#8: To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee

The one-third mark (of the new, more realistic challenge) is in sight! Nevermind the fact that we're nearly halfway through the year and I'm still behind. But it's okay! Summer = Book Challenge Recommencement. :)
I decided to indulge in a classic that I have read before, and why not count it in the challenge anyway, damn it.

I love love LOVE this book. The characters are intriguing, the plot creates a page-turner, and Lee's abundance of themes are admirable. I hadn't read it since I was about 14, so it was definitely time to pick up again! And, of course, being 7 years older, I certainly picked up on more. It was truly an enjoyable read to kick off my summer!

In other news: speaking of summer, I got a summer job, yay me! I will be working in the cafe of my local book store. I've always wanted to work in a bookstore because of the atmosphere, so it should be fun. And also the books. And also the discounts....

The one major downfall is that it pays pretty bad. Like, I'm pretty sure it's minimum wage. Oh well, soon enough I will return to my super awesome school year gig and be rich (just kidding on the rich part...)

Anyway, I have decided that, since I am working at a bookstore, there would be ZERO excuse for me not completing the book challenge (30, NOT 50- don't be fooled by the actual title of this blog, people). So, stay tuned! It's happening!!!

#7! Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins (FINALLY)

Well, the time has finally come where I have pulled my lazy face out of the food (not really actually, I'm still eating like a fat kid eats cake) and my lazy brain away from the TV (... also false) and finished the 7th book!

My general assessment: it was "aiight." To be quite honest, the feeling I had when I finished the last page was not "OMG amazeballs!" but rather more like "Good God, I've finally finished that series and I can move onto bigger and better things..."

I mean, I have no big complaints other than it wasn't anything special. Part of me wondered if it's because, at the age of 21, I've graduated from being a child who likes children's books! Ha. But then I realized that it really doesn't matter how old I am or the reading level of the book. A truly great piece of literature will bring joy to readers of all ages! As I've probably mentioned too many times already (in different words)... This is something Harry Potter does very well.

Yes, I realize I compare every young adult series to Harry Potter because, let's face it, Rowling set the bar pretty damn high! And why should we be easier on the books that follow?

Don't get me wrong, the Hunger Games series was good enough to get me to buy all three and keep reading. It's not very deep, but there are some parts that got me thinking and that is a start. And, I will say, the concept is very fascinating. Collins just could have done so much more with it.

On a scale of 1 to Harry Potter, I give the Hunger Games series a solid 5.

Not Book #7: In which I ramble about nothing and ignore the fact that this blog has nothing to do with its title

Our last freaking fundraiser (a "Happy Hour for the Cure") happened Friday and I can finally! FINALLY! enjoy a couple days of my summer before I start the dreaded job hunt. Oh woe is me. I have to be an adult and work. Boo hoo!

But first, I acted like a 40-year-old virgin and have been at my parents' for, like, a week now. It's nice to hang out with the fam damily AND NOT HAVE TO COOK OMG, but holy HOT DAMN, I need to go back home and grow the heck up.

So that is happening.... tomorrow. I stayed until my mom's birthday (which was yesterday) and I was going to go home today but SURPRISE, my mom asked me to stay tomorrow morning for the Culligan guy to fix their water softener. Which means I have exactly one more day to freeload.

Goals for the summer:

- GET A DING DANG JOB, GOSH.
- READ SOME STINKING BOOKS.
- Spend some time outside of the dark, cold cave that is my apartment, i.e) walk to the nearby park that I have yet to discover.
- Seriously work on the pasty whiteness that is my skin. When I was little, I would get so dark that people would mistake me for an African American (just kidding, but BARELY). Now people mistake me for a ghost (not really, but they could...) I need to stop being a vampire who is afraid of sunlight.
- Lose some weight and get rid of the cottage cheese that is my thighs and ass. Like, shedding 20-30 pounds would be amazing.
- Study for the death sentence GRE that will be taking place this fall. OMG STRESS.
- Shadow a speech pathologist. (Because I can only talk about it without actually doing it for so long...)
- I would LOVE to go on vacation.... Preferably a road trip of some kind. Because SUMMER.

This post is so embarrassing and the most scattered one I've ever written... ever.

I'm still alive...

Or barely, that is. This is the last week of classes and next week is finals week, so I'm sad to say I have not been anywhere near the world of literature. Well... I carry my book in my backpack every day, but that's the closest I get.

 I am aware that I am way way way behind if I want to get in 50-- or even just 30-- books in this year. (How did it get to be MAY already!?) But I told myself from the beginning that I didn't want to make reading (one of the few things that brings me peace) into a stressful event. I have so many deadlines in my life already: homework, exams, coaching obligations, fundraising...

 In fact, let's take this time to extend my blog beyond books in the mean time and share a little bit about what else I've been up to lately (besides stuDYING because that's nothing exciting).

 1. FUNRAISING, FUNDRAISING, and MORE FUNDRAISING

Some of my family and a couple friends are participating as a team in the Susan G. Komen 3Day for the Cure this August. We have to raise $2300 per person and we have a team of 5 (YIKES!) so we've been working really hard to raise enough for everyone to participate (without having to pay out of pocket, because you're actually obligated to the money once you sign up). Which is why I haven't technically signed up yet. If we don't raise enough, I, a college student, clearly do not have $2300 laying around. So, by suggestion of my smart mother, I am waiting until I know we have the money. But I've been fundraising and training (6-7 mile walks!) so I really hope we raise enough for me. Cross your fingers!

 In addition to the fundraising (and trying to keep my apartment clean/livable) I've found something else to bring me peace while reading isn't an option (because we all know I'll pick up a book, never put it down, and get nothing done!).

 2. Yoga!

 I LOVE IT! Summer is coming, which means I'll have to reveal a little more than I'm comfortable with due to the warm weather. I cut snacking down to a minimum (though I'm not on any strict diet) and since I hate running, I thought I'd try some daily yoga. I figured, hey, maybe it'll bring some peace and balance in my life... I have a DVD that I bought a while ago and tried a couple times:

I love this reality TV star! Besides the fact that she's freakin' hilarious, she's also sort of inspiring in a way. Anyway, I never really stuck with it, but I do remember enjoying it, so I wanted to try to get into a daily routine. I've now done four days in a row (I don't think I've ever stuck to a workout plan that long!) and going strong. The first day was BRUTAL but it got easier tenfold even the second day! I feel so relaxed, peaceful, balanced, and motivated when I finish. Yoga has such a detoxifying effect. This is my favorite among the poses I have learned:

Tree pose. :) Feels great!

 Stay tuned! As soon as finals are over, there's no doubt I'll get through my next book in a matter of just a few days!

#6: Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins

Naturally, to complete number 6 of 30 (or 50, who knows anymore?), I moved on to the second book of the extremely popular teen trilogy:

I like that this book has sort of an activist and empowerment parallel. I also think that the character development definitely improves from book one. As in The Hunger Games, the writing style is much less than brilliant and nothing special. But I can't help but want to read more about this country and its citizens. However, I'm not getting enough details! Collins fails in an area where Rowling doesn't. When we read Harry Potter we know so much about their world-- the currency, the government, popular literature, etc etc. There's a lot we don't know about Panem. And that's where I think the trilogy is lacking.

I'm reaching an age (yikes!) in which popular teen series are far from the first novels I pick up. I think I will always be curious about those that have become a sensation of sorts, but I'm more interested in classic literature, realistic fiction, and even non-fiction. I grew up with Harry Potter (love) and I was in high school during Twilight, but it's clear how I would rank the three:

Harry Potter................... Hunger Games.................................................................................................................................... Twilight. (Yeah, not a fan of Twilight.)

Book #5: The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

I finally gave in to the mainstream teen population and read The Hunger Games. If I had a dollar for every time someone said "YOU HAVE TO READ IT, OMGZ" I would be a rich lady!

It was good enough, but I think the hype built it up a little too much. Don't get me wrong, the story was compelling and I'll be reading the next books in the series, but it was no Harry Potter. :)

Here's to hoping I get the Kindle Fire I asked for for my birthday and I'll be able to get the next two soon!

Book #4: Sarah's Key - Tatiana de Rosnay

I continued my challenge with a book I bought awhile ago (by recommendation of my mother) that I've been excited to read for months:

It was absolutely SPECTACULAR! I've read a lot of good books in my time, and there have been a lot of them I liked, but very few make it to my list of all-time favorites. This would be one of those rare occasions! I can honestly say that I don't remember the last book I read that was this good and that I literally couldn't put down. Seriously. Read it.

Besides the fact that it has such a compelling story (two stories actually that merge into one so seamlessly), the author does a brilliant job of connecting so passionately the past, present, and future. While we read about a present-day journalist living in France and working on a piece about an underrated aspect of World War II, we are also given powerful pieces of a story about a little girl and her family being taken to camps by the French police. And, well, I won't give it away, but by the end, the two stories are brought together so beautifully.

It's hard to remember parts of human history, especially when it involves horrible suffering, pain, and loss. But this novel profoundly demonstrates the importance of allowing even the most painful times to be a part of us, today and tomorrow.

Magnificent read!