"The Fault In Our Stars" Inspired Nails

Today's nail post is an exciting one for me. As someone who reiterates how rarely I do nail art, I constantly mention how artistic and beautiful nail art can be, but that I'm just not patient enough to put in all the effort just to remove it after a few days (because I am also someone who can only wear the same polish for 2-3 days). So in order to get a person such as myself to do nail art, it has to be something that really motivates and inspires me (like the 2012 Olympics did, and if you haven't seen my Missy Franklin inspired nail art then you should check it out here).

I was rereading some of my favorite quotes from John Green's The Fault In Our Stars the other day, and I felt compelled to do some TFIOS nail art based on the US cover.

(photographed: John Green's The Fault In Our Stars and my polish choices)

China Glaze "Flip Flop Fantasy"

Although all the beautiful fall nail polish collections that have recently been released make me excited for the upcoming season, today's nail post is my attempt to hold on to the bright summer polishes for just a while longer. China Glaze's "Flip Flop Fantasy" is a neon peachy/coral from China Glaze's 2010 Poolside Collection.

(photographed: China Glaze "Flip Flop Fantasy")

Franny and Zooey: A Book Review

This review contains NO spoilers. Enjoy. (:

Today's book review is for a book I actually finished a few weeks back, J.D. Salinger's Franny and Zooey. Though I typically find that I lose fuel to my fire of book reviewing if I don't do so within a few days of completing said book, I recently went back to reread certain parts and gained some of that fuel back. So before it burns out once again, I want to present to you my book review for Franny and Zooey. 

(photographed: J.D. Salinger's Franny and Zooey)

Orly "Fancy Fuchsia"

Today's nail post is another bright pink for summer. Orly's "Fancy Fuchsia," as you can probably guess from it's name is fuchsia color. "Fancy Fuchsia" is unique in its vibrant quality, falling just short of being neon.

(photographed: Orly "Fancy Fuchsia")

Beloved: A Book Review

There are NO spoilers in this review. Enjoy. (:

"although there was not one leaf on that farm that did not make her want to scream, it rolled itself out before her in shameless beauty. It never looked as terrible as it was and it made her wonder if hell was a pretty place too. Fire and brimstone all right, but hidden in lacy groves."

The book review I have today is one that I am very excited to write about since it's not the type of book I would normally find myself enjoying. This review is for Toni Morrison's Beloved.

And before I actually get into the review, I wanted to mention that I was initially very skeptical about this book. On the surface Beloved involves issues that I don't personally relate to, such as motherhood and slavery. (This is also why I don't gravitate towards historical fiction. I realize it sounds silly and adolescent, but the inclusion of historical facts makes me feel like I'm being tested on how well I know my history, versus creating a new reality for the fictional characters to grow.) However, underneath the conflicts of slavery and motherhood are issues of suffering and the desire to protect those you love from the horrors of the world, no matter the cost. Those conflicts are ones a wide variety of readers can relate to.

(photographed: Toni Morrison's Beloved)

And like I do in all my book reviews, here is the back cover description:

"Staring unflinchingly into the abyss of slavery, this spellbinding novel transforms history into a story as powerful as Exodus and as intimate as a lullaby. Sethe, its protagonist, was born a slave and escaped to Ohio, but eighteen years later she is still not free. She has too many memories of Sweet Home, the beautiful farm where so many hideous things happened. And Sethe's new home is haunted by the ghost of her baby, who died nameless and whose tombstone is engraved with a single word: Beloved. Filled with bitter poetry and suspense as taut as a rope, Beloved is a towering achievement by Nobel Prize laureate Toni Morrison."

Essie "Borrowed and Blue"

Today's nail of the day is an old favorite from Essie's 2011 Wedding Collection, "Borrowed and Blue." "Borrowed and Blue" is a pale baby blue with some hints of grey.

(photographed: Essie "Borrowed and Blue")

2012 Olympics Closing Rant

Tomorrow night, the Closing Ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics will be airing. With the closing of every Olympics, I personally always get mixed feelings. The first feeling is of preemptive nostalgia. The Olympics always prompts more family time and patriotism that I rarely feel any other time of the year. The conflicting feeling is that feeling of wanting to move away from the television. When the Olympics airs, I become more anti-social than I already am. I think twice about going out to see friends, because for those two weeks history is being made and I just want to sit and watch. So as the end of the Olympics draw near, I feel ready to lose that guilt of abandoning my television and can walk outside the house without knowing that I'm missing something.

Sadly, the latter feeling never overrides the former. I always miss watching the Olympics more than I am grateful for the ability to have a social life.

(photo taken from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19021659)

The Olympics are incredibly inspiring to me. I enjoy world records being broken regardless of what country breaks them. Each feat is a feat for humankind and something everyone should take pride in.

Team USA Nails Inspired by Missy Franklin

I am incredibly excited about today's nail post. Even though we're nearing the end of the 2012 Olympics, I haven't been able to stop admiring Missy Franklin's patriotic nails. I knew I had to do them. Better late than never, right?

(photograph taken from usmagazine.com)

Essie "Knockout Pout"

Today's notd is another bright pink, one of my favorite hues for both fingers and toes during the summer, Essie "Knockout Pout." "Knockout Pout" is bright, creme-y, almost-neon pink.

(photographed: Essie "Knockout Pout")

OPI "Gargantuan Green Grape"

Today's notd is OPI's "Gargantuan Green Grape," a green that is a brighter, fresher take on a mint green.

(photographed: OPI "Gargantuan Green Grape")

"Gargantuan Green Grape" refuses to photographed true to color when it's in the bottle. Compared to China Glaze's "Re-fresh Mint," you can see how "Gargantuan Green Grape" is less muted than your standard mint green.