Top Picks: Young-Adult Fiction

I read my fair share of classic novels and non-fiction books, but recently I have really been enjoying the imaginative and thrilling worlds, not to mention easy-reading, found in a lot of  young adult books. It’s been a welcome escape during busy times or on vacations when I’ve just wanted to get lost in an all-consuming story and because the writing is typically not as complex, I turn the pages so quickly that I get that satisfaction of having completed another book.

I say that I recently got into reading young-adult literature, but really it all started back in high school when I was transported to Hogwarts to follow along the journey of a certain wizard named Harry Potter. I can still remember the day when the final book was released. I was working in DC at the time and had reserved a copy at the book store down the street. I spent my lunch hour on a bench devouring as much as I could before I had to go back to work.

Since then I’ve read many different YA series, most of them recommended to me by friends, family or Phil (his favorite is the Garth Nix trilogy). For me, venturing into the young-adult or teen section of the library or book store makes me feel a bit out of place…and old, and because the book covers tend to look pretty cheesy, I never know what to pick up if I’m just browsing. So I like to request my books online from the privacy of my home, based on recommendations from those I trust. In case that’s also how you roll too, here is my list of “Top Picks” for young-adult fiction (in no particular order):

1. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
3. His Dark Materials (most recognizable by the 1st book “The Golden Compass”) by Philip Pullman
4. The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
5. Abhorsen by Garth Nix
6. Divergent by Veronica Roth
7. The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer

Happy Reading!

5 Fantastic Things | January

As I’m sure most anyone who lives in a region that experiences winter will agree, January has been a brutal one this year. But sharing my 5 fantastic things for that month can only mean that it’s over and we are one month closer to spring.  It wasn’t all bad though. There were plenty of good moments and plenty of time to relax and do the things that we wish we had more time to do the rest of the year, like read, watch movies and dream.

5 FANTASTIC THINGS I want to remember:

1. Brainstorming and sharing our words of the year as part of a New Year celebration with my sister and brother-in-law. I love that we are all so focused on setting goals and being our best selves. Their energy is contagious!
2. Using the snow as an excuse to spend hours of weekend time reading rather than cleaning or other chores. It’s such an indulgence but one that I hope I continue.
3. Seeing movies in the theater! The Academy Awards are always a good reminder that great movies come out almost every weekend during this time of year. I saw Frozen and Philomena, with many more on the to-see list.
4. Buying our first new vacuum cleaner! I know it might not be exciting to everyone, but after using hand-me-downs for years (don’t get me wrong, I am very appreciative mom), opening a brand-new Dyson was pretty amazing. And even more amazing was all of the cat hair that we never knew was getting missed before! Yikes!!
5. Trying several new recipes this month, including some for the slow-cooker (I’d never owned one until Christmas this year). It’s often hard to motivate yourself to try new things in the kitchen during winter when the produce seems to look the same week after week, but it really is a great way to spend your time indoors and the extra heat from the oven never hurt a cold kitchen! (Corn Chowder // Stuffed Bell Peppers)

5 FANTASTIC THINGS I’m looking forward to:

1. Seeing old friends.
2. Tackling a home improvement project, though I haven’t decided yet which one. Maybe painting the kitchen or half bathroom?
3. Watching the Bill Nye debate (online) taking place at the local Creation Museum.
4. Picking up my stashed sweater and re-learning the pattern I selected over a year ago.
5. Learning some new music on the piano thanks to the music books that my sister and brother-in-law sent me.

Past “5 Fantastic Things” posts:
December // November // October // September // August // July // June // May

Reading Recap {2013}

I have a somewhat sad reading recap to provide for this year. I guess that’s the point of setting goals – to stretch yourself – and while you can’t always reach them, at least you try. Well last year I set what now seems like a very lofty reading goal. In all fairness, I didn’t know at the time that we would be buying a house and that my time would somehow disappear into the various projects and upkeep that come with being a homeowner. But in an effort to share the good and the bad (because I wouldn’t want you thinking I was some kind of wonder woman who paints a house, works, blogs and reads all at the same time!), here’s the update.

The goal was 18 books…and I read 10! That’s 55.55% complete. Not quite what I wanted, considering that last year I met 95% of my goal, but not bad either. I read some really great books this year, so I don’t regret the goal at all. I’m not sure if I’ll set another for 2014. I’ll always keep reading, so there’s no worry that without the goal I won’t read, but I think I may just read at my own pace without worrying about any numbers.

Do you set a goal for number of books or pages to read? What was your favorite book from this past year? Mine was Where’d You Go, Bernadette with Flight Behavior as a close second.

1. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
2. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain
3. The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
4. Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver
5. Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan
6. Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
7. Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg
8. Anna Karenin by Leo Tolstoy
9. Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
10. Room by Emma Donoghue

5 Fantastic Things | 2013

Happy New Year! We’ve had a busy couple of weeks with lots of travel, family and holiday celebrations, so while I hope to eventually share some photos and also spend some time thinking about what 2014 will have in store for me, I’m not quite ready with those updates yet. In the meantime, I wanted to take a minute to remember how great 2013 was.

At the end of each month, I typically recap 5 great things that I want to remember, but because the end of December also means the end of a year, I thought I would expand my list a bit to include all of 2013. 5 FANTASTIC THINGS I want to remember:

1. We had the opportunity to do some amazing traveling this year. Our trips were a combination of relaxing settings, adventurous activities and family visits. I hope we can continue to travel more in 2014.

{Alexandria, VA // Pentwater, MI // Playa del Carmen, Mexico}

2. This was a year of new experiences and adventures, from my first scuba dive and half-marathon to our first-time hosting Thanksgiving dinner. It’s amazing how much you can accomplish in a year!

{Columbus Half-Marathon // Scuba-Diving // Thanksgiving}

3. 2013 brought us our new/first home! While we have had some growing pains adjusting to home-ownership, I think we’re starting to get the hang of things and really loving this old house. I’m sure we’ll see many more projects, and learning experiences this year.

{Little Updates // New Home-Owners // Small Wins}

4. I set a few resolutions last year that had to do with living a more simple life by paring down on things and not over-committing. I accomplished several smaller goals toward that resolution and know that this will be an ongoing pursuit.

{3 Things // Live Simply}

5. Each year would not be complete without all of the small things, like hobbies, that make up the in-between times. This was another great year of cooking, reading and knitting to name a few.

{Cooking // Reading // Knitting}

So there you have it. 5 great things from 2013! What fantastic things are you most proud of from the last year?

Past “5 Fantastic Things” posts: November // October // September // August // July // June // May

8 Things…

I’ve seen this list on a few different blogs over the last couple weeks and have enjoyed reading the perspectives on each. I’ll admit that when I copied this list to answer the questions in my own way, I was reminded of those chain emails that used to circulate back in the day… “forward this or else”. Those usually ended with me. But this one is interesting enough that I’m going to keep it going, if for no other reason than it’s a fun and easy way to share some things about myself that you might not have otherwise known.

There is one thing that I want to point out before you write this off as a superficial activity, as the title may have led you to believe. This list is called ‘8 things a happy woman should have’, not ‘the 8 things that will make a woman happy’. Big difference. Now that we’ve cleared that up, on to the fun…

1. A Go-To Drink – Finding my signature drink is something that I’m working on as a part of my 30 before 30. (“Working on” is code for occasionally thinking about trying new drinks at times when it’s either completely inappropriate to drink or there’s no chance of finding the ingredients I need to mix said drink.) But when I walk into a bar and I’m not drinking beer (Bottingtons) or wine (malbec), I’ll order a gin and tonic…for now.
2. A Go-To Karaoke Song – I don’t frequent the karaoke bars to be honest. I’ve sung in front of many people from the time I was little singing at church to college when I was performing as a music major. But something about singing an unrehearsed song at a bar makes me nervous. If I had to pick a song on the spot, I would probably go for a Carol King song like “It’s Too Late” or Bonnie Raitt’s “Something to Talk About”.
3. A Uniform – This is a tough one as my style is always changing. For awhile now I’ve been gravitating toward button down shirts, well-fitted jeans and a classic pair of flats or boots. I can always dress it up with blazer or sweater, necklace or scarf.
4. A Hairstylist they Love – I have been fortunate enough to find great stylists in the last few places in which I have lived. Maybe it’s because I have a pretty easy haircut now, but either way, I have found Parlour here in Cincinnati and I’m not going anywhere!
5. An Exercise Routine – I enjoy weight training, spinning classes, swimming and many other forms of exercise, but I’ve found in the last couple of years that the two activities that do the most for me both physically and mentally are running and yoga.
6. A Hobby – Have you met me? I have so many hobbies I don’ t know what to do with them all. Those rounding out the top of the list – knitting, reading and blogging.
7. A Best Friend – I have been fortunate to have several best friends. Ones that have come and gone and ones that have stayed. And through it all, I’ve always had my sister, who I consider my best friend. She’s been around the longest and knows exactly where I’m coming from.
8. A Healthy Sense of Self – This will always be a work in progress, but I feel good about who I am at this point in my life and the best version of myself that I am always working toward becoming. I think that is all you can ask.

What do you think? Do you have responses for each of these 8 things? I know it’s not all-inclusive, but it’s a fun list nonetheless.

5 Fantastic Things | October

October consistently remains one of my favorite months of the year and this October did not disappoint. I could barely whittle my list down to just 5 fantastic things. Between the weather, my birthday, Halloween and just the general buzz in the air as pumpkin spice lattes and colorful leaves return, even Christmas will have a hard act to follow.

5 FANTASTIC THINGS I want to remember:

1. How great it felt to cross the finish line at my first half-marathon. I don’t think I stopped smiling that entire run.
2. Being surprised by what Peter Sagal looks like when we saw him live at the recording of Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me, the NPR News Quiz. Cincinnati filled that hall and we enjoyed every minute of the broadcast. Best birthday present!
3. Keeping the birthday tradition alive with a little shopping with my mom. No one will be more honest about how you look in that outfit than your mom.
4. Holding my co-worker’s new baby and having her fall asleep in my arms. She proved to me that babies are not so scary 🙂
5. Eating that first piece of pizza post-race – something I have been craving since giving up flour and sugar. Oh, and sharing it with some pretty awesome people. I love it when my friends and family come together.

5 FANTASTIC THINGS I’m looking forward to:

1. Hosting the neighbors on our street for a little get together. We have the best neighbors and we enjoy getting together every month or so to kick back and catch up. It’s one of the many reasons I love living where we do.
2. Picking back up with my yoga practice now that the intensity of the half-marathon training is over.
3. Having a few days off around Thanksgiving. I have been burning the candle at both ends and could really use a few days of R&R.
4. Possibly running the Cincinnati Turkey Trot.  There is no better excuse for eating that extra piece of pie than running 6 miles Thanksgiving morning.
5. Reading! I am way behind on my goal for the year, and I’m not sure that I’ll even come close to making it, but that’s not going to stop me from trying.  Next up…The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

Past “5 Fantastic Things” posts: September // August // July // June // May

Read. Watch. Listen | No. 2

We had a really rainy weekend last weekend, which meant it was the perfect weather for reading, watching movies and listening to music while we worked around the house. So there were plenty of options to choose from when I was putting together my read, watch, listen post. Hopefully you see something of interest…

READ // Room by Emma Donoghue – This is a haunting story, and one that I just couldn’t put down. The premise is dark, but by telling the story from the point of view of a child, you see the situation from a completely different perspective than you normally would. This book came highly recommended and I am passing on that recommendation to you.

WATCH // Wait Until Dark – This movie is nothing new, but if you haven’t seen it, you must. Audrey Hepburn is amazing. She plays the part of a blind woman caught in a bad guy’s plot, having to rely only her other senses. With Halloween right around the corner, it’s the perfect suspense film.

LISTEN // Beirut – I stumbled across this album at the library and picked it up on a whim, probably because I liked the cover. Turns out, the music is pretty great too. It’s a mix of indie and world music, though it’s a bit hard to describe. Check it out. However you describe Beirut, I think you’ll enjoy it.

Enjoy!

A Very Long Book

I never thought I would see this day, but last Wednesday I finally did it. I turned the last page on Anna Karenina – a VERY LONG book! I’m not sure why I’ve always wanted to read this book, though I can tell you it’s not because Keira Knightley decided to play the role. It has been on my to-read list long before that. In fact, my sister gave it to me for Christmas at least 5 years ago hoping that having my own copy would make it easier, but by the time I finally decided to crack it open, the kindle had come out and a small digital device was much easier to carry around than an 800+ page book. So that’s how I finished it – click by click, watching the percentage increase ever so slowly until it reached 100%.

Adding the book to my 30 before 30 list was a visual encouragement to get it done while I’m young with fewer responsibilities than I will have when we have a family. I hope that I will always make the time to read, I just imagine that books of this size will not be as practical.  Anytime I cross something off a list is a good feeling (I’m a little obsessive about my lists), but when I closed this book for the last time, I’ll be honest and say that I kind of questioned why it had made the list in the first place. I know you Tolstoy-lovers probably disagree with me, but this book did nothing to move me or make me think about life. To me, a good book stays with me and is present in my thoughts for days, weeks and months after I’ve finished it. I don’t see myself remembering much about Anna Karenina,  the characters, the plot-line or the writing. It was my first Tolstoy and I’m glad to have been exposed to such a classic author, but I don’t know that I’m very encourage to read anything else of his.

I think I’ve learned a valuable lesson, aside from learning that Tolstoy is not my favorite author, and that is that I should read books that I’m interested in reading. Sure, I will continue to read the classics and other pieces that will expand my mind, but life is short. If something is not to my enjoyment, I don’t have to finish it. There will be no assignment waiting for me or penalty for not crossing a book off my to-read list. I make the list, therefore I make the rules.

What do you think? Do you ever stop reading a book because you’re not enjoying it? Or do you always finish what you started reading? Am I crazy to have not enjoyed Anna Karenina?

Read. Watch. Listen

Lindsay over at Lost & Fawned did a read, watch, listen post a few weeks back and I loved it. Not only did a get some great recommendations, I also got a glimpse into her daily life and what she likes. So to let y’all see what piques my interest and maybe even get you excited to read, watch or listen to something new, here is what I’ve been reading, watching and listening to lately!

READ: Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple – Awesome book! I read it in three sittings, which is a record for me, who usually takes weeks or months to finish anything. I could not put it down. Semple used to write for television (Arrested Development anyone?) and it shows… in a good way. Bernadette was witty and heart-warming with great characters and a plot that made it impossible to put down.

WATCH: The Way Way Back – I will see anything with Steve Carell in it, but this was his first film where I didn’t like him. Not him as an actor (he can do no wrong), but him as in his character. The star of the movie was by far Sam Rockwell. He was that crazy guy who lives life the way he wants to live, but underneath it all he just cares about the people around him. It’s the perfect end of summer movie that will make you laugh, but most importantly, make you leave the theater just feeling good.

LISTEN: Royals by Lorde – I cannot get enough of this song. Thanks to the Everygirl for turning me on to this New Zealand singer. She needs no introduction – just listen!

Enjoy!

Reading Routine

If you follow me on goodreads, no doubt you’ve seen my status updates and ever-growing list of books I want to read…someday. With everything I have going on, or should I say with all the hobbies I have going on, it’s by no accident that I am able to finish as many books as I do.
Yep, that’s me. And no, I’m not actually reading two books simultaneously while listening to an audio book, but you get the idea. This is my plan of attack: the kindle for when I’m on-the-go (i.e. lives in my purse), a library book for the evenings (usually just before bed), and audible for my commute. I used to think that reading multiple books at the same time would be confusing, but it’s really not. And especially when each book is in a different medium, it’s easier to keep them separated in my mind too. Do I finish more books this way than if I just completely immersed myself in one book at a time? I like to think so, because I don’t think I would remember to pack my library book each day before leaving the house and I certainly wouldn’t be reading while I’m driving.

Having a routine for a leisurely activity like reading might seem a little too rigid, but it works for me. There are so many books that I want to read and learn from, that if this gets me a little closer to getting through that list, I’ll take the routine.

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” – George R.R. Martin

What’s your reading routine? Do you use a kindle for when you’re on-the-go or audio books? Do you read every night before bed?