Tag Archives: books

hawaiian adventures

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Before I forget, just wanted to do a quick Hawaii post…

Hawaii was amazing. I’ve visited many times now and each time I love it more and more. For me, there really isn’t a more perfect vacation spot.

Aww man, I miss Hawaii. My first day back at work was *harsh.* I had 250+ emails to wade through and all I could think about was getting some more sun on the beach. Guh.

Anyway. Enough wallowing.

I finally got my Harry Potter book on Saturday afternoon (stinking black-out!!!). And finished it Sunday night. Thoughts to come…

grr. argh.

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I AM SO UPSET.

So right before I head over to Borders to pick up my Harry Potter book, Rob and I notice that there’s a black-out on the other side of our block… the side where the Borders just happens to be.

But I walk across the street anyway. Just in case, you know. And OF COURSE, it’s closed. %$#@! Why couldn’t they have some kind of emergency generator in the store for situations JUST LIKE THIS?!? I want my book!

I wore my Gryffindor shirt and everything. Humph.

june books

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Didn’t do much this weekend but I have finished some books…

June
17. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden, 448 p
I ended up really loving this book when I didn’t think I would at the beginning. It took me quite awhile to really get going — after about 3 days, I was only 50 pages in. But I happened to be reading it at lunch one day at work and about 5 people commented and told me how much they loved it. That inspired me to get moving! After the initial description of time/place/setting, etc. the story really picked up. I became really invested in Chiyo and her childhood and her journey to become a geisha that the pages finally seemed to fly by. I do have to admit that there were a few parts that screamed “trashy romance novel” to me but overall, I highly recommend this book. Thanks for the rec, Barry! 🙂
18. The Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares, 416 p
Couldn’t resist picking this up after learning that the girls’ stories from the first book continue on (thanks Sarah!). I enjoyed this installment much better than the first — maybe because I already “knew” the characters? But the funny thing is, I loved Lena and Tibby far more than Carmen and Bridget, which is the total opposite from my feelings at the end of the first book. I especially found myself wanting Lena to be happy so this book was torture. 🙁 Anyone know when the third book is going to be released in paperback? I’m too cheap to spring for the hardcover. 😛

I really need to find a nearby library. Books are pretty darn pricey! Not to mention that I don’t have anymore space on my bookshelf.

Next up: The Bourne Identity and then a re-read of the Harry Potter books to get ready for Book 6. SQUEE!

book challenge

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Book Challenge update…

May
15. Boy Meets Girl by Meg Cabot, 387 p
Really cute chick-lit book. It was a little hard at first to get used to the way it was written — rather than a first person narrative, it was written through emails, memos, diary entries, etc. But I think the story made up for the novelty… Plus, I completely fell in love with the main character’s love interest, hee!
16. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares, 304 p
I was sucked in by those darn commercials for the movie that I kept seeing while watching Gilmore Girls. Loved all the characters (especially Carmen and Bridget) but thought that their summer stories were wrapped up a little too neatly. I’ll probably pick up the second book out of curiosity. And possibly watch the movie too. 😛

Next up is Memoirs of a Geisha recommended to me by Barry. 🙂

top 5 on AI

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Damn. I think Scott might be sticking around another week on American Idol. Guh. My predictions for the bottom 2 this week are Vonzell and Anthony with Anthony saying farewell. But let’s hope I’m wrong.

Squee! My Dawson’s Creek season 5 DVDs arrived today from the trusty Amazon.com. Too bad s5 is my least favorite season of all. But whatever. I love shiny new DVDs. 😛

Book Challenge update…
April
13. Star Wars, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith by Matthew Woodring Stover, 432 p
What can I say? I just wanted to find out exactly what happened before seeing the movie. Heh. It’s actually a better novelization than I expected. Is it May 19 yet?
14. The Second Assistant by Clare Naylor, Mimi Hare, 304 p
Just another chick lit book. I saw the hardcover edition on Amazon for $5 so I couldn’t resist. It’s about a girl who moves out to Hollywood to become an assistant at the top talent agency in the business. A fun read, if not a little exaggerated. Took me about 3 hours on the plane from Michigan back home.
I’m only at 14 books — crap. I have to speed it up.

Last but certainly not least, Happy happy birthday Nicola! Hope you have a great day!

book meme

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Rob and I just put a hold on a new apartment! YAY. 🙂 We’ll still be living in the same complex but in a different building. I’m so excited to be getting a fresh start though I’m not really looking forward to the packing… or the actual moving. EEK.

The Friday Five

1. What is the one book that you reread over and over again?
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. My favorite book. I never tire of reading it.
2. What is your favorite genre?
I don’t think I necessarily have a favorite but I am drawn to chick-lit as well as suspense/action books.
3. Do you usually buy your books or visit the library?
I usually buy books. I love having a collection that I can reread over and over again.
4. Who is your favorite author?
I don’t know that I have one, really.
5. What book have you read that you absolutely hated?
Beloved by Toni Morrison. I had to read it in college and it took me forever. I had to force myself to finish it. I suppose I just didn’t “get” it.

Hope everyone has a great week!

secret life of bees

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Book Challenge update…

March
12. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, 336p
I enjoyed this book but there were a couple of things that bothered me while reading… first, time seemed to move excruciatingly slow. There were pages and pages describing multiple events and it seemed as if weeks had gone by. Then all of a sudden the author would reference time and it turns out only a day had passed. Very minor but it was really jarring for me. My second issue was the way Lily and Zack were allowed to interact. I mean, it was the 60s and if I remember my history lessons correctly, black boys couldn’t even so much as *look* at a white girl for fear of inciting anger from the community. So I thought it was a bit unrealistic to have Lily and Zack working as a team and making trips downtown to do errands. Wouldn’t that have caused a stir? Regardless, I’d still recommend this book — I ended it feeling very hopeful and optimistic for Lily and her journey.

Wow, March was a pretty bad month for me as I only read 1 book! Eeek.

Just some random news that amused me…
It looks like Cookie Monster, my favorite Sesame Street character EVER, is going… healthy??? It seems like they’re going to make him eat fruits and vegetables and cut back on the cookies. !!! Hehehe.

OMG. I consider myself a Britney fan but I don’t know if I would be able to stomach watching this. I can’t stand that awful, awful Kevin Federline. What were they thinking by signing on for a reality show? They’re definitely NOT Nick and Jessica.

100 Days til Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince!

50 book challenge

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So I got a voicemail message last night at 3am from my best friends telling me that they were at some deli in Hollywood and had just seen Adam Brody, Ben McKenzie and Rachel Bilson. (!!!) OMG. I. AM. SO. JEALOUS. I have to call you two back to get more details. SQUEE.

I’m participating in the 50 Book Challenge and I figured I am overdue for an update and reviews…

January
1. Fearless by Francine Pascal, 199p
2. Fearless – Sam by Francine Pascal, 200p
3. Fearless – Run by Francine Pascal, 207p
4. Almost Paradisee by Susan Isaacs, 530p
5. Fearless – Twisted by Francine Pascal, 214p
6. The A-List by Zoey Dean, 243p
A book equivalent of a show like The OC. Pretty mindless and fun. If not a little far-fetched. Or maybe I’m just not cynical enough?
7. Angels and Demons by Dan Brown, 569p

February
8. The Last Juror by John Grisham, 486p
I’m still undecided on this book. I don’t know if I actually liked it or not. For me, it took a looong time for the story to get rolling, which almost made me stop reading a few times, but I liked the characters and their relationships too much to do so. An average Grisham effort.
9. Digital Fortress by Dan Brown, 372p
Ehhh. Nothing about this book really grabbed me. I didn’t understand the characters or their motivations. There was action and suspense but… I finished it feeling very disappointed.
10. Bridget Jones and the Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding, 338p
For whatever reason, I didn’t like Bridget as much in the sequel (I loved the first book). She totally frustrated me! lol. A fun read though.
11. Deception Point by Dan Brown, 557p
A *much* better book than Digital Fortress. The characters were better developed and there seemed to be real tension and conflict between all of them. The story had me guessing all the way through.

I just picked up The Secret Life of Bees this weekend which I can’t wait to start…

The Sunday Brunch

1. Did you go to college? Yes, I went to the University of CA, Berkeley aka CAL.
2. Did you live in a dorm or an apartment? Both. I lived in the dorms for the first 2 years and an apartment for my last 2.
3. Who was your favorite roommate? My friend Shirley! We were roomies for 3 years.
4. What is your favorite college sport? Not a huge sports person but I’d have to say basketball.
5. Who was your favorite professor and class? My favorite professor was Bruce Cain. I took a few of his classes — California Politics and the Ethics of Politics. Both were phenomenal.

Hope everyone has a great week ahead!

harry potter 6 cover

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My Girl Scout cookie order finally came today. Mmmm, they are so heavenly. I got home from work, started watching TV, and proceeded to eat almost an entire sleeve of Thin Mints. Good grief. I need to practice some self-control.

The girls’ performances on American Idol were pretty disappointing tonight (I thought the guys were *much* better last night). I only liked half of the girls (Nadia, Jessica, Carrie and Vonzell) — the rest were very mediocre performances. Since I made a few guesses on who’s going to get voted off on the guys side, I’ll pick a few from the girls. Let’s see — my money’s on Amanda, Janay or Lindsay. They’re definitely the bottom 3 for me, anyway.

Did you all see the new Harry Potter cover? Just a few more months away!