book report

i mentioned in this post that i have a goal to read thirty books this year. i'm now on book number 23 so i'm feeling pretty good, especially considering last year i basically read nothing that wasn't a textbook (if you're in school and feel like you'll never have a life again, i want you to know it gets better). the last two books i read were why not me? by mindy kaling and all the light we cannot see by anthony doerr, and i loved them both so much that i had to post about them here (even though i already posted these reviews on goodreads) (which you should seriously join if you haven't already).

why not me? came out today and i bought it and read it immediately. i am a devoted mindy kaling fan and i had been incredibly excited about this book since hearing mindy speak about it at bookcon. i love mindy and i loved her fresh, funny take on topics like fame, television, work, friendship, and dating. why not me? felt, in many ways, more personal and mature than is everyone hanging out without me?, and it was exciting and entertaining to be privy to the behind-the-scenes realities of mindy's career, relationships, and life in hollywood. i also found many of the essays inspiring, particularly the titular one, which discusses confidence and hard work, and "unlikely leading lady," in which mindy shares her refreshing opinions on body image and beauty standards. my favorite thing about this book was either that in reading it i felt like mindy's friend and confidante or the approximately two pop culture references included per page. she gets me.

all the light we cannot see won last year's pulitzer prize for fiction and was a new york times best book of the year, so it obviously needs no endorsement from me. but if you thought that was going to stop me from telling you about it, you were wrong! it follows a blind french girl and orphaned german boy as their lives intersect in the chaos of world war II. i couldn't wait to finish and yet i never wanted it to end. the characters are lovely, the story poignant, and the writing masterful. it's beautiful and heartbreaking, and most of all, an incredible, luminous feat of storytelling. i can't recommend it highly enough.

my other favorite reads this year include the martian, spinster, men explain things to me, one more thing, unbroken, and wild. if you have any suggestions about what i should read next, please send them my way!

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it's been a while. life has pretty busy of late but i always miss writing on this little blog. i've been lucky enough to have a lot of cool things going on recently so i'm working on a few different posts to document it all. it's currently 1:30 a.m. but i can't sleep so i figure now's as good a time as any to write a blog post. we're a couple weeks into january and i've still been thinking a lot about resolutions and the new year. honestly, i was pretty glad to see 2013 go. both the happiest and the hardest experiences of my life happened in 2013. i grew a lot and learned a lot but i am so ready for a fresh, new year to fill with life lessons and experiences. i've got a whole bunch of exciting plans for this year—completing an internship, taking the LSAT, applying to law school, and graduating from college, to name a few! listing those all out together is both thrilling and terrifying, just so you know.

i'm a list-loving, resolution-making kind of girl, so of course i have to talk about my new years resolutions too.

1. read the scriptures every day.

2. read 30 books.

3. go to bed earlier.

i really struggle with scripture reading, so my goal this year was not to miss a single day. it's only been three weeks and it has not been easy for me! i'm starting to settle into a better routine and i can see myself getting more out of the scriptures and feeling a change in my daily life. if you want to follow along, i've really been loving this book of mormon instagram account that posts verses to read and a discussion question to think about for every day of the year.

i'm excited to read 30 books this year. that may not seem like a lot, but when you're busy with school and work, it's a challenge. i've noticed, though, that i'm a lot happier when i make some time to read for fun during the busyness of the semester. some of the books i look forward to reading this year are the monuments men, steve jobs, lean in, and the spectacular now.

i'm from a family of night owls who also suffer from insomnia, so i haven't really established good sleeping habits (exhibit a: it is 1:30 a.m.) and this is something i am realizing is so important. i have work/school every day from around 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with maybe an hour break, and so far this semester i have been exhausted! i am obviously failing on this resolution so far, but let it be known that i am giving myself a grandma bedtime from here on out.

on this note, i'm also trying to abide by two general ideas this year. one is taking care of myself and the other is using time wisely. 2013 was a hard year for me health-wise, so this year i really want to take good care of my body and myself. for me this means eating healthier, getting more sleep and more exercise, and taking time to relax. i am also trying to use my time more wisely. i often find time management difficult, so this year i am striving to prioritize and plan and cut out time-wasters and generally make the most of my time. i saw the quote below somewhere on pinterest and i loved it (as beyoncé is my idol) so i threw together a prettier version in photoshop. anyway, i thought it was brilliant and true and a good thing to remember.

let's do this, 2014.

summer reading

one of the best parts about this summer for me has been having so much free time to read. i really love reading, as i've talked about on this blog before, and having so much time to do so has been really satisfying and restorative. below are most of the books i've read this summer. a few, like ella enchanted, the great gatsby, and harry potter, are old favorites i've read many times. others, like lunch in paris, the happiness project, and the help, i just read for the first time and loved. i've been keeping track of what i'm reading on goodreads for a couple years now, and i love it. if you don't have an account, i really recommend making one. it's a great way to keep track of what you've read and want to read, see what your friends are reading, and discover new books.

since i always love hearing book recommendations from other people, i thought i would also share what books are next on my list to read. i'm hoping to finish a few more before the semester starts pretty soon and i have a lot less time on my hands! what are you reading this summer?

steve jobs

east of eden

half broke horses

the silver linings playbook

the diving bell and the butterfly

how will you measure your life?

fifth avenue, 5 a.m.

gilead

argo

i cannot live without books.

some favorites (and the top three are on my list to read next)

this past summer my family and i visited thomas jefferson's home, monticello. it was beautiful and really amazing to learn about. jefferson lived such a fascinating life. on our tour, we went through jefferson's library and our tour guide told us about how, during a time of great financial difficulty, jefferson had to sell his huge collection of books. almost immediately afterwards he just started buying books again in large quantities. in a letter to john adams, jefferson simply explained, "i cannot live without books."

i wholeheartedly agree.

i really, really miss reading while i'm so busy with work and school. my roommates and i were talking last night about some of our favorite books and the books that we read as children. it made me so nostalgic and almost homesick in a way. i feel like the books i've read have completely shaped me as a person. i feel sad when i think about people who don't like to read. reading is such a rich and beautiful and multi-faceted experience. when you read a book, you're transported to another place and you meet people and have experiences that you would never have otherwise, and the great part is that you can share these experiences with other readers. when you read a book, it becomes a part of you. it touches your soul and your heart and your mind and alters the lens through which you see the world. i think that reading a good book is one of the most enriching experiences in the world.

i'm going to set a personal goal for next semester to make time to read. it's an important thing for me, and i think i feel so much happier and more like myself when i make reading a part of my everyday life. time management can be really difficult for me, but i'm going to make this happen. and you can bet when i go home for christmas i will be reading my brains out. (does that even make sense?)

basically this says it exactly: "real luxury is time and opportunity to read for pleasure." -jane brody

here's to books!

people are amazing

i love learning about incredible lives and people who are just so resilient in the face of adversity or talented despite circumstances or giving over all else. i have an ever-growing list of biographies and memoirs that i want to read, and i thought i would share the ones at the top of it.

audrey hepburn, an elegant spirit by sean hepburn ferrer

i recently read this biography of audrey hepburn written by her son and i loved it. audrey was really an incredible woman and just so full of love. reading about the more intimate moments and relationships in her life was fascinating and learning about her work with UNICEF was very moving. this book also includes a lot of lovely family photographs that i'd never seen before. i loved getting to see that different side of her, as a mother rather than a movie star. this was a beautiful book and you should read it. especially you, lauren.

my life in france by julia child

i got this book for christmas and started reading it on the plane ride back to utah. somehow i've gotten distracted and haven't finished it yet, but i've loved it so far. as a francophile and food lover, that's probably no surprise, but julia's voice in her writing is passionate and engaging and so full of life and emotion, you can't help but love it. from her fish out of water experiences as an american in paris, to her falling in love with france and with food, her writing is so personal and illustrative that it feels almost as if i am having these experiences right beside her. i can't wait to finish this.

the fun of it by amelia earhart

i've read this memoir once before, but it's been quite a while. i have always loved amelia earhart. something about her resonated with me as a little girl, and anytime i was asked to name someone i considered a role model or inspiring figure, amelia earhart was the first name out of my mouth. she really was incredible. the things she achieved as an aviator were amazing on their own, but she did them as a woman in a world not open to equality or female achievement. she was a pioneer in many more aspects than flight, and i think her life is fascinating and inspiring.

jesse: the man who outran hitler by jesse owens

a different kind of story of human triumph during the holocaust, this autobiography is one of my sister's favorite books and one that i've been meaning to read for years. jesse owens was an amazing athlete, and in a time of racial segregation in the united states and racial genocide in europe, his success was especially significant. i'm very excited to read this.

to the rescue: the biography of thomas s. monson by heidi s. swinton

i just love thomas s. monson. he is just the sweetest, most loving man, and he has had a truly incredible life. i love hearing him speak because of the personal stories he always tells, and i think there's a lot we can learn from his experiences. i have always been so touched by his example of selflessness and constant sacrifice for others. i particularly remember hearing one bittersweet story which caused him to make a commitment that he would never again ignore a prompting of the spirit, and i was so moved that i made the same commitment for myself. i love president monson and i hope that i can apply the great lessons from his life to my own.

the story of my life by helen keller 

i think helen keller is one of the most inspiring women i have ever heard of. i can't even imagine what it is like to be blind or deaf, but she had the amazing strength of character to move past both of these disabilities and make an improbable difference in the world. i can't fathom the experience of learning words when you cannot see or hear what they describe, let alone mastering a language to be able to write so eloquently. helen keller is a highly quoted individual, and she elaborated thoughts that are new and complex and moving and profound to us even as fully capable people. she learned to sign and to speak with her amazing power of will, she has touched so many lives, and i truly respect, admire, and am in total awe of her.

the diary of a young girl by anne frank 

i read this book a long time ago, but i think it's time i read it again. i think few books have touched the world as widely and deeply as this one has. i am amazed at anne frank's optimism and hope in even her personal writings throughout such an unimaginable hardship. i am amazed at how she could look at the world and see so much beauty and love, even as she suffered through one of the most ugly and terrible events in human history. this book is an inspiring example of endurance of the human spirit and a real gem.

van gogh: the life by steven naifeh and gregory white smith

vincent van gogh is perhaps my very favorite artist, and although he lived a difficult and unhappy life, his paintings are among the most beautiful and inspiring the world has seen. when i go home in april, i'm going to the van gogh exhibit at the philadelphia museum of art with my family and i plan to read this biography as well as this book of his letters before then. i think it's such a shame that van gogh is often simply thought of as that crazy artist who cut off his ear, because if you've ever read any of his quotes or writings, you see that he was a sensitive, spirited, and tragically brilliant soul. i think this song says it perfectly.

the end of an era

i still can't stop thinking about harry potter and the deathly hallows part 2.

it made me laugh especially the part when voldemort hugged draco. and when voldemort and harry hugged each other and jumped off a cliff... voldy was just all about the hugs this movie, huh. sharin' the love... typical voldemort.

it made me cry okay more like sob uncontrollably for half of the movie. snape's memory had me bawling like a baby, and that was before we even got to fred and tonks and lupin.

it made me cheer yeahhh mrs. weasley and neville. also can i just ask, when did neville get so attractive?

basically i loved every second of it.

for the midnight showing, lauren and i dressed up as bellatrix lestrange and professor trelawney. barely anyone else in our theater dressed up though! lame.

i want to go see it again and again. also if you love hp, you should watch this.

and this.

everyone talking about the end of harry potter makes me so sad! the end? pshhh it's just time to read the sorcerer's stone again. i love those books so much and it's been amazing to watch how they've changed a generation. i'll be reading them forever and as nerdy as this sounds i'm really excited to read harry potter with my own kids someday.

 source

mischief managed.

i guess a blog post is long overdue.

sorry i've been MIA most of this month. i've been so busy and hadn't realized how much i've been neglecting the blog until my mom and little sister started getting on me to post again. i had no idea they cared so much, but now i know i have at least 2 avid followers... haha thanks, mom and lauren.

my older sister, liz, has been getting on me to make one so i finally made a pinterest! i haven't added very much to it yet but feel free to follow me if you want. i'm still getting used to how it works but i really like the idea and i love seeing the beautiful things my friends are finding.

in other news, i just read the hunger games trilogy by suzanne collins and oh man it was so good. the first book was by far the best, i mean really i could not put it down and i finished it in a day even though i was working for eight hours of said day. even after i finished i could not stop thinking about it. the second one was slower at the beginning, but once the plot really got moving it was also great. and the third one drove me kind of crazy at times and ripped my heart out a little but i think i can say i was satisfied with the ending. so if you haven't read them, DO IT. my dad saw how engrossed i was with the first one so he is currently reading it, which makes me both laugh and smile. and already i am so stoked for the movie.

i've been trying to compile a list of the books i want to read during the rest of the summer. so here's what's next on my list:

this book is based on a true story during world war II about a zoo in poland that was bombed, and how the zookeeper and his wife saved 300 jews by hiding them in the empty animal cages. i've just started reading it but i already kind of love it. the writing is beautifully descriptive.

i wanted to read this as soon as i saw the trailer for the movie coming out soon with emma stone.

i've been wanting and meaning to read this forever, and seeing the new movie last month only increased my desire tenfold.

a little chick lit never hurt anyone...

i love tina fey. and i read an excerpt of this and it was hilarious. the end.

somehow i missed out on reading this when the rest of the world was but i'm finally catching up and reading it soon.

the movie based on this book is oh so ridiculous and one of my favorite of hugh grant's. plus one of my favorites to quote with the fam. "are we having duck? delicious!" i've heard the book is supposed to be very enjoyable.

this is another book i've been meaning to read for forever! liz highly recommends it, as does j.k. rowling [so the cover tells me]. it's written by the same author as 101 dalmatians, and it's about a family that lives in an old castle.

i'm a big fan of oscar wilde's plays but i still have yet to read this novel of his. i've heard it's fascinating.

the great gatsby is one of my very favorite books and i've read and loved many of fitzgerald's short stories but i've been wanting to read another of his novels.

also, if you don't have a goodreads account, you should make one! it's a really good way to keep track of all the books you've read and want to read and see what your friends are reading.

during my freshman year i was so busy that i didn't really have or make time to read much just for fun. just having time to read again is one of the things i've loved most about being back home. what are you reading this summer?