The ample amount of free time in the summer calls for lots and lots of leisure reading. First on my list: "Looking for Alaska" by John Green. Despite my slower-than-normal tendency of reading books, I finished "Looking for Alaska" in one sitting on a lazy Sunday afternoon, lost in a heart-wrenching fictional story of adventure, mischief, young love, loss, impermanence, and suffering. My very first John Green book; let's just say I am now dedicated to reading every book he's ever written (three down already!), because this guy is an ardent writer of inimitable young adult novels. I honestly can't express how much I loved this book and everything about it. I felt like I was sprinting through the forest just steps behind Miles and Takumi, my heart racing faster and faster as my mind consumed each string of words. I befriended the wildly enigmatic personality of Alaska Young, growing closer to her with every flip of a page. I shared Miles' aching loneliness and his endless thirst for knowledge and answers. I felt the thrilling rush of rebellion and the fear of getting caught when Alaska snuck into the Weekday Warriors' rooms and lit up cigarette after cigarette in the smoking hole. And lastly, I felt the wretched, sick-to-my-stomach pain of losing a piece of your heart forever. A sensational masterpiece of a novel. Depressing? Yes, most definitely. But you should know that the sad stories are always my favorites.
A few quotes from the novel that really struck something inside me:
Wes Anderson's work is truly an art form in itself. Of the five Wes Anderson films I've had the pleasure of watching thus far, The Royal Tenenbaums takes the cake (although Moonrise Kingdom is a close second). A melancholic story about family, separation, true love, living life on the edge, a father's honest efforts, and a seemingly dysfunctional family that makes a heartfelt recovery. Beautifully played out. I especially love Margot Tenenbaum's infamously secretive character, played by Gwyneth Paltrow.
A few quotes from the novel that really struck something inside me:
"I have lost something important, and I cannot find it, and I need it. It is fear like if someone lost his glasses and went to the glasses store and they told him that the world had run out of glasses and he would just have to do without."
"The times that were the most fun seemed always to be followed by sadness now, because it was when life started to feel like it did when she was with us that we realized how utterly, totally gone she was."
"If people were rain, I was drizzle and she was a hurricane."
"We need never be hopeless, because we can never be irreparably broken. We think that we are invincible because we are."
Mathilde Aubier is a wonderfully talented French artist, graphic designer, and illustrator. Most of her artwork creatively combines organic shapes, earthy colors, and black and white photos to form simplistic masterpieces with a unique vintage feel. I admire the fact that she has created an unmistakable identity amongst all of her pieces. Her work has sparked my infinite love for collage illustration.
New music discoveries are just the best, right? Pacific Air is an American indie pop band consisting of two brothers, Ryan and Taylor Lawhon. Their debut album "Stop Talking" is the perfect soundtrack for summer. Every single song is a brilliantly catchy anthem, but "Roses" and "Float" have been on repeat the most for me. Give them a listen and I promise your ears will be thankful! :) These guys definitely deserve to be heard.
We're about halfway through summer and blue skies are calling. I've been keeping busy and filling my weekends with carefree adventures in the awe-inspiring outdoors. Can't believe August is here already!
xxKristin
P.S. Other outstanding bands currently on my radar: The 1975 and Finish Ticket, both irresistibly captivating. Check them out!! What new music has made it onto your list of summer jams? I'd love to hear! :)
