Circle of Friends Review

My Mom bought me Circle of Friends for my birthday because Mauve Binchy is her favourite author. I had never read a Mauve Binchy book before and I am someone who loves to get recommendations. Circle of Friends is set in 1950’s Ireland in the small town of Knockglen and the city of Dublin. The story starts out with best friends Benny and Eve who grew up the small town and are now heading to Dublin for University. This is where the other characters enter the story and things really start to happen.

The characters are great! Each person is believable, their actions make them realistic, and they are straight forward. Benny was the most relatable character to me, the way she saw the world and the struggles that she had to face really hit home for me.  I loved how each character got their say; each chapter was spilt up into sections that were narrated by a different character which gave an interesting and unbiased view of the events that were taking place. The characters became fast friends and then as the story unfolds they become closer and I felt like it was such a natural progression and that never seemed forced by the writing.

When I first started to read Circle of Friends I wasn’t really into it, but after about 100 or so pages things really started to happen and I was hooked. All of the events that take place in the story are interesting, but never outrageous. Everything that happens is completely plausible and I think that is what makes it such a captivating read. I honestly had no idea how things were going to turn out for the characters and some of my guesses were completely off the mark. I loved that the story was not predicable, it had the option to be something cookie-cutter but was a pleasant surprise by being something fresh.

I for sure recommend Circle of Friends; even though it took me a bit to get into the book it was worth it! It was such a great read and I really enjoyed the journey that characters took me on.

Carrie Browstein is my Hero

Today I finished watching all the episodes of Portlandia, I feel like I am little bit late to the party, which I have decided is one of the best shows ever written. If you don’t know, and I’m sure that you do, Portlandia is a sketch comedy show created by Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein that is about life in Portland Oregon. It is so clever and funny, to me this is what comedy is and should be. All in all this show has confirmed that Carrie Brownstein is, in fact, my hero.

I have written about Carrie Brownstein’s band Wild Flag before, but my love affair with Carrie really began back in 2005. During the summer of 2005 by brother and I purchased tickets to see Pearl Jam, it was going to be my first time, and we discovered that the opener was going to a band called Sleater-Kinney. I proceeded to look them up on the internet and found out that they were an all girl, or riot grrrl, band that had just released their latest album called The Woods. I rushed out and bought The Woods at the first chance that I got and the music that one small disc held was, honestly, life changing.

The Woods is so grungy and raw. It was like nothing I had heard before, and I had never heard women play music like that before. It was powerful and it made me think about women in music differently than I ever had before. Knowing that the sounds coming from my speakers were coming from three women was an awesome experience and I related more to this music than a lot of the female musicians that I was listening to at the time.

When Sleater-Kinney opened for Pearl Jam that September it was such a cool experience. Up until this point I had never really seen a female band or artist live and watching these three women kick ass was an eye opening experience. It made me realise that women can rock as hard, or harder, then men. When I listen to Sleater-Kinney, and their offshoots Wild Flag and The Corin Tucker Band, I feel empowered and like I can do anything.

It is really difficult for me to choose my favourite song off of The Woods, they are all so great, I’d have to say that it is probably Entertain. This is a great song because it highlights what each member of the band brings to the group. I love everything about this song; I could listen to it over and over and never be tired of it. I can still remember Sleater-Kinney playing this song live, it was one the best performances of a song that I have ever seen. The band killed it and there were these strobe lights that would flash with the drum beat, and all I can remember thinking is Holy crap, that. Is. it. It blew my mind.

 

See Me Smile, It's Not For A Funny Joke

It is one of those days when it is so terrible outside that it makes me want to curl up in bed and not get out. This makes for a very unproductive day trust me. Well, after bumming around my PJs until 3pm I have put it into my mind that it is time to attempt some form of productivity and here I am writing a blog, hopefully it will turn into something worth reading.

Yesterday was a good day for my favourite musician Kathleen Edwards. She released a cover of the song It Must have been Love, which is beautiful and you should go download it right now, and she released the music video for her song Comedian/Chameleon. This song is one of my favourites on the album Voyageur, I know I could say that about every song on the album but whatever, and I have been waiting for this video ever since October when Kathleen tweeted that they were filming it.

I’ve written about Comedian/Chameleon before in the review that did for Voyageur, it was short but concise so I think that I will share it again instead of rewriting the same sentiment.

“The next song is Chameleon/ Comedian. I have a bootleg copy of this song from her performance at the Drake, and I have to say this song it so different. I really love the changes that she made. It is a little slower and more intense. You can really feel the emotion coming through within the instrumentation. I love the lyrics of this song, they really just make sense. It is almost like an epiphany happening within a song. The metaphor is that strong.”

The video beautifully shot and builds on the ideas that are held within the lyrics. I think that one of my favourite things about Kathleen Edwards is that she is not afraid to think outside the box. This video is different and I don’t think that there are a lot of musician who would have been brave enough to do something that is so in your face. It is such an interesting concept and each frame is so cool.

Please take some time to watch the video for Comedian/Chameleon! And then go download It Must Have Been Love!

 

The Virgin Suicides - Book Review

The Virgin Suicides was on my to-read list for months and finally I took the time to read it. It’s not a very long book; it only have just over 200 pages, but for some reason it took me a long time to get through. I’m not really sure why, maybe I was busy doing other things, but I did enjoy it.

If you don’t know The Virgin Suicides is about the five Lisbon girls who all commit suicide. The story is told by the boys who lived on the same street as the Lisbons and kept tabs on the girls while they were alive and tried to make sense some sense of their deaths.

The thing that really made this book for me was the writing Jeffrey Eugenides is a great writer, he was able to catch my interest and keep it. This is really important because there were times when I was reading and started to think to myself that he has gone off on a tangent. Yes, there were times when a person would be mentioned as knowing the Lisbon girls back in the day and then there would be a detail description about what that person was doing now. I could have done without these descriptions, but the writing was so good that I can forgive that fact.

As for the plot I really enjoyed hearing about the Lisbon girls and what their lives were like. The interesting twist is that it is an outsiders looking in, you never really know what things are really like in the Lisbon house you just get this very biased opinion. The boys worshiped the Lisbon girls and because they don’t have the answers the girls remain a mystery throughout the whole story. You find out what is going to happen on page one, but that doesn’t take anything away from the story, I was interesting to get even the little bit of insight into the Lisbon girls lives to try to make a little bit of sense from their suicides.

I would definitely recommend The Virgin Suicides to anyone who thinks that it sound intriguing, but be warned that I don’t think that this book is for everyone. The writing is great, but the subject matter is very dark.

Heartthrob

So, this week I really wanted to pick my favourite song of off the New Tegan and Sara album Heartthrob but I am having a really difficult time choosing which one is my favourite. I have been a fan of Tegan and Sara for a long time now, I remember seeing the music video for Living Room on Much Music when I was in High School, and I was so excited to hear that they were releasing a new album. My first listen of Heartthrob I wasn’t really sure what I thought about it. This album is quiet a departure from what Tegan and Sara have done previously that I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, but after a few more listens and seeing the interview on Q I am so sold on this album! I love it! I think it is so great! I can’t choose which song is my favourite because they are all so awesome.  I really don’t think that I can express just how much I love this album.

While Heartthrob may be a departure for Tegan Sara at the same time it is so them. Tegan and Sara have always been very unique and that is exactly what has carried on into this album. Yes, this album is more poppy and uses synthesizers, but in no way are Tegan and Sara selling out! Just the opposite, it seems like a natural progress for their music. In the Q interview they flat out said that it was contrived and that is what I love about them! The music change but they didn’t make excuses or say that it just happened; it was thought out and planned!

What I love the most is that it still sounds like Tegan and Sara. The vocal, melody and harmony are undeniable their style. The music even sounds like them but more pop infused, and not at all like the music you will find on Much Music these days! Tegan and Sara are still as unique as they ever were, but they have opened themselves up to a broader audience. I have to say that the more that they have taken feels completely natural to me, and I am so glad that they did it.

The first song that I heard of off Heartthrob was, of course, the single Closer. I like it right away, I thought that it was different but interesting and couldn’t wait to hear what the rest of the album would be like. Yes, at first I wasn’t sure about the rest of Heartthrob, but now I love it. The lyrics are amazing, they are so honest. Tegan and Sara have really put their hearts on their sleeves for this album and every word hits home with me. I never thought that I would ever listen to an album that would make me want to dance and cry at the same time, but here it is and I want to do just that! I can’t say enough about the lyrics they are that good, and it is consistent in every song! Please just take the time to really listen to the words.

Since I started to write this blog I have listened through Heartthrob and I can say that I think that my favourite song is a tie between I Was a Fool and How Come You Don’t Want Me. Both of these songs are heartbreaking and beautifully written. I strongly urge you to at least check on these two songs and them purchase the rest of the album.

 

My Top 10 Favourite Books Read In 2012

I know that 2012 has been gone for a good month now, but I have seen lots of peoples top 10 books that they read during 2012 and I have been toying with the idea of writing my list for a little while…I guess that I have decided to do it. 2012 was a year of reading accomplishment for me as I set, and reached, a goal of reading 50 books during the year. I had never set a reading goal for myself before and was looking forward to trying to attempting said goal. I not only reached my goal of 50 books but I surpassed it by reading 51 books! I feel very proud of myself, and I also feel like I have read enough books to compile my top 10 favourite books that I read during 2012. I hope that this list inspires you to read more and that you check out some of the books on the list. Just so you know this list is not in the order I liked them but in the order that I read them.

 

1.       The Book Thief By Markus Zusak

I guess I cheated a little with The Book Thief because I actually started it before the New Year but I did read the bulk of it during 2012. This book is set in Germany during the Second World War and follows the story of a young girl who steals books and teaches herself to read. I found this story to be very interesting for a number of reasons, the first being that you rarely get stories that are from the German side of the war. Sometimes it seems that people forget that there were innocent people living in Germany during the war, people who were just like those living in the ally countries, being killed even though they didn’t agree with Hitler and what he was doing. The other reason was because it is narrated by death. This gave the story such an interesting perspective especially during a war.

2.       The Fault In Our Stars By John Green

I have loved John Green for quite a while now and when I discovered that he was going to release a new book I preordered it as soon as possible. I read The Fault In Our Stars in two days, it is one of those books that you just can’t put down. The story is about a girl named Hazel who has cancer and meets a boy name Augustus at a cancer support group and the relationship that the two develop. The Fault in Our Stars is a story that hits you hard right in the heart. It evokes so many feeling, and emotions that you start to really think about life while you read it. There is not enough praise that I can give this book, you really just need to read it.

3.       The Descendents By Kaui Hart Hemmings

I saw the movie of The Descendents before I read the book and I can honestly say that it didn’t ruin the book for me. It is one of the best adaptations that I have ever seen, and while reading the book I could picture everything from the movie that is how closer the movie is to the book. If you don’t know The Descendents is about a man whose wife is in a coma and tells how he deals with it and his two daughters. The thing that jumps out about this story to me is how realistic it is, I feel like this story could happen for sure.

4.       Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children By Ransom Riggs

If you want a book that grips you then this is the one for you! The story follows a boy who is trying to find out if the stories that his Grandfather told him about a home for children are true. This was such a surprising read; I didn’t know where it was going to end up. I enjoyed the journey so much and the experience was enhanced by the use of old strange pictures.

5.       Divergent By Veronica Roth

In a world where there are now tons of dystopian young adult novels you’d think that there aren’t really any new interesting stories within this genre, but there is! Divergent is different! Yes, the world is still not as it should be, and the government is still corrupt, but it is done is such a captivating way that it makes the whole genre seem fresh and new. It was one book that I could not put down and more than once read late into the night.

6.       13 Reasons Why

Teen suicide seems to be at a high right now, but you never really know the reasons why. 13 Reasons Why is a haunting suicide note in the form of tapes. These tapes are being passed around to all the people that are mentioned and the reader finds themselves experiencing the story with one of these people and getting his commentary on what is said on the tapes. I think that this is an important book, it shows how your actions can affect someone, even if you don’t realise it.

7.       Before I Fall By Lauren Oliver

This was probably the book that surprised me the most, at first I wasn’t really sure if I was going to like it but by the time I was half way through I was hooked. The story follows a teenage girl, Samantha, who goes to a party and then is in a car accident. Each chapter is Sam living the same day over and over as she sees how her actions effect and change the events that happen. At first I really didn’t like Sam, but by the end of the story I had a strong emotional attachment to her and had to continue reading to find out what was going to happen to her next.

8.       White Oleander By Janet Fitch

This was a reread for me, I had read White Oleander about two years previous, and I can say that I enjoyed it more the second time around. The book follows Astrid after her mother is put in jail and she is put into foster care. The writing is absolutely amazing, it really grabbed me and kept me interested throughout the whole book. The story is sad, but ultimately hopeful, and I know that I will reread this book again.

9.       The Causal Vacancy By J.K Rowling

I am a fan of the Harry Potter series and yes, that is part of the reason that I wanted to read J.K. Rowling’s newest book, but it was more because of her writing and not because I was wanting another book just like Harry Potter. The Causal Vacancy is nothing like Harry Potter and it is definitely not for kids. I know that a lot people didn’t like this book, but I really liked it! It is an interesting and different read. I can’t say that I’ve read anything that is quite like it, and it is all about a community and how people interact and influence each other lives. In the end it is Rowling’s writing that really make this book great, she has such a distinctive style that enhances the story.

10.   Who I Am: Pete Townshend By Pete Townshend

This is the only non-fiction book I read in 2012 and I sure did pick a good one! If you are unaware Pete Townshend is the guitarist and principal songwriter for The Who. However, if you are looking for a book about The Who then you have the wrong book. This autobiography is about Pete Townshend’s life, sure it touches on The Who, it was a huge part of his life, but it gives more insight into the feelings and thoughts that went into what happened to Pete rather than the band as a whole. One of the coolest things about this autobiography is that the words sound like Pete Townshend talking, and the book reads like he is telling you a bunch of stories. To make this book even more special I was lucky enough to meet Pete Townshend and get him to sign my copy!

Clapa Your Hands, Stompa Your Feet

This week I have been obsessed with Serena Ryder’s new album Harmony, getting each song stuck in my head as various times. I first got into Serena Ryder in 2008 with her album Is It O.K. came out. I was lucky enough to have the chance to see her at the Charles W. Stockey Centre in Parry Sound during her tour of the same name and enjoy every second of her performance.  When it comes to Canadian artists that are underrated I believe that she is one of them.

Serena Ryder has always seemed to do whatever she wanted and not what she thought would sell. She has a unique voice, and she doesn’t sound like another Fiest wannabe. The music that Ryder writes is beautiful and Melodic. Her lyrics are deep, relatable and the vocals convey every bit of emotion that is held within them. I love having strong female musicians to listen to and Serena Ryder definitely fit that description.

One of the best songs on Harmony is the first single Stompa, which is just so groovy that it makes you feel cool just listening to it. When the distorted guitar kicks in you feel like bobbing your head to the beat, which I actually am doing right now. Man, it has such a great beat; this is one of those songs that love to walk too. It gives me confidence and makes feel like I can face anything. If there was ever a Serena Ryder song that I would call and dance song this is it. I always feel like dancing when I listen to Stompa, which I suppose is sort of the point of the song.

Stompa is such a different and unique song. Serena Ryder’s voice is so great, the way she sings in her lower register, and I can’t help loving it. I think that you should love it too!