52 Weeks of Happiness

Hi Everyone!

Happy Friday! We made it through another week. This week I am trying the 52 Weeks of Happiness Challenge posted by my friend Karen! (Go check out her blog, she is awesome) 

This weeks prompt is  List the things (from your past and present) that feel like blockades in the way of happiness. Not an easy topic, but I thought one worth the effort!

SO here we go...

1) Fear. I love a plan and a plan suits me. LOL. I like my schedule, I like my routine. Sometimes it is hard for me to shift off that. 

2) Laziness. I don't know what it is lately, but sometimes I think it is hard to be an adult. It is hard to go to school full time and work hard time. When I am not doing those things, I just want to sit down, snuggle a kitten, and forget all the things I worry about sometimes.

3) Change is hard.  Repeat back to step one! I don't like not having a plan or the unknown.


What are your thoughts? Have you been successful in remedying these things?


Happy Reading!

Mardi Gras: Singing out Loud

Happy Mardi Gras!!

You better believe that we are doing King's Cake and Red Beans/Rice in this household today. YUMMY! 

To get you further in the mood, I came across this book. I knew I needed it in my life. Since I just started it, I don't have my review yet, but wanted to pass along details about it. I will try to remember to come back and get this updated once I finish. 

Author: Marilee Eaves
 
Summary from Amazon: Born during World War II, Marilee Eaves has long struggled to fit into the New Orleans elite―secret Mardi Gras societies that ruled the city―into which she was born. Then, as a student at Wellesley, she’s hospitalized at McLean psychiatric hospital, where she begins to realize how much of herself she’s sacrificed to blend into and be fully accepted by the exclusive and exclusionary white Uptown New Orleans culture to which she supposedly belongs.

Have you read it? What were your thoughts?

Happy Reading!

Reading Recap

Hi Everyone!

Just stopping by with some mini reviews...

The Summer I Turned Pretty
I know that I needed more Jenny Han in my life and this one fit the bill! It was a quick read and I appreciated that. Now I just need to get the next two in the series.

Three Women
This one was recommended to me by a friend. It covers the stories of three women and their challenges that have happened based on particular stories in their lives. I found it interesting!

The Obstacle is the Way
This one was also recommended by a friend. It talks about the challenges that you face in life and how you can 'triumph' over them.

Warriors Don't Cry
What a powerful story. This one was about the integration of Little Rock Central High following the change of the laws. I find it fascinating to read these things because it was not all that long ago and that was exactly how the world was. Terrifying.

Summer of 79
Preview from Elin Hilderbrand! Gotta love me these books :)

Natural Disaster 
The behind the scenes book from Ginger Zee at GMA. Very interesting read!

What are you reading? Have you read any of these? 

Happy Reading!

Random: Friday Eve

Thought this one was cute! Hope you are all having a good week.
 
Happy Reading!

Book Date: Warriors Don't Cry

Hi Everyone!

It's Monday...What are you reading? Here is my current read:

Happy Reading!

InLoveAThon

Hi Everyone,

Stopping by to let you know about a Readathon that runs from Feb 10-16.  You follow the book diagram for reading to get up to what kind of date :)! Be sure to check it out!

It's been a busy week for me, so I havent had  much of a chance to participate, but now that is the weekend, this should be fun! :)

Happy Reading!

Happy Galentine's Day!

Hi Everyone!

Just stopping by to wish you all a Happy Galentine's Day! For those who haven't watched Parks and Rec, it is a day about Ladies celebrating Ladies. :)  

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Everything

Happy Book Birthday to this one!! Out Today! 

Author: D.C. Stone
 
Summary from Goodreads: Gage and Dani have been through it all: the struggles of life, exciting military service, rocky relationships, and heart breaking deaths. In twenty-plus years of being best friends, they've never faced as big of a challenge as they do now. Can their friendship and hearts survive the ultimate test of time?

Disclaimer: I was awarded this book from Caffeinated PR. Though I did not pay for the book, the opinions are strictly my own.

Personal Review:
This book was just what I needed. I have been personally down a rabbit hole with school work lately and this book allowed me to come up for air. I really appreciated both Gage and Dani and their stories from their past. The characters are what made this book for me.

In general, I dont want to give away too many spoilers. But this book was a quick read, had its steamy moments, its ups and downs, and it kept me reading all the way to the end. I would say it was worth the time.

If you are looking for a bit of romance, then this may be the book for you.
 
Happy Reading!

#SixforSunday – Six reasons you love blogging

#SIXFORSUNDAY

WHAT IS #SIXFORSUNDAY?

#SixforSunday was a little blog feature started in June 2017 by A Little But A Lot. It’s a weekly blog post where you get to share 6 books which fill a certain prompt. This week's theme is "Six Reasons You Love Blogging". 

So without further ado...my reasons...

1) The opportunity to read new to me authors! I have been introduced to so many new authors who have reached out to me to say hey...check out my book. Love it! 

2) The inside scope for author interviews. I LOVE learning about what is the process or story behind the book. :) 

3) My readers/you all! I am so grateful that you take the time to come by and say hi/share bookish thoughts with me. 

4) In a way blogging is my little piece of the web. I love that I have a space for sharing my own thoughts.

5) Blogging has encouraged me to go beyond my comfort zone. I would have never thought of going to a book convention before starting the blog. 

6)  Reading Challenges! It motivates me to stay focused on reading and also I love the creativity. I enjoy blogging to bring you ones for you to participate in as well. The community is what keeps me doing what I do everyday.

Happy Reading!

First Line Friday

First Lines Fridays
Hosted by: Hoarding Books
Description:  What are you reading?  What is your first line? Open the book nearest you and post the first line…

I say, "I can't believe you're really here."

-The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
 
Happy Reading!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Book of Two Ways

Hi Everyone!

Just stopping by to let you know about a book that I am waiting on. I saw this one annouced last week and I am so excited!! 

Author: Jodi Picoult
 
Summary from Goodreads:
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Small Great Things and A Spark of Light comes a riveting novel about the choices that change the course of our lives.

Everything changes in a single moment for Dawn Edelstein. She's on a plane when the flight attendant makes an announcement: prepare for a crash landing. She braces herself as thoughts flash through her mind. The shocking thing is, the thoughts are not of her husband, but a man she last saw fifteen years ago: Wyatt Armstrong.

Dawn, miraculously, survives the crash, but so do all the doubts that have suddenly been raised. She has led a good life. Back in Boston, there is her husband, Brian, her beloved daughter, and her work as a death doula, where she helps ease the transition between life and death for patients in hospice.

But somewhere in Egypt is Wyatt Armstrong, who works as an archaeologist unearthing ancient burial sites, a job she once studied for, but was forced to abandon when life suddenly intervened. And now, when it seems that fate is offering her second chances, she is not as sure of the choice she once made.

After the crash landing, the airline ensures the survivors are seen by a doctor, then offers transportation wherever they want to go. The obvious option for Dawn is to continue down the path she is on and go home to her family. The other is to return to the archaeological site she left years before, reconnect with Wyatt and their unresolved history, and maybe even complete her research on The Book of Two Ways--the first known map of the afterlife.

As the story unfolds, Dawn's two possible futures unspool side by side, as do the secrets and doubts long buried beside them. Dawn must confront the questions she's never truly asked: What does a life well-lived look like? When we leave this earth, what do we leave behind? Do we make choices...or do our choices make us? And who would you be, if you hadn't turned out to be the person you are right now?

 
Happy Reading!

Book Challenge: They Call It Puppy Love

Hi Everyone!

Stopping by to let you know about a challenge over on the Booker T's Farm blog!  

This is the They Call It Puppy Love Challenge. 

Here are the rules:

• Make a sign up post and link on Booker T Farm's site and in the Rafflecopter.
• Read at least one book with a dog (or a cat).  You can also read many more and as always I encourage you to do so. 
• Do a wrap-up post with a link.

I plan to participate! Do you?

Happy Reading!

Feb. Bookish Bingo

Hi Everyone,

Just stopping by to wish you a happy February and to share with you the #bookishbingo  car from Bookish First. It looks like a fun card! Will you be joining?

Happy Reading!