tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376529234237184742024-03-08T08:56:59.602-08:00Rebecca's Ramblings Books Reviews, Rambles & Short StoriesInstallation and Setuphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674451974310408863noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237652923423718474.post-28752990932009925942018-08-15T11:45:00.001-07:002018-08-15T11:53:59.474-07:00What Disney Princess Would You Survive A Zombie Apocalypse With ?<div class="MsoNormal">
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">WARNING</span></b></div>
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THIS AREA IS UNDER STRICT </div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">QUARANTINE</span></b></div>
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INFECTIOUS VIRUS AREA</div>
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Imagine the CDC has just put out a mass warning that signs of a rare disease are spreading throughout the country; Side effects include a desire for consuming human flesh.</div>
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Oh by the way, the military is busy, so only princesses are left to help you.</div>
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Who do you want by your side? </div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
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<b><u>Rapunzel or 'Location, Location, Location'</u></b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I6YfBY3JBck/WL3HyebqwbI/AAAAAAAABWs/F4OFOGX7TVUThKKeirtoPxg3Tef4NtqUgCK4B/s1600/200.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I6YfBY3JBck/WL3HyebqwbI/AAAAAAAABWs/F4OFOGX7TVUThKKeirtoPxg3Tef4NtqUgCK4B/s1600/200.gif" style="cursor: move;" /></a><b>What she brings to the table-</b> Rapunzel's biggest advantage comes from her location. Seeing as she is locked up high in a stone tower and zombies are unable to climb, you can count yourself pretty safe. I suppose the zombies could knock over the tower but
in all the fairytale pictures I’ve seen of Rapunzel’s fortress, it looks very
sturdy and able to withstand some pushing from weak- boned half dead creatures.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<b>Drawbacks- </b>Her bird friends can bring you nuts and berries
but how long before you end up starving in that tower because of lack of
food? Also, what's the hygiene situation like in there? Does she have functioning water and a bathroom?<br />
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<b>Conclusion- </b>You'll survive but smell and look terrible when those military men eventually come and rescue you. Also, you possibly have cracked some teeth from eating so many acorns.</div>
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<b><u>Pocahontas or 'Naked and Hopefully Not Afraid'</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
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<b>What she brings to the table-</b> Pocahontas is a born hunter and
gatherer. She will kill and harvest meat for you, tell you which berries are poisonous, and
prepare a feast. She is used to living outside so I’m sure her shelter building
skills are impressive and if she can kill a deer, she can definitely kill a
zombie.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><br /></b>
<b>Drawbacks-</b> I can absolutely see grandmother Willow getting
into her head and convincing Pocahontas to ditch you. She’s used to roaming on
her own and it will only be a matter of time before she discovers your slow pace and large appetite and she ditches you alone in the middle of the woods.<br />
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<b>Conclusion- </b>Pocahontas is the OG survivalist and would be an asset to have by your side, you just need to prove to her you're worth keeping around.<br />
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<b><u><b><u><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Elsa or 'Alaskan Bush People meets Will & Kate'</u></b></u></b></div>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
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<b>What she brings to the table-</b> Obviously, she could freeze a large number of zombies in 2 seconds or less and create a fortress of ice to keep you safe. Also, I’ve never seen zombies slip on ice before but I’m sure it's hilarious. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<b>Drawbacks- </b>She’s moody and bossy and can you really see yourself living in the freezing cold for the rest of time? Also, if the time ever comes when she has to choose, <o:p></o:p>she will always pick her sister over you.<br />
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<b>Conclusion-</b> You will most likely survive the zombie attacks but the likelihood of dying from hypothermia or losing some fingers and toes from frostbite is high.</div>
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<b><u></u></b></div>
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<b><u><b><u>Snow White or 'Real Housewife of </u></b>Apocalypse'</u></b></div>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NE5o-jOQ8Ls/WL3JKdv_lTI/AAAAAAAABXM/qe6O20B02GsG4UPH5R3c4gdXmOhCXg6qQCK4B/s1600/giphy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NE5o-jOQ8Ls/WL3JKdv_lTI/AAAAAAAABXM/qe6O20B02GsG4UPH5R3c4gdXmOhCXg6qQCK4B/s1600/giphy.gif" /></a><b>What she brings to the table- </b>She’s great at playing dead and if the time came, I wholeheartedly believe she could convince the zombies to ignore her via her amazing acting skills. Also, she lives with seven men with short legs, all of whom you could easily outrun if the time came to make a break for it. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<b>Drawbacks- </b>That's a lot of mouths to feed and Snow is quite the damsel in distress, so you would really have to take the lead on the whole killing zombies thing. In fact, you'd pretty much have to take the lead on everything because besides providing company, I don't think Snow White has many survival qualities needed to make it in the apocalypse. But hey, when it's all over, maybe you can get Grumpy to give you some of those gems and diamonds they're always mining.<br />
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<b>Conclusion- </b>Your face is probably going to be eaten off by zombies.</div>
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<b><u><br /></u></b>
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<b><u><b><u>Mulan or 'More Issues Than Vogue'</u></b></u></b></div>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
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<b>What she brings to the table- </b>She is a fierce warrior who could slice through zombies and protect you from any danger. Also, after living with men and acting like one, she is pretty low maintenance.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Drawbacks- </b>She’s definitely a conflicted soul going through a bit of a gender crisis and comes from a complicated family. As much as she excels in fighting, do you really want to be stuck with all that family baggage and her constantly talking about her family issues?<br />
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<b>Conclusion- </b>You'll survive, if you don't kill each other from annoyance first.<br />
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<b><u>Ariel or 'Major Daddy Issues'</u></b></div>
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<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
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<b>What she brings to the table- </b>I don’t think zombies can
swim? At least not very well so living under the sea might be an advantage,
that is, if she can somehow convince a sea witch to grant you fins. There’s
plenty of food and resources in the ocean and let’s be honest, who doesn’t want
to be a mermaid?</div>
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<b>Drawbacks- </b>If she can’t turn you into a mermaid, you’re
pretty much screwed and if you’re allergic to shellfish or hate sushi, you will
definitely starve. <o:p></o:p><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Conclusion-</b> You get to become a mermaid, this situation is perfect.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>What Disney Princess Would You Pick?</b></div>
</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237652923423718474.post-53533978767694358352018-07-19T04:20:00.000-07:002018-07-19T04:33:09.618-07:00Must Read Memoirs<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fbK0QtzSmgA/WxIJgyHJfII/AAAAAAAABrQ/w-lrShDgBqY-sTQWkS8iQe4fbBaj4plQACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/blur-book-girl-373465.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fbK0QtzSmgA/WxIJgyHJfII/AAAAAAAABrQ/w-lrShDgBqY-sTQWkS8iQe4fbBaj4plQACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/blur-book-girl-373465.jpg" /></a></b><br />
<br />
<b>1</b><b>. The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After</b> <i>- Clemantine Wamariya</i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-paPdqeAyflw/WvmkpQvD9vI/AAAAAAAABko/iMWtTm6dAKQF_1cU7rwo3H9L0CuKo6iwACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-05-14%2Bat%2B11.00.36%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-paPdqeAyflw/WvmkpQvD9vI/AAAAAAAABko/iMWtTm6dAKQF_1cU7rwo3H9L0CuKo6iwACK4BGAYYCw/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-05-14%2Bat%2B11.00.36%2BAM.png" width="320" /></a>This memoir follows the story of Clemantine Wamariya and her survival through the Rwandan Genocide. Clemantine was four years old when the massacre began in 1994, only one year older than me, and I found myself constantly thinking while reading, "that could have been me." She doesn't describe a war that took place far off in the past, but rather the time period of my childhood and knowing that makes the story all too real. Another interesting thing about this memoir is that it doesn't only follow Clemantine's life fleeing from conflict and being a refugee, it follows her life in America as well. The memoir begins with her living in Chicago and the chapters contrast her life in America where she is living the "American Dream" then flash back to the horrors she endured all over various African countries during her childhood. The memoir is moving and shows that although the genocide is over, the scars remain. Check out her Tedtalks on Youtube as she recalls her childhood and tells the fable of the girl who smiled beads.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Adults often said to me, "You're so strong, you're so brave." But I didn't want to be strong, I didn't want to be brave. I wanted a fresh, fluffy brain, one that was not tormented by wars and fear. I wanted to backtrack in time to a world of innocence, to regress into a landscape of <i>The Boxcar Children.</i> It was so nice there. </blockquote>
<br />
<b>2. Educated</b><i>- Tara Westover</i><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vrBlaee5e2M/WvmlI727m4I/AAAAAAAABk0/unqfXcYqFfwR-P0c53uJqFE8q7Xk8AsqgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-05-14%2Bat%2B11.02.45%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vrBlaee5e2M/WvmlI727m4I/AAAAAAAABk0/unqfXcYqFfwR-P0c53uJqFE8q7Xk8AsqgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-05-14%2Bat%2B11.02.45%2BAM.png" width="320" /></a>Tara was born in rural Idaho to Doomsday parents who believed the end of the world was coming at any moment. She was never allowed to go to public school or even see a doctor as her father mistrusted the government and believed they were part of a larger conspiracy. Born at home, Tara never had a birth certificate, never even knew the exact date of her birth, and grew up without an education. She worked in a dangerous scrap yard and it wasn't until the age of 16 that she decided to purchase algebra books and attempt to educate herself well enough to pass the ACT and get into a decent college to escape the toxic environment she had with her siblings and parents. Fast forward in time, Tara completed her undergraduate at BYU, earned a fellowship at Harvard, and received her Masters and PhD from Cambridge. She became educated. The book follows her journey to college and beyond in the last quarter of the memoir, but it's mainly about her childhood. It reminded me so much of <i>The Glass Castle </i>which is one of my favorite books of all time. It's a unique memoir but at its core it's a coming of age tale about family dynamics.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
All my father's stories were about our mountain, our valley, our jagged little patch of Idaho. He never told me what to do if I left the mountain, if I crossed oceans and continents and found myself in strange terrain, where I could no longer search the horizon for the Princess. He never told me how I'd know when it was time to come home.</blockquote>
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<b>3. Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness-</b><i><b> </b>Susannah Cahalan</i><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ad24ALZJ1dY/W04B0b-kGKI/AAAAAAAABuU/1eCpp5clq5sYQjbmAea3VqTY5K5axmdLQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-07-17%2Bat%2B10.48.26%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ad24ALZJ1dY/W04B0b-kGKI/AAAAAAAABuU/1eCpp5clq5sYQjbmAea3VqTY5K5axmdLQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-07-17%2Bat%2B10.48.26%2BAM.png" width="320" /></a> I'm very into psychological thriller themes, i.e. <i>Shutter Island, AHS: Asylum </i>because one of the scariest things to me is being sane but having everyone else believe that you're insane. That's pretty much what happened to Susannah Cahalan. Susannah was a normal 24 year old getting her start in the journalism world when one day she woke up in a hospital room, strapped to a bed, with no recollection of the past month or how she got there. All her medical tests came back completely normal and the doctors were convinced she was suffering from a psychotic break, not a medical condition. Luckily for Susannah, thanks to some amazing doctors and persistent family members, she wasn't transferred to a psych ward (a.k.a. my worst nightmare) and her rare disease was diagnosed, (this isn't a spoiler, she wrote the book after all, so you know there's a happy ending). The book is written from the memories of friends and family and hospital staff and the stories they told Susannah about her month of madness. Susannah also gained knowledge on her hospital stay from the 24 hour video surveillance they put in her hospital room after she attempted to escape multiple times and was considered a flight risk. Susannah's memoir was turned into a movie and is now on Netflix. Although the movie isn't as good as the book (what's new) it's definitely worth a watch.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Like daffodils in the early days of spring, my neurons were resprouting receptors as the winter of my illness ebbed.</blockquote>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237652923423718474.post-54086660618596012662018-05-30T21:29:00.000-07:002018-06-01T06:23:49.435-07:0027 Things I Learned By 27<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pM3V1zDBtF4/WxDLPzMyP1I/AAAAAAAABrA/e77FyXDHfxoWDL1wrh0mZffiQo78butuwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/birthday-blur-cake-40183.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pM3V1zDBtF4/WxDLPzMyP1I/AAAAAAAABrA/e77FyXDHfxoWDL1wrh0mZffiQo78butuwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/birthday-blur-cake-40183.jpg" /></a><br />
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1. Let people merge into your lane. Don't be the driver who makes the out of state minivan with their turn signal on, miss their exit because you don't want to slow down 5 m.p.h.<br />
2. Don't watch crime dramas right before bed.<br />
3. Your opinion isn't the only correct opinion.<br />
4. Get off your phone. And I don't just mean while at dinner with friends. Walk with your eyes to the clouds and observe the sights and sounds around you. Your Instagram feed will be there in an hour, I promise. When I think of all the missed connections I've had with people and adorable dogs I didn't pet and nature I missed because my head was down looking at my phone as I walked home, I cringe.<br />
6. Text or better yet, call your mom on your birthday if that's possible for you. I'm still baffled that I get honored on the day my mother completed literally one of the hardest and most painful experiences a human can go through.<br />
7. Make your bed every morning. There is nothing quite as satisfying as coming home after a long day of work and walking into your room to see a neat, clean bed waiting to engulf you.<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x3nesfG0xVU/Ww4N7_kE6uI/AAAAAAAABmU/-P1cTG6XB68NCHRodxPzikCMVigb77wnQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/tumblr_navyp6aEbD1rzadffo1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x3nesfG0xVU/Ww4N7_kE6uI/AAAAAAAABmU/-P1cTG6XB68NCHRodxPzikCMVigb77wnQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/tumblr_navyp6aEbD1rzadffo1_500.gif" width="320" /></a><br />
⇒8. Have Faith. Find your God/spiritual liaison/higher power, whatever it is and rely on Him/it/that when things get hard.<br />
<br />
9. Find your signature drink.<br />
10. Speaking of signatures, adopt a<br />
somewhat legible one.<br />
10. Stop beginning sentences with "sorry."<br />
11. Don't sell boardwalk. EVER.<br />
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ohNeLOE2cn8/Ww4OBeyYrNI/AAAAAAAABmc/0nOgIUAD-g47YqI5UmjRM2KaZlbu_2gmgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/tumblr_navyp6aEbD1rzadffo2_500.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="53" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ohNeLOE2cn8/Ww4OBeyYrNI/AAAAAAAABmc/0nOgIUAD-g47YqI5UmjRM2KaZlbu_2gmgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/tumblr_navyp6aEbD1rzadffo2_500.png" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ohNeLOE2cn8/Ww4OBeyYrNI/AAAAAAAABmc/0nOgIUAD-g47YqI5UmjRM2KaZlbu_2gmgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/tumblr_navyp6aEbD1rzadffo2_500.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a>12. By this age, your metabolism is basically non-existent (if you're one of the lucky few who can still eat like they're a junior in college, congrats!) so start paying attention to what you eat, work out, but most importantly love and respect your body<br />
(easier said than done).<br />
13. Don't compare your life to others. If that means you<br />
have to delete snapchat and twitter and possibly Facebook<br />
because it makes you bitter, then do it.<br />
14. Double check that you set your alarm in the morning<br />
to AM not PM.<br />
15. Things not worth overpaying for: haircuts, mascara, linens.<br />
16. Things worth paying a little more for: toilet paper, contact solution, sushi.<br />
17. Volunteer. It's one of the most rewarding and selfless<br />
things you can do.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YmSeoboI8tY/Ww4OygA-apI/AAAAAAAABmo/wPKhoCycTukSLwPCIWBpzPrL18RrHtp_QCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/tumblr_ov3q72QbyG1wy1sw2o1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YmSeoboI8tY/Ww4OygA-apI/AAAAAAAABmo/wPKhoCycTukSLwPCIWBpzPrL18RrHtp_QCK4BGAYYCw/s320/tumblr_ov3q72QbyG1wy1sw2o1_500.gif" width="320" /></a><span style="text-align: center;">⇒18. Get a library card. Seriously, why are you spending $25 on a book you will finish in 3 days and maybe won't even like? The library is free and offers as many books as your heart desires. THEN, and only then, if you really love the book you may buy it. Because, how many of us actually read the same book more than once?</span><br />
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19. Say "no" more often.<br />
20. It's okay to put yourself first. There's a difference between self-care and being selfish. You need to prioritize your needs before other people's wants.<br />
21. Forgive easily. You will be happier not carrying the weight of guilt and bitterness with you.<br />
22. Never be afraid to acknowledge your weaknesses and seek help.<br />
23. Strawberries aren't actually berries. I just really think more people need to know about this.<br />
24. Never accept a job offer without first negotiating salary.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wTLxbcQCdCM/Ww4Ssah_k6I/AAAAAAAABn0/OSXzA1CBvooSEVrbCppuvbUiI-_9vBhvQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/tumblr_mvt29oaJ4w1qdax0jo2_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wTLxbcQCdCM/Ww4Ssah_k6I/AAAAAAAABn0/OSXzA1CBvooSEVrbCppuvbUiI-_9vBhvQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/tumblr_mvt29oaJ4w1qdax0jo2_500.gif" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-px-PE5HXzbo/Ww4SsIrbZeI/AAAAAAAABns/bDlk8BWTjDk9cGMCyja4WCEdO49nzukLACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/tumblr_mvt29oaJ4w1qdax0jo1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-px-PE5HXzbo/Ww4SsIrbZeI/AAAAAAAABns/bDlk8BWTjDk9cGMCyja4WCEdO49nzukLACK4BGAYYCw/s320/tumblr_mvt29oaJ4w1qdax0jo1_500.gif" width="320" /></a> <br />
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25. Learn to use public transportation.<br />
26. A spray tan can change your life (It can also make your hands the color of Cheetos, be careful).<br />
27. Growing older is a privilege, not a curse. Celebrate another year on Earth instead of dwelling on being "old."<br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237652923423718474.post-14236522334542183852018-05-08T07:48:00.000-07:002018-05-30T21:27:17.494-07:00Current Book Favorites<div id="fb-root"></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Short Stories/Poetry</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3yEUs4xbslI/Wt5GZQwh0iI/AAAAAAAABjE/mkgoKjdJDLshalxjPO7Zyz6WeJ-_-2gsACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-04-23%2Bat%2B4.46.50%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3yEUs4xbslI/Wt5GZQwh0iI/AAAAAAAABjE/mkgoKjdJDLshalxjPO7Zyz6WeJ-_-2gsACK4BGAYYCw/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-04-23%2Bat%2B4.46.50%2BPM.png" width="320" /></a><b><i>All The Names They Used For God-</i> Anjali Sachdeva</b><br />
I usually hate short stories because first off, I think they either pack way too much story into 20 pages, or tend to be super boring with abrupt endings. I know, Hemingway is rolling over in his grave, but I just prefer novels. However, this is probably one of the very few collections of short stories that I approve of. Every story is unique and concise and thoughtfully written. There aren't any stories thrown in to be page fillers and each one is creative and could stand alone.<br />
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<b><i>Depression & Other Magic Tricks-</i> Sabrina Benaim</b><br />
I first heard about this author through her spoken word. For those who aren't into poetry or spoken word, there's this pretty renown organization called <i>Button Poetry.</i> They produce spoken word videos and put them on various platforms, including Youtube. One of my favorite poets on their channel is Sabrina Benaim so when I saw she came out with a poetry collection, I wanted to give it a read. Think <i>Milk & Honey </i>but way better. I love her poems, they remind me of my own writing style... if I was super talented and put my minor in poetry to any actual use.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I plucked a daisy in Kentucky. It told me that you loved me, so I left your love there. There in the dancing around, dancing through, dancing on the spot, where I buried my expectations and the wanting of it all. You know, the truth hurts less when it's not parading around in front of us. I only doused myself in gasoline when you handed me that match because I was tired of being a metaphor. I mean, why is it always about burning? </blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Oldie but Goodie</span></div>
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<b><i>Fahrenheit 451- </i>Ray Bradbury</b></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pAUHrdDjqro/Wt5G86AwjsI/AAAAAAAABjU/po-hhDeHY4UdIMpivY0D8EkKwoyC3j2lACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-04-23%2Bat%2B4.49.39%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pAUHrdDjqro/Wt5G86AwjsI/AAAAAAAABjU/po-hhDeHY4UdIMpivY0D8EkKwoyC3j2lACK4BGAYYCw/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-04-23%2Bat%2B4.49.39%2BPM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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I am ashamed of myself for not reading this book until my 26th year of life. How have I waited this long?! I'll blame my school system for this one because I feel like I definitely should have read it in 10th grade or something. Ray Bradbury's futuristic world where firefighters start fires instead of putting them out is reminiscent of Orwell's <i>1984 </i>and had me intrigued from the first sentence. </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: left;">
It was a pleasure to burn. It was a pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and <i>changed. </i></blockquote>
I mean, dang, what a way to start off a story! This is a short book, only 119 pages, so I really don't want to discuss it much for fear of giving something away, but seriously just read it. If the awards, the acclaim, and my fabulous recommendation don't persuade you, read it because HBO is releasing it as a movie starring Michael B. Jordan next month. Yes, Black Panther's enemy will be playing the protagonist Guy Montag, I cannot wait.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Suspense/Mystery </span></div>
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<b><i> </i></b></div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UrDDdS2Vp_k/Wt9Fg2KDmWI/AAAAAAAABj8/kBT1-KYh1B8O_1SZ01RJiHvmVfF0czUDACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-04-24%2Bat%2B10.55.33%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UrDDdS2Vp_k/Wt9Fg2KDmWI/AAAAAAAABj8/kBT1-KYh1B8O_1SZ01RJiHvmVfF0czUDACK4BGAYYCw/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-04-24%2Bat%2B10.55.33%2BAM.png" width="400" /></a><b><i>The Woman in the Window- </i>A.J. Finn</b><br />
I was on the waitlist at the library for this book for 3 months so to say I had high expectations would be an understatement. The story centers around a woman scared of going outside her home (she has PTSD from an event the reader doesn't know the source of). The woman watches the neighbors from her window and witnesses what she believes to be a murder occur in their home. However, she is unreliable, a drunk, mixing various psychotics, basically <i>The Girl on Train</i> x 10 in terms of narrator credibility. It intrigued me but I wasn't entirely sold since the story seemed like something that had been done before. But then, it did what I love in a good mystery and completely blindsided me, not once, but twice. I read a lot, so for me not to intuit something coming, says a lot about the author's excellent writing style.<br />
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<b><i>Hidden Bodies-</i> Caroline Kepnes</b><br />
I included Caroline's first novel, <i>You</i>, in my 2017 book favorites and the follow up sequel is no different. I just love this author's writing style, it's so easy and quick to read, I finish her books in maximum 2 days. There's murder, suspense, love, a criminal trial, basically all my favorite <i>Criminal Minds</i> episodes rolled into one. Start by reading <i>You,</i> and if you like it, definitely follow up with <i>Hidden Bodies. </i><br />
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<b><i>All The Ugly and Wonderful Things-</i> Bryn Greenwood</b><br />
Ok so this book is weird and slightly disturbing and pretty dark. It's very <i>Lolita </i>and I'm just going to throw it out there that it's about a relationship between a 25 year old man and a 13 year old girl....yeah it's gross. BUT it's written so beautifully and is set in a Midwestern methlab and trailer park so compared to everything else going on around the two main characters, their feelings for one another seems like the least illegal thing happening. The two characters are emotionally "in love" but not physically loving one another so that also makes you feel slightly better when you realize that out of all the other awful characters in the book, these two are your favorites. In the brutal surroundings and environment, their affection towards one another emerges as the only delicate thing and something you find yourself as the reader hoping doesn't break. I painted a weird picture of this book but there's also murder, police, foster homes, and motorcycles involved so the book isn't completely about an illegal relationship, I promise.<br />
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Feeling dead was better than when my head hurt. Sometimes I thought it might burn through my ribs while I was asleep, and smolder in the sheets until the whole house caught fire.</blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Historical Fiction</span><br />
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<b><i>America's First Daughter- </i>Stephanie Dray</b><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DFniAtSm7EQ/Wt9U35AdG-I/AAAAAAAABkM/b6h3OGEN-F8IM3ReTKAJj68VXI5bj0jMwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/AmericasFirstDaughterbyStephanieDrayLauraKamoie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DFniAtSm7EQ/Wt9U35AdG-I/AAAAAAAABkM/b6h3OGEN-F8IM3ReTKAJj68VXI5bj0jMwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/AmericasFirstDaughterbyStephanieDrayLauraKamoie.jpg" width="212" /></a>Oh how I love me some historical fiction. I was reading this while getting my hair cut and couldn't help daydreaming about wanting to go back to this time period and marry a dashing General who served in the American Revolution. We would live in the rolling hills of the blue ridge mountains and have southern drawls and as my husband wrote important letters in his study I would play harpsichord as the children played by the fire. Then I remembered I definitely would have died 5 years ago from childbirth at the ripe old age of 22 or would've passed from one of the many cases of strep throat I seem to catch every winter...so yeah, I guess the present time period and its antibiotics are cool. Daydreaming aside, these two authors are fantastic. They are widely acclaimed for being historically accurate (they write other historical fictions novels together) and jammed this book full of so many historical facts and nuances that it should be a boring history book but instead flows like a beautiful narrative from Thomas Jefferson's daughter's diary. I am a Virginian so of course I loved that the book focused on Virginia and on her greatest residents but genuinely I think even guys would like this book if they're into history. It's not romanticized, and instead gives a raw and real account of the hardship and eventual poverty that followed the Jefferson family. If you're a Virginian, read it to learn your history, if you're an American, read it to see how far we've grown as a nation (shockingly, it actually <i>is</i> better in America now), and if you're anyone else, read it simply because it's a beautifully written and intelligent piece of literature.<br>
<div class="fb-share-button" data-href="https://rkush.blogspot.com/2018/05/current-book-favorites.html" data-layout="button_count" data-size="small" data-mobile-iframe="true"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Frkush.blogspot.com%2F2018%2F05%2Fcurrent-book-favorites.html&src=sdkpreparse" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore">Share</a></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237652923423718474.post-55895930153058568462018-04-23T08:56:00.001-07:002018-04-23T09:08:35.316-07:00Review: Wild<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W3vaUMCtpzw/WtjmFu_hppI/AAAAAAAABiM/q-p6NJ2nUTU1LZizXStk_Vzj-lEe1FUkgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_6848%2B12.12.46%2BPM.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W3vaUMCtpzw/WtjmFu_hppI/AAAAAAAABiM/q-p6NJ2nUTU1LZizXStk_Vzj-lEe1FUkgCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_6848%2B12.12.46%2BPM.JPG" /></a>I will begin by saying that I'm not a "wilderness-adventure" type of girl. I don't make my own gluten-free trail mix or use a BPA-free water bottle, and I definitely don't wear those creepy shoe/socks that have the toes peeking out. I enjoy hiking (look at me being outdoorsy to your left! I am so adventurous!) and heck, I'll even camp a night or two if the occasion demands and Smore's will be eaten. But, don't you dare expect me to pack up everything I own and live on a trail for 6 months.<br />
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So...when I decided to read<i> Wild,</i> it was less about relating to the hiking experience and mostly because I wanted to watch the movie and my English Major past wouldn't let me watch it without first divulging into the book. Despite my love for hygiene and hatred for bugs and outdoor sleeping arrangements, I was surprised to find myself loving a book that took two pages to describe how to purify water for drinking. The book is, first and foremost, about the grueling task of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), but it's also about a girl grieving over a failed marriage, dead mother, and overall loss of drive and direction in her life. I listened to the audiobook this past weekend as my family and I made the 5 hour journey to Northeast Pennsylvania. And maybe it was the fact that we were headed to a funeral or maybe it was just my emotional self listening to beautiful and heartbreaking dialogue escape the narrator, but I found myself sobbing on Highway 95 North when Cheryl Strayed (the author) described her mother dying of cancer. I didn't think I could get emotionally attached to a voice coming out of my radio since it's such a different experience than reading a book, but I was so incredibly moved by Cheryl's story that I broke down and cried when she painfully explained her mother's agonizing passing. I was shameless in my breakdown and apologize if any fellow DC drivers witnessed that hot mess from their car windows.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pt4Q0HIXiaY/Wtj8lfFug1I/AAAAAAAABic/59MJCib62SoOTHSag4GAgO312wir0loLwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/A1rIzRwWNML._RI_SX200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pt4Q0HIXiaY/Wtj8lfFug1I/AAAAAAAABic/59MJCib62SoOTHSag4GAgO312wir0loLwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/A1rIzRwWNML._RI_SX200_.jpg" /></a>I had diverged, digressed, wandered, and become wild. I didn't embrace the word as my new name because it defined negative aspects of my circumstances or life, but because even in my darkest days--those very days in which I was naming myself--I saw the power of the darkness. Saw that, in fact, I had strayed and that I was a stray and that from the wild places my straying had brought me, I knew things I couldn't have known before.</blockquote>
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The entirety of the book was so refreshing, because like myself, Cheryl was not a hiker or outdoorsy girl when she decided to complete the 2,650 mile trail. She failed multiple times on the trail (unable to purify her water, not reaching her camping site, her shoes breaking) and was faced with many instances of almost quitting, but despite her extreme inexperience, she completed the trail. I loved the inspirational story of a girl who has lost everything, but can find herself while alone in the beauty of nature. Maybe it was the situations she went through that I found myself relating to the narrator but from her lowest lows to highest highs on the trail, I felt connected to the author throughout the book.<br />
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I then watched the movie of course! I have to say that as far as movies after books go (always awful), this one was pretty dang great. I thought Reese definitely deserved an award for her acting performance, she was fantastic. The film incorporated a lot of the book which I appreciated and though I was very curious how they cinematically would go from the character's traumatic childhood to adulthood as seamlessly as the book, they did an excellent job.<br />
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Lastly, I will leave you with the quote below. It's so simple but I love it. You don't have to hike for six months to find adventure or challenge yourself. Everyday, just living your normal life, you are met with challenges and adventures that define you. There's a wildness and fear in just stepping back and letting things be (Can I copyright that for a poster?....I should know these things, I am a paralegal after all...oops).<br />
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How <b>wild</b> it was, to let it be.</blockquote>
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Rating: 4 out 5 Books</div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237652923423718474.post-14020799531745811672018-03-28T08:13:00.002-07:002018-05-30T15:23:15.686-07:00September 11th, D.A.R.E., & Carrie Fisher's "Wishful Drinking"<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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The year is 2001, just a few days post September 11th and as the country is reeling from heartbreak, my fifth grade class is learning about drugs and alcohol abuse from the fine police forces of Prince William County, Virginia. I'm listening intently, furiously scribbling notes into my composition notebook, eagerly pushing up my purple wire rimmed glasses, taking in their every word. You see, I saw it as my Godly duty to learn, absorb, and exhibit all the traits the D.A.R.E. program had to offer. Why was I so passionate about this you may ask? Well, two reasons. Number one was that everyone in my class had to write a personal essay on what D.A.R.E. meant to them and the winner got to read their essay at the school assembly in November. I hated public speaking, but even at that young age, I knew what I lacked in charisma and confidence, i made up for in my bomb sentence structure and the ability to write copious amounts on any topic. I wanted my essay to win. Secondly, and most importantly, was because I felt my dad's life had been spared in the terrorist attacks and now I owed one to the big guy upstairs. September 11th was especially terrifying in my community because 80% (I did not do the math) of my classmates had parents who worked in the government in Washington D.C., many of them working in the Pentagon when it was bombed, my father included. A younger classmate of mine lost their father that day and I felt so blessed that my dad escaped the Pentagon unscathed that I owed it to God, the Universe, and whatever other forces were at work to be the best human I could possibly be. I began with a bake sale for the Red Cross (My local newspaper debut is above), but the next stop was world peace, no pressure for a 10 year old girl, right?<br />
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Fast forward to November 2001, I won the essay competition for my class and was preparing to read my speech to the entirety of my elementary school, when, I overheard a group of moms in the front row discussing Carrie Fisher. Now, I knew who Carrie Fisher was, my birthday party two years earlier was Phantom Menace themed (why didn't I do roller skating like other 8 year olds?) and I (my parents) took all the girls in my class to see it at the movie theatre. I was a long time Star Wars fan and immediately realized these moms were talking about Princess Leia. Years later, I would come to learn that they were discussing her cover on <i>Psychology Today</i>, in which she discussed her mental health problems, but more so her drug and alcohol addiction. I overheard this gossip and quickly realized that one of my childhood heroes was "an addict," "nutjob," "druggie," "depressed." The mom's words, not mine. I felt as if I had just been told Santa Claus wasn't real. The very thing I was devoting myself to abstain from, my childhood inspiration was giving in to. In that moment, I felt my naive heart break just a little as one my idols, Carrie Fisher, let me down.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vjAii-P3NzQ/WrQWPzl38TI/AAAAAAAABg4/Y9J2UvfI22MfLKLa8vco_BObOrK_zh9RACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/wishful_art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vjAii-P3NzQ/WrQWPzl38TI/AAAAAAAABg4/Y9J2UvfI22MfLKLa8vco_BObOrK_zh9RACK4BGAYYCw/s320/wishful_art.jpg" width="206" /></a>Obviously I quickly realized I couldn't be a perfect human being and God was just going to have to be chill with that, so you would think that as the years went on, I would forget my resentment towards Carrie Fisher, but I couldn't! Not after having my first sip of alcohol, not after being diagnosed with a mental illness myself, I just couldn't forgive Carrie. It made no logical sense but up until even a week ago, if I heard her name, I became slightly irritated and judgmental. Guess that's what happens when the moms who pregame the school assembly trash your role model in front of you. However, as a lover of memoirs and non-fiction, I thought it was about time I read her book, <i>Wishful Drinking, </i>to see if I could ease the 17 year blow that still afflicted my heart. Per usual, I looked the book up on Good Reads and saw it only had a 3 out of 5 star rating which surprised me, especially because since her death it seemed people were putting her on a pedestal. However, I have no idea what those low raters were thinking because this book is perfection. Well, it's actually a very imperfect book to be honest...but that's what makes it perfect.<br />
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Anyway, George comes up to me on the first day of filming and he takes one look at the dress and says, "You can't wear a bra under that dress." So I say, "Ok, I'll bite. Why?" And he says, "Because... there's no underwear in space." I promise you this is true and he says it with such conviction too! Like he had been to space and looked around and he didn't see any bras or panties or briefs anywhere. </blockquote>
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The book is really ALL over the place, much like Carrie's mind at the time she wrote it (which she openly admits) and I absolutely love that. It feels like you're having a conversation with her and she's going off on tangents, not like you're reading a harrowing memoir of a depressed drug addict. Yes, she delves into her mental health struggles and addictions but she never makes it sound like she's complaining or that she wants your sympathy, she's simply laying it all out there. I loved the sporadic timeline, how the book jumps from time period to time period and first person to third (much like this blog post, amirite?). It feels eccentric and manic, just like Carrie. Also, having just read a memoir by a famous rapper which he obviously didn't write by himself (but hey, at least he included his ghost writer on the title page) I genuinely believed that Carrie wrote this book all on her own. It wasn't polished or very precise but it felt real and authentic. In fact, I have an old GMU grad school friend (shoutout Caitlyn) who works for Simon & Schuster Publishing, so maybe she can chime in on how much of this Carrie actually wrote, because I would guess almost all of it. I loved this book, I connected with this book and I related to the roller coaster of emotions Carrie described. I think it's safe to say, Carrie and I have finally worked out our issues from 2001.<br />
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237652923423718474.post-78752411895661631322018-03-12T08:44:00.000-07:002018-03-12T09:36:50.919-07:00Review: Beartown<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xccfaiZNaJ8/Wpb_D_eS-qI/AAAAAAAABfA/dzCMlf0VGw0uOHso32eBcGsW5lc2473rQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/31675787.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xccfaiZNaJ8/Wpb_D_eS-qI/AAAAAAAABfA/dzCMlf0VGw0uOHso32eBcGsW5lc2473rQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/31675787.jpg" width="212" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xccfaiZNaJ8/Wpb_D_eS-qI/AAAAAAAABfA/dzCMlf0VGw0uOHso32eBcGsW5lc2473rQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/31675787.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Hockey. This book is about hockey. Did I know that before I read it? <b>No. </b>Why? Because I judged a book by its cover...well technically I judged a book by not only its cover but also by its author. I never read <i>A Man Called Ove </i>even though it topped the bestseller list because quite frankly it sounded sad and I have to be in a particularly loathing mood to read a sad book. However, the book was widely acclaimed for the writing skills of its author, Fredrik Backman, so I thought I would read the current book he came out with. The cover looked peaceful and the title is <i>Beartown </i>so I figured it involved something about the wilderness, perhaps Alaska. I was kind of right, it involved a town in the middle of the wilderness but I managed to miss the hockey player skating in the bottom left corner of the cover.<br />
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The book is about a hockey town. Particularly a town that is failing in every aspect of the economy and only has its hockey team to pull them out of the hole. The Junior League hockey team is winning its way to the finals, which if won, means sponsors, new businesses, and money galore for the town.<br />
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Sound Interesting? Maybe, but not really to me. I definitely wouldn't have picked up this book if I knew that's what it was about, it all seemed a little too Friday Night Lights for me. Your typical crappy town that only has a sport made up of teenage boys to look forward to. However, I looked up the reviews and they were all extremely high and positive so I forged on.<br />
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The book was good in the beginning but I would say the first 100 pages deal strictly with hockey and bumps around to a lot of different characters which was kind of hard to follow at first. You follow the GM of the hockey team, the Junior League hockey coach, the A team hockey coach, the Underdog player, the Star player, the Badboy, the Mom, and the Pretty Girl. I categorized them this way, they actually do have names in the book, but you get the gist. Eight characters is a lot to follow (you're usually taught in writing classes that a reader can only keep up with four) and they all (except for the Underdog) have basic names so it was hard to remember who was Peter and who was David for the first few chapters. Moving along, I didn't hate but also didn't love the beginning of the book because quite honestly I'm a baseball girl and wasn't that into the hockey references.<br />
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But then, you get to the heart of the narrative and soon find out this book isn't about an underdog hockey team in a dwindling town finally making it to the "big" game, it's about something far bigger. About halfway through the book you're introduced to a big event ( I wont spoil it) and you realize the author was so damn clever because every single reference he made in the previous pages was a lead up to this event. I loved that because it almost felt like a mystery to me and I felt surprised and a bit dumb that I never saw this event coming.<br />
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It's so applicable and such an important message and I immediately became immersed and stayed up until 3am on a Sunday and finished 318 pages in one night. I finally understood where the rave reviews came from people and I got why this book became a bestseller.<br />
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Hate can be a deeply stimulating emotion. The world becomes easier to understand and much less terrifying if you divide everything and everyone into friends and enemies, we and they, good and evil. The easiest way to unite a group isn't through love, because love is hard, it makes demands. Hate is simple. So the first thing that happens in a conflict is that we choose a side, because that's easier than trying to hold two thoughts in our heads at the same time. The second thing that happens is that we seek out facts that confirm what we want to believe-- comforting facts, ones that permit life to go on as normal. The third is we dehumanize the enemy.</blockquote>
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Trudge through the first 100 pages (unless you love hockey, then you'll love the entire book) because once you make it to a certain climax in the story, it's impossible to put this book down. My review is 4 out of 5 books.<br />
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237652923423718474.post-34119796210323148472018-02-26T05:41:00.000-08:002018-05-30T15:23:05.470-07:002017 Book Favorites <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is a pretty common question I get asked by my friends. Although it depends on the person and the genre/style that they enjoy reading, there are a select few books in my "read" arsenal that I can always suggest. However, not everyone wants to read a classic piece of literature written in the 1800's no matter how noteworthy it is. New books are exciting and fresh and I dedicated 2017 to exploring new authors and genres.</div>
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2017 was also the year I actively decided to start tracking all of the books I read in a year. I made a goal of 50 books, but ending up reading 62! My goal for 2018 is to surpass last year and go for 65. If you don't already have a <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/">Good Reads</a> account then I HIGHLY recommend you set one up. It's free and tracks all the books you have read, allows you to rate books, lets you track by % how far along you are in the book, and shows you what your friends are reading and what they rated specific books.</div>
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Of the 62 books I read in 2017, I only gave five books 5 out of 5 stars on Good Reads. These five books are my must-reads and I have included brief descriptions of each below. In addition, there are a couple that I will probably do more in depth reviews on in the future because a 1 paragraph description doesn't do the book justice. I also listed some honorable mentions I loved but didn't quite love enough to give five stars to.<br />
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One thing that Good Reads has showed me is that I primarily read historical fiction, nonfiction/memoir, and mystery/whodunit books, so I have broken down my book suggestions into those three categories.</div>
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<b>Historical Fiction</b></div>
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<i>The Underground Railroad -- Colson Whitehead</i></div>
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This book affected me so deeply I cannot even begin to explain its influence. It was by far the best book I read in 2017, quite possibly one of the best I've read in my entire life. The author came and spoke at my Alma Mater during my school's fall book festival and hearing him speak was so powerful. I will be doing a far more in depth review on this book in the future because I love it that much, but for now just take my word for it and immediately read this Pre Civil War novel detailing Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia plantation life. </div>
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<i>The Invention of Wings -- Sue Monk Kidd</i><br />
I love WWII and Civil War history so it didn't surprise me that I fell in love with this story of two sister abolitionists who flee their plantation in South Carolina to fight for the freedom of those they once owned. It's an extremely powerful and true story (I visited and toured this plantation and home in March!) that I will also be writing more about in the future.<br />
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<i>Salt to the Sea -- Ruta Sepetys</i><br />
I already stated that I enjoy wartime novels and although this one takes place during WWII, it explores how the war affected the Soviets and Eastern European refugees. The novel begins as the nazis are crumbling and WWII is reaching a conclusion. However the novel focuses on refugees fleeing from the impending Soviet Advance. Most books I had read focused on Germany or those countries conquered by Germany so it often left this part of history out; I had never heard much about how the East was affected and I felt introduced to a whole new genre of WWII books.<br />
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<b>Memoir/Nonfiction</b></div>
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<i>How To Murder Your Life -- Cat Marnell</i><br />
Former beauty editor for Lucky Magazine turned hardcore drug addict...this book is absolutely insane! The author is from the DC metro area which made the first couple chapters about her childhood very relatable, there's even a shout out to Tyson's Corner Mall. However, she soon moves to NYC and becomes a big time editor at various prestigious magazines all while maintaining a horrific drug habit. The book is so outlandish it's hard to believe the events actually happened to the author but she balances the dark parts out with humor and excellent writing to make the book an easy read. Also, she lived with Nev from Catfish so read it just for those stories.<br />
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<b>Mystery</b></div>
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<i>I'm Thinking of Ending Things -- Iain Reid</i><br />
This is a very short book, I read it in one night, and it has an OMG, WTF, WOAH ending that completely shocked me. Again, I read a lot of books but this one had an ending I never saw coming. The book has quite literally everything a good creepy mystery needs: a secluded farm, weird parents, an abandoned high school, and a car that breaks down on the side of the road...just a lot of eerie stuff that make it a scary and suspenseful read.<br />
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<b>Honorable Mentions</b></div>
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<i>The Kitchen House -- Kathleen Grissom</i><br />
A fascinating take on Virginia plantation life in the Pre Civil War era. The story centers around a white Irish immigrant who is orphaned upon entry into America and sold to work in the kitchen house of a Virginia plantation. As I learned, this was apparently a common and lucrative practice for slave traders to take poor, naive, white immigrants who came over from Europe and sell them to plantations for almost triple the amount of money they would make from a slave. The main character lives in an awkward limbo where she is considered beneath the white family she works for, but above the slaves she lives in a cabin with, and is often very isolated. It was a very different and interesting way to describe the horrors of plantation life through a white indentured servant.<br />
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<i>You-- Caroline Kepnes</i><br />
Of all the books I have mentioned so far, this is the best written one. You may be asking why is it only an honorable mention then? Well, quite honestly the ending ruined it for me and knocked it down to a four star review, but overall even if you only read this book, about a stalker whose stalkeee falls in love with him, for the writing alone, it will be worth it. It's easy and quick to read and disturbing enough to make you wonder if you too have a stalker out there following your every move, but not disturbing enough to make you unable to sleep at night.<br />
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<i>Sweetbitter -- Stephanie Danler</i><br />
A nonfiction book about two years in the life of recent NYC resident and waitress Stephanie as she tries to navigate the city, what she wants to do in life and how to best carry six martini glasses at once. As someone who worked her college and graduate school career in retail and customer service I could relate to so many of her horror stories from the restaurant she worked in. There's also an element of the unknown as the author goes through her quarter life crisis which is not only relevant to my current life status but comforting to know that every 20-something is still figuring out what the heck they're doing.<br />
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<i>Hillbilly Elegy -- J.D. Vance</i><br />
This book has a lot of statistics in it and reads half like a nonfiction narrative and half like a textbook. I absolutely loved that about it and as someone who currently works in politics I found the numbers, voting records, and answers into how the country is in the state its currently in, fascinating. Also, because I work so heavily in politics in my daily life, the last thing I want to do is read political stuff when I get home and am trying to relax. That's why I love that the author wrote completely in a non-partisan fashion and highlighted the highs and lows of each political party. There's no bashing or blaming, which is extremely refreshing. Also, the authors grandmother raised him in the holler of Kentucky and was a complete badass woman whose behavior makes for some great stories throughout this book.<br />
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237652923423718474.post-78514099395219442742018-02-24T13:02:00.000-08:002018-02-26T08:01:28.042-08:00Review: All The Light We Cannot See (no spoilers)<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> I thought it was only right to have my first official book review be on a newer novel that has quickly become one of my all time favorite books.</span></center>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">This novel has truly blown me away. I literally LOL'd in my car listening to the audiobook,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> cried all over the pages as I read it before bed and just absorbed every bit of it in absolute awe. Every line written by the author, Anthony Doerr, is so melodically enchanting that he was somehow able to make war torn France sound like it still had some sparkle to it. </span></center>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s1T7mfSIidE/Wni3CUt5WnI/AAAAAAAABdM/WxkHwVveF_oDPzZQYIdlYDFul6ruxBOvwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/fdb307bd1c68e5b9ad458a297849c65e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s1T7mfSIidE/Wni3CUt5WnI/AAAAAAAABdM/WxkHwVveF_oDPzZQYIdlYDFul6ruxBOvwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/fdb307bd1c68e5b9ad458a297849c65e.jpg" width="211" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">To rewind, the book bounces between 1940 and 1944 every so chapters and mainly follows the life of a blind French girl named Marie Laure and the life of a German boy named Werner (although there are some other big characters throughout the book). It's fascinating to read about how two people on complete opposite sides of the war could actually have so much in common. When the war breaks out, Marie Laure is taken away from Paris, the museum her father works in, and everything known as "home" to her and she is placed on the sea of France where she must start anew. Likewise, Werner is a poor orphan destined to work in the mines the remainder of his life, until his intellect and the impending war get him a job with the Nazis working with radio and electronic repair. Both children (and I say children although they are about 16) have to leave behind everything they know and begin again because of World War Two. You see throughout the novel how their paths intersect and the toll the war takes on the both of them.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br />I don't want to include any spoilers in my reviews because I merely want them to act as an introduction you may decide to read or reject, but I will touch on one of the more powerful moments in the novel.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While at training school to become a Nazi solider, Werner is dragged out of his bunk, along with the other students, in the middle of the freezing winter to observe a prisoner. The book does not specify if the man is a Jewish person, and is only described by Werner as looking "Russian or Polish," but one can quickly infer the prisoner has escaped a concentration camp. Each student lines up and proceeds to take a bucket of water and dump it on the prisoner until he is soon frozen to death. It is such a powerful scene because Werner knows it is incredibly wrong and that he </span>shouldn't<span style="font-family: inherit;"> do it, but he does it anyway.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">When his turn arrives, Werner throws the water like all the others and the splash hits the </span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">prisoner</span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> in the chest and a perfunctory cheer rises. He joins the cadets waiting to be released. </span><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Wet boots, wet cuffs; his hands have become so numb, they do not seem his own.</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white;">That last line gives me absolute chills! The nerd in me is overwhelmed by the metaphor between how Werner has lost feeling in his hands and also lost feeling in his soul. But, I will not bore you with a literary review and just conclude that as a writer myself, I was amazed at the way the author was able to weave all the different story lines together and make them cohesive. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">One of my favorite lines from the book, which is often repeated is, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><i>“Open your eyes and see what you can with them before they close forever."</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: small;">It of course relates perfectly not only to Marie Laure on a literal level because she is blind, but to how Werner is so quick to turn a blind eye to the monstrosities he commits with the Nazis. The book is brilliant and I proudly give it 5 out of 5 books.</span><i><br /></i></span></span><br />
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