Read a new book: I had a very Lauren Oliver kind of month having read THREE of her books throughout August. Yeah, THREE books in a month. I'm a reading machine and as corny as this may sound, I am super proud of myself because of it. Thank you to Dustin for buying me my Kindle. Thank you Kindle for being so fantastic and helping me get my reading groove back this year.
Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver - This is the second book to Delirium. It started incredibly slow. I actually set it aside for a week or so because it was becoming more of a hassle to read than enjoyable. But I pushed on and once I got past the 30% mark on my Kindle, it started to pick up speed. I don't like really going into detail about the plot of books on here because I don't want to spoil anything but I will say this book kind of bugged me. It was more so that a specific (main) character bugged me. But the last page totally took me by surprise, in a wide eyed, jaw on the ground kind of way. And made me download the third book right then and there.
"But you can build a future out of anything. A scrap, a flicker."
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Requiem by Lauren Oliver - The third and final book in the Delirium Trilogy. I really love how well Lauren Oliver tied things together and not exactly in a perfect little bow but enough that made me feel good because it was realistic but not too harsh. It was much more fast paced than the previous book and there were a lot more action throughout. I liked how the chapters went back and forth between Lena and Hana. It was the perfect way to see two different sides of the "war" on love and freedom. I really liked how it ended. It was real and although some things were answered, a lot of things were left up to your own imagination. All in all the trilogy was really well done. Delirium was hands down my favorite and like I've said before does just fine on it's own. But I liked being able to see what became of all the characters and learning about new ones. Each book although related, had a very different feel and much different stories which I think helped them to seem fresh.
"The past has been finding its way in. It bubbles up through the cracks when I'm not paying attention, and pulls at me with greedy fingers."
"We are even free to choose the wrong thing."
"How can someone have the power to shatter you to dust - and also make you feel so whole?"
"This is the past: It drifts, it gathers. If you are not careful, it will bury you."
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Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver -
From Amazon:
What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?
Samantha Kingston has it all: the world's most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.Instead, it turns out to be her last.
Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.
I became interested in this book thanks to this book review. It was everything I was hoping for. I've heard it described as 'Mean Girls' meets 'Groundhogs Day' and that's very true but I feel like it had more depth. I loved the character development throughout. Samantha was someone I cringed at, in the book and the Samantha's of real life, but she really becomes a person that you are cheering on and in the end are proud of.
"Popularity's a weird thing. You can't really define it, and it's not cool to talk about it, but you know when you see it. Like a lazy eye, or porn."
"A good friend keeps your secrets for you. A best friend helps you keep your own secrets."
"Here's another thing to remember: hope keeps you alive."
"I suppose that's the secret, if you're ever wishing for things to go back to the way they were. You have to look up."
"That's when I realized that certain moments go on forever. Even after they're over they still go on, even after you're dead and buried, those moments are lasting still, backward and forward, on into infinity. They are everything and everywhere all at once. They are the meaning."
Give or help out in some way: I wish I could have done more this month in terms of donating or helping. I'm going to try and make up for it in September! I did enter a Breaking Bad contest in which all proceeds benefit the Kind Campaign. Sure, winning would be awesome but chances are slim to none and that's totally fine. I honestly don't think I would have entered at all if it hadn't benefited a good cause.
Bake a new recipe: FAIL. AGAIN. Oh man I suck so bad at this resolution. I have got to get my act together.
Go to Yoga - I have no excuse. I just didn't go even though I wanted to. Ugh.
Write a handwritten letter - Yep. Several in fact. Writing fool!
Save - A little bit!
Travel - Nope. We didn't go anywhere! Grr.
Outside - HA. Haha. Have you been outside in Florida lately? Yeah, exactly.
