The Book Thief -Mark Zusak

Paperback: 576 pages

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf (September 11, 2007)

Book Summary:

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement.

In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak, author of I Am the Messenger, has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.

My Thoughts:

I wish sometimes that there was an excitement font! I would most definitely be using it RIGHT NOW (and let’s be honest I’d use it A LOT)!!! This book was AMAZING; so well written!

Words have such a weight to them and I think people really forget that. I hear a lot of talk about how words can bring life or death depending on how they are used! This book brings that to life! There are a few short stories interwoven within the story. One in particular brings the weight that words do possess to the forefront. It describes what would physically happen if you would see the impact of words. It tells of bloodied lips and bruised faces.

I also found it quite interesting that the narrator of the story is Death. (And not a scary death but a “well educated,” and gentlemanly death.) The author lures you in with his beautiful words, gets you hooked on the characters and their lives, and then sends you (in my opinion) one of the worst fictional blows you could ever fear happening. Talk about ugly cry.

I also adored the characters and how they were developed. Hans Hubermann (Liesel’s foster dad) was my favorite character in the story. What a wonderful man. He was so caring and compassionate. I loved that he showed his passion for life without abandon. My favorite part of the book is when Liesel and Hans shared champagne on the hot summer day… BEAUTIFUL!!!

I would without hesitation recommend this book. The amazon review says that it is for 12 and over but I wouldn't recommend it that young. I would say late high school and above to fully understand!

Allegiant- Veronica Roth

Hardcover: 544 pages

Book Summary:

What if your whole world was a lie? What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything? What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected? The explosive conclusion to Veronica Roth's #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent trilogy reveals the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

My Thoughts:

I wish I could go back and tell all whom I suggested to read the Divergent series that I retract my suggestion.  That is what I thought last night when I FINALLY finished Allegiant. I could not have picked a worse ending to a series that I love. (Ok, maybe that is a bit dramatic, but REALLY MISSES ROTH) Even though I feel that this series ended terribly and I didn’t get the feel good… “Happily ever after” I was hoping for I do think Roth did a good job tying up those loose ends and giving us some semblance of closure. My other grip in this last book is that she took 500 pages to explain something totally new and then gave us 44 pages to say goodbye. I loved Divergent and Insurgent but was more than disappointed in the poor writing and uncreative way that Allegiant was written.

Que Sera, Sera… onto the next book!

Happy Reading, Loves

                           Jaime 

This is my confession...

A Blonde Ambition

A.  I CAN NOT wait for the Bestie time I have scheduled this weekend! That whole her sustaining a life kind of puts a kink in the ol social arena, so when her hubs wanted to go hunting I jumped at the chance to babysit!!! I am excited to just trade war stories from the last two weeks!

B. I may need to re-evaluate my "Tunes" (the playlist I most listen to) playlist. I was driving home the other day listening to All Sons and Daughers' Wake Up and A$AP Rocky's Problems came on next. I judged myself.

C. I confess that I really do have the BEST job ever! High Schoolers are funny... sometimes even on purpose. I told a student the other day to stop being ornery. He then asked what that meant and I explained. He sarcastically asked if I even knew how to spell that big word. I answered him yes and said do you? He then in front of the whole class attempted... HORNEY. Only a few of us picked up on it and could not contain our laughter (yes I know I have the humor of a freshman boy)! He was pretty embarrassed when he realized what he'd done. Needless to say he has not been too ornery since! (Got to love that Oklahoma accent changing how phonetically words are spelled!)

D. I am fully aware that this is stereotypical "white girl" but I just adore FALL!! I can't wait till it actually feels like it here!

I Wore Yoga Pants to Work

Make it a great one, Sugars

                     Jaime 

Get your groove on and confess...

It's Confessional Friday y'all...

A Blonde Ambition

1. I am SO exhausted. It's a good exhausted though. I feel like my friends all got together and decided to have life milestones the same week! WHAT A FUN WEEK THOUGH!!! 

My Little's Rehearsal Dinner

At my Little's Wedding 

Kross, my Bestie's newest addition

2. I am SSSOOO ready for Fall. Y'all it is still averaging in the 90s in Oklahoma and this girl is ready for some boots and sweaters!

3. I am saddened by the SI articles covering OSU football. Saddened that their "journalism" would be so poor. Most of all I am saddened at the fact that the coach that all of accusations happened under is STILL coaching and NO ONE is investigating him. 

4. I am GIDDY that the new Kings of Leon album comes out next week! There may be some fangirling from me on Tuesday!

5. I just downloaded the new iPhone update. Jury is still out but I will say it just reminds me of how much I hate change. 

Now lets groove...

I Wore Yoga Pants to Work 

The first artist holds a special place in my heart! He's a former student and OH SO talented!!! Buy his EP on iTunes... its incredible

Have a wonderful weekend, Sugars

                      Jaime 

The Spectacular Now -Tim Tharp

• Paperback: 304 pages

Book Summary:
SUTTER KEELY. HE’S the guy you want at your party. He’ll get everyone dancing. He’ ll get everyone in your parents’ pool. Okay, so he’s not exactly a shining academic star. He has no plans for college and will probably end up folding men’s shirts for a living. But there are plenty of ladies in town, and with the help of Dean Martin and Seagram’s V.O., life’s pretty fabuloso, actually.
Until the morning he wakes up on a random front lawn, and he meets Aimee. Aimee’s clueless. Aimee is a social disaster. Aimee needs help, and it’s up to the Sutterman to show Aimee a splendiferous time and then let her go forth and prosper. But Aimee’s not like other girls, and before long he’s in way over his head. For the first time in his life, he has the power to make a difference in someone else’s life—or ruin it forever.

My thoughts: 
So, full disclosure I read about this book in a Style magazine. I know, VAPID much! I saw that Tim Tharp was the author and knowing that he is an Oklahoma boy I knew I should a least check it out! And I am SO thankful I did! What am incredible book! When reading the book back summary I was thinking this may be a little too cliche. It was and then it wasn't. You literally want to strangle Sutter at pretty much every point of the book and you also want to slap some sense into Sutter and Aimee. This book made me grateful for the high school experience that I had. The regular abuse of alcohol was a little off putting and made me high school teacher heart quite sad. In the end though you just want the best for Aimee and for Sutter. I would have liked to see another ending (I really am a romantic at heart) but the ending that was presented was probably best! Definitely check this one out! 


Happy Reading, Sugars
       Jaime 

     

Random Thoughts...

Have you ever felt randomly antsy? I mean the kind of antsy that lasts not for a few hours but for days? I am currently in an antsy phase! Why they need to tell you this? It's more of the disclaimer than anything! The post you are getting ready to read is antsy... and a tad random! I feel that it conveys my life at this moment. So, without further adieu...

First, I am linking up with Kelly's Korner for your FAVE tailgating recipe! Who doesn't LOVE a good tailgate! I may be tarred and feathered for saying this but sometimes I love the tailgating more than the actual game... gasp! I know! I frequently volunteer to bring dessert to our little football soirees! My absolute fave to bring is cinnamon roll cake! People just go hog wild for it and it's perfect for fall!

Recipe Here...

Now, onto confessions...

A Blonde Ambition 

1. We are almost a month into the new school year... HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? WOW

2. I am SSSOOO ready for Fall! I need boots, sweaters, and of course PUMPKINS!!!

3. I am really needed a new book series to get into! I started The Uglies by Scott Westerfield and I think it might be the one!!! 

4. I am GIDDY that my Little is getting married next weekend! The cupcake dress was picked up Wednesday and I am pumped to get this party started!!!

5. I may or may not LOVE Miley Cyrus' new song wrecking ball. (I know... I am ready for the judgement)

Here is a sample of what I was been listening to lately for...

I Wore Yoga Pants to Work

(Yes, I am fully aware of my musical ADD! Haha!)

Have a WONDERFUL weekend, Loves!!

                          Jaime

Twenty Boy Summer- Sarah Ockler

Book Details: 

• Pages: 320 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Release date: May 1, 2010

Book Summary:"Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."

"Okay." "Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?" "Don't worry." I laughed. "It's our secret, right?" According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago. Beautifully written and emotionally honest, this is a debut novel that explores what it truly means to love someone and what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.

My Thoughts:
I LOVED this book. It was absolutely heartbreaking. I mean ugly cry, put the book down because you can't read from all the tears heartbreaking. It's also beautiful! I have lost a few people that when they passed it shattered my world for a while. This book takes you back to that moment and lets you heal again! This is the perfect summer read because of all the beach time but it would be wonderful ANYTIME!!! 

And now for a little booty moving... 

I Wore Yoga Pants to Work! 

Happy Reading, Sugars

Jaime