Ep. 8/ A Guide to Celebrating Valentine's Day
Just because romance is all around doesn’t mean it has to be in your life
If there are two things in this entire world I consider myself a pro at, they are:
Celebrating life - I'm like the CEO of Celebrations Inc., I thoroughly love celebrating the little wins, big victories, and everything in between. Whether it's your promotion, your niece's best friend's middle school graduation, or your neighbor's cat’s birthday, you know I will celebrate it and have the best time doing so. I truly believe that the more you celebrate life, the more reasons life gives you to celebrate.
Finding the perfect reason to stay in - Honestly, at this point, I've got a Ph.D. in Pajamas and a master's in Movie Marathons. To me, there is nothing, I repeat NOTHING, more soul-rejuvenating and fulfilling than piling onto your couch in the comfiest of clothes, with the tastiest snacks and beverages, and having zero qualms or regrets.
So trust me when I say this: my entire life has been a research experiment for this post. We've got two paths to choose from: either we can dive headfirst into the lovey-dovey madness this day is known for or run in the opposite direction. Therefore, this post will have two sections, first where we will truly and completely love love and second where we’ll be aggressively against it.
So grab your popcorn, fluff up those pillows, and away we shall now go to the land of unsolicited recommendations!
Section One: Butterflies and Purple Pink Skies
Must-Watch Movies:
Clueless (1995)
Iconic? Absolutely. Cher Horowitz? Queen of sass. This movie is like a voguish hello from the '90s, with dialogues so snazzy they should come with a warning label. Plus, bonus points for being a superlative adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma. Has there ever been a better teen rom-com? As if!
2. 13 going on 30 (2004)
This is a feel-good fairy tale of a movie. I love how Jenna's (perfectly portrayed by Jennifer Garner) young idealism and optimism inspire her jaded career-focused friends and peers, as well as the audience, to return to the hope and enthusiasm of their youth. The entire thing is the movie equivalent of a warm hug and a cup of cocoa on a rainy day.
3. Set It Up (2018)
It is light-hearted, entertaining, and thankfully, never too cloying or over the top. I love that it celebrates the beauty of all those people who, without a doubt, would choose cheese pizza at home over sushi in a five-star restaurant.
4. Jab We Met (2007)
This movie is charming, hilarious, heart-warming, and genuinely enjoyable. The main characters are refreshing, charismatic, and lovable and there is so much life and vivacity in this movie that you can't help but love it.
5. Me Before You (2016)
This one is a romantic tragedy, unlike the others on this list. But beautiful to bits, this movie is so engaging and moving that it deserves mention. Plus, Emilia Clarke, need I say more?
P.S. As you can probably tell, I am a sucker for book adaptations done well.
Bingeable Books:
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (1938)
This is a delicious, curl up next to the fire under a blanket with tea kind of book, a stay up all night to read kind of book, a chill goes down your spine (but in a good way!) while reading it kind of book. This gothic romance is a dark, twisted tale told almost exclusively as a flashback. A true masterpiece that sturdily stands the test of time.
2. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (2011)
The Song of Achilles is a new take on the Iliad, written by a high school classics teacher -- how can you not read this? It is a beautifully written epic story of a human mired in his mortal mediocrity and a Demigod destined to be famous and, if precedent tells us anything, sad. A beautiful, riveting, and incredible rendition of the well-loved myth of the mighty Achilles. It'll tug at your heartstrings and leave you pondering the human condition.
3. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2017)
This book is a perfect amalgamation of style and substance. It is a rare instance where the prose and plot are equally scrumptious. Evelyn Hugo is, in my opinion, a haphazard beauty: captivating, and slightly terrifying. She is a realist but also a hopeless romantic. Every moment in this book felt so real, so tangible that I had to ask myself, could The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo really be fiction, dreamt up entirely in Taylor's mind? When I reached the end, it was hard to let go, hard to return to a world where this was nothing more than a figment of the imagination. Not going to lie, I might’ve cried a little.
4. White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky (1848)
I recently read this book and you bet I am not shutting up about it any time soon. In this book, two lonely people bond over a series of conversations and find momentary bliss in one another’s company. It’s a quick read that truly stays with you for a long time and makes you question what you truly understand about love.
5. The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory (2018)
The Wedding Date explores that age-old question: Can a Meet Cute turn into forever?
It is a magnificently easy, breezy, and charming book. It’s the kind of story where you pretty much know what’s going to happen but you keep on reading and enjoying just for the sheer fun of it! It melted my heart into a puddle of joy and honestly, I don’t expect anything more from a rom-com.
Section Two: Thrills, Chills, Adventures
Must-Watch Movies:
Salt (2010)
Salt is a well-made action thriller. Angelina Jolie's character is so interesting, cool, captivating, and mysterious. The story itself is an unpredictable one. I am a big fan of the twists and turns in the script. This film had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. You will nearly get whiplashed trying to keep track of who the bad guy is and who isn’t. Apparently, the script was originally written with the idea that a male would play the main character but Angelina Jolie did what she does best. She ate and left no crumbs.
2. Spy (2015)
Spy is an action-packed movie riddled with moments that will induce rip-roaring laughter. This movie is high-octane, hilarious, and highly intelligent. A witty parody of the Bond films with brilliant screenplay. A good time through-and-through.
3. Kahaani (2012)
For a crime-thriller lover, this movie is nothing less than a goldmine. I loved the script, the direction, the acting, and the casting. The way Vidya Balan carries out her role gave me goosebumps. The ending is probably one of the best I have ever seen.
4. Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)
I should probably preface this with the disclaimer that I have neither read the comics nor am I a DC girlie. So my review is that of the movie as a stand-alone entity. I think this movie is very entertaining with lots of style, great performances, and solid camerawork. The characters each have a nice arc for themselves. Also, the moment when Harley Quinn gave Black Canary a hair tie was a small gesture but so adorably meaningful. I think a lot of people can relate to that moment.
5. Someone Great (2019)
This movie is more of a personal adventure. It is a rollercoaster of emotions served with a side of laughs. It is the perfect movie for a night in—you’ll laugh, cry, and appreciate your girl squad that much more. Oh, and Jenny, who is played by Gina Rodriguez delivers one of the best monologues in cinematic history. No cap.
Bingeable Books:
If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio (2017)
If there has ever been a book that gives the feeling it was written with a fountain pen, it's 'If We Were Villains' by M.L. Rio. The writing is gorgeous, visceral, and extremely fulfilling. Every word is placed exactly where it should be, brilliantly strung together to form marvelous constellations that you can't help but gape at. I think the writing was the biggest selling point. The characters were so unhinged, unbearably pretentious, and so completely flawed. Every single character has a huge slice of vice. The story, being parallel to a true Shakespearean tragedy, was imbued with familiarity and made plot twists relatively easy to guess, yet this book is just the perfect concoction of murder and melodrama. A beautifully conducted orchestra that crescendoed magnificently. Because the end, dear God, the end!
2. Ariadne by Jennifer Saint (2021)
This stunningly beautiful story retells the story of Ariadne not as a footnote to tales of heroic men, but rather as the heroine of her own, often heartbreakingly tragic, story. An incredible story written in a really lovely and effortlessly elegant way that just seemed to ebb and flow with grace and ease.
‘I would be Medusa... if the gods held me accountable one day for the sins of someone else if they came for me to punish a man's actions, I would not hide away like Pasiphae. I would wear that coronet of snakes and the world would shrink from me instead’
3. A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder by Holly Jackson (2019)
I remember staying up till 4 am to finish this book. I swear, it wasn’t my fault, this book is just THAT good. It reads as if you are investigating alongside the main characters, and fans of true crime podcasts will rejoice in the multimedia formatting that so wittily engages the reader from beginning to end. It employs wonderfully taut storytelling. All in all a super fun small-town murder mystery celebrating big brain energy!
4. Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child (2007)
This is one of the Jack Reacher books. You know I had to mention him. I can’t talk about action-thrillers without talking about him. Jack Reacher is a whirlingly destructive creature, without gravitas. Or, actually, soul. In this book, just like all the other Reacher books, the übermenschlich hero of Lee Child's books is a one-man wrecking crew, hurling bad guys into the darkness with breathtaking efficiency. But specifically in this book 'The Special Investigators’, Reacher’s old team members, are going MIA, so 10 years on from their disbanding, after 10 years of Reachy roaming, the gang’s reunited. You don't mess with the special investigators and you sure as hell don't step on Reacher's toothbrush. So what follows is a pacy, high-stakes story filled with Holmesian hijinks, properly scary terrorist connections, and just a little triste interiority as Reacher compares his lonesome path to those his closest peers have chosen.
5. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (1934)
This book is a classic mystery. Do you like mysteries? You HAVE to read this! All the characters are very well-written! It is so much fun meeting and learning about them all. The entire book is intricately crafted. The writing style is very atmospheric and enjoyable to read. It is so cozy and creepy at the same time. I love it.
Now, now go on! It’s about time. Grab your favorite throw blanket, curl up with a steaming cup of tea or coffee, and have darn good time celebrating love or its antithesis, whatever your heart desires.
Until next time.
Xoxo
