guys, reading is cool.

books as accessories?
here's a list of titles i'm obsessing over now:

this book isn't all that new but you''ll be super cool if you read it. it's nick cave, people. some cool is bound to rub off on your hands from reading this. he hasn't published a book in about twenty years, and this one is worth the wait. it's about a manic, drug-addicted sex-obsessed travelling salesman who goes on a desperate roadtrip with his young and hopelessly oblivious son. it's debauched. lurid, horrifying, absurd, and fucking hilarious. the man knows how to do black comedy. he's also got a nifty audio book version complete with his voice reading the book and an original soundtrack. who even does that? i'll tell you who does.
...nick cave, obviously.

this novel is nothing new either. i like old things. my sister and i are in love with ray bradbury. if we were old ladies we would definitely fight over who gets to live in the retirement condo with him. i read this last summer and it's simply beautiful. the opposite of nick cave's book, it's innocent, nostalgic, contemplative and it takes you back to a place you've never been. it's a series of vignettes in the life of a young boy and the stories of his neighbours over the inevitable loss-of-innocence summer. includes trademark bradbury magic realism. boom! outta nowhere.

i'm liking my inadvertent juxtaposition skills. this one is especially devious. ellis is a badass, it's that simple. he's also a douche-bag on twitter, but let's not get into that. it's the looooooong-awaited sequel to ellis' breakout novel, less than zero. anyone who knows this guy's writing knows that he creates miraculously fucked-up characters and i love it. sado-masochists, narcissists, violent, sex-crazed people. the best people.

ishiguro is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. there's just something about japanese names. i would explode if i tried to read a murakami at the same time as an ishiguro. there would be unicorns and rainbows and i would probably see the face of god. anyway, never let me go is well-known because of the film adaption out recently (and, you know, being shortlisted for the booker prize). the novel is gorgeous and tragic. the narrative point of view is done with such precision and delicacy; it's perfectly immersive. the story is emotional, fyi. i bawled. the story is told in flashbacks and memories from 'carer' kathy. quiet horror ensues.

patti smith is another ultra-cool rockstar on this list who has a gift. with this book, i see her as a writer just as much as a lyricist/vocalist. i've read parts of it and i'm hoping someone buys this for me for christmas. i'm not used to paying full price for books anymore *snobbish look*
when i get through with this book, i'll definitely post a review.

in october, penguin uk issued a new f.scott fitzgerald collection with amazing art-deco covers. they're so good i feel like i could WEAR THEM. these are two of my favourite but i believe there are six in total. WANNNT.

-peach

potions of deception

i've just written a christmas list on the insistence of my mother, who still spoils my siblings and i like royalty during the holiday season. the other day i mentioned how awesome advent calendars are- being the nostalgic nymph that i am- and the next day she went out and bought one for me. i feel like i'm 5 years old!

my point is that while i thought of things i possibly need but mostly want, i started to think about my favourite beauty products. so,
here's a list of products that keep me happy and keep my beau in love (i don't care if he says he likes me without makeup!):

benefit's georgia face powder. benefit's powder boxes aren't necessarily blushes, but they de-zombify my face and they last forever. hoola is a ridiculous bronzer (without all the random sparkle) and dandelion is a darker, pinker version of georgia.

M.A.C's cyber lipstick. it looks intimidating, but it's super-versatile. its not too shiny, and it hangs onto your lips for dear life. it works for pale vampires and tanned cholas. trust. (i'm wearing it in my blog pic)

i frickin' love marc jacobs. alas, this is the only thing i can afford. it's a special edition of the original spring-forest-fairytale fragrance, and it just looks epic.

i'm also partial to katy perry's new fragrance, but only because i adore the kitty-shaped violet bottle. have yet to smell it.

for original, devilish and surprisingly literary scents, i've been obsessed with Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab (http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/ and @bpal on twitter). a stylish friend told me that their sampler is the good shit.

i probably don't even have to tell you about this one. it's crack. i'm not sure how many tubes of this i've eaten but i'm going to be eternally minty. i even sneak it onto my beau's lips while he's sleeping. once i lost a tin of it and i completely freaked out. my housemates had to buy me a new one before i could function normally again. i'll stop now.

colour supplements from lush. i just found out about these. for shame. while they may not be beautifully-named (my shade is "dark yellow" , which sounds like i have a jaundice issue), these pots are pretty inexpensive and dang fresh. i use that in the most gangsta way possible.

-peach