Park City

My dad came to visit from Phoenix over the weekend, which was really awesome! He hadn't met Lyall yet so he got to hang out with his little granddog, and see Greg's and my apartment and everything. It was a nice relaxing visit. We had coffee in the mornings, ate laid back breakfasts, watched The Hobbit, got Cold Stone after a dinner of leftover pizza, and generally did weekend things.

Yesterday my dad and I decided we'd drive up to Park City, which is only about a forty minute drive from us. It was what normal people would call a beautiful day, but it was a bit too sunny and bright for my tastes... Still, we had a great time looking in expensive boutiques and sitting up on the roof of the No Name Saloon with 3.2% beers and greasy food.

I hate attempting photography in such bright, direct sunlight, but I did it anyway just for you. Park City is a weird place. It's like a tourist town for rich people who go skiing. All the cars there were huge, shiny SUVs and pickup trucks, and everyone was walking around in puffer vests and weird cowboy boots. I don't get the whole Wild West rich person aesthetic. It's like they spent a ton of money making their houses look like log cabins, which they then decorated with bits of tree trunk, antlers, and Native American rugs. And not in a fun hipster way, but a weird way. These people were all over Montana, and I have a feeling they lurk everywhere in the West. I suppose there's a version of the outdoorsy rich cowboy out East, but I've no idea what it is.

Anyway, have some photos from our little day trip! And let's put our heads together to sort out what the deal is with this creepy moose statue. Why is it wearing jeans? :(

Book Review: Sharps

I finished Sharps by K.J. Parker last week (I think?), and am finally getting 'round to writing a review. I saw it randomly at Barnes & Noble while nursing a vanilla latte several weeks ago, and when my dad sent me a giftcard to BN.com, I added it to my cart immediately. I'm not sure what exactly intrigued me about it beyond the fact that it's about fencing. I'm really picky about what books I read, and if I'm not super interested after reading the back cover blurb, I probably won't bother. Still, I had never read anything by K.J. Parker before, and I had absolutely no idea if Sharps would be any good.

When I started reading, I had just tossed Beautiful Creatures aside in a huff, frustrated that I couldn't relate to the characters or muster any interest in what happened to them. I felt I needed a break from YA paranormal romance, so I started Sharps without super high expectations.

I was instantly hooked. Honestly, for about the first 50 pages, I had no idea what was going on, or who anyone was. There's a vaguely Game of Thrones-y vibe about the book in that it's told from several characters' points of view, and it's heavy on the political intrigue. Plus the characters' names are super weird (Tzimisces? COME ON). But for some inexplicable reason I felt I needed to find out what was going to happen, and I kept reading. I'm so glad I did, because I was thoroughly swept up in the story and the various arcs of each character.

The story follows a team of fencers from Scheria, who are sent on a fencing tour through a neighboring enemy country, Permia. It's meant to be a sort of peace-making mission, because Permians are hardcore fans of fencing, and the two countries have recently been at war with one another. The team consists of three men and a woman, all of whom are pretty much either bribed, coerced, or forced into representing their country on this team. The tour goes awry form the get-go, with their party facing bandits, a broken axle, horrible weather, and far too much pickled cabbage. As their journey through Permia continues it begins to verge on the ridiculous, with riots, fires, more bandits, and assassinations following in their wake.

What kept me interested, aside from the great characterizations, was this constant feeling that there were bigger machinations going on in the background. I don't want to give anything away, but there's a definite feeling of "what's really going on with this fencing tour?" throughout the narrative that kept me turning the pages.

The characters themselves were as intriguing to me in their own right as the "plot" as it were, though I suppose you can count character arcs as plot arcs. Maybe? Anyway. The Scherian fencing team is made up of Giraut, a young man who's told to choose between joining the team and being hanged, so he makes the obvious choice. He's a practiced fencer, but a privileged young man who literally freezes at the first sign of danger. Addo is the son of a Scherian war hero, and as his father requested that he join the team, he really has no choice but to do so. He's quiet and unassuming, but arguably one of the most complex characters on the team. Suidas is a champion fencer, and is offered a significant amount of money to join the team. He starts out as the group's voice of reason, taking the lead when their carriage's axle breaks and leaves them stranded, but as their journey progresses his behavior becomes more erratic as he's forced to relive his time served in the war. And finally there's Iseutz, the only lady of the team, terminally grumpy and only there because it's better than the marriage that had been arranged for her back in Scheria.

The team's interactions are strained from the start, and since pretty much nothing goes right during the entirety of the tour, they're at one another's throats for the majority of it. What I loved was the sarcastic, banter-y dialogue and the author's dry, witty style. Often the book felt like a very dark comedy, but I wouldn't describe it as such. In fact I don't really know how to describe it, as it's not high fantasy and it's not even really about fencing. It could almost be like, gritty mannerpunk, or... realistic fantasy? There's no magic, no fairies or monsters, just people. But it's set in a fantasy world, so take that as you will.

This is the most rambling, useless book review in the world, and I'm sorry. You'll really just have to read the book and form an opinion for yourself. I really, really liked it. The characters were alive and engaging, the dialogue was brilliant, the story and conflict carried along at a nice clip, and the world was so fully realized that I have a hard time believing it doesn't exist somewhere. For me the real heart of this story is in the characters, so if you're a fan of character-driven books, I'm looking at you! Check this one out.

So yes, Sharps was a surprising hit with me, and I urge everyone to read it, regardless of your normal taste in books, because I can see pretty much anyone enjoying it. Go! Read!

Outfit no. 58

Skirt: H&M, shirt: Primark, sweatshirt and necklace: F21, jacket: F21 (via eBay), shoes: Blowfish, glasses: Ray-Ban

This is more my style than the last outfit. I felt completely comfortable in this all day yesterday, which is when I wore it. I probably overdo the whole skater skirt thing, but really... they're cute and flattering, and when I find a look that suits me, I stick to it! I'm all for experimentation, but I feel like if I know what I like to wear and what looks good on me, then there's nothing wrong with wearing a variation of the same thing every day.

My dad's coming to visit this weekend, hurray! So I'll be scheduling a post for tomorrow, and then you'll hear from me again come Monday (I assume). Not that I ever really blog over the weekends, but you know.

Dem Shoes

This is simply a little post to pay homage to one of my favorite pairs of shoes of all time: these flats. You may remember them from outfit posts back in Portland (probably not), and also from yesterday's post. They're nothing super special, but I had a mini-drama involving them recently, and I figured I would share because... well because.

So I got these shoes from the Blowfish site almost two years ago. I'd seen LLYMLRS wearing a lot of loafers with similar chain details at the time, and they caught my fancy, so I bought them.

Cue a few months later, leaving for London, and they're already worn in and getting gross from wearing them basically every day. They were my go-to shoes, and I wore them all the time. Because they go with everything and they're suuuper comfy. Anyway, while across the Pond I stopped wearing them because they really became quite ugly after months of subjecting them to the London streets. At one point I used one of them to kill a spider under my bed, and I left it there until I moved out. And then instead of taking them with me, I threw them away.

Cue a couple weeks ago, when I suddenly had a serious craving for black loafers with chain detail. I have a pair from London, but they're far too small and pinch my toes. I thought, "Why oh why did I leave my favorite flats in London? ...Oh yeah because they were gross and had been used as anti-spider weaponry." And then I thought, "I must purchase a new pair of said shoes!"

Only they weren't on the Blowfish site anymore, as they were two years old. And they weren't on Zappos, or Shoes.com, or any of the sites where you can generally buy out-of-season shoes. Falling into despair, I googled "Blowfish Nexi flats"... and an Amazon marketplace seller popped up, selling exactly one pair of the black ones in my size! I freaked out and ordered them immediately, posting about it on Facebook and everything in my excitement. At last, my ideal shoes would be with me again! And I would wear them every day and it would be perfect.

But then. I got an email confirming the shipment of my shoes. And they were going... to Portland. NOOOO! I'd accidentally selected the wrong shipping address in my giddy rush to buy the shoes! Once more I spiralled into the Vortex of Despair, and made an overwrought post about it on Facebook because I had nothing better to do.

I thought I'd never see the shoes. I thought I'd fucked up my one and only chance to own the shoes again. My friends commented with helpful suggestions, but I was inconsolable. I emailed Amazon and told them what had happened, but they were unable to do anything except issue me a refund and take responsibility for my stupidity in selecting the wrong mailing address. (Your customer service rules, Amazon.)

Thinking all was lost, I received an unexpected comment from my bestie Rose's mom, Janna. She said, against all odds, she'd managed to find another pair of the Nexi flats, on Amazon, for $10 cheaper than the ones I'd sent to the wrong address! And since I was at work when she commented, she freaked out when I didn't reply, and ended up ordering them for me! She was a total hero! So now I have the shoes in my possession, at last, and I couldn't have done it without my surrogate mom, Janna. You are amazing, Janna, I love you!

So, very long story about a pair of shoes that nobody will find interesting except me, my mom, and Janna, but hey. I didn't have anything else to blog about today.

Do you guys have any awesome stories of finding that one item of clothing, or just that one thing, that you thought you'd never find? Or like, when that dress you've been eyeing for months is finally on sale and there's only one left and it's in your size? I love stories like that! Share. I beseech you.

Outfit no. 57

Dress, bird necklace, and earrings: F21; tights: Target; shoes: Blowfish (via Amazon); blazer: H&M, bracelet: Mintgem; glasses: Ray-Ban

I don't know how I feel about today's outfit. It seemed super good in my head, but I think overall the dress ruined it. I just cannot sort out how to style this stupid dress! It's driving me crazy, and I'd just get rid of it if I hadn't made a weird pact with myself not to get rid of any of my clothes ever again. Still, at least this blazer kind of saves the whole thing from looking super frumpy/twee-town. I got it on sale for $10, and I am in love with it! It'll look better with something a bit more structured, though, I think. Dang I don't like this dress; what was I thinking.

ANYWAY. I have a non-interesting story to tell about these shoes, and a shout-out to make, but that will have its own post, so look out. 

Is it a belt? Should I be wearing a belt with this? I'm thinking maybe yes... Man, I am just not with it lately. Who am I? Where am I? Why.

I got this bracelet via Chictopia, where you like... redeem your "chic points" for "rewards." I don't really go on that site except to create traffic to my blog (shameless), so I was like what the hell! And redeemed 1k points or something for this bracelet. I actually really, really like it! I'm weird about the bracelets I'll wear, and this fits the bill. It's small enough for my wrist, delicate, and doesn't get in the way when I'm typing. Yay. Also, weirdly, the Etsy seller who made it is based in SLC! You should all check out her shop, it has some seriously cute stuff available. And I'm saying this with no compensation, I just really like her jewelry!

Picked up the bird necklace the other week at Forever21, because I can't go in there without making at least one small impulse purchase. Or many impulse purchases. It's kind of impossible not to, though, with their accessory prices. Aaand I have no idea where I got the teapot necklace. I have this feeling somebody got it for me as a present, but I'm not sure who? Maybe I bought it for myself? I don't know! Either way, it is amazing.

Now it is time to dig into the chocolate chocolate chip soft top cookies that I got at Smith's bakery because they make the best cookies EVER, aaand I'm shedding my uterine lining so I need make no excuses.

Book Review: Clockwork Angel

Time for another book review! This one, like Etiquette & Espionage, is steampunk, but with a decidedly darker tone. I'd been meaning to read Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare for years, and when I finally got 'round to reading one of her books, it was her Mortal Instruments series. After finishing those I moved on to The Infernal Devices, but for whatever reason it didn't grab me at first, and after weeks not reading it, I came back to Clockwork Angel and absolutely loved it. So clearly there was something wrong with me, and not the book.

In terms of plot, this book is a bit more slow-moving than City of Bones, for example. There is a lot of the ol' exposition, and dialogue that serves no purpose but to explain things, etc. Which is typical of Cassie Clare, let's be honest, but it doesn't hinder the flow of the story too much. For those who have read The Mortal Instruments, and are considering reading this series, it's worth pointing out. The story follows Tessa Gray, an American teenager who travels to London to join her brother, who has been working there for a while. But instead of meeting him on the other side of the Pond, she's immediately abducted by a pair of sinister, creepy old ladies, the Dark Sisters. The Sisters inform Tessa that she has the crazy ability to turn into another person, physically and a bit mentally, and they force her to learn how to use her newfound ability. Eventually Tessa is rescued by a sexy yet emo and self-hating young Shadowhunter, and the action goes from there.

Overall it's the typical story of a teenager who finds out she has magical powers, tries to cope with them/use them, and also learns some crazy stuff about her family along the way. And, much like Etiquette & Espionage, there are vampires and werewolves. There are also demons and warlocks and things, and Shadowhunters (people with angel blood who fight demons and what have you) of course. So it's a bit of a paranormal/steampunk romance combo, all the better.

Tessa as a protagonist is quite likable, although I felt she faded into the background occasionally. She is, admittedly, a Victorian young lady and is somewhat constrained by what she thinks a lady ought or ought not to do/think/etc. I actually quite liked that about her, but she has just enough spunk (I hate that word) to make her a likable character. She definitely knows what she wants and she goes for it, which is more than we can say for many YA female leads, and that's a bonus. In the end, though, I still feel as though I don't know much about her aside from her interest in novels, and her love for her brother Nathaniel.

The main subplot is a romance, as you've concluded, though I'm not sure how I feel about it. There's a love triangle (of course), but it's much more reserved and anguished than what we had going on in The Mortal Instruments. Very Victorian, unsurprisingly. Tessa compares Will Herondale, her main love interest and resident bad boy, to Heathcliff and Mr Darcy at one point, which is apt, although Will seems a bit more pathetic than the aforementioned. He is only a teenager, after all, though it's hinted that he has a ~dark past~ and is super tortured about it. Will's general air of self-loathing and antagonism makes him difficult to like, despite his dark blue eyes, wild black hair, and devil-may-care attitude. I want to fall in love with the romantic lead along with the protagonist, so this was a bit annoying, but Will is just charming enough to make me like him (though not love him). Jem Carstairs, on the other hand, is a wholly intriguing character who suffers from an "ailment" that I will not name, but which is actually far more interesting than you'd guess. He only truly comes into his own by the third act, which is a shame, but he does spend a lot of his time languishing in bed so I suppose he can be forgiven.

I'm sure we'll learn more about Jem and Will in the next book in the series, which I intend to purchase come payday! And then you'll hear my thoughts about it. Until then, if you enjoy YA romance, steampunk, paranormal romance, or any combination thereof, you should definitely check this one out. It's very enjoyable, it has some great light-hearted moments, and even more emo/tortured/I-love-you-but-I-can't-have-you moments. Oh and they fight vampires at one point. Highly recommended!

Outfit no. 56

Dress: H&M, shoes: c/o GoJane, necklace: Primark, belt: Target (came w/a dress), glasses: Ray-Ban

Ooh, I'm givin' you a smouldering glance! It's all in an effort to distract you from my wonky necklace. This one's difficult to control, with its little bits always flipping upside-down and things! It's a great necklace though. Made it all the way across the Pond thanks to Shaun! Shaun, you're the best.

I suppose I'm accidentally-on-purpose channeling the sort of blue/neon yellow thing I've seen happening at Forever21. I've no idea if it's simply isolated to F21 (though I doubt it), but I like the look of these colors together! So I'm trying my hand at it. I also saw Betty wearing something similar a while ago, and thought, "I must copy that." Obviously she actually manages to pull it off and look effortlessly cool, while I look like a creeper try-hard, but... well she's French. It's in her blood to look effortlessly cool all the time, damn her. I can only ever dream of being so chic.

I'm planning to review a couple books on the ol' blog pretty soon here! I just finished Clockwork Angel, and I'm working on Sharps by K.J. Parker and loving it. It's super refreshing to read a wordier, more complex adult fantasy as opposed to all the YA romance I'd been reading lately. I love YA, but sometimes all the cliches and overwrought teens get tiresome. I like to sink my teeth into a novel in which the fantasy world's political system makes absolutely no sense to me and I have no idea what's going on half the time, y'know? Well, at least a little. Too much confusion can be a bad thing. But good writing and a non-romantic plot that involves fencing? It's just what the doctor ordered. (Not the Doctor. I wish.)

And now it's time for some Thin Mints and a book.