Nights At The Circus (A Book Review)

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

And that it was as restful and peaceful as Bailey’s! ;p Since this semester I have classes on Fridays and have Mondays off I feel like my week actually starts on a Tuesday. Its been interesting to get used to but I am loving the extra day off.

I had high hopes of this being a super productive weekend. Josh was in NYC Saturday and Sunday so I planned to get a lot done in Williamsport since I’m usually not home on the weekends. I got in a 30-50 minute cardio dance DVD workout every day and it felt so good. Afterwards I would treat myself to a Chobani and couch time with The Night Circus. This is where my high hopes for a productive weekend were dashed. I spent Friday and most of Saturday glued to my Nook. I actually woke up Sunday morning in my bedroom with the lights still on, still wearing my glasses, with the Nook on my chest. Bookworm, much?

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Written by Erin Morgenstern, The Night Circus is about a mysterious circus that pops up in cities and towns without warning and is only open at night. Two magicians named Celia and Marco have had their lives tied to this circus since before its inception and to each other since they were children. In a magical battle neither fully understands they know only that they are opponents and that they love each other deeply. Torn between what they want to do and what they have to do the stakes keep rising and time is running out.

I think you can tell by my little summary of this book that I really like it. It was gripping and mesmerizing in a way so few books are. I love the kind of book that sucks you in and makes you feel like you’re there. Its descriptions were beautiful and the imagery was great. Plot wise I feel the characters could have been fleshed out a little bit better and I feel like the plot line could have dug a little deeper and contained a little more. Erin Morgenstern is great at setting up a scene and sweeping you in for the ride, each chapter ending on a note that makes you reach to turn the page. I loved the romance and mystery and the magic, I just couldn’t help but wish at the end that there had been a little more to it than what there was. Overall though it was a great book and one I really enjoyed and would recommend to others.

This weekend was also filled with lots of delicious food. Of course I took pictures of it all! 😀

Wegmans has an amazing hot bar that features the only Indian food in town. That’s pretty sad right? Every time I walked by it I’ve craved the curry sauces and naan so I finally broke down this week and got spinach and tofu over rice with a piece of naan bread. It was delicious.

I’m loving Wegman’s soups. Their tomato basil with orzo is so hearty and creamy.

I could eat Wegman’s coconut cream kale all day. It is that good.

As is Diane’s eggplant parm. Oh was this good.

I’m loving chicken-less noodle soup. Quinoa noodles and big hunks of carrots make for a great broth soup.

Escarole and beans is a new discovery to me that I am absolutely loving.

Wegmans was sampling their breads last time I was in the store so of course I had to buy some. Its so good.

And packed with nutrients. Their marathon energy loaf is made with all whole grains, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried carrots, banana chips, and apples. And its baked fresh daily. I can’t recommend this stuff enough.

Diane kept the kale-fest going with some homemade curry seasoned kale. We still have some left in our fridge and I am so excited for more tomorrow! Its delicious!

Since Josh was in NYC for the weekend visiting some friends I headed to State College to see him on Monday. He was so sweet and picked up souvenirs in the city for me. We had a lot of fun playing with these gingerbread mustaches! 😀

He got me a red velvet macaroon! I’ve only tried French macaroons once before and it was a hard wafer with a cream filling. I liked it but I didn’t love it. These macaroons had the hard outer crunch but then a cookie-like interier with a cream filling. It was so good and I’m so thankful to Josh for showing me there are macaroons out there I really enjoy!

He introduced me to this Faro Lambic beer that we shared over dinner and loved. I am not a typical beer drinker in that I hate hops but I love sours. And I really like how they bottle them so if everyone goes out for a beer I can enjoy one too!

While in the city Josh visited Kettle Corn NYC and got to sample tons of flavors of kettle corn. We love kettle corn and smuggle it into the movies with us in huge tupperware containers. Josh picked up bags of it to take home to State College and was so sweet to not only not mind me eating half of it while I was there but sending me home with a pumpkin and a coconut bag. I’m glad there’s not a nutrition label on the bags, I’ve been inhaling these.

I had to share a picture of this little lion with you. Josh picked him up for me in the city and I just thought he was the cutest thing ever. I named him Sunny, which I think is very fitting since he looks like sunshine and comes three days before I leave for 80 degree weather in Florida. I cannot wait! Well, time to head to bed, I’ve got a lot to do in the next few days.

Question of the Day: Have you read The Night Circus? What did you think of it?

What’s a food that if left to your own devices you would eat until there was no more?