Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

BOOKS

The Girls Podcast

Sadie by Courtney Summers is one of the most buzzed about books of the fall season. It's been compared to the wildly popular Serial podcast and is hitting right in the middle of this wave of popularity true crime based media is having right now.

This is, from what I understand, the podcast portion of the novel. The novel has different perspectives and one of them is this podcast that a guy is hosting. I love the idea of getting to hear it as well as reading it as part of the book. It's another way to layer the story. I am lucky enough to have a copy of this and I cannot wait to dive in. The podcast starts August 1st but you can subscribe now at Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.

TV/MOVIE

American Horror Story Season 8 Theme

I always look forward to the theme reveal for the upcoming American Horror Story season. This one is supposed to be a Murder House/Coven crossover and I am so into it.

The official theme is Apocalypse and the first teaser image is TERRIFYING!

Excited that it is starting a little earlier this year. I cannot wait to see what cast members are returning and to learn more about how this image might relate to the plot of the season.

Stranger Things Season 3 Teaser

Anything Stranger Things is immediately going to get me excited and this teaser is no exception. It teases a new location, a new job for everyone's favourite babysitter, and perhaps even a release date for the new season.

I really hope the mention of the new mall opening 'next summer' is not a clue to the release date of the third season. I am already pining for this show to return and another year wait would be rough.

Boy Erased Trailer

The trailers for all of the Oscar bait movies just keep coming. This one looks like it could have some real potential as well.

It filled me with a lot of rage but also made me think about the fact that places this like still exist in parts of the world.

Bohemian Rhapsody Trailer #2

"Ready, Freddie?" I liked the first trailer for Bohemian Rhapsody enough but this second one is incredible. I got chills a few times during this second one. I didn't know a mix of multiple Queen songs was something I wanted but apparently it is.

Goosebumps, right? Rami Malek looks stunning in this and I predict he'll be solid. I am still a little concerned because of all the directing drama that happened during the filming of this but I have a little more faith now that I've seen this trailer. The scene at the very end? You see the thrall Freddie Mercury and Queen put on the audience.

OTHER

Murder With Friends Youtube Show (link)

My friend mentioned this Youtube show to me because of my interest in true crime and I immediately needed to check it out. It's an interesting show that feels like a discuss I would have with my friends.

The quick (most episodes are less than 20 minutes) make them perfect for binge watching. You'll fly through them pretty fast. The good thing is that there are quite a few to catch up on if you're just starting to watch.

One thing to note: They do tend to show crime scene photos during their episodes (with helpful warnings before) so just be aware of that if you do decide to check it out.

What are you obsessed with this week? Let me know in the comments.

The Girls by Emma Cline

The Girls by Emma Cline
Release Date - June 14, 2016

Publisher Website - Penguin Random House
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 368 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received from publisher for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Girls—their vulnerability, strength, and passion to belong—are at the heart of this stunning first novel for readers of Jeffrey Eugenides’s The Virgin Suicides and Jennifer Egan’s A Visit from the Goon Squad.

Northern California, during the violent end of the 1960s. At the start of summer, a lonely and thoughtful teenager, Evie Boyd, sees a group of girls in the park, and is immediately caught by their freedom, their careless dress, their dangerous aura of abandon. Soon, Evie is in thrall to Suzanne, a mesmerizing older girl, and is drawn into the circle of a soon-to-be infamous cult and the man who is its charismatic leader. Hidden in the hills, their sprawling ranch is eerie and run down, but to Evie, it is exotic, thrilling, charged—a place where she feels desperate to be accepted. As she spends more time away from her mother and the rhythms of her daily life, and as her obsession with Suzanne intensifies, Evie does not realize she is coming closer and closer to unthinkable violence, and to that moment in a girl’s life when everything can go horribly wrong.

Emma Cline’s remarkable debut novel is gorgeously written and spellbinding, with razor-sharp precision and startling psychological insight. The Girls is a brilliant work of fiction—and an indelible portrait of girls, and of the women they become. 

Every so often a crop of books based on Charles Manson and his followers will crop up. This summer Emma Cline's The Girls is on a whole lot of must read lists and I was instantly curious as a result. I went in expecting the same old story, instead I was treated to a different perspective that took a well trodden story in new directions.

This story is not interested in Russell and men like him. We know the why in his story. That story has been told countless times and is, quite frankly, boring. It's a story of madness, ego, and not at all what Emma Cline decided to focus on. Her focus is, instead, on the girls who follow a man like Russell and the why behind it. It is the story of a specific girl and the why behind her involvement which made it easier to connect to the story. This isn't the easiest of stories to read, especially because you know the true events behind it, but Evie's character manages to break through and resonate a little with the reader.

It's no secret that this novel, obviously, ends in murder. The real life inspiration tells us to expect this. Emma Cline succinctly navigates these events and doesn't allow it to be the focus. We are not in the midst of it, because Evie isn't in the midst of it. We are told, by Evie, what she has heard and knows. This puts the focus back where the author truly wants it to be - the girls in this story. The novel doesn't allow the crime to take centre stage and the novel is all the better for it, in my opinion. It is done in a way that highlights the main character, while still allowing the horror of what happened to resonate. It's a fine line for an author to navigate and Emma Cline does it flawlessly.

There is, for Evie, a thin line that separated her from being one of the ones with blood on their hands. The thinnest of lines. Evie herself wonders, years later, what would have been her role if she had gone. She isn't sure and that is the entire crux of the novel. Evie could be any of them and if we understand Evie, it might not be such a stretch to understand the rest.

The surprising inclusion of making Evie not be fascinated with Russell, but with Suzanne instead, added another layer of deliberate distance to the story. Emma Cline ensured that the focus was who she wanted it to be on at all times. It allowed her to space to create something entirely her own, even if it was inspired by real events.

This novel makes you examine how you perceive these girls and questions the reasons behind their involvement. It, refreshingly, doesn't make excuses for the choices they made, but showcases how it might be possible for someone to make those bad choices. It lingers in that thin space in the in between and walks that edge with precision. Emma Cline is certainly an up and coming voice in fiction and I look forward to reading whatever she writes next.

New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews).

It has been a crazy but awesome week in bookish mail.

First up is a prize pack I won from the Raincoast Fall Blogger Preview event. I am so excited to put together the puzzle with my nieces. The candle smells amazing, and the tote bag is super cute! I am looking forward to reading Labyrinth Lost at some point as well.

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova (goodreads)

Next, I received a book that I have been really curious about since I first saw the announcement. It sounds like it might be a dark, but fascinating read. A huge thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for sending it for me to review.

The Girls by Emma Cline (goodreads)

My friend Kim gave me a finished copy of a Peter Pan inspired book that I read and loved. She also gave me this amazing J.M. Barrie print that is below. Thank you so much, Kim. I love them (obviously, because Peter Pan).

Everland by Wendy Spinale (goodreads)

Lastly, this is a book I owned but had my friend Amanda get signed for me. She was gracious enough to go to the Jojo Moyes signing in Toronto to get this signed for me. I am insanely excited to have one of my favourite books signed. Me Before You is such an incredible story.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (goodreads)

What bookish items made their way into your mailbox this week?

Happy Weekend and Happy Reading!