11/11/2014

What I've Read Lately #2




Recently I've been picking up books that I've always wanted to read and some whose release dates have been eagerly anticipated. It's quite the lineup really. Anyway, here's a look at what I've read/am currently reading. If you ever want to follow what I'm reading you can over on Goodreads.

Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham-I'll be honest, I'm still yet to watch a single episode of Girls but Lena Dunham is someone I admire. And I count myself a fan...This book is more of a series of essays about events and moments in Lena's life. The book is divided up into sections like body, friendship, work and so on. It's hilarious and inspiring. Lena is awesome. End of discussion.

Palo Alto by James Franco-Palo Alto is a series of short stories about "teenage alienation in Suburban America". If you liked The Perks of Being a Wallflower you'd probably enjoy these stories as well. They can be a bit hard hitting at times but I didn't mind that. It'd be interesting to see how this compares to the film because none of the stories really intertwine, they're all very separate. 

Rookie Yearbook 3 by Tavi Gevinson-Now I'm yet to read this properly, it did only arrive yesterday but a quick flick-through did happen. I've read the previous two yearbooks and this one perhaps may just be my favourite of the lot. Aside from features with Ella aka Lorde, Dakota+Elle Fanning and a lot of other awesome, inspirational women there's some photo essays from Eleanor Hardwick, diary entries from Rookie contributors and more to keep us entertained. 

Bridget Jones' Diary by Helen Fielding-So I am a little late to the ol' Jones bandwagon but this was hilarious. I had to stop myself laughing out loud many a time on the train. It's easy to see why so many women could see traces of Bridget in themselves, myself included. The sequel was excellent as well but the third book was a bit disappointing. It is possible to have too much of a good thing sometimes. Anyway, if you've not read the book that started it all you should because it's brilliant.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt-Someone I admire/fangirl over mentioned this book somewhere. It may have been Lorde or Tavi, I don't remember. Anyway, in a bit of an impulsive moment I decided to pick this up and have been slowly making my way through it. The book follows a group of Classics students at a New England university. They're quirky and intellectual but all is not as it seems. You find out at the beginning what major plot twist occurs and the book then takes you back through the events leading up to it. I'm still not finished this book but I will keep you posted once I have because it seems like a lot more is going to happen yet.

*Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them?

12 comments:

  1. I watched Palo Alto on the plane and really didn't like it. It was a bunch of kids from well off families getting into trouble simply because they could and playing poor me. Franco's character in it came off as just an excuse for him to be creepy. And then it just finished. Abruptly. I'd be interested to see how the book compares.

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  2. Oh really? I never got the idea that they were rich from the book, just middle-class teens. It'd be interesting to see it I think because I can't see how it'd work unless all the different characters etc were combined.

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  3. What did you think about the whole Lena Dunham molesting her sister controversy? I haven't read the whole book but I read the section where she talked about it online and found it disturbing.

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  4. I think it's just another thing the media have really taken out of proportion just because of who Lena Dunham is. I read it & thought ok that's a bit weird but I didn't think it meant she assaulted her sister and the rest. Kids do such weird things, many of us just haven't broadcasted it. I just found it all a bit ridiculous really and kinda sad that she felt she had to cancel parts of her book tour because of it.

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  5. I was a really big fan of hers, loved Girls, as it seemed so familiar to me and my friends making our way in our mid 20s but the whole thing really grossed me out. I'm surprised you didn't seem to think it was an issue.

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  6. It was the nonchalance in their destructiveness and in turn the lack of serious outcomes when they committed fairly serious crimes that struck me as a luxury of (sorry to generalise) but 'white kids' from well off (if a bit hands off) families. One kid hit another woman's car and ran off and all he got was community service doing things he liked doing already.


    There were a few disparate threads in terms of the characters so they quite possibly mirrored the book in terms of that. It didn't really have a beginning, middle and end, it just stopped abruptly.

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  7. I really love getting book recommendations, so will have to check a couple of these out! I watch Girls and think it's great, so I'm sure I'll enjoy Lena's. x

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  8. Thanks Nicole! Highly recommend Lena's book. x

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  9. Ooh, Palo Alto sounds interesting! I really want to get my hands on a Rookie Year Book too! x


    www.totalmodisch.blogspot.co.uk

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  10. It's great! Definitely pick up the new Rookie Yearbook. I'm really enjoying it so far x

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  11. Ooh would love to read the Rookie yearbook - looks amazing! Haven't actually read the previous two, should probably get onto that first. x

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  12. You should! The beauty of the Rookie yearbooks is it doesn't really matter what order you read them in too x

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