Hello Again!

It’s time for yet another monthly Wrap-Up. July was a very VERY exciting month for me. I had so much random fun stuff going on, that I am actually amazed that I managed to read…. FIVE BOOKS! I listened to another on Audio-Book, but it wasn’t really worth mentioning, so I’ll stick to the five physical books I read <3

Not only was July an amazing Reading Month… but it was also an incredible month for Movies/TV Shows/ Concerts/ Podcasts, etc. I’ll catch you guys up with all my recent favs!

xo,

Carly.

So as always, lets get RIGHT into it…

TV SHOWS

July has been a seriously spectacular month for TV. It was so hard to narrow it down, but here are my monthly favs…

1.) “Ozark”

10/10

Netflix Original/ Crime-Mystery-“Breaking Bad-Ish” Thriller

I knew as soon as I saw the trailer for “Ozark”, that it was going to be incredible. I have always loved Jason Bateman, and I’ve been loving seeing him take on more “dramatic” roles lately. Last year’s movie “The Gift” was SO gripping and amazing, and we really saw another side to Jason Bateman. His lead role in “Ozark” is very very dark as well.

“Ozark” is a Netlix Original show, and this is it’s first season. WHAT a debut! Seriously one of the best shows I’ve seen in years and years.. since “Breaking Bad”. “Ozark” has a very “Breaking Bad” vibe to it as well.

This is the story of a financial advisor (Bateman), who gets WAY too deep involved in some serious drug-cartel problems. He is forced to move with his family, to the Ozarks (Missouri), and deal with some horrifying/awful/wild situations. The Ozark’s are absolutely stunning, and I loved all the scenic shots as well. The character of “Ruth”, played by the young actress Julia Garner, was a huge standout as well. She is an incredible actress, and she blew me away in this. That being said, all the characters were very well developed, and VERY well acted.

I really don’t want to say much else, because this show fires out twists a mile a minute. Let me just tell you, this is one of the most well-acted, tense, and outstanding thriller/drama shows I’ve seen in so long. I loved every single second of this, and I will be holding my breath until they announce a Season Two.

 

2.) “Friends From College”

7/10

Netflix/Comedy

“Friends From College” is another recent Netflix Original. Netflix is really killing it these days, and releasing some extremely great content. In fact, two of my “Best Movie” picks for this month, are Netflix Originals as well haha. Okay, enough about how much I love Netflix.. and on to my Review of this one.

When I saw the poster/trailer for this show, I was interested right away.. because of Fred Savage! He is not only a child star I used to love, but he also Directed/was heavily involved in one of my all-time favorite Comedy shows “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”. Basically, I trust his taste in Comedy 100%, and I assumed that if he decided to star in this one (along with the hilarious Keegan-Michael Key, of “Key and Peele”, as well as Cobie Smulders from “How I Met Your Mother”) that it must be funny, and worth a look.

I’m so glad I gave this one a chance, it was a very solid first season.. full of drama, some hilarious moments, and a TON of great actors. I did have a few issues with some of the story-lines… one in particular just left a bad taste in my mouth. This one particular thing (I won’t give any spoilers) was very repetitive and felt a bit like “UHHH lets drop this”, but that is a small con, within a HUGE list of pro’s. I really loved this show, and Fred Savage was HILARIOUS! He was honestly SO funny, he actually made me laugh out loud several times.. especially in those “tennis scenes”.

Anyways, it was worth a look for sure. Not the greatest new show, but a very solid one nonetheless.

 3.) “The Sinner”

9/10

Thriller/Based on a Book/New Show on USA/Episode One Review

Oh my GOD was this a great pilot! I haven’t seen Jessica Biel in anything in years, not since her 7th Heaven days haha. The only times I ever read or hear anything about her nowadays, is in relation to her marriage to Justin Timberlake. I wasn’t even sure if she was acting anymore… but I am SO thankful that she is.

If I’m being honest, I’ve never really been a huge fan of hers, and I never found her to be that great of an Actress.. but after watching this pilot I’ve completely changed my mind. She was SO AMAZING in this you guys… honestly so great.

I knew nothing about this show going into it, and I just randomly came across the first episode last week. I know I technically watched the first episode on “August 2nd”, so not QUITE in my July-Wrap-Up realm, but I’ll let this one little cheat sneak through, just because I can’t wait another month to tell you guys about it.

Apparently this show is based on a popular Psychological Thriller book, which I’ve never heard of! Thrillers are my favorite genre, so I will have to check out this book as well.

I’m not sure here how much to give away about the episode… because on one hand the trailer shows you exactly what happens in the episode, and I don’t think it’s necessarily a “spoiler”, but I went into it completely blind.. and I was SHOCKED by what happened about 10 minutes into the episode. I was SO shocked I actually screamed out loud, and woke Ryan up at like 2 am. So I think you guys should just go into this one blind.. don’t watch the trailer, don’t read up on it.. just go for it. It’s more fun that way!

Episode 2 is on tonight, I can’t WAIT to see what happens next!

Also PS, Bill Pullman who played the Dad “Doctor James Harvey” in the Devon Sawa/Christina Ricci “Casper” movie… is the Detective in this one! I always had a huge crush on him, which I think is maybe kind of weird of me? Whatever. I always loved his voice. Anyways, I’m loving him in this one too haha.

4.) “Game of Thrones”

Season 7

10/10!!!!!

I don’t think I need to even get into this one, because you guys know I’m completely obsessed with everything/anything “Game of Thrones”. I went blonde because of this show, I have an entire bookshelf dedicated to “Game of Thrones” books/toys/etc. So I am very very biased, and also very very deep into the series, so I can’t give much of a review/recap.. just because I don’t want to spoil the show for anyone who’s just starting it up.

I will tell you however, that this might be the BEST season yet. Every episode is so epic, with SO much going on.. it’s almost like a mini-movie each week. I will be so heartbroken for this show to end next year. What will I do without it?

MOVIES

And now on to the best Movies I watched this month!

1.) “To The Bone”

8/10

Netflix Original/ Drama/ Eating Disorder Story/Recovery Story

Before this film was even released on Netflix last month, there was a ton of controversy surrounding it. Eating Disorders/Anorexia etc.. is a topic that is largely avoided in Hollywood films. There aren’t that many movies, that deal with the subject matter directly. Some people feel it can trigger those suffering, or that the movies end up becoming something of a “how-to” guide for young girls and boys. As soon as the trailer for this film was released, the “backlash” began quite heavily. Critics were saying the film was “glamorizing anorexia”, and that the images were triggering etc etc. Ever since the release of the hotly debated “13 Reasons Why”, people have been sort of on this bandwagon of what’s appropriate to show on Netflix, and whats not.

After watching this film, I can honestly say I don’t think this movie glamorized her illness at ALL, and if anything I found it to be a very honest and well done portrayal of the situation. Lily Collins is a fantastic actress, and she was so fantastic in this role, that you get completely lost in her story. Keanu Reeves was also great, as her therapist.. and it was so much fun to see him in a dramatic role.

Overall I think this movie received a ton of negative press, that I don’t think it ended up deserving. The film was very well done, and in my opinion they seemed to have handled all the sensitive imagery/situations in a great way. I can understand how this movie might be triggering to someone struggling with an eating disorder, so please take note of that if you are struggling, and you are thinking of watching this one.

2.) “Okja”

10/10

Neflix Original/ Drama

This movie was absolutely heartbreaking. From beginning to end, it was just gut-wrenching to watch. Such a beautifully shot film, and the director Bong Joon Ho has received SO much praise for this film already.

This is the story of a young girl in South Korea, who has been raising Okja a “super pig” for her entire life. The film opens showing the two of them playing in the woods, and it really shows the intense bond between them. Then the film takes a turn, and we begin to see how Okja was created, and we learn more about the “Super Pig Contest”. The Mirando Corporation is the company behind all of this, and they sent out 26 Super Pigs, and the one crowned the “Winner” will be chosen…. And lets just say it’s not for anything good. You can probably guess where this story is going, but you can’t prepare yourself for how upsetting this film actually is.

Amazing, and brilliantly done, but so heartbreaking.

(Here is a more detailed plot outline, from Google. For 10 idyllic years, young Mija has been caretaker and constant companion to Okja – a massive animal and an even bigger friend – at her home in the mountains of South Korea. But that changes when family-owned, multinational conglomerate Mirando Corporation takes Okja for themselves and transports her to New York, where an image-obsessed and self-promoting CEO has big plans for Mija’s dearest friend. With no particular plan but single-minded in intent, Mija sets out on a rescue mission.)

3.) “Last Vegas”

10/10

Netflix/Comedy

Okay so on a lighter note, this movie was such a random choice for me. A few weeks ago I just decided I needed to watch something funny and mindless.. and here I went. This movie was WAY better than I imagined it would be, and it was actually so hilarious and had SO much heart to it.

First off the CAST is epic. Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, and Kevin Kline… I love every single one of those actors so much, and mixing them all together in a wild “Senior Citizens Take A Wild Romp in Vegas” film.. was just magic. I loved this so much, and it was such a sleeper for me. I’d never even really heard of this one.

This was exactly what I needed after watching those two great, but depressing other movies I told you guys about. I loved watching these guys roam around Vegas, for Michael Douglas’s character’s Bachelor Party. This movie was like “The Hangover”, if they filmed the hangover when the characters were all in their late 70’s.

Highly recommend <3

Before I move on to my fav “Podcasts” of the month, I had to briefly mention a random jewelry purchase.. inspired by one of my fav TV Show picks of the month.. “Ozark”.

While I was watching Ozark, I kept noticing Laura Linney’s earrings. She plays Jason Bateman’s wife in this show, and in every episode she had on these very chic minimalist style earrings. I was so obsessed with them, that I actually went out on a mission to find them for myself. I’ll attach a few photos of the ones I managed to find. Pretty close match! Love them so much, haha. Just a little random tidbit for you guys, in case I’m not the only insane person who noticed Laura Linney’s EARRINGS haha.

PODCASTS

I have been on such a Podcast kick this year. I’ve been just devouring any and every Podcast I can find. I really love the Investigative/ True Crime/ Cold Case style ones.. which should be no surprise, given the books I always read haha.

It’s super hard to narrow it down here, but I’ll let you know about the two best ones I’ve been into during July.

1.) “Someone Knows Something”

7/10

I started this one, coming right off the heels of “S-Town”, which is the podcast I became completely obsessed with in June. My standards had been raised to a level, that I don’t know if any other Podcast can get to. I decided to give this one a chance, and I really enjoyed it. It starts off a bit slow, but really picks up during the middle.

I don’t really want to say too much, and spoil too much, but I think Season 2 of this Podcast might be more exciting than this Season 1 was. I enjoyed it, but I was left feeling a bit disappointed.

This is the story of a “Cold-Case” meaning an unsolved mystery/murder/disappearance that happened almost FORTY years ago. The narrator of the Podcast, goes back to the town he grew up in, to basically re-investigate this “Missing’s Persons” case that was never solved. A young boy named Adrian disappeared one day, during a fishing trip almost FORTY years ago, and was never found. No leads, no footprints, no hints.. no nothing. Our narrator manages to make some pretty interesting finds, and it’s a very interesting story. A bit anti-climatic if I’m honest, but overall pretty decent.

 2.) “Up and Vanished”

10/10

THIS WAS AMAZING. Firstly, the Narrator of this Podcast, Payne Lindsey.. has one of the greatest “radio voices” I’ve ever heard. His voice, and his narration is instantly GRIPPING. He’s so funny, a bit odd, and overall just incredible smart and on-point.

This is another “Cold-Case Investigative” style Podcast.. Payne Lindsey decides to go out on his own and look into the un-solved disappearance of former Beauty Queen Tara Grinstead. Her case is a fascinating one, with so many new leads, and so much hidden information.

This is hands down one of the greatest podcasts I’ve ever listened to, and I’m not alone in this thought. It has been widely praised, and it even has a LiveShow Tour going on right now, that you can get tickets for. Here is the blurb from their Official Website, I’ll attach it below for you guys.

 (‘UP AND VANISHED’ IS AN INVESTIGATIVE PODCAST THAT EXPLORES THE UNSOLVED DISAPPEARANCE OF GEORGIA BEAUTY QUEEN AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER, TARA GRINSTEAD, AN 11-YEAR-OLD MYSTERY THAT IS THE LARGEST CASE FILE IN GEORGIA’S HISTORY. FOLLOW ALONG AS HOST PAYNE LINDSEY, A DOCUMENTARIAN TURNED AMATEUR INVESTIGATOR, EXAMINES OLD CASE EVIDENCE, RE-INTERVIEWS PERSONS OF INTEREST, AND UNCOVERS NEW LEADS, WHILE GUIDING LISTENERS THROUGH HIS REAL TIME INVESTIGATION. A RECENT BREAK IN THE CASE MAY HAVE GIVEN US MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWER, AND THE MAIN QUESTION STILL REMAINS… WHAT HAPPENED TO TARA GRINSTEAD?)

And now right before I get into the FIVE outstanding books that I read in July, let me just quickly mention some other July hi-lights.

The Ed Sheeran Concert// This was one of the best nights of my life. Such an incredible show, wow. He is an unreal artist, and he is SO amazing life. I went with my Sister and my Boyfriend Ryan, and it was the most fun night ever. We had dinner at a local Gastown Caribbean food place, called “Calabash” and it was wonderful.

And now onto….

THE BOOKS

July was a great Reading Month for me, and I am really excited to say that all 5 of the Books I read, I absolutely loved. So in no particular order… here they are.

1.) “Fierce Kingdom”

By, Gin Phillips

9/10

Thriller/Action/Crime

“You cannot know a wild thing.” 
― Gin Phillips, Fierce Kingdom

This book has been getting tons and tons of hype, with everyone saying it’s the “thriller of the Summer”, which convinced me to buy it right away, with barely a glance at the plot blurb. When I got it home, and finally read the plot summary, I got CHILLS I was so excited to read this.

The story is described as being about a Mother and her child Lincoln, who are spending the day at the Zoo. They are about to leave, right before the Zoo closes… and coming around the corner towards the entrance of the Zoo.. the Mother sees something that stops her dead in her tracks.. and sends her and her son RUNNING back into the depths of the Zoo. The next 200 pages or so are literally a race for their lives, and it’s horrifying.

I don’t want to spoil for you guys what it is that she “sees”, but trust me it’s every Mothers… and every non-Mother’s worst nightmare. I read this entire book in one anxious sitting, and I bit off ALL of my new gel manicure. It was a very stressful read, and I absolutely loved it.

A few parts were a bit slow, but they were almost welcomed, given the intense pace of the rest of the story.

Loved this one so much, make sure to check this out!

As always, I’ll attach the GoogleBooks Plot Summary As Well, In Case You Want To Check it Out!

(“Warning: you’ll finish this in one sitting.”

“Expertly made thriller . . . clever and irresistible.” —The New York Times

An electrifying novel about the primal and unyielding bond between a mother and her son, and the lengths she’ll go to protect him.

The zoo is nearly empty as Joan and her four-year-old son soak up the last few moments of playtime. They are happy, and the day has been close to perfect. But what Joan sees as she hustles her son toward the exit gate minutes before closing time sends her sprinting back into the zoo, her child in her arms. And for the next three hours—the entire scope of the novel—she keeps on running.)
 
Joan’s intimate knowledge of her son and of the zoo itself—the hidden pathways and under-renovation exhibits, the best spots on the carousel and overstocked snack machines—is all that keeps them a step ahead of danger.

A masterful thrill ride and an exploration of motherhood itself—from its tender moments of grace to its savage power—Fierce Kingdom asks where the boundary is between our animal instinct to survive and our human duty to protect one another. For whom should a mother risk her life?

2.) “The Psychopath Test”

By, Jon Ronson

Non-Fiction

10/10

“Suddenly, madness was everywhere, and I was determined to learn about the impact it had on the way society evolves. I’ve always believed society to be a fundamentally rational thing, but what if it isn’t? What if it is built on insanity?” 
— Jon Ronson (The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry)

This is hands down the MOST interesting Non-Fiction book I have ever read. Jon Ronson is a very famous British Journalist, Writer, Screen-Writer & Radio Presenter. He wrote “Men Who Stare at Goats”, and “So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed?”, both of which I loved.

In this one, he delves into the world of Psychopaths. From the Serial Killers, to the Cults… to the Wall-Street CEO’S.. and just down every imaginable road you can go with this subject matter. I can’t even tell you how interesting this was.

I have always been fascinated by Psychopaths.. what makes someone one? What are the characteristics of one? Whats the difference between a Sociopath and a Psychopath? This book goes into so much detail about all of that, and I tore through this in days.

He interviews so many people, many of them “Psychopaths”, and to read his firsthand observations.. of their manipulations, and to see the inner-workings of a Psychopath’s brain, was fucking FASCINATING.

I kept thinking the entire time while I was reading this… oh GOD am I a Psychopath? How will I know? Am I one??!?! And then I came across this little blurb in the middle of the book, and it really put my worries to rest, haha.

“At the end of our conversation she turned to address YOU, the reader. She said if you’re beginning to feel worried that you may be a Psychopath, if you recognize some of those traits in yourself, if you’re feeling a creeping anxiety about it, that means you are NOT one.”

 Jon Ronson is a brilliant writer, and he is seriously so brave for going and interviewing these people.. for asking the hard questions. I can’t wait to read more from him soon.

I’ll attach the plot blurb from GoogleBooks here too, because once you read the blurb, I’m pretty sure you will all want to read this as well.

(In this madcap journey, a bestselling journalist investigates psychopaths and the industry of doctors, scientists, and everyone else who studies them. 

The Psychopath Test is a fascinating journey through the minds of madness. Jon Ronson’s exploration of a potential hoax being played on the world’s top neurologists takes him, unexpectedly, into the heart of the madness industry. An influential psychologist who is convinced that many important CEOs and politicians are, in fact, psychopaths teaches Ronson how to spot these high-flying individuals by looking out for little telltale verbal and nonverbal clues. And so Ronson, armed with his new psychopath-spotting abilities, enters the corridors of power. He spends time with a death-squad leader institutionalized for mortgage fraud in Coxsackie, New York; a legendary CEO whose psychopathy has been speculated about in the press; and a patient in an asylum for the criminally insane who insists he’s sane and certainly not a psychopath. 

Ronson not only solves the mystery of the hoax but also discovers, disturbingly, that sometimes the personalities at the helm of the madness industry are, with their drives and obsessions, as mad in their own way as those they study. And that relatively ordinary people are, more and more, defined by their maddest edges.)

3.) “Bad Mommy”

By, Tarryn Fisher

8/10

“I see you getting things you don’t deserve, living it up. It fucking sucks. I feel resentful because I deserve it more than you do. I could be a better you,” 
― Tarryn Fisher, Bad Mommy

Okay so this book was a complete wild-card, random little choice. A girl I watch on Book-Tube, was saying how much she LOVED this.. and how it was very reminiscent of “You” by Caroline Kepnes (which is one of my all-time Top 10 fav books). I love books about stalkers, especially a story with a “Single White Female” vibe. I couldn’t find this book ANYWHERE, so I just bought it on iBooks, and read it on my iPhone.

This book was so much fun. I wouldn’t say it’s going to win any Literary Prizes for Fiction of the Year or anything.. but I really loved it all the same.

Regardless, I do think she is a talented writer, and she certainly knows how to write a stalker-thriller. I was SO creeped out by this story! It’s told in three parts “The Psychopath”, “The Sociopath”, and “The Writer”. Each point of view was so interesting, and I loved all the characters. This book reminded me a bit of that TV Show “The Affair” in the way that sometimes, when you recall a memory…. you might change details one little way or another.. and then end up having a slightly different story to someone else. For example, if two people were asked to recall a certain event.. they might both describe it in a similar way, but with subtle differences. The subtle differences in this were SO great, and I loved seeing the characters exposed, and I loved seeing who was lying about what etc etc. It was almost like reading three peoples diaries.

The story is basically about a woman named Fig, who becomes obsessed with a woman and her family. She then proceeds to STALK this family, to a terrifying degree.. and she then BUYS THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR TO THEM. The story really picks up from there, as Fig works her way into their lives, their marriage… etc. It has a very “The Hand that Rocks the Cradle” vibe as well.

We then go on to see the story from the perspective of the Wife and the Husband who are being stalked by Fig, and we really find out that appearances are NOT what they always seem.. especially online.

I loved how this book approached the whole Social-Media world that we all live in these days. It had a lot of terrifying stalker-moments.. which were heavily involved with using Instagram.. which I loved reading about. Very meta.

The ending of this book was NOT what I was expecting, and I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited to go on GoodReads and see what everyone was saying about this book immediately after I finished it. It’s one of those books you NEED to discuss with somebody that’s read it as well.. so if any of you have read “Bad Mommy” please reach out to me, and lets get into it haha.

4.) “Thin”

By, Lauren Greenfield 

8/10

I first heard about Lauren Greenfield, and her book of Photography & Interviews “Thin”, when I watched the HBO Documentary. The Documentary is also called “Thin”, and it shows life inside the Renfrew Treatment Centre, for girls of all ages, with all types of Eating Disorders. This Documentary was very hard to watch, but was a powerful and important story.

This book, is the companion to the movie. Lauren Greenfield lived at the treatment centre with these girls, for months and months, and photographed them in many types of situations. Her photography is so outstanding, and she has such a beautiful eye for Photographic Journalism. Her photos tell a story, and she really captures the raw emotion of the moments. From meal-times, to sessions, weigh-in’s, meetings.. and every moment in between. She interviews these girls, and you get to hear all of their individual stories as well. A heartbreaking, but very powerful read.

This book has some very triggering photos of self-harm, anorexia, and many other things such as disturbing diary entries, etc. So be warned if you are interested in reading this one.

(Google-Books Plot Sumary

Critically acclaimed for Girl Culture and Fast Forward, Lauren Greenfield continues her exploration of contemporary female culture with Thin, a groundbreaking book about eating disorders. Greenfield’s photographs are paired with extensive interviews and journal entries from twenty girls and women who are suffering from various afflictions. We meet 15-year-old Brittany, who is convinced that being thin is the only way to gain acceptance among her peers; Alisa, a divorced mother of two whose hatred of her body is manifested in her relentless compulsion to purge; Shelly, who has been battling anorexia for six years and has had a feeding tube surgically implanted in her stomach; as well as many others. Alongside these personal stories are essays on the sociology and science of eating disorders by renowned researchers Joan Jacobs Brumberg, Dr. David Herzog, and Dr. Michael Strober. These intimate photographs, frank voices, and thoughtful discussions combine to make Thin not only the first book of its kind but also a portrait of profound understanding.)

5.) “Things We Have in Common”

By, Tasha Kavanagh

10/10

“Reader beware: You”ll think you know what”s happening, and you”ll think you see what”s coming next… But you”ll be very, very wrong.”

If I HAD to pick a favorite for this month, it would have to be this one. This book was a little sleeper of a read, that completely knocked me on my ass. I hardly ever take books out of the Library, just because I own way too many that I’m trying to get to.. and I ALWAYS forget to return my Library Books.. and then end up with a delinquent charge haha. I was just randomly killing time at my local Library, and I saw this book, and I saw the absolutely RAVE reviews for it all over the back cover… so I just went for it.

I loved every single word of this book. It was so utterly creepy and twisted, it got right under my skin and I don’t think I can EVER shake that ENDING.

This is the story of a young girl named Yasmin, who is overweight, has no friends, and lives a very lonely life. She is obsessed with the beautiful popular girl in her class, called Alice… and her obsession with her runs deep. Like she has a box in her room, with a granola bar wrapper that Alice once touched…. No judgement here however, I used to be a little high-school nerd as well, and I’m sure I was obsessed with the “cool girls” too.

One day she notices a man watching Alice from the outskirts of the playground, and she can tell this man is planning something. He is there day after day, just creepily watching. Yasmin gets the idea that she will SAVE Alice from this man, and Alice will be ever so grateful/be her friend etc. Then the story takes a shocking shocking turn. Yasmin ends up meeting this man instead… and if I told you what happens next you wouldn’t even believe me.

This book was INSANE. I loved it so much. It was deeply disturbing and SO creepy. The character development was A+ in this. The story is told in entirely second person, and it’s very haunting. The “You” she is referring to, while she tells the story.. is this man she thinks might kidnap Alice.

Please please read this. If you have ever felt like an outcast even once in your life, you will relate SO hard to Yasmin. I know I did.

I’ve never been so shocked by an ending to a book. SO WILD.

I’m going to buy this one in Hardcover, because I need to own this.

(Indigo Website Book Plot Summary

Read the novel The New York Times named “[a] perfectly orchestrated girl‐who‐cried‐wolf thriller.” “Could be the next Gone Girl success story.”—Independent (UK) Reader beware: You”ll think you know what”s happening, and you”ll think you see what”s coming next… But you”ll be very, very wrong.  Fifteen‐year‐old Yasmin Doner is a social misfit—obese, obsessive and deemed a freak by her peers at school. With her father dead and her mother in a new relationship, Yasmin yearns for a sense of belonging, finding comfort only in food and the fantasy of being close to Alice Taylor, a girl at school. Yasmin will do anything to become friends with pretty and popular Alice—even if Alice, like everyone else, thinks she”s a freak .  When Yasmin notices a sinister‐looking man watching Alice from the school fence, she sees a way of finally winning Alice”s affection—because how this stranger is staring is far more than just looking, it”s wanting . Because this stranger, Yasmin believes, is going to take Alice. Yasmin decides to find out more about this man so that when he does take Alice, Yasmin will be the only one who knows his name and where he lives…the only one who can save her.   But as Yasmin discovers more about him, her affections begin to shift. Perhaps she was wrong about him. Perhaps she doesn”t need Alice after all.  And then Alice vanishes.)

Thank you guys for reading, and I will see you soon with another Blog post all about my most recent adventure on Gambier Island!

July was an incredible month, with so many books and wild adventures. I can’t wait for August! Hopefully I’m as lucky this month as I was the last <3

Love,

Carly.

xo.

(All Photography @ Carly Ingram Photography 2017)

(With the Exception Of: Photos used when talking about Movies, Tv & Podcasts, are all from Google Images. All photos of me, scenery, and books are my own.)

“There is no evidence that we’ve been placed on this planet to be especially happy or especially normal. And in fact our unhappiness and our strangeness, our anxieties and compulsions, those least fashionable aspects of our personalities, are quite often what lead us to do rather interesting things.” 
— Jon Ronson (The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry)