Sophie Kinsella Has Done It Again...

She's made me lose hours of sleep because I'm reading her fabulously hilarious book. 


Sophie (we're on a first-name basis... Well, at least I am) is my most favorite living author. Her books pretty much crack me up, and I'm always reading them.

The newest addition to my collection, Can You Keep A Secret didn't let me down. I bought it at Hastings in Hays, America (ha ha) and even had Bonnie read it to me because I was driving. At one point in time, I was turning purple and I almost had to pull over on the interstate because I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe.  I stayed up all night on Saturday night/Sunday morning until I finished it.


I like Sophie's characters because they seem so real. I can relate so well to them, and it's almost embarrassing to read Emma's secrets and realize that I have some of the same. (But I'm not telling which ones...) 


I like how each of her girls have some serious situations to deal with, brought on by their own mistakes, and they manage to get out of them on their own. Of course I probably wouldn't like the books as much if that meant they girls were "cured." Oh No. They still continue making the same mistakes over-and-over-and-over again. Which is great, because she can keep writing about them.


Ladies, (and gentlemen, if you're not embarrassed) you should check our Sophie's books. I think you'll love them. 

My Kindle Gets A Makeover

As promised in my last post, I will show you some lovely pictures of my newly decorated Kindle. I ordered a Kindle decoration called a skin from Amazon. They have them in all sorts of themes from Disney to sports to fantasy to Twilight. (Team Edward/Jacob anyone?)

The Front

                        

The Back

There were lots of squeals, oooos, and ahhhhs, when the Amazon box arrived on Saturday, and even more when I put it on.

Two Great Biographies, One Great Author

My interest in biographies has grown immensely over the past year or so, and I've read more this year than I have in all my years before. I found myself reading about characters across the board.

I've read about Mrs. Julia Child, 

Mr. Benjamin Franklin, 

and a horse named Seabiscuit.

These plus a few others have occupied my time and interrupted hours of my sleep because I just couldn't put them down.  My most current sleep-depriving book was Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand.

This was the second book and biography by Laura Hillenbrand that I've read. When I chose it, I was looking for an Amazon 2010 Editor's Pick. It was number two after The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. (Read more of my Resplendent Moments from earlier this year to learn more about this great book) I had noticed that the author's name seemed familiar, but because I didn't so much as glance at the cover when I downloaded it to my Kindle, I didn't know she is also the author of Seabiscuit. A book I currently own in paperback form and read multiple times a year.

Her writing was amazing.  While lying in bed, I physically kicked my legs trying to help Louie Zamperini run faster at the Olympics, I felt my lips swelling from the heat just like the men in the rescue boat, and the pain and humiliation made me cry tears the POWs in the Japanese camps could not release.  The ups and downs in the lives of Zamp and Phil had me reading until 3 this morning. When I could barely keep my eyes open I forced myself to turn off the lamp. When I woke up at 8, I instantly reached for my newly decorated Kindle (pictures to come in a later blog) and switched it on.  

I love learning the details of lives so great and unfathomable, yet so unknown. Mrs. Hillenbrand is a fabulous writer, and I would like to read her own biography someday. Until then I wait for her next literary work, and encourage you to read about her, and her two books.

Partying In The City Where The Heat Is On

Over Christmas break I went to Miami, Florida to meet up with a friend I met on the cruise I went on last year.  This has been a long time coming, but here are a few pictures from that trip.

I ate DELICIOUS food.

 Visited the Everglades and saw lots of alligators.

I had a fabulous time with wonderful new friends!

And I stuck my toes in the ocean. It was COLD!

I had a great time and there are more pictures on my flickr account.

I Like My Men In Tights...

...tight tights. Ok, maybe not. My taste in men in a whole other topic and not one I plan to expand on today. :)


 I am currently reading The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle.  I've got to say I'm getting a little slowed-down by the "Nay's" and "Now how much dost thou want for thy horned cattle?" and other jazz like that.  

I can't say the Mr. Pyle has grabbed my attention as much as Mr. Mel Brooks but I'll continue on.

*Type color has changed due to influences from above mentioned book and movie.

Every Snowy Day Need A Mythical Creature

Some interesting information you may or may not know about me is my love of snow and tacky unicorns. Yesterday, I got the best of both worlds!

I awoke to the sound of my phone ringing in my ear at 4:45 am. For most people this is not a great way to start the morning, but I count it as a blessing in my life.  I woke myself up, tried to clear my throat to get the "morning voice" out and smiled to myself as I said hello to my school secretary on the other end. She politely told me there is no school due to snow. I answered excitedly back thank you! Then proceeded to sleep for another two hours. 

Stella In The Snow

My Backyard in 4 Inches of Snow

Because I had a whole weekend already I decided I should be semi-productive and began washing laundry and making breakfast for my sister and I. Of course I couldn't spend a whole school-free day working so I pulled out my most recent addition to my Tacky Unicorn Collection.  My wonderful friend Christy gave me this "Song of the Unicorn" puzzle for Christmas and I couldn't think of better way to spend my relaxing day.

My Puzzle Completed With 22 Pieces Missing

The Original Box Cover

From HeLa to Who Done It

I finished The Immortal Life of Heneritta Lacks the other day, and sort of like a cup of hot chocolate it was good until the last word. I shed a few tears as I read the last few pages of the story, but I won't tell you why. I definitely recommend this book. Even if you're not a big non-fiction fan I think you'll enjoy it. Rebecca Skloot tells the stories behind the people, and you get the background of all the characters just like a made up story.


Now that I've finished a recently published book, I've headed back almost 120 years to a well-known street in England to read The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes  by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

I'm not a big fan of mysteries, but I downloaded it free from Amazon.com to my Kindle (!!!!!!!!) and decided I had nothing to lose.  The first adventure, "A Scandal in Bohemia" was a bit predictable but I found myself laughing and enjoying it throughly.  It was a bit like "Boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider, Girls go to college to get more knowledge."






I just hope that if I'm ever being followed by a private investigator, I'll be able to get back at him just as "The Woman," Irene Adler.

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