Cassie DeNisco

What I’m Reading this Summer

June 10, 2019

I always have been such a huge reader but there is just something about summer time and reading that sparks a huge desire to read even more. To me, there is nothing better then laying out in the hot sun on a beach with a great book . This post is dedicated to some of the books I’m planning to read this summer or have read but may reread because they’re just that good.

My first book should be no surprise if you saw my GOT review. I am absolutely going to be started the Game of Thrones books series with the first book, A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. I am really looking forward to taking the time to site and read this book and find all the hidden foreshadowing of the finale’s events that I missed in only watching the TV series. Most of the time, I do read the books before I watch the TV or movie versions but for some reason GOT just didn’t seem that appealing to me until I saw the series. I have only heard great things about the books so they are definitely my top must read for the summer.

One genre that I have really found myself loving as I have gotten older is self-help. I think a lot of people probably shy away from it because the name seems like a turnoff but I think these types of books really provide great guidance and motivation as I grow older. One book series that I LOVE is the You Are a Badass collection by Jen Sincero. I have read the yellow one about how to stop doubting yourself but this summer I have my sight set on the green one called You Are a Badass at Making Money. I just loved her first book so I am sure that this one will be just as insightful and provide the guidance I am looking for.

Staying in the realm of self-care, I really recommend reading Eat Pretty by Jolene Hart. I know I mentioned it in my Skin Secrets post but I think if you are like me it’s totally worth the read. The summer is the best time to pursue your goals and if cooking more and living a healthier lifestyle are on your list this book is right up your alley. Not only is this book broken down into seasons of the year to tell you what fruits and veggies to eat for what you’re looking for but it also gives you recipes on how to incorporate them into your diet. I am just so obsessed with this book and I reread it at least once or twice a year because its basically a food bible.

A few other books that are on my must read list are When Life Gives You LuluLemons, Make Your Bed, and of course The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. Every time I walk by these books in Barnes and Nobles I am so tempted to pick them up but I just know I already have such a long list of books to read. If you have an book recommendations leave them in the comments below.

Happy Reading! – C

Binge- Watch these Shows Right Now

May 24, 2019

As Memorial Day weekend approaches, I’m here to share with you my favorite shows that you need to watch right now. From classics to the latest hits, I have you covered whether you’re laying out in the sun on a beach or staying cool in some air conditioning.

“Gossip Girl“

If you know anything about me, it should be no surprise that my first show I recommend is “Gossip Girl”. I have probably seen the whole series at least 5 or 6 times through and it still never gets old. To me, its the perfect alone time show that is entertaining and gives you a sneak peek into “Manhattan’s Elite”. You can watch “Gossip Girl” now on Netflix.

2. “Game of Thrones“

I think that if you still haven’t heard of or at least watched an episode of GOT, you’re seriously missing out. The show has a little bit of everything for everyone. From romance to strategic war planning, this show provides a look into the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and follows the noble leaders on their quests for the Iron Throne. This show does get pretty gory so I wouldn’t watch if that’s not your thing, but if you want to be in the know on why everyone loves it, watch it right now!! GOT can be seen on HBO.

3. “The Office“

Who doesn’t love Steve Carell? His character in this show is the hilarious Micheal Scott, a regional manager at a paper company. I love to put on “The Office” while I’m cleaning or doing work stuff because its the perfect background show. Each episode takes the characters on a hilarious adventure of their job at the paper company. This is really the perfect show if you don’t know what else to watch. Watch now on Netflix.

4. “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina“

What I love most about the “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” is that its a darker twist on the classic story I grew up with. It’s a Netflix original series and really is such a cool and unique show. I love that it tells a more dark and sinister tale of witches and touches on more evil magic. There’s only two seasons of it so its perfect for a weekend at home with not much to do. Watch now on Netflix.

5. “Our Planet”

This is another Netflix original but it really is an awesome documentary. After I watched it, I realized just how precious our planet and the animals on it are. I’ll be the first to tell you that I am not a person who likes documentaries unless their about true crime but I watched this series so fast because the shots of the animals were breath taking. I loved watching some of these episode with my little cousins too! It really is great for the whole family. Watch on Netflix!

Let me know in the comments below if you’ve seen any of these shows or if you’re planning on watching them! Some shows that didn’t make my top 5 that I still recommend are “New Girl” on Netflix, “The Case of Adnan Syed” on HBO, & “The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann” .

Happy binge – watching! You know you love me..

xoxo C

GOT Finale Review

May 21, 2019

*Spoilers Ahead*

What do we say to the GOT series finale? Not today.

With having finished watching the entire 8th and final season of GOT last night, I can honestly say I am left super confused. As I was watching the new episodes week by week, more and more questions were raised with less and less answers. So many new plot points were introduced but then were proven irrelevant and were literally pushed to the side with no explanation. Not to mention this entire season was so hyped up and the battle for the living ended up being the biggest joke ever.

A major issue I had with this season was Jon’s lineage. We learned that Jon Snow is really a Targaryen in the finale episode of season 7 and other than a few references to the fact that he is actually the rightful heir to the throne, this idea immediately got pushed to the side and forgotten. Sure this challenges Dany’s claim but like, really? Why did they foreshadow so much about them being together and Dany getting pregnant for them to completely ignore that in the final season?

Moving on towards Daenerys, and putting my own thoughts on her aside, the writers really did not do much to help us understand how she went mad. If you’ve read the books, you would know Dany went mad and turned into this mad queen from a lot of serious losses. In the show, they merely killed two of her friends and two of her dragons and literally called it a day. Yeah you could argue that this might have been the writing on the wall for her plot line but it really made no sense in the context of the events that were happening in the series. Of course I think logically making her mad was the next step in the story but for ending a series, I would have hoped that D & D might have spent more time bringing us to that point instead of just skipping from A to Z.

Not only was the entire season rushed but the entire finale was on fast forward. It started out in the ashes and went immediately to Jon stabbing Dany which wasn’t as powerful as it should have been. The screen went black and miraculously all of the lords/ladies of the 7 kingdoms came together to decide what to do with Jon and Tyrion in the matter of seconds. How did the get there? How did they find out? Based on Grey Worm’s character and the Dothraki’s nature, it was so unlike them to even let Jon and Tyrion live to have a trial or seek “justice”.

When you consider Bran being placed on the Iron Throne and his response to Tyrion merely being “its why I’m here”. There was so much more foreshadowing towards other characters than for the guy who isn’t himself anymore nor is he present all the time. Jon Snow was the rightful heir and at that point was not even considered in the running for King (regardless of if he wanted it or not). This brings me to another important issue with this season about Jon. Not once was he asked about what he wanted to do. His entire character is based on him making choices that are based around duty and all of a sudden he’s just taking advice from random, other people. Jon this entire season seemed to contradict his own beliefs and again, if this was a new season there would be no problem with the sudden change but because of the fact that this was the last season ever, you can’t just randomly change character’s storyline and call it their arcs.

Now, everyone is entitled to their own opinions. I’m not here to tell you what to think nor am I here to talk badly about such a great show. What I will say is this season lost the storytelling magic that I fell in love with the series for. It lost its ability to make me connect with the characters and understand where they were coming from. It seems quite clear to me that D & D put pushing boundaries and breaking records ahead of giving the characters that we have all grown to love the proper endings they deserve. Yes this was an amazing story and yes the graphics and cinematography were fantastic but these characters stories were so rushed when it literally took them two years to get this season out.

Side note: Good luck Star Wars fans. May the Force Be With You.

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