Time to play catch up.

Dear friends, I just did the math. The books to days equation. Lets just say it isn't looking good. This post is to let you know that I wont be available to hangout anymore. I will be reading. When I came up with my original 4 resolutions for the new year, three of them were very ambiguous which, (to me) meant that as the year progressed I could redefine them if necessary. But 100 books in 364 days is VERY clear. There is no getting around it, no new rules I could create, I either get it done or I fail (and have to start all over again next year). Here is something you might not know about me: I'm stubborn. Like the 1995 Seattle Mariners: Refuse to Lose. Here is something else you might not know, I'm a procrastinator. In college I wrote my best papers at 4 am the night before they were due. So it wont surprise me when it takes me down to the wire to reach 100.

On a happy resolution note, I think I can check off "Travel More" as completed.

Both of these photos were taken in Tallinn, Estonia. Tallinn was one of the stops during the Baltic Sea Cruise I took with my family. While on the cruise we also visited: Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Stockholm, Sweden; St. Petersburg, Russia; Helsinki, Finland; and Copenhagen, Denmark. So many awesome cities! I'm pretty sure that is almost a double check for the travel resolution.

When I was packing for the trip I realized something, books are very heavy, so I only packed three books in my suitcase. I also decided that out of these three, two of them would books that I knew would take me a good chunk of time to read. So here we go....

Update Book 63: The Girl Who Played With Fire by Steig Larsson

Since Sweden was our second stop, I thought it would be fun to read a book that takes place in Stockholm. This is the second book of the trilogy. I have to say I enjoyed it more than the first. It was easier for me to get into and I didn't have any of the translation issues I had with the first book. There was a lot of action, a good majority of which was very violent, but I think it was a little more toned down from the first installment. This is a filler book though. It ends with a cliff hanger (which made me mad because the third book is still hardback, thus untravelworthy). These books are time consumers though. You can't miss a single word otherwise you will be left flipping back chapters in confusion.

I spotted about 10 other people on the cruise also reading books from this series. It seems that men and women both enjoy these thrillers.

A note to anyone picking up the first novel and having a hard time getting hooked (*cough Lisa*) get through about page 150 before you give up. If you still don't like it, take a page from my 'Declaration of Reader Independence: Article 1. Not finish a book. Doesn't matter how far I am into it, if it gets into the way of my goal, I can put it down!' I promise not to judge.

Update Book 64: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

There is nothing like reading a book and making an escape from your current surroundings. There is also nothing quite like sitting in the middle of the Baltic Sea and the book you are escaping with takes you back home. 'Hotel on the Corner..' takes place in Seattle during WWII. This is the story of a 12 year old Chinese boy and Japanese girl. Since it takes place in Seattle during WWII you have probably guessed that the internment camps are a major part of the plot. This was a great book that weaves love and history together to form a lovely story.

Update Book 65: The Poinsonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

Recommended by many, it also came with a warning to devote some time to this novel. Although it was possibly the most complicated story I've read this year, I devoured this book. This is the story of a Baptist missionary who takes his wife and four daughters into the middle of the Congo. Each chapter is narrated by a different daughter, with the beginning of each section of the book narrated by the mother. I'll admit I knew/know next to nothing about the history of the Congo (or most of Africa for that matter) and never had a strong desire to read anything that took place there. After reading this book, I have an new appreciation for the continent. I think most of that stems from how well written this book was. Kingsolver's descriptions transported me straight to center of the story. This book took me half the amount of time I thought it would. I started it on the plane ride back and was so immersed in the story that I couldn't put it down.

I loved this book. I recommend you devote some time to it.