First Book of the Year/Resolutions!

Happy New Year! Although there has been nothing but soaring winds and drenching rains, I just know this year is going to be a great one- because the last one sucked! Anyways I hope you all had a WONDERFUL and safe new years. Here's a great picture of Shaun and I earlier in the night of ringing in the new near. The end of the night pics werent so pretty haha.

This year I definitely made a few resolutions/goals for a happy 2012.
1. To exercise in some way at least once a day. To keep fit.
2. To read 50 books this year. ( I have never made a book goal before so we'll see how this goes)
3. To try and not let my shyness get in the way of me having fun!
4. To save money. I am great at paying all my bills and I'm never behind, but I have a terrible time saving. So this is a big one.
5. Take LOTS of pictures
And now, to my first book of the year:

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan- by Linda See
Hardcover, 258 pages
Published June 28th 2005 by Random House (first published January 1st 2005)
Goodreads Synopsis:
Lily is haunted by memories–of who she once was, and of a person, long gone, who defined her existence. She has nothing but time now, as she recounts the tale of Snow Flower, and asks the gods for forgiveness.In nineteenth-century China, when wives and daughters were foot-bound and lived in almost total seclusion, the women in one remote Hunan county developed their own secret code for communication: nu shu (“women’s writing”). Some girls were paired with laotongs, “old sames,” in emotional matches that lasted throughout their lives. They painted letters on fans, embroidered messages on handkerchiefs, and composed stories, thereby reaching out of their isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments.With the arrival of a silk fan on which Snow Flower has composed for Lily a poem of introduction in nu shu, their friendship is sealed and they become “old sames” at the tender age of seven. As the years pass, through famine and rebellion, they reflect upon their arranged marriages, loneliness, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood. The two find solace, developing a bond that keeps their spirits alive. But when a misunderstanding arises, their lifelong friendship suddenly threatens to tear apart.Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a brilliantly realistic journey back to an era of Chinese history that is as deeply moving as it is sorrowful. With the period detail and deep resonance of Memoirs of a Geisha, this lyrical and emotionally charged novel delves into one of the most mysterious of human relationships: female friendship

What I Thought:

Man this book was heaaavvvyyy. I am glad I am not a wife or mother because I think this book would have brought actual tears to my eyes.
It took me quite I while to plunder through this one, not because it was bad, but because I found it pretty emotionally draining.

It was so interesting to see a glimpse of what it was like to be a girl/wife/mother/grandmother in 19th century China. I cant even begin to imagine myself in this situation, as I live in a much different world where men and women are ( for the most part/in general) treated equally. This book was extremely powerful in the way it told Lily's life story and her relationships through Lily herself. This book up will stir up the deepest part of you and as a women, I can tell you it will definitely make you feel thankful and proud that we are not treated the same way now, but that we can still learn these important values of friendship and being true to yourself through great books like this one.

I had no idea this book was a movie until I was actually in the middle of reading it. However the trailer looks like they've sugar-coated the book A LOT. So I'd highly recommend reading the book first to get the story straight, or skipping the movie all together.

4/5