#nick honeyman

[sanctobin]

Imagine stepping into one of Bali’s most luxurious dining destinations, Viceroy’s Apéritif Restaurant, and witnessing the reality behind what it takes to pull off a 9-course degustation dinner.

In this StoryBites exclusive, Michelin-starred chef Nick Honeyman and NZ Chef of The Year Zennon Wijlens come to Bali, Indonesia to craft a nine-course masterpiece with Executive Chef of Apéritif Nic Vanderbeekan and Pastry Chef Ida Ayu Chinthya Dewi. Facing challenges that would push even the most seasoned chefs to their limits, we learn about the mental fortitude required to find solutions under the pressure of the moment. This documentary dives deep into the moments teamwork, and triumph as four culinary powerhouses navigate the delicate balance between perfection and cooperation. This is a raw, unfiltered look at what it truly takes to succeed in the high-pressure world of fine dining. Special thanks to Nic Vanderbeeken and the Apéritif team for hosting this extraordinary collaboration at Viceroy Bali.

By StoryBites

[milkforgall]

-Edvard Munch

Current Favourite song:

Currently reading: House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

Favourite films: The substance, Nosferatu, May, Braid/Nobody leaves, Possession, Pearl, The woman in black Always looking for new film recommendations, I mainly enjoy body horror and gothic horror

Favourite tv programme: Penny Dreadful

Books/Authors: Ottessa Moshfegh= Eileen, My year of rest and relaxation, Lapvona Charles Dickens Alice in Wonderland Fairytales(all) Eleanor Oliphant- Gale Honeyman And the ass saw the angel- Nick Cave

Music🎶: Manic street preachers• Lana• Pj Harvey• Björk• Smiths/Morrissey• M.I.A• GRIMES• Aphex twin• Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith• Bowie• t.A.T.u• Hole/Courtney Love• Dolly• Cure• Cocteau twins• Jack off jill• Angelfish/Garbage• Queenadreena/Katie Jane garside/ruby throat ect.• +more

Instagram: @cinnamonrose11

Divider: @dollywons

[glitterypin]

9 favorite movies of 2023! (I assume we are talking about movies I watched in 2023, not films released in 2023 because I only have one of those)

tagged by bestie @snugsunresplendence

in order in which I watched them:

But I'm a Cheerleader (1999) Teen romantic comedy about a young lesbian girl sent to conversion camp. Funny, sad, sweet, inspiring, sort of wish there were a lot more films like this because it warmed my little heart.

Barbie (2023) Everything that could be said about this film has already been said because people wouldn't shut up about it for months. For my two cents, I thought it was very well made and the script was good.

Women On the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988) One of Almodovar's finest, it is hilarious but also avant-garde, dramatic (the way a soap opera is dramatic) but also very real and it's just beautiful to watch.

Fever Pitch (1997) Colin Firth stars in this very British story written by Nick Hornby, about a man who really likes his favourite football team. It's funny, romantic, rings very real and also Colin Firth plays working class background remarkably well.

Underworld (2003) Dark, gritty, fun. Vampires, werewolves, guns. Action-packed, satisfying level of lore, good performances. Michael Sheen.

Heartlands (2002) Heartwarming, sweet, inspiring, it's a road movie about a man who rides his moped all the way to the big city to win back his wife and suddenly realizes how big and wonderful the world is. Michael Sheen.

Music Within (2007) Based on the real story of how veteran Richard Pimentel became a disabled rights activist and helped pass the Americans with Disabilities Act. Inspiring, funny, occasionally heartbreaking. Michael Sheen (actually steals the show as Art Honeyman).

7 Days In Hell (2015) Quite possibly THE funniest thing I watched in 2023. Mockumentary about two fictional tennis players (played by Andy Samberg and Kit Harrington), playing a match that lasts a whole week. There is not much to be said here, except that it was HILARIOUS. Michael Sheen (also steals the show for me).

Beautiful Boy (2010) Not to be confused by the 2018 film of the same name. This one is about a couple whose son has committed a mass shooting and then killed himself. It completely avoids any sort of sensationalism. The most dramatic moments happen off-screen. It is a study in the cruelty of time and how life has to go on, even in the face of great tragedy. I couldn't stop crying in the end. Michael Sheen.

TAGGING: @gothic-goon , @luuu37 , @queenlovett , @ineffableloverboy, @oceanwithinsblog (as usual: no pressure)

[jxrm]

book log - 2017

tampa by alissa nutting

turtles all the way down by john green

vegas girls by heather skyler

class mom by laurie gelman

anne of green gables by l.m. montgomery

the identicals by elin hilderbrand

quidditch through the ages by j.k. rowling

the breakdown by b.a. paris

final girls by riley sager

audition by ryu murakami

gray wolf island by tracey neithercott

the stranger beside me by ann rule

one of us is lying by karen m. mcmanus

the call by peadar o gullin

a thousand nights by e.k. johnston

the library at mount char by scott hawkins

tender morsels by margo lanagan

rings by koji suzuki

the good daughter by karin slaughter

because you love to hate me by amerie

the party by robyn harding

primates of park avenue by wednesday martin

you by caroline kepnes

someday, someday, maybe by lauren graham

the hating game by sally thorne

eleanor oliphant is completely fine by gail honeyman

shine by lauren myracle

when dimple met rishi by sandhya menon

you can have a dog when i'm dead by paul benedetti

it's always the husband by michele campbell

princeless: raven the pirate princess by jeremy whitley

princeless: free women by jeremy whitley

goodbye, vitamin by rachel khong

sabine's notebook by nick bantock

always and forever, lara jean by jenny han

talking as fast as i can by lauren graham

three wishes by liane moriarty

behind closed doors by b.a. paris

dark places by gillian flynn

behind her eyes by sarah pinborough

baby proof by emily giffin

american gods by neil gaiman

confessions of a domestic failure by bunmi laditan

wedding night by sophie kinsella

you suck by christopher moore

night film by marisha pessi

the subtle art of not giving a fuck by mark manson

let's explore diabetes with owels by david sedaris

the here and now by ann brashares

it started with goodbye by christina june

murder games by elisabeth crabtree

the enchantress returns by chris colfer

down the rabbit hole by holly madison

women who run with the wolves by clarissa pinkola estes

goons n' roses by donna joy usher

the silent wife by a.s.a. harrison

cocoa and chanel by donna joy usher

secondhand souls by christopher moore

the seven steps to closure by donna joy usher

stranger than fanfiction by chris colfer

you are here by jenny lawson

killing mr. griffin by lois duncan

a dirty job by christopher moore

joyland by stephen king

irrestible by adam alter

small great things by jodi picoult

stranger with my face by lois duncan

the vegas diaries by holly madison

the potluck club by linda evans shepard

the girl with the dragon tattoo by stieg larsson

the wishing spell by chris colfer

one less problem without you by beth harbison

saving ceecee honeycutt by beth hoffman

in the country we love by diane guerrero

the last anniversary by liane moriarty

i woke up dead at the mall by judy sheehan

remembrance by meg cabot

girl in translation by jean kwok

very good lives by j.k. rowling

milk and honey by rupi kaur

my grandmother asked me to tell you she's sorry by fredrik backman

the screwtape letters by c.s. lewis

reconstructing amelia by kimberly mccreight

how to fall in love by cecelia ahern

wild by cheryl strayed

NOS4A2 by joe hill

year of yes by shonda rhimes

troublemaker by leah remini

the summer we read gatsby by daniella ganek

the miraculous journey of edward tulane by kate dicamillo

sorry not sorry by naya rivera

the circle by dave eggers

the woman in cabin 10 by ruth ware

boneshaker by cherie priest

time cat by lloyd alexander

the color purple by alice walker

all the light we cannot see by anthony doerr

the princess bride by william goldman

when breath becomes air by paul kalanthi

the wangs vs. the world by jade chang

mischiling by affinity konar

sarong party girls by cheryl lu-lien tan

nine woman, one dress by jane l. rosen

the light between oceans by m.i. stedmaan

magonia by maria dahvana headley

the restaurant critic's wife by elizabeth laban

the couple next door by shari lapena

the wedding sisters by jamie brenner

how to be a bawse by lilly singh

where am i now? by mara wilson

scrappy little nobody by anna kendrick

double cup love by eddie huang

little girl gone by gerry schmitt

truly madly guilty by liane moriarty

something in between by melissa de la cruz

rich people problems by kevin kwan

modern romance by aziz ansari

yes, my accent is real by kunal nayyar

the girl on the train by paula hawkins

we should hang out sometime by josh sundquist

love ltters to teh dead by ava dellaira

what alice forgot by liane morairty

bringing it home by tilda shalof

the maintenance man by michael baisden

charlie and the great glass elevator by roald dahl

the princess diaries by meg cabot

[mywifeleftme]

34: Pretenders // Pretenders

Pretenders Pretenders 1980, Sire

I have an annoyingly lukewarm opinion on Pretenders, and (the) Pretenders as a whole. The album is squarely in the punky/pubby New Wave zone I’m smitten with, Chrissie Hynde is an unmistakable voice and a clever lyricist, the rhythm section is superb, and original guitarist James Honeyman-Scott could switch from hot rodded riffing to pop jangle with ease. But most of the LP leaves me a little bit cold. Chris Thompson’s expert production feels a tad impersonal for the Pretenders’ music, with Hynde’s voice mixed pointedly above the racket rather than in it on the rockers. Your level of enjoyment is determined by whether you think Hynde is one of the greats or merely one of the goods.

The song I like best anyway is Kinks cover “Stop Your Sobbing,” produced by Nick Lowe in an earlier session from the rest of the album. The chiming, piano-tinged arrangement the Pretenders and Lowe worked out maintains some of the sock hop vibe of the original, but renders it both starrier and garagier. They wisely took a second stab at this general sound on the tender “Kid,” a song that’s as much a coming out party for drummer Martin Chambers as Hynde and helped set the template for the college and alternative rock of the decade to come. The other clear winner is bottle rocket rhythmic showcase “The Wait,” the only one of the rockers that seems to be in any danger of pulling the unflappable Hynde into the pit.

It's all good stuff, and if someone accused me of sexism for feeling tepidly toward “Brass in Pocket” I would allow myself to be cuffed and shoved into the back of that squad car because I have nothing convincing to say in my defence. But I’ll at least ask the judge to grant the first two Go-Go’s records conjugal visits while I’m serving my well-deserved time.

34/365

[freaxs-blog]

Happy 15th wedding anniversary to me! ❤️ As I celebrate this special day with my beloved partner, I can't help but think about the song that was chosen for our first dance - "I'll Stand by You" by The Pretenders.

This beautiful song was released in 1994 and became an instant hit, reaching the top 20 in several countries. It was written by Chrissie Hynde, the lead singer of The Pretenders, along with Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg.

The Pretenders are a British-American rock band formed in 1978, and they have gone through several tragedies throughout their career. In 1982, two of the band members - guitarist James Honeyman-Scott and bassist Pete Farndon - died within a year of each other due to drug-related issues. Despite these devastating losses, The Pretenders continued to create music and tour.

Today, The Pretenders consist of Chrissie Hynde (the only original member), Martin Chambers, Nick Wilkinson, and James Walbourne. They have released over ten studio albums and are still making music and touring today.

Did you know that Chrissie Hynde was once a journalist and music critic before she formed the band?

Thank you, The Pretenders, for creating such a beautiful and timeless song that has become a significant part of my life. 

[rolloroberson]

The Pretenders, then and now.

[niallodonohoe]

C's Recap - AquaSox Get Max Effort From Roberts

C’s Recap – AquaSox Get Max Effort From Roberts

[zoemikel-stites]

What I Read in November

New blog post is up! What I Read in November

Total Books Read : 10Books by Women: 7Books by Men: 3 (more…)

[givemearmstopraywith]

I will stroke her straight black hair And he will heal me through the laying of his hands For she is the gold cross to my heart And he is the honeyman of my soul He will fire the trembling kitten in my lap She is God, she is the desire of ages He will ring the bell in the temple of the Lord

Nick Cave, “The Garden Duet,” an unreleased track from The Boatman’s Call and the first recorded track of the album

[nerdylittlething]

Today's read:

Nick and Charlie by Alice Oseman.

Making me sob but im loving it.

Befriend me on goodreads :

[alywats]

All The Books I Read In 2020

Here she is! The full list of books I read in 2020. My goal was to read 52 books again this year, but once lockdown started I upped it to 100, and I ultimately surpassed even that goal!! I think reading is so important for my personal growth and mental health, so the last two years I have made reading a big priority in my life, and it is the best choice I could have made. This year especially, I found reading to be such a comfort and such a great tool for keeping the quarantine blues at bay. Here’s to all the books I read in 2020, and all the books I will read in 2021! 

132 books, 44,531 pages, and a refreshed passion for learning and growth: 

The Kite Runner- Khaled Hosseini (372 pgs) 4.5

A Discovery of Witches- Deborah Harkness (579 pgs) 2.75

The Call of the Wild and Selected Stories- Jack London (176 pgs) 4

I Wear The Black Hat -Chuck Klosterman (225 pgs) 3.75

Digital Fortress- Dan Brown (430 pgs) 3.75

Night Boat to Tangier- Kevin Barry (224 pgs) 2

The Chemist- Stephanie Meyer (518 pgs) 3

Find Me- Andre Aciman (272 pgs) 3.5

A Walk In The Woods- Bill Bryson (394 pgs) 4.5

Invisible Monsters- Chuck Palahniuk (304 pgs) 2.5

Underland, A Deep Time Journey- Robert MacFarlane (496 pgs) 3.25

The Dutch House -Ann Patchett (337 pgs) 5

Notes From a Small Island -Bill Bryson (324 pgs) 3.75

Home Work -Julie Andrews (560 pgs) 3.5

100 Essential Things You Didn’t Know About Maths and The Arts- John D. Barrow (320 pgs) 2.25

On the Road -Jack Kerouac (307 pgs) 3.5

Train Dreams -Denis Johnson (116 pgs) 4.25

2001: A Space Odyssey -Arthur C. Clarke (297 pgs) 4.75

Educated: A Memoir -Tara Westover (334 pgs) 5

Carrie -Stephen King (253 pgs) 3.5

Dig. -A.S. King (394 pgs) 4

salt slow -Julia Armfield (208 pgs) 3

Don’t Call Us Dead -Danez Smith (96 pgs) 5

Convenience Store Woman -Sayaka Murata (163 pgs) 3.25

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir -Bill Bryson (288 pgs) 3.75

Who Moved My Cheese? -Spencer Johnson (96 pgs) 3.5

The Truth About Keeping Secrets -Savannah Brown (336 pgs) 4

All-American Poem -Matthew Dickman (85 pgs) 3.5

2010: Odyssey Two -Arthur C. Clarke (320 pgs) 4

Behind Her Eyes -Sarah Pinborough (307 pgs) 3

The Stand -Stephen King (1440 pgs) 4

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous- Ocean Vuong (246 pgs) 4.5

Homie: Poems -Danez Smith (96 pgs) 4

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet -Becky Chambers (516 pgs) 3.5

The Silent Patient -Alex Michealide (325 pgs) 3.75

Talking As Fast As I Can -Lauren Graham (205 pgs) 3.5

Gregor the Overlander -Suzanne Collins (326 pgs) 1.5

The Transmigration of Bodies -Yuri Herrera (112 pgs) 2.5

The Deep -Rivers Solomon (166 pgs) 4

The Last Man -Mary Shelley (478 pgs) 3

Oryx and Crake -Margaret Atwood (389 pgs) 4.25

One Summer: America, 1927 -Bill Bryson (456 pgs) 3.5

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe -Benjamin Alire Sáenz (359 pgs) 3

The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest -Anatoli Boukreev (297 pgs) 3.75

2061: Odyssey Three -Arthur C. Clarke (302 pgs) 3

Where I Belong -Alan Doyle (315 pgs) 4

Humble Pi: When Math Goes Wrong in the Real World -Matt Parker (314 pgs) 4

Normal People -Sally Rooney (304 pgs) 4

Dinosaur Tales -Ray Bradbury (144 pgs) 3

Someday, Someday, Maybe -Lauren Graham (340 pgs) 3.25

The Power -Naomi Alderman (341 pgs) 4.25

Deception Point -Dan Brown (558 pgs) 2.5

3001: The Final Odyssey -Arthur C. Clarke (272 pgs) 3.75

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes -Suzanne Collins (540 pgs) 3.5

The Vegetarian-Han Kang (188 pgs) 3

The Map of Salt and Stars -Zeyn Joukhadar (368 pgs) 4.5

One Man’s Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey -Sam Keith (224 pgs) 4

11/22/63 -Stephen King (849 pgs) 4.5

The Ballad of Black Tom -Victor LaValle (149 pgs) 3.5

Girl With A Pearl Earring -Tracy Chevalier (233 pgs) 4

The Year of the Flood -Margaret Atwood (431 pgs) 3.5

In A Sunburned Country -Bill Bryson (335 pgs) 3

Disappearing Earth -Julia Phillips (312 pgs) 2.5

The Hidden Life of Trees -Peter Wohlleben (288 pgs) 3.5

The People in the Trees -Hanya Yanagihara (368 pgs) 4

Shadow of Night -Deborah Harkness (584 pgs) 3

High Fidelity -Nick Hornby (340 pgs) 3.5

If It Bleeds -Stephen King (528 pgs) 3.5

Sharp Objects -Gillian Flynn (254 pgs) 4

A Newfoundlander in Canada -Alan Doyle (244 pgs) 4

The Water Dancer -Ta-Nehisi Coates (406 pgs) 4

The Fellowship of the Ring -J.R.R. Tolkien (398 pgs) 5

The Bluest Eye -Toni Morrison (216 pgs) 4

Into the Wild -Jon Krakauer (207 pgs) 4

Fahrenheit 451 -Ray Bradbury (194 pgs) 4

Burial Rites -Hannah Kent (336 pgs) 4.5

The Poet X -Elizabeth Acevedo (368 pgs) 5

The End of October -Lawrence Wright (400 pgs) 1.5

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine -Gail Honeyman (336 pgs) 3.5

Survivor -Chuck Palahniuk (304 pgs) 3.5

Every Song Ever -Ben Ratliff (272 pgs) 2

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor -Hank Green (452 pgs) 4

The Time Traveler's Wife -Audrey Niffenegger (540 pgs) 3.5

The Body: A Guide for Occupants -Bill Bryson (450 pgs) 3

Mr. Mercedes -Stephen King (437 pgs) 3.5

Girl, Woman, Other -Bernardine Evaristo (453 pgs) 4.5

Midnight Sun -Stephenie Meyer (662 pgs) 2

The Maltese Falcon -Dashiell Hammett (213 pgs) 3

The Hunting Party -Lucy Foley (406 pgs) 4

The Hating Game -Sally Thorne (387 pgs) 2.5

My Year of Rest and Relaxation -Ottessa Moshfegh (304 pgs) 4

Real Life -Brandon Taylor (329 pgs) 4

My Sister the Serial Killer -Oyinkan Braithwaite (226 pgs) 4

The Answer Is...: Reflections on My Life -Alex Trebek (304 pgs) 3

Eileen -Ottessa Moshfegh (272 pgs) 3

Answering Back -Carol Ann Duffy (144 pgs) 4

Then She Was Gone -Lisa Jewell (359 pgs) 3.5

Death In Her Hands -Ottessa Moshfegh (259 pgs) 3.5

This Is How You Lose The Time War -Amal El-Mohtar, Max Gladstone (209 pgs) 4

The Goldfinch -Donna Tartt (771 pgs) 4.5

Shutter Island -Dennis Lehane (369 pgs) 3.5

The Devil All The Time -Donald Ray Pollock (261 pgs) 4

I'm Thinking of Ending Things -Iain Reid (241 pgs) 2

Bunny -Mona Awad (307 pgs) 3

The Snowman -Jo Nesbø (516 pgs) 2.5

Something Wicked This Way Comes -Ray Bradbury (293 pgs) 3

Pretty Little Liars -Sara Shepard (286 pgs) 1

Psycho -Robert Bloch (208 pgs) 3.5

Along Came a Spider -James Patterson (449 pgs) 3

American Psycho -Brett Easton Ellis (399 pgs) 4

Night Sky With Exit Wounds -Ocean Vuong (89 pgs) 4

Arctic Dreams -Barry Lopez (496 pgs) 4

Four Colors Suffice -Robin Wilson (280 pgs) 4.5

My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry -Fredrik Backman (372 pgs) 3

Such A Fun Age -Kiley Reid (320 pgs) 4

In The Dream House -Carmen Maria Machado (251 pgs) 4.5

Beach Read -Emily Henry (361 pgs) 3.5

The Queen's Gambit -Walter Tevis (243 pgs) 3.5

The Book of Life -Deborah Harkness (561 pgs) 2.5

Atomic Habits -James Clear (319 pgs) 2.5

Heart Berries -Terese Marie Mailhot (143 pgs) 3

The Kiss Quotient -Helen Hoang (323 pgs) 3

Around The World In 80 Days -Jules Verne (252 pgs) 3

Dolores Claiborne -Stephen King (384 pgs) 4.5

Flatland -Edwin Abbott (96 pgs) 3.5

The Impossible Girl -Lydia Kang (364 pgs) 2.5

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through The looking Glass -Lewis Carroll (239 pgs) 3.5

Kiss The Girls -James Patterson (481 pgs) 2

The Bride Test -Helen Hoang (296 pgs) 2.5

In A Holidaze -Christina Lauren (307 pgs) 3.5

‘Twas The Knife Before Christmas -Jacqueline Frost (309 pgs) 2.5

The Great Alone -Kristin Hannah (435 pgs) 4

[oh-theres-a-woman]

Valentine Parchment & Sun

✨🖤Hello lovely, thank you for the ask~~~ Sorry it took forever to get around to these. Still have your other ask with questions to get around to. Hope you’re well and happy! 🖤✨

The best gift you’ve ever received? 

I have a lot of gifts that would fit into the best gifts, a lot fo the sentimental. 

The horseshoe signet ring that I was given by my Nana: she was a child that was raised in one of the homes run by nuns as a child. When she came home at sixteen it was one of the things she was given. For sixty-four years she’s worn this ring and with her going into the hospital earlier this year and everything being so touch and go. 

A copy of A Treasury of Irish Fairy and Folk Tales. The very first birthday present my boyfriend bought me. He had actually forgotten that my birthday was on Monday. He raced back into this bookstore we found in the city and grabbed the book I was looking at but couldn’t afford at the time. 

Favourite book? 

I have a few favourites as well, can’t quite decide or place others to the side. Mostly, I go with books that leave me with the biggest impressions. 

Solitaire by Alice Oseman -- an amazing young woman that tackles the numerous issues of society in her books. I find she’s very aware of the importance of educating a person on sexuality and mental health. 100% recommend anything by her to a reader who wants a gripping and emotional read. One of the biggest things I find; she opens the eyes of the reader to live with acceptance about themselves. 

In a lot of ways, I related and probably still relate to the main character in this novel. Tori Spring, she’s one hell of a mood. Witty, sarcastic as heck, I’d say more aware of her depression and feelings than she lets on in some regard. More than anything, she’s a sister that took a step back in the hopes that her little brother got the help he needs. 

Recently picked up the release of her other book Loveless that came out two days ago. Waiting on my order of Nick and Charlie to come through so I have all of her current releases (including; her graphic novels).  Alice is also a very active author and its enjoyable to see what she comes out with, plus the general interactions she has with fans. @chronicintrovert 

If you ever want something that gets you inn the feels in soooo many way, it’s her all the way. Along with Rainbow Rowell. 

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman -- There was something about this book that left me with a deep and burning feeling inside. It is one of the books for the first time in a long time make me cry. Simple things, I swear. 

It got me in the middle of recovery after a really hard time. Which, means the world to me. Touching once more on mental health and signs of when someone it’s in the best place, even when they say they are. 

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell -- Ah yes, this was the high school read that I understood on a wholly personal level.  Mostly, because I saw myself very much as Cath. An anxious loner, that really has a passion for writing.  A girl that wasn’t comfortable with stepping out into college life like her sister does. 

At the point in time of my first reading this book, my school experience was very nearly over. It was where the pressure of needing to decide my future in an instance really had me stumped. By no means was I considered a straight-A student. Actually, I was considered ‘slow’ and ‘last’ because my learning rate was a hell of a lot slower than others. Nor did I conform well to the very-book learning my high school had. 

Fangirl introduced me to Cath; a fanfiction writer with a decent following. But, it also introduced me to Levi. Who, I don’t think gets enough love out there. He’s the boy that doesn’t suit the ‘normal’ education tools or learning style. Thus, he’s found ways to learn himself. A lot of these tools were things I used myself or grew to adapt in my further paths of study. He’s the awkward and lovable character that I found pulled Cath from her shell and she did the same for him with his own insecurities. This part, I’d refer to my connections with really good friends and loved ones. The people I can be my true self with, but, they also admire my talents and encourage me to push forward; like Levi does for Cath in Carry On. 

Favourite season:

Autumn 🍂🍁🍂

[richardgloucesters]

3, 4, 12, 17 & 25 for the ask

thank you for so many questions!! i’ll leave answers under the cut because this will probably be a long one :)

3. What were your top five books of the year?

in no particular order: the secret history, if we were villains, wuthering heights, mrs dalloway and the lonely londoners. wh and mrs dalloway were not my ‘favourite books’ (i’ll admit it took me weeks to slog through wuthering heights, it was an absolute drag to read until cathy’s death) but i’m glad i’ve read them regardless. tsh and iwwv come under the same umbrella of so-called ‘dark academia’ but both were nice to bury my head in for a while. reading about the murder of the worst character in a friendship group revolving around classics or shakespeare is equally pretentious and intriguing. 

4. Did you discover any new authors that you love this year?

hm not strictly related to books but t.s eliot! i loved the waste land. first time you read it you kind of go... huh? further reading only makes you ask more questions about it and i love love love that. reading tsh also just reaffirmed my love for donna tartt but We Been Knew about that. 

12. Any books that disappointed you?

first one was anna burns’ ‘milkman’. the narrative was so jarring that i couldn’t get more than a few chapters in - and i really tried! everyone is referred to as ‘brother-in-law’ or ‘older sister’ etc etc which gets so old after a while. it was so frustrating that i had to put the book down. i know it’ll have been written like that for a reason but i just felt so disengaged from the text as a consequence. i’m sad about it because people raved about this book and i’m pretty sure it won the man booker. i will try and finish it at some point but i’m not all that excited about doing so. 

second one was ‘eleanor oliphant is completely fine’ by gail honeyman which i liked the look of because again, a lot of good reviews and i always love when i share a name with the main character lmao. it was a fairly easy read but not more than 3 stars for me. i can’t really explain what it was, maybe the fact that i managed to predict all the twists in the story or just the fact that it reminded me a little too much of another book which i don’t like, but it was only a meh reading experience. fine for a holiday read but nothing that really stuck with me. 

17. Did any books surprise you with how good they were?

if we were villains. a friend who has a very similar taste in books to me pressed it into my hands and said ‘you HAVE to read this’. i went into it thinking it was just a secret history knock off which i’d seen it called a lot online. to be fair, it shares a lot of the same tropes as i’ve already mentioned but the narrative is so different. i often felt frustrated with the secret history because richard as a narrator is so oblivious and the pace draws to a halt after bunny’s death (but i was still consumed by it!). iwwv’s narrator oliver is a much more present character in both the narrative and the action of the story unlike richard. he’s not so much nick carraway like richard is, much less so the outsider looking in. also the amount of times i gasped while reading it was ridiculous. the prose is lovely and there are some wonderful images, not as ‘poetic’ as tartt’s but very few could compare. would recommend if you want some escapism, it will keep you hooked. plus the ambiguity of the ending... that’s all i’ll say! 

25. What reading goals do you have for next year?

straight up: read more! i want to dedicate more time and thought to my assigned readings and also try and make some time for general reading. i won’t set a number of books to read (because never once have i met my goals set on goodreads) but i definitely want to tick a couple of books off from my to-read list. 

much love to you for asking! mwah! xx 

reading ask!

[unhingedthinking]

Unhinged Thinking’s Reading List for 2019

Because I’m currently re-shelving my book collections sans depression cleaning and also in preparation for the last few “Happy Christmas to me” presents coming Monday, I thought I’d post my 2019 reading list that I want (or need) to read this year.

This is sort of an accountability thing for me to check back to as I only read like four actual novels last year. In my defence I did read like 100 journal articles and several academic chapters in lieu of novels, but I want to tap back into that whole reading for pleasure thing.

Also because I feel like @lovelikesummer would love some unsolicited book recommendations to add to her ever growing list 😉.

I’m a little more diversified this year (there’s even multiple poetry collections on the list!), though it’s still predominantly queer, Australian and canon texts. Links to books are even included for ease if you want to join me in my reading choices :)

Queer Texts

The Monkey’s Mask - Dorothy Porter

A queer crime thriller written in the style of verse poetry. Porter wrote this when she was an in house author at CSU back in the early 1990s. It’s a really interesting bend on genre writing.

All Out: The No Longer Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages - edited by Saundra Mitchell

Queer fairytales written by some of today’s most prolific young adult authors such as Mackenzi Lee and Shaun David Hutchinson

All of It Is You - Nico Tortorella

Queer poetry written by that guy from that show Younger. It’s been on my to read list since early last year, so excited to dig into this one.

This Monstrous Thing - Mackenzi Lee

A queer play on the codes and conventions of Frankenstein, set in the period as Mary Shelley’s classic is published. I got this one from @sanityiscracked for Christmas and I’m super excited to read it as it’s written by the same person who wrote The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue.

The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy - Mackenzi Lee

This is the sequel to The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, which focuses on the sister of the original’s protagonist, who is a badass asexual scientist. Enough said.

Where the Trees Were - Inga Simpson

Australian indigenous novel that is more of an incidental queer text. I found this one from a list done by Readings and I was drawn to it because a) Aussie queer reads and b) it’s an indigenous text that isn’t set in post-colonial Australia. I’m looking forward to digging into this one to see if I can use it in a classroom context.

Heat and Light - Ellen van Neervan

A three part exploration in storytelling that is by one of the more prominent writers in Australian literature right now. It was shortlisted for the Stella Prize back in 2015, and won the 2016 NSW Premier's Literary Awards Indigenous Writers Prize.

General Fiction

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman

The sister bought this for me for Christmas, and I’m intrigued as to its premise as it’s gotten some good recommendations in a lot of my circles.

The Wisdom Tree series - Nick Earls

This is a set of five novellas written by a Brisbane author that I got (and personally signed!) at state conference. He recently completed his PhD looking at the novella, and he’s really fun to listen to. The keynote that I got to listen to he outlined how he came to formulate and write each novella. Plus he introduced me to my new favourite ice cream, so that’s cool too.

Burial Rites - Hannah Kent

This one’s off of the current senior text list, and I really want to dig into it as it seems right up my alley. It’s set in 1829 Iceland and based on a true story about a woman’s last days as she awaits her execution for her involvement in a double murder.

The White Earth- Andrew McGahan

Another one from the senior text list. The premise of the novel really grabbed me. It looks at (relatively) contemporary rural Australian life and the power of land and families.

1984 - George Orwell

Yes, I am a horrible person for not having read this one I know. I did in all earnest start this last year, but I got pulled away by about seven other reading commitments and never got back to it. But there is potential that I’ll be teaching it this year and I want to gun for that opportunity because I’m a massive Foucault nerd and any opportunity for me to teach impressionable children about disciplinary power, panopticism and the surveillance state I will take.

If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller - Italo Calvino

This one’s been on my to read list for the better part of a decade, and I recently got a copy of it late last year. It explores different writing genres as you the reader tries to track down If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller.

Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck

Another one that yes, I should have read by now but haven’t. This one I might also end up teaching, so it’s more of a “well it’s been on the list but not that high up so I might as well” for the year.

Non-fiction

Note to Self - Connor Franta

This was an impulse buy at the end of last year as I remember wanting to read it when it first came out. I still haven’t gotten around to reading his first book, but this one stood out to me as it’s like a part diary, part memoir, part creative expression book where he explores the concept of self and authenticity.

Poetry

Milk and Honey and The Sun and Her Flowers - Rupi Kaur

I’m trying to get into more poetry and Milk and Honey was a best-seller from last year that from the excerpts I read whilst in line buying some other books at the bookstore were really good, so I’ve got both of them to read this year.

Academic Literature

The History of Sexuality Vols. 2 & 3 - Michel Foucault

The Second Sex - Simone de Beauvoir

Towards Queer Thriving - Adam J. Greteman

Undoing Gender - Judith Butler

There will undoubtedly be far more academic literature that I will end up reading this year, but these are the main ones that I want to make sure that I read for my studies (and general personal interest).

Aaand that’s it for the baseline reads. There’s others on my list, but these are the ones that I want to get through this year

[cantquitu]

That book sounds very interesting! I have some time of work and I've been looking for good books to read. Have you read anything else recently?

It’s so good!!

I’m reading, and really enjoying, ‘Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine’ by Gail Honeyman. The central character is really unique and odd and weirdly likeable despite herself. I read Joan Didion’s 'The Year Of Magical Thinking’ on my way here, about the impact of grief after losing a loved one. I finished up a biography of Stevie Nicks by Stephen Davis last week. It’s ok if you don’t know much about Stevie but otherwise it’s not particularly enlightening or well-written.

I started reading 'Little Fires Everywhere’ by Celeste Ng yesterday but I got around a quarter through it and abandoned it. It’s just not very well written, the characters are clichéd as hell, just….blah. I couldn’t be bothered. It reads like it wants to be a TV screenplay. And I googled it today and sure enough, Reese Witherspoon has optioned it and is producing it as a series for Hulu. I’d rather watch that than put myself through the novel.