Weekly Workout: Week of May 24 - May 31

This week was full of staggard on my results.  The entire week was sort of crazy at work.  It wasn't a bad week, just a busy one; the kind of weeks that leave you mentally drained. It's funny how your daily life effects your work out, and for some people working is a stress reliever, and I believe this to be true all around after the work out is completed, but for me having a long day means a sluggish workout.  So here are the highlights of my workouts:

Tuesday:  Squats are tough on a normal day on a normal day, but Tuesday they were just not happening for me.  So I didn't even go up in weight at all.  My goal this week was to be doing 125 all week.  125x5 is my current personal best so far, an I'm looking to get to 135 already so I can put the "big girl" weights on the bar (the 45lb'ders).  That did not happen!  However, my benchpress is really starting move up. 85lbs is pretty good number for me right now, and I fully expect to be able to get 85x5 ths week.  My Deadlift was not good, but that makes sense because my squats were off as well.

Thursday:  Squats felt better!  I should have went ahead and moved up to 125, but I had it in my mind to stay with the 120, but given the number of backoff sets I completed, 125 was not out of the question.  I broke the barrior on Strict Press (Military Press is what it's called in that Fitlist App), and finally got 65x5.  Here's hoping to get to pushing 70lbs this week. 

Saturday:  Saturday the squats went excellently, and I got my 125 x 5 goal...though it felt like it was going to kill me (Have I mentioned I'm not a huge fan of squats?)  Push press is moving on up as well, but my deadlifts.  I'm so dissapointed about those deadlifts, but I couldn't get 195 off the ground on Saturday, and when I dropped the weight to 185, either my confidence was down or I was just so tired that I couldn't budge it either.

This week's Goals:  I will likely keep squatting up to 125, and hope I can add more volume to my backoff sets after hitting it.  I want to see my bench move up to 85x5, and my presses move up to the next 5lbs.  And I REALLY, REALLY want to see my Deadlift back at 195x5.  I'm really disappointed with my results on the deadlift this week!

Book Review: Just My City Boy - V. L. Holt

Title: Just My City Boy

Author: V.L. Holt

Genre: New Adult - Romance

**I received this book from the author for review. Other than the joy of reading, I received no compensation for this review.**

Synopsis from Goodreads:  
Two New Adults Weren’t Looking for Romance, But They Found it on the Midnight Train

Boy Mugs Girl, Girl Outsmarts Boy, Boy and Girl Go Out for Coffee?

In this sweet frolicking romp, two unlikely friends meet under crazy and heart-pounding circumstances. Zack Daniels is a 20 something trouble-maker trying to find his place in the world. When he mugs Lauren in a last ditch effort to get a ticket out of town, he gets more than he bargained for. He takes a midnight train going anywhere...but home.

Lauren Beckers is a 22 year old Southern girl trying to make a go of it in the big city. She's never met a stranger, but she's also a magnet for trouble. Thank goodness for her fast-talking smooth tongue and her trusty "insurance". She takes a midnight train going anywhere...but home.

When the two meet as a result of a crime gone bad, they discover a kinship that goes beyond the normal trappings of the Millennial generation. They discover friendship, trust and something even more unbelievable to find in the dirty underbelly of a broken-down city: love.

My Review:

Just My City Boy reminded me of an old fashion classic movie in the way that the story read. I even imagined the it in black and white in the beginning; the story was melancholy until Lauren and Zack managed to come together as a couple, and then color started seeping through the cracks.

What I Loved:  Lauren was incredibly outgoing, chatty and most of the time just a riot.  I loved how she talked herself out of bad situations.  Her confidence was refreshing as it's not a character trait often used for women in many books.  Zack was a sweet sensitive guy with that military exterior and some bad boy tendencies, it is difficult not to like him.

 I also enjoyed the "song theme" of the book, I find myself frequently matching up a song to characters in a book, but in this case the work was done for me.  If you didn't immediately know which song I'm talking about, I challenge you to take a trip to google-land and see if you can't figure it out....then listen to it!

Not So Much:  The characters seems to be either all "good" or "bad," with Zack being a sort of exception.  In that way, the story felt a little bit off.  For example, Peter, Zack's roommate, was completely on board with forgiveness without even understanding what really was going on with Zack.  That is wonderful, and I wish people were more like that - but it just doesn't usually happen that way.

Rated:  PG-13, for mild language and mild violence

Rating: 4 Stars

~*Books by V.L. Holt*~

Friday Favorites - 5 Books I Frequently Re-Read

Favorite Fridays is something new I'm going to try and start doing.  I'm loosely basing it off of Creative House Blog's own Friday Favorites blog and link-up.  This is my first go at it, so hopefully I'll just get better as time goes.

For my first Favorites I'm going with an obvious (considering my blog), 5 Books I Frequently Re-Read, which would make them favorites, right?  So here we go.

1.  Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare
I love this entire series to pieces.  The bond between Will and Jem is so wonderful, and then there is Tessa who makes the whole thing complete.  I typically hate any kind of "Love Triangle" situation, I think it is so over done that I cringe every single time it comes up.  However, this book is a little unusual in it's love triangle; it has so many moving parts and different elements that it just doesn't feel the same.  Add in snarky, sarcastic comments, self deprecation (in the best possible way) and demon fighting, and it's just a winner.  If I'm just looking for something to put in my earbuds while I work, Clockwork Angel is usually my first stop.








2.  Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins
Oh man, Anna and Etienne.  I just love them.  Their friendship/courtship/flirtation, whatever it is you want to call it is just so fun, and wonderful.  I feel it in my toes when they are in the movie theater touching, but not touching.  Yiee!  I revisit this one frequently as well.  Sometimes I read it, sometimes I listen to it on audiobook, all the time I can't wait until they finally kiss.  Its just one of those perfect, fun YA romance novels.












3.  The Rules of Regret - Megan Squires
I've already read this a few times, and it's in my head to go back and re-read it again.  Usually that's a sign of a book that has just stuck with me.  I'm not sure that it's the book as a whole as much as it is Torin, and his honesty and his nearly naked emotions.  He has a personality that would be easy for me to fall in love with in real life.  He's insightful and peaceful, and playful and he's been through a bunch of crap but it didn't turn him into an emo crybaby.  I love him - and this book.










4.  How to Date a Nerd - Cassie Mae
I think of this book almost like watching the old movie Say Anything - I'm in it for the ending.  The anthem, the part where one party risks full on embarrassment, and possible let down to win the other's love.  This book is fun, and has so many nerdy references that it just begs to be re-read now and again.

5.  Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austin
Of course I have to throw a classic in there.  Pride and Prejudice!!! SIGH - I love the confused mixed up way Darcy and Elizabeth find each other.  This book gets re-read at least once a year.  Followed up pretty quickly with watching the movie, of course.

Buy Links to my Favorites:

 

KidzKorner: Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Graceful Ice Princess - Rachel Renee Russell

Kidz Korner are book reviews by my children; Elijah, Azalyah, or Abigail.  They love to read almost as much as I do, and I thought it would be fun for them to do reviews as well!

Reviewer:  Azalyah

Title:  Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Graceful Ice Princess

Author:  Rachel Renee Russell

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

In the fourth book of the New York Times bestselling series that's as popular as it is dorky, Nikki Maxwell is determined to help out her crush!

Nikki Maxwell isn't at all surprised to find out that her crush Brandon volunteers at a local animal shelter. He's such a sweet guy of course he wants to help those adorable puppies! Then Brandon tells her that the shelter is in danger of closing, and Nikki knows she can't let that happen. Especially when she discovers a shocking secret about Brandon that makes keeping that shelter open more important than ever. So Nikki and her friends Chloe and Zoey enter an ice skating competition to help raise money for the shelter, but (big surprise) Mackenzie has to stick her nose in and cause trouble so that she can be the one to swoop in and save the day. No way will Nikki let that happen: She'll just have to come up with some extra creative ideas this time!

Azalyah's Review:

What did you think about the book? 

It was pretty good.

What was your favorite part, and why?

Mostly when Nikki's sister popped out of a box on the ice, because it was funny.  It made me laugh out loud a little.

Do you think other Kids would like this book?

I know that they already do, a lot of my friends read these books.

Do you think that Adults would like this book?

I think they would think it's funny, I don't know if they would like it though.

~*More from the Dork Diaries Series*~

Book Review: Jesse's Girl - Miranda Kenneally

Title:  Jesse's Girl
Author: Miranda Kenneally
Genre: mYA (m = Mature)

**I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley.com. Other than the joy of reading, I received no compensation for this review.**

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Practice Makes Perfect.

Everyone at Hundred Oaks High knows that career mentoring day is a joke. So when Maya Henry said she wanted to be a rock star, she never imagined she’d get to shadow *the* Jesse Scott, Nashville’s teen idol. 

But spending the day with Jesse is far from a dream come true. He’s as gorgeous as his music, but seeing all that he’s accomplished is just a reminder of everything Maya’s lost: her trust, her boyfriend, their band, and any chance to play the music she craves. Not to mention that Jesse’s pushy and opinionated. He made it on his own, and he thinks Maya’s playing back up to other people’s dreams. Does she have what it takes to follow her heart—and go solo?

My Review: 
This is one of those books you pick up and just devour, if you have time, in one sitting. Jesse's Girl is a perfect summer reads; one that will make you wear the big goofy grin for a good portion of the book.

What I loved: While reading, within the first chapter or two I made a note that I love Maya's relationship with her family. This rang true through the entire book. They weren't perfect, but they were supportive and loving.  They had their quirks, and dysfunctions, yet they are down to earth good people, and I loved them all. I also loved that the dynamic between Jesse and Maya was toe curling-ly cute, but they also helped each other grow as people throughout the book.

More things that I loved...each chapter was a title to a song, that was awesome! In fact, the reason I selected this book on NetGalley was because the title is the name of a song, and I just had to know what it was about. Also, the mention of Ferris Bueller's Day Off....bonus points!

Not so much: I'm not a fan of sex in a Young Adult novel, even if it's not detail by detail, you're left with a good idea of specific actions. I know what is realistic, and what teenagers are like, it's not that. I guess I'm just a prude (or you'll think I am anyway), but I do prefer the old fashioned "wait until you're married" option. But if this is the only thing I can list under this section, that's doing pretty well.

Rated: R - For Sex and Cussing
Rating: 5 Stars - Beautifully written love story with life lessons and laugh-out-loud moments.

~*Books by Miranda Kenneally*~