Current Reads

Today, I'm home from school because apparently having shingles at twenty-four is a thing that can happen when you have MS. Hoorah for immunodeficiency. So, I decided to take it upon myself and actually finish this blog post that I started a few weeks ago. Hope you enjoy!

If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know that I recently quit my job in order to become a full-time student and finally finish college. It's been slightly stressful for obvious reasons, but I actually find the free time exactly what I've needed mentally. I've always loved reading, being one of those kids that always had their nose in this book or that one, but as an adult, I found it more difficult to set aside some time to dedicate to reading. Since late August, I've read four novels and I've just started on my fifth. I know this is a dedicated nail blog, but I'm hoping to share a few different hobbies and favorites of mine with anyone who is interested. 

The first novel I finished was Cocoa Beach by Beatriz Williams. I originally started this book over a year ago (!!!), but I never got around to finishing it. So, I decided to just jump in wherever it was that I had left off and hoped for the best as far a recollecting any details. Luckily, I managed just fine and I loved this book! Cocoa Beach hops back and forth between 1917 France in the midst of WWI and 1922 Florida.The plot is definitely driven by romance, but not in a sappy way.
I've read quite a few novels by this same author and she's like no other.Williams' books are mainly period pieces, taking place in different eras and cities and the characters intertwine beautifully forming such a complex web of a plots between different stories. The best part about this is that each novel stands alone just fine even if you have no knowledge of the other stories and characters. Although, I do hope to one day read all the books in the proper order to get the full grasp of Williams' curated world. 

The next novel was Z a Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler. I'm pretty sure I picked up this book after I watched the first season of the show by the same name on Amazon Prime. I'm oddly fascinated by the story of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald although it wasn't until recently that I actually read one of his own stories. I think the tragic relationship that they shared is what's so interesting especially it taking place in the 1920s, one of my favorite historical eras. As you can imagine, this novel is from Zelda's perspective; from the time she was a teen before having met Scott all the way up to his death in 1940. 

And as a natural progression, I decided to read The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald next. I remember watching the movie ages ago and adamantly hating it, so I made sure to purchase the book with the original cover, not the fancy one promoting the film. I also find it kind of ironic and sad that Fitzgerald is considered one of the best American authors of the twentieth century, which is now printed on The Great Gatsby, but he wasn't too popular for his writing while he lived, especially this novel. I think he does paint a vivid image of the roaring twenties in New York through the eyes of Mr. Carraway and the opulence of Jay Gatsby. 

The last novel I've finished only just a few days ago was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. I remember reading Joy in the Morning years ago and loving how simple of a story it was, yet so enthralling. I also have a fascination with New York history as a whole, so picking up a book set in nineteen-teens Williamsburg/New York is a plus in and of itself for me. I loved the simplicity of the story and the language. After coming from a Fitzgerald novel, it doesn't feel like Smith is trying too hard to impress with elevated language. As a whole, nothing really happens, yet so much happens. The story, from beginning to end, is about a young, impoverished girl finding a love for reading and writing and making her own way to university. It is loosely based around Smith's own life which you can feel through the amount of care and attention she gives each character. 

As for my next read, I've decided on Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. This is a novel I've started reading millions of times before, but never actually get around to finishing, so I'll be hunkering down with this one for the new couple of weeks. 

Let me know what you guys think of this type of post! I feel like if I'm not restricted to nail-only posts, I'll have fun blogging again. 

XO

Jess