Distracted by Love

I had all these plans to write a few posts about being newlyweds. We are ridiculously happy and loving our new life together...but if the chance to write or the chance to spend an extra hour laughing in bed on a Saturday morning, I choose bed. These moments with Seth the last two months have exceeded all expectations I had of what it would be like to be married. Can't wait to see what else our lovely life holds. More later...maybe. :)

The Chance You Won't Return

The Chance You Won't Return by Annie Cardi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If we're honest, I picked this book up on a whim because I was scanning my friend Kerri's library displays at work, and I liked the cover. It was the last day of school, and I was anxious to be sitting by a pool indulging in all things trivial instead of organizing my classroom....a book that handles mental health is not exactly trivial, so I'm grateful that this was a young adult take on such a timely topic. Cardi's approach to a teenage girl grappling with her mother's dissociative personality (the mother things she's Amelia Earhart) was smart and unsettling, which is absolutely reminiscent of how the main character is feeling throughout the novel. The references to Earhart and use of her actual writing was clever and poignant since just as Earhart disappeared, Alex's mother seemed to get further and further away. I just wish there had been more resolution to Alex's issues at home and less cliche resolutions to Alex's issues at school.

All that said, I liked this book. It's a 3.5 and worth the read if the topic intrigues you. Happy summer and happy reading!

Focused

Focused: Staying on Track, One Choice at a Time by Noelle Pikus Pace
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love Noelle Pikus Pace. I love her tenacity. I love her optimism. I love her faith. Like a fifteen-year-old fan girl, I picked up her book simply because I had enjoyed her story so much during the 2014 Olympics. I practically burst out of my own seat when she jumped in the stands to hug her family after winning her medal. And honestly, I really did enjoy this book. It's just not a great book. It would make a fantastic devotional or EFY talk or be a great set of themes for a girls' camp. I still love her, but I would recommend this book to teenage girls who are trying to figure out who they are (an interest in sports wouldn't hurt either). Happy reading!

ps. I'm starting to love the name Noelle - perhaps as a middle name for a future baby girl.
pps. No, I'm not pregnant.
ppps. Stay focused. :)