Happy Birthday Michael

It is Michael's 28th Birthday today! Man do I love this guy. We went out to sushi last night to celebrate with friends and tonight we are getting on a train to San Francisco! Our trip is going to be about 10 days and we will eventually go up to Portland. I hope Michael has a fabulous birthday!

The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo

I just finished The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo. I have heard about this book for awhile and it wasn't until I saw the Swedish movie I really wanted to read it. The movie was great and of course the book was even better. I am excited to get the next two books in this series in the mail tomorrow.

Halloween

It has been so busy for us lately. I finally looked up from my homework and it was Halloween. Where did this year go? Anyways, for Halloween Michael and I took a break from school and work and got dressed up and watched a movie at home. I also dressed Simon up, he was so cute and he was great with all of the little kids that came to our house Trick or Treating.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Flowers For Algernon

It is official, I have read more books this year than last year! I have to say I had my doubts but I did it. Flowers for Algernon is the 16th book read this year.

I have been told to read this book for a while, so I finally did. It was good and depressing. You know me I always enjoy the depressing books. This book made me think about how I treat other people and how people relate to one another.

It is about a 32 year old man with an IQ of 70 that was part of an experiment where he had brain surgery that tripled his IQ. During this whole process he related more to a mouse named Algernon that had the same surgery, than anyone.

I hear there is a movie made about this book, so I am going to check it out. I also hear there is a rumor Will Smith is thinking about doing a remake of the movie.

The Pillars of the Earth

I read The Pillars of the Earth over 2 years ago and I read the sequel, World Without End just a little while ago. I really enjoyed both of them and to my suprise Starz created an 8 episode show based on the book The Pillars of the Earth. The show is quite accurate, of course it doesn't have everything. I really recommend watching this, I got it on netflix. It is obvious that there was a lot of money that went into this series and all the actors did an amazing job. Michael and I watched this together and he enjoyed it almost more than I did and he has never read the book. I really hope they decide to make World Without End series also.

Mockingjay

I just finished Mockingjay. This is the third and final book in The Hunger Games series. I can't help but feel sad that it is over. I enjoyed all of the books and am very happy how it ended. I spent the last week devouring the three books, with only work and sleep to distract me. Now that it is over I just feel lost. Every once in awhile I get caught up in reading. Not just reading a few hours a day, but all day, everyday. I will wake up from this state and realize that the world has just gone on without me and I need to catch up. Luckily I have a fabulous husband that thinks it is endearing that I enjoy reading so much. So now it is time to do my homework that I have put off, catch up with my family and friends, and decide what book to read next. . .

Catching Fire

Well I just finished Catching Fire the second in the Hunger Games series. I tried to fly through it as much as I could with school and work, so that I can start to read Mockingjay the third in the series. I really enjoy these books and I am going to stop writing now so that I can go read Mockingjay.

The Hunger Games

I have already read this book and the sequel, Catching Fire. The third and last of this series came out yesterday and at the last moment I decided I should reread the first two so it is fresh in my mind when I read the third. If you remember my previous post last year, I love this book and nothing has changed. As much as I like reading and experiencing new books, I love rereading books. It is like talking to an old friend that you haven't seen in awhile. You have a general idea of their personality and what they are about and you quickly remember the small details that made you friends in the first place.

On a side note, Michael and I started school today. Michael is taking Algebra and Japanese and I am taking Chemistry, Engineering, and Calculus. The first day went really well and I am excited for the rest of the semester.

Water for Elephants

Let me start by saying that I started reading Paradise by Toni Morrison. It was the first time in my life that I had decided to read a book and not finish it. Even books that I hated the whole time I read them, I finished. Paradise wasn't a bad book, I probably will read it sometime, but I found myself thinking of other things to do instead of reading. It was just not the right time and I wasn't in the right frame of mind to read it. So with a lot of hesitation I picked up Water for Elephants and I am glad I did.

This book is depressing, really depressing and I enjoyed every page. I have been told that I enjoy depressing books, which is probably true because I loved this book. The writing was incredible. The movie for this book comes out next year and there is no way they are going to live up to this book.

Water for Elephants is about a 93 year old man in a nursing home remembering back to 1931 when he joined the circus.

Read it, you'll like it.

Employee of the Month

Well it must be my year. I got employee of the month again!

Michael and I have both been working a lot. Michael just helped open a new restaurant and I just got a new boss. And it is about to get much busier since we both start school in 11 days.

Burton family reunion

Last weekend we went up to Prescott for Michael's family reunion. Here is a picture of the whole family. Michael has four siblings, who are all married and have kids. All together we have 10 nieces and nephews.

Below is just us and Simon.

The family reunion included games for the kids and a picnic. Here are a few pictures of the event.

Here is a picture of Simon and Michael's parents' dogs, Taki and Yoshi. We stayed in the shade because it was hot.

There was even a cotton candy machine!!!

I know it has been a while since I have posted anything other than book reviews. We have been busy and are going to be much busier. Michael has started a new position at his job, so he has been working 10 hour days and I barely see him. Also we both start school again in about a month.

After Dachau

My favorite book of all time is Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. I can't even begin to explain the impact that Ishmael had on my life. It changed the way I think, the way I look at the world, and the passion that I have for books. Since reading Ishmael I have read several of Daniel Quinn's books, My Ishmael, The Story of B, and now After Dachau. I loved all of them and without fail this book change my prospective of the world.

This book takes a look at a world if the Nazis had won and what the future might have become. As almost always I recommend this book, but I HIGHLY recommend you read Ishmael.

The Lost Symbol

I read this book slower than I have been reading books recently. Mostly because I have discovered the tv series Doctor Who. I love reading, but Doctor Who is a wonderful show actually my new favorite. I also have to take a break from having my head in a book every once in a while.

Now about The Lost Symbol, this is part of the DaVinci Code series. I have read all three in this series and this one is my favorite. The over all theme of this book I don't particularly agree with, but it does bring up some interesting ideas that I haven't thought about before. That is the reason I enjoy reading so much, the thrill of having new thoughts and ideas.

I recommend reading this book, but I suggest you read the other two books, Angels and Demons and DaVinci Code, first and in that order.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

Well as I am sure most of you know that this is the same author that wrote Twilight and this is a short story that goes along with that world. It is about a vampire girl named Bree that is created along with about 20 others. If you have read Eclipse then you have already seen her, she is in the group that comes and attacks the Cullens. It is interesting to see how Stephenie Meyer shows the other side of being a vampire, the kind that does drink human's blood. The book is alright and if you have already invested time into Twilight before, you might as well read this too. It is short and has a little love story in there (it won't be a Stephenie Meyer book if it didn't).

Nine books down!

The Last Olympian

Well I am half way to my goal of books read this year!!! I just finished the last book in the Percy Jackson series. It ended quite good. I liked this series and I am excited to read more of Rick Riordan in the future. He has some adult books that I hear are good.

On another note, I wish it wasn't so hot. I am sweating just sitting down reading.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

It was by chance that I even have this book. For my birthday Michael took me to a book store and said I could get whatever I wanted. (That is a dangerous thing to say to me in a bookstore) While I was looking around, already with a handful of books I saw this one. I remember it being recommended, but I hesitated to pick it up because of all the books I had already decided were mine. When it came down to it I put other books back and keep this one along with 5 others (4 of those included were the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, which I have read).

And it was by chance I decided not to buy the 5th book of the Percy Jackson series at the book store and buy it online for cheaper instead. Well that book doesn't get shipped to me until June 9th, so I had to read something in the mean time. Hence reading this book, which turns out to be one of the best books that I have ever read and I am sure will be my favorite book I read this year. Which is also why one of my favorite quotes in this book is "Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers." I need someone that is reading this to go out and buy this book, so that I will have someone to talk to about it.

The book is set right after World War II and the whole book is written in letters. It is mainly set in an island just south of England, Guernsey. This island was occupied by Germany for five years and through this time a book club forms which was an escape for many of the locals. I won't say anymore because I want you to go read it. Did I mention that it is an amazing book?

The Battle of the Labyrinth

Another book down! I love summers, time for me to read! This book like all the rest in the series was pretty good. There is only one more book in this series and I am excited to see how it ends. The problem though is that I ordered the book on amazon and it won't be here for another 6 days! I have to find a book that I can finish in 6 days, I guess that isn't a huge problem since I have about 30 unread books on my book shelf. Off to look for a book to read!

The Titan's Curse

So as you can see these books are a quick read. I just finish the third book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians and I read all three in about a week. The more I read them the more they remind me of a small Harry Potter/ The Chronicles of Narnia book with a Greek twist. They are all very entertaining. This one maybe my favorite one so far in the series, but I need to ponder it a little more. Off to read the next one.

The Sea of Monsters

The forth book done! I just finished The Sea of Monsters, which is the second book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. It was as good as the first book and I am writing this fast so I can go start the third one. This is a great summer read for me because it is so quick, but it is exciting.

As a side note, I did go and see The Lightning Thief movie and I hated it. It is probably a good movie if you had never read the book, but it was one of the worst book to movie that I have ever seen. The movie was nothing like the book and I highly recommend not wasting your time and money on it. Instead, read the books you will be much better off.

The Lightning Thief

I just finished The Lightning Thief, which makes three books read this year. I am still far behind, but I am planning on reading this whole series (5 books) and they are all fairly short, easy reads. I really enjoyed this book. It was like a short Harry Potter book. I have not seen the movie yet, but now that I have read the book I am looking forward to seeing it. This book is full of Greek mythology, which I studied about in Art History this last semester. Greek mythology is so interesting to me and I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

Graduation

This past Thursday I graduated from Pima Community College! I received an Associates of Liberal Arts, a General Associates, and an AGEC-A. If you look closely above you can see me and the lady that called my name.

My parents, sister, and her boyfriend came down for the graduation.

So, now I am off to the University of Arizona to start on my Bio-engineering degree.

My hair is gone!

I cut my hair off today. I should have taken a before picture, but I didn't. There was about 10 inches of hair cut off.

World Without End

I just finished World Without End and at times while reading this I thought this is a book without end. Not to say that this was a bad book, in fact I really enjoyed this book, but it is a commitment to read it. I should probably in hind sight not have started this book while going to school full time and working full time because there was little free time to read. I had really enjoyed The Pillars of the Earth, which was the first in this series. I think I liked this one even more. I recommend this book, but be prepared for it.

So now I have read two books for this entire year so far, so I need to pick it up. The next few books I will read will be a lot smaller. I am determined to read more books than last year.