Hello Again!

The past two weeks have been so much fun! I’ve been doing quite a bit of Photography work, visiting with family, getting ready for Mexico (less than a month!), and today is my best friend’s 30th birthday. I can’t wait to celebrate with her tonight!

Here are some of my personal favorite things from the past two weeks <3

1.) TV Shows: I’m always on a hunt for a new show to marathon binge-watch on Netflix. Ever since discovering “Breaking Bad” and “Dexter”, and just staying up for days watching every second of them both (seriously they are both two of the most fantastic TV shows of all time), I’m always searching for the next show. This past week I came across “Shameless”, which I have seen an episode of before, here and there.. but never really committing to a season. I am so glad that I gave it another shot, because it’s actually SO fantastic. I love everything about Shameless, and the fact that it has SIX seasons out on Netflix to watch.. is just the greatest feeling.

2.) Movies: Recently I’ve become very obsessed with the french actress Charlotte Gainsbourg. I saw her in the Bob Dylan movie “I’m Not There”, and I fell in love with her. She is just so Parisian and chic, and I immediately wanted to watch everything with her in it. I then watched Lars Von Trier’s “Antichrist” which was an incredible film visually and cinematically, but also had some very disturbing graphic scenes. Other than stalking Charlotte, I also watched a few other notable movies recently. The new horror movie “The Witch” was so chilling, I loved it so much. Also I re-visited an old favorite “Trainspotting”, in anticipation of the sequel that is coming out soon. Seriously the boys of Trainspotting are just the hottest cast ever, am I right? I love that opening scene monologue “choose a life, choose a a job”.. 10/10.

3.) Music: So I am VERY excited to announce I got a ticket to go see Ed Sheeran this July!!!! It was NOT an easy process that’s for sure. I registered for the fan pre-sale, woke up right on the dot, and tried everything I could to get two tickets. All the pairs sold out in minutes, and I was only able to get one ticket. But honestly who cares? I will totally go see him by myself, I’m that big of a fan haha. His new album is just amazing. Other than Ed, lately I’ve been loving the artist Astrid S‘s EP, especially the songs “Paper Thin”, and “Hurts So Good”. She has such a beautiful, unique voice. Also can we please talk about how AMAZING the two songs Lorde has leaked from her new album?? “Green Light” and “Liability” are both give-you-chills good songs!

4.) Podcasts: So this is a bit of a random category, but lately I’ve been loving listening to Podcasts. It all began with last year’s Podcast “Serial”, which was almost like the documentary “Making a Murderer”, but in Podcast form. It examined a criminal murder case, in great detail… trying to find out if the man convicted of the crime, was in fact guilty or not? Seriously so addictive and good. This past week I’ve come across a Podcast called “Missing Richard Simmons”, which is incredibly fascinating. It’s done by an old friend of Richard’s, who is just as confused as everyone else about what’s happened to Richard. He hasn’t been seen publicly in a long time, and there is some very suspicious details surrounding the whole mystery. It’s a very interesting one, and I’d recommend it for anyone who is a Richard fan, and also for anyone who is into mystery at all as well.

5.) Photography: I wanted to mention this one, because I like to mention the photography I come across that inspires me. Every single day I am inspired by the photography work I see on Instagram, it is mind-blowing the talent that so many people have. I love being able to use a social media platform like Instagram to meet and connect with so many other photographers, it’s amazing! Other than online, I’m still one of those people who buys like ten fashion magazines a month haha. I know everyone says it’s all online anyway, but I can’t get over the magazine addiction. I love holding it in my hands, and seeing all the breathtaking photography. I have to say the Queen of magazine photography has got to be the legendary Annie Leibovitz. She recently shot Vanity Fair‘s annual “Hollywood Issue” cover, and it’s so stunning. She has a way of capturing portraits of celebrities, that I’ve never seen anyone else really accomplish in the same way. Her sets are so grandiose, and it has such a magical epic feel to it. Hands down my favorite shoot of the month!

So as part of my “2017 Reading Challenge: 52 Books a Year, One Book A Week” Challenge, the two challenge reads for the past two weeks were…

1.) A Book That Became a Film

2.) A Book Published in the 20th Century

I also read one other INCREDIBLE thriller, which I will review as well. Overall 3 books over the past two weeks.. not super great, but not bad either. I’ve been so busy it’s been hard to even get these ones read! I’m loving this challenge though, it’s really pushing me to get it done.

1.) A Book That Became a Film

“American Psycho”

by, Brent Easton Ellis

9/10

“Is evil something you are? Or is it something you do?”
― Bret Easton Ellis, American Psycho

This book was fantastic. Brutal, terrifying, shocking, offensive, funny, gory, and just a giant mind fuck. “American Psycho” is a classic, and I feel like everyone in the world has read this except for me. I have seen the movie before, but it was so long ago that I couldn’t really remember the plot, which worked out great for reading the book. I can’t even put into words how disturbing the book is, in comparison to the movie. The film is obviously a fantastic adaptation of the book, but the inner monologue we are exposed to as the reader of the book is MUCH darker and MUCH more fucked up. You feel like you are inside Patrick Bateman’s head, and it’s really the last place on earth you would want to be.

This book is also pretty funny, in a satirical/black comedy kind of way. We are exposed to a man who works on Wall Street in the 1980’s, and all of his observations are so dead-on and frightening. It really mocks the reality of some of these situations, and some of these types of people. Patrick is just one of the most memorable characters I’ve ever read about, and I have realized I really enjoy reading books told from the psychopath’s point of view. What does that say about me? I mean seriously haha.

I also loved how much this book made me long to visit New York City as well. I’ve read so many brilliant books set in New York City lately, that I’ve decided I really need to go there asap.

I won’t spoil anymore of the story, because if you haven’t seen the film, you might not actually know what it’s about. You may not yet know why exactly Patrick is called an “American Psycho” so to speak… and trust me you will want to be surprised. Just be prepared, this isn’t a book to be taken lightly. It’s violent and fucked up, but the writing style is brilliant, and it’s one of the most memorable books I’ve read in years.

GoogleBooks Plot

“I had all the characteristics of a human being—flesh, blood, skin, hair—but my depersonalization was so intense, had gone so deep, that my normal ability to feel compassion had been eradicated, the victim of a slow, purposeful erasure. I was simply imitating reality, a rough resemblance of a human being, with only a dim corner of my mind functioning”
― Bret Easton Ellis, American Psycho

2.) A Book Published in the 20th Century

“The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe”

Published 1950

by, C.S Lewis

9/10

“Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen of Narnia.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

So for this challenge I had to find a book that was published between January 1, 1901 and December 31, 2000.. which was harder than I thought it would be haha. All the new books I have to read that I’ve gotten lately are all pretty new releases. THEN I remembered the beautiful boxed set of C.S Lewis books I got for Christmas! I have never read “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe” which is ridiculous! What have I even been doing with my life? I feel like every kid has read this book. I knew the basic outline of the story, and that there was a centaur involved somehow (since there is one on the book’s cover).

So obviously this was amazing, and pretty much the most magical thing ever. I loved this so much, and I felt all the childlike enthusiasm for this type of story.. that after reading “American Psycho” I really needed haha. I keep looking at my bedroom wardrobe and wishing it had a magical door to Narnia. The concept is really just the coolest thing, and so unique. I’m so glad I read this. I need to read the rest of the books in the series.

This story is really a grand adventure. The four children Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy find a mysterious wardrobe in the house of the Professor… and through it they can enter the land of Narnia! Once they get there, they meet Aslan the Lion, and the adventure begins!  I can’t wait to read this story to my children one day, it is such a classic. I’m totally going to go and watch the movie tonight.

GoodReads Plot

(They say Aslan is on the move. Perhaps he has already landed,’ whispered the Beaver. Edmund felt a sensation of mysterious horror. Peter felt brave and adventurous. Susan felt as if some delightful strain of music had just floated by. And Lucy got that feeling when you realize it’s the beginning of summer. So, deep in the bewitched land of Narnia, the adventure begins.

They opened a door and entered a world–Narnia–the land beyond the wardrobe, the secret country known only to Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. Lucy is the first to stumble through the back of the enormous wardrobe in the professor’s mysterious old country house, discovering the magic world beyond. At first, no one believes her. But soon Edmund, Peter and Susan, too, discover the magic and meet Aslan, the Great Lion, for themselves. And in the blink of an eye, they are changed forever.)

3.) “Behind Her Eyes”, by Sarah Pinborough

9/10

Why is everyone talking about the ending of Sarah Pinborough’s Behind Her Eyes?

Ok so literally EVERYONE has been talking about the ending of this book. I keep seeing ad’s for it saying “This book is like Fight Club, once you know the ending.. don’t EVER speak about it”. There was so much hype about the CRAZY ENDING, and just over this book in general. It 100% lived up to the hype.

I am afraid to say anything at all about this one, because the real fun of this one.. is going in blind and experiencing it for yourself. It’s basically a book about a marriage, full of secrets and lies.. and an affair/twisted friendship. Just wait.. you will love it.

GoodReads Plot

(Louise is a single mom, a secretary, stuck in a modern-day rut. On a rare night out, she meets a man in a bar and sparks fly. Though he leaves after they kiss, she’s thrilled she finally connected with someone.

When Louise arrives at work on Monday, she meets her new boss, David. The man from the bar. The very married man from the bar…who says the kiss was a terrible mistake but who still can’t keep his eyes off Louise.

And then Louise bumps into Adele, who’s new to town and in need of a friend, but she also just happens to be married to David. David and Adele look like the picture-perfect husband and wife, but then why is David so controlling, and why is Adele so scared of him?

As Louise is drawn into David and Adele’s orbit, she uncovers more puzzling questions than answers. The only thing that is crystal clear is that something in this marriage is very, very wrong, but Louise can’t guess how wrong―and how far a person might go to protect their marriage’s secrets.)

Thanks for reading guys! See you in another two weeks, with my “March Wrap Up: Part 2”

xo. Carly