full deck. The first time I tried to take it, they didn't even have me on the list. And then, as I sat there waiting with two other people, it was cancelled because the person leading the class didn't come in. The next time I tried to take it, they told me I was in the wrong class because I was already pre-approved. So I had to sign up for a different class. I can't remember what the deal was for that one but something happened and it was cancelled. Before I attempted to head back downtown the next time, I actually got a phone call saying the next one was cancelled because some drunk had crashed into the building about a week prior leaving it, "structurally unsound." So once again, I rescheduled for the class in December (started trying to take this class in August). Day of the class rolls around and I'm thinking it's finally going to happen. Until I get downtown, park my car and walk up to the building to find out it's locked up tight. I tried calling the lady leading the class (the same one that I've been dealing with most of the time) and got her voicemail. I'm at the end of my rope with this whole thing at this point and I left her....not a mean message, but not a nice one either. When I finally heard back from her, she told me the class was cancelled and that everyone was called. I was like, hello! No one called me! Then she told me they weren't going to be doing it for a few months, I can't remember what the reason was for that. And thinking back now, that must be why I gave up.
So in my efforts to get the ball rolling on all this again so I don't see another perfect opportunity house (three bedroom, one and a half bath, basement, two car garage, fenced back yard - all for $50K, it was a really cute house) get snatched up after being on the market for less than a week, I sent this lady an email to see what the class schedule is and what class I'd need to take since I'm not pre-approved yet. That was sometime last month. Do you think I've heard back from her? Of course not. I'm wondering if the group even exists anymore.
I decided to then start on the paperwork portion of this whole thing and forgot that I pretty much have to tell them everything about myself down to my blood type and what I had for dinner three years ago. I really don't remember filling all this crap out. And since nothing much has changed since then, I'm wondering if I can go back through my sent emails and see if I maybe sent scanned copies of all of it the first time. Usually I hang on to paperwork like that and file it. But I tried to look for it the other day and came up emptyhanded. Knowing myself, I probably chucked it in one of my cleaning fits thinking I wouldn't be getting a house in that time period anyway, so why keep it. Oh stupid me.
Anyway, I do need to get going on it though. Not just because of my crappy, disrespectful neighbors (who like to party in their minivan with the bass up all the way until 12:30am, yeah, that's their newest BS), but because I now have contraband. And by contraband, I mean a furry, little, charcoal gray, four legged furball with a squeak for a meow. I am no supposed to have pets and I abided by that rule until three weeks ago. I finally decided that if those morons can have a basketball hoop and cause property damage to other people's things, I can have one little, tiny kitten.
I got sick of waiting and waiting to get a house before I got a cat or a dog. I figured a cat would be easier to conceal for obvious reasons. And unlike my neighbors' kid's, little miss Roxy hasn't caused a lick of damage to the apartment. She's been using her litter box as she's supposed to, never once had an accident outside it (knock on wood), and I have those Soft Claws things on her so she can't scratch anything up. (I refuse to declaw her after reading the horror stories on that.) She provides a lot of comic relief when she's not up playing at 4:30 in the morning or waging war on my plant.
I have however, learned my lesson on gettting a super young kitten from someone off of Craigslist. She was about seven and a half weeks old when I got her. The girl I got her from said they couldn't keep her because the family was allergic and they didn't know until they got her. She had gotten Roxy (she named her Mya, but I changed her name because that is suddenly the popular pet name and I like to be different) from a friend who'd found a stray that'd had kittens. Poor thing was flea-ridden and the girl had doused her in flea powder which seemed to have gotten rid of most of them. She hadn't been to the vet yet for anything, so I made an appointment for her.
The first time I took her in, they found out that she had two types of worms. So I had to pay for two medications and the test to find the worms on top of the regular vet visit. Bye bye $120. I just took her back Wednesday of last week for a re-check and she had to have another round of one of the worm meds and got her first vaccination. Those and the visit cost me another $80. They told me she needs to come back in three week intervals for vaccines until she's 16 weeks - which means two more visits. Ugh! So much for a free cat! Next time I'm adopting from a shelter where I can pay less up front and have all this done. I haven't even had her spayed yet and the vet is telling me because they use a different technique where they make an incision on their side (instead of on their belly), it's just over $200 for that. Holy crap Batman! Little miss Roxy has turned out to be quite an expensive little kitty.
And here's the funniest bit - Mr. I Hate Cats (Chad) has been cuddling, snuggling, playing, petting, talking in a high pitched voice, and even kissing the cat. Yeah, he sure does hate cats alright.

Rain, rain, go away....

It seems lately that every time it rains anymore, it's a full-blown storm. What ever happened to the nice, peaceful rain that just fell without the need to announce its impending presence with thunder and lightning? The weather has just been so crazy lately. And while I try to act like storms don't bother me, they do, oh yes they do. That is why I am up now, at 1:30 in the morning - because I seem to think that if I'm up and able to watch the outside world, nothing terrible will happen. Where does this rationalization come from??

We were getting that crazy, non-stop ligtning earlier that reminds me of a strobe light. To me, that's scary lightning - tornado lightning. It stopped, but after pulling up the radar from The Weather Channel online, I don't like the looks of the orange, red, dark red blob coming this way. So I tell myself I'll stay up for it and see it through and all will be fine....I hope. :)

Something to (sort of) take my mind off of this - I started to read Caprice Crane's new book, With A Little Luck.  I had been anxiously waiting for the library to get it in all summer because of all the positive things I've heard about her other books. She's a favorite author, and friend of one of my favorite authors (Jen Lancaster) so that just further hyped me up. *Sigh*

I started reading it the other day and I gave it 79 pages. 79 pages! That's double what I normally give a book I can't get into. And I don't know what the problem is, there are some great one-liners in there that would make me chuckle to myself. But I just couldn't get too involved with the main character Berry. I guess I thought she was kind of......I don't know, whiny, in a way. (Somebody PLEASE tell me if I EVER start to sound whiny.....or if I already have!!!) I just didn't care for the character. Or maybe I've been reading too much YA lately and am not quite in the mood for anything else. I don't know.

Ok, well, that's all - sounds like the worst of the storm is about to hit. I think I'll go watch it out the window. Kind of like a in-your-face challenge to the storm. LOL!

C'mon, really?

Ok, seriously, I know there is a forest (yes, in the literal sense) right behind my apartment, but why does nature insist on being inside my apartment instead of out? This morning, after I got done brushing me teeth, (Remember, I said, “after,” so all the water and everything has run down the drain.) a freakin’ earwig comes crawling up from the depths of the drain. And I was like, Really? REALLY? Unbelievable. How did that thing make it UP the drain? How? Well, doesn’t matter now because he went for another water ride around the toilet bowl.

All these bugs and bats make it sound like I live in a shit hole. But it’s really not. The building might be a little old as I’m sure it was built in the 70’s at the very least….any maybe that’s how so many critters get in there. Anyway though, it’s pretty nice actually. The city I live in isn’t huge by any means, but it is a lot bigger than the sticks that I grew up and went to school in. It’s one of those cities where there is a lot of “city,” but right next to it, you’ll find “country” too. As in my case – I live right off the main road through town. I think I remember seeing an article once that said it was one of the busiest streets in the state. And I live not even a quarter of a mile off the road, yet there is a forest directly behind me. As in, I walk out of my basement not even 20 feet and boom, I’m in the woods. There have been deer on my concrete slab more times than I can count. (The deer here are NOT afraid of people or cars, something I’m still not used to after ten years of living here.) Given all that though, it’s kind of a good transition for someone like me, coming from the sticks. I’m ready now to move to a bigger city, but I’m stuck due to custody restraints and all that fun stuff. But, I digress….

The apartment itself is pretty nice in regards to size for what you pay for. It’s almost like a condo or a townhouse. Only instead of having an upstairs, I have a main floor and a basement. And the basement is a half finished walkout, which is really nice. I believe the concrete slab I mentioned before is meant to be used as a patio. I had high hopes for a flower garden and maybe a few home grown vegetables out there when I first moved in. But because of the trees, it hardly gets any sunlight and in my opinion, tends to be cold because of all the shade.  I do have a table and chair set out there, but never go out because of the cold and bugs. Plus the trees are always pooping tree stuff all over….let’s just say, I don’t do well with “real” nature.

I promise my blogs are not always going to be me complaining about some random bug (or bat) being in my apartment. The ones that I find crawling on the walls or anything like that just don’t merit being written about. It’s the crazy that stands out. Like how a bug can make its way up the drain after water has been going the opposite way.

So I just finished the book I’ve been reading. The Secret of Joy by Melissa Senate. I am by no means any good at writing reviews of books. But I’ll give it a try. On the GoodReads website, I gave this book four out of five stars. It’s a bit of a slow starter and I usually only give books 20 to 40 pages to hook me. (I feel bad about this sometimes and if I didn’t have such a long TBR list, I would make myself read the entire book.) Since this is a Melissa Senate book, I knew better than to put it down. And in the end, it did not disappoint. I love how she made the characters feel like real people that I might know and her descriptions of Wicasset, Maine make me want to vacation there even more. (I’ve always wanted to go to Maine.) I love the way the story played out with the conflicts between the characters and I even got teary a few times. A few tears always automatically means a good book to me. Seems you can never go wrong with a book by Melissa Senate. I haven’t read all of hers yet, but I’ve read most and I’ve liked every single one. :)