the pages that stole my heart // 2014

There are exactly two weeks left in 2014.

Wait, what?

Being my senior year, I've found that time is flying much too fast as I'm attempting to savor every moment that I can.  But here we are, 14 days out of 2015.  336 hours.  And that's all.

One of my favorite things about 2014 was the great books that I've read.  I set myself a goal to read 25 books this year - about two a month - and I'm currently at 28 books and counting! One of the major things that I'm looking forward to on Christmas break is the fact that I can read all day erry day in the comfort of my own home [read: while laying on the floor] and hopefully push that number up to at least 30 books for the year.

I'm linking up with The Broke and the Bookish to bring you my top ten books of 2014.  But 2014 isn't over yet, so one of the books in my pile to be read over break has the potential to join that rank. With that in mind, I'll talk about my top nine books of the year and letcha know what the tenth was when the clock strikes into 2015. [Also, PicMonkey didn't have a collage template for ten book covers, but we can pretend that that's not the real reason that I'm not doing ten here.]

1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

I waited far too long to read this one as it's been sitting on my shelf for ages.  The ending was ruined for me so I went through the entire book in anticipation for the [SPOILER] moment when I would love Mr. Darcy. [SPOILER] I wasn't disappointed.

2. Z - Therese Ann Fowler

Biographies and the 1920s era are two of my favorite things. Add in Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and you're golden.  Evidently Fowler knew that and wrote this book just for me.  Obviously.  

3. The Book Thief - Mark Zusak

Talking about taking a long time to read, I think I had a bookmark stuck between The Book Thief's pages for almost nine months. Once I finally had a long time to devote to reading, I sat down and knocked off the last 300-odd pages in a single setting. The narration in this book is fantastic. 

4. Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand

Read this; I dare you! Unbroken opened my eyes to the world outside of my little bubble and has caused me to think differently about a lot of things [including fresh water] since I finished it at the end of June. 

5. All Quiet on the Western Front - Erich Maria Remarque

I'm not usually a huge fan of war novels, but this book offered a unique perspective that I've never seen before. 

6. The Joy Luck Club - Amy Tan

I had this assumption in my mind that this was an old ladies' book club book that I would in no way enjoy. After reading it, I've realized that even if it were an old ladies' book club book, I would still have put it into my top nine. The views of life and lessons that can be learned from this book are huge. The story is woven together so smoothly that I can't help but think that Tan should be made a book saint or something. 

7. Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger

"That killed me." If you don't get the reference, you have to read the book! Another book that I've been meaning to read for a while. Although I couldn't relate to Holden quite as well as other teens have, I could definitely relate to where he was coming from. I sped through this one pretty fast and really enjoyed it.   

8. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK. I love it, I love it, I love it. The first 50% of it was read under the covers after lights out during camp this summer. I know, I'm such a rebel. Shhh. 

9. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens

I'm not actually finished with this one yet so it has the potential to become my least favorite book ever, but for now, I'm loving it. I'm reading it for my A.P. English class at school with the hopes that it will indeed prepare me for any theme that the A.P. test might throw at me to write about. 

What were your top ten  nine books of 2014? Do we have any in common? 

xx, Allison

What I'm Reading Wednesday: Part 3

Books and fall just seem to go together like peas and carrots like my mama always says. (Thanks, Forrest for the quote mash-up.)

When the temperatures drop, the sunlight wanes, and the leaves start to fall, the best thing that I can think to do is find one of my cats and force them to sit on my lap while I curl up with a good book. It's so perfect while my cat pretends to like me for 3.4 seconds before he decides to dump me for food.  Whatever, I don't need you. 

I'm really, really loving the books that I'm reading this fall.  I've got the bases covered between a classic or two, a modern non-fiction and a super-challenging Jesus book.  

So, here's what I'm reading on this almost-autumn Wednesday.  

|| 1. || 

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Malcom Gladwell

Here's a quick rundown on what I want to do with my life: become a sociologist and publish my findings to help solve world problems. (Told you it was quick!) Here's what Malcolm does with his life: be a sociologist/psychologist and publish his findings to better certain aspects of the world.  

Obviously we are meant to be.  This is the second book that I'm reading by Gladwell and it doesn't disappoint.  The thought-provoking content with the extremely readable writing style make this an easy read and most definitely an enjoyable/interesting one.  Go read Gladwell right now and come back and tell me all about how much you love him when you're done.  Ready? Go! (The credit for this obsession goes to Allie who knew that Malcolm and I would hit it off. So really, thank her.) 

|| 2. || Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen

I read Sense and Sensibility when I was in seventh grade, but I'm a little tard-ay to the part-ay when it comes to Austen's most famous work.  I started this about a month back and haven't moved very fast at all. Read: I haven't picked this up in at least three weeks, but I'm counting it as currently reading anyway.  I'm not even supposed to know that I'm going to fall in love with Mr. Darcy by the end.  Right now, he's still the arrogant and pompous brat that Austen is leading me to believe him to be.  So, shhhh, don't tell me that he turns out to be the heartthrob of the 1800s because that would definitely ruin it for me.  

|| 3. || Not a Fan

Kyle Idleman

I've been reading this book since July June May April March errrmmm . . .  February.  I mean, that's only like seven months.  Not too long . . . 

Despite my dismal time it's taking me to complete this book, I.LOVE.IT. Idleman comes right out and challenges you to be a true follower of Jesus rather than just a fan that sits on the sidelines.  And let me tell you, it stings quite a bit.  Well, at least it did for me.  But that has motivated me to make some changes in my life that have been a long time coming.  

|| 4. || Bulfinch's Greek and Roman Mythology: The Age of Fable

Thomas Bulfinch

(I think his name is Thomas at least . . .) 

This book came to me on a lovely August day that also regrettably served double-duty as the first day of school.  I was told to have it read for a test in a little over a week.  So there I was, day of the test, scrambling to read the last 90 pages that I had somehow neglected. I mean, between school eight hours of the day, cross country practice for two, commuting for two, sleep for six if I'm lucky and all of the other random stuff I'm supposed to cram into my day, I don't know how I couldn't find the time to read!

I shouldn't be complaining.  People much busier than I am found a way to finish, so obviously it was me.  Needless to say, my 45 minute study hall didn't quite give me enough time to get through all 90 pages, so I still have a little to read! I hope to finish this one up with a cup of hot chocolate or chai tea some cool weekend morning.

And that is what I am reading this Wednesday.  You should definitely feel privileged because it's not like the whole internet knows this or anything.  Nope, just you.

I have some decisions to make next!  This tower of paperbacks is the compilation of some of the books that I have acquired but not yet read! Besides P&P, I want to know: What would you read next?

{Book Review} Unbroken

Summary [no spoilers!] - Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand, is a true(!) story about Olympic runner and WWII vet Louie Zamperini.  After his bid in the 1936 Olympics, Zamperini was drafted into the Army Air Force and became a bombardier based in Hawaii.  In 1943, Zamperini's plane goes down in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and from that point on his life would never be the same.  (Obviously a detailed summary... #sarcasm.)

Pros - First of all, this is the first Laura Hillenbrand book that I have read and I must say that I am quite the fan of her writing style.  This story contains many, many characters and many, many backstories.  Hillenbrand avoids creating confusion by distinguishing each person distinctly so the readers can keep the story straight.  

Also, just the story line itself.  It's intense, insane and definitely eye-opening.  I learned a ton about the United States military system, WWII and human nature and instinct.  

I was engaged through the entire book (I read it in less than a week!).  I never had to take a break because the book was moving too slowly or I was bored with it.  It was more like I had to find out what was going to happen next.

Cons - At some points, the torture that Louie and the other POWs go through was so brutal that I was literally cringing and had tears in my eyes.  The language isn't always the best either.  However, this is a true story and the things that happened were real things.  Expect it to be raw and real.  Just a warning.  

Meaningful Quote - “Without dignity, identity is erased. In its absence, men are defined not by themselves, but by their captors and the circumstances in which they are forced to live.” 

Final Thoughts  - I finished Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand a few days ago, and I'm still thinking about it.  A lot.  I can't put my finger on exactly what made it stick in my mind.  The way that the story flowed together so perfectly?  Maybe.  The insane torture that the POWs went through? Likely.  The determination, strength, and courage that those men showed? Possibly. A combination of all of those things? That's what I'm thinking.

Unbroken is by far one of my favorite books that I've ever read.  I was hesitant at first to dive in as I'm not a huge war novel fan.  However, this book is more than just a gory war novel.  It has definite meaning and, speaking for myself, has been a huge inspiration.

4.9/5 stars from me!

Have you read Unbroken? What did you think?

If you haven't read it, what are you waiting for? Go read!

What I'm Reading Wednesday: Part 2

Happy Hump Day everyone!  It's been quite a while since my last update about what I'm reading on Wednesday.  So lucky you because today you're getting what you've been waiting for since . . . January 29th (I just checked) which is wayyyy too long.  I know that you're so excited that you can barely wait, so let's get into #WIRW (still trying to make it happen)!

F. Scott Fitzgerald Knows My Life

Last night, while procrastinating on browsing Pinterest, I found a quote that I just love, love, love, love. If my life were a quote, it would definitely be this one:

Anyone else with me on this one?  I'm definitely beyond my years in some ways, but I also love being that little girl now and again.  Sunshine and pretty things sound especially nice in this seemingly eternal winter.

I read this quote about twenty times and am proud to say that it is now ingrained in my brain.  So naturally, I went and checked This Side of Paradise out of the library today, so I'm super excited about that.  I've been wanting to read it for a while, so this was the reminder to actually do it.

Have any of you read This Side of Paradise? I've read The Great Gatsby and fell in love with it, so I'm expecting great things out of this one.

So here's to F. Scott Fitzgerald for summarizing my life in two sentences.  I owe ya one.

Love,
Allison

What I'm Reading Wednesday

Do you think I could get a new hashtag going on Instagram? Instead of scrolling through dozens of duck faces and long sentimental comments about how much everyone loves their best friend/mom/girlfriend/random stranger that they think is hot, #wcw could be a thing of the past and #wirw could be in.  There would be intellectual comments discussing main characters and plots and photos of books with vintage filters.  It would be as close to heaven on earth as you could get.

So, to kick off this new trend, I present to you what I'm reading Wednesday (warning, I'm one of those people who read a ridiculous number of books at the same time):