On Reading (#1)

Because I challenged myself to read 40 books this year, I've decided to do some short Book Reviews of the books I've read so far this year.

Across The Universe by Beth Revis

Would Recommend If You Like: Divergent series, Matched Series, teenagers in spaaaace!

I've read a lot of YA distopian fiction in the last few years and am getting a little tired of the genre. That being said, this is a quick and easy read and the plot is interesting enough to keep you reading. The biggest problems I had with the book were the made up future slang Revis used - it kept on taking me out of the book and wondering what it meant/why she chose to use sooo much. Overall, I quite enjoyed the book and but I'm still on the fence as to whether or not I'll read the other 2 books in the series. 

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Would Recommend If You Like: Geraldine Brooks' books, magical creatures exist in secret type books 

I normally try to stay away from fantasy books set in modern day, but this series will be an exception. I love the voice and the characters and the world that the book is set in. I was fully expecting the book to turn into a bodice-ripping type romance novel, but was pleasantly surprised when it stayed away from the sexy sexy aspects of the genre, and kept with the danger magic danger aspects of the genre.

Magician King by Lev Grossman

Would Recommend If You Like: I wouldn't recommend it, to be honest.

After the semi-disappointment of the first book, I was wary to even start this book - and with good reason. Magician King has just as much whiney, mopey, why-can't-I-have-everything-I-wa-a-a-ant as the first book, but without an exciting climax at the end. I was so excited for this series, and I love the world it's set in, but it's hard to enjoy a book with such an annoying narrator. 

Sleepwalk With Me by Mike Birbiglia

Would Recommend If You Like: Chelsea Handler's books, This American Life

I started this book a little biased - I love Birbiglia's stand-up and all of the segments of This American Life he's participated in. If you know his stand-up, some of the stories might be familiar, but you can clearly hear his voice in his writing. It's really funny, even at times touching, and I hope he writes more books.

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion 

Would Recommend If You Like: World War Z, YA distopia novels, zombies

I hate to sound like everyone else I know that's read this book, but it's an excellent new take on zombie books. I thought it would be weird to side with the zombies in a book, but the main character is so charming and it's so well written it felt natural to root for the zombies. To be honest, I mostly only read this to take a break from the crappy YA series I was forcing myself to finish - but I'm glad I did. It's an interesting take on a tired genre and it's well worth a read. 

On Living So Far From Home

This year in New Zealand will have been the longest (and furthest) I've ever been away from home, and the fact that I am closer to the end of the year, than anything else, is really weird. For the next 3 months, I know I'm going to be swinging back and forth between "oh my god i love this country it's so beautiful i don't want to leave" and "oh my god i miss home so much i am excited to go back". Times be tough, yo.

I have absolutely no regrets in choosing to move here when I did, I have gotten to experience so much and see so many incredible things this year. And as much as I absolutely love and adore everything about living in New Zealand, I don't think I could ever actually settle here. It's too far away from 90% of the people I know and I'm pretty sure the part of me that yells any time I'm minorly inconvenienced by store hours (bank/library hours continue to baffle me) or the lack of Target-type stores won't be going anywhere any time soon. The closer I get to going back to the states, the more excited I get at the prospect of going to Target. I just really miss it, y'all. I also miss my family and friends but I figure that basically goes without saying

Another part of why I don't think I could settle here is that I feel like I would never have to actually grow up if I stayed - New Zealand is my own never never land. And I definitely know I have some Growing Up to do; and, for the first time since starting college, I am not terrified of the idea. I want to move back to the states and get started on my life.

While living here hasn't been 100% work or 100% holiday, it has felt like a stopgap between the end of one era (childhood) and the beginning of another (adulthood) and being away has allowed me to actually pause and think about what I want to do and where I want to do it while letting me get used to life after college. I know that I am very lucky to have even gotten the opportunity to do this, but I suggest everyone should do it before making any decision ever. Spend most of a year thinking vaguely about it, then make an informed decision and do that thing. It'll take a bit longer to get things done, but you'll be happy with whatever you end up with. 

On Romance

Recently, I've had several people ask me about my love life. While I'm tremendously pleased that they seem to think that I'm together enough to have a semi-functioning adult type relationship with another human, it's a bit disheartening that there is no news on that front, and hasn't really been any news since coming to New Zealand.
Sure, I've been hit on at a few bars, but aside from that there really hasn't been much happening in that ...department.
I'm sure it's because most of the men I spend time with are under the age of 5, and while I enjoy hanging out with kids as much as the next person (actually, probably more than most people. It is my job after all) I just can't really see myself dating any of them... predominately because I am not attracted to children and also it is illegal and I'd probably get super fired.
Ok this went in a weird direction, let's backtrack a bit.
I've never been great at putting myself out there. In the past, when I've dated it's generally been a situation of "Oh Hello Friend We Are In School Together Let Us Smash Our Faces Together Thank You Please", but since I've left school - and don't really like going to bars/clubs/outside - I've found it is really difficult to meet people.
It's hard not to feel like I'm bad at being 23, but that scene just ain't for me. And with the added pressure of a lot of my friends getting married/engaged/babied, it's hard to not think that there's something wrong with what I'm doing, and not that it is 100% perfectly fine for me to not having any of those things.
Everyone has their own timeline and I am having to accept that mine is just a little behind in the romance department.