Christmas break

I hope you had a lovely Christmas! I have been home from college for nearly two weeks now, and the time has quite been flying by between getting together with friends, a weekend shopping trip, my birthday, and Christmas celebrations with relatives. In my down time, I've been trying to catch up on much-needed sleep and also read some pleasure books. As an English major, I spend so much time during the semester reading required books that it's really only on breaks that I have time to read books just for fun. 

I had been wanting to read this book, Wide Sargasso Sea, ever since one of professors recommended it. It's a sort of retelling of Jane Eyre, from the perspective of the character "Bertha," whose actual name in this book is Antoinette. The plot mostly takes place before the events of Jane Eyre and tells the story of Antoinette's childhood and unhappy marriage to Rochester. Having just studied Jane Eyre in my Victorian literature class last semester, I enjoyed another perspective, although it definitely does not present a flattering picture of Rochester. 

On a different note, I am currently in the middle of Catching Fire, the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy. Yes, I confess I have jumped onto this bandwagon. As an English major, I am a little wary of some popular fiction, but the story really does just suck in the reader. I read the first book as part of my young adult lit class last semester, and ever since have been waiting to read the second two. 

The most recent other significant thing I have done is dying my hair for the first time! I had been thinking about it for some time and finally decided to just try it. My friends and I had a little hair-dying party last night and here's the result: 

At first, I was concerned that it was too dark, but I think I've gotten used to it and like it :) I'm looking forward to having something new. 

Finally, I received many pretty pieces of clothing for Christmas, so I really will have to try to do some outfit posts soon. I haven't done any in a very long time!