Casual Vacancy.

What I enjoy most about my 2 hour subway commute each day is the free reading time. Time sure does fly when you're nose deep in a good book!

Since I've been in Toronto I've read (or in some cases reread) the following while on the subway:

His Dark Materials

1. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman: I read these all when I was younger but they have so much to offer older readers. They did make The Golden Compass into a movie but it was so very disappointing. They mixed the whole story up and the ending wasn't the proper ending. I was hoping so much it would be good because I would kill to see The Subtle Knife as a movie. Maybe someday...

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

2. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson: I loved this book so much! It was amazing! Last night I actually watched the movie (American version) and it was...decent. I want to watch the Swidish version, I feel like that'll be so much better. The story took some getting into but it was awesome. So intricate! I can't wait to have the second and third book! Hmm, Christmas present?!

Casual Vacancy

3. Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling: This book was very different then what I was expecting. Actually, if I'm honest, I wasn't sure what to expect. I picked this up on a whim at Costco one day because I was feeling lost without a book after I finished The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. 

I really liked this book. It wasn't anything near Harry Potter and I'm glad for it. I think it shows her versatilitiy. The story surrounds a small, English community and follows a series of families and various community members after the sudden death of someone in their community. It really shows you just how connected everyone is.

The story was so beautifully painted and even though it's not action packed or has a romantic story or anything, it's never dull. I really enjoyed it and am kind of sad it's over. The ending, however was good, not great. I was a little...dissapointed in the endning, I just don't think it summed up the story very well. But overall, a good read.

Now I'm onto a book my mom bought me for my birthday:

The Dirty Life

This is the story of how Kristin Kimball gave up her journalistic career and moved to the middle of nowhere on a whim with a farmer she fell in love with.

It seems to be a quick read so far, easy to read and get into.

I've really been enjoying the story as well. Multiple times already I've laughed out loud. I don't know how many people can read a story like this an enjoy it, however. Some things I've totally been able to relate to. For example, when Mark (the sexy farmer she falls in love with) goes through a phase and decides that they won't use electricity and instead everything must be done by natural light or candle light. I could see Jake doing something like that. Or when Mark builds a composting toilet in the middle of the living room. I could totally see my parents doing that.

Just little things about farm work I can relate to. Hauling buckets and buckets of water to the animals because the pipes froze. Having to clean out the animals, hauling hay, picking veggies and fruits, collecting the eggs in the morning. Not by any means was the farm a lived on as big as she now is a part of, but it was still, and has become more, a lot of work. I respect my parents for maintaining and building upon their little farm!

In all honesty, this book has developed this little itch inside of me. This little voice says, 'you know someday, you'll have something like this. Someday you'll have animals to tend to, veggies to pick and water to haul.'

HA. If only 12 year old me could hear that.

Have you read anything good lately?