Book Review - "The Art of Crash Landing" by Melissa DeCarlo (#37 - 2015)

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review. I only accept copies of books for review that look like something I would normally buy or check out at library.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Art of Crash Landing by Melissa DeCarlo

Oh man, I really enjoyed this book, a great end-of-Summer read!  It's the story of Mattie, thirty years old, broke, nowhere to go and pregnant.  She's afraid she's turning into her mother, a broken, alcoholic who always seemed to make the worst choices.  When Mattie turns up at her former Stepfather's trailer, she finds out that her Maternal Grandmother has passed away and the lawyers have been trying to get in touch with her since she's the only living relative.  Thinking there's an inheritance to be had she hops in her ancient car and drives from Florida to a tiny town in Oklahoma.  Once she arrives, that's when things get interesting.  Told over the span of a week (except at the end when there's a bit of a fast forward), the mystery of her Mother's never talked about past unravels and Mattie learns more about her family and herself in the process.  There are some fantastic characters along the way and you will have a love/hate relationship with Mattie (she's delightfully frustrating at times).  The story is funny, heartbreaking and just well told.  A satisfying first novel from Ms. DeCarlo, I'm looking forward to more from her.

Book Review - "Going Off Script" by Giuliana Rancic (#36 - 2015)

Going Off Script:  How I Survived a Crazy Childhood, Cancer, and Clooney's 32 On-Screen Rejections by Giuliana Rancic

Picked this one up on a whim secondhand on Amazon (I love stalking secondhand books there).  This was a big bowl of okay.  It was great learning more about her background and how she got to where she is, but she tried to be funny/witty and just came off as spoiled and out of touch.  I couldn't really yuk it up with her as she was "complaining" about her baby nurse doing too much (seriously? Shut up!).  I like Giuliana, but after reading this, I kind of liked her less.  I'm not sure what her intention was with this book, but I think it was misguided.  Bottom line, if you like Giuliana and/or want to know more about her background go ahead and pick this one up.  If you are just wanting to read a good memoir (by anyone), then skip this one.

Also by Giuliana Rancic: "I Do, Now What?" Review

Book Review - "The Book of Joan" by Melissa Rivers (#35 - 2015)

The Book of Joan:  Tales of Mirth, Mischief and Manipulation by Melissa Rivers

I (luckily) stumbled upon a copy of this at my local secondhand bookstore.  It was on my "to read" list so I snapped it up.  I'm glad I did, I read it in a day.  It's a collection of essays covering different topics and times in their lives.  So many good Joan stories and insights from her daughter Melissa.  Sometimes Melissa tries to be "Joan" with jokes and shtick, which got a bit annoying, but I'll forgive her.  Overall it's a fabulous read for any Joan fan and a touching tribute to her mother.  And I've said it before, I miss Joan every single day.  

What I Bought - July 2015

So late on this post, but I have a good excuse, we are moving!  Moving back to our house we left almost 6 years ago (so much for that "temporary" move).  So this month is going to kick my butt, I'll try and share as much of the move and house stuff here and on Instagram (@spryonthewall) as possible.  Stay tuned!  As for last month's purchases, I did take advantage of Nordstrom's yearly sale (with mixed results).  Here's what I dragged home only to pack up ;)

1.  Nars Blush in Orgasm - $30

2. Sephora face mask - $6

3. Marc Jacobs nail polish in Ultraviolet - $18

4. Birkenstock Metallic Madrid sandals - $29.99 (I got a green color that is no longer available)

5. Open Front Cashmere Cardigan - $99.90 (yearly sale item - now $158)

6. Gap Skinny Crop Cargo pants - $11 (on mega sale in store)

7. Zella "Live In" leggings - $33.90 (yearly sale item - now $52)

8. Yummie by Heather Thompson shaping briefs - $12.90 (yearly sale item - now $18)

Total = $241.69
- $99.90 (returned cardigan*)
Total Out of Pocket = $141.79

*Okay, the cardigan was a total bust for my body type, I'm carrying some extra pounds and it just made me look really round.  I wish it had looked better because it's darn near perfect (not too heavy, good quality fabric).  Also note, the Marc Jacobs nail polish took 3 coats to properly build a streak-free color. however it did wear well.  The Yummie briefs are a bust, the top rolls down and bunches up - oh well.

Go forth and shop responsibly!

I'm linking up with Budgeting Bloggers over at Franish!

Book Review - "Leave Your Mark" by Aliza Licht (#34 - 2015)

Leave Your Mark: Land Your Dream Job. Kill It in Your Career. Rock Social Media by Aliza Licht

I've heard great things about this book, so I decided to pick it up.  First of all, let me say that I wished I had had a book like this when I was first starting my career, it would have been so helpful.  Now that I'm in my 40's, most of this stuff I had to learn the (sometimes) hard way.  So if you are in college or just starting out in your career, then pick this up ASAP!  She does a great job of helping to navigate some of the situations and people you will likely encounter in your 9-to-5.  I did want her to dig a little deeper into networking and resumes, but I think that's just me.  She did a great job of covering how you need to think and really be selective about what you share on social media (and how you share it), always remembering that the Internet is forever and anyone can see it.  Overall she did a great job of touching on subjects that will certainly help anyone out as they get their footing in the working world.

Book Review - "Diary of a Mad Diva" by Joan Rivers (#33 - 2015)

Diary of a Mad Diva by Joan Rivers

Joan. Joan. Joan. I swear I miss you every single day.  I miss your biting wit, I miss your honesty, I miss that you never apologized for your comedy.  That being said, this was my least favorite of her books, but still had lots of lol's.  As the title indicates, it's written in diary form with entries for almost every day of the year.  And if you take any of what she writes seriously then you need to lighten up, it's all for laughs.  And Joan always delivers the laughs.  As for her other books, I highly recommend Enter Talking and Still Talking, not for the laughs, but for her very honest, very thoughtful memoirs illustrating just how strong and yes, brave she was.  I love her and I hate she left us so suddenly.

Book Review - "The Master of Us All: Balenciaga, His Workrooms, His World" by Mary Blume (#32 - 2015)

The Master of Us All: Balenciaga, His Workrooms, His World by Mary Blume

Cristobal Balenciaga was very mysterious, very private, and not many people knew him well.  In fact most customers (even the famous ones) never even met him.  But his impact on fashion is far reaching and profound.  He was arguably the best Couturier to ever live, his precision and attention to detail second to none.  The title of the book "The Master of Us All" was how Christian Dior referred to Balenciaga.  Ms. Blume did her research and spoke with people who knew and worked with him.  One woman, in particular shed a lot of light on the man and his work, his top vendeuse, and the first person he hired when he opened his Paris house, Florette Chelot.  She worked for him for over thirty years until he abruptly closed the house in 1968.

Balenciaga passed away in 1972 thinking his name would go with him.  However his heirs continued using the name and selling it, eventually being bought by Kering (formerly PPR).  Alexander Wang is the current head designer, and by diving into the archives and doing his research, has stuck very close to the aesthetic of Cristobal Balenciaga's heyday (in my opinion).  Which I love. So if you want to know more about Balenciaga or are just interested in fashion history, then pick this book up.  It's 100% worth it!