Reading list

Ok so this year I had planned on doing a 12 in 12 book challenge, however I would really like to do more than that. But as of right now this is my current reading list now that my DCA course work has ended.

You Are a Bad ass by
Think like a success act like a success by Steve Harvey
Instinct by TD James
Jump by Steve Harvey
Mrs perigrine's home for peculiar children trilogy
Etc.

I am not entirely sure what else to add to this list, but I am sure I will find some at the local library I would like to read.

Hectic week.

So long story short, I lost my job as of this past Monday. We as a store found out last week Friday, that the company we worked for was filing for state bankruptcy and would be shutting the doors to all of their stores on the following Sunday. It is still really difficult for me to grasp the situation in which I find myself, I have never been unemployed without a just reason (being a full time student). And while I don't really want to go into too much detail about the situation, I have taken he initiative and filed for unemployment even though I have been looking like crazy for a new job as soon as possible. 

I also picked up a couple of books to read and might even spend some time at the local library again, I'm kind of excited about that. 

On just about the most random thought I also requested for some information about a beauty school in the area. It wasn't on a whim either lots of people over the years have suggested it to me and I have thought about it multiple times. It just never really seemed like a good/stable job option to me. But in the situation I find myself wishing that I had a career trade to fall back on. We shall see how this appointment goes.  

Well that is all that I have for you guys at the moment, and look out for a book review in the next couple days (I started it last night) as well as some baking/crockpot posts. I am hopeful for this year and cannot wait to show you what it brings. 

As always Luv ya all and I will talk to you soon. 

Currently reading and a wee but of random thoughts.

Well as you will have seen in my collective book haul, I have been on a bit of a no spend rule at the moment. Which has put a serious dent in my reading goals for the year. But no more, after getting those books I have been going crazy reading them. But right now here is what I am currently reading, 

Yep non-fiction again, so it is gonna take me a while to read this. Just like when I read Quiet, I have to keep stoping in order to process what I am reading, I can't just breeze through it like I would a young adult novel. Although I must say I don't even wish I could, I am really enjoying reading though it page by page and pausing every few paragraphs to meditate on what I had just read. It's strange. 

I am also reading this little puppy 

On a day to day basis, I like the idea of a daily read, and to be honest reading this has gotten me into the idea of trying to find a church in my area. Not that this book has anything to do with bible study, I just kind of feel like if I don't find a church soon I will lose my mind. But being a catholic in a Mennonite area I am finding it difficult, never mind that I have to work most weekends anyway. But anyway back on topic, I don't know should I be using this book as a type of journaling prompt? What do you all think? 

Sorry I have a few more posts written up for this, but let me know should I continue to post my workout posts on here or should I find something else to write about? I don't really feel to comfortable talking about too much work related things, just because I don't knoe who reads this and it's way too much drama for me anyway. (But honestly I do write it down I just don't publish them or even write them online for that matter.) gotta love the diary. Well that is it for me today, gotta get back to work on this new ad-change. Hope you all have an amazing night/day whenever you happened by this post. And as always luv ya all and thanks for listening. 

Collective book haul.

I have fallen really extremely behind on my reading goal for this year within the last coue of months, between the move and switching locations for my job, I just haven't had the time to get to the library. So this post is about the books I have collected in the last couple of moNths in hopes of having time to read including those that were given to me, thrift store finds, and books from the local book store. 

Thrift store goodness: 

Now this is a book I have been looking everywhere for ever since I heard about it from Jen over on organized like Jen on YouTube, yes I know that just because someone else likes a book it is no reason to buy it one's self. But I did find it at the thrift store and I had been looking for a type of devotional book for a while, and it was a 1/2 off books sale that day. (Notice the rationalizing of spending $1.50 on a book) add to that it was bought by the bf as a reward for being good on my no-spend month. He also got this for me, 

The cover art and title got me with this one and it was only $2 plus 1/2 off so you know. 

Bookstore:

Picked this up for the simple reasoning of needing to improve my people skills, and wanting to move forward in a career that I will be able to feel comfortable with. Add to that it has been recconended by my family and friends for years, my dad had even suggested it when I was in high school, I wish I had read it then or at the very least when I was in college. 

(Not pictured How to gain friends and influence people)

I picked up this book for the simple reason of it was suggested reading by several books I have read previously in college. I am not to sure if I will keep it, it is still sitting in the bag with the receipt, but I have a few more days to make that call. I also didn't take a picture of it just in case I do return it I don't want to be a total liar. 

Well that is it for now I really need to get ready for work. Hope you all have a wonderful day and as always luv ya all!

Book review: The Fault in Our Stars

So I caved I finally bought and read this book, my little sister raved about it while she was reading it during our trip to Florida in febuary and I said I would read it. Now I will be completely honest I am a big YA fiction reader have been since middle school when many of the series's I became obsessed with started out. Anyway back onto the topic of this book. 

John Green did a great job of bringing emotion to the surface of this novel, I say this because not many of the novels I have read have ever made me come to the point of tears and yet this one did. While I do not care for the ending I do somewhat understand why it had to end that way. Can't have too much fear in one novel right? Well anyway while I do not know much about Mr. Green, I don't think that this novel is enough to push me to read the rest of his books. I mean to be totally upfront on the topic the only reason I read this besides my sister's suggestion was that it is coming out in theaters and I might want to see it. So there is that as well. 

Would I read it again?.... Maybe I don't know. Would I reccomed it to someone else?... Probably not, I don't think it is worth the hype it is getting to be honest. Maybe I should have read it a while ago and I might feel different about it, but with all the raving reviews and amazing amouts of praise I have seen it get I don't really think it was worth the $9.08 I spent on it at Walmart. 

With that said, I cannot wait for the next book in the Green Rider series to come out next month. 

Qotd: what are you most excited for in the month of May? It can be anything at all. 

March faves late... Really late!

I know it is almost time for me to write up my April favorites post at this point, but I figured since I did the work I would write this up anyway. And besides I need something to take my mind off the fiasco of moving, but more on that later onward to the March favorites. 

This month I will start with what I put on my nails. In March I kind of went crazy with the nail colors but at the same time felt like I hadn't changed them up at all, however looking at my list I did. I had 2 absolute faves; Rocky and Odette both by Zoya polish, both of which I applied three separate times over the course of the month. 

Rocky as you can see is an absolutely gorgeous Tiffany/robins egg blue which I found to be perfect for spring, I did buy it during the month of March as well which is why it is pictured with another polish (second polish is pussy galore by OPI). 

Odette was actually I think a favorite last month as well. It is from zoya's nudes line and I love the purple of it. 

Now I will be honest, I cannot keep a manicure looking even halfway decent for longer than a couple of days (by a couple I mean like 2-3) before it starts chipping and I have to either reapply or take it off because of my job. But I still haven't gone totally through my collection and we shall see what the summer holds. 

As far as makeup favorites go I haven't really changed things up too much, other than my mascara. This month I rediscovered my volumizing mascara by Mally beauty,

 I cannot believe I forgot how much I liked this stuff. First it has a classic style bristle brush not a plastic spiky thing, so it separates my lashes while at the same time making them fuller and darker in color. Second it dries so fast once on the lashes, but doesn't dry out in the tube. I love it so much, it is one of the few mascaras that I have tried that I can also get at all of my lashes with the wand and not get mascara all over my eyelid. The packaging is really understated and classic as well and I simply love it. 

My last favorite for this post is a tuff one, my favorite book I read this month. I was able to read three books before things got really crazy at work. But I would have to say my favorite of those three was The Help, although it is bound to change again later on, who knows. 

Now that is all for today and I hope you all had a fantastic Easter weekend. As for me I am about to get ready to check on the new apartment fiasco again. I hope to update you all on my living situation shortly. And as all ways luv you all and stay safe. 

Book review: Shadow and Bone

This book was an amazingly fast read. I picked it up a couple weeks ago in the bargin books section of Books A Million, my local book store. This book follows the life of a young girl who grew up as an orphan. It is a fantasy novel, similar to the Green Rider series by Kristin Britain, or atleast it seems that way to me. 

I do intend to read the second book, but I do have a bit of a long to be read list at this point in time. So I will be picking that up in the next couple weeks. 

Would I recommend this book, possibly if you want a book that will take a bit of time to read, no I wouldn't. But if you want a really fast read, or if you are a young teen, yes I would recommend this book for you. 

Book review: The Help

So this week I read The Help by Katheryn Stockett. This book follows the lives of three women in Jackson, Mississippi set to the backdrop of the civil rights movement of the 1960's. While it was a slow read to begin with, because like I have said before, historical fiction and non-fiction aren't really things that pick up my interest. The jumping around from person to person didn't help too much either. But over all not a bad book, I honestly can't believe it had taken me so long to read it. But I will say that I didn't really care too much for the ending.

Would I recommend this book? Yea I think I would, it is a good read and I did enjoy it. Would I read it again? Probably not any time soon, it was just too hard to stay focused on it for long periods of time before I hit the halfway point. I mean I had to keep looking at the table of contents to see how much longer I would have to be reading the same chapter. I am glad that I did read it though. 

Well that is it for this review. Next up I think I might read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies again, I am not sure though or maybe I will actually pick up and finish The Diviners. 

What would you choose? And as always luv ya all!

Book review: Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children

Well I am hoping to finally get back to writing my book reviews again, and while I know this one has been out for a while (I got it on my nook when it came out) and I have even read it before. I wanted to re-read it and review it before I got into the sequal.

This is the story how of Jacob Portman came to understand his grandfather Abraham better after his death. To avoid giving away any of the plot, I won't tell you too much, just that it is a dark story somewhat set in the past (world war 2 era) as well as the present. 

Needless to say I absolutely adored this book the first time I read it and even having read it again I still get slightly scared at certain points in the story.  

I would most definately recommend this book to anyone over the age of about 8 yrs old. Just for the grim and gore in some points. Although I suppose it isn't really any worse than Harry potter. 

Hope you all are having a great day. And as always Luv Ya All!

Book Review: Torment (book #2 Fallen series)

Well to be honest, when I started this book it wasn't my favorite. It reminded me a bit of Harry Potter and the half blood prince, all that whining and self pity. That kind of thing in books really does tend to get on my last nerve. I don't know why, but the plus side is that after about a third of the way through the book it did pick up finally. 

While I don't like giving things away with these reviews, I do like how Luce finally takes things into her hands to figure out her past. Never mind Daniel and the rest of them, I think that Luce might finally come into her own as a heroine in the next book in this series. I might have to pick it up for my trip in a couple weeks or just get it at the library on Monday. 

Overall would I recommend it...eh maybe not. It was a bit of a pain to get into and that was annoying. It did end on a good level for me just wish that it was that well written at the beginning. 

January favorites

Yup I'm doing another of these posts, and you know what? I actually kept a running tally of what I wore and how often I used each thing listed here today. That is merely for my own benefit so that I know I am not misleading anyone. (Gotta cover my bases right?) anyway on with the favorites.

Nails: in January I really tried to keep up with my manicure and pedicure for work purposes. But I kind of fell out of love with it. My favorite nail polish purchase this month was definitely

Innie Minnie Mighty Bow by OPI. I painted my nails this color 3 times over the course of the month after I picked it up on clearance at ULTA. Possibly one of the best colors ever I have big plans for this color for February too. 

Lips: my favorite lip products this month were my EOS lip balms, soecifically the blue berry muffin

from the Disney Alice in wonderland collection and the passion fruit flavor. I know the Alice collection was limited and no longer available. However they do have a blueberry acai flavor one out now. 

Lipstick/lip color wise, I am still stuck on my Revlon products. And came up with a pretty close tie between three of them, the lip butter in red velvet, and the balm stain in honey, and sweetheart. 

Lotion: I recently ended up with super dry skin this winter, and nothing was helping with it. Until I picked up this bad boy

Vaseline intensive rescue repairing lotion, I love it. And it has helped to heal my insane cracked and dry hands. It's funny I came to the east coast from a very dry climate and never had an issue with dry skin till I moved here. Oh well I'm sure I will acclimate eventually. 

Clothes: if I could live in my jeans and sweaters I would this month. But I was working a lot so my outfits consisted of black pants and black shirts. Days off I was running a lot the second half of the month as well. Yep a boring fashion life. Hoping February is more interesting. 

Random: I do have a couple of random favorites this month, though. First my new planner

I really like the month on two pages layout it has at the beginning (the full year) then it goes into the week on two pages. I really like this because I can just write in my work schedule in the front and know at a glance what I am doing for the next 2-4 weeks without getting confused. 

Second random favorite is reading. If you have been reading my blog, you will have noticed that every Wednesday since the start of the year, I have been posting either a review of a book I recently read or some other book/reading related post. I am loving reading fiction novels again and have fallen so deep for them that I even made a resolution to read a certain number of books. Weird I know but hey it is expanding my vocabulary right? Well that is it for today, let me know if you would like for me to do a recap of the books that I read each month within my favorites post.  

And as always luv ya all!

So what were your favorite things this month?

Book review: The Lovely Bones

{photo of book}

So I really enjoyed this book by Alice Seabold. The way that she tells Susie's story is amazing. even though Susie never really grows up, she does seem to experience the actions of it through her living family members. 

As a whole I loved, and I mean loved, this book, (I kind of feel like there isn't a book out there that I wouldn't love or at least like a little bit... Oh yea twilight.) Although there were some points that did leave me cold and nauseous, those were things that were needed to further the story line and I understand why they were included. Right now though I am curious to see if they are included in the movie adaptation of this book as well, or if Hollywood just glossed over the deeper points in the novel as they usually do to save on time.  

Would I recconend this book to someone else? Yes, if they can handle the deep subject matter. The book does focus quite a bit on death and the dead. But it is true that it is a unique coming of age story, and if you like that kind of storyline this is a great book to read. 

I know this is a short review, but I can't really think of anything that wouldn't give away all of the story. But I suppose if you have already seen the movie it wouldn't really matter right?

Well that is all for today hope you guys are having a great Wednesday, and please come back and visit me soon. Next weeks review will be... {photo torment}

And as always luv ya!

Book Review: Shatter Me

So yep it's that time again... For another book review. Today I will be talking about

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi.

Can I just say I absolutely adored this book. It was completely different from what I have been reading recently and although there were a couple of plot holes (I am really hoping she fills them in with the rest of the series). I do have a feeling that Adam and Juliette might not be completely right for one another. And I am also curious about Castle's role in the next book as well. 

I am kind of worried that Juliette might just be jumping from one place to another to just be a pawn in this massive game of chess between Castle's resistance and Warner's army. 

I loved how Mafi used a kind of stream of conciousness writing style to tell the story from Juliette's perspective. And how shattered her mind seems at the beginning of the novel. It was really refreshing for me to have a character who appears to be completely insane, be pretty mentally stable. 

Would I recconend this book? Hands down yes I would. I plan to bring it with me to Florida so my little sister can read it as well. Now if you are reading this post and haven't read the book I do apologise I did not give too much of the story line away. So please go pick it up and give it a good read. 

Now if you will excuse me I am off to go pick up the next book. Unravel Me. 

As always luv ya all! Talk to you again soon. 

Book review: Quiet

Quiet

Susan Cain

Published: January 12, 2012

So this was probably one of the most difficult books I have read since leaving college. It's not that I didn't enjoy the book, I did. I think it was just I was finding  that I was getting more and more frustrated with myself because I had set a time limit for when I thought I would be finished with this book. 

It was quite the interesting read about introversion and how to live within a society that appears to only encourage outgoing personalities. I think another reason that this was such a difficult read for me was he fact I could put myself into a lot of the examples that she had used. 

I think later in the year I might pick this book up again just to try and focus on it a bit more. 

Would I recommend this book to a friend... Most definitely, in fact I already asked the bf if he would like to read it (he's very extroverted and I am clearly not). Do I think any of my friends will read it if I recommend it... Probably not. But I will be bringing it with me to Disney world to see if my Dad might find it interesting.     

Big Girl Panties! Review

I know I had originally wanted the first book I finished of 2014 to be Quiet by Susan Cain, but I was having issues finishing and needed something a little bit lighter to read for the last weekend. Between hospital visits and calling around for an appointment. Yeah but you all don't want to hear about that. On to the review...

I really liked this book, it was a vast departure from what I had been reading (YA and then nonfiction), and was also not quite your average trashy romance novel either. It has just enough too keep you reading though. 

I really liked Holly and Logen's relationship and how it developed. Being a thick girl working on becoming healthy I connected with her on a very basic level and could understand her malice towards the world.

 Logan on the other hand was played up to be this sort of self absorbed little rich prick, and the fact that from the beginning he was fighting an attraction to Holly seemed out of place. This could be my high school prejudices coming into play as well (I knew one to many like him then) which is why they're relationship seemed out of place. 

But I suppose that is what Stephanie was going for when she wrote the book as a way to get out of stereotypical roles and see things in a new light. 

Over all I really liked this book, as it was exactly what I was looking for, a quick and slightly enticing read. Would I read it again? Probably, it was cute and enjoyable a perfect first read if you have never read a trashy romance novel. 

Bookish things... A book haul

So I have been on a massive book buying binge over the last couple of weeks, I think it might have something to do with not being able to get through the book I am currently reading very quickly. In the last week and a half I have bought seven books and finished... drum roll please... None, zip, zilch, nadda, not a single book has been completed. I wish that I could say that it was because of running, crafting, or some other logical pursuit, related to this blog in some way, but alas it is not.

To be honest, I have missed having books all around me, old books in a dusty, musty library (I think I would kill to be back in the library on the CSU campus again). But I also miss my own personal collection of novels and books that I had collected from when I was a child. And I think that is why this new little collection has begun. 

Wow that was a load of exposition for a pretty short list of books...So here are the books that I picked up:

Big Girl Panties

 by Stephanie Evanovich

Published: July 9, 2013

I am actually kind of really excited to read this one, so excited I read the first couple of pages already. But anyway I got this one in the clearance section of Target for a very super good price. 

 Shatter Me 

By Tahereh Mafi

Published: November 15, 2011

I picked this one up at BAM for $9.99 which isn't bad for a novel of this length. In the interest of full disclosure I bought this book for the cover art alone. I don't know why but I am always drawn to eyes. And this one is just crazy and I love how they did it. I also read the first couple pages in the store to see if I would be interested in keeping the book or if it was just going to be a kind of book you get at the library we shall see. 

Zero Day 

by David Baldacci

Published: 2011

This is another book I picked up in BAM, only this time it was in the bargin books section. Crazy good deal. And it is my bf's favorite author so that was a bonus. 

Torment 

By Lauren Kate

Published: September 28, 2010

Book 2 in the fallen series of books. I am so curious to figure out what happens between Daniel, Cam, and Luce. I had a really difficult time finding this book. And did not want to buy any of the rest of the series until I could get that one (no temptation to read things out of order). But I picked this one up on Friday before I went into work from BAM for $4.97 about what I had paid for Fallen at Target. So excited. 

The Lovely Bones 

By Alice Sebold

Published: 2002

This is a book I have been wanting to read since I saw the movie and just haven't been able to find it, until this past Friday that is. Got it at BAM as the free as part of the buy 2 get 1 free promotion they are having right now. I am so excited to read this one. 

The Deviners 

By Libba Bray

Published: September 18, 2012

This book was the third book I picked up on Friday. I picked it up not just for its length but also because of all of the good things that I have been reading and hearing about it in the book blogging and book tube communities. I am excited to read it although it probably will not be until maybe march when I get to it. 

Random thoughts.

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Well it is Monday and I did not get a single run in last week. Every time that I made plans to something ended up happening between the rain/snow/ice mix a couple times this week to twisting my ankle again at work. But over all it has been a pretty productive week.I have amost finished a crochet project (more on that later today). I had thought that non-fiction books were not for me (see post {here} about that) turns out I was just having issues focusing on it but once I got into the book it had been moving along at a decent clip. If you are curious it is still this book that I am reading

 I even bought a new agenda to help keep me organized and it is working out pretty well. I might post about it later, as I have to figure out how to switch things around and out of my old planner. But I do so love the colors of this one

And I got it on clearance cause the new year has already started. And on a side note not having a planner to organize my days was one of the reasons I was having difficulty focusing on my reading. now that I have this one I can plan out my whole month with my work schedule and blogging schedule as well. So excited with all this. Well that is it for now, look out for my crafty update later today. 

Non-fiction... Not for me?

So I have been reading the book Quiet by Susan Cain for a couple of days now and only reached page 77, I am finding that I need to re-read passages as I go along to be sure that I under stand the point she is trying to reach. Unfortunately I also think that the fact that I haven't finished it in the time that I had allotted myself for it is causing me to become slightly depressed. Mind you that I really do enjoy the book in general and I do believe that if I hadn't placed this mental time limit on myself that I would not be feeling this way.

But with everything that has been going on in the last week, I think I might just need to set this book aside for a faster paced novel for a couple of days.. Come back to it refreshed with an open mind. I think that because I am an introvert that this book might also be strickimg a cord in me that I do not like from when I was in high school as well. But who knows. Anyway I might take a different book with me into work today, as I need to leave early because of the snow and ice on the ground. It is gonna be a fun day.

Fallen... book review ish thing.

So I recently read Fallen, the first book in the Series by Lauren Kate.

I really did enjoy it and it was a very quick read for me, lasting only a couple of days of reading after work. My only issue is that I am always getting into book series where the second book is a real pisser to get a hold of. I mean I did the same thing with Enders Game and I still haven't finished the Divergent series either. But this post is not about them, let me get back onto topic shall I.

Anyway I am sure that many of you have already read this book and if you haven't I think you are missing out. It is a novel which falls in the Young Adult category of reads maybe even teen fiction. I know that I am probably a little old to be reading such things, but the adult romance novels are either too old for my tastes or are overtly sexual. This novel being YA has all of the angst of new love without the super sexual undertones. And while I have not read the following novels yet (I plan to in the next month) I can feel where the story might be going for young Daniel and Luce. I really cant wait. anyway I really don't want to give any of the story line away. But you all should really read it, that is all I have to say at the moment.

Luv ya all!

Happy New Year!

So I had planned to stay up last night and wish you all a happy new year at midnight, buuut I definitely wasn't able todo that. You see I have to work today. But I wanted to let you all know what my first book of 2014 is.... 

Quiet by Susan Cain is quite the interesting read so far, although to be honest I picked it up thinking it was a novel about people... I'm not sure why but it is actually a look into the roles that introverts play in society today. And being an introvert myself, it is giving me quite a bit of insight into why I feel like I do most days. 

When I am finished I might make the bf read it too. So that he understands that it isn't his fault when I don't feel like talking about my feelings like ever. 

Well now it is time to focus on work I will have a real post for you all later today. Again Happy New Year!!!!