Stop what you are doing and READ THESE BOOKS....I mean it.....anybody want a Peanut?

I have always considered myself someone that finds peace in simple things. I could sit by a crackling fire for hours on end just staring at the dancing flames. For some reason the warm spark is soothing, the smell is intoxicating, and I find myself smiling in spite of myself. Same goes for walking in the middle of a wooded area, or standing on the cliffs of a beach watching the surf rolling in as the sun sets in the distance. I find peace and serene understanding of myself when I am surrounded by the beauty nature provides us.

Books also give me this, and it's not often I find one that I connect so intensely with, but there are books that I can't seem to forget. Perhaps it's the formulation of words and imagery, I find myself reading my way through a beautiful cinematic adventure all played out in the wide span corners of my mind. It's invigorating, intoxicating, inspiring...and another in-word that I haven't even thought of yet. I can't help it, I just love to read. I love to escape into an unknown world, or explore the emotions and difficulties of someone other than those closest around me.

Some books, like The Iron Druid Chronicles, give me action and intensity in my typical day. Running from the Irish Tuatha Dé Danann Gods is not something I feel I would ever encounter, but I can read about it! (Side note: This series of awesomeness has the coolest side kick EVER! An Irish wolf hound named Oberon who has his own corky sense of humor that you get to enjoy). I think this is a series you could easily read as an in between of the more serious heavy books. The main character Atticus O'Sullivan is the last Druid of his people but he lives in present day in Tempe Arizona of all places. The main point of this series is that he is a survivor, but a side note of this novel is that it's filled to the brim with nerdy references. I almost jumped out of my chair when he referred to Battlestar Galactica, "Shut up you fracken Cylon!" Anyways, fantastic series of books. I am at the moment reading book seven and I believe there will be a total of nine for your reading adventuring pleasure. I dare you not to get addicted!

Other books carry a more serious nature to them, they hit you straight in the chest with an unforgiving smile of; you were warned. This past week I picked up a book that I read quite a long time ago, more than 10 years. For some reason the cover pulled me in once again as it had before and I knew it was time to delve into the depths of Nicholas Sparks' words. Now I know what you are thinking..."Oh god, Nicholas Sparks, he is nothing but sappy romance!" To that I say....shut up. Mainly because yes he is full of sappy romance but this particular book is more than just sap, it's really a guide to understand how to fix what you broke when it comes to relationships.

This amazing novel, The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks starts out with a character Wilson. He is a straight forward no nonsense kind of man who has been married for 29 years. He has his typical routine, wakes up, goes to work at a law firm, comes home and works some more in his office, eats dinner with his wife, and goes to bed. When you start this story you see him for the responsible man that he is, but you also understand that his actions over the years of his marriage have had consequences. Wilson completely forgets that it's his 29th Wedding Anniversary and doesn't realize this until it's far too late. He then spends the next year trying his best to fix the problems he has regretfully caused in an effort to save his marriage to the woman he loves.

Once again, yes of course this book is about love, but it is so much more than that. This book is about how to fall in love again, how to mend a broken heart, how to stumble through the terrifying "falling in love" and press forward into keeping what you want, how to keep a family together, how to enjoy the time you have of everyday little small things, how to work past the shit and move toward the good. Wilson does something that I think all men and women should take note of: He seriously puts in an effort. Not just the little things, but huge life changing things. He recognizes that he royally screwed up and makes a concious effort to fix it.

This book strikes me every time I read it, and there are times that his words hit me so hard that I feel like my heart is crushing along side his. He made a mistake, and he is paying the price but even though it's an emotional roller coaster he doesn't give up. There is also I slight twist to this story, but I will leave that for you to read :)

If you are looking for something heart warming this is your book. If you are struggling with trying to understand your emotions about a relationship this is definitely your book. If you royally screwed up a relationship and have no idea how to fix it...this is THE book for you my friend.

ENJOY YOUR READING!! I'd love to hear your thoughts when you are done!!!!

The Girl Nerd Book Review!!

For the last couple of months I have been on a reading frenzy! Maybe it’s because my book is almost finished and I like to see what a polished (or totally unpolished) product looks like. Apparently the last 20 something years did nothing to help me know “what a finished book” or “what a really really good book” looks like. Best way to understand your craft is to immerse yourself in it right? I did…I have been a readin’!!!!

First up is probably my favorite book. No joke this one hits the numero uno spot on my list:

The Martian, by Andy Weir
I love good suspense, I always find myself wanting to dive into the latest thriller action book. This one takes the cake of nail bitter story. It’s a science fiction, suspense, nail bitingly tense, oh my god I CAN’T STOP TURNING THE PAGE..... kind book. You start out with the main character Mark Watney (Who in my mind resembles someone like Domhnall Gleeson….no idea why. Mark isn’t a red head, and he is an American. But anyways that’s the face I imagined). So this Mark Watney guy, who is a total nerd in the coolest way, starts the story with an OH SHIT moment. He is completely stranded on Mars. He spends the next so many days (no need to spoil here!) trying to stay alive. The best part about most of his “I have to save my own arse” moments is they seem completely one hundred percent scientifically legit. There wasn’t a single time I thought, “No way, that just isn’t possible.” But then again, who am I to question a Mechanical Engineer/Botonist? Weir really twists a great story in with the on the edge moments, and he adds enough crazy wild “AHHHHH run for your life,” in with the “oh my god that is the funniest thing I have ever read,” that you never get bored. Even when he was talking his science mumbo jumbo I was hooked. This is a serious page turner, seriously funny, and on my top list as MUST READ!!!! Does Mark Watney ever make it home??? You will have to read this one to find out.

 Second book on my must read list:

If I Stay, by Gayle Forman
Now, a totally different style than The Martian, If I Stay is a heartfelt slightly crushing story of a girl, Mia Hall, who gets in a horrible car accident with her family and through a miraculous state of in-between has the option to choose if she wants to leave all her loved ones behind, or if she wants to stay. (That isn’t a spoiler there, it’s on the back of the book pretty much). This is one of those books that doesn’t follow an A-Z timeline, it jumps back and forth through Mia’s life highlighting people she loves and why mean so much to her. Forman does a great job with the back and forth, I never lost myself in the timeline she supplied, it flowed so perfectly with the main characters arch that it was perfectly executed. This book kinda reminds me of The Perks of Being a Wallflower in that it focuses a lot of attention on music and how it changes our lives. Perhaps that’s why I love it so much! I originally picked up this book because I saw the trailer starring Chloe Grace Moretz. I got really excited and thought, “I need to read this before I see the movie!” I was right, this is a must read. There will be so many entities of this book that they won’t be able to get across through film. It’s definitely a tug on the heart strings kinda book, but it’s so beautiful written and focused that I have to put it on a top list of must read. One thing I will say, I actually enjoyed the sequel to this book. The author really knows how to pull you in deep with music, lyrics, and emotion and she fills the page with numerous quotable lines. I have a feeling this be a re-read in my near future.

 Third Book on my must read list:

The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green
“Why John, why must you yank on my heart strings so harshly!!!!” My first reply (because yes I spoke out loud to the author when I read this one) when I finished the book. This one isn’t a surprise knock you sideways book, you know it’s going to be a ‘rough on the emotions’ read. Hazel Lancaster is a young girl who from the beginning you know has a difficult path in front of her, she has cancer and it isn’t going away. She struggles through her day to day lugging around a breathing machine just so that she can stay alive, but she ends up meeting a fellow cancer patient at a support group, and from there things get interesting. I will say this book from the beginning seemed like just another sad story, but I will tell you that I have NEVER read a more truly inspirational and quotable book in my life! (outside of books that are quoted all the time, those don’t count) This story is corky and sweet, the plot is simple but severely intense, and the characters are beyond lovable. Every page kept me wondering how it would end, every page made me ache and feel for the characters’ lives. If the story itself doesn’t grab you, then watch the MOVIE. Shailene Woodley is starring in it!! I dare you to try and watch the trailer for this amazing story and not shed a glistening tear…I failed miserably.

 

Ok, that wraps my MUST READS for the moment. I promise I will have more soon, I can’t seem to keep my nose out of books lately. Perhaps that’s because I am waiting for own to be edited….not pointing fingers, just saying. ;) (I love you editor!)

Weapons of Self Destruction

Don't worry dear sweet
This won't take long
It will happen so fast
You won't even know
Look at the pictures
And take it all in
Stab your self hard
Don't you dare give in
Hold onto the knife
Don't you dare let it go
Push it in deep
Until you can't say no
Listen to me now
There's nothing to save
Watch yourself bleed out
All over the page
Rip your chest open
And bare it to me
Blessed sweet darling
Give it all up to me
And when you see him
For the very next time
You'll feel nothing inside
Where it once felt Devine
Now tear out the dagger
You shoved so hard in
And submit to the tears
Before your new life begins

My inner dialogue....

Today I find that I think of random quotes, emotions, heartfelt words…they cram into my brain and fill my day with a flurry of images. I try to imagine the words on the page floating onto the screen, how do I describe this moment for the reader to see in their minds? How do I paint a picture with words that everyone knows but have never heard before? I yearn to share these moments, I want you to see the struggle and moments of elation with these characters that I have grown so fond of. I want to share this world with you, I want you to hear their voice and feel their pain. I only want you to see what I see, because to me, this story is beautiful.

-the constant thoughts of an aspiring writer

Psst....I have a confession to make....

I have a confession to make, and really truly confessing these kinds of things are never easy. I feel like this is a safe place though, and I hope that you understand my troubles perhaps you might even have similar issues yourself. You see I have an obsession, and it is not something that I was able to come to terms with to admit easily, but I feel it is a necessity.

My problem: I am obsessed with reading.

I know, I know..."what's wrong with that Jessica?" I think the same thing. I dive into a book with glee and excitement, turn off the outside interference and just live through another world for hours at a time. The problem? Well...I turn myself off to the outer world for days at a time!! I don't just love to read, I become obsessed with the book. I read for 8 hours straight! Take a break? Yeah right, not likely, I power through that novel like my life dependes on it. Why? Because I have a problem. I crave words, knowledge, a new world, people, interaction. I delve into the story with eager anticipation for what will happen next. I am a reader....And I am no longer afraid to admit it. Now what am I going to do about it...the answer. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!!

There I said it, I love to read, and I will never stop. I crave the words, the flow of a fresh story, the aches and pains of a new life scribbled over the page with such intensity I just can't seem to stop myself. Of course I do it, I turn the page and devour on.

My sneaky action, I read at work. The phone is ringing of course I answer it. Sure I will help you get such and such, hold on one second...I finish my sentence, grab whatever that Producer needs and I am back to the black and white addiction I crave all day long. I need to go to the bathroom, that is just another place of heaven to catch at least five minutes (ok...ok I take longer than five minutes because there is no way I can put the book down long enough to wash my hands and run back to my chair to read more) of good intense reading.

In a bar, heck yeah I read in a bar!! For some reason people seem to interrupt me more in a bar than at work. "Hey there, whatcha reading?" My normal response, "A book." You would think they would leave me to my obsession in blissful peace but they don't, the questions continue. Me being the obsessed reader that I am, I blatantly ignore them and finish my page before looking up at them smiling. "Yes it's a very good book." Head back down into the pages, and I'm off again.

Now, I know what my bestie would be thinking by now. "Jessica, if you are so obsessed why haven't you read the second book of Outlander????" (By which I am dying to start....just FYI) And my response...1) I am supposed to be writing, I am super close to finishing the first draft of my Manny! 2) I need a decent quick easy distraction, not a week of nose in the page can't live a normal life obsession which Outlander deserves because it is AMAZING!!!! I read short books, but good ones, one's with great character development that is about four to five hours of reading before I dive back into my writing with a vengeance.

Here is the deal with me, I have a hard core obsession with reading. It not only gives my brain a break, but it also gives me some new verbiage. You learn a lot about vocabulary just reading, no kidding a lot of new words I spew out are directly from that moment reading a book and I come across a word and think..."What the heck does that mean?" So I look it up, and BAM! New world, mind blown, there is a meaning for that word and it's amazing.

So I have a problem, but I am not looking for a healthy dose of intervention, I am sharing my obsession with you because I hope that you too are as fascinated as I am about words, books, reading...and maybe hopefully one day I will give you that delicious slice of heaven when I am able to publish my own black and white pile of words that make up the running story playing over and over in my mind. Thank you friend for listening to my ramble of words...now please, do what I do, and go pick up a book and jump into the amazing wonder of discovering a new world. I am telling you though, be cautious, you might like it, love it, and become as obsessed as I am.
PS....
<----One day I will have a library this epic filled with EVERY BOOK I HAVE EVER READ! Ambitious much, maybe, but I don't care. Some dreams are worth dreaming.