You Miss 100% of the Shots You Don't Take

I'm taking the chance to write more, now that I have a break. It's a blackout day on Monday, meaning the teachers can't give us any homework, since the school play was this weekend. I didn't participate in it, but I did have a soccer game (which we won) and I had Oratoria practice (which I nailed. Finally). So I'm taking the entire weekend to relax.

After I got home from the game, I read Taking Shots from Toni Aleo. Here's the official description:

Elli Fisher has never thought she was good enough. Let it be her job, her weight, her love life; nothing. She has walked through life for the past six years in a daze, never thinking that life could be good again after the abuse she endured from her ex-boyfriend. She is lonely, sad, and depressed, that is until she meets Shea Adler. After doing a promotional shoot for the NHL team, the Nashville Assassins, she meets the hunky hockey player who shoots a puck, shattering her world.

Shea Adler is tired of the life he was living outside of the rink. The girls, the money blowing, the drinking, everything had to stop and it all did when he met Eleanor Fisher. He had never met anyone like her. She is feisty, witty, shy, and simply gorgeous. When he laid eyes on her, it was as if he was taking the hardest hit of his life into the boards, and he had to have her. Elli is a little skeptical of Shea, but he knows that they are meant to be together, and he needs her in his life.

But Elli just doesn't understand what Shea could see in her. She is overweight, loud, and not even that pretty, so why would someone so gorgeous and so amazing want to be with her? It seems that no matter how hard she tries to shake Shea off, he isn't going anywhere, and for the first time, Elli doesn't feel alone.But can Elli throw her insecurities out the window and love Shea with everything inside of her? Or will she let a past relationship, and her family ruin any chance of her being happy?

Would Elli miss her shot at love?

Now, in my opinion, the content of the book deserved a 4 out of 5 stars, since it kept me interested and I fell in love with the characters. It also showed different perspectives, not just the main characters'; so that you got an idea of what was really going on. However, the editor for this book did not do a really good job, since there were too many grammar mistakes and typos to ignore. It distracted me once I was really getting into the book.

That being said, I still recommend the book. I can't really put into words why I liked it so much. I guess it was the characters; I felt a certain chemistry towards them. Shea was amazing; there are not enough words to describe his amazingness. & Elli was sweet & endearing (annoying at some parts, but that just made her all the more real). Harper and Jakob were adorable & I just wish they were real, because I'd like them to be my friends too. It's a good read, & it's only $2.99 on amazon for kindle.

I also TRIED to read Geek Magnet by Kieran Scott, because I had liked some of his previous books. But I just couldn't. I read about 34% of it (according to my kindle) and I couldn't stand any of the characters. The plot line was uninteresting & there was nothing keeping me tied to the book. Maybe, once the annoyance has worn off, I'll come back to it with a more open-minded view. But, for right now, this book is not going to be revisited any time soon. Which is a shame, because I tend to finish all of my books, even if they're not that good...

Maybe next time!

Have Your Cake & Eat It Too!

So I recently dropped off the map. This is because I have had literally no time to do anything but focus on school work. With the teachers bombarding us with work, oratoria practice (more venting on that later), soccer practice, futsal practice, JSA, book club & now track, I barely even sleep. Let alone get on the computer and type everything that's going on. So now, I must give a run-down on EVERYTHING. Let's see...

The most interesting thing that has happened since my last post has probably been JSA. We're the only delegation for the Junior States of America in Puerto Rico and we got to go to Arlington, Virginia to meet with other delegations and debate different bills. I won't be disclosing anything, 'cause what happens in JSA, stays in JSA...

There's also the matter of Oratoria. It's forensics in spanish. And I am killing myself. The practices are every day and whenever I have any free time. Which is never, since it occupies most of my day anyways. Sometimes I even have to skip lunch. & I feel like I'm the team's weakest link. Which is not great for my confidence. Or on my coach's moods. I just hope I can pull through in time for the competition.

So today was the first time I've had some down time in a while, because there's the school musical going on, so the teachers haven't given any work for the weekend, since half the school is IN the play, and the other half is watching it. & I was able to actually SLEEP this week. SLEEP! god I missed it. I think I've been solely on caffeine for the last three months. So after sleeping, on a Friday (my life is SUPER interesting, I know) I got to reading, FINALLY!!!!!

What I read was called Take the Cake, by Sandra Wright. It was a light, entertaining read. The characters were likable and the cupcake/quote war was adorable. So were the relationships. It was interesting to read the different dynamics and approaches each of the characters took & how each character developed by the end of the book. The characters were spectacularly well-written, and I found myself wishing they were real (I also wish the bakery was real, but then again, I'd probably eat there everyday & that can't possibly be healthy). This is definitely a book I'd pick up again & read just to get reacquainted with the characters. I'd recommend it to anyone who's in the mood for some light, easy romance.