Ep. 7/ Let’s Wrap-up January
A Monthly Digest of Reads, Beats, and Screens
Hello, fellow wanderers of the universe! January swept in like a confetti storm after the December curtain call, and guess what? The new year brought with it a kaleidoscope of stories, tunes, and cinematic dreams. So, gather 'round, grab your popcorn, and let's dive into the pages, melodies, and movies that filled my January with all the feels.
Books I read In January:
White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky
This was my first time reading something by Dostoevsky and I think I understand why this man is hailed as a genius in his field. Two people and a numbered nights of candid conversations provide us with the background for a story that is brimming with purity, innocence, loneliness, yearning, dreaming, and hoping but most of all it’s filled with unconditional and unvarnished, albeit unrequited, love. Someone said “You think you know love and then you read White Nights” and they weren’t lying! (4.75/5 stars)
2. For Everyone by James Reynolds
I love the beauty and the lyrical brilliance of this masterpiece work of art! I love how it appreciates the pursuit of the dream, the journey to the destination. To be input-driven instead of output-driven, after all, is to find contentment, and even happiness, in the process. Inspiring words, gorgeously penned! Enjoyed it thoroughly. (4/5 stars)
3. Paris: The Memoir by Paris Hilton
What. A. Book! What. A. Book! This book is as iconic as Paris herself. I absolutely adored how unapologetically rich, privileged, and unrelatable she is. I loved how her ADHD lends authenticity to the meandering prose. It was so wonderful to see how amazingly ambitious she is and how undeniably impressive her business acumen is. Her trauma and troubles are unimaginably huge. So is the opulence and glamour of her life. Wrapped in a rather unassuming pink book jacket, “Paris: The Memoir” is a transformative experience. This book is equal parts riveting, funny, scary, and heartbreaking. That’s hot. (4.25/5 stars)
4. A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver
This book made me have this feminine urge to give up my worldly possessions and run through a grassland in a free-flowing lilac dress to indulge the untamed part of me that still hears a song in the river’s current and understands the unspoken language of the doves. Her simple yet profound words are pure alchemy, they have the power to heal, and this I genuinely believe. (4/5 stars)
My top 5 tracks on Spotify were:
1. Drama King (sped up) by Bellah Mae
The perfect song to put on when you want to clean your room, and then proceed to not clean it because you are too busy dancing.
2. Melt by Aditya Bhardwaj
If you are listening to this song and not mentally directing a fantastical music video starring yourself featuring all things soft, pretty, and pastel, then what are you doing?
3. History of Man by Masie Peters
How can I not binge on a song that has the lyric:
“The men start wars yet Troy hates Helen”
4. Don’t Get Me Wrong by Matchbox Twenty
The perfect song to scream your lungs out to. I might not have any rage but my playlist has plenty of it and for that, I make no apologies.
5. How You Get The Girl by Taylor Swift
Go put on your prettiest dress and highest heels and dance around your living room, while holding a ladle like it’s a mic, singing into it, because that’s what I do.
Movies I watched:
1. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
I watched it as a personal tradition of watching it every year on the first of January. I think this is the best rom-com that has ever been made, and I shall not be taking any questions at the moment.
2. Elemental (2023)
Elemental is a cute Romeo and Juliet-esque love story with the concept of immigration acting as a background. Visually it’s absolutely stunning and I quite enjoyed the storyline.
Until next time.
Xoxo
