PERSONAL | Cozy days in

It's getting colder by the minute and this weather is making me want to stay in to drink a cup of tea (or hot chocolate my guilty pleasure), wrapped in a blanket and get lost in another world. I love to read books and if you ask me to choose between shopping or reading a good book, I'd probably end up doing both at the same time (multitasking, yo). I totally see it happening. But since I only have limited space in my room and buying books is a pretty expensive hobby, I have been reading ebooks.

The latest book that got me totally hooked on is called 'A thousand pieces of you" by Claudia Gray. I just have to share this with you guys. It's the first book out of the 'Firebird' trilogy. This book is a good mixture between sci-fi and romance and since it's a young adult book, it's probably a bit immature for someone of my age.. but hey a good book is a good book. And boy.. Look at that cover?! How pretty is that?

Anyhow, this book is about a girl named Marguerite who is the daughter of two physicists, who created the firebird, which is a device that makes travelling between alternate dimensions possible. Read the full synopsis here. At first I was scared that the book was too complicated and too sci-fi'yi but ms. Gray executed this quite well by making the narrator (Marguerite) explain the finer details of the effects of the Firebird and make it actually really believable.We've all had that 'what if'-moment in life where you just wonder how your life would turn out to be. Another version of yourself living a different life because in that dimension you decided to study for that test instead of going to that party, how awesome is that? 

I personally don't really like reading sci-fi books but this was kinda cool. I can recommend this book to readers who loves the Hunger games trilogy and maybe even Twilight trilogy (I didn't like Twilight myself though).

I have to warn you though, the next book is expected in november 2015. So if you're excited about the trilogy like me, you're basically screwed by the longg wait.

What books can you recommend?

x J.

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Personal | My latest addiction is Emma approved!

Aside from my interest in fashion, foods and design, I love literature. I love reading all kinds of books but most of all reading sappy love stories with awesome heroes and heroins and just get lost in their world. I can talk for hours about my favourite books. But when it comes to classics that every girl must have read at least once in their lifetime, the books by Jane Austen will win hands down. My favourite books from Jane are Pride & prejudice (of course), Mansfield park and Emma. The heroines are so badass and have a strong/independent personality which at that specific time area were rare. The most controversial character is probably Emma and definitely my favourite gal. I've probably watched and read all adaptations of the book and thought that it couldn't get better than Mr. Knightley being played by Jonny Lee Miller and the movie 'Clueless'.. I am happy to be wrong and add this new so called 'webseries', Emma approved, to the list.

Emma approved is not like other series you know. It's a series on Youtube with 5 minutes lasting episodes. In this series you see Emma shooting a documentary to document her 'greatness', yes she's that conceited ghehe, by doing vlogs. So most of the times you see her talking to the camera with occasionally other people passing by. It took some time to get used to it, but the actors made it all so easy. In this modern adaptation, you see Emma Woodhouse running a matchmaking business with Alex Knightley doing the 'boring' stuff. Emma is vain, full of herself, rich and spoilt which makes her hard to like but beneath it all she has a good heart. And a lot of people who watch it don't really like her.. But that's how she's supposed to be (according to the books) and I think
Joanna Sotomura who plays Emma does a wonderful job at it. I love her facial expressions and her winks. And Brent Bailey takes Mr. Knightley to a whole new level of hottie.

Overall I just love this series and I couldn't wait to share it with you guys! I'm planning to watch 'The Lizzie Bennet Diary' from the same producers as Emma approved as well which has won an Emmy!

For more pictures of the series click below

INSPIRATION | Little people in the city

I still had a 20euro voucher for the American Book Center, since I'm kinda a cheapskate I usually buy books only if I know they are worth it, otherwise I just read them online (ebooks). And I find photography, illustrations books totally worth it. So I bought this funny book by an artist who take pictures of random things and put little toy people around it. It just bring joy into your daily life and make you see things you won't see. What if such little people really do exist and we're giants who constantly put them in danger? We're monsters.

J.

Personal | Learning from Socrates

"He who knows how to achieve happiness will do so. Therefore, he who knows what is right will do right. Because why would anybody choose to be unhappy?"

This is one of my favorite quotes of Sophie's World so far.. I'm currently on page 90 and still have lots to read/learn. But I'm taking it slow, to be able to dissect every written sentence in it. So far I'm liking it. 

This quote by Socrates made me really think and actually understand on what 'being happy' means. If you speak ill of others, often lie and cheat, and you know deep down that you're wrong.. Could you ever achieve happiness? Is knowing that you're doing wrong worth of losing even a tiny bit of happiness? 

J.

Haul: Do something

Yesterday I headed out early to the city to enjoy the spring weather. We wanted to eat at Swags, as seen in the previous blogpost, but we were too early. So we went to the American Book Center to buy some books. I've been craving for books that will enrich my mind and knowledge. I opted for a classic novel but instead I bought a book that was recommended by a pastor of the church I go to and my brother, Sophie's world. It is a novel about the history of philosophy, so that's basically enrich-your-life-hardcore. A second book is The happiness project, it is about a take on life to find happiness. I think it's time for me to explore the kind of person I want to be because I'm turning 21 next month. I often feel that I don't enjoy my life to the fullest and that I'm stuck with a beta-version of myself. I'm hoping for change. After that I went to buy necklaces at Pull and Bear, which will be perfect for spring and to brighten up my outfit. The last purchase I've done is a lightweight pants with cute flowers/birds on it. I think that the pants looked chic and expensive but since it was on sale I bought it for 10 euros at H&M.

I hope that these books will inspire my life and that the necklaces my outfits!

Have a good monday~

J.