The concept of summer reading is much more appealing after high school. Although I admit that I was the student who finished the assigned reading and essays well before the halfway point of summer and enjoyed it. Call me crazy. So far this summer my taste in books has been all over the place: from Amy Poehler's laugh-until-you-cry-from-laughing memoir and Cheryl Strayed's much more serious and motivational memoir, to the latest novel from Grisham (I think it's the latest, he just writes way too many) and a unique world history overview.

Confession time. Other than her time on Weekend Update, Mean Girls and Parks and Rec, I didn't know much about Amy Poehler's career. And I was one of those people who read through it thinking of Leslie Knope writing it, even though that's just a character she plays. But any book with a guest chapter by Seth Myers is a book worth reading in my opinion and I enjoyed the mix of memoir and comedy, although it was no "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me." (Side note: Mindy's second book, Why Not Me, is coming out in September and I cannot wait.)

I went through a major John Grisham phase in high school. As in I've read every single one of his books and am now in the habit of automatically reading the next one year after year. Gray Mountain focuses on the coal mining industry in Appalachia and the severe impact it has on the environment as well as the economy and the people of the region. In true Grisham fashion, there were many ethical questions and law practices raised as well as seedy characters typical of small-town justice. 

Months after the movie was released (on DVD) I got around to reading Wild. It was all everyone could talk about and perhaps my expectations for it were too high, but I was underwhelmed by it. It was a powerful story knowing that it was true, rather than fiction, but it would have been just as powerful without all the mentions of her toenails falling off. 

And finally, A History of the World in 6 Glasses, which I highly recommend to anyone who has a love of history and how interconnected social, economic and political factors are. From prehistoric times to present day, Standage sums up the major high points of history as affected by beer, wine, spirits, tea, coffee and Coca-Cola. While I was in college, the International Programs office organized two summer trips based on this book following the history of tea (traveling to Boston, China, India and London) and coffee (traveling to Ethiopia, Turkey and Paris).

What's on your must-read list this summer?

My goal to read at least 24 books this year is off to a smooth start, although my list of must-reads is growing faster than I can read them. But such is life. 

The Opposite of Loneliness - I wrote a full review of this book because it is just that good. I highly recommend the collection of short stories for everyone to read. Marina writes with a fresh style that feels like you are listening to your best friend, one who is much wiser than you and can more eloquently describe the situations you are going through. 

Let's Pretend This Never Happened - This is a complete 180 from The Opposite of Loneliness. Another memoir/collection of short stories of sorts that chronicles all of the painfully and hilariously funny awkward moments that make up Jenny Lawson's life. You will laugh so much while reading this that it will give you an ab workout as an added bonus (true story). I thought that I was an awkward person, but reading about Jenny's life made me feel a lot better about myself. Also, you have to read the book to understand why there is a mouse dressed as Hamlet on the cover. 

The Group - Truth be told, I wasn't a fan of this book. It follows the lives of a group of college friends in the 1930s as they navigate life after college as they enter marriage and motherhood. It was difficult to keep up with all of the storilines because each character has their own nickname and I kept getting confused about who is who.

The Lowland - This is the story of two brothers who are inseparable in childhood, but who follow two drastically different paths in life. Lahiri is an expert at crafting vivid, real characters who are three dimensional, including the secondary characters. Family dynamics are never simple and Lahiri flawlessly depicts the relationships of parents, children, in-laws, siblings and the differences between India and America.

What are you reading right now?

If you haven't read The Opposite of Loneliness yet, I highly recommend it. I have no doubts that if Marina Keegan were still alive, she would have continued to write brilliant stories and essays. One of her strengths, in my opinion, is to write vividly, making you feel like you are present in the story. She writes about the big truths and ideas in this world with such ease and her tone takes on that of those deep conversations that can only take place at 3 a.m. when everything finally begins to make sense. 

Her most popular essay, "The Opposite of Loneliness" went viral and was viewed over 1.4 million times after her tragic death in a car crash five days after her graduation from Yale.

There is a common theme woven throughout many of Keegan's essays and stories. We are so young. We have the world at our fingertips and we can change the world. College graduation is often thought of as the beginning of the rest of your life, but it is not guaranteed. Despite all of this, Keegan was able to leave her mark on the literary world and is an icon for our generation.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the book: 

“What we have to remember is that we can still do anything. We can change our minds. We can start over. Get a post-bac or try writing for the first time. The notion that it’s too late to do anything is comical. It’s hilarious. We’re graduating from college. We’re so young. We can’t, we MUST not lose this sense of possibility because in the end, it’s all we have.” 

“We don’t have a word for the opposite of loneliness, but if we did, I could say that’s what I want in life.” 

“We're so young. We're so young. We're twenty-two years old. We have so much time. There's this sentiment I sometimes sense, creeping in our collective conscious as we lie alone after a party, or pack up our books when we give in and go out - that it is somehow too late. That others are somehow ahead. More accomplished, more specialized. More on the path to somehow saving the world, somehow creating or inventing or improving. That it's too late now to BEGIN a beginning and we must settle for continuance, for commencement.” 

“I worry sometimes that humans are afraid of helping humans. There's less risk associated with animals, less fear of failure, fear of getting to involved. In war movies, a thousand soldiers can die gruesomely, but when the horse is shot, the audience is heartbroken. It’s the My Dog Skip effect. The Homeward Bound syndrome.” 

“We have these impossibly high standards and we’ll probably never live up to our perfect fantasies of our future selves. But I feel like that’s okay.”

The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly is a story of how there is no way to go but up once you have lost everything in your life. The heroine, Fiona Finnegan, grew up in London's East End at the end of the 1800s during the heyday of the Ripper. Try as hard as they might, her family barely made ends meet. The only thing that keeps her going is the plan to one day open her own shop with her best friend/sweetheart, Joe.

Tragedy upon tragedy pile up on top of Fiona and she finds herself completely alone. With nothing tying her to her old life in the East End, she travels to America with some cash she "stumbles upon" to start afresh working for her uncle.

The tides do begin to turn for Fiona and her determination and perseverance begin to pay off. After her father's suspicious death at the hand of his employer, Burton Tea, Fiona is bound and determined to seek her own form of justice to avenge his death.

Tea is all Fiona has ever known. Packing tea, drinking tea and constantly smelling tea as it came in by the docks. She puts her knowledge to good use and becomes the most influential tea merchant in America.

I won't give the rest of the story away, but it was such a wonderful read and was a page turner. The twists and turns will have you on the edge of your seat and once you are about three-quarters of the way through, be sure you have enough time to finish it in one sitting. 

It's the first in a trilogy; the other two books are told from other character's perspectives. In all but one circumstance, The Tea Rose leaves you with a feeling of closure.

Sarah of Sky Envy

Tell us a little bit about yourself/blog. 

My name is Sarah and I blog over at Sky Envy. Having lived in 10 zip codes and been to 18 countries in the last 4 years, I consider myself as a traveler and a nomad. My blog is a collection of photos and stories of my travels and nomadic life. 

Do you make New Year's resolutions or goals? If so, what are yours for 2015?

I don't believe in New Year's resolutions as it has been hard to keep them. I do believe in making goals for yourself. Mine are very easy - drink more water, sleep more, explore more of my own backyard and travel as much as I can.

What is the favorite book you've been reading? 

I haven't started reading it yet but I just got a copy of How To Be a Parisian Wherever You Are. I think I should add Reading more as one of my goals. :)

If you could have lunch with anyone, who would it be? 

First person that comes to mind right now is to have lunch with Jessica Stein of Tulla Vintage. She is a fashion blogger yes, but she is more of a traveler and a great photographer in my own opinion. I would like to just chat with her about her experiences with past travels. Her photos and travels are continuously inspiring me to get myself out there.

Follow along: Bloglovin | Instagram | Facebook

What you should be reading: Sail Away | Cusco | Eze

Christina of Route Bliss

Tell us a little bit about yourself/blog. 

I'm Christina, the girl behind the scenes at Route Bliss. I'm a 30-something single wannabe vagabond whose practicality and realist side keeps her planted in East Texas. By weekday I write lots of reports at my job as well as daydream frequently where I want to travel to next, ways to motivate myself to getting fit for health and happiness's sake, and experimenting in the kitchen to make my favorite not so healthy foods healthier. I also like to take lots of photos of pretty things, furry critters (aka canines and felines), and beautiful destinations.

Do you make New Year's resolutions or goals? If so, what are yours for 2015?

Intentions and plans yes, resolutions, nope. I have a lot of intentions and plans for 2015 that all tie into my one little word for 2015, cultivate.

What is the favorite book you've been reading? 

At the moment I'm between books, everything's been just an 'okay' read lately, nothing that stands out as a favorite!

If you could have lunch with anyone, who would it be? 

Right now, John Muir and Ansel Adams ... in doing trip research and planning for this summer, these two men keep popping up + I love Ansel's photography.

Follow along: Twitter | Instagram | Instagram (Route Bliss)

What you should be reading: 

Cultivating in 2015

2015 Desktop Download

Photoshop How-To: Create a Watermark Brush

Before my love for Netflix, I had a love for books. I was that kid always reading for the spare 10 minutes in class, the one checking out more books than they could carry from the library and the one who fell asleep with book on chest.

One of my goals for 2015 is to read at least 24 books. That's two a month, which I would like to think is very doable. The best part is that I have a list of 24 ready to go so there is no excuse of "I don't have anything to read" which leads to aimless browsing on Amazon.

I've always enjoyed Amy Poheler's strong, indepent female characters in her comedies and as a reflection of her life, so I cannot wait to dive into her storytelling. 

True story, up until the past few years I had read every single John Grisham novel and was always thankful that my life did not play out like one of his Southern courtroom dramas. As an author who typically publishes a book every year, I might have some more catching up to do. 

I began reading The Tea Rose this weekend and I'm already hooked. Any novel that starts off with a murder in 17th century East London is bound to catch my attention. Also it's the first in a series, and as a person who is always a little sad when I turn the last page of a book, I love knowing that the story continues.

Several years ago I read The Namesake by Lahiri, and The Lowland has been on my "To Read" list since it was published in 2013. It is the tale of two very different brothers growing up in a neighborhood of Calcutta during the 1960s, a time of political rebellion. 

Have any of you read these books? Any comments? I can't wait to continue to share my list with you throughout the year :)

The Goldfinch was all anyone was talking about this summer. After reading The Secret History several years ago, I knew that I would devour The Goldfinch the same way. The plot starts out quite slow, and it was a struggle to make it halfway through, but after that I couldn't put it down. The main character, Theo, is one of those people who just can't seem to catch a break. First he loses his mom in a tragic accident, then is forced to move in with his addiction-laden father and his girlfriend until a few years later, his father dies as well. Boris, one of Theo's only friends, is his source of joy and trouble.

Donna Tartt is a genius of weaving several storylines together and ultimately tying them up in a nice bow at the end. Theo's life takes him from an NYC prep school, to Vegas, back to New York and then abroad. The one interlacing feature is the painting, the goldfinch. It is Theo's last connection to his mother and he brings it with him everywhere for fear that he will lose her for good. But the criminal underworld of art theft is not for the feint of heart. 

More than a simple mystery-thriller, The Goldfinch is also an excellent character study. It centers around three groups of people in Theo's life who couldn't be more different from each other: the Barbours, a WASP upper east side family that briefly takes Theo in after his mother dies; Theo's father and his Vegas crowd full of gambling, drugs, and a lack of parental care; and finally Hobby and Pippa, who share a connection with Theo to the tragic afternoon Theo lost his mother and who ultimately take him in during his adult life.

What were your thoughts of the book?

Jasmine of A Pinch of Jasmine

Introduce yourself and tell us a little about your blog!

Hi, I'm Jasmine from A Pinch Of Jasmine. I'm a twenty-something lifestyle blogger who enjoys sharing how to enjoy life while tackling every obstacle of work and school. I'm a proud puppy momma to an almost two-year-old Yorkshire Terrier, Winston. Things I love? Anything floral, gold sparkle, food, yoga, Disney and, of course, my other half, my boyfriend. 

Do you love decorating for Christmas? What are you decking your tree with this year?

I love decorating for Christmas. This year, I'm focusing on gold for the Christmas tree. 

What is your idea of the perfect Sunday?

My idea of the perfect Sunday is: church, farmer's market and a movie.

I wish I knew how to ________ .

 I wish I knew how to: cook. I am slowly learning, but I am nowhere near being able to say, "Yes, I can cook." because I can't. Not yet.

Follow along: twitter | instagram | pinterest

Christina of Route Bliss

Introduce yourself and tell us a little about your blog!

I'm Christina, the girl behind the scenes at Route Bliss. I'm a 30-something single wannabe vagabond whose practicality and realist side keeps her planted in East Texas. By weekday I write lots of reports at my job as well as daydream frequently where I want to travel to next, ways to motivate myself to getting fit for health and happiness's sake, and experimenting in the kitchen to make my favorite not so healthy foods healthier. I also like to take lots of photos of pretty things, furry critters (aka canines and felines), and beautiful destinations.

Do you love decorating for Christmas? What are you decking your tree with this year?

Once the tree is up (my least favorite part since I have to unsmoosh branches from being in storage), I enjoy the rest of the process. My tree is travel themed this year with ornaments and other mementos I've converted into ornaments from destinations I've been to over the last several years.

What is your idea of the perfect Sunday?

Sleeping in, catching up on some reading or going for a run/hike on the trails at the local arboretum; reality is that doesn't happen often! 

I wish I knew how to ________ .

Craft-wise, knit or crochet. I lack the coordination :( Talent-wise, to wink. I kid you not, I cannot wink to save my life!

Follow along: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

What you should be reading: 

RB Roadtripping: Making Ornaments from Souviers

RB Budgeting: Gift Giving Strategies

Fitness Friday: Cold Weather Workout Tips

Three things come to mind when I would think of Chanel. First, Chanel No. 5, which some like to call the most iconic perfume, but I think is one of the worst scents I've come across. Second, quilted handbags with interlocking C's that are primarily sold as knock offs on the streets of NYC. Third, Rachel Zoe's obsession with collecting vintage Chanel jackets to add to her museum-like collection. 

But there is so much more to the woman who not only built one of the most well-known fashion labels, but revolutionized women's fashion. If it wasn't for Chanel, who knows how long we would have been forced to need assistance getting dressed in separate outfits for each outing? 

Karen Karbo's The Gospel According to Coco Chanel is part biography, part life lessons and two parts witty commentary about her own quest for a tweed Chanel jacket. If you are in the mood for a light read, especially one that can be read in short bursts sporadically, then this is the perfect book for you. There is so much from Chanel's business sense, work ethic and personality that would benefit you to incorporate into your life. But there are just as many of her characteristics that it is probably best to avoid as well. 

What I loved most about Chanel is that she saw fashion and style first and foremost as a way to make life and movement easier. She had a simple design aesthetic that, one, allowed women to breathe, and two, doubled their range of motion. She believed that impeccably constructed pieces that are perfectly tailored will always rise above the latest fads. I wholeheartedly agree.

In her time, ladies did not work, and if they wanted to have a side hobby, it was always bankrolled by a man. Starting out Chanel did require financial support of her man-of-the-hour, but once her business took off she quickly shrugged off the help of men and continued to grow her empire on her own dime. Another unfortunate aspect of the time is that women who worked were looked down upon. Even as the society ladies scrambled to get their hands on Chanel's pieces, she was always seen as simply a tailor and not one to be invited to parties and social events. Fashion designers were not celebrities as they are today. 

Finally, Chanel taught us that you do not have to fall into the same pattern of your past generations. Orphaned at a young age, Chanel did not have a happy childhood. So once she grew up, she decided that she was simply going to rewrite her past. She didn't like the region of France she came from, so she told people she grew up in. These embellishments (and in many cases, lies) are part of the reason that no one quite knows much about Chanel, which adds to her air of mystery. While I wouldn't suggest living in a delusion and creating a whole new life for yourself, you do not have to let your past define you. 

Have you read this book? What are your favorite bits and pieces of Chanelore, as Karen Kobo affectionately refers to it as?

I divide the world into two groups of people: Those who love to re-read their favorite books, and those who cannot stand the practice. Obviously I fall into the first category. To start, there are the classic books on my shelf whose spines are constantly creased, which include Harry Potter and all of Jane Austen's works.

Other than those, here are a few of the books that get better with age, even the third or fourth time they are read. Perhaps it's another life lesson learned, or another connection made in a complex plot, but there is something I enjoy about knowing the general ending that let's me work backwards and connect the dots.

These books tend to fall on the polar ends of the seriousness spectrum. Either they are mindless and easy distractions, or they make you constantly think and ponder. Quite rarely do they fall in the middle.

1. The Seamstress | This novel is set in Brazil, perfect for the World Cup not too long ago and the Olympics around the corner. The characters are deep and complex, a far cry from "good" versus "evil." It tells the story of two sisters who go down quite different paths in life and neither one turns out quite as they had expected. Is that summary cryptic enough for you? Just trust me, it is worth reading again and again.

2. The Twisted Thread | Similar to The Secret History by Donna Tart, The Twisted Thread is set in the ivory covered halls of a New England prep school and, as happens at all prep schools, there is a secret society and murder. It is a who-done-it the likes of Gossip Girl has never seen.

3. The Historian | I read The Historian at the height of the Twilight/Vampire Diaries phase when nocturnal mythical creatures were taking over popular culture. But The Historian is so much more than your average vampire novel. It follows a father and daughter as they are led on a journey in search for Vlad the Impaler, the historical person whom Dracula was based off of...except in The Historian, Bram Stoker's Dracula is not based on fiction, but on fact. 

4. The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets | 1950s London was a glamorous time for the young British upper class, filled with parties that got out of hand more than those of their parents. I love the line from the description on the back cover: "Rice writes about the young British upper class with sharp wit as well as compassion, and her characters, beneath their glittering charm, are appealingly vulnerable and utterly memorable - in short, brilliant company." I couldn't say it better myself. 

What are your favorite books to read over and over again?

I want to preface this review, by making it clear that this book is nothing like The Fault in Our Stars. Disregard any comparisons between the book/movie. It's not even close. And if you begin reading it expecting to uncover John-Green-words-of-wisdom then you are gong to be disappointed.

The book is based around the question posed to the main character, Mia, as she's on the brink of death "Does she want to continue to live, or go on?" Her parents and brother have just died in a car accident, so learning to live a life without them would be immensely difficult. However, she's on the edge of the rest of her life, has friends and family who don't want to learn to live a life without her. And Adam. I won't give any spoilers to how it ends in case you haven't read it yet. 

I think the book would have been much better as an extended short story or a novella. While reading it I kept feeling like the characters were running in circle, debating the same pros and cons to living/dying over and over again. The story is told through flashbacks that introduce you to the people who mean the most to Mia: her parents who are the punk to her classical, her much younger brother who breathes new life into the family, her grandparents, her best friend Kim who seems like more of a sidekick for most of the story until it's almost too late, and finally Adam, her soon-to-be-famous musician boyfriend whose life is moving in the complete opposite direction as hers. 

Music plays a key role in the lives of all of the characters. Mia stands out from her friends and family for her love of the cello, which is a stark contrast to the speaker-blaring cares-to-the-wind punk rock that is the center part of everyone else's life. Mia thinks that she can only perform alone, practice alone and develop the passion of hers alone. She looks to the others performing together, bonding over a common passion and spurring each other on to play better and is a little jealous. She thinks that she doesn't quite fit in. The turning point comes during a front porch jam session when her friends and family insist she join in and Mia finally realizes that her two worlds can coexist just fine and she is not an odd one out. 

All I will say about the end is that it is abrupt. There is not further explanation about everyone goes on with their life. Many questions are left unanswered; there is no epilogue. Overall I thought it was an interesting read, especially to make you think about whether or not you were put in the same situation, if that was a possibility, what would you choose to do?

There is a trend in books that make the every "summer must read" list. For the most part, they are page turners. Whether a murder mystery, a YA dystopian novel or a coming-of-age story, books picked for the beach typically don't have much substance. It makes sense though. Would you want to make your way through War & Peace lounging by the pool? Yeah, me neither. 

The Vacationers is said summer book. That the scenario is a family summer vacation only solidifies this. Overall, I thought it was a good quick read for a flight or long weekend, but if you are searching for the meaning of life, this is not the book for you. 

It moves quite slow and keeps rehashing each characters "problem" over and over without any resolution until the very end. The characters have all been seen before: the husband who cheats after 20 years of marriage, the wife who can't handle empty nest syndrome, the couple arguing over wanting to have children, the high school grad who wants to reinvent herself before college, and the 30-something man-child whose trust fund has finally run out.

Set on an island off the coast of Spain, The Vacationers can transport you to your own fictional seaside vacation without ever leaving your couch.

Let me introduce you to two of the lovely ladies hanging out on my sidebar this month!

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

 Meet Christina, a photographer and lover of road trips. Her travel posts make you feel like you are in the passenger seat right alongside her. She is also a runner, which unfortunately is not something we have in common no matter how many times I have tried to convince myself that I could be a runner. And if that isn't enough, she's also mastered the self portrait photo...I'm still working on that one.

Bloglovin | Twitter | Instagram

Meet Jasmie, a fellow traveler, fur mama, and lover of Disney. Going on a trip soon and not sure what exactly to pack? She has you covered with her must have travel essentials; I second her choice in iphone batter backup and those stylish earbuds! After visiting Disneyland last year as well, I loved reading her recap of the happiest place on earth. I don't exactly have the small closet problem, since I take up both closets for myself, but if you are lacking space for your ever-growing shoe collection, Jasmine has the best tips on organizing your small space...so you can make room for more purchases of course!

Have you finally stopped sniffling after watching TFioS? You know, they say that love story might define our generation, or maybe the next generation. Because it takes a lot to top Allie and Noah. But that is neither here nor there. 

I was stuck in a John Green mood and kicking myself for never having read any of his other books. And Looking for Alaska came highly recommended by just about everyone. 

While slow in the beginning, Looking for Alaska had just as an emotional ending, if not more, than TFioS. I hate to say it, but knowing that I was reading a book about teens with cancer, I knew that someone had to die. But I was completely caught off guard with this one.

Set in a boarding school in the suburbs of Birmingham, a group of outsiders takes one more into their fold. They are bound together by a love of pulling the ultimate prank and a deep distaste for the "Weekend Warriors" (aka the kids who lived close enough to leave the non-air conditioned dorms for the comfort of home on the weekend). 

I'm constantly amazed at Green's ability to create characters who are complex and have flaws. The groups' fatal flaw is that they were too wrapped up in their own lives, dramas and situations that they failed to recognize the struggles of the others until it was too late.

And then you have the search for the Great Perhaps. Everyone can relate to that feeling. If you are honest with yourself, there have been many occasions where the thought or idea of a person or event in your mind has surpassed the person or event in real life. Knowing that you want to live a full life, make a difference, be remembered, but not knowing what exactly that looks like in reality can lead you to pass life by without a backwards glance. 

Realizing that the search for the Great Perhaps may seem exciting, but is ultimately futile is a hard pill to swallow at any age.

In high school, I was one of those kids that looked forward to receiving the summer reading assignment. I rushed to the library, checked the books out, devoured them and had the papers written within the first month of summer. Perhaps I also wanted to get it out of the way so I could move on to my own personal summer reading list. There is something about long days spent by a pool or on a porch that makes me want to get comfortable in a lounge chair and get lost in another world.

On my list for this summer:

Looking for Alaska by John Green

With The Fault in Our Stars coming out this weekend, I'm in a John Green mood. And everyone has told me that Looking for Alaska was their favorite of his.

Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

I couldn't get enough of The Secret History, also by Donna Tart. Mystery, murder, prep schools and teenagers with trust funds make for some of my favorite reading. Goldfinch is another book that has been on almost every "must read" list lately. I've heard that it is a little tedious to get through and it most likely not a pool read.

Longbourn by Jo Baker

This is the Upstairs Downstairs version of Pride and Prejudice that tells about the orphaned housemaid in the Bennett household. I will not pretend nor get my hopes up that this will live up to Pride and Prejudice, but it's nice to read about one of my favorite stories from a different point of view.

For previous book reviews and recommendations, click here.

If there is one thing that is almost as good as eating French food, it would be reading about French food. For all of those foodie travel lovers out there, this is a must read. Ann Mah is a diplomat's wife who treated her few years stationed in France as a culinary adventure. She did not shy away from the pork fat, smelly cheeses, and questionable sausages that are staples in regional French cuisine. She went on a culinary pilgrimage throughout the French provinces with the goal of getting to the heart of such dishes as steak frites, anduillete, fondue, boeuf bourguignon and buckwheat crepes.

Similar to another American diplomat's wife, Julia Child, Ann finds comfort and belonging through cooking and learning about France through dishes. She interviews and learns from chefs whose recipes and methods have been handed down from generations. 

While I had not heard of half of the dishes Ann journeys to find, nor would I honestly care to try them, I am fascinated by her time in Paris and France. In my opinion, she talks about Roquefort one too many times for my taste. And anyone who truly loves Roquefort (whose mold can only be grown in certain caves, yes, caves) and Camembert, well, I have to question her sanity. 

Needless to say, she weaves her newfound culinary knowledge with her memoirs as a diplomat's wife whose husband is then quickly sent to Iraq alone for a year. Many of us, alone in a foreign country may stick to what we know, but Ann channels her inner Julia Child and learns to perfect boeuf bourguignon instead. 

Mastering the Art of French Eating by Ann Mah

Have you ever had one of those moments when you read a book, or watch a segment on the news, and think to yourself: man, I'm glad I don't have their life. Well, that is how I felt after reading Gone Girl. If you haven't read it yet, I highly advise you to download it or pick up a copy. It's even one of those books that you can pick up months later and read again and still feel connected to the plot because you've forgotten how it ends. Anyways...the whole time I was reading it I kept thinking to myself "I hope I don't end up married to someone who would fake their own murder just to get back at me and who is that psychotic." But then there were other moments where I had to give Amy credit for being so throughough and methodical in her planning. Was she completely crazy? OMG yes. But her persistance deserves to be recognized.

Also, I LOVED the not so subtle references to Nancy Grace and 24-hour news coverage of missing persons and their trials. I remember following the Casey Anthony trial from start to finish and it made me reevaluate my perception of guilt and innocence. Because for most of the book, you really do believe that Nick killed his wife. All of the "evidence" points to that conclusion and it's always the husband in these cases. Then I realized just how much the media affects our views in these cases. In the case of Casey Anthony, after months of hearing about the Google searches, choloroform and not notifying the police about her missing daughter, I decided in my mind that she was guilty. How could she not be, right?

I say all that to say, if you love a book that will leave you on the edge of your seat and constantly turning the page into the wee hours of the night, then Gone Girl is the perfect book for you. I look forward to reading other book by Gillian Flynn in the future.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Christina of Route Bliss

Brief description of you/what you blog about:

Route Bliss is where I share my love of travel and photography as well as what I'm learning on my journey to healthier living (adapted recipes as well as running and fitness tips and grumblings!).

Spring is here! What is your flower? And do you have a green thumb? If so, any gardening tips for the rest of us?

As of late, I'm loving ranunculus blooms. I wish I had a green thumb, I manage to keep cut flowers alive longer than plants with roots still attached!

What you should be reading:

Eating Healthy (& Affordably) While on the Road

Baked Chicken & Rice

A Quick Starry Night Photography Tutorial

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