I really wish I had more time to read. My ‘to be read’ stack of books is not getting any smaller, and every now and then I will still add to it! I used to read during my 30-minute lunch break, but since we moved to our new building, I use my 30 minutes to run home for lunch to let the dogs out. So reading during lunch is over for me.
I try to avoid reading in bed before sleep, because lately I’ve found that it keeps me awake instead of helping me fall asleep. So I play Candy Crush or some other mindless game on my ipad instead.
So that leaves reading for random times during the afternoon after I get home from work. I get home around 3:45 each day. Mondays are out, because I start cleaning when I get home in preparation for Tuesday (the day that my mother-in-law comes over for dinner each week). Hubby comes home around 5:30, and that’s about when I’m starting dinner. By the time dinner and kitchen cleanup is done, it’s 6:30 or so. Then we take the dogs outside to play for at least 45 minutes. It’s now 7:15. From 7:15 – 8:30 is generally ‘free’ time. But anything that needs done for the day (paying bills, writing notes, laundry to be folded, put away, etc.) needs to be done during this time as well. At 8:30 we attempt to start getting ready for bed. Hear me out….we have 3 medications to give one cat, a shot to give to another cat, a baby-wipe bath to give to one dog who has bad allergies (the wipes help get all of the dust and pollen off of her from being outside and low to the ground), two lunches to make for the next day, gym bags to pack, dogs to take out for one last pee, etc. And then we still have to do OUR bedtime routine (brushing teeth, etc.). So we get to bed around 9:30 or so. That’s just Monday. Tuesdays are completely out because that’s when momma-in-law comes over. Wednesdays are out because that’s a meeting night. Thursdays are probably my best shot at reading a little each week. Fridays are usually out because that’s when I get groceries and prepare for Saturday and Sunday (French studying takes FOREVER....like hours. I'm not exaggerating).
So now that you’ve heard my little pity party on why I don’t have the time I wish I had to read, I’ll get on with my story here, ha ha.
I recently watched two movies that I just happened to have read the books they were based on (it took me a few months though). Here are the reviews:
The Book Thief
I bought this book a LONG time ago (I think I bought it in Nebraska like 3 years ago when I was with my mom at Barnes & Noble) I started reading it and honestly I lost interest. It was very long. But the story was good. But sad. But LONG. When the movie came out though, it looked really good and it inspired me to pick up the book again and finish it. Except I had to start over completely because I had forgotten everything that I had already read, ha ha. But I got through the book this time. And then watched the movie.
The verdict? The movie was SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE BOOK!! That’s a rare thing to say, but it’s true. I thought the book was just too detailed and too long. But the movie? Perfect. The acting, the story, everything. In case you haven’t seen it, it’s about a German girl (Leisel) living in Nazi Germany. Her family decides to hide a Jew in their basement in the height of World War 2. Leisel befriends the Jew and he teaches her to read and write. And once she learns how to read, well….she starts stealing books. She gets them from various places, the most interesting is when she saves one from a book burning. Risky! She is such a lovable character and while it is a very sad story, it’s amazing how she is able to overcome everything in her hard life. I will definitely watch it again.
Next up?
Labor Day
I heard about this book before I heard about the movie. It’s about a single depressed mom, her pre-teen son, and the escaped convict that comes into their lives over a long Labor Day weekend. The book was good, the movie was just as good as the book. The movie stars Josh Brolin and Kate Winslet, and I love both of them, so I might be a little biased. It’s a nice unconventional love story. I will watch this one again too.
Apparently I am on a ‘book to movie’ reading kick, because I am now reading ‘Divergent’ (the movie has already been released). I’m also reading The Storyteller, The Goldfinch, The White Queen and one other one I think. I’ve never been a ‘read one book at a time’ gal. Maybe that's why it takes me months to finish one book! Ha ha.
