End of the Week Roundup

How was everyone's "short" week this week? 

1. Saturday my parents came up for dinner, it was a great night that ended with me roasting marshmallows over our fire while we sat around and chatted. This picture sums up my relationship with my Dad and I, we just goof around nonstop. 

2. I took advantage of long weekend to finish up a T-shirt quilt that I was hired to  make. I can't wait to meet up with the girl and see her face when she sees it for the first time. 

3. Monday I took a Zumba class with my friend Linda. I was a hot mess, both physically and metaphorically but it was fun hanging out with her and laughing over our "swamp ass". Yes, I went there, sorry. 

4. I've been looking for a simple pendant necklace for a while and about a week ago, I picked up this necklace from Express and I've been wearing it nonstop. I love finding accessories I can wear with pretty much everything. 

5. Even when it is ridiculously hot, my cats love cuddling up. Here's Squish passed out on my feet in 80 degree weather.

The Light Between Oceans

It's that time again for Bon's book club! This month we read The Light Between Oceans.

 A quick synopsis of the book via Goodreads:

After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day’s journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season and shore leaves are granted every other year at best, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby. 
Tom, whose records as a lighthouse keeper are meticulous and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel has taken the tiny baby to her breast. Against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them. 

I really enjoyed this book. The conflict that M.L. Stedman creates left me wondering what the "right" thing to do would have been and what I would have done in every scenario. It was a bit slow to start but towards the middle of the book, it found a good pacing and kept me hooked. 

I saw this picture while I was at a conference and it completely reminded me of Frank and Lucy Grace. 

And now for Bon's discussion questions:

+ How did you feel about the end of the book?

I really loved this book, the whole thing, including the ending. I feel like the author did a great job giving everyone a "happy" ending while remaining realistic. Would it have been nice to see Lucy stay with Tom and Isabel? Absolutely, but in real life, that wouldn't' be going down. 

+ What are the strengths and weaknesses of Isabel's and Tom's relationship?

Tom is waaaaaaay too much of a pushover. He let Isabel walk all over him. It's why they got in this mess in the first place, why he took the blame for everything, and everything in between. But I guess there wouldn't be much of a book if he hadn't been that way, right?

+ What would you have done if you were Tom in that situation?  Do you agree with the way he handled the situation?  How did you feel about him trying to take all the blame to save Isabel?

It's funny, the entire time I was reading this book I wondered what I would do if it were me. As someone who is trying to conceive and not having much luck, I can understand Isabel's desperation; however there is a sane part of me that knows that it would be wrong to do that and that Lucy probably had a mother that was looking for her. Ultimately, I think that I would have called it in right away. With that being said, I think Tom was a bit foolish for doing what he did. The way I see it is, the damage was already done, why screw up a family twice?

I was a bit angry at Isabel for letting Tom take all the blame. I GET IT, she's mad at him. But they wouldn't be in that situation if it weren't for her to begin with, so it wasn't fair to make him take all the blame and risk death. But, it did end up working out in their favor, so I guess it was smart of Isabel to remain quiet.

Did you read the book? What were your thoughts? 

14 in '14 May Update

I have a confession to make. I've been slacking on reading in general let alone the 14 in '14 list. Luckily, I'm a bit ahead of the game, so I've got time to make up what I've been lacking. This month I only read one book off the list...which is one book better than I did last month. 

The Alchemyst

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

He holds the secret that can end the world.
The truth: Nicholas Flamel was born in Paris on September 28, 1330. Nearly 700 years later, he is acknowledged as the greatest Alchemyst of his day. It is said that he discovered the secret of eternal life.
The records show that he died in 1418.
But his tomb is empty.
The legend: Nicholas Flamel lives. But only because he has been making the elixir of life for centuries. The secret of eternal life is hidden within the book he protects—the Book of Abraham the Mage. It's the most powerful book that has ever existed. In the wrong hands, it will destroy the world. That's exactly what Dr. John Dee plans to do when he steals it. Humankind won't know what's happening until it's too late. And if the prophecy is right, Sophie and Josh Newman are the only ones with the power to save the world as we know it.
Sometimes legends are true.
And Sophie and Josh Newman are about to find themselves in the middle of the greatest legend of all time.

This was a good book, it wasn't the best, but it wasn't terrible. It reminded me a lot of Rick Riordan's books, although I think Riordan does a better job of modernizing mythical legends. It was a quick read and I had no major issues with it. If you enjoyed Riordan's books, this series is a great secondary series to check out while you wait for new books to come out. 

I recieved the entire series as a Christmas gift from my mom, so I plan on reading the remaining five books over the next few months, hopefully it'll exceed expectations. If so, I'll let you know!

Here is the list so far:

1. Where'd you go Bernadette?
2. Sacre Bleu
3. Is Everyone Hanging out Without Me?
4. The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic
5. The Partly Cloudy Patriot
6. Assassination Vacation
7. The Alchemyst
8. The Graveyard Book
9. The Maze Runner
10. The Husband's Secret
11. Beauty Queens
12. The Dust of 100 Dogs
13. The Girl who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her own Making
14. The Labyrinth of Dreaming Books

I've got five books left on the list to finish by the end of the year. The Labyrinth of Dreaming Books and The Thinking Womans' Guide to Real Magic are longer reads, but I do go on vacation next month, so hopefully one of those will get knocked out while I'm sitting on the beach. 

What are some books you read this month? Did you like them?

I'm on Goodreads, if you'd like to add me.

Happy Memorial Day!

End of the Week Roundup

Do you know how hard it is to not start a Friday five post with anything along the lines of "Happy Friday!" or "TGIF"? Also, do you know how hard it is to come up with five legitimate things for the week when you experience one major event during that week? 

1. I graduated. I've mentioned it at least ten times on the blog over the past six months. Sorry for that, I promise to try and not mention it until the time comes for me to graduate again...which will probably be in another 7 years. 

But first, let me take a selfie

2. My parents gave me yellow roses and pink daisies the day of graduation, I now have them in a vase on my kitchen window sill (cause anyone with cats will tell you anywhere within jumping reach and they will get eaten. I love my cats but what jerks! haha). Anyway, all week long they've caught my eye. They are so beautiful. I think I might start looking for a rose bowl vase for my flowers, I really like how roses look in them. 

3. So I took Nadine's advice last week and went shopping at Goodwill. I found this adorable dress for $5 and wore it for the first time this week. I got so many compliments on this dress, it really boosted my spirits, and knowing I only spent $5 to look good made it all the sweeter!

4. Yesterday a really bad storm hit near my work, it was the first time I saw hail as big as strawberries drop from the sky. My friend was a few towns over and got hit with golf ball sized hail. The picture he posted was from his car on his way home from work:

5. I think my cats think they're goats. All they do is eat grass when they're outside...

Hope you have a great weekend and a great Memorial Day!