How Zoe Made Her Dreams (Mostly) Come True by Sarah Strohmeyer
The Reece Malcom List by Amy Spalding
Imposter by Jill Hathaway (currently reading)
The Symptoms of my Insanity by Mindy Raf
E-galley:
The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler
I haven't bought anything recently because of lack of money. BUT Wednesday is my twenty-fourth birthday and all I asked for from my parents was a big gift card to Barnes and Nobel. So, next week, I plan to have a stack of new mine-all-mine books to show you!
From Goodreads: A week ago, Dinah’s cousin Claire cut her wrists. Five days ago, Dinah found Claire’s diary and discovered why. Three days ago, Dinah stopped crying and came up with a plan. Two days ago, she ditched her piercings and bleached the black dye from her hair. Yesterday, knee socks and uniform plaid became a predator’s camouflage. Today, she’ll find the boy who broke Claire. By tomorrow, he’ll wish he were dead.
Date we're waiting for: October 8, 2013.
This book just sounds amazing and like I'll fly right through it. Also, Amazon compared it to Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. When do I not want to read a novel like Jay's? The only problem is the long wait until it hits shelves. Come on, October!
So, as the title suggests, this is not an entry about bookish things. This is an entry about some of the things going on in my life that I really just want to get out. Please feel free to skip.
If you couldn't tell from my profile picture, I am overweight. A good amount overweight and I have been for most of my life. I remember shopping in the juniors section when I was going into fifth grade, and I could barley fit into those clothes then. There was this pair of jeans that I loved in sixth grade that I probably shouldn't have been wearing as they were so tight. I believe they were a sixteen. You see where this is going.
I'm about to turn twenty-four in a week and I've never felt truly beautiful. I've never been on a date. I had a boyfriend for literally two days and he turned out to be a huge asshole. My friends constantly assure me that I'm gorgeous, adorable, pretty, etc but I mostly just don't believe them. I also have a lot of health problems. Acid reflux, poly-cystic ovaries, hypothyroidism, pseudo tumor ceribri (I know), and migraines. Along with those, I am also clinically depressed and have panic disorder. Quite a track record. Also, lots of doctor visits and medication. To be honest, a lot of these things would at least get better if I lost some weight. So that's what I'm trying to do.
Actually, what I'm trying to do is have the lap band surgery. It's a simple surgery, not very risky, where they put a silicone band around your stomach so that when you're eating, you get fuller faster. You can tighten or loosen the band through a port that doesn't show and makes it so you don't have to have surgery again. Of course, there are complications, but they're no where near as scary as those that can come with gastric bypass, another weight loss surgery. With Lap Band, they just put that band around your stomach. With gastric bypass, they cut out a piece of your stomach and also reroute your intestines. (Sorry for the ick factor.)
Anyway, right now, I'm kind of in this period where I'm waiting and dieting and exercising. I can't have the surgery until I've done six months of a lifestyle program. It's actually a pretty good thing, but when it comes to surgery, waiting around thinking about it can get kind of scary. I need to record what I eat and how I exercise for six months to show the insurance company that I can do it and that I'll keep up with healthy eating and exercise after the surgery. There are also little classes once a month and a weigh-in.
Last Thursday, I went to my first real class. I went to one a couple weeks ago, but it was really just to get the stuff and to talk to the people who would be helping me achieve goals. So, Thursday was the first time I had to hand in my food log and the first time I had to be weighed after actually trying to lose weight. I went in there hoping upon hope that I'd lost at least a pound. I would have been happy with a pound. When I stepped on the scale, knowing what it said the last time I'd been on, I was shocked.
Six pounds.
According to this scale, which was the same one I was on last time, I'd lost six pounds. I can't even begin to tell you how exciting it was to see that. I did a double take. I told the person weighing me that it was wrong. I screamed, "How could I have lost six pounds?" I was so happy.
If you're having trouble losing weight, look at what your eating. Read the nutritional facts. Pay attention to CALORIES. And serving sizes, because they can be waaaay less than what you think. I started eating way less calories and I lost weight. I'm not saying it's not hard (because it is. It's very, VERY hard), but if you stick to it, give yourself a small break once a week, you can do it too.
Six pounds. I still can't believe it.
If you're still reading this, thanks, and I can't believe you are.
Bookish things coming soon!
Here, have an awesome Jenna Marbles video about diets.
From Goodreads: Max would follow Sadie
anywhere, so when Sadie decides to ditch her problems and escape to
Nebraska for the summer, it’s only natural for Max to go along. She is
Sadie’s confidante, her protector, and her best friend. This summer will
be all about them. This summer will be perfect. But that’s before they meet Dylan.
Dylan
is dangerous and intoxicating, and he awakens something in Max that she
never knew existed. No matter how much she wants to, she can’t back
away. But Sadie has her own intensity, and has never allowed Max
to become close with anyone else. And Max doesn’t know who she is
without Sadie. There are some problems you just can’t escape.
Date we're waiting for: June 4, 2013.
I have read all three of Amy Reed's previous novels and I just cannot get enough. Her writing is amazing and her subjects are interesting and underused. I'm so excited for this book, you have no idea.
From Goodreads: When high school
seniors—and former couple—Emery and Jake find themselves held hostage in
a first grade classroom, they must do all they can to protect the kids.
Brian Stutts, a U.S. soldier suffering from Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder after serving in Iraq, pulls out his gun to convince the
teacher to hand over the son he’s not allowed to check out because of a
custody battle. The situation turns deadly when a security guard appears
at the door and Stutts impulsively opens fire. When the teacher is
carried from the room, the children's fate is in the hands of Emery and
Jake. While Jake searches for a way to communicate with the policemen
surrounding the building, Emery, fighting her shyness, fear, and POTS
symptoms, tries to reach out to the soldier. She gains a new
understanding of what he faced in Iraq, and discovers remarkable
strength in his small son.
This Is Not a Drill focuses on a huge issue that is being seen everywhere lately-- on the news, in politics, on Glee-- but that doesn't make it less of a shock to our systems.Though this book came out almost two months before the deadly school shooting in Newtown, CT, it hits straight to the heart with how close the stories in the end seem to be--A man with a gun in an elementary school.
I almost don't know how to review this book. The writing was incredible and the story moved along almost too quickly, making me hold my breath for chapters at a time. I thought it was good, but it's scary to say that I liked it. It's truly terrifying and too close to home. This is one of those books that I got lost in, that I was clinging to the characters and wanting them all to be okay. I was hooked from the first page, and spent way too much of the night reading it. If I hadn't started so late, I might not have been up until 3 am, still reading.
Honestly, I just don't know what else to say. The writing was extraordinary, but the subject was just so touchy for me that I couldn't say it's a favorite.
