book review, books

Books Lately

It’s Show Us Your Books day!!! I have a feeling that my To Read list will be growing lots after reading all of your posts today. Let’s just get right to it, shall we?? For those of you who care nothing about books, stop back by later. I have another post scheduled with Erin’s link up.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me by Mindy Kaling

I loved The Mindy Project and could totally see myself hanging out and being BFF with Mindy in real life, so it was no surprise that I loved this book! I listened to the audiobook version and it was almost like listening to one long episode of her show. I won’t go in to a lot of detail her, but Mindy just talks about real life stuff. Her struggle with weight, what she is looking for in a guy, a bit about her time as a write for SNL and The Office, etc. One of my favorite lines was where she compared sci-fi to a romantic comedy saying that neither was like real life and it is all made up. So true, right?

Bottom Line: If you liked The Mindy Project or Mindy in general, read this book!

Everything I Left Unsaid by Molly O’Keefe

The premise of this book is what drew me to it. Annie, an innocent farm girl on the run from her abusive husband, lands herself in a trailer park with some interesting neighbors and a mysterious cell phone. The phone rings and Annie answers. It is a guy named Dylan who is trying to keep an eye on Annie’s neighbor Ben for reasons unknown. Annie and Dylan both have secrets, but are drawn to one another with some intense phone chemistry. They both use each other to get over their past, and become addicted to the rush they get from talking to one another on the phone.

This book delivers on action, suspense and romance. And to be honest, it was refreshing to see how raw, yet brave Annie was. It takes a truly strong person to leave the situation she was in. That is what makes a kick ass female lead in a book! Annie was far from perfect, but watching her push herself and be strong…that was inspiring. The ending sort of threw me for a loop. Not in a bad way.

Bottom Line – This was a great read. I really enjoyed all of the characters in the book. Reading through some of Annie and Dylan’s racy interactions on the phone was a little weird, but needed for the plot line.

I was provided a copy of this book (Everything I Left Unsaid) by the publisher and author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Reckless by Skye Jordan

This is the first book in Skye Jordan’s Renegade series, and this book was awesome!!! We meet Lexi, a couture wedding dress designer who has some pretty powerful and famous clients. Lexi’s best friend is a tech nerd who develops an app that she wants Lexi to try out while waiting for a flight to NYC. The same flight that the hot Jax whom she caught eye contact with in the drop off lane in front of the airport is on. Lexi starts to anonymously text Jax through this app and they hit it off. Unfortunately, both of them have been hurt in the past for being used. The love story that builds throughout this book is incredible. Sometimes being reckless reaps big rewards, sometimes it leaves you broken. I also loved that Lexi was a fashion designer. It was fun to read about her passion.

Bottom Line – I loved this book and highly recommend it. You get a risk, a love story, some hot passion, haute couture fashion and a bad boy. Probably one of my favorite reads this month!

My Kind of Love by Kristin Miller

I had found this book for free through iBooks which was super exciting and figured I would give it a try. It was a short book, less than 200 pages but I felt it was a decent enough length to get the story out, and the story was something that could really happen. Harlow ran out on her wedding day after finding out her ex cheated on her with her school’s principal. She runs back to Blue Lake, her small home town, and runs into her old crush Dane. Dane is an adventurous guy with some serious commitment issues. Even though Harlow has a bad relationship, she still believes in true love.

I loved that Dane had a blog that he tried to tie in to his business. It was very relate-able and cool to see in a book since blogging is one of my favorite hobbies as well!

Bottom Line– There are some funny parts to this book, some real life raw emotion, a little romance, and a great love story. There was nothing that really stood out to make me say wow, what an amazing read…but I enjoyed it none the less! Plus, it was great that it was on the shorter side. Most books I read are well over 300 pages.

Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

This book. This book gave me all the feels!!!! I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I started. I knew the book was written from a dogs perspective and I guess I thought it was going to be happy go lucky. But no. It was so deep, thoughtful and honestly…I straight up cried a few different times.

Not to give too much away, but the book basically tells the story of Enzo’s life through his own eyes. Enzo is the dog, obviously. His master, Denny, is a race car driver and the book uses a lot of race analogies and vocabulary to understand how to drive through life. There are several twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting when I picked this book up. I sort of saw them coming once I got in to it, but that wasn’t an issue for me.

Some of my favorite quotes were:

“That which you manifest is before you.”

“No race has ever been won in the first corner; many races have been lost there”.

Bottom Line – Absolutely read this book!!! Especially if you are a dog lover, but even if you aren’t. Literally all of the feels.

Micah by Jo Raven

Micah is near death and homeless when Ev meets him for the first time. Ev has a soft spot for those that are  homeless and in need. She calls an ambulance for Micah and ends up needing one herself during her wait. Fast forward to a few months later, when Ev can’t get the boy who she tried to save out of her mind. Did he make it? And Micah who has recovered and noticed Ev at a coffee shop across the street from his tattoo parlor where he now works.

They meet once again, though Ev doesn’t realize that Micah is the boy she saved. They have this deep connection right from the start, and they explore on that has Micah tries to figure out what Ev is afraid of….and Ev tries to dig into Micah’s past.

Bottom Line: I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read, and I had a hard time putting it down because I had to know what happened next!

I also read Secrets of Maple Syrup Farm and reviewed it here.

I started to read All the Light We Cannot See but couldn’t get in to it and put it down. I think I have to be in the right mood for that book and I just wasn’t.

Right now I am reading Before We Were Strangers

Life According to Steph
weekend shenanigans

Weekend Shenanigans

I think most kids are going back to school around here this week, if they haven’t already. I guess that means that the summer commute is over and I must resume to leaving a lot earlier than I do now!

Friday evening Chris and I ran by Publix and picked up some steaks and took them to his parents house for dinner. His dad is an excellent grill master 🙂 It had been so long since we had some steaks.

Saturday morning I cut our side yard and worked on the landscaping a little, cleaned the house and then we decided it was time for lunch! We ended up at Mugshots in Uptown. I think I am turning in to a burger snob for sure. Most people love Mugshots, and I used to like it as well but I am going to be honest…it really just wasn’t that good. I mean the burger was ok. I got the Walker that had blue cheese crumbles, blue cheese dressing, lettuce and purple onions on it, but it wasn’t amazing. The fries were rather terrible and I only ate about 1/2 of them, only because I was starving. They do have really good sweet buns though. The only saving grace of the burger, really.

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After Mugshots, we met up with some of our friends at World of Beer, of course! I really wanted another Blue Pants Candy Bar Pinstripe, but they had already blown that keg. Drats!!! So I decided to try a Terrapin Liquid Bliss instead.

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Don’t get me wrong, this beer was good! It had a nice chocolate after taste to it and it went down smooth. But it was no Candy Bar Pinstripe. I am going to be on a quest to find another Pinstripe for sure!

I also had an Woodchuck Oopsy Daisy and WOB now has Sprecher Root Beer on draft all the time, so I had one of those too. It was hot as balls outside, and that root beer was so refreshing! It quite literally felt like this…

We also hit the 100 club with our loyalty points! Life goals people, life goals.

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Saturday evening we grabbed some Moe’s BBQ to take home and watch Hart of Dixie. I also started a new book, Before We Were Strangers.

Sunday morning I was up early and headed to the store to beat the tax free weekend crowd. You wouldn’t believe how many people had the same idea. It was crowded! The rest of the day was spent meal prepping and laying on the couch watching more Hart of Dixie! We are already half way through season 3!

This month is already flying by, today is the 10th!! I am not even sure how that is possible? I have a feeling that this week is going to be a busy one, so let’s get this Monday going! I hope everyone has a fabulous week!

friday favorites

Friday Favorites

Favorite Song:Gonna Wanna Tonight by Chase Rice has been on repeat basically all week for me.

Favorite Delivery: Nothing is better than opening the mailbox and seeing a surprise! I received this sweet card and teas from Tracie! I have been trying them out this week, delicious!!! If you haven’t checked out her blog, you need too!

Favorite Recipe: These Buffalo Meatballs look delicious, do they not?? I am thinking this would be perfect for game day!

Buffalo Meatballs | foodnfocus.com

Favorite Pin:I love how cozy this bedroom looks! I have been planning ways to incorporate plants throughout our home, and I love how they have a special table for one. We totally have the space to do that in our room near a window!

╰☆╮|| you make the stars shine || ╰☆╮

 

Favorite Quote:

You "find" your soul-mate when you stop looking and just become yourself/who you're supposed to be.

Favorite Links: 

Use it or lose it.

Hacks for minimizing your life. 

Well known food companies that are doing things to make their food healthier.

Favorite Funnies: 

#funny   #hilarious #humor #WTF #lol #bored   #fun

How I feel about the youth of our country…

entitlement.

keep it up & you'll be the strange smell in the trunk

19 Movies That Would Be Funny If Watched Backwards

19 Movies That Would Be Hilarious Backwards - BuzzFeed Mobile- the Titanic one is the best

Daily Funny Collection (21 Pics)

17 Relatable Truths That Are Too Real To Handle | Funny All The Time

Daily thoughts…

The Inner Monologue Of Employees At Work Today Office Thoughts (14 Pics)

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!!!

Linking up with Amanda.

currently

Currently

Listening to: Podcasts. Specifically catching up on Undisclosed, Birmingham Shines, Being Boss and Jenna & Julien this week since I got behind.

Watching: This weeks episode of Pretty Little Liars. Was that not the most anti-climatic episode ever??? Next week better be freaking epic.

Reading: Micah from the Damage Control series. I only have about 40 pages left so I hope to finish it today!

Drinking: Tea!! All of the teas! I am loving Tazo’s Iced Blushberry Black tea on my way to work in the mornings. I have been sipping on their Passion and Bigelow’s Mint Green during the work day. Antioxidants everywhere!

Wanting: To get some plants going around the house. I think I finally have a few spots picked out.

Working Out: With the Nike training app! I love to just randomly pick a work out on here and go with it.

 

Lusting: All of the fall things! The season is almost here. Aren’t these booties so perfect?

Excited: For my birthday! I don’t know why, but I have a good feeling about 32. I want this to be my year.

Counting Down: For my very first link up!

What's Your Sign Link Up Button

What have you been up to?

 

Hodgespodges
confessions, Uncategorized

Deep Thought Confessions and a Link Up Announcement!

–The other day I was reading a blog post by a twenty something. I don’t recall what the post was about but I remember her saying something about graduating college in 2012. While I have no desire to go back to my twenties, it made me think. I didn’t much appreciate college while I was there. I didn’t absorb everything I could because I just wanted to take classes to graduate and move on to my real life. I think college would be better served for the mind of a 30 or 40 something. Someone who knows who they are and is comfortable with themselves enough to get the most out of each class. Thoughts? #toocoolforschool

–I am deeply disturbed by all this Planned Parenthood crap about selling fetal body parts. Um, it is illegal to sell body parts. Period. #fuckedup

–I finished reading The Art of Racing in the Rain the other day and it has really changed my perception of what my dogs may be thinking/feeling. Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could read their thoughts?? #dogsarepeopletoo

–I looked out the window at the full moon on Friday evening and thought to myself…well that makes sense! Have you ever noticed that weird shit happens on the full moon? That people are a little off or moody? #fullmoon #werewolves

Thinking of the full moon got me thinking about astrology. Astrology got me thinking about how I sometimes identify with being a Leo and yet am complete opposite at the same time. Then it got me wondering about all of my blogging friends and if they identify with their sign or not? I thought….what a great topic of a one time link up!!!

Link up with Laura and I for the What’s Your Sign link up, Wednesday, August 19th!

What's Your Sign Link Up Button

You can write about whether or not you identify with your sign. If you are a fan of astrology or think it is total bullshit. Anything that deals with the topic is fine.

Confessions in ecard

so true.

YES!

Funny jokes, Lmao quotes, jokes quotes, funny pictures …For the funniest pictures and jokes funny visit www.bestfunnyjokes4u.com/rofl-best-funny-joke-pic/

Lol yep this is me. I would rather hang out with my dogs most of the time. Only a select couple of people I enjoy hanging out with.

◆I LOOOVE this because it's SO true!!! :D Although, I'd have to add in class...can't forget in class... Way back when (;D)...I'd definitely have to own up to "a coupla" mini-slumbers while trapped in a lecture hall...subjected to a BORING lesson or two (or a few). ◆

Bahahaha!

yup

 

#Hashtaghumpday @ Life with Lolo