What I'm Reading Now...

I. LOVE. READING. I always have, & I hope I always will! One of my favorite things to do is to go to a book store and just wander around looking for something to catch my attention. Something new. Something I haven't heard about yet. It's so exciting to me to think that I will discover something great and be able to spread the word! I would feel so accomplished.

Just one problem though - when I do that, I usually hate the book that I pick out. Sad. I have come to the realization that I am horrible at choosing books. Why? I do what you're not supposed to do, and I totally judge that book by it's cover. I mean come on - if they can come up with a good cover, then they are probably smart enough to write a good book. Well, that logic doesn't follow. (With a few exceptions! YAY! See below)

So I gave in, & I read "The Help." Just like everyone else in America. And LOOOOOOVED it! Just like everyone else in America. So if you're putting off reading it just because you think "everyone else is doing it" - stop that right now. Read it. It took me only 3 days because I couldn't stop!

Before "The Help", I read "Nothing to Envy, Ordinary Lives in North Korea" by Barbara Demick. 

Amazing! If you know me at all,  you would know that I am not one to go for non-fiction. I'm all about magic and unicorns and worlds that exist beyond this one...but for some reason I really wanted to read this book. 

It was in the "Staff Recommendations" at a local bookstore in DC, so I guess I technically didn't find it myself - whatever. But it was really, really good and so eye-opening. If you don't know anything about Communism in North Korea (a la me!), I think you would really like it. Demick visited North Korea herself and also interviewed 6 North Korean defectors to write this book. A satellite picture like this one is the opening of Chapter 1

How CRAZY is that?? Check it out!

At my latest excursion to B&N (back in May or so) I picked out a few books. The only that I have read is "A Man in Uniform" - historical fiction about the Dreyfus Affair (late nineteenth century Paris). Not the best, not the worst. But this one I did pick out all by myself in B&N, so of course it wouldn't be the best. I mean check out the cover - I was hooked! I'm totally the girl at the bottom with the parasol. 

Even though I still have TONS of books on my shelf to read - I picked up one at Anthropologie the other week and have chosen that as my next read. Duh, everyone always gets their intellectual stimulation at Anthro. It's called "Lunch in Paris. A love story with recipes" by Elizabeth Bard. I've only been reading it one night (and only 10 pages - embarrassing), but it is already really cute! I am dying to travel again {to PARIS} so I thought this would be a good way to live vicariously through someone else writing about it. Haven't come to any recipes yet, but I'll be sure to share one on here when I do.

Happy Reading!!

XOXO

I Looooooove...

So it's been a while {again} since I've posted anything here! My bad. I have been keeping busy with traveling & appearances, which is good for me! I've seen a bunch of other bloggers that do a "What I'm Loving Now" post every now & again, so I wanted to post about some of the things that I'm loving right now!

1. My book. Soooo I finished my book!!! OMG. I got a bad sunburn when I was in Miami because I was reading while I was laying out & forgot to turn. I seriously couldn't read it fast enough :) Amaze-balls. Now I'm reading Tea Rose {recommended by my Boost}, & I haven't really gotten into it just yet. I'm definitely going to stick with it though! We shall see.

2. Kate Middleton. I can't get enough of Kate Middleton. Of course I'm so jealous that she is going to be a princess, but mostly I've been obsessed with her hats! How fabulous is she? I think I will start a hat revolution here in the States... who's with me??

And my faves:

3. Gold Necklaces. I was always a silver jewelry person until about 6 months ago. Why the switch? No clue! First I got this necklace from Stella & Dot.

It's their Signature Clover Necklace, & apparently was featured in Cosmo. It's long & delicate & goes with everything. I just love it! Then I wanted a shorter necklace that was still special & versatile, & I found this one from Swarovski, the Clover Pendant. {horrible picture...makes it look cheap}

Apparently I like clovers? Who knew. This necklace has 3 different length options, which is nice. It's just simple & cute, & I wear this one with everything too! Then, a friend at work had this FABULOUS necklace that I just had to copy! Of course I won't wear it to work, but it is just too pretty to not buy one for myself!

Sequin Metal Ring Status Necklace - out of stock right now, but found on Piperlime.com. This one of course is not as versatile, but when the BF notices it & says he really likes it - you know it's special! 

4. Spring. The weather here in DC is finally warming up! (But thankfully it's not all at once like in Texas where all of a sudden it's 85 outside). I am really looking forward to the Cherry Blossom Festival activities in the coming weeks!! {Check them out} Hopefully, I will get to take one of these pictures myself:

So pretty! Breathtaking! Lucky for me, there are some of these beautiful trees right outside my apartment & some on display at the Botanical Gardens! {Also, I'm wearing one of the necklaces from above! Bonus}  

Soooo what are YOU loving right now? Share!

XOXO

What I'm Reading Now...

So I finally finished reading The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown thanks to a couple flights & a long layover I had recently. It was....good. Not great, just good. I had heard from multiple people that it was sooooo good & a "you-can't-put-it-down" type of book like The DaVinci Code. I disagree. It was definitely not bad but nothing that I need to read again. I really like that it took place in Washington, DC though because I knew just about all the places they were exploring, etc. Yay DC! I was anticipating finishing the book on the airplane (and then what would I do??) so I bought another one at the airport bookstore.

Now, it doesn't really matter to me WHAT bookstore I'm in - I could always stay for hours. When I go to 1/2 Price Books, I have to allow myself an entire afternoon because I can't just go in with one book in mind and walk right back out. And even though I had many books waiting for me back home, I got caught up in the wonderfulness that was the bookstore & just had to get another! I saw lots that looked good (and LOTS more that looked terrible), but I kind of wanted something different & something that took me to a different time & place. As you may know, I really like SciFi books - magic, worlds that are created by the author, mystical creatures...all that mature stuff that you would expect a law school graduate/beauty queen/27 year-old to like! HA. 

The book that I chose is not science fiction, but I feel like it has almost the same effect. It takes the reader to a different world because of the time period with different types of characters than a book set "today." So, I chose...

The Other Boleyn Girl

by Philippa Gregory

I'm really excited to start this one (ends up I didn't finish my first book on the plane because I fell alseep!), but I am also excited to FINISH this one because then I can see the movie! I know everyone knows the rule - "don't see the movie til you've read the book" - right?? That goes for ALL books that are made into movies. I would say 99.9% of the time, books are better! Oh and it doesn't hurt that Eric Bana is in the movie... yummy!

I still have other books on my shelf too that I'm excited to read - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (started it twice...couldn't get past 30 pages, we'll see) & Tea Rose (recommended by my Boost). I'm making it a point starting......NOW to read a little each & every night. Challenge accepted!

Happy Reading!

XOXO

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

So I haven't been able to read as much as I had hoped this summer. Somehow I haven't had a free day to myself at all! But one the various plane rides I've taken this summer, I decided to begin The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. Judging a book by its cover (which I always do!), I was left with a big 'Hmmm...'

My mom raved about this book, and the reviews it's received are all fantastic & amazing. It's been called one of the best books of our time. With that said, this is how my mom described it: "It's a book about a boy who raises dogs with his family." BORING! I knew there had to be more to it, so I was duped into reading it.

I'm only about 100 pages in, but I must say I'm not too impressed. I really want to be proven wrong because I have been looking for a fantastic story for a while now. I want to read a really WONDERFUL book. I hope this book turns out that way (and I hear it's supposed to!), but right now it doesn't look promising. I'm hoping someone else will read it too & give their opinion.

XOXO

The Reading Room

For those of you that like to read, I thought I would do a segment every now & again about my favorite books. For the first installment, I had to do the one, the only: Harry Potter Series. 

I know, I know – they are children’s books, blah blah blah! NO! Don’t knock it until you try it!!! I first started reading these books in high school & just fell in love. I have always loved to be creative, so I really appreciate J.K. Rowling’s creativity in making up a whole different world. If you haven’t read the books, I’m sure you know what they’re about. If you’ve only seen the movies, you are MISSING OUT. The books are so much better than the movies (which is usually the case with books that are made into movies).

Some may think the following for Harry Potter is a little ridiculous, & I’d have to completely DISAGREE. Seriously y’all – please just read one. If you are just starting out, I would obviously suggest the first one first. However, if you’ve seen the movies & just want to see whether you would like the books or not, I would start with the third book – it’s my favorite!

Now when I say I’m a Harry Potter fan, I feel like I need to go into a little more detail. When the books come out, I’m there on the first day to get it. And I don’t mean I wonder in that day to see if there’s still a copy. No sir. I mean I reserve my copy the first day that they will take a reservation, & then the day before it comes out, my friends & I dress up like our favorite character & wait in line with the other fanatics playing games, going through trivia, & sharing our predictions until midnight when they let us in the bookstore. After getting our coveted copies, we go home & read until we just can’t read anymore. Oh how I love it! The same for the movies – reserve our tickets weeks in advance & wait in line at least four hours before midnight for the very first showing dressed as our favorite Hogwarts witch or wizard.

Here I am getting my book at the last book opening - the cashier doesn't seem as excited as I am!

The characters are all so funny & quirky, but my favorite is Hermione. Not only is her name awesome, but she reminds me a lot of me when I was little. She loves school, she’s kind of bossy, & she loves always being right! Here I am as Hermione with a friend dressed as Harry Potter at the last book opening. I even won a look-alike contest at a movie one time – cool?? Umm yeah!

*Please note that my little brother & I even took a crocheting class so we could learn to make that scarf that I'm wearing. When I say we go above & beyond I mean it!

So usually my “Reading Room” blogs won’t be this long, but I got a little carried away because it was Harry Potter. So please read one. You will be taken away to another place & fall in love with the characters J Happy Reading!!