Book Club: Beautiful Ruins

photo above contains small excerpt from 'Someday, Someday Maybe' by Lauren Graham. Check out my post on that one here.

A few weeks ago, I was going through the vast space that is the internet and rediscovered Lauren Conrad’s Summer Reading post. I scrolled through all of the book options, adding each one to my Amazon wishlist. One that I was able to get on my Kindle through the library was Jess Walter's “Beautiful Ruins.” Boy did I love this book!

Image: here

Overall, it is a love story that takes place on an Italian coastal port. The characters are a mix of fictional and real (actor Richard Burton has a substantial role and Liz Taylor is mentioned over and over.) The story is set in the 1960s during the time that the film Cleopatra--starring both Burton and Taylor--is in production in Rome. Another actress from the film, Dee Moray, is sent away to a village on the coast while she is recovering from an illness (this is a huge conflict itself in the book, but I won’t ruin it for you!) There she spends a few days in the Hotel Adequate View owned by a young man named Pasquale who cannot help but fall for her beauty. Her stay, however, doesn’t last very long due to some very Hollywood scandals.

In this novel, the time period and setting are constantly changing from chapter to chapter--most take place in Italy in 1962 and present day Los Angeles where Pasquale has traveled all these years later to find Dee Moray. This changing is not a bad thing, I found. I think it allowed the author to really cover all her bases with character backstories and allow the audience to really learn about what all these characters have had to go through over time and what makes them the way they are. I thought that despite all the time travel, the book still maintained fluidity and made perfect sense to me. I would definitely recommend “Beautiful Ruins” by Jess Walter.

<3 Ashley

Will you read “Beautiful Ruins?” What books are on your reading list?

I Know I'm A Little Late...

Photo: here

Remember in my post about Letters to Juliet when I told you that I am the worst at keeping up with pop culture and staying on top of new releases? Well I have finally gotten around to really listening to Taylor Swift’s album “Red.” [read: now I’ve listened to more than “We Are Never Getting Back Together”] Anyway, what usually happens with me and Taylor Swift is that I will listen to an album for awhile and get a little tired of some of the songs--the kind of whine-y ones. However, I can honestly say that I love each and every song on this album.

My favorites are “All Too Well” and “The Last Time” which is a duet with the singer of Snow Patrol, Gary Lightbody. Overall, I think that there is a more grown-up vibe on this album than on any of her others; but that’s just me. “Red” also feels less country to me and enters more into the realm of pop which doesn’t really bother me (hey! she can do whatever she wants!) I have been listening to it a lot on my way too and from work; I find it to be a good one to drive to. I am disappointed that I won’t be able to catch her on the “Red” tour this summer since I’ve heard very good things about it and I enjoy this album so much. I definitely give “Red” two very enthusiastic thumbs up! (Clueless reference…I honestly cannot stop myself!)

<3 Ashley

What are your thoughts on “Red?” Will you/have you seen Taylor’s tour this summer?

Review: Revenge Wears Prada

Image: here

At the end of Lauren Weisberger's "Devil Wears Prada" we saw Andrea Sachs leave Runway and its tyrannical editor Miranda Priestly in Paris and begin a bit of her own freelance writing in hopes of being published in The New Yorker. "Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns" opens a decade later as Andy exchanges vows with her love Max (read: not Adrien Grenier or Simon Baker) Andy and Emily--remember Miranda's first assistant--have launched a wedding magazine The Plunge.

There is a lot going on in this story--wedding, business, baby, all sorts of relationships--but what I assumed to be the big conflict does not actually rear its head until well into the book. Elias-Clark, the publishing company that Runway operates under has interests in acquiring The Plunge which would doom Andy to working under Miranda again who is head publishing editor or something.

In my opinion, the book was not at all horrible; it was just a tad predictable. The character of Andy also annoyed me more as the book progressed, often coming of as short-sighted and a bit irrational. I thought that the first book was much better, but obviously I'm not going to tell you to read this book or not. I just had some difficulty thinking the same way as the story's protagonist.

<3 Ashley

Are you a fan of "Devil Wears Prada?" Have you read this sequel? What are your thoughts?

Review: David Bowie "Where Are We Now?"

I cannot say that I have been completely immersed in his music (I was born in '94! I have a lot of music to catch up on.) but I have heard a few of David Bowie's material. From what I understand, he has not been as active in the music industry for awhile. Recently, however, he did release a brand new single titled "Where Are We Now?" I'd heard about the song from Twitter and thought that it would be interesting to listen to since his music is certainly very different from what is on the radio today. I wanted to see how his style had held up.

The verdict? I love the song! I went right to Spotify and added it to my library. The song is very haunting in my opinion. The style really isn't too close from what I have heard of him, but I love the way the song moves and the lyrics. I think this is a great way for a great artist to come back onto the stage. I highly suggest that you, at least, give it a listen!

<3 Ashley

Will you listen to this song? Have you heard it already? Thoughts?

Review: The Carrie Diaries

Good evening, good morning (wherever you are!) Here it is very early morning, 12:45 to be exact. Just wrapped up some homework and thought that I would weigh in on a show that I must admit, I have been waiting for: The Carrie Diaries.

As a viewer of its predecessor, Sex and the City, I was interested to see how true to the life of Carrie Bradshaw the show would be. From watching this first episode I can tell you...not very! If I remember correctly, Carrie's father left when she was seven and I do not believe she had any siblings. So really, the whole family dynamic is off. However, I do appreciate the qualities the character possesses. She has a professional drive that takes her not to the school dance where her crush is waiting, but out to a New York club with someone from Interview Magazine. 

While the show does deviate from what was laid out by SJP in the original, one does have to recognize that this is NOT Sex and the City. Gone are those days and here are the days just after the finale of Gossip Girl. I see the Carrie Diaries as filling the void left for some by the ending of the series. I am not going to judge the show based on just this one episode; I will continue to see how everything develops. Plus, I love all of the '80s music and references (the Rob Lowe sweater!) 

Just an opinion from someone who admittedly does not watch much television nowadays!

<3 Ashley

What are your thoughts on The Carrie Diaries?