What is this? A book inspired outfit post? Whaaaaaaat?
Yeah, I know, it has been A MINUTE since I shared one (my last one was, oh boy, May of last year!) but as I was chatting with Kristina from Eyre Effect in her comment section recently, I decided I needed to bring back the book reviews. After all, when In a Nutshell came to be, the blog was supposed to focus on style, books, and recipes - my world, in a nutshell (BOOM! Get it?).
However, this past year, I have definitely slacked on posting recipes often and REALLY slacked on sharing outfits inspired by books I've been enjoying. So even though I don't quite believe in New Year's Resolutions, I suppose I am sort of making a resolution to get this blog back on track. It's easier to share style posts but I miss the variety of having style/recipes/books all married into one brand.
Let's talk about the book that matches this BEAUTIFUL Nell Circle dress by Tatyana. I have been drooling over it since it was released earlier this Fall and knew I needed to somehow get my hands on it. I recently decided to only buy new dresses or skirts if they're on sale to help Cody and I achieve our goal of buying a home in the next year or so. Needless to say, waiting for my chance to have this beauty hurt a bit!
Then Tatyana surprised us with a 50% off sale on dresses for New Year's Eve and I freaked when the Nell Circle dress was included! KA-CHING! Now she is all mine and while the fit isn't spectacular (if you have ANY extra room in the shoulders and the dress isn't pulled taut, the bust sits odd and the burgundy lining shows), I am glad they included adjustable straps.
Not-so-great fit if you've got a short torso...
Tatyana offers 3 different buttons to set the straps at but it's still too long on me on the shortest setting! After taking these photos, I just moved a couple buttons even shorter on the adjustable straps and it has helped tremendously!
So, the BOOK! I read "Goodbye, Sweet Girl" by Kelly Sundberg just before my wedding in November and it has stuck around a bit in my head so I figured it would be the perfect story to share to kick off this new year of book reviews.
I enjoy that more than I ever expect in a story. When a story is told in pieces or not quite in order, it keeps me on my toes and wanting more. While it drives me crazy to not know EVERY detail as it happens, it's also such a great story-telling method to keep readers invested.
Not that Sundberg has to worry about that. Her story is so gripping, so heartbreaking, and so well written, you never want to put it down. Though a sad tale, I enjoyed her writing and her story. Her struggle can be felt coming right off the pages and I was rooting for her throughout the entire thing.
I also found this memoir to be quite unique even though there are many stories of women who suffered with domestic violence. Sundberg's voice stood out to me and did not come across as, dare I say it, trite or cliche. Ugh, it hurts to even insinuate that a woman's story can be cliche but I think I am thinking more of the fictional tales than true accounts.
Though the true accounts and memoirs can be the most painful to read, knowing the author truly lived the horror in the pages, they definitely set heavier in my conscious than the fictional stories like this. It makes the conclusions so much more satisfying when the heroine finds freedom and happiness at the end.
What have you been reading lately, peanuts?
