Productivity and Books

I had one of the most productive mornings ever this morning.  Between 5:20am and 7am, which is when I leave for work, I had already started coffee, took the dogs for 20 minute walk, played fetch with Skittles and drank my coffee, watered and deadheaded the roses, made breakfast (scrambled eggs with tomato, cheese, and mushrooms, and toast) for Nick and I, baked the chicken breast that I’ll be using for dinner tonight for homemade chicken salad, and unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher.  Whew!  After all of that, I had just enough time to get ready like a usually do.  I hope this productive streak lasts all day!  

A perk of waking up early, capturing a beautiful sunrise 

"OMG, mom, you're so embarrassing! Stop taking our picture!"

I found a new link-up that I am super excited to join.  This link up is hosted by Mean Ang and Erin, and it’s about sharing the books you’re reading/have read.  Since I actually have a books tab on my blog, this is the perfect link-up for me!

My taste in literature is varied and quite wide.  I devour anything from historical fiction to memoirs to fantasy to classic literature to horror.  As long as the first 10 pages keep me engaged, I’m usually hooked.  If the first 10 pages fall flat, it’s usually a lost cause to me.  That being said, I am not sure if the books I will be sharing today are considered “hot summer reads,” but I do think they are worthwhile books to check out.

First off, after about a year and a half, I finally finished the 14 book (15 if you count the prequel) Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan, and later, also Brandon Sanderson.  Each book is between 650-1000 pages long, so this series definitely takes time and commitment to get through.  This is an epic fantasy series that I think closely parallels the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind, which I have also read.  A couple of the books become a little slow and tedious, but the plot and character developments are phenomenal.  I really got into the story, and I felt like I personally knew the characters because of all the rich descriptions.   

If you have read Goodkind’s series, or like Lord of the Rings, I highly recommend checking out the Wheel of Time.  Book one is titled The Eye of the World.  

Another book that I want to share today is what I am currently reading, White Teeth by Zadie Smith.

I am only on page 70 at the moment, but I find the story so heartbreaking thus far, yet, so hopeful.  Each character has such a unique personality and characteristics.  At the moment, I have no idea what direction this story is going to take, and I find that very intriguing.  Not knowing what is going to happen is really what makes a book engaging.  

Since I am not very far into the book, and I'm not quite sure where it's headed, here's the blurb from the back cover so you get an inkling of what it is about.

"One of the most talked-about fictional debuts of recent years, White Teeth is a funny, generous,big-hearted novel, adored by critics and readers alike.  Dealing with - among many other things - friendship, love, war, three cultures and three families over three generations, and the tricky way the past has of coming back and biting you on the ankle, it is a life-affirming, riotous, must-read of a book." 

Happy reading, my friends!