Book Review: The It Girls

Author: Karen Harper

Publication Date: October 24, 2017

Publisher: William Morrow

From New York Times bestselling author Karen Harper comes a novel based on the lives of two amazing sisters . . .

One sailed the Titanic and started a fashion empire . . .

The other overtook Hollywood and scandalized the world . . .

Together, they were unstoppable.

They rose from genteel poverty, two beautiful sisters, ambitious, witty, seductive. Elinor and Lucy Sutherland are at once each other’s fiercest supporters and most vicious critics.

Lucy transformed herself into Lucile, the daring fashion designer who revolutionized the industry with her flirtatious gowns and brazen self-promotion. And when she married Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon her life seemed to be a fairy tale. But success came at many costs—to her marriage and to her children . . . and then came the fateful night of April 14, 1912 and the scandal that followed.

Elinor’s novels titillate readers, and it’s even asked in polite drawing rooms if you would like to “sin with Elinor Glyn?” Her work pushes the boundaries of what’s acceptable; her foray into the glittering new world of Hollywood turns her into a world-wide phenomenon. But although she writes of passion, the true love she longs for eludes her.

But despite quarrels and misunderstandings, distance and destiny, there is no bond stronger than that of the two sisters—confidants, friends, rivals and the two “It Girls” of their day.

Yes, after being abandoned by one man and losing another to death, she would be married only to her passion for design from now on.

And, for one mad, shattering moment, there was no one or no thing in the world besides this man she loved.

Elinor had cheekily claimed she felt she had “It” when she lying nearly naked on her most recent tiger skin. Today, Lucile felt she had “It,” too.

Beginning in 1875 and spanning several decades, The It Girls by Karen Harper is a fictionalized novel about real life sisters, Lucy (Lucile) & Elinor (Nellie) Sutherland. This is an intriguing novel that begins in 1875 and continues several decades into the early twentieth century, covering the Great War (WWI) and a few years beyond. The theme of this novel is very much about the idea and bond of sisterhood. Karen Harper has woven together an intricate story about these two sisters who lived lives that were very out of the ordinary for the time period. They were supporting themselves financially, were unmarried, and were breaking other gender norms. They were truly ahead of their time.

The sisters suffer through a tragedy together; Harper takes readers on an interesting journey as their lives progress after the sinking of the Titanic. The sisters are complicated, complex, and very competitive; wealth and success are very important to both of them and it often gets in between them and causing family problems. Because the sisters are so self-centered and ambitious, the drama is high and it makes for an intense reading experience. Harper paints an accurate picture of the historical times, which further adds to the extremity of the sisters and their need to defy all odds set against them. I loved the glamorous, glitzy settings and lifestyles that are portrayed, and I recommend The It Girls to anyone who loves historical fiction or reading about strong, intellectual women who break tradition and find their own place in society.

***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at William Morrow in exchange for my honest review***

Book Review: Vogue Living: Country, City, Coast

Author: Hamish Bowles & Chloe Malle

Publication Date: October 24, 2017

Publisher: Knopf

A stunning new collection of beautiful houses and gardens that have appeared in the pages of Vogue over the last decade, with more than 400 full-color photographs. 

Lavishly illustrated, Vogue Living: Country, City, Coast is an irresistible look at some of the most spectacular houses and gardens whose owners come from the worlds of fashion, design, art and society to be published as a book for the first time.

Here is Tory Burch’s stylish and informal Southampton estate, Lauren and Andres Santo Domingo’s glamorous duplex in Paris, Dries Van Noten’s romantic house and garden in Belgium, Alexa and Trevor Traina’s dramatic and colorful San Francisco house, Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber’s lakeside Canadian cabin, shoe maestro Bruno Frisoni and designer Hervé Van der Straeten’s modern house in the heart of Tangier, Stella McCartney’s grand English country garden, Olya and Charles Thompson’s richly patterned Brooklyn house, and the old-world Wilshire estate of Gela Nash-Taylor and Duran Duran’s John Nash Taylor and many more. 

These breathtaking houses and gardens have been photographed by such celebrated photographers as François Halard, Oberto Gili,  Mario Testino and Bruce Weber among others; such writers as Hamish Bowles, Joan Juliet Buck, Plum Sykes, Jonathan Van Meter and Chloe Malle give you an intimate view of the owners and how they live. This book is a look at some of the world’s most iconic houses and gardens—not only rich in ideas for all readers but a resource and inspiration for designers, architects, and landscape architects as well.

As the pages of this book reveal, interior designers quote from the past just as fashion designers have – sometimes with academic reverence, other times with soaring imagination.

In their eclecticism and diversity, these lifestyle portfolios not only reflect the very different personalities of the people who created and live in these environments, but also hold a mirror to the fast-changing times and the fashion and societal trends that Vogue – and more recently its website, too – has reflected so potently across the years.

What a difference a decade makes.

Firstly, I loved the diversity of this book. Readers will get to travel from the country to the city and then to the coast, just as the title implies. The photographs showcase a vast array of beautiful homes, landscapes, and the people that populate and created them. The people’s lives that are showcased in this breathtaking book are famous and well-known for many different reasons, and a look into their worlds is sure to entice and enrapture all readers. A look into Cindy Crawford’s home and lifestyle was by far my favorite section of this book. Her home in Ontario was picturesque and inviting. There is a full page photo of her children jumping from a huge boulder near her home; the feeling communicated in these pages is cozy and completely down to earth, something one might not expect from the life of this famous supermodel.

The images are exasperating and breathtaking. There are hundreds and hundreds of images that showcase the insides of brilliant homes and their architecture and design, images of lavish and lush gardens, and images of the notably remarkable people who inhabit them. Going back to the diversity that was mentioned above, readers will feel a sense of having witnessed every design and architectural style after reading over this book. Some homes were cozy and remote, some were modern and completely ahead of their time, some were traditional, while others had a rather Victorian feel to them. I greatly enjoyed seeing the different tastes of these monumental people.  

***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Knopf in exchange for my honest review***

Book Review: A Secret Sisterhood

Author: Emily Midorikawa & Emma Claire Sweeney

Publication Date: October 17, 2017

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Male literary friendships are the stuff of legend; think Byron and Shelley, Fitzgerald and Hemingway. But the world’s best-loved female authors are usually mythologized as solitary eccentrics or isolated geniuses. Co-authors and real-life friends Emily Midorikawa and Emma Claire Sweeney prove this wrong, thanks to their discovery of a wealth of surprising collaborations: the friendship between Jane Austen and one of the family servants, playwright Anne Sharp; the daring feminist author Mary Taylor, who shaped the work of Charlotte Brontë; the transatlantic friendship of the seemingly aloof George Eliot and Harriet Beecher Stowe; and Virginia Woolf and Katherine Mansfield, most often portrayed as bitter foes, but who, in fact, enjoyed a complex friendship fired by an underlying erotic charge.

Through letters and diaries that have never been published before, A Secret Sisterhood resurrects these forgotten stories of female friendships. They were sometimes scandalous and volatile, sometimes supportive and inspiring, but always—until now—tantalizingly consigned to the shadows.

As writers today, we know that we owe a great debt to the lives and works of female authors of the past.

In their friendships, these women overcame differences in worldly success and social class, as well as personal schisms and public scandal.

In piecing together the lost stories of these four trailblazing pairs, we have found alliances that were sometimes illicit, scandalous, and volatile; sometimes supportive, radical, or inspiring – but, until now, tantalizingly consigned to the shadows.

This literary treat of a book examines some of the fabulous female friendships that spurred the lives of some of the most well-known female authors like Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, and Virginia Woolf – just to name a few. However, do not be misled by the front cover of the book; these women did not have personal relationships with one another, as most were not even of the same time. The authors of this book focus on telling readers about the support systems these women formed while trying to make a breakthrough as a female in the writing world. I am sure that this book will excite all types of literary lovers, especially new authors.

The information in this book has been well researched and is all the more relevant because the authors are also best friends and worked together to create something to promote and display the need for friendship. It's important to see the effect of gifted women on each other through the ages, reaching out to each other and encouraging one another. In this way, Midorikawa and her co-author Emma Claire Sweeney, have made an important contribution to discussing the works of these much studied writers. The material was fascinating and a lot of the research shown here was information that I have never ran across before in my studies of some of these authors. I was totally fascinated and walked away feeling like I had learned so much!

***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in exchange for my honest review***

Book Review: The Essential Marilyn Monroe

Author: Milton H. Greene

Publication Date: October 16, 2017

Publisher: ACC Art Books

Milton H. Greene (1922-1985), famous for his fashion photography and celebrity portraits from the golden age of Hollywood, met Marilyn Monroe on a photo shoot for Look magazine in 1953. The pair developed an instant rapport, quickly becoming close friends and ultimately business partners. In 1954, after helping her get out of her studio contract with 20th Century Fox, they created Marilyn Monroe Productions, Inc. Milton and Marilyn were much more then business partners, Marilyn became a part of the Greene family. By the time their relationship had ended in 1957, the pair had produced two feature films, in addition to more than 5,000 photographs of the iconic beauty. There was magic in Milton and Marilyn's working relationship. The trust and confidence they had in each other's capabilities was on full display in each photo.

Greene passed in 1985, thinking his life's work was succumbing to the ravages of time. His eldest son, Joshua, began a journey to meticulously restore his father's legacy. A photographer himself, Joshua spent years researching ways to restore his father's photographs as well as cataloging and promoting Milton's vast body of work all over the world. As a result, Joshua established "The Archives," a company committed to the restoration and preservation of photography. After spending nearly two decades restoring his father's archive, Joshua Greene and his company are widely regarded as one of the leaders in photographic restoration and have been at the forefront of the digital imaging and large-format printing revolution.

Now Joshua Greene, in conjunction with Iconic Images, presents The Essential Marilyn Monroe: Milton H. Greene, 50 Sessions. With over 250 photographs, including many never-before published and unseen images, newly scanned and restored classics, as well as images that have appeared only once in publication, Greene's Marilyn Monroe archive can finally be viewed as it was originally intended when these pictures were first produced more than 60 years ago. These classic sessions - 50 in all - cover Monroe at the height of her astonishing beauty and meteoric fame. From film-sets to the bedroom, at home and at play, Joshua has curated a lasting tribute to the work of a great photographer and his greatest muse.

Poignant and powerful, joyful and stunning - these breath-taking images of an icon stand above all the rest and The Essential Marilyn Monroe: Milton H. Greene, 50 Sessions will sure to be a book that will become the platinum standard in photography monographs.

Although known as the world’s premiere sex symbol, Marilyn was serious about developing her skills as an actor.

These photos show a side of Marilyn rarely seen by the public: the young freckle-faced star sans makeup.

Marilyn hated wearing high heels. Her personal preference was to go barefoot or to wear a simple pair of flats. 

Let’s be honest. There is one thing we can probably all agree on; Marilyn Monroe is one of the greatest icons to have ever lived. This book is lavish and luxurious and everything else that you would expect. Marilyn Monroe fills these beautifully matte pages like the sun fills the sky: effervescent and spellbindingly. I have always been entranced by Marilyn’s life, the photos I see, her films, and the secrets surrounding her that could never quite stay behind closed doors. This book features jaw-dropping photos that I have never seen, and trust me, I thought I had seen them all. Marilyn is characterized in so many different ways throughout these pages; she can be seen laughing in pure candid fashion, she can be seen in a childish pose that allows readers to see her truly beautiful personality, and she can of course be seen posing as the sexy trendsetter that we all know her for today.

The classic photography that adorns the pages of this book is spectacular; it carries a sense of nostalgia that is so often missing from popular photography today. This book is going to lovingly sit atop my coffee table and I hope many who enter my home are as entranced by its pages as I was. If you are a true Marilyn Monroe fan or love the transcending style of classic photography, this is beautifully bound book is a must have for your collection.

***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers in exchange for an honest review***

Book Review: The Last Mrs. Parrish

Author: Liv Constantine

Publication Date: October 17, 2017

Publisher: Harper

The mesmerizing debut about a coolly manipulative woman and a wealthy "golden couple," from a stunning new voice in psychological suspense.

Some women get everything. Some women get everything they deserve.

Amber Patterson is fed up. She’s tired of being a nobody: a plain, invisible woman who blends into the background. She deserves more—a life of money and power like the one blond-haired, blue-eyed goddess Daphne Parrish takes for granted.

To everyone in the exclusive town of Bishops Harbor, Connecticut, Daphne—a socialite and philanthropist—and her real-estate mogul husband, Jackson, are a couple straight out of a fairy tale.

Amber’s envy could eat her alive . . . if she didn't have a plan. Amber uses Daphne’s compassion and caring to insinuate herself into the family’s life—the first step in a meticulous scheme to undermine her. Before long, Amber is Daphne’s closest confidante, traveling to Europe with the Parrishes and their lovely young daughters, and growing closer to Jackson. But a skeleton from her past may undermine everything that Amber has worked towards, and if it is discovered, her well-laid plan may fall to pieces.

With shocking turns and dark secrets that will keep you guessing until the very end, The Last Mrs. Parrish is a fresh, juicy, and utterly addictive thriller from a diabolically imaginative talent.

And she hoped that tomorrow night, there would be more fireworks than the ones in the sky.

That was the first time I saw it – that little smile that played at his lips, and the look in his eyes that read Victory.

She wanted to be very much out in the open, to be Mrs. Jackson Parrish.

Amber was already unzipping her skirt as she heard the lock click.

Lately I have been all about the thriller novels! Not only is it perfect for Halloween, but I would be completely and utterly shocked if Hollywood does not pick up this story for the big screen. Y’all, I am sitting here gushing out loud about what I just finished reading. I am so in love with this story and how it kept my attention the entire time. The characters were unreliable yet believable and enchanting yet repulsive. Amber is our leading lady and the character that causes all the drama. She comes to this quaint town of Bishops Harbor, Connecticut and decides she has had enough of her ordinary, mundane life. She sets her sights on the elusive Daphne Parrish and soon wants everything that Daphne has, including her husband Jackson. There are subtle hints from the very beginning that Daphne is running from something and could have mental health issues or a dangerous past.

I love books like this one that feel like you are sitting and having a good ole’ gossip sesh with your best friend. It is a quick read and will be perfect for a chilly autumn day or a day laying in the sun on the beach. Small secrets are revealed as the plot unravels; some I expected, but some I never saw coming. Amber is understandably very distasteful; I mean she is trying to steal someone’s husband, but she also has a quality about her that makes you want to trust her or pity her. It’s like as the reader you know and can sense that she is crazy and a psychopath, but you still want to be her friend. This book was a perfect little segue into a week of Halloween/thrillerish reads for me!

***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Harper in exchange for my honest review***

Book Review: What Can I Bring?

Author: Elizabeth Heiskell

Publication Date: October 17, 2017

Publisher: Oxmoor House

Become one of the most sought-after guests in your circle and be asked back time-after-time with a little bit of help from Elizabeth Heiskell.

It is usually the first question you ask after receiving an invitation to a gathering or event: "What Can I Bring?" Now you'll have the answer! Based on the popular monthly feature "What Can I Bring?" in Southern Living magazine, no matter what the occasion, you'll have the perfect dish. From housewarming party to garden party, a new baby, a wake, a wedding, christening or anything in between, Elizabeth delivers over 100 delicious recipes, including appetizers, mains, sandwiches, desserts and more, that are sure to please a crowd, no matter how big or small. Additionally, these are all dishes that can be prepared in advance and travel well.

But let's not forget the most important question: What can I bring to my own table? Whether you're looking for some new ideas for dinners to please a fractious family or want to make Sunday brunch a more special event, What Can I Bring? has you covered.

Recipes include Elizabeth's take on Sour Cream Coffee Cake (perfect for welcoming a new neighbor!), delicious salads - Chicken, Shrimp, and Pimiento (you won't go wrong at the church picnic), amazing sides, including Lemon Rice and Spoon Bread (perfect for rounding out the potluck table), and comfort food that no one will be able to say no to, including Vegetable Beef Stew, Chicken Pot Pie, and Chicken and Dumplings, plus an array of desserts so good that that's the only thing people will remember about the meal.

Above all, these are all delicious dishes, served straight from the heart, with no stress required.

When a friend invites you to a party, it’s an ingrained response to ask, “What can I bring?” and most times the response will be, “I have it all taken care of.” That doesn’t mean don’t bring anything. It just shouldn’t be something the host feels compelled to serve that evening. These recipes can be set aside or set out, depending on the host’s preference. Either way, you’ll impress.

“I like to died the first time I put these fried deliciousness in my mother.”

Yes, I know, I know. This recipe uses instant pudding and a box cake mix. Don’t judge me. Sometimes I’m in a hurry and need something quick and easy. This is a cake you can take to a friend who’s going through a hard time or the one that you forgot was going through a hard time months ago. Always better late than never! And no one will know it wasn’t made from scratch.

This book was so beautiful and filled with such rich and inviting images that I often forgot that what I was reading was actually a cookbook. The cookbook definitely has a southern theme and all of the food is your typical southern fare but with a little added flair – Sausage, Eggs, and Grits Soufflé, Pound Cake with Fresh Peaches & Cream, and Mississippi Mud Brownies...just to name a few. A lot of the recipes that are shared in this book are a bit healthier than us true southerners are used to. The book features tons of appealing images to enhance the recipes and to show what a finished/fully prepared and dressed plate could look like. This book would be the perfect gift or edition to someone’s home that loves to cook, entertain, or enjoys reading cookbooks.

The absolute best part of this book was the small anecdotes that accompanied each recipe. The author put a lot of time into writing and sharing her experiences with each recipe and much care went into grouping the recipes into different sections of the book like “Moving Day”, “Under the Weather”, and “Dinner with Friends”. There are several different sections in the cookbook and a small write up introduces each section and gives a slight explanation of what readers can expect to see next. This cookbook is not gluten free or fat free; I felt like I need to make this clear even though most people associate southern cooking with lots of salt, sugar, and saturated fats! The 3 S’s! This book will be a perfect gift for the upcoming holiday season.

***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Oxmoor House in exchange for my honest review***

Book Review: Dream Spaces

Author: Victoria Hagan

Publication Date: October 10, 2017

Publisher: Rizzoli

Breathtaking new interiors from this iconic designer, called “the reigning queen of restrained elegance”

In her much-anticipated second book, Victoria Hagan features an exquisite selection of new interiors that embody the “soft modern” look that distinguishes her work.  A major force in the design community, Hagan is the master of juxtaposing old and new, showing luxury through simplicity, and creating homes that reflect their owners’ lives.

In these appealing, timeless projects—including a New York penthouse, a Nantucket beach house, and a Western ranch—formal architecture is loosened up with a generosity of spirit and an appreciation for the whimsies of style. Throughout, Hagan discourses on the spirit of the unexpected detail—a vintage mirror or a unique chair—that adds soul and modernity. After twenty-five years of running a successful business, she shares her philosophy on attaining good taste and expressing an attitude through her work.

Victoria Hagan: Dream Spaces is a beautiful and inspiring collection of this design superstar’s work and a must for every interior design library.

You can’t always compete with nature, but you can at least try to create the perfect collaboration.

I am so associated with interiors that people are often surprised to find out that one of my greatest passions is not even indoors. It’s outside: nature. When I look out and see almost nothing but water and sky, that’s heaven. I adore the color and light, unpredictably changing all day long.

To me, walking the line between contemporary and vintage, familiar and unexpected, is a crucial part of executing the perfect getaway. I don’t want to just give people an escape; I want to give them ways for their minds to wander once they get there.

These interiors designed by Victoria Hagan are bold, clean, modern, and completely breathtaking. Hagan showcases her amazing versatility by including interiors from places all over like New York, Nantucket, and even shows off some of her western charm. She goes from clean, white spaces to cozy log cabin interiors and everything that she designs looks inviting and charismatic. Many of the images included in the book show windows with beautiful views that allow readers to fantasize and image themselves traveling the world and visiting this luxurious locations.

A lot of the interiors shown in this book are open and full of space, allowing me to imagine living in a space like this myself. I would recommend this book to anyone with a love of design because of the appreciation I had for all the small details in the rooms. The fresh white flowers on the nightstand, the towels placed adorningly near the bathroom sink, and even the firewood stacked neatly by the fireplace. Anyone looking for inspiration or ideas for their own dream space or home will find solace flipping through the pages of this book. I wrote down so many ideas and my husband and I spent an hour or more discussing many of the images that we fell in love with for our own dream home.

***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Rizzoli in exchange for my honest review***

Book Review: Manhattan Beach

Author: Jennifer Egan

Publication Date: October 3, 2017

Publisher: Scribner

Anna Kerrigan, nearly twelve years old, accompanies her father to visit Dexter Styles, a man who, she gleans, is crucial to the survival of her father and her family. She is mesmerized by the sea beyond the house and by some charged mystery between the two men.

‎Years later, her father has disappeared and the country is at war. Anna works at the Brooklyn Naval Yard, where women are allowed to hold jobs that once belonged to men, now soldiers abroad. She becomes the first female diver, the most dangerous and exclusive of occupations, repairing the ships that will help America win the war. One evening at a nightclub, she meets Dexter Styles again, and begins to understand the complexity of her father’s life, the reasons he might have vanished.

With the atmosphere of a noir thriller, Egan’s first historical novel follows Anna and Styles into a world populated by gangsters, sailors, divers, bankers, and union men. Manhattan Beach is a deft, dazzling, propulsive exploration of a transformative moment in the lives and identities of women and men, of America and the world. It is a magnificent novel by the author of A Visit from the Goon Squad, one of the great writers of our time.

“Baloney,” he said, kissing her again. “You were having the time of your life.”

She heard the muffled jingle of coins in his trouser pockets. His hand was a socket she affixed hers to always, wherever they went, even when she didn’t care to. Anna stopped walking, stunned by the power of these impressions. Without thinking, she lifted her fingers to her face, half expecting the warm, bitter smell of his tobacco.

“Some men find it a bitter pill to swallow, working for me,” Styles said. “They don’t like the change in times.”

What a feast of a book! Such beautiful and lyrical words jump off the page from the first sentence to the last. This is a lovely, gorgeously-written book that effectively interweaves three separate but connected characters, each with their own stories, all tied to the desire for reinvention. Manhattan Beach is a historical novel that tells the story of Anna, a young woman who works at a naval yard during World War II with a fierce determination to be a professional diver. It is also the story of her father, Eddie, a man who seeks out opportunities on the edges of organized crime to do work that is more or less legal and Dexter Styles the quasi-legit gangster he works for. But this is not a story about organized crime. Set in New York City during the Great Depression and the early years of the Second World War, this historical setting will appeal to fans of any world war setting. Egan’s look at a woman’s place in this world is what made it such a phenomenal read for me!

The quality of the writing is brilliant, as mentioned earlier. Egan manages to make Manhattan Beach a reality for readers, transporting them there through words, descriptions, and vivid use of imagery. Her characters come alive, although I was always hoping for more emphasis to be solely placed on Anna, an exquisite and fully developed character. The heroine is fascinating, standing out not only for her quest to become a diver, but for her strength to build her own life away from the confines of what is to be expected from a “woman” in this era. Egan’s portrayal of the work happening on the home front while a war is waging elsewhere, is inspiring and truly factual. Her research and care with these topics is evident and appreciated by readers.

***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Scribner in exchange for my honest review***

Book Review: Style Secrets: What Every Room Needs

Author: Sophie Donelson

Publication Date: September 19, 2017

Publisher: Harry N. Abrams

From the country’s most popular interior design magazine comes a stylish, in-depth look at what it takes to make any room beautiful. House Beautiful Style Essentials: What Every Room Needs is an inspiring and hardworking handbook that shows readers how to create the rooms of their dreams by revealing what “every room needs.” Chapters like “Every Room Needs a Hiding Place” provide clever ideas for storage and organization, while sections like “Every Room Needs Something Shiny” give examples of how reflective surfaces can enhance and enlarge any space. Simple yet elegant advice from some of the biggest names in the interiors world is paired throughout with stunning photography of the best and most beautiful rooms featured in the magazine. From a room’s overall look and color down to its smallest details, House Beautiful Style Secrets provides tips, tricks, and secrets on how to cultivate a comfortable home and uncover the potential of every living space.

All the colors in the world are out there waiting, it just takes a bit of magic to bring them out.

Why can’t it be all about you?

Touch is literally the most sensual of senses. Don’t neglect it. Whether underfoot, beneath your hand, or caressing your cheek. Texture makes a connection.

There is COLOR on EVERY page and I am in love. This book and all its wonderful interiors showcase so many different styles, attitudes, and ideas. I was immersed right from the start and tabbed so many pages to come back to for a more extensive look. I absolutely LOVE how the book is organized. Each new section starts with “every room needs” and then fills in the phrase with things like “grand gesture”, “a splash of unexpected color”, among many others. Everything was so well organized and easy to follow. The pictures were beautiful and eye-catching. A lot of the rooms that were showcased held several wonderful pieces and I found myself going over a room three or four times before flipping the page.

The captions and writing on various pages were informative and explanatory as related to the room they referred to. The patterns and fabrics showcased were vibrant and varied in style, texture, and color. I never ran out of things to compliment in each room. This book would be perfect for anyone who has a love for interior design, someone who wants to admire and take in the latest trends, or anyone who is looking to spice up their own living space and needs a few recommendations. I am completely mesmerized by all this book has to offer and am excited for others to share in this experience with me.

***A free copy of this book was provided by the publishers at Abrams in exchange for my honest review***

Book Review: Beth Webb: An Eye For Beauty

Author: Beth Webb

Publication Date: September 19, 2017

Publisher: Rizzoli

The first book from the acclaimed Atlanta interior designer, known for elegantly collected interiors.

Beth Webb believes that regardless of who we are or what kind of style we prefer, beauty and comfort are paramount for any home. Because each room is an environment, her design elevates the everyday by speaking to the five senses. In this lavishly illustrated book, Webb explores the fundamentals of creating a home in which every element we see and touch, and how the room makes us feel, enhance our ability to live well.

Drawing from her background in the fine arts, Webb offers insight into how form, line, and scale render a space timeless and promote a sense of well-being. There should be texture, calm colors, and plenty of visual moments to keep the eye moving. There should be impeccable tailoring and polished details. And most important, there should be soul, meaning that the house must reflect its owners and their evolving lifestyle. Webb gracefully shares ideas, images, and stories illustrating these principles throughout this rich visual resource and design reference.

Nature has her own kaleidoscope of textures, infinitely varied and profound.

The process of reinventing spaces always requires a deftness of hand. With a gentle touch, reminders of the past, and abundant texture, this renovation serves its purpose to provide embracing, welcoming surroundings for this family’s foreseeable future.

Our bodies feel quality. We instinctively know when we’re swathed in exquisite sheeting or swaddled in the ultimate cashmere throw. Even if we can’t put a name to the sensation or described the difference, we aspire to it nonetheless. Such is the primal, instinctual understanding of beauty and luxury.

The myth of a house that possesses the fragrance of a dream home isn’t a myth at all. It’s a verifiable reality, as any real estate broker will attest. Citrus, fresh-cut pine, and cinnamon are just a few of the scents that professionals advise sellers to use as they help put prospective buyers in the right mood to imagine their lives within the space.

Beth Webb’s book is filled with so many appealing images that showcase her take on utilizing space in a home and creating and designing rooms that are appealing to the senses. Beth fosters a strong belief in the old-fashioned cliché that “less is more” and refers to having a balance of “the precious and the practical” for everyday living. Beth even has a section of pages in which she addresses the scent of a home and how scent often serve as an emotional trigger for us. She has literally thought of every possible thing to address that makes a house a home and the images she has chosen to highlight her style are simple, yet so breathtaking. Her style is a little more varied than mine, but this is part of the reason I enjoyed the book so much.

This book only lost one star/cupcake from me and I must say that this came because of two reasons. The first reason that this book did not meet a five star rating from me was because of the limit of color in the rooms that were showcased in this book. Beth Webb purposely chose the all-white or almost all-white approach and does explain why, but I must say that I must prefer a better use of color. Color makes me feel more at home and at ease. I also did not like the fact that I could not put a label on Beth’s style. It is classical, traditional, contemporary, and modern all at once. This is just my own personal pet peeve, but I would have liked it if her style and these photos were more easily categorized. However, this book still received a four star rating from me because after much deliberation I decided that this was a credit to Webb that she was able to successfully transcend a mixture of decorative styles.

***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Rizzoli in exchange for an honest review***

Book Review: The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Publication Date: September 5, 2017

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Series: The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding # 1

"I would say it's a pleasure to meet thee, Prosperity Oceanus Redding, but truly, I only anticipate the delights of destroying thy happiness."

Prosper is the only unexceptional Redding in his old and storied family history — that is, until he discovers the demon living inside him. Turns out Prosper's great-great-great-great-great-something grandfather made — and then broke — a contract with a malefactor, a demon who exchanges fortune for eternal servitude. And, weirdly enough, four-thousand-year-old Alastor isn't exactly the forgiving type.

The fiend has reawakened with one purpose — to destroy the family whose success he ensured and who then betrayed him. With only days to break the curse and banish Alastor back to the demon realm, Prosper is playing unwilling host to the fiend, who delights in tormenting him with nasty insults and constant attempts trick him into a contract. Yeah, Prosper will take his future without a side of eternal servitude, thanks.

Little does Prosper know, the malefactor's control over his body grows stronger with each passing night, and there's a lot Alastor isn't telling his dim-witted (but admittedly strong-willed) human host.

From #1 New York Times best-selling author Alexandra Bracken comes a tale of betrayal and revenge, of old hurts passed down from generation to generation. Can you ever fully right a wrong, ever truly escape your history? Or will Prosper and Alastor be doomed to repeat it?

“See how many doors open, Alastor said, when someone with influence and ideas comes along with a key? Fortune can be hoarded, or it can be shared.” 

“I was no stranger to lies. In fact, I think if you were to line up all the lies I’d been told in my life, the ugly chain of them would probably stretch from Redhood to Jupiter.

“Come, servant. The moon sets, and the fiend rises.”

“It got bad. Real fast.”

This book was perfect for the upcoming season and gave me serious Hocus Pocus and Series of Unfortunate Events vibes. I fell in love with Prosperity Redding, our main character, from the very first chapter and never felt a lull in the story. I have read several other reviews that said the story was slow, but I must say that I strongly disagree. From the beginning of the novel, the readers are immersed in the lives of the Redding’s and all the good luck and bad luck that comes with them. The town that Prosper lives in is so charming and cozy and the descriptions are full of Halloween and fall festival vibes. I think this is what hooked me the most. Prosper was such a funny, charismatic character and the descriptions were so vivid and jumping completely off the page.

The ending of the book left on a pretty huge cliffhanger and of course I am heavily anticipating the next release in the series. This book has just enough “spooky” elements to be scary but not too scary for the middle grade audience that it was written for. Prosper goes on quite the adventure and I usually get lost in the action – I am more of a background story reader, meaning I like the small details about a character, a town, or a curse instead of the action that usually ensues after the world building. However, I must say that I was along for the ride the entire time. The pace was just right and enough twists and turns were happening to keep me guessing as to what was going to happen next. I did not expect to love this book as much as I did!