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this week’s style inspo:
Chaka Khan, because ain’t nobody makes me feel this way.
what I’m clicking:
We should all know less about each other | Inside the real-life Succession drama at Scholastic | Professional bridge has a cheating problem | The art world’s most wanted man | The billionaire druglord ringleader of of a Toronto crime syndicate | “In This House” | Getting out of Q Anon is almost impossible | The great organic food fraud | Nobody in hospitality is replaceable | A serial killer in a senior living community | Here’s a scary Reddit thread about the woods that really made me feel something
what I’m wanderlusting:
The other day I had a dream that I was hang-gliding over some red desert cliffs right next to the ocean (it was very cool) and after doing a bit of google, I found Brazil’s Morro Branco--quite literally the beach of my dreams.
what I’m watching:
I finally started watching Succession. I still don’t *quite* understand why it’s such a cultural phenomenon, but I do enjoy the theme song.
what I’m coveting:
I’d like to stomp my way somewhere fabulous in these witchy punk-victorian pumps.
what i’m recommending:
It was raining in Paris one day when I was there last week and after about five minutes of walking around with my shitty folding umbrella I decided to buy a raincoat--and coincidentally, one I had my eye on was for sale right around the corner from our apartment. I bought it (for about $25 less than it costs in the US!) and I’m obsessed. It’s lightweight and perfect for travel and I feel like it’s chic enough to wear in a place like Paris but utilitarian enough to also bring hiking. My favorite part is that the belt sash is sewn into the coat so you don’t have to worry about losing it.
what I’m reading:
Tash Aw
I can’t resist anything Crazy Rich Asians-adjacent, so naturally I had to read this book. It was good, but it wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be.
Did it make me cry: No.
Did it make me laugh: No.
Would I recommend it: No.
Is it a good pandemic book: No. It’s set in Shanghai supposedly, but it feels like it could be anywhere.
Would I read it again: No.
Would it be a good movie: There’s not really a plot, so a movie would just be a bit pointless.
Paula McClain
I was browsing the book section at my favorite thrift store when I came across this book and was like “what the fuck?” Somehow one of my favorite writers wrote a book in 2021 and I hadn’t heard anything about it. It was a red flag--another red flag was that somebody had donated it while their bookmark was still on the first chapter--but I bought it anyway and dove in. It’s nothing like any of her other books (in a bad way) but I managed to stay up past my bedtime finishing it anyways.
Did it make me cry: No, but it’s incredibly unfunny.
Did it make me laugh: No. I think it’s trying to be very serious and sad. It’s definitely a bummer.
Would I recommend it: Not unless you’re really into murdery thrillers and you need a knock off Tana French?
Is it a good pandemic book: No. It’s hard to get into, the characters are weird and malformed, and then the ending isn’t satisfying at all.
Would I read it again: No.
Would it be a good movie: I would watch the hell out of this movie. Mare of Eastown meets Top of the Lake.
Delphine de Vigan
I wanted to read something trashy and French on my trip to Paris and this was perfect. The book starts out slow--almost excruciatingly so--but there’s a constant tension that you know something is going to happen and when it does, it’s so dramatic and so fast that it feels like the book ends just as things are getting exciting. I’m interested in reading her other books but the translation on this sucked so I probably won’t.
Did it make me cry: No.
Did it make me laugh: No.
Would I recommend it: No, chances are high that you’ll hate it and find it unsatisfying. The ending is… not for everyone.
Is it a good pandemic book: The message of this book is basically “don’t make any new friends” so yeah I’d say it’s perfect for a panini.
Would I read it again: No. Maybe if it gets translated by a native English speaker? I found the ESL too distracting.
Would it be a good movie: This movie would be so good but the ending would make people angry.
Karen McManus
I keep seeing this book everywhere and now that it’s being made into a show, I decided to finally read it. It’s SO fun.
Did it make me cry: No.
Did it make me laugh: No, but I was laughing a little bit on the inside about how bad this writer is at writing teenagers.
Would I recommend it: If you love trashy YA and petty high school dramas, this book is for you.
Is it a good pandemic book: We are all in need of a little high school drama.
Would I read it again: No, but I would read the sequel.
Would it be a good movie: Yes! I’m definitely going to watch this show. It’s like The Breakfast Club meets Jawbreaker.
Marc Levy
Supposedly this is by France’s #1 best selling author but I’m like…. What. It’s so bad, so poorly translated, so dumb and unbelievable and really just a waste of time. Plus, the characters have absolutely NO chemistry, it’s so confusing.
Did it make me cry: No.
Did it make me laugh: No.
Would I recommend it: No.
Is it a good pandemic book: No. Also the weirdest part of the book is that the main character lives in Paris and he drives everywhere. I feel like this author has never been to Paris.
Would I read it again: No.
Would it be a good movie: No.