Words, Vol. 1: Jennifer E. Smith

Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Release Date: January 2012
Pages: 236
Source and Format: Bought; Nook eBook

Summary (From Goodreads)
Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it. 

Thoughts on The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
This book has so many fun things going for it -- an adorable cover, a quirky title, a swoon-worthy romance, and the perfect mixture of fluff and substance. It was a great choice as my first read for 2013, and at 236 pages, it was a quick read too. 


With the phrase "love at first sight" in the title, you'd think that insta-love would be all over this book, which is one of my biggest pet peeves with young adult novels. But let me assure you, that is not the case with The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. I am even a little bit of a believer in love at first sight myself, since the hubs likes to say he knew I was going to be someone special when he first saw me. He ended up being right about that one! ;) 
 
Another thing I particularly loved about this book was how Hadley's love for reading played into the story, especially in her relationship with her father. I really connected to this element of Hadley's character, and some of my favorite quotes from the book came from this facet of the novel (one included below). 


So if you find yourself facing a long flight coming up soon, or have a free afternoon to curl up with a short novel, this book might be the perfect light read for you. I'd recommend it!

 
Memorable Quote
“It's not the changes that will break your heart; it's that tug of familiarity.”  
 
“Even when she was old enough to read herself, they still tackled the classics together, moving from Anna Karenina to Pride and Prejudice to The Grapes of Wrath as if traveling across the globe itself, leaving holes in the bookshelves like missing teeth. And later, when it started to become clear that she cared more about soccer practice and phone privileges than Jane Austen or Walt Whitman, when the hour turned into a half hour and every night turned into every other, it no longer mattered. The stories had become a part of her by then; they stuck to her bones like a good meal, bloomed inside of her like a garden. They were as deep and meaningful as any other trait Dad had passed along to her: her blue eyes, her straw-colored hair, the sprinkling of freckles across her nose.”

2013 Reading List: Part I

Happy Monday, friends! If you read my post from Friday, you know we're going to have a little theme going on here this week. :)

To kick things off, I thought I would share with y'all my 2013 Reading List, starting with Part I today. Now for someone who only managed to read four books last year, why would I have such a lengthy list (with several parts) this year? Well, I equate it to over-packing for vacation. You want to have choices. And that's what this year's reading list is all about. My goal is to finish at least 6 books from this list, but I'm not holding myself to reading all of them. In fact most of these will roll over into 2014 and beyond. So without further ado...

Sense & Sensibility

Pride & Prejudice

Mansfield Park

Emma

Northanger Abbey

Persuasion 

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
Requiem by Lauren Oliver
Matched by Ally Condie
Crossed by Ally Condie
Reached by Ally Condie
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Insurgent by Veronica Roth
(Divergent Book 3 to be released this Fall!)

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

1776 by David McCullough
Celebrating Pride & Prejudice: 200 Years of Jane Austen's Masterpiece by Susannah Fullerton
Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Coming Next Week...

Even though I don't write about it much here on the blog, one of my favorite things to do in my free time is get lost in a good book. While my free time seems to be fleeting lately, one of my goals for this year is to get back to one of my first loves--reading.

So that's why next week is going to be all about books here on FPS. I'll share with you my 2013 reading list, a book review, and even give you a glimpse of how we decorate with books in our house. It's going to be fun, y'all!

Have a fabulous weekend and I hope to see some fellow bookworms back here on Monday! :)

GET OFF THE COMPLAINER BENCH

I've been meaning to blog for a while now. I've had all of these ideas floating around in my head, but when I open up a new post, it all turns to...nothing. The blank white page intimidates me and I just end up shutting my laptop instead of facing my thoughts.

January has always made it difficult for me to find the inspiration to write. The hustle and bustle of the holidays are over, there's nothing really going on, and it's cold and rainy 99.9% of the time. The winter blues sure don't waste any time moving on in.

But then, I heard something at work today that jolted me out of my January stupor. It was a simple phrase that someone brought up during a conference call, referring to something completely different than lousy ole me, but all the same it really resonated with me.

GET OFF THE COMPLAINER BENCH.

It actually took me back to my high school sports days, where I experienced my fair share of red-faced coaches screaming basically the same thing at me and my teammates. Oddly enough, it made me miss that. Having someone there to push me, to tell me I am capable of doing better. I miss that tough love. Sometimes that is EXACTLY what you need. Especially when you have taken up firm residence on the complainer bench, complete with a cushion, blanket, and pillows. I was planning on staying on the bench for the long haul, y'all.

But that is not where God intended me, or you, to live life. He calls us away from the comfort and safety of the ship to walk on the water with Him.

Source: 26.media.tumblr.com via Lara on Pinterest

So today, I am going to get my whiny butt off that complainer bench and start taking action on those areas of life I know I am not where I need to be. Stop letting inaction breed fear. God does not intend for us to live in fear, but in power and love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7).

I know that by writing this today, tomorrow is going to hit me like a ton of bricks. But I know that God gives the grace to get through anything life may throw my way. And hey, if you've been hanging out on the complainer bench for a while too, why don't you join me in letting God get our attitudes in gear together? Two are better than one, so let's live the abundant life He has called us to live, and give January a kick in the pants!

Hello 2013

2013 has started out with quite a bang as I spent most of New Year's Day sick on the couch. The unplanned down time gave me plenty of time to pray and think about the year ahead, and to reflect on the year now behind us. When I look back on 2012 and everything that it held, I cannot help but be reminded that God is good. Always.

Even when I never thought I would find a new job. Even when we came to the point where we had no idea where we were going to live. Even when we lost a dearly loved family member to a terrible disease. Even when we saw friends experience unspeakable pain in their own family life. In the midst of it all, the one thing I know I can take away from 2012 is that God is good no matter what. And that will never change. Even when I can't see it, God knows exactly what He is doing with the direction of my life. And He will always be enough.

For the past couple of weeks, I have found myself anticipating 2013 more than any other year in my life to date. This year holds so many new things for us. It will be the year that Kyle graduates and finally becomes a Physical Therapist, it will be the year we hopefully become homeowners, it will be the year we take a landmark trip to a new place, and most of all it will be the year we find a long-time church home and get involved in ministry together. I am just so excited about what's in store for 2013! Some words I hope to live by this year...

 Image via Lara Casey

Happy New Year, everyone. Here's to a fabulous 2013!