Not the post I was expecting to write

I was planning on telling you about the sweetest most cutest book I read recently but I had a really bad day today and am so grumpy that I would probably ruin the post so instead I am just going to tell quickly about the first time I have REALLY missed my cable.

On my drive home today my mom told me that breaking news cut into the Friends rerun she was watching because there was a fire in San Bruno.  At the time they thought it might be a plane crash (it is only a could miles from San Francisco Airport) but as I was talking to her they discovered it was actually a gas leak.  Many of you have probably already heard about it because it is all over the news by now but it killed me that I couldn't just turn on the TV and see what was going on.  Luckily the internet was already on it.  It is quite incredible:

Photos from The New York Times. 

My thoughts are going out to San Bruno, including some of my family members.

Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay
by Suzanne Collins

So pretty much all I can think to say right now is "Umm holy crap!"  I am still processing the how everything went down but that was NOT the book I was expecting!  I was most surprised by the general tone of the book because although the first 2 were obviously not all chipper (what with all the killing) Mockingjay had such a dreary blah sort tone that had me feeling hopeless...for the book.

Now don't get me wrong, I closed the book feeling like overall I enjoyed it but it just wasn't up to the Hunger Games standards that I was hoping for.  I read it all today, planning my rereads of the first 2 around my day-off and I don't want to say that I wasted my day but I definitely could have put it down and gone to work and to sleep which was NOT the case with Hunger Games and Catching Fire.

I didn't have many expectations of the book except that it would be amazing but I found that when I read through I did end up disappointed with certain twists and turns in the story.  I will say that the page before chapter 25 (if you read it you know what I am talking about) had be crying until the book ended but surprisingly the last pages of the book didn't make me teary and it just felt...again blah.  I didn't feel like it fit with the rest of the story.  Like I said, I did enjoy it but I was glad to jump onto some of my favorite blogs and see that I wasn't the only one left with feelings of disappointment.  If you haven't read it don't let this stop you but just prepare yourself and don't go into the final book of the Hunger Games with unrealistic expectations.  I still have hope that maybe some time will allow me to enjoy it if I dive to read it again.


**Source: I bought this book with my own sweet loot.

Quickly Quickly, I Have to Read

Okay folks, I have been waiting and waiting for the release of Mockingjay and when it arrived where was I? At a concert in San Francisco not even thinking about books. The worst part is I had all these grand plans to read the first 2 again and I haven't even started yet because I am so wrapped up in the other books I am reading! But I will read them and then quickly start and finish Mockingjay.

I think I am feeling sad because when Catching Fire was released the timing worked out perfectly and I had 2 days off where I only stopped reading to sleep and now I have work and all kinds of other things that are going to pull me away from my book! Argh the life of a grown-up, when did I sign-up for this? So to all of you who are currently enjoying the story (or who are WAY ahead of me and have already finished it) I envy you and I hope you are enjoying it. I am scared to read any blogs out of fear of a spoiler so I guess I better get reading...

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at The Printed Page.

Thank you Chick Loves Lit for hosting this month's Mailbox Monday blog tour.

Check out her blog and post all the new books you acquired last week.

I have come to the end of a long period where I didn't request any books and my mailbox finally has some excitement in it again.

Radiance by Alyson Noel (ARC from publisher)

From Amazon:

Riley has crossed the bridge into the afterlife—a place called Here, where time is always Now. She has picked up life where she left off when she was alive, living with her parents and dog in a nice house in a nice neighborhood. When she’s summoned before The Council, she learns that the afterlife isn’t just an eternity of leisure. She’s been assigned a job, Soul Catcher, and a teacher, Bodhi, a possibly cute, seemingly nerdy boy who’s definitely hiding something. They return to earth together for Riley’s first assignment, a Radiant Boy who’s been haunting a castle in England for centuries. Many Soul Catchers have tried to get him to cross the bridge and failed. But all of that was before he met Riley ...

The Swimming Pool - Holly LeCraw

The Swimming Pool
Holly LeCraw

When The Swimming Poll arrived on my door-step, I set it aside specifically for summer, poolside reading.  I waited and waited until the weather was right and I had the time to just sit and relax in the sun.   This plan backfired as I was soon struck by the reality that my pool/beach time was very limited, that is how this book became my lunch read at work.  I found myself sitting outside on the gorgeous sunny days, when I wanted to be anywhere but in the office and it was the perfect escape for an hour a day.

The Swimming Pool is the dramatic story of a good old fashion summer fling but interwoven through out is a deeper story about relationships and what we would do for the many different kinds of love we have in our lives.  It is a story in which all the characters are connected in some surprising ways.  Jed is the focus of much of the story.  He is at the Cape for the summer to stay with his sister and soon finds a love interest in a woman connected to his parents...his dad in particular (do you see where I am going with this?), who died 7 years earlier.  LeCraw shifts perspective throughout the story allowing us to see deeper into the lives of Jed's parents as well as the other people involved in his life.  I don't often enjoy stories which jump time or perspectives (because I feel disconnected from the characters) and The Swimming Pool does both, but LeCraw flows beautifully between the various voices and I loved it. 

Parts of the storyline may have been a bit obvious but I honestly can't say for sure because I was so caught up in what was going on in each current moment that I forgot to think about what may happen, I just wanted to know what did happen next.

I would recommend this as a book to bring to the beach or to read when you just really need to get away and feel like you are at the beach.


**Source: ARC for review from publisher.

My Library...The Other One

Yesterday I had a wonderful day off during which I took the time to finally visit the joyous library.  Not MY library (updated photos to be posted soon...or whenever I get my books unpacked) but THE library.  It is only 1 single tiny block away from my house and I love that!  I found 2 books that I decided to check out and then got home and spent over an hour on the internet, looking up all the audiobooks available for download. 

I was so excited to see all the awesome books I could listen to on my iPhone, especially since my work computers are all messed up so I got a call yesterday from my boss to say we would be working from our main office an hour and a half away!  So I thought...hmm...what better way to keep me awake on my long drive than an awesome audiobook.  So I searched and searched for the perfect one to keep my interest until I finally had to leave the house (I had to pick up the last of my crap I left at my mom's house). 

By the time I was actually about to get everything on my computer set-up it was 10:30 so I hooked my phone up to my computer and "sync"...*error*error* problems with music...can't set up this app...you're computer hates you...no audiobooks for you!  What the HELL?!  There were so many crazy errors that I didn't even get my computer settled enough to feel comfortable that I could disconnect my phone from it without serious damage until after midnight.  So not only did I not get any sleep last night, I also didn't have a super sweet audiobook to keep me awake on the drive.  Yet I still arrived home from work today in a good mood. 

It must be that I know the library is so close and I am quite sold on this free book thing!  I'm off to read (and not watch TV...I'm practicing).

To TV, or Not to TV...Oh What a Question

Well Hellooooo...

So, I know I had all these grand plans to actually be back on my blogging game in the past couple weeks  few weeks month but I have no excuses, I am just a really busy slacker.  It was so nice to just sit in my new condo today and do nothing except laundry and play on the internet.  Oh internet, my long lost lover, how I have missed you. 

The comcast guy finally came last week and we were able to get the internet and TV running before we actually moved in 2 days ago (seriously! moving in was long overdue but there were issues that kept us out...like our stuff deciding not to show up on time).  So I am at work last Sunday, excited because I know we are finally going to get our stuff put together and have the TV on the correct side of the room because we were going to have the cable outlet moved and my husband calls me to tell me the comcast guy wants to drill a hole in our brand new hardwood floor and shove the cable wire through it. 

Ummmm....WHAT?!  Ok cable guy, I'm sure you're nice and all but put the drill down nice and easy and step away from my hardwood!  Thank God my husband had enough sense to call me before I had to cry.  So after all that they still charged us for the outlet move when he said he couldn't do because he didn't have the right tools to put it in the wall like a normal outlet.  Add that to the other charges they didn't tell us about and the annoying set up of the DVR and I am about ready to give up on TV all together. 

Here is where I need the advice folks.  I am seriously considering getting rid of my cable and just keeping the internet and the idea scares the crap out of me because I LOVE MY TV! But then I think about the money I will save and all the reading I will have time for with my adorable library so close.  Is there anyone out there who actually doesn't have TV because I seriously need to know how you live and if I can do it.