The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry Review

Title: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

Author: Gabrielle Zevin

Category: A book by a female author

Copyright: 2014

Number of Pages: 258

Summary: From the book!
A.J. Fikry's life is not at all what he expected it to be. He lives alone, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. But when a mysterious package appears at the bookstore, its unexpected arrival gives Fikry the chance to make his live over -- and see everything anew. 

Review: This book surprised me in a lot of ways. It was chosen for my book club and I read the synopsis and thought oh my God this is going to be boring. There is a quote in the book though: "The things we respond to at twenty are not necessarily the same things we'll respond to at forty and vice versa. This is true in book and also in life." This quote really resonated with me because I found this book to be absolutely fascinating. I think Office Lambiase was my favorite character. He is a person who doesn't really read, and what little he does read is crime fiction, but he becomes a person who enjoys all different genres. I related because I've been noticing that happening with myself late. I used to only enjoy books with a supernatural setting but am finding great enjoyment in other genres. Not to say that I don't still need my supernatural fix every 3 books or so lol. This one is definitely on my list of books to recommend to people who love to read.  

Next I am going to read Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

The back of the book states: Between 1854 and 1929, so-called orphan trains ran regularly from the cities of hte East Coast to the farmlands of the Midwest, carrying thousands of abandoned children whose fates would be determined by pure luck. Would they be adopted by a kind and loving family, or would they face a childhood and adolescence of hard labor and servitude?

As a young Irish immigrant, Vivian Daly was one such child, sent by rail from New York City to an uncertain future a world away. Returning east later in life, Vivian leads a quiet, peaceful existence on the coast of Maine, the memories of her upbringing rendered a hazy blur. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are vestiges of a turbulent past.

Seventeen-year-old Molly Ayer knows that a community-service position helping an elderly widow clean out her attic is the only thing keeping her out of juvenile hall. But as Molly helps Vivian sort through her keepsakes and possessions, she discovers that she and Vivian aren't as different as they appear. A Penobscot Indian who has spent her youth in and out of foster homes, Molly is also an outsider being raised by strangers, and she, too, has unanswered questions about the past.

Moving between contemporary Maine and Depress-era Minnesota, Orphan Train is a powerful tale of upheaval and resilience, second chances, and unexpected friendships.

Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy Review

Title: Fifty Shades of Grey

Author: E L James

Category: A Trilogy

Copyright: 2011

Number of Pages: 514

Summary: From the book!
When Literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana's quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too -- but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey's singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success -- his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family -- Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey's secrets and explores her own dark desires.

Review: WARNING! There will be spoilers in the reviews of these books. I just can't help myself with this one.

First off, I would like to say that I was quite enthralled with these books. Romance novels are SO not my thing. I skim the sex scenes for the most part because I've never found much interest in reading about sex. I had next to no plans to read these books, I had Fifty Shades of Grey on my list to read this year for the category of "Read a book that got bad reviews" because I was mildly interested to find out if the book was as scandalous as everyone says it is. It's not. He doesn't force her into anything, he never rapes her, I think there's like one decent bondage scene in the entire book and it's at the very end. Ana goes over to Christian's house for the first time planning to throw herself at him and lose her virginity. Christian invites her over to show her his "play room" and to see if she'd be open to his Dominant/Submissive lifestyle. Instead of fleeing in horror when she sees his play room she becomes quite interested in the idea. When he finds out she is in fact a virgin, he flips and decides she is way too inexperienced to be a typical sub. So they have a pretty normal sexual relationship for more than half the book. Christian is a very messed up individual, he's got a lot of demons from his past that he is dealing with and uses his lifestyle to deal with them. We also find out that he was introduced to Dom/Sub world when he was 15 by one of his mother's friends who turned him into her Sub.  However, at no time, does he force himself or his lifestyle on Ana. In the end, Ana asks to see how bad it can get as a sub, so he shows her. Like an idiot she doesn't use the safe word when she's pushed to her limits and instead leaves him. End book one.

Title: Fifty Shades Darker 

Author: E L James 

Category: A Trilogy 

Copyright: 2012

Number of Pages: 532

Summary: From the book!

Daunted by the singular tastes and dark secrets of the beautiful, tormented young entrepreneur Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele has broken off their relationship to start a new career with a Seattle publishing house. 

But desire for Christian still dominates her every waking thought, and when he proposes a new arrangement, Ana cannot resist. They rekindle their searing sensual affair, and Ana learns more about the harrowing past of her damaged, driving, and demanding Fifty Shades.

While Christian wrestles with his inner demons, Ana must confront the anger and envy of the women who came before her, and make the most important decision of her life. 

Review: So it took all of 2 chapters before Ana and Christian are back together. Christian proposes an entirely "Vanilla" relationship with Ana because when she left he was heartbroken and he has realized he doesn't want to live without her. She agrees, all goes back to normal. Ana has taken a job at a publishing house as an assistant to an editor, Jack Hyde. Jack's giving off some major creeper vibes but Ana tries to ignore it while Christian gets enraged by it. To cause some more intrigue, Christian's ex-sub is stalking Ana and Christian because she's had a psychotic break and is curious why Christian has fallen in love with Ana and not her. There are a few opportunities for conflict, but the author just simply glosses over them. First, ex-sub Leila is standing at the end of Christian's bed while Ana is sleeping in it alone, but does nothing. Towards the end of the book, Ana goes into her own apartment and Leila is standing there with a gun. Again, nothing happens. WOO! However, Ana's creeper boss Jack makes a very aggressive move on her and she knees him in the groin and then Christian and Christian's security deal with him. Christian makes sure he's fired because oh yeah, Christian bought the publishing house when Ana started working there. Oh, and Christian proposes to Ana, because who doesn't propose after knowing each other for three months? Ana says yes and they announce their engagement to Christian's family at his birthday party where of course, the pedophile who enslaved him at age 15 is. Pedo-Elena confronts Ana and Christian's mother overhears Ana calling her a pedo and telling her to stay away from Christian. So of course that goes over well. End book two.(This was my favorite of the three)

Title: Fifty Shades Freed

Author: E L James

Category: A Trilogy

Copyright: 2012

Number of Pages: 579

Summary: From the book!

When unworldly student Anastasia Steele first encountered the driven and dazzling young entrepreneur Christian Grey it sparked a sensual affair that changed both of their lives irrevocably. Shocked, intrigued, and, ultimately, repelled by Christian's singular erotic tastes, Ana demands a deeper commitment. Determined to keep her, Christian agrees.

Now, Ana and Christian have it all -- love, passion, intimacy, wealth, and a world of possibilities for their future. But Ana knows that loving her Fifty Shades will not be easy, and that being together will pose challenges that neither of them would anticipate. Ana must somehow learn to share Christian's opulent lifestyle without sacrificing her own identity. And Christian must overcome his compulsion to control as he wrestles with the demons of a tormented past. 

Just when it seems that their strength together will eclipse any obstacle, misfortune, malice, and fate conspire to make Ana's deepest fears turn to reality. 

Review: So we do not get to see any wedding planning or the actual wedding. We get a few snippets from flashbacks while Christian and Ana are on their honeymoon. Jack Hyde has decided to take revenge against Christian and Ana for getting him fired. He tampers with Christian's helicopter, he sets a fire in Christian's server room at his office, and he eventually kidnaps Christian's little sister and threatens to kill her unless Ana brings him 5 million dollars in cash. So much happened in this book that I felt like I was reading a few different novels at the same time. Ana's dad gets into a car accident and has surgery and is kept in a coma until the swelling in his brain goes down. It eventually does and he wakes up but then Ana gets beaten up by Jack Hyde when she delivers the 5 millions dollars and winds up in the hospital too. She's also pregnant, of course. Can't have a Twilight fan-fiction without the oops baby. It also just wouldn't be good unless Christian had a major meltdown over the fact that he's gonna be a dad, so he does. Ana recovers, the baby's okay, Christian accepts that he's going to be a father and is actually kind of looking forward to it, Ana's dad fully recovers, seems like a good place to end a book. No, there was still 150 pages left. 150 pages where nothing important happens. So unimportant that I don't even really remember it. You know, coming to think of it. I really hated these books. I was so glad when they were done and I could go on to reading books I had interest in. I was sucked in though! I thought I liked them while I was reading them but now that I'm writing about them I'm quite annoyed at them. End series. /ugh

Next I am going to read The Storied Life of A.J. Fikryby Gabrielle Zevin.

The back of the book states: A.J. Fikry's life is not at all what he expected it to be. He lives alone, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. But when a mysterious package appears at the bookstore, its unexpected arrival gives Fikry the chance to make his live over -- and see everything anew. 

The Old Man and the Sea Review

Title: The Old Man and the Sea

Author: Ernest Hemingway

Category: A book you can read in a day

Copyright: 1952

Number of Pages: 127

Summary: The Old Man and the Sea follows an old man by the name of Santiago as he captures a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream and struggles for days to reel him in.

Review: I enjoyed this book in all its simplicity. I'm sure there is some underlying meaning behind it all but I enjoyed the story that was presented to me. An elder fisherman is down on his luck, hasn't caught anything in months, so he takes a risk and goes out further from land than normal. His risk pays off but ultimately ends in disappointment.

Next I am going to read Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James.

The back of the book states: When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite hi enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana's quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too -- but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey's singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success -- his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family -- Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey's secrets and explores her own dark desires. 

Eleanor & Park Review

Title: Eleanor & Park

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Category: A book you own but haven't read yet

Copyright: 2013

Number of Pages: 325

Summary: Park is a half-Korean boy who has felt like an outsider at home and at school his entire life. He doesn't have a lot of friends, he's obsessed with music, and he absolutely loves comic books. When he first sets eyes on Eleanor, he realizes that he is at least not as much of an outsider as she is.

Eleanor has bright red curly hair and is a little overweight. She wears men's clothes that are too big for her and pins ribbons all over to hide the holes.

The two share silent bus rides together, Eleanor reading Park's comic books over his shoulder. When Park realizes she is reading them too, he starts to bring her a stack of comics every day, and Eleanor always returns them the next day. Throughout these exchanges, they still do not speak to each other.

Eventually the silence breaks, mix tapes are exchanged, and romance blossoms. In the midst of falling in love, Eleanor has to deal with being bullied at school and a dangerous home life. She takes refuge at Park's house every evening until one day things escalate at her house, causing her to leave and not be able to return. Park borrows/steals the family truck and spends all night driving Eleanor to her uncle's house. Though the two are separated by several miles and Eleanor doesn't return any of Park's calls or letters, he never loses hope.

Review: Eleanor & Park was so surprisingly good that I finished it in 24 hours. It has been a long time since a book caught my attention well enough to keep me awake until 3AM.

This book was so well written. I feel in love with the characters and felt deeply for them. I laughed out loud, got enraged, and even cried a few times.

I loved the awkwardness of how Park and Eleanor's relationship develops. It was so hard to take at times but I just couldn't but the book down.

The only thing that perplexed me is that this is classified as Young Adult Fiction yet the F word is all over the first page of chapter one. Maybe it's just me but I didn't think you could say that in a book and call it Young Adult.

That being said, if you haven't read this one you really should. Let me know what you think after you do!

Next I am going to read The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway.

Amazon's website states! Told in the language of great simplicity and power, it is the story of an old Cuban fisherman, down on his luck, and his supreme ordeal -- a relentless, agonizing battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream

February 2015 - Be Vegetarian!

First, let's wrap up January's challenge of drinking more water. I did okay with this. I didn't do as well as I would have liked but I finished strong! I had a few days at the beginning of the month where I was sick, so I didn't drink as much those days because I was sleeping....a lot. Check out my finished chart below!

Finished Water Chart

For this month you can either go 28 days as a vegetarian or you can go 28 days without fried foods. I like my meat and I like having it every day. I have even been told by a few of my physicians that I should eat more red meat, blech, but I'm doing it... So I am going to do the alternative version simply because I honestly don't want to give up meat for 28 days and I think my doctor would kill me after all the progress we've made lol. Meat is GOOD for me. Fried foods however, are terrible for me.

For this challenge, I am going to need a food log so I can make sure I don't pop any fried tasties into my mouth, and some awesome will power. I love fried foods so much even though they are so bad. Yesterday I had Allen take me to Burger King just so I could get some fries before I couldn't have them anymore. This is sad and pathetic...but it's true lol.

Here is the food log I will be using:

As you can see, I will even still be tracking my water every day! Just because January is over doesn't mean we shouldn't still drink 8 glasses a day!

I had my first test of strength today. Jason and Allen went out really early to get a Target only exclusive Amiibo for the Wii U that came out today, and on the way home they stopped to get us all breakfast. Allen, forgetting it is February 1st, brought me a hash brown from McDonald's. Oh man, I do love me some McD's hash browns. But! I looked at it, said Allen I can't have that, he realized what day it is, and he ate it himself lol. So at least the will power is strong for day 1.

So what are you going to do? Vegetarian for the month? No fried foods for the month? Or heck, are you gonna do both? Let me know!

First Frost Review

Title: First Frost

Author: Sarah Addison Allen

Category: A book published this year

Copyright: 2014

Number of Pages:291

Summary: Claire, who can bring out emotions with anything she cooks. Sydney, who’s haircuts can cause you to have the perfect day. Bay, Sydney’s daughter who can tell where everyone and everything belongs. First Frost follows the lives of these three Waverly women.

Claire has left her catering business behind to focus solely on Waverly Candies. She only makes three kinds, -- rose to remember lost love, lemon verbena to soothe your throat and mind, and lavender to promote happiness – but business is booming for her and she never has time for much else. When she stops making the candies with the flowers from her garden and no one notices a difference in how they make them feel, she starts to question if her gift even exists.

Sydney desperately wants a baby with her husband Henry. She wants him to have a son that he can share his world with. The longer she tries, the more focused she becomes on it and she begins to lose sight of the people and the life she already has.

Bay has met the boy she knows she belongs with and who belongs with her. It’s too bad that when she writes him a note explaining that they belong together, he doesn’t seem to believe her.

Will Claire find her happiness? Will Sydney be able to get pregnant? Will the boy Bay belongs with ever stop long enough to realize he belongs with her too? Give First Frost a try to find out! 

Review: I always enjoy Sarah Addison Allen's books. I view them as great light chick-lit reads. I love to read one after a long or difficult book. Hey! They're my literary palette cleansers!

First Frost was really enjoyable for me for probably all the reasons it shouldn't have been. None of the twists surprised me, but its predictability is one of the reasons I chose it. I wanted a book I could read easily without having to think too hard about it.

Claire and Bay's situations made sense and were interesting to read, but I didn't get Sydney's. She was trying so hard to get pregnant for her husband, but she hadn't even spoken to him about having a baby. Then when he finally does find out what's been troubling her, he tells her he doesn't need a baby, so she was stressing about nothing. 

Overall I enjoyed the book. I'm not sure it's one I would recommend people if they asked me for a really good book to read, but I'd recommend it if someone asked for a book to take to the beach with them.  

Next I am going to read Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. 

Back of the books states! Two misfits. One extraordinary love. 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. 

Thorin Monday 1/26/15

This is the "What?! I swear I wasn't going to chew on your book even though I have a toy right her beside me." face. (He totally started to chew on my book too!) Little rascal.

A Discovery of Witches Review

Title: A Discovery of Witches

Author: Deborah Harkness

Category: A book with more then 500 pages.

Copyright: 2011

Number of Pages: 579

Summary: A Discovery of Witches is about a female witch named Diana Bishop who has chosen to ignore the magic inside her. One day, as she is doing research at the Bodleian library in Oxford, she calls up a manuscript, Ashmole 782, that is positively radiating with magical power. Having chosen to ignore her magical side, she studies the manuscript as though it is just like any other and then sends it back into the stacks.

Soon after, creatures of all types start showing up in the library to watch Diana. Among them is the vampire Matthew Clairmont. When a few fellow witches threaten Diana, due to their desire to keep Ashmole 782 from falling into the hands of daemons or vampires, Matthew takes her into hiding.

As the two grow closer, the Congregation (made up of three vampires, three witches, and three daemons) will stop at nothing to get their hands on Diana and Ashmole 782.

Can Diana and Matthew, with the help of their friends and family, stand against the Congregation? Can they uncover the mysteries of Ashmole 782 before the Congregation does? Grab your own copy of A Discovery of Witches to find out!

Review: I absolutely loved this book. It is full of magic, adventure, mystery, science, and history. I am sure the science and history are stretched but I love that Matthew is so old that he spent time with the likes of Shakespeare and Darwin. I also felt that the characters were well written and well thought out.

The only thing I didn't like was that Matthew seemed TOO perfect. Find your list from when you were 14 of qualities you wanted in a boyfriend, and Matthew's that person and then some.

Aside from that though, it was a fascinating read. There were a few twists that I didn't see coming and the ending left the story at a point where I want to race out and buy the sequel to find out what happens next. Unfortunately it's also close to 600 pages and I'm nto sure I have time for it this year.

Have you read A Discovery of Witches? If so, what did you think? If not, I highly recommend getting your hands on it!

Next I am going to read First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen. It is the sequel to Garden Spells which is a book I read a few years ago and absolutely loved. This book came out on Tuesday January 20, 2015 so I am just itching to dig into it.

Amazon description states: A magical new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Lost Lake, featuring characters from her beloved novel Garden Spells.

Autumn has finally arrived in the small town of Bascom, North Carolina, heralded by a strange old man appearing with a beat-up suitcase.  He has stories to tell, stories that could change the lives of the Waverley women forever...

Lupin Monday!

Well Lupin is also feeling a little left out of the New Years Resolutions gig. Who'd have thought? So here are his:

First: He would like to lose a little more weight. ALMOST THERE!!!
Second: He would like to try to have a little more patience in regards to Thorin.
Third: He would like to learn how to make his own cookies.
Fourth: He says to heck with number 2! He wants to devote all his time to destroying the annoying bouncy brown puppy thing.

Should make for an interesting year in the Lendzion house!

White Fang Review

Title: White Fang

Author: Jack London

Copyright: 1906

Number of Pages: 298

Summary: White Fang by Jack London follows a part dog, part wolf cub as he goes from playful puppy-hood to ferocious killer. White Fang is born in the wilds of Northwest Canada where he learns early in his life that it is a kill or be killed world. Not long into his life though, his mother is recognized by an Indian as a dog his brother used to own.  As his mother rejoins the tribe, White Fang realizes that even though he would prefer to stay in the wild, he is just not ready to leave his mother.

From the tribe, White Fang learns to respect those who use “not live” things to bring on “the hurt.” Though he learned many difficult lessons through the discipline doled out to him from the tribe, nothing prepared him for the cruelty of man brought on to him by Beauty Smith, a man who buys White Fang from his Indian “God” through means of trickery and turns him into a fighting dog.

White Fang’s story receives its happy ending when a man happens upon the dog fighting ring by chance one evening and forces Beauty to sell White Fang to him. Through patience and kindness of his new master, White Fang learn that not all men are cruel and that not every world is kill or be killed.

Review: I have never read a book from the perspective of an animal, and White Fang is not just an animal, he is a vicious and deadly killer. I found the book to be a very intriguing read and would definitely agree that it is a book all should read.

I had a hard time with some of it though. At times, it felt like I was watching a show on Animal Planet where a lion is ripping apart a gazelle, only I couldn’t look away from the screen so I didn’t have to see it. Some of the kills in the book were difficult for me to stomach.

Next I am going to read A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness.

Back of the book states!  In this tale of passion and obsession, Diana Bishop, a young scholar and a descendant of witches, discovers a long-lost and enchanted alchemical manuscript,Ashmole 782, deep in Oxford's Bodleian Library. Its reappearance summons a fantastical underworld, which she navigates with her leading man, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont

After reading a classic I am jonesing for some fantasy. Have you read White Fang? If so, what did you think of it?

Thorin Monday! 1/5/15

If you are like me, then your Mondays can almost always use a little pick me up. My remedy for this is to start Thorin Mondays.

This weekend, Thorin expressed that he felt left out of the whole New Year Resolutions thing so he decided to make a few of his own.

First, he would like to try to lick less.
Second, he would like to try to fart less.
Third, he would like to try to convince his humans to feed him more often.
And Fourth, he would like to master the perfect head tilt so as to help with number three.

Book 1: "White Fang" by Jack London

Book 1: White Fang by Jack London.

Category: Read a book with nonhuman characters.

There is no particular reason why I chose to start with White Fang. It is probably because it is unlike anything I have read recently or ever.

Back of the book states:

“White Fang tells the story of a half-wolf, half-dog nearly destroyed by the cruelty of mankind. Brought to the very brink of existence, White Fang is lucky enough to experience the one thing that can save him – human love. Slowly, the ferocious White Fang grows into a creature capable of bravery, loyalty, and affection.”

Sorry for the short post, next week’s will be longer because I’ll talk about this book as well as state what the next book I’ll be reading is. 

January 2015 - Drink a Gallon of Water Every Day

So here we are, January 1, 2015. Today is the first day of our first resolution which is to drink a gallon of water every day. The alternative to this is to drink half a gallon a day which is 8 8oz glasses of water. For the month I will be doing the alternative version to this challenge.

First off, what do you need to do this challenge? When I am trying to drink more water I like to have a designated cup that is just for drinking water. Here is the one I have chosen to use. It is a 22oz cup so I basically need to drink 3 of these each day to get my water in.

Next, I need a fun way to track my water. I know there are a lot of phone apps out there that will help you do this, but I am a pen and paper kind of girl so I created a sheet that would make it more fun for me to check off each glass of water I drink. I used excel to create this awesome little sheet. All 31 days are listed and on each day I used a picture of a glass that I made teeeeeeeny tiny to represent the 8 glasses each day.

I also need my trusty blue Crayola marker to color in the glasses because as an adult I just don't get to color enough.

I do not think I will be getting all 8 glasses in today. It's 9:40PM and I have only had 6 glasses today. I might be able to squeeze one more glass out of the day but if I drink 2 more I will not get much sleep tonight!