i love it.

i love reading. it seems i never have much time for recreational reading during the school year. unfortunately my nose is usually always in some exciting boring textbook. no fun. so i am thrilled that this summer in my downtime here in belize i've been able to read books that i actually want to read. reading for fun?...what a novel idea! [pun intended]

here's a list of favorites so far...

1. eat, pray, love 
don't judge. i know, at times she can be annoying and petty and very self-centered.  yet, overall i really enjoyed this book. i was able to see some things from a new perspective that i've never considered before and it was an entertaining read.

2. the sunflower
here is a classic, albeit somewhat cheesy romance.  it may or may not be about a girl who goes on a humanitarian trip...(sound familiar?)...to peru and meets an attractive jungle man/used-to-be doctor and of course falls in love. okay, okay, i know...but in my defense it is based on a true story {which i feel makes it legit} and it was a fun, easy read and yes, i am now determined to find a beautiful, machete carrying man named paul and fall in love in belize.

3. the road of lost innocence
for sure my favorite so far.  this is the autobiography of somaly mam.  a woman who, as a child was sold into sexual slavery in cambodia.  she escaped this life in her early twenties and has gone on to save hundreds of thousands of girls just liker her.  it was so inspiring that it made me want to do something to help her cause...in fact something is now in the works to do just that...stay tuned to find out how we (i and a few of my new friends i've met here volunteering) are going to help in her fight against human trafficking.

4. the pioneer woman-black heels to tractor wheels
anyone who knows me well, knows that i have an obsession with cowboys. i mean, let's be real, they are the manliest of men. a.t.t.r.a.c.t.i.v.e. so this book was a winner for sure. just a feel good, happy love story about the perfect [cowboy] man...who i realize does not exist, but sometimes that's why we read right?...to escape reality. loved it.

i've noticed a trend in my summer reading...all of these books are true stories or at least closely based on true stories. i think it just makes it that much more interesting to know that what you're reading about really happened. i highly recommend all of these books. you won't be disappointed. promise.

next up...

based on a true story events...of course.