Books

Here is another list of some books that I have read in the last few months.

Room, by Emma Donogue: Of all the books I have read this year, this one is my favorite. The story is told by Jack, a five year old boy who has grown up in captivity with his mother. This book was SUCH an emotional roller coaster; I felt sad, excited, angry, and terrified throughout the story. So many times I wanted to reach my arms out into the pages of the book and give Jack and his mother a hug. Great book.

Pretty Ugly, by Kirker Butler: This book gets a big "Meh" from me. It started out silly and fun, but ended up being over the top and unlikable, even for satire.

Bridget Jones' Diary, by Helen Fielding: My friend suggested this book to me as "a way to feel better about your life". It's a silly, lighthearted book about poor Bridget, a 30-something who doesn't know how to date, diet, or quit smoking properly. The story narrated through diary entries, which is fun.

Everything I Never Told You, by Celeste Ng: Oh, man. This book was heartbreaking. It's about a family struggling with the recent death of their teenage daughter/sister. There is no single protagonist. The narrator, though in third person, describes each family member's thoughts and feelings at various times throughout the book. So many times I wanted to scream at the characters, like I sometimes feel tempted to do in movies. It's beautifully written.

For the Right Reasons, by Sean Lowe: I am absolutely embarrassed to even write down that I read this book, but curiosity got the best of me.  I am a recovered Bachelor/Bachelorette viewer (two seasons sober! Taking it one step at a time), and there was so much of this ridiculous franchise that I wanted to get a scoop on. Sean, former Bachelor, who actually married his "winner", gives a lot of poorly written information about the other side of the show. Not surprisingly, the book was dumb and full of backdoor bragging.

Austenland, by Shannon Hale: This was my second favorite book in this bunch. The best word I can use to describe it is "Delicious". It's a quick, fun story; it was like reading candy. I identified so much with the protagonist, Jane, though our lives are quite different. The narration is funny and the characters are silly. I am SO GLAD that I didn't watch the movie first, because the movie was terrrrrrible.

Midnight in Austenland, by Shannon Hale: Obviously, I was excited to read this sequel, though it was not nearly as delightful. The lead character is different, and while I liked her ok, it just wasn't the same. The story is much different, as well as the writing. I ended up not finishing it.

Harry Potter Books, 1-4, by J.K. Rowling: One of my goals to complete before I turn 30 is to read all the Harry Potter books. Once my 29th birthday came and went, I got down to business and read/listened to the first four. I liked them, but I don't think I will ever be the hardcore HP lover that so many people are in my life. I would say my favorite so far is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The fourth book was so long, and I struggled to get into the story, so I have since slowed down my Hogwart's journey. I need to get back on it, I know.

I feel like I am forgetting some. Hmmm....

More Jo Willy Words

Our little guy's vocab has EXPLODED in the past two weeks. It's been so fun to hear all the new words that Jo has picked up. He surprises us everyday with a new word that he can say on his own without prodding... of course, after we hear him say it, the prodding ensues to get him to say it again. Jordan stated, "This is liking the best pet in the world!" I agree.

As of tonight, here is a list of his words:

Momma/Mommy
Dadda
Baby
Shoe
Ball (pronounced "Boh")
Book
Bird (pronounced "But"
Baba (bottle)
Bib (pronounced "Beeb")
Food (pronounced "Foo")
More (pronounced "Moh")
Car (pronounced "Cah")
Bike (pronounced "Bock")
Truck (pronounced "Chuck")
Wawa (Water)
Bath (pronounced "Baht")
Please (pronounced "Beez")
Tree (pronounced "Tee"
Keys
Teeth
Hat
Shirt (pronounced "Sheet")
Duck (prounced "Cuck")
Out
Yeah
No
Jesus (prounced "Jee-Jee", or "Jee-uh")
Fish (prounced "Feesh")
Eye
Hi
Bye
Cheese
Bear (pronounced "Bah")
Choo-Choo (train
Beep Beep
Vroom Vroom

He can also do the following animal sounds:

Cat = "Meow"
Dog = "HMM! HMM! HMM!"
Chicken = "Bahbahbah" (as in "Bock bock bock")
Monkey = "Aw Aw Aw" ( as in "Oo oo Aw Aw")
Bear/Tiger = "Raw!"
Cow = "Broo Broo" or "Moo"

I am gonna miss these adorable pronunciations! My favorites have to be "cuck" for duck, as well as "moh" for more. What I love is how he always says in an asking inflection. "Moh? Moh?" LOVE it.