Showing posts with label Wild. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wild. Show all posts
1/06/2016
Favourite Reads of 2015: Part Two
2015 may be done and dusted but judging by the state of my subscription boxes, the favourite declarations are nowhere near over. Today I'm finishing up my favourite reads for 2015. There's a fair few YA novels in the mix and also some of the best, diverse memoirs I have read in a long time. Enjoy!
Am I Normal Yet by Holly Bourne, not pictured-This was a library book, hence the lack of photographic evidence that it was read but trust me, it was! Am I Normal Yet is another book that explores the topic of mental illness, this time anxiety along with obsessive compulsive disorder and to an extent, depression. I remember really enjoying this and found myself identifying with aspects of this story as well as my own high school experience. There's something very special about Holly's writing, I have read two of her books now and I highly recommend you give them a read.
Wild by Cheryl Strayed-I really wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I did but I loved it. Given I know next to nothing about tramping and the American outdoors I've found it extremely interesting. Cheryl Strayed sets out to hike the Pacific Crest Trail in an attempt to rediscover herself and reflect on the last few years of her life, since her mother's passing. It's a true story which makes it all the more amazing and inspiring. The movie is just as good as the book too.
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell-From memory this was one of the first books I read last year but I remember soaring through it because it was such an addicting, captivating read. Set in the eighties, minus all those pop culture stereotypes we know and love, it tells the story of two teenaged outcasts whose paths cross on the school bus. They bond over a love of mixtapes and comic books and the rest as they say is history.
Reckoning by Magda Szubanski*-There were quite a few memoirs read by me last year which isn't that surprising given it's one of my favourite genres. Magda's book explores two key threads of her life; her Dad's polish upbringing and involvement in WW2 and her sexuality. In among that there is snippets about how she became one of Australia's most-loved comediennes. It's one of the most interesting, insightful memoirs I've read in a long time and it was one of those books I couldn't put down from the beginning. Forget what you know about Magda already, there is so much more to her.
Submarine by Joe Dunthorne, not pictured-Thanks to Emma for going on about this book+movie because it got me intrigued and this ended up being one of my favourite books of the year. Dunthorne's writing reminds me a lot of Nick Hornby which is a good thing, obviously. Submarine tells the story of Oliver Tate, a British high school student in the midst of his GCSE's and on the path to understanding the complexities of the teenage girl brain, or in his case, Jordana's mind. Each chapter is constructed as a diary-like entry so it's a quick read. This book is so hilarious though and at times a bit sad but the dialogue and Oliver's thought process were so entertaining to discover. I highly recommend you give this one a read if you haven't already done so.
You Deserve A Drink by Mamrie Hart-I really have Joan Rivers and Grace Helbig to thank for the discovery of Mamrie Hart. She's one entertaining lady and she makes a rather extraordinary cocktail, if her videos are anything to go by. You Deserve A Drink is presented as a book of boozy misadventures and tales of debauchery. To accompany each story there's a cocktail so if you wanted you could become the Julie and Julia equivalent of cocktail creation. Drink responsibly kids. I'm really looking forward to starting this and am expecting hilarity.
-Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them?
*Review Copy
3/25/2015
March Favourites
It's that time again! March's Favourites are here and for once I didn't have to think too much about what I was going to include. These beauty and body products have all been standouts for the last couple of months and I can imagine many a repurchase happening when they do eventually run out. There's also a token book in there for good measure and a giveaway! The general gist of that is in the video but I'll write it out again.
Giveaway Details:
-Open to NZ residents only. If you're under 18, please get permission to enter this first as I'll need your postal address if you win.
-Be in to win either the Raspberry Harvest Shower Gel* or Raspberry Harvest Body Butter* from The Body Shop.
-To enter, leave me a comment down below telling me which you'd like to win. Be sure to leave a Twitter handle/email address so I can contact you if you win.
-This giveaway will remain open for one week and will close next Wednesday 01/04. Good luck!
*Giveaway prizes provided.
3/10/2015
March Reading List
Another month, another lineup of books. There's a bit of everything here; memoirs, the weirdest book I've ever read, another from the Hornby archives and of course some YA fiction. All the things I look for in my literary adventures. Here's what I'm reading in March...
Wild by Cheryl Strayed-I really wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I have but I love it. Given I know next to nothing about tramping and the American outdoors I've found it extremely interesting. Cheryl Strayed sets out to hike the Pacific Crest Trail in an attempt to rediscover herself and reflect on the last few years of her life, since her mother's passing. It's a true story which makes it all the more amazing and inspiring. I'm not quite finished this yet as I've found myself dragging it out, but don't be surprised if this is my book of the month.
About A Boy by Nick Hornby-I'm still reading Nick Hornby's book about books that I touched on last month but this is next on my list. If you've seen the movie, you'll know that this story follows Will, a 30-something single, unemployed and too hip for his own good kind of guy. He crosses paths with Marcus, a twelve year old looking after his mother and possessing eccentric music taste. I really enjoyed the movie adapted from this book so I'm looking forward to reading the novel.
A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall-This story, told from multiple perspectives follows the unfolding love story of two young adults who meet in a creative writing class. *insert heart emojis here*. This just sounds so sweet and according to Goodreads, it's perfect for fans of John Green and Rainbow Rowell. I will keep you posted..
The First Bad Man by Miranda July-Where to begin with this book... My familiarity with Miranda July begun 2/3 years ago when she did a project where you'd receive an email conversation from a famous face, like Lena Dunham into your inbox. I wasn't really sure what to expect but I'd been told this would be unlike anything else I'd read, and it was. This book tells the story of Cheryl, a middle-aged singleton who works for a company that produces self defense videos. She finds herself lumbered with her boss's twenty-something daughter who has gone off the rails. They have a rather bizarre relationship, to say the least. You'll have to read this to find out what else happens but this book was bizarre and at times grotesque. I nearly abandoned this but felt obliged to finish it. It has to be one of the weirdest things I have ever read but that made it all the more of an addicting read.
*Have you read any of these books? If not, what have you been reading lately? I'd love some recommendations.
2/17/2015
Another Book Haul
I'm back on good ol' YouTube. It's been a while, and there's a little bit of an explanation in the video about that. Today I thought I'd kick things off with a book haul. I'm a bit awkward on camera in this one (soz guys) but hopefully I'll get back into this vlogging thing soon because quite frankly, I have missed it. If you have any recommendations at all please leave them in the comments on my video or under this post. I find coming up with video ideas much harder than I do writing blog posts so your suggestions are always helpful. Enjoy, and I'll see you all tomorrow with another beauty post.
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