Pumpkin Perfect

Orange is a tricky color to pull off. Reminiscent of pumpkins and falling leaves it should be the ultimate fall color, but it also is so bright and summery that it just tends to look a little wrong with fall clothes …or worse like you're trying a little too hard to look like an extra on Halloweentown.

But "Playing Koi" from Essie's fall collection is the answer to this conundrum:

Not bright but dark and rusty, Playing Koi is the perfect way to to incorporate some orange into your fall-style without looking like you forgot to adjust your manicure to the season.

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura   

Murder Mystery

If there's one thing I love more than fictional mysteries, it's a good true crime story. Scratch that,  it doesn't even have to be good. Any low budget "mockumentary" will entertain me for hours (I promise i'm not a sociopath). So it doesn't come as a surprise that this fascination would draw me to the one thing I could never get into: Podcasts.  

It's not that I don't like the concept, I'm just not good at listening to them (the same goes for audio books). Unless I'm listening to them while doing a mindless activity like painting my nails I will either get distracted and wander off or just fall asleep.  

My Favorite Murder by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark changed that:  

Two best friends discussing notorious murders as casually as their favorite nail polish.  It's brilliant, a little scary, hilarious without being tasteless, and oh so familiar because it's pretty much how conversations with my friends tend to go.  What really makes these fascinating are, however, not the famous pop culture mysteries, but the "hometown stories" from friends and fans – as these twisted tales often don't make it past the local paper. Maybe it's the familiarity, maybe the subject matter, or maybe the unique way it's done – but suddenly I have no problem listening to a 90 minute episode without getting distracted halfway through. More please. 

That said, I know that talking about "favorite murders" might not sound quite right. So it is important to remember that "favorite" in this context is used to express fascination and curiosity and not approval.  

Check out My Favorite Murder on iTunes,  

and follow them Twitter for updates.

Peace, Love and Lobsters
Laura

ALL CAPS

I am loving the baseball cap trend right now. I mean, it's always been a go-to accessory for me, but the fact that it's actually in style means that there's a much bigger selection to choose from. From wool, tweed and velvet, over suede to satin… There's one for everyone and (almost) every occasion. I  think I'll need one of each: 

River Island Wool Hat  / Rag & Bone Tweed Hat

H&M Velvet Hat / New Look Velvet Hat

 Rag & Bone Suede Hat / ASOS Satin Hat

Which style is your favorite? 

Peace, Love and Lobsters 

Laura

Slasher Girls & Monster Boys

October is just around the corner, which means it's only a couple of weeks until Halloween, and since it is never too early to get into the spirit it's the perfect time to get a head start on that Halloween reading list. And when it comes to horror, nothing beats a good anthology.

Slasher Girls and Monster Boys features 14 stories that all draw inspiration from a classic book, film, or song – not necessarily from the horror world – and use it to create something new …and terrifying. 

Even though I am a huge horror fan, I trend to be rather picky about the kind of horror I enjoy. So most anthologies end up being really hit or miss, but with this one I can honestly say that there wasn't one story that I felt like skipping. Every single one–even those with themes I usually don't care for–was so well written that it kept me interested (and chilled) throughout. Plus, my favorite part of it was probably to identify what each story is based on. Here are a couple of my personal highlights:

The Birds of Azalea Street by Nova Ren Suma

The first story of the collection, is about teenage girls, a creepy neighbor and birds (lots of birds). On the eerie instead of the scary side, it's perfectly situated at the beginning of the book, as it sets the mood without being too much.

Verse Chorus Verse by Leigh Bardugo

This one takes place in a rehab facility and deals with the pressures and sacrifices that come with being a teen idol. The theme definitely makes this one stand out a little, and without spoiling anything I have to say that the inspiration for this story is right up my alley.

The Flicker, The Fingers, The Beat, The Sight by April Genevieve Tucholke

Tucholke is the only one of the authors I was actually familiar with, so I expected to like this one. And I wasn't disappointed. The story mixes one of my all time favorite books with a famous urban legend. That said, it isn't anything new, but sometimes a feeling of familiarity can make things scarier than they actually are. So in a way this works in the story's favor.

Stitches by A.G. Howard

This might be the goriest out of the stories. The imagery is nothing for the faint hearted, but if you're not turned off by a little blood (and severed limbs) it's an excellent read with a very classic horror feel.

All in all, I was really impressed with this anthology and would recommend it to anyone who loves a good scare.

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura

Old School

No matter if you are actually in school or just feeling a little nostalgic for the good old days, there's just something about a fun high school comedy that appeals to almost everyone 

…especially if it's set (or made) in the 80s:

Freaks and Geeks:

Even though the show that ran from 1999-2000 is a cult classic, it took me until now to actually watch it.  I've never seen anything so relatable, touching but also just plain hilarious. The stellar cast (young James Franco!) is just the cherry on top of this masterpiece of a show. And the best, it's available on both Netflix and Amazon Prime. If you check out just one thing from this list, make it this one.

License to Drive:

“An innocent girl, a harmless drive, what could possibly go wrong?” This movie is pretty much the Superbad of the 80s. A hilarious ride (pun intended) from the opening sequence to end, that perfectly captures teenage recklessness in the funniest way possible.

Everybody Wants Some:

Set during the last week before College, Everybody Wants Some is technically not a high school comedy but I just had to put it on the list. I've seen a lot of people calling the movie aimless, but to me that's part of its charm, as it is about that last chance to actually be aimless before it's back to the classroom (or the real world) on Monday.  

What is your favorite high school (or college) comedy?  

Peace, Love, and Lobsters 

Laura  

Libraries & Poe-Ka Dots

Just when I though Out of Print already had everything a book lover could want, they put something new on the shelf. And their new collection of leighweight cotton and silk blend scarves might be my favorite addition yet:

I'm in love with the Pride and Prejudice design (and I'm not even a fan of the book).  You can't really tell that it is a book cover unless you unfold it, and a bit of mystery is always a plus …as are brilliant  puns "Poe-ka Dots" anyone?  I can't wait to see this collection grow (Nancy Drew scarf, please).

Which cover would you like to see on a scarf?

Peace, Love, and Lobsters
Laura

Loafers For Fall

A little less bulky than boots and a little more substantial than ballet flats, loafers are the perfect fall shoe. And this year the preppy staple is back in full force.  

They are comfortable, versatile, and make every outfit look a little more put together. But the best is that even something so classic can have a lot of personality: From the elegant patent version to sporty white soles and trendy platforms (= extra warmth for colder days!), there really is a style for everyone
…and every budget:

KG Kurt Geiger Suede Loafers / Madewell Leather Loafers 

Tamaris Slipper / Dune Fringed Loafers

 Tommy Hilfiger Platform Loafers /Stuart Weitzman Loafers

Nancy Drew would approve.

Peace, Love, and Lobsters
Laura

Endless Summer

This may be my final book summer post, but judging by the titles that are hitting the bookshelves this fall we get to hold on to that summer feeling a little longer:

   

The Cabin by Natasha Preston // September 6 

Teens, cabin, murder… yes you probably heard this a 100 times. But there's a reason the trope is so popular: it's fun! The Cabin centers around Mackenzie, a high school senior, who just wants to spend the weekend with her friends in a remote cabin. What could possibly go wrong?  The friends' first night at the cabin ends in tragedy when two of the teens are found dead. And since there are no signs of a forced entry or struggle, suspicion turns to the survivors…  The Cabin is escapist horror fun at it's best: a fast paced, easy read that'll keep you guessing – and sometimes that is all a good book needs to be.

For fans of: Gretchen McNeil's Ten; Fear Street

Pasadena by Sherri L. Smith // September 13

Some call it an accident, others believe it's a suicide, but only Jude knows that there is more to it when her best friend Maggie is found dead in a swimming pool …so she starts digging to get to the truth. But the closer she gets, the more she discovers about herself, as Maggie's friends and family are  not the only ones with buried secrets. The contrast between the sunny and glamorous southern California setting, and the gritty tone and dark nature of the story make it so much more than just another young adult mystery.  Pasadena is a brilliant  homage to the great noir stories of Los Angeles, and an equally stylish, chilling, and honest story that you won't regret picking up.

For fans of: Veronica Mars

The Atlas of Cursed Places: Skeleton Tower by Vanessa Acton // October 1

When Jason's family moves to a historic lighthouse, it doesn't take long until strange things begin to happen. The sudden disappearance of the former caretakers, accidents that might not be so accidental,  and the discovery of a weird diary, all lead to the same conclusion: The lighthouse is cursed! At only a 104 pages, it isn't the most intricate story, but much like The Cabin it's simply fun. There is also a nostalgia factor to it, as the style is quite reminiscent of The Hardy Boys mysteries with some Goosebumps thrown in, and you can't really go wrong with that. 

For fans of: The Hardy Boys; Goosebumps

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura  

Advanced review copies provided by Net Galley