Getting To Know You: Animals

It's time for another getting to know you hosted by Jenni.  This time it's our favorite animals. I'm such an animal lover I couldn't resist. So here they are.

I know most people think cats are my favorite animal but actually my very favorite animals are horses. They're so majestic and have very unique personalities.

Yes, I love kitties too. Especially this kitty. ;) Can you tell she's begging for food?  Was it the tilted head that gave it away?

I love giant anteaters. They're just so weirdly cute!

Yes, technically Cheetahs are cats but of all the big cats, they're my favorite.  Look at those eyes!

No, I don't like all bats but fruit bars look like kitties with wings. Just too cute! 

I know, I know! Gryphons aren't real but if they were I'd do everything in my power to get one. 

And that's about all  I'll list.  I love tons more animals but I'll leave it be. What about you?  What animals do you love? 

In My Thoughts This Fine Day #9

Yes, I finally started watching Game of Thrones. I'm only on the first season and totally hooked so no spoilers. So far I'm mostly interested in Daenerys. I think it's because I know she's getting a dragon and this excites me. Plus I just like watching her come out of her shell. I also like Tyrion. Yes, he's a Lannister but I like him. Hate his sister, though. Anywho, it's all very intriguing. Any one else out there watch the series? Should I read the series like ASAP or just keep watching the show?

I feel like a lot of books I've been reading lately all start off pretty good and then somewhere in the middle they lose steam, or maybe I do. All I know is I've started several books and been really into them and then suddenly I just don't want to finish them. Anyone else notice this?I can't decide if it's me or if authors start writing a book that's pretty dang good but not quite fleshed out so by the middle they start scrambling for a finish???I don't know.




Does this movie look familiar? The Money Pit. It's hilarious...when it's a movie. See, my hot husband and I have bought a house and are remodeling.(that's why I'm not around as much as I'd like to be) No, it's not as dramatic as the movie but sometimes, I tell you, I find myself just laughing hysterically at the things that go wrong. I can't wait to be done!

Review: To All The Boys I've Loved Before

Title To All The Boys I've Loved Before
By Jenny Han
Genre YA contemporary
Pages 288



First Sentence I like to save things.



Synopsis
Though she's never had a boyfriend, Lara Jean has loved 5 boys in her life. Of course they know nothing about her feelings. That is until her habit of writing a love letter to get over these loves blows up in her face. Somehow her letters get mailed and things are about to get very complicated for Lara Jean.

What it has going for it
When I saw that Jenny Han wrote another book I had to read it. Jenny Han is the master of the love triangle/sqaure/how ever many guys. I hate the love triangle. I think we pretty much all do but mostly, for me, it's because it isn't a love triangle you know who the girl is going to choose and it's pathetic. When I say Jenny is the master of the love triangle it's because when I read her books and am introduced to all these guys I feel as helplessly confused as the poor girl.Who to choose? You really feel like the character is really torn and and so are you. I love it!

I love watching these imperfect characters take a good, long, hard look at themselves and grow up a little. I love books where there's human imperfections and character growth.

I really wasn't sure how to feel about Peter but by the end, right along with Lara Jean, I really kinda sorta liked him and now I'm all torn up inside! Eeeeek!

I loved the realistic family relationships. While the family did have an almost unbelievable, too good to be true feeling about them, I still liked it

What's lacking
Jenny Han's main characters always seem horrifically immature. Sadly I think it's because most the YA characters we read about act more like 20 somethings so we get used to that idea. I have to remind myself of how me and my friends acted at 16 and, yeah,we were pretty immature and stupid. Still, sometimes I rolled my eyes at how annoying Lara Jean was.

That ending!!! Dude if this wasn't a series I would have killed someone. I thought it was a stand alone and seriously freaked out at the end. Not cool!

Yea or Nay?
I say go for it. There's some eye rolling in these pages but mostly there's just smiles.

Review: For Darkness Shows the Stars

Title For Darkness Shows the Stars
By Diana Peterfreund
Genre YA Scifi/fantasy
Pages 407

First sentence Dear Kai, my name is Elliot and I'm six years old and live in the big house.



Synopsis
Elliot made a choice four years ago to stay on her father's estate instead of going with the love of her life Kai. When Kai suddenly returns well off and successful Elliot has to face the choice she made even if it's breaking her heart. In this post apocalyptic retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion, love conquers all.



What it has going for it
I loved the way this one starts out. It's definitely a YA post apocalyptic world but it still stayed pretty true to the original classic Persuasion.

Elliot stays behind and makes the choices she did for a good reason, well, a better reason than in the original and I liked the effect it had on my opinion of her. She has more spunk.

Even though the cover has nothing to do with the book or story I loved it.

What's lacking
I really hated the Reduction idea. Mainly because it wasn't really fleshed out very well. Which wouldn't have been a problem if it wasn't such a huge part of the story but it was. If the preCORS pushed science too far that they caused the Reduction then why were they pushing it again? weren't they worried? I don't know. It just irritated me.

What was with the author choosing to make Elliot's dad a bad guy? That drove me crazy! Having him vain and lazy in Persuasion was good enough. No need to make him evil.

Kai was kind of a jerk.I mean, I get it. He was mad she didn't go with him but sheesh, she actually had a reason to stay behind and choose the estate over him in this version and he was much ruder than Captain Wentworth.

The letter just wasn't as good as the original. No letter will ever be as romantic as Captain Wentworth's letter to Anne. Sigh!

Yea or nay?
It started out OK but just got boring at the end. I prefer the original.

Getting To Know You: Celebrity Crushes!

My blogging friend,  Jenni has decided to start a new feature on her blog and today's topic was too hard to resist. So I've decided to join her. So here's what it is.  

I’ve decided to start a feature called Getting to Know You. I’m going to post something each Thursday with a new topic to discuss. I want to make this interactive because I’d like to get to know my readers/blogger friends better too. You can participate either by commenting on this post or doing a post on your own blog and linking it up here.

Celebrity Crushes, we all have at least one.  Even my mother (and believe me,  if you knew my mother you'd be shocked) had one. *cough cough John Wayne cough*.  I have far too many to count so I'll just name the top three.  Ready?!

Aww, Timothy.  Isn't he dreamy? I'll admit he's getting a little older now and I preferred him a bit younger but even older he's a hottie. 

Jenni and I might have to duke it out over Ewan here.  He's number 1 on her list though so unless my torrid romance with Timothy doesn't work out, she's safe. 

James Mcavoy. Sigh! There's something so dreamy about him. I Can't even put my finger on it but every time he walks into the room (well on my tv) I sigh.  

Well,  there you have it. Honestly  I have so many crushes I could go on but I'll just leave it here.  If you want to show off your crushes link on up and get ready to drool.