Eat, Sleep, Run

This post has been in my head for a while. I just never wrote it, because it's even more off topic than all my other discussion posts from the last few weeks.

And looking at all those discussions I know will be up in the following weeks, I really shouldn't write this. But I will because it's my blog and I do what I want to. Hehe...

Most of you guys know by now that I'm obsessed with two things. Reading and running. And food. And lately TV. Not with maths, obviously. But that's beside the point.

 

 

The point of this post is to tell you about my running story and maybe inspire you to be a runner, too. Maybe, maybe.

 

It all started when I was five. No kidding. My uncle took me on a run of which I remember nothing at all anymore (my family shot a million pics, though, so that's how I know).

 

Then, I didn't think of running the next nine years to come.

I'd always been athletic, mostly loved swimming and soccer and just running around in general. But running for the sake of times and miles? Nahhh

 

Then I turned 14. That summer was particularly awful. I didn't just lie in bed all day doing nothing (except read and watch movies and shows) - I did that plus felt awful the whole time.

You know how it is, being 14. Nothing about your body looks normal or like it should or like in the magazines. You feel chubby and weird (or, in some of my friends' cases, scrawny and weird).

 

That's when my aunt and mom suggested I go running. Just like that. Just to try it.

As soon as so much time had passed that they wouldn't remember it had been their idea in the first place, I put on those H&M juicies we all thought were cool and started running around the neighbourhood.

 

 

 

It was awful. I had my Ipod, of course, but the rest of it? Awful. Too hot, too much polyester and too many people staring.

But did I quit? No.

Those 10 minutes (it was never more than that) a day filled me with the kind of satisfaction nothing else could give me. I'd feel so lazy all day, every day and that bit of exercise really helped me...not feel so lazy anymore. I added a bit of very awkward, absolutely wrong Pilates while watching TV.

But it was SOMETHING!

 

And I kept it up. Come fall, I'd run 20 minutes a day. ( Definitely not how you should start doing it, but how should I know?) During the winter, I replaced running with online exercise videos and Pilates (again:no clue what I was doing) and then I picked up running again in the spring. That year, I started my first real training plan, got running clothes (a relief!) and in the winter of 2010, after running in my gym shoes for 2 years, I got my first Níke running shoes.

I ran throughout that entire winter and the following year without ever taking a break. I just ran, almost every day, proud of my accomplishments each time I got home exhausted.

 

 

One big change in my running routines is happening right now, though. As I learn more and more about running on fitness blogs and magazines and since I ran my first real race in April, I want to get more out of it. I want to get faster, stronger. I want to compete in races and I want to do fine.

Also, I have to confess I kind of want to start a Running blog to report my progress... :D

 

My Questions for You Today:

 

Do you run? Or do any other sport?

How did you get into it?

And would you like to read about running more often on this blog - or would you like to see a running blog?

 

Review: Ten Things We Did by Sarah Mylnowski

2 girls + 3 guys + 1 house - parents = 10 things April and her friends did that they (definitely, maybe, probably) shouldn't have.

If given the opportunity, what sixteen-year-old wouldn't jump at the chance to move in with a friend and live parent-free? Although maybe "opportunity" isn't the right word, since April had to tell her dad a tiny little untruth to make it happen (see #1: "Lied to Our Parents"). But she and her housemate Vi are totally responsible and able to take care of themselves. How they ended up "Skipping School" (#3), "Throwing a Crazy Party" (#8), "Buying a Hot Tub" (#4), and, um, "Harboring a Fugitive" (#7) at all is kind of a mystery to them.

In this hilarious and bittersweet tale, Sarah Mlynowski mines the heart and mind of a girl on her own for the first time. To get through the year, April will have to juggle a love triangle, learn to do her own laundry, and accept that her carefully constructed world just might be falling apart . . . one thing-she-shouldn't-have-done at a time.

A Long Story Short:

You can of course not change the nature of a contemporary novel, so if these are really not your thing, don't go for it. However, if you do enjoy contemps, this is a good one. A lot more mature than you'd think, very funny, too and just life as it happens to most of us. I was disappointed by the ending, but as the rest was great, I don't really care.

RATING: 3/3 Smarties

 Review for You:

I was surprised by how attached I got to the characters from Ten Things We Did. Seemingly just another fluffy, meaningless contemporary "beach read", I envisioned a few teenage misssteps, alcohol, maybe parties and annoyed neighbours in a suburban area.

What I did not expect were the serious issues and problems that were acknowledged in Ten Things We Did. Also not the characters whom I could all identify with in some way. Well, what I did expect was the super cheesy and unbelievable ending with the "my parents would never, ever do/say that" effect.

But whatever.

Until the last three pages, Ten Things was extraordinarily well done.

I connected with the main character, April, by the second I opened the book. I loved the chapter captions and the headings within the chapters, I loved the writing style and character's voice. In short - I was excited to read the book directly after the first page...which happens not very often for me. The plot took over where the excitement about the beginning left off. Instead of dragging on and on until the real theme of the book started to set in, the author got "straight to the point" which yes, did take a bit of realistic atmosphere away. However, I'd rather have to overlook that than get bored by the first quarter of the novel.

The rest of the novel was carried on just by characters and their development and mostly April's experiences of living on her own meanwhile dealing with friends and family issues like any teenager has to.

I especially liked how - although this was a book without parents  - it still dealt with parents a lot.

April, but also Ivy, one of her best friends, and later also Lucy all revealed to have serious issues with their versions of adults and it was interesting to see them deal with it.

This, but also the things the girls went through with their boyfriends - or boys in general - made Ten Things We Did a lot more mature than I'd first realized.

The way the characters figure out how far they are willing to go with a boy and why and how and under which circumstances was interesting to read about and certainly reassuring and interesting for younger girls.

In the end, there's not that much to tell about Ten Things other than it was a lot better than expected, you will probably really like it a lot and it would be sad if you missed it.

Top Ten Stories I Never Wanted to End

Notice a theme in this? They are all contemporary novels! I guess I just grow too attached to those characters (if the books are really, really good, which all of the above are!)...and also, most dystopian/fantasy/etc. novels have sequels :D

Beat The Heat Readathon - It's already been a week!

Hello everyone! 

Opposite from all the other Read-a-Thons I have participated in lately, I decided to stick with a lot less update posts throughout the whole thing. For one, because I don't want your Feedreaders and Email Inboxes overflowing with my current page count - and then, I also don't think it's very benefitting for my reading goals to update every day.

It's been a week of (pretty intense) reading now, though, so I thought I'd let you guys know how things are over here.

Overall, from Monday to Monday I have read 4 books. I actually wanted to have that goals achieved within 7, not 8 days - but I'm still pretty proud!

Especially, because I read two of them, Heist Society and 34 Pieces of You, in one day. 

The other two Siege and Storm and The Lucy Variations were really good, too, though!

The only problem I face now? I have no idea what's next! I crave a book that's just as good as the other ones were, but how to choose? I'm thinking The Fault in Our Stars, but I'd rather read that one without the pressure of a Read-a-Thon at the back of my mind...

What do you guys think? Do you read specific books for Read-a-Thons? And, if you're participating, how far have you come with your goals?

A Peak Into My Pocket #3

 

 

 

This is a must for every Harry Potter fan!

 

Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed with reading for pleasure and (blogging) business?

 

Interesting!

 

Do You Like Blogging Alone?

 

Awesome Blogging Tips!

August Books

Books I Really, Really Want:





Squealworthy Sequels (of series I have or haven't started):




I've got a so-so kind of attitude...




Sorry, not everyone can be Booksmartie's next best read :/

Review: Ink by Amanda Sun

 

On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.

Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive

 

 

A Long Story Short:

 

Ink was a good and solid story. I was entertained through most of the book, I didn't find the writing or characters annoying, but I also didn't have much interest in how the story might go on. A bummer was how I could not connect with the characters at all. What made the book more enjoyable, though, definitely was the unique setting of Japan and everything (language barriers, school, food, tradition) that came along with it.

 

RATING:

 

 

 

 

Ink was a refreshing read, not only for the setting (Asia), although that played a big part in it. Our MC's daily routine alone was so different from the one we have here in Germany, or the ones that I read about in UK or US books.

The setting, the way people talk to each other, their habits and values - another (existing) country as the main setting provided the reader with a lot of interesting details and anecdotes that made the book enjoyable from the start.

On top of that comes a mythology that I've never stumbled upon before. The stories and tales that make the background to Ink are unique - at least in the YA genre. Completely new creatures and paranormal abilities that we haven't had a million times already.

The main characters themselves were enough to keep the novel going, although I cannot say I was impressed by the character building or development. Especially the relationship between Katie and Tomohiro,  or rather the turn it took, didn't convince me.

Tomohiro's personality - even though it was explained later on - never made sense to me.

The side characters were a bit weak, in my opinion. Their names were difficult to remember  since I'm not familiar with Japan and well...their names...At times I had problems even remembering who was who with Katie's friends - a definite sign for one-dimensional characters.

Anyway, the plot was good. A bit too slow in the middle, but the last part of the book brought the action to a whole other level again and the ending made me want to read the sequel.

All in all, Ink was a good read while it lasted, but I'm positive I won't remember much of what happened. Even though I'd like to know what happens to the characters right now, I probably won't anymore when the second book comes out. That special feeling of connection to the characters was lacking. If you're looking for a unique story, you should go for Ink. Then again, if you want a series to fall in love with, this might not be the book for you.