The Carrie Diaries

Today's post is a book review. The last time I did a book review was when I talked about Lauren Conrad Style, link here, and so I knew that it was about time to do another one. On my last trip to the bookstore, I finally caved and bought a copy of Candace Bushnell's first YA novel, The Carrie Diaries.

I started reading the book on Monday and finished it Wednesday morning/Thursday morning. At first, I wasn't really impressed with the book's pace. It felt slow and for the first fifty pages I kept waiting for SOMETHING exciting to happen. I hate starting books mostly because I hate the setup of most books--getting to know the character, setting up the plot, learning everyone's names. I just want to get to the action! Does that make me a bad reader? Probably.

But shortly after the page fifty the book started to take off. For those who don't know, this is the prequel to Candace Bushnell's wildly popular book, Sex and the City. Yes. The one that was transformed into the wildly successful TV series featuring Carrie Bradshaw and her three besties as they survived the dating/career world in New York City.

I don't know how she did it but Bushnell had me identifying so closely to teenage Carrie. I was literally yelling at my book [and at Carrie] when I, as the reader, saw something coming down the tunnel that she couldn't see. Although the plot was a tad bit predictable, I still couldn't put the book down for the last two hundred pages. That's why I didn't finish the thing until Thursday at 1:30 AM. The love triangle was too frustrating and juicy for me to go to sleep with my questions un-answered!

The boys portrayed in this book reminded me of boys that I know at my high school. Bushnell wasn't interested in sugar-coating high school love and I admired that. She focused on real issues that kids deal with and just amplified the drama a bit because this is a work of fiction. Hopefully all this drama never happens to anyone in only one year of high school. If it has...my deepest sympathies.

I was also hoping that there would've been a larger emphasis on Carrie's blossoming fashion sense--that is what she's most known for after all--but other than mentioned in passing or centralized upon talk of her mother's handbag, it isn't talked about. Kind of depressing.

All in all? Good read. Just get through the first chunk and you'll find yourself reading about the humble beginnings of one of America's most well known style icons. This book is also a bit of "How To Become a Writer", so if you want a light read and learn something practical along the way, check this book out.

Thank you guys for reading! Leave any book suggestions in the comments. I'm looking for another book to review on this channel. If you want to check out my second blog, I'd be so grateful!

Today's Inspiration: Pride & Prejudice

My all-time favorite "classic" literature would have to be Pride & Prejudice. I think that Jane Austen was brilliant beyond measure. Although I am ashamed to say I have not read all of her books. But do not worry. It's only a matter of time before that happens. This post will deal mostly with the Keira Knightley version because it is also my favorite.

Some of you might already know but I'm in the middle of finals week. Tests are coming at me from all directions and I barely have time to eat and sleep much less post. I threw this one together in a record ten minutes and I'm sorry if its a little...not as put together as some of my other posts. I hope you guys are all having a great week. I'll see you soon. Bye!

Emma Watson: Life at Brown University

Emma Watson graced the cover of Marie Claire. Despite the blogger scandal that rocked day-time television [a blogger said that watching Mike and Molly disgusted her because they were obese], I was glad that they featured Emma Watson. She is so classy and smart and not to mention a style icon.

"My last day was pretty emotional. It was sad; it's the end of an era. What an amazing learning experience! I gave everything I could to that role, and I got so much from it." Emma Watson in a Vera Wang jacket, Ohne titel tights, Burberry shoes, and assorted jewelry [left]. Emma Watson in Fendi dress, Camilla and Marc bodysuit, Sass and Bide embellished vest, and Christian Louboutin shoes [right].  

"I'm glad I saw [the Harry Potter franchise] through to the end; I played that character from the start, and I wanted to finish what I started. It felt very satisfying that I had completed Hermione's journey." Emma Watson in J. Mendel vest, Ralph Lauren Blue Label pants, Lulu Frost bib necklace, Aandre Neen bracelet, and Fenton pendant necklace [right]. Emma in Burberry Prorsum jacket, top and Minnie Mortimer shorts [left].

"I've wanted to [cut my hair] since I was about 16...It's very short; it was buzzed at the back and on the sides. And it's really liberating that I can walk out without thinking about it." Emma Watson in Helmut Lang top, Marc Jacobs panty, Jimmy Choo shoes, and assorted bangles.

"I threw my 20th birthday party at Brown, and I didn't even have to say to anyone not to put pictures on Facebook. Not a single picture went up. That was when I knew I'd found a solid group of friends, and I felt like I belonged." Emma Watson in a DKNY top, Alexander Wang leggings, J. Mendel Vest, and assorted jewelry [left].

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 I got an email from a young girl and she asked me if I could periodically update you guys about the books that I'm reading. I used to do that a lot but I've been slacking. Partially because I've been slacking on reading. I normally try to read a book a week but sometimes that doesn't happen.

 

Well, right now I'm reading True Compass by Edward "Ted" Kennedy. He passed away recently and I just find the entire Kennedy family fascinating. JFK and Jackie O. Iconic family and Ted's memoir gives a little insight on this private family.

Young Hollywood

A spotlight on Teen Vogue. They always do a spread featuring upcoming teen stars and the pictures from this year were really beautiful. Teen Vogue went back in time to draw inspiration and I give it a thumbs up! [is it totally lame of me? does anyone give thumbs up anymore?]

Logan Lerman [from Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief] and Lilly Collins [from The Blindside]. Both look amazing in their vintage-inspiried clothing. I'm really excited because Logan is said to be starring opposite Emma Watson in the big screen interpretation of The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

I never read the book but I heard it was really, really good. Plus I adore Emma Watson. She is truly a style icon and I love that she comes across so down to eart and normal despite all of her fame. :)

Britt Robertson [with Thomas Sangster, bottom right pic] Thomas is a lot taller than I thought he was. She's the star of the CW's Life Unexpected but keep your eyes open for her Disney Channel debut on the DCOM, Avalon High based on Meg Cabot's book of the same name.

Then Jennifer Lawrence looks stunning with her soft, wavy hair. Heart. She's set to star in the upcoming X-Men sequel alongside huge stars like January Jones, James McAvoy, and Kevin Bacon.

Anyone who has seen Love Actually will remember Thomas Sangster as the little boy who stole hearts everywhere. Then he raised a lot of trouble in a little film called Nanny McPhee. Plus, if that isn't enough he's also the voice of Ferb in the hit Disney Channel show Phineas and Ferb. He is sure to become a Hollywood powerhouse when he gets older. :) No doubt.

Ella Purnell is the lucky girl to portray a young Keira Knightley in this fall's, Never Let Me Go. She's also starring in the silver screen adaption of the book Ways to Life Forever.

Max Thieriot is one of the stars in the new movie, My Soul to Take. Has anyone seen it, what did you think?He was also in the movie Nancy Drew with Emma Roberts. My sister was in love with that movie and transformed her style after we went to see it in theaters.  Then Nicola Peltz is said to be staring opposite Robert Pattinson in Unbound Captives. Every Twi-hard girl's dream. :)

There were a few other stars that I didn't have room to feature. Click here to see more. Bye guys. :) Become a follower or become a fan on Facebook!

This is Priceless

Nicole Richie has been making the rounds promoting her new book, Priceless. I actually caught her interview on GMA. Nicole is a style icon. Its seems that no matter what she's doing, she looks effortlessly boho chic. And don't we all remember her in her Simple Life days?
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That was soooo long ago. My sister loved that show. Now, Nicole has transformed into a classy woman with two children and marraige in the future [maybe?]. She was very coy on GMA. But I learned that Nicole had written a book four years ago.

It's called The Truth About Diamonds: A Novel. I don't remember it coming out. Do you? Maybe I was just in another world at that time. Sometimes that happens. But to celebrate Nicole, I'm doing a post about her style that has filled the pages of countless bloggers. [you guys know its true]

Nicole is just shopping in Beverly Hills. Her street style is simple and very, very bohemian. The floopy hat is so casual compared to her over-the-knee boots and vintage fur vest. She's a master at mixing pieces whether its patterns or textures or...just clothing in general. :)

That pop of red is to die! :) Sigh. I know I sound so stupid but I'm a huge fan of bright, bold pops of colors. Its so simple and red looks so good on brunettes. I don't know why, I'm sure there's some reason, but the contrast between the brown and the red is just amazing. [oh, in case you couldn't guess i have brown hair]

First of all, let me say that those cut out shoes are amazing! How fashion forward, yet entirely wearable. And don't get me wrong I love editorial but ready to wear is my bread and butter. And also only Nicole Richie could pull off tights, denim shorts, a bejewled vest, and Louboutins without looking like a gypsy escapee.

[this is random but everytime i write the word escape, i mentall say "es-caw-pay" like from Finding Nemo. my friend used to do it all the time and now its worn off on me]

I'm off to Florida in a couple days. My school has a break coming up so its the perfect time. I know I might have mentioned this already but I'm planning on pre-writing blogs and then posting them, so if my next couple posts seem weird, or odd, or any other synonym for not normal, then you'll know why.

Umm...is there anything [besides Disney World and Universal Studios] that I should do when I'm down there? Advice is gladly taken.

Check out my Facebook page. There should be a link on the bottom of my left side bar. Please become a fan. I update that more with pictures from my life if you're interested. I haven't updated much lately but I'm tyring to change that. :) Bye!

True Drew

Since she's been promoting her new movie--Going the Distance--Drew Barrymore has been on a whirlwind of promotional appearances and red carpets. That movie looks so good but I've heard that its super raunchy. But I think I'm going to still check it out.

Get Drew's style. It's super easy. :)

I adore Drew's military green dress. It doesn't scream military but its subtle and sweet. Her belt adds definition to her waist, highlighting the smallest part of her body. :) Her nude shoes give the illusion that her legs are longer than they actually are and this reminds me that I actually need a pair.

Her berry lip is perfect for fall. Isn't that the best part of fall/winter? The warm knits, hoodies, and dark colors? Don't get me wrong. I love shorts, bright colors, and tanks but I love fall in a different way. What season is your favorite?

Doesn't Drew just look so cool in this picture? She's so chill with her sunglasses and purple skirt. Adore that purple skirt by the way. I love a neutral outfit with a bright, bold garmet. Don't you?

I can't get out how cute her skirt is. Sigh. :) And her shoes. I've come to learn that I'm a total shoe girl. I see a pair that I love and I can't seem to buy enough. When I went school shopping I bought four pairs. In two days. I have a problem but I'm working on it.

I just noticed that she's wearing military green in each outfit. I didn't do that on purpose, I promise. :) But I do love the military trend. The zippers at the bottom of her jeans are just so chic. The layered button-down shirt over that striped shirt looks so put together.

Layers work that way. If done well, they take an outfit to the next level. And, again, I think she looks so chill. I hope I look that cool but I have this weird feeling that I don't. :)

I'm so excited for fashion week! Eeek! I feel like a kid outside of a candy store. :)

Onto, non-fashion related news. I just started reading Andre Aggassi's memoir, Open. And I'm only a couple chapters into it but its so good. It's so well written and in-depth. The descriptions are so vivid and I can't wait until I get further into it.

If you're looking for a great read I tentaively recommend this. It might get a little stale as I continue reading--and I reserve the right to change my mind--but so far...its great. <3  it!

Um, don't forget to check out my $75 Target giftcard giveaway and Softlips review! I'll post on Saturday, I promise!And don't forget to become a fan of Viva La Fashion on Facebook. :)

"I Wrote You Everday For A Year!"

I'm really excited. :) I just put in a search bar so people can search my blog for anything. I don't know why I didn't have it before because its so hard to find things on my blog. Recently I did two posts that were about Victoria Beckham and my sister rolled her eyes.

She seems to be under the false impression that I post about her everyday. And I wanted to prove her wrong but it was hard going through all of them. Sigh. I'm a little lazy. So I added the search bar. Enjoy.

Oh, and just an update in about two weeks I'm heading to my grandma's for a week. My mom's side of the family all live in like a hundred mile radius of each other, so every year we go and visit them. :) If there's a long pause between posts, then at least you'll know why.

Here's my Polyvore inspired by my one of my favorite love stories. Sigh. The Notebook. Such a good movie. I feel in love with Ryan Gosling in that movie. :) Click here to see the details of the Polyvore.

I never read the book but I heard from a friend that it wasn't nearly as good as the movie. Which is weird because the book is almost always better than the movie. Did anyone read the book? What are your thoughts?

Don't forget to check out my giveaway! You have the chance to win a $200 Target giftcard. :) Good luck!

Bang! Bang!

I love the E! Channel. I adore Keeping Up With the Kardashians. But I also love watching Ryan and Guiliana on E! News and Kendra. They're all so funny and easy to watch. :)

Well, Chelsea Handler, from her show Chelsea Lately, is so funny. I love watching her show. Some of my friends don't think she's funny but Maddy, May, and I stand firm that she is hilarious. :) I think the people who don't understand Chelsea's humor, just haven't seen the right episodes. Sometimes the people she has at her round table aren't that funny. They try to be funny but they're just not.

Oh, well. Not everyone can be a comdian. :)

Anway, Chelsea's newest book isentitled, Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang, I won't pretend that I've read it but I really want to! :) I don't know why it's taken me so long.

Anyway, here's a couple of pictures that Chelsea Handler and Abigail Breslin did for Haper's Bazaar. Enjoy!

Click here to see the rest of the pictures. For some reason they wouldn't come up on blogger right. It was just not working. Oh, well. :)

I hope that you guys are enjoying my giveaway! :) I'm really excited. If you haven't enter and want a $200 giftcard to Target click here! :D

Bye guys. Talk to you later. :) Who's your favorite comedian? Please Comment. :)

Viva Goes Fourth!

Jessica Alba

Happy Fourth!! :D Jessica looks almost perfect for Independence Day. She isn't decked out in an American Flag but I would wear that outfit. :) I'm actually wearing something really similar. But its a striped top and a solid blue skirt.

My friend, she's an exchange student from Spain, got American flags on  her nails. I loved it! :) It's not something I would do but it was so her. She's so fearless in her style chioces and she has this ability to make her choices look completely classy and chic rather than trashy. I'm a little jealous.

I don't really have anything specific that I'm going to talk about but I thought I'd just sit down and something would hit me. I hope this works.

I just started reading Tori Spelling's new book, Uncharted TerrTori. I love reading her books because she's funny and she's not afraid to poke fun at herself and her situation. She writes the way she talks. And its a really quick read. I have read her other two books and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

If you're looking for a funny, leisure read then head to the library and check out her books. I can't recommend them more. Honestly. :) They're amazing.

I was playing tennis yesterday and I rubbed through my tennis shoes. I actually rubbed a hole in my sock. :) I desperately need to get new ones but I just don't have time. I've never worn through shoes this quickly. I got them two/three months ago. It took me two years to kill my converse.

Oh, and I was also wondering. Has anyone seen Toy Story 3? I really want to see it. I love Pixar movies. Up was amazing! But I'm just wondering how good was Toy Story? Thumbs up? Down? Comment below!

A haul will be up tomorrow or Monday. I promise! :) It's from a while ago. So I'll also be able to talk about my thoughts on the products. Whether I think they're worth the money or not. Oh, and my June favorites will be up soon. Again, I promise. :) What're your plans for the 4th?