Monday Lunch
I made my favorite breakfast sandwich for lunch and enjoyed it alongside a sliced red pepper.
The Whole She-Bang
Since my office is -5 degrees today, I also sipped on a hot tumbler full of Yogi Egyptian licorice mint tea to warm my insides.
Yogi Tea is Good for Me!
It worked and I am feeling comfy cozy now!
Moving right along to some fun book talk…
Water for Elephants
You guys know your stuff. You’re two-for-two when it comes to book recommendations. I absolutely loved The Hunger Games but I must say Water for Elephants is in a class all its own.
Water for Elephants
I love reading. I have always enjoyed curling up on the couch and getting lost in the pages of a good book. Reading relaxes me, excites me, energizes and renews me. And that’s exactly what Water for Elephants did every time I turned a page.
Water for Elephants is a truly beautiful book. I usually read a book and simply enjoy the story. In the case of this novel, I enjoyed both the story and the words. The author, Sara Gruen, has a way with words that is unparalleled. Time and time again I found myself in awe not only of the story Gruen crafted but her word choice as well.
I deeply admire the time and energy Gruen clearly poured into her research prior to writing Water for Elephants. The story takes place during the Great Depression and follows the life of Jacob, a young veterinarian of a traveling circus. Though the novel is fiction, I felt like everything I read could have actually occurred. (After finishing the book and doing my own research, I learned that many of the events detailed in the book actually did take place on various circuses during the 1930s.)
The book was intriguing, romantic, exciting, passionate and truly captivating. I highly recommend it and cannot wait for the movie to come out in April!
Water for Elephants Movie
I’ll be there opening night, I can assure you!
And now it’s onto the next book! The Art of Racing in the Rain is looking like the current front-runner…
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Ohh thank you for the book recommendation! I love Reese Witherspoon – can’t wait for the movie!
How did you reheat the egg in the office cafeteria? I feel like that would get all rubbery…
i fried it at home and then just heated it in the microwave for 20 seconds!
Interesting! I like my yolks runny, so I think I would have to skip the reheated egg…but the gooey cheese sounds excellent 🙂
My friend is reading this and I can’t wait for her to be done so I can steal um borrow it from her! Thanks for the rec!
That book is fantastic! I hope they do a good job with the movie. I’ll be mad if they screw it up 🙂
my friend and I do a book trade every time we finish a book. wanna send that water for elephants my way, and I’ll send you a goodie, too? 😉
aw, i totally would, but my coworker has dibs! she’s lending me the art of racing in the rain in exchange for water for elephants. you should definitely read it though! it’s awesome!
she’s a smart girl! 🙂
I’ll for sure go find it soon.. I’m gonna need it for these upcoming warm sunny days!
I’m a huge reader and have some book recommendations for you. A few of my favourite books that I’ve read in the last few years were:
One Day by David Nicholls (a story of two friends that takes place over the course of 20 years)
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri (a story about an awkward Indian-American boy who has to come to terms with his culture)
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (a fantastic gothic suspense novel)
thanks for the recommendations, michelle!
One Day is so good! I finished it last month and was surprisingly touched by it.
I am in the middle of Water for Elephants right now and for some reason I’m just not getting the same feeling as you and all the other great reviews. I’ve been reading it for the past month or so and just can’t seem to want to pick it up and finish it? Oh well – not for everyone. Please do read Racing in the Rain — it is EXCELLENT and a MUST for dog readers 🙂 You will fly throught it. Enjoy!!!
ryan couldn’t get into it either. he quit early on. i can definitely see how it’s not for everyone. it’s not a particularly intense book and isn’t really a page-turner. i just really loved the story and the writer’s style.
I mean dog owners** and through it**
I just read the Art of Racingn in the Rain.. loved it! Your obviously a dog lover so I think you’ll love it too. You’ll start to wonder what’s going on inside Sadie’s brain!
I just heard of someone reading this and loving it! Okay, now I really have to get it! 🙂
If they make a movie out of the book, it must be good! 🙂
i used to use that same theory until i read the devil wears prada. i haaaated that book and couldn’t get through it but i loved the movie!
I absolutely loved the Art of Racing in the Rain! I could not put it down. Amazing book!
You will LOVE The Art of Racing in the Rain! Total dog-lover book- it will make you look at Sadie in a whole new light! 🙂
MMMM I am going to have to read this-because I too am a book nerd and I LOVE cuddling up and getting lost in a book 🙂 Thanks for the recommendation!
Any dog lover would love The art of racing in the rain! Seriously considering naming my next dog Enzo after the dog in the book 🙂 Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
I cant wait for that movie to come out!
Water for Elephants is such a captivating book! I remember I couldn’t put it down when I read it, but it was a few years ago so I forgot what happened at the end, whoops!
I will have to read it again before the movie comes out. I’m so excited to see it 🙂
I just tried cinnamon raisin bagel thins for the first time yesterday….they are absolutely amazing, definitely my new favourite 🙂
I’ve been debating downloading this book on my Kindle, but for some reason “period books” don’t resonate with me. If they are not current (as in the last 15 years), I feel so disconnected.
I had no idea a movie was coming out! yay!
a friend of mine sent me the art of racing in the rain and I couldn’t get into it at the time..Maybe after I hear your review I’ll have to give it another go 🙂
Great book review – looks like I’ll have to check it out from the library.
P.S. Just got my hands on Catching Fire – started it last night!!
I’m struggling with Water for Elephants, but it usually takes me a bit to get going and really get into it. I’m not giving up on it!
Catching Fire finalllllly came in at the library for me! Can’t wait!
I ready the Art of Racing in The Rain last year! It’s fantastic!!! It’s especially good for us dog lovers!
I didn’t know Reese Witherspoon was starring in the movie! Makes me want to read the book even more now 🙂 She is one of my favorite actresses!
So glad that you like the book!
I started Water for Elephants but didn’t get into it. I’ll have to try again!
I absolutely loved the book! I read it when I was younger and loved it so much I convinced my stepmom to let me come to her book when they were discussing it. Glad you loved it, too
Julie, you HAVE to read the Art of Racing in the Rain. My mom is a huge dog lover like you and she talked about it non-stop for weeks after she read it!
Right now I’m reading the biography “Furious Love” about Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, and I just finished “Unbearable Lightness” by Portia de Rossi. Absolutely STUNNING.
i can’t wait to hear your opinion of “the art of racing in the rain”. i have been wanting to read it. i totally agree with your opinion of “water for elephants”. i just bought “hunger games” and am looking forward to reading it! i think that i have said this before, but you HAVE to give “pillars of the earth” a chance. it is very boy and girl friendly. and amazing.
I just read the Art of Racing in the Rain. LOVED it! I recommend having a box of tissues near by! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did
You’re going to LOVE The Art of Racing in the Rain! Such a good book! I’ll bet Sadie will enjoy it too 🙂
I’m always looking for great books…this one is next on my list for sure!
I loved Water for Elephants! I didn’t want it to end. I am hesitant on going to see the movie because of some of the scenes in the book, I hope that they just cut them out, although I know that they are important for the story, I just can’t stand animal cruelty. I just finished The Art of Racing in the Rain. I read it while flying cross country, I even cried on the plane. Such as wonderful book! Definitely for dog lovers.
WOW that was a fast read for you!! I’m still working on The Help and I hear that might be getting a movie follow-up too. Water for Elephants is next on my list – I’ve heard so many good things about it. Thanks for the review!
A few things —
ONE: Just found your blog this past weekend and I LOVE it! I turned 30 not too long ago but you remind me of myself a few years back! I am a major worker-out-er (though have been sidelined by a lot of injuries I equate with ‘old age’ turning 30!!) also a healthy-ish eater. And I try with fashion, but I fail a lot ;).
I have read both Water for Elephants and The Art of Racing in the Rain. Both fabulous books.
A bit more about me — I am Manager of Marketing & PR for a museum in Charlotte NC and love politics, my dogs, running, cycling, and hope to one day launch my own blog a sliver as awesome as this one is.
Thank you for the suggestion!!
Yay thanks for the review of Water for Elephants! I can definitely see how Ryan didn’t make it through it…the beginning was especially slow, but I survived and am halfway through. You’re right, it isn’t for everybody! But I can’t WAIT for Reese & Rob in a movie together 😀 I shamelessly love them both- I can’t help it!
I’ve never heard of “The Art of Racing in the Rain” but after a quick scan of its summary, it reminds me a lot of a book I read over Christmas break called “A Dog’s Purpose”. It’s by the guy who wrote “8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter”…which I only recognized from having heard of the show. Anyway-if you want to read another dog book in the future, I would HIGHLY recommend A Dog’s Purpose. It was funny, touching, and hard to put down. I’ve never been a big “dog book” person…I just love MY dog 🙂 But this one was really good!
I feel like I’m the only one who didnt like this book. Maybe its bc i read it in high school, which was like 5 years ago, and didnt really appreciate it
get ready to cry!!
It’s a good one 😉
really want to read it- it’s on my list!
I’ve never read Water for Elephants, but really should pick it up from the library sometime.
I loved The Art of Racing in the Rain and I hope you do too, especially because you are a dog owner.
Water for Elephants is the next on my list. Can’t wait to get started now. Thanks for the review!
I still need to finish The Hunger Games but then I’ll pick up this book! 😀
I loved Water for Elephants and will definitely be reading it again before the movie comes out. I get chills and tears every time I see the trailer for it! 🙂
The Art of Racing in the Rain is a wonderful book! It is incredibly touching and made me look at Winston differentyl. I couldn’t put it down.
I’m currently reading Namesake which is good so far.
Another good book you might want to think about is A Thousand Splendid Suns. It’s written by Khaled Hosseini who wrote The Kite Runner. It is an incredibly powerful book. Hard to read in some parts, but totally worth it.
Ahhh, I love books.
I’m definitely adding this to my list of books to read…right after I finish Little Bee. Thanks for the recommendation!
As a dog lover, The Art of Racing in the Rain will totally tug on your heart strings! I loved that book and the author’s writing style. I found myself almost tearing up when I finished it on the stationary bike at the gym! haha
I’m so glad you enjoyed Water for Elephants. I loved it so much. Some books stay with you for a while and I’m still haunted by what happened to his 2 “roommates”. I can’t wait for April to get here to see the movie. I will be there opening night, too!
What do you think of the people they cast for the movie? I think they did a great job!
I am working through Water for Elephants and i totally agree with you. I just finished the help and really liked it though it took me way to long to get through. I agree with Maddie, The art of racing in the rain is awesome.
sounds like a perfect book for you! I love my books to be THRILLINg and captivating.. although I am a sucker for gossip books.. i know, but they’re funny! I also read serious books like Half the Sky, which made me cry my eyes out- but SO SO POWERFUL
now i want to read that book- before it sounded boring but you make it sound fascinating 🙂