Book to read..or not to ?!

I love reading. Always have, always will. I used to write long book reviews, but now I don't find so much time to write so much about each book. My average is to read 2 books in a month. I work so I don't have tons of free time to read, but I like to read on my way to work and on my way back and also before I got to sleep at night (but surely not everyday I have strength to read). Anyway, I decided to write here shortly of each book that I have read since September. 

"Across the Universe" by Beth Revis - it is the first book of that series. It's about a girl whose family and herself will be frozen and they are travelling across the universe and after 300 years they should be unfrozen when they arrive another planet. But the main character wakes up way earlier than planned and where she finds herself is not what she expected..

"Mad About the Boy" by Helen Fielding - It's the new book of Bridged Jones. I actually have not read any other Bridget Jones books, only seen the movies. But I really enjoyed "Mad About the Boy" (and now I understand its love and popularity). It was very funny and light hearted and just a fun easy read! 

  

"The Beginning of Everything" by Robyn Schneider - I really enjoyed reading this book for some reason. I liked that I knew nothing about that book.. I only had heard that it's good. So, I ordered it and enjoyed reading without knowing what's the story-line. It was again an easy read, but at the same time it made you think about many things in life. I don't want to say too much about it, but you can find more about it on goodreads. 

"The Book Thief" by Markus Zucak - I had heard about that book (and the movie) a lot, but never really had chance to read. Finally my workmate also read it and recommended and then I decided to order and read it as well. I might say it took me quite long to read it.. it really needed much attention and concentration. It was about a girl in Hitler Germany..that's all I want to say about that. She loves reading before she even knows how to. I have not yet seen the whole movie (just the beginning), but it seems that the book is much deeper and has much more to offer than the movie. Even though it took me a while to read it through I really enjoyed it and it was such a good and eye opening book!

"The Year I Met You" by Cecelia Ahern - I didn't have to know anything about the book to know that I would love it. It's written by my all time favorite author and I love absolutely all her books. I never have to disappoint. I love that feeling when her new book arrives and I can lost myself in reading it and discovering all its beauty! Ohhh.. I love it :) The Year I Met You was so interesting, heart warming, funny, sad, realistic and much much more. It's about a woman who must be in gardening leave. She must wait a year until she can work again. And that year helps here to figure out a lot about her life..and she has a help from her neighbor..they help each other!

"If I Stay" by Gayle Forman - I didn't plan to read that book, I only wanted to see the movie. But I had no time to go to the movies so I ended up buying the book and reading it. I must say it was pretty average and nothing special. It felt too obvious and too easy to read. Even the sentences were somehow too easy. I cannot really explain it.. Later I saw the movie too and it also was very average, but definitely a bit emotional. The book should have a second part as well, but I haven't read it and I'm not sure if I will.. Maybe. 

"Will Grayson, Will Grayson" by John Green and David Levithan - for some reason I really love John Green books - I have read all of them now and I'm a fan. It was fun to read that book because it was written by two authors and they both created a character Will Grayson. At first I was a bit confused and didn't realize that the second chaper Will Grayson is not the same Will Grayson who was in the first chapter. From that on I understood that the same Will Grayson appeared every other chapter. It was interesting to read about their lives and see how their lives cross. 

"Orange is the New Black" by Piper Kerman - I actually have not finished reading that book yet, but I still decided to add it here. I like that it's based on a true story. I know many people have seen the tv series, but I have not (I might start watching them when I finish reading the book). Piper writes so honestly and with great details about her life and how she ended up in a prison for over a year. She describes her prison life and makes you feel her own feelings during that time of her life. I have read only 70 pages so far, but I have already balled my eyes out and I am hooked on her story!

This year I also try to do these little book sums up in about every 3 months. Mostly for myself to see what and how much I read, but also to give some recommendations.

I really enjoy watching THIS youtube channel. She gives very good book recommendations and you can hear about new books :) I have bought many books that she's been talking about and I have loved them a lot!

Weekend in Estonia, ViPR workout, book reading and more

Last weekend I went to Estonia to visit my grandparents. It was nice to see them!!! I also spent time with my mom and my friend Laura. Laura and I had so much fun! We had real girls night in! We cooked, chatted, did online shopping and ended our night with a facial mud mask :) 

In the morning we had delicious breakfast (porridge with almonds and fresh strawberry jam + chai tea). I also did some shopping while I was in Estonia. I managed to buy two pairs on jeans and boots. I also bought some food stuff that we don't have in Finland.

Last week at work was pretty busy. But I still had time and energy to go to ViPR class with my workmate Ashley. I totally loved it. It was definitely the most hardest and intense workout I have ever done in my life. But I felt so great after it was done! Of course the next day all my muscles were sore and to be honest the seconds day was even worse. At nights I couldn't even turn.. everything hurts..still! But I definitely want to continue. I am thinking of buying a monthly card for that gym. It's pretty expensive so I want to be sure that I am ready to commit and that I have energy and will to go to some workout classes after work.. Lets see how it goes and what I decide :P
Besides that one workout I have been reading books. I read through the newest Bridget Jones book called "Mad About the Boy" and a book "The Beginning of Everything". I loved them both so much! Currently I am reading "The Book Thief". I just started with it so I don't have an opinion of that book yet. But I mostly end up loving all the books I read. 

It's weekend today so I feel relaxed! When I came home from work yesterday I cleaned our apartment and made apple jam. I know it's so random. But my mom gave me some apples and I can't really eat them :/ For some reason apples make my stomach hurt and give me huge digestion problems :S That's why I decided to use these apples to make apple jam. I love apple jam and it was my first time to make my own. It came out sooo good and I am looking for tomorrow's breakfast porridge that I will top with that homemade apple jam! I also got a jar of apple jam from my workmate whose grandmother in law had made pretty much, more than she could eat. It was so nice of her to share some of the jam with us at work :)

I made a delicious and healthy banana bread today. I love baking on the weekends. But I try not to do that every weekend because otherwise I would be eating only cakes, pies and muffins (they always last for so long since my husband doesn't eat them). I also made a next week's dinners menu and went to the foodshop to buy all the ingredients that I need. I find that method so good. Firstly, it's much cheaper to really think through what I need for the week and buy them all at once, it's also so good to come home from work and to know what I am going to make for dinner and also to have all the ingredients in the fridge. I got that menu idea from my workmate Ashley and I have been doing that for a month already. It works so well! :)

Life update

Another week has passed. It was pretty busy! First of all, on Wednesday I took hygiene exam and I passed it! Yay! I had been studying for it past few weeks. I actually enjoyed studying. I never thought I would say that, but since I graduated I have been feeling that I want to study more (for myself, just little things, things that interest me and don't take too much effort and energy). So, that leads me to another thing. Jay and I are taking Finnish course now:) It started last Monday and it's twice a week (Mondays and Tuesdays). It's the beginners course so it's super easy (I took A1 and A2 lever course in university). Teacher told us to go to the next level course, but it's already full. So, we will still stick around in the beginners course. It's actually so fun there! They might open another 2nd level course, and I will go to that one if it's possible..but we'll see. I actually really enjoy studying together with Jay!!! Talking about him. He's also in driving school now! So, he has even more studying to do! I am so proud of him! :) 

Work wise things have been also pretty busy. On Thursday we had parents' coffee evening. So it was a very long day. I arrived home a bit before 9pm and I had awful headache so I went straight to bed. But the evening with parents was successful and very nice :)

I am totally enjoying this weekend! I only want to rest and relax! I made banana-avocado muffins today and for dinner I made broccoli puree soup :) I will eat dinner when Jay wakes up. He must go to work by 7pm and he will do 12 hours shift. They have crazy times at work right now..

Last week I barely saw him.. But this upcoming week should be better!!!

I finished reading "Never Let Me Go" and now I am reading "Across The Universe" which is very interesting so far! I think that's what I am going to do tonight - read and maybe watch some episodes of New Girl. Oh, I am loving Fazer Pure Dark chocolate with roasted corn! So delicious!!!

PS! I love the weather right now. It's chilly, but sunny. I love the colorful leaves on the ground and the smell of apples everywhere! I am craving for apple pie, carrot cake and pumpkin muffins :D I will do all of these this autumn for sure ;)

These happy summer days..

I cannot believe that my summer holiday is slowly but surely going to end... I'll go back to work on 30th July. But I know that summer and hopefully good weather are going to continue! :)

When we came back from our 4-days trip in Estonia my sister came to my place and so we enjoyed few days together. We went to zumba together and she loved it as much as I did :) We also had long walks, went to pick blueberries (it was my second time this summer) and we cooked good food! She went back to Estonia on Wednesday. I went to Estonia the next day. I had doctor's appointment in Tallinn. I was really sure whether to go or not, but I decided to go because health is so important. But came out that everything was okay (my throat was the problem why I went in first place..). Since I was in Tallinn for a day I tried to do other "important" things. I copied my diploma that I need to send to the Board of Education in Finland. I also had delicious smoothie (from Coca Cola Plaza), went to the shops and had lunch at Lido. I took a book with me so whenever I was bored I just sat somewhere and read :) I was reading "Before I Fall" by Lauren Oliver. It was such a great book!!!!!!!! I am so sad that I read it through. I just love reading good books!

I bought super yum milk custard from Estonia and I ate it with  fresh strweberry jam that I made! Delicious summer dessert!

Anyway, yesterday and today I have mainly been at home, reading. :D Actually I have been riding my new bike, as well. Yes, I have a new bicycle :D I am super happy! My dad bought it for me as a graduation gift. I love the bike. It's called Raleigh and it's perfect! My white horse :D 

You can see bag of peas and buffed corn in the basket (I just came from the shop:P)

Today I went to the outdoor swimming place, sunbathed for a while (and read a book) and then later I went to the shop to buy peas. Oh how I love peas! I have been buying them so much this summer :D I can't get enough! And to end my day perfectly, I went swimming with dad to the near by lake. The water was sooo warm! We are going again tomorrow :)

Great summer books!

I love reading and when I graduated university and my holiday started I was so happy to be able to read as much as I wanted!

I have already written reviews of some of the books that I have recently read. But I haven't written anything of the following books:

"The Longest Ride" by Nicholas Sparks

All N. Sparks books are very romantic, but very realistic and true to life. He's books tend to end either happily or very sadly. So, while I am reading I am always wondering which was the story is going to turn out. I was so pleasently surprised with the story he had greated. It was interesting, flowing and eventhough suspected what might happen at the end I wasn't sure. And I wasn't entirely right either. But reading this book and prediction what might happen made me somehow so excited and happy! It was such a beautiful story of LOVE! 

"Picture Perfect" by Jodi Picoult

This is quite an old book, published in 1995. But that didn't make the reading experience less boring. I love Jodi Picoult as an author. All her books are so compelling, you really can't know what comes next, how the story will end ect. She has some sort of mystery in her book. 

This book is a story of companionship and love, but not in an typical romantic andeasy way. It really is something that might happen in real life...and how hard it is to love someone and at the same time get hurt and hate the one you love. But much harder it is to turn your back to the person who loves and needs you...

I felt many emotions when I was reading this book.. sometimes it made me mad, then sad, then happy, angry, excited ect. At the end I was just neutral. 

"Shattered" by Teri Terry

It is the last book of her trilogy series. I love the whole consept of this trilogy. I have written about the first book here.

I feel it's very hard to write about this book because the story is just so rich. There are so many layers and so much action. But I highly suggest to read this book. I have never come across a writer who writes with such a flow. There really isn't time to take a breath. She has lots of dialog in her books. She also just makes everything happen. In lots of books you feel like that something is about to happen, but it takes like 20 pages.. In her books it takes 1 page! And that's why it's so interesting to read! Even thinking about it makes me so excited all over again :D

"The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini

I have read all Khaled Hosseini' books. I like how truthfully he writes about life in Afghanistan. It's cruel, sometimes ugly, mostly sad. But it's so realistic. I leant so much new from this book. 

It's a story of a boy who's dad is rich and well known. They have a housekeeper who has a son. So, both of the boys are good friends inside of the house and in their garden. But out they are not because it's not normal to be friends with different social status people. These boys are like brothers. But one day changes everything... 

Small shock and days in general!

Ohh! Mu ema ja õde Anni tulevad mulle täna külla. Ema just helistas ja ütles, et said alles nüüd laevapealt maha (tund aega hiljem). Küsisin miks?! Ta ütles, et Annil varastati laevalt kott ära :O WHAT!? Anni jäi kuskil diivanil istudes magama ja keegi varastas koti ära. Jube mõelda! Laeva peal! Ma laeva peal kunagi ei muretse varast pärast, sest tean, et kui ka keegi varastab, siis ei saa ta ju laevalt sellega põgeneda. Ühesõnaga, ema ütles, et kui minu juurde jõuavad, siis räägib täpsemalt. Aga igatahes Anni sai oma koti tagasi! Nii et nüüd ootan põnevusega, et kogu lugu kuulda..kuidas nad varga üles leidsid?!

Viimastel päevadel on nii palju lund sadanud ja samas on ka päike kogu päeva paistnud! Väljas on super ilus! Kahjuks täna on taevas valge, pilves. Aga valge on ikka :)
Olen täna hommikul tegelenud natuke töö asjadega (printisin mõned Chinese New Year temaatilised lehed välja - see on meie järgmise nädala teema). Ja samuti printisin välja praktikaks vajalikuld juhendid/kava vormid jms. Juba 2 nädala pärast pean Eestisse praktikale minema..kaheks nädalaks. Loodan, et see on kerge ;)

Eile õhtul oli hästi tubli ning koristasin kogu kodu korralikult ära. Samuti tegin süüa, lakkisin küüned, vaatasin uue "Reign" osa ning lugesin raamatut. Alustasin eile uuega: "The Fault in Our Stars". Varsti postitan ka eelmise loetud raamatu ülevaate/arvamuse. 

Täna hommikul otsustasin süüa hommikusöögiks mustika-vanilje kohupiimakreemi, mille ma ükspäev CityMarketist ostsin. Lootsin, et ehk maitseb see, kui Eesti kohupiimakreem. Alguses tundus, et ongi täitsa sama..ainult palju kordi magusam. Ma ei tea, mis neil soomlastel on, aga kohupiimakreemid on neil jube magusad! Aga pärast paari ampsu sain aru, et peale liigse magususe on see ka liiga rasvane...niimoodi, et ikka rasvakiht jääb suu lakke :S Mul tuli siis kohe meelde, et eelnevatel kordadel on sama asi olnud (aga muidugi olin ma selle juba unustanud). Niisiis olen ikka hea kohupiimakreemi otsingul!

//My mom and sister Anni are coming to visit me today! Mom just called and let me know that they got out of the ship just right now (one hour later than they should've had). She said that Anni's bag was stolen in the ship. She must have fallen asleep and then someone stole her bag! So creepy and crazy! I have always thought that no-one stoled anything from the ship because they have no-where to run... unless they jump into the sea! Mom said she'll tell me about it when they arrive to my place. But one thing I know: Anni got her bag back! So I am  curious to know how they found the thief?!

Last few days have been so nice...super snowy and yet super sunny! It's just so beautiful! Unfortunately, it's not sunny today, but still very white :)

I have been pretty productive since yesterday evening. I cleaned the whole apartment yesterday, colored my nails, watched a new episode of "Reign". Today I managed to print out some papers for work. We have a Chinese New Year theme next week and I was looking some craft ideas, coloring pages, cut-out books ect for kids. I also printed out materials for my internship. In two weeks I have to go to Estonia for 2 weeks to do an internship there. I hope it goes easily!

This morning I decided to eat that blueberry-vanilla quark (kohupiim in Estonian; rahka in Finnish). I was hoping it would taste the same as Estonian ones.. But it was just too sweet! And after few mouthfuls I realised it's also much much more greasy! Ugh! So, I am still looking for a good quark in Finland! //

gifts and a little shopping..

Kui mu ema mul ükspäev Soomes külas käis, siis ta tõi mulle paki, mille mu sõbranna Ruby mulle Inglismaalt sünnipäevaks saatis. Sünnipäev oli küll mul aprillis, aga tal polnud võimalik seda varem saata. Igatahes, nüüd sain selle kätte ja tegin armsatest kingitustest pildi ka :) Kõige suurem heameel on mul raamatute üle (sest ma jumaldan lugemist). Kahjuks need hügeenilised huulepulgad minu huultele ei sobi. Mu huuled on eluaeg väga tundlikud olnud. Üldiselt ei saa ma kasutada ühtegi huuletoodet, mis sisaldab pigmenti..ehk mis värvib huuli :/ Need huulepulgad, mis Ruby saatis, värvivad natuke huuli ka.. vähemalt see, mida ma kohe kasutama hakkasin. Mu huuled hakkasid kihelema. Ja öösel mu huuled läksid paiste. Järgmisel päeval olin kui pardisuuga. Aga kingi eest olen ikka tänulik. Andsin avatud huulepulga õele ja teised kaks kingin lihtsalt edasi. 

Kingid Ruby'lt :)

Kui ema külas oli, siis läksime ka shoppama. Soetasin endale mõned asjad H&Mist ning mõned asjad koju ka Jyskist. Täna tuli mu õde Anni-Brit mulle külla. Ta tahtis ka shoppama minna. Mina seekord midagi erilist ei ostnudki. Ainult ühe armsa patsikummikomplekti ja imehea lõhnaga dušigeeli The Body Shopist. Mul oli varem sama lõhnaga kehavõi ka! Mu lemmik!

Täna, kui õde tuli, siis ta tõi mulle ära paki, mille mu lemmikblogija Triinu Liis mulle saatis. Ma nimelt võitsin tema blogi (vaata seda SIIT) giveaway, mille auhinnaks oli kokaraamat "Magustoitudega ümber maailma". See võit oli mulle justkui loodud, sest ma nii väga armastan küpsetamist ja mul on nõrkus igasuguste kokaraamatute vastu. Sirvisime seda koos õega ja avastasime, et koostisosad, mida nende magustoitude kasutamiseks vaja läheb, on nii lihtsad ja kergesti kättesaadavad. See on kindlasti üks suur pluss!!! Ma ei jõua ära oodata, mil ma juba mõnda retsepti sealt raamatust järele saan proovida. See juhtub kindlasti juba tuleval nädalal! ;) 

Mis mind aga tõeliselt üllatas oli see, et auhinna juurde oli Triinu lisanud enda heade mõtete purgi! Niiiii armas! Avasin selle kohe ja võtsin esimese hea mõttega paberirulli. Sain lillade paeltega, mis on eriti ideaalne, kuna lilla on mu lemmikvärv ning ka mu magamistuba on lilla. Nüüd saigi see ilus purk koha minu öökapil. Nii saan igal hommikul ärgates võtta purgist ühe hea mõtte, mis mind kogu päeva jooksul saadab:) Milline hiilgav ja armas idee! Aitäh sulle, Triinu Liis :)

Imearmas võit ja kingitus!