sorry about my silence...

I had an Audit test, sue me. Not that that's really any excuse...I have an unreal amount of time on my hands. Essentially, I have a schedule that most college students only dream about. I just procrastinated for my test, so I was swamped. What else is new?

With this extra time, I've had the opportunity to read new books! I'm really excited about that, especially because the books I've been reading are incredible.

Let me start by saying that I don't typically read Christian books, and this was the first time I had read Christian fiction. To be honest, I really didn't know what to expect. But one of my best friends adamantly recommended it, and although we sometimes have differing tastes, I trusted her enough to give it a chance.

I'm so glad I did. The books are part of a series, three in all. Set in the first century in the aftermath of the Roman conquest that conquered Jerusalem, they follow a young Jewish girl named Hadassah and a German warrior named Atretes.

My goal for this post is to not ruin any major plot points for people who haven't read these books yet. I will say, however, that watching Hadassah cling to her faith in the Lord in the face of unspeakable tragedy is incredible to say the least. Taken prisoner when Jerusalem fell, she watched her entire family die and was then sold into slavery upon her arrival in Rome. Atretes, on the other hand, belonged to a tribe of natives in Germany and was captured while Rome was attempting to conquer their lands. He was then sent to the arena where he fought as a gladiator. That's the basic premise of the books, and I don't want to go beyond that.

As I was nearing the end of the second book in the series a few nights ago, I was on the edge of my seat trying to predict what was going to happen to one of the characters. Then it dawned on me. These books don't have to follow the rules. Being the kind of girl who usually sticks to the historical fiction genre, it's a general rule of thumb that love conquers all, everything works out in the end, and although I may not be able to see how that will happen, I can trust in the fact that it probably will. Those are the rules, and I like happy endings. But in this series, it's God's will that wins out in the end, whether that makes for a happy ending or not. That being said, I was literally at a loss as far as predicting the outcome of this book. I also knew that there was a third book of which I knew nothing about, and that didn't exactly help as I anticipated every possibility. Needless to say, I finished the book quickly, and can't wait to begin the third.

So everyone should read these, because they're some of the best books I've read in a while. These are the kind of books that you can't put down, with characters that you love until the very last page.

i'm young, and i love to be young. i'm free, and i love to be free

As I sat down to write this post, I realized, rather belatedly, what day it was. Of course, I realized it was Sunday (I'm not that dense), but today isnt just any Sunday. It's Valentine's Day.

While I know it's somewhat expected of me to whine about the bleak outlook I have on my love life, I'm not doing that. Not today. And not any other day. I'm actually content, even thankful, for the way my life is going. Sure I have my moments of self-doubt, but I'm young and still learning. As I said before, I'm a work in progress.

Some cynically dub this Hallmark holiday "Singles Awareness Day." In truth, I've always been annoyed by the nickname. Valentine's Day is nice for those with a special someone to share it with and I won't discredit the holiday simply because I'm single.

On a side note, as I sat on the floor by the bookshelf to choose a movie on this lazy Sunday of mine, I stared at the choices in front of me. Ironically, I chose the First Wives Club. For those who haven't seen it, this '90s era movie is about a group of women seeking revenge on their ex-husbands. Each of the sad excuses for men had, in one way or another, left their wives for younger women. I must say, this movie was nice pick for today. In the end, the three "first wives" learn to lean on each other rather than relying on men to make them happy. They rediscover their friendship as they achieve independence.

So I'm taking today to celebrate, rather than regret, the fact that I'm single. Valentine's Day is about love, and there are plenty of people in my life that fit that description. I'm choosing to celebrate them, and celebrate life.

something new

So I've decided to try new things. This blog being one of them, it may not be much to look at right now.

Call it a work in progress, kind of like me.

Earlier today someone asked me what my blog would be about. I've decided that it'll be about whatever I want. It'll be me, in my own words.

I'm not going to lie, I'm kind of excited.