Broadway | The Cripple of Inishmaan with Daniel Radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe has returned to Broadway to star in The Cripple of Inishmaan, and I couldn't wait to see the show. If you've followed OpenLetter2NYC since it's early days, you'll know that I saw Daniel in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying twice because I absolutely loved his performance. The Cripple of Inishmaan is nothing like How to Succeed, but if there's a chance to see DanRad onstage, I will be there.

This play takes place in rural Ireland in the early 20th Century. Daniel is Billy, a young man born a cripple who lives with his two aunts. When the town gossip Johnnypateen tells Billy that a film is being cast on a nearby island, Billy joins his neighbors in traveling to the set in an attempt to be cast in the film. In order to not spoil the plot, I'll end my summary of the show there, but know that this play is a great, dark comedy that will make you laugh and touch your heart as well.

The Cripple of Inishmaan has an unpublicized, general rush policy with tickets at $37 each. My friend graciously waited in line at the theatre for us, and we scored front row seats! I happened to be sitting in seat 102, which meant that Daniel sat directly in front of me for much of the show. It was great! I recommend getting to the theatre by at least 7:00am on show day if you want a chance at the front row. It is definitely worth the wait! Be aware that the stage at this play is quite high, so you will have to crane your neck a bit, and you might miss out on some of the action. I love being up close and personal with the actors, so I don't mind the somewhat-partial view. Note: if you don't want to get any raw egg on you, the front row is not the place for you!

As you may have imagined, the Stage Door experience was absolutely crazy. The barricades were completely filled up by the time we made it out the doors of the theatre, but I was still able to snap a couple photos of Daniel as he signed Playbills and took selfies with those at the front of the barricades. Yes – the man took selfies. By the time my friend and I fought our way to the front, Daniel signed one more autograph and got into his patiently waiting car. I may or may not have screamed "NO!!" when he got in the car..... alright, I was disappointed. But hey, at least I live in NYC and can head to the theatre again before the show closes. For those of you wondering, third time is not always the charm!

While I'm not usually a huge fan of plays (musicals are just my thing), The Cripple of Inishmaan was a wonderful Broadway experience! The entire cast puts on an amazing performance, and it really is an honor to see Daniel Radcliffe in person. In addition to the general rush policy, The Cripple of Inishmaan is offering $27 tickets as well in order to give more people the opportunity to see a Broadway show. All details can be found on the show's official website HERE. The Cripple of Inishmaan is playing at the Cort Theatre until July 20, 2014.

P.S. I'll be back for my selfie, DanRad. I'll be back!

Book Review | Branded by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki

Today's book review is very exciting for me, as this is the first blog tour in which I've ever taken part! The authors of Branded, Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki, reached out to me and asked if I would review their book, and I decided to go for it. I'm so very glad I did!

While originally released in 2013, the authors revamped Branded to make the story even better. Branded is a young adult, dystopian novel, and the first in a new series entitled A Sinners Series. The book begins with protagonist Lexie Hamilton being snatched from her home in High Society and taken to The Hole. Ever since The Commander rose to power, all citizens who were accused of sin were brought to The Hole to live together in a giant, prison-like sector of society. Sinners immediately get branded around the neck with a tattoo representing what sin she has committed. Lexie's brand is blue, signifying lust. 

Lexie is given a personal guard, Cole, who must watch over her day and night. Those with blue brands don't usually last long, Cole informs Lexie, as they either die of disease or take their own lives. Lexie is given a job at The Hole's hospital, where she learns first hand the true horrors of The Hole – she finds her first patient dead, and others have a strange virus that the doctor can't cure.

As the story continues, we learn more about The Hole, and Lexie's life prior to being accused of sin. The story is told in first-person through Lexie's point of view, and is beautifully written. I raced through Branded quite quickly. I grew to love each and every character, including Cole's dog Zeus, and even shed several tears (okay, I broke down a bit), during some emotional scenes. Though Branded, like all dystopian novels, comments on the serious topic of humanity, it also has many lighthearted moments, and even made me laugh out loud at some points. And yes, there is a love story (and a really great one at that!).

I really enjoyed Branded and am giving it a 4.5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. The ending was fabulous, and definitely got me excited for the next book in the series. The only reason I docked a half star was because the love scenes were just a bit too much for me, and I could have done without some of the details (if you know what I mean). Otherwise, Branded was a fabulous read! I would say more, but as always, I don't want to spoil you one bit. If you love a good dystopian novel, or are simply looking for an action-packed book, I highly recommend Branded. You can purchase the book on Amazon HERE (the Kindle version is just $2.99 if you're on a budget).

Have you read Branded?! Please share your thoughts in the comments!

The book featured in this post was provided for my unbiased review, and the link above is an Amazon Affiliate link. All my opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Broadway | If/Then with Idina Menzel

This past weekend I had the opportunity to see the new Broadway musical If/Then starring Idina Menzel. My friend and I entered the lottery, and though we lost out for $30 tickets we were able to get $50 seats in the front mezzanine. I knew nothing about the show, but thought anything with Idina and fellow RENT alum Anthony Rapp would be amazing. Luckily, I was quite right.

If/Then is truly a new musical. Idina is our protagonist, Elizabeth, and the show follows her life as she moves back to New York after leaving her first marriage. Elizabeth meets up with two friends, Lucas and Kate, who each invite her to join them on separate adventures. Instead of choosing just one path, If/Then shows Elizabeth's life from two points of view – we get Beth, who chooses to join Lucas at his protest, and Liz, who decides to hang out with Kate. The musical evolves into these two story lines, and the audience gets to see how each choice in Elizabeth's life, whether seemingly big or small, plays an important role in her destiny.

If you're confused by my If/Then summary, that's okay. I was definitely confused when the show first started, but slowly began to see the separate lives that Beth and Liz lead. While the show is certainly funny at parts, be aware that If/Then deals with serious topics (I highly recommend you bring tissues). The story is absolutely beautiful, and I say it is truly a new musical because it represents our society as it is today. The choices that Elizabeth must make, and the people she interacts with, are the people of 21st century America. For example, this is the first Broadway show I've seen that portrays homosexual couples as normal, everyday people, and not as over-the-top drag queens (not to bash those that do – you all know I loved Priscilla). I'm very impressed with If/Then being able to change the status quo of Broadway while using familiar Broadway faces to get the message across.

My Stage Door experience for If/Then was unfortunately a bit of a downer. Despite the beautiful weather we'd been experiencing, it was pouring rain when we exited the theatre. Many thanks to Anthony, James, and Jason, who still signed our Playbills in the rain. I know Idina does come out to sign autographs at the show, but we weren't so lucky. As with any Stage Door experience, hope for good weather!

Overall, if you're in New York, then you should see If/Then. The cast is brilliant, and it was such a privilege to hear Idina sing live. Keep in mind that this show is recommended for ages 12 and up, as it deals with some adult themes and the F-word makes several appearances. More information about the ticket lottery and If/Then can be found on the show's official website HERE. It is currently playing at the Richard Rodgers Theatre.

Pre-order the Original Broadway Case Recording on Amazon HERE.

I use Amazon Affiliate links so you can find the products I talk about easily. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Book Review | Skin Rules by Debra Jaliman

Today I have my first review of a nonfiction book for all of you! I recently read Skin Rules: Trade Secrets from a Top New York Dermatologist by Debra Jaliman, M.D., and thought I would go ahead and share my thoughts on this book even though it's a bit different than what I usually discuss on my blog.

As you may have guessed, Skin Rules is all about skincare. The book consists of a series of rules regarding what products to use, what ingredients to look out for, and what treatments are available. I really appreciated how Dr. Jaliman talks not only about specific products, but about products from all budgets. Now I know exactly what to look for the next time I'm at the drugstore, or the next time I'm at Sephora. Whatever your price range is, Dr. Jaliman mentions a product for you.

I learned so much from Skin Rules that I felt a certain "call to arms" when it comes to my skincare. I think I take pretty good care of my skin, but now I've learned even more. In fact, I've already started a few changes in my skincare routine to ensure I'm doing everything I can to take care of myself. The only thing missing from Skin Rules is more guidance on how to take care of combination skin. I would have loved more information on that topic, as I do have combination skin and often have difficulties finding the perfect products to use. Nonetheless, I'm still amazed at how much Dr. Jaliman packed into such a short book.

If you're interested in skincare, I definitely recommend Skin Rules. It is a very fast and easy read, and I know I'll be referring to it quite frequently. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads, only because it lacked more information on caring for combination skin. You can purchase this book on Amazon HERE.

Let me know in the comments if you like hearing about the nonfiction books I read as well!

I use Amazon Affiliate links so you can find the books I mention easily. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Snapshot Sunday | Fleet Week 2014

Navy Ship at Pier 92

Gorgeous view of the city

It's Fleet Week here in NYC, and I had the opportunity to tour the ships at Pier 92 in Manhattan today. It was beautiful out, and the perfect day to make a trip to the water. If you have the chance, stop by tomorrow for the last day of tours. All information can be found on the Fleet Week website HERE.

Bout of Books 10.0 | Day 7 & Readathon Wrap-Up

Currently Reading: 

Learning to Breathe Fire by J.C. Herz [BUY]

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart [BUY]

Books Completed: 

1. The Devil in the Marshalsea by Antonia Hodgson [BUY] [REVIEW]
2. Skin Rules by Debra Jaliman, M.D.[BUY]
3. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut [BUY]
4. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell  [BUY]

Pages Read Today: 83

Pages Read Total: 1212

My Thoughts on Today: I was able to get 44 more pages read in Learning to Breathe Fire today, but the book is a bit slow going and one that I'll need to read over a long period of time. Thus, I decided to pick up We Were Liars and got through 39 pages before the end of the night

Final Bout of Books 10.0 Thoughts: Overall, I am very happy with my first Bout of Books readathon! I read four books, over 1200 pages, and even began two more books. I surpassed my goals, and even though I didn't read very much in the last two days I am still psyched about my overall performance. I can't wait for the next one in August!

Bout of Books 10.0 | Day 6

Currently Reading: Learning to Breathe Fire by J.C. Herz [BUY]

Books Completed: 

1. The Devil in the Marshalsea by Antonia Hodgson [BUY] [REVIEW]
2. Skin Rules by Debra Jaliman, M.D.[BUY]
3. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut [BUY]
4. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell  [BUY]

Pages Read Today: 22

Pages Read Total: 1129

My Thoughts on Today: Today was definitely my fail day. I was just in a sulky mood for some reason, and didn't feel like reading. That's bound to happen in a week-long readathon, so I'm trying not to beat myself up about it. Tomorrow is a new day!  

Goals for Tomorrow: Since I didn't read much today at all, it looks like I won't be able to finish Learning to Breathe Fire. My goal tomorrow will thus be to break 1200 pages total for this readathon! 

Bout of Books 10.0 | Day 5

Currently Reading: Learning to Breathe Fire by J.C. Herz [BUY]

Books Completed: 

1. The Devil in the Marshalsea by Antonia Hodgson [BUY] [REVIEW]
2. Skin Rules by Debra Jaliman, M.D.[BUY]
3. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut [BUY]
4. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell  [BUY]

Pages Read Today: 312

Pages Read Total: 1107

My Thoughts on Today: Wow! Today was great! I began and finished Attachments by Rainbow Rowell. It was a rainy day here in the city, so I took advantage of the bad weather and made today a lazy, reading day. I loved Attachments, and it was just what I needed – a fun, contemporary book. 

Goals for Tomorrow: I'll actually need to be productive tomorrow, so not as much reading and more work and running errands. Nonetheless, I hope to get at least 100 pages of my next read, Learning to Breathe Fire done, if not more. It's just over 300 pages total, and I'd love to finish it by the end of this readathon. 

Bout of Books 10.0 | Day 4

Currently Reading: Nothing! Will start Attachments by Rainbow Rowell next. [BUY]

Books Completed: 

1. The Devil in the Marshalsea by Antonia Hodgson [BUY] [REVIEW]
2. Skin Rules by Debra Jaliman, M.D.[BUY]
3. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut [BUY]

Pages Read Today: 154

Pages Read Total: 795

My Thoughts on Today: Things started off poorly today, as I was feeling sluggish and a bit lazy. I didn't even open my book until 2:00pm! I finally got my act together and started being productive, and finished the day off by reading the rest of Slaughterhouse-Five. It's definitely normal to have a bit of a slump towards the middle of a week-long readathon, so I'm not too disappointed with how today went. I'm thrilled to have completed three books! 

Goals for Tomorrow: I've decided to stray from my TBR just a bit and pick up Attachments by Rainbow Rowell. I need a lighter read after a couple of heavy books this week, and as Attachments is the Booksplosion book of the month I decided to give it a try. I actually got it as a free eBook from the library! I hope to get through at least 150 pages of it tomorrow. 

Bout of Books 10.0 | Day 3

Currently Reading: Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut [BUY]

Books Completed: 

1. The Devil in the Marshalsea by Antonia Hodgson [BUY] [REVIEW]
2. Skin Rules by Debra Jaliman, M.D. [BUY]

Pages Read Today: 313

Pages Read Total: 641

My Thoughts on Today: Today was a great day! I finished The Devil in the Marshalsea at around 1:00am, then got some sleep. I decided to read Skin Rules next, as it's a quick, nonfiction book discussing skincare. It only took me about 2 hours total to read that book, and I was able to move on to book number three – Slaughterhouse-Five! My eyelids are drooping now, so it's definitely time to turn in.

Goals for Tomorrow: I do have a busy day tomorrow, but since Slaughterhouse–Five is only 215 pages I think I can finish it. Then, if I have time, I'll move onto my final book on my Bout of Books TBR!  

Book Review | The Devil in the Marshalsea by Antonia Hodgson

I am so excited to share my latest read with all of you! I won an advance copy of The Devil in the Marshalsea by Antonia Hogson on Goodreads, and made it my first priority during the Bout of Books 10.0 Readathon that is happening right now (check out my Day 1 and Day 2 posts for more information). I read all 380 pages within two days, and I am pleased to report it earned a full 5/5 star rating!

The Devil in the Marshalsea is a historical fiction book that takes place in 1727. The story is told through our main character's perspective. His name is Tom Hawkins, and he's a 25-year-old gentleman who studied to be a reverend, but was led astray due to his love for women, drinking, and gambling. The book opens with Tom scrounging together enough money to pay his landlord the debts he owes, but before Tom can pay his debts, he is robbed of every penny. The next day he is thrown into debtors gaol (pronounced "jail"), and the real excitement begins!

Gaol in 18th century England is truly hell. In order to avoid the dreaded Common Side, where prisoners are packed in tight quarters and dying of gaol fever, one must pay room and board to live on the Master's Side – a difficult task to accomplish when one is thrown into gaol for owing money in the first place. Tom meets an interesting fellow named Samuel Fleet, who pays his rent. But Fleet is not a favorite in the Marshalsea, the gaol where Tom now stays. In fact, Fleet's last roommate was brutally murdered and it soon becomes Tom's job to find out who did the deed, or he will be unable to escape the Marshalsea.

The Devil in the Marshalsea is thus a murder mystery story filled with twists and turns. Hodgson does an amazing job of building complex characters, and also educating the reader about life in a debtors gaol in the 1700s. I was amazed to find out that many of the characters in this book are based off of real life personalities, and I am now interested to learn more about this culture that I never knew existed. But aside from the fascinating history, the story of The Devil in the Marshalsea is just pure awesome. If you're a fan of Clue, you will love this book. The ending was shocking, and every time I thought I knew what was going to happen next, I was quite surprised. According to Goodreads, this is the first book in the new Tom Hawkins series, and I just need to find out what happens next!

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Devil in the Marshalsea, and highly recommend it. It was definitely my favorite read of 2014 thus far. It comes out on June 10, so be sure to preorder your copy on Amazon HERE. You don't want to miss out on this thrill ride!

I use Amazon Affiliate links so you can find the books I talk about easily. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Bout of Books 10.0 | Day 2

Currently Reading: The Devil in the Marshalsea by Antonia Hodgson [BUY]

Books Completed: None yet! 

Pages Read Today: 174

Pages Read Total: 328

My Thoughts on Today: While I didn't get to finish The Devil in the Marshalsea today, I'm still very happy with my progress. I had a very productive day filled with laundry, housework, and even a book event (more details to come on that), so to read even more today than I did yesterday is great! 

Goals for Tomorrow: I plan on staying up late to finish The Devil in the Marshalsea tonight because I have around 50 pages left and I just need to find out what happens! Then tomorrow I'll reach for the next book on my TBR, and perhaps finish it (since it's a short one!).

Please feel free to share how your Bout of Books is going in the comments! 

Bout of Books 10.0 | Day 1

Happy Monday! This week I'm taking part in Bout of Books 10.0, a week-long readathon where a bunch of readers throughout the world make reading a priority and share their thoughts on bookish things across social media. You can find out all the details on the official Bout of Books website.

What I really like about this readathon is that it's very laid back. There are no challenges and no specific goals. All one has to do to participate is read more than she usually does in a week. As I've just wrapped on my second year of law school, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to jump back into reading before my summer internships get underway. I'll be posting little updates for you at the end of each day to share my progress, but feel free to follow me on Twitter and Goodreads for even more updates.

Day 1

Currently Reading: The Devil in the Marshalsea by Antonia Hodgson [BUY]

Books Completed: None yet! 

Pages Read Today: 154

Pages Read Total: 154

My Thoughts on Today: I'm overall happy with my start to Bout of Books! While I definitely spent time doing other things when I could have been reading, I definitely read more than I usually do in one day! I'm really enjoying The Devil in the Marshalsea as well. It's creepy, and Hodgson's writing makes me feel like I'm watching the story unfold in movie form. Very cool!

Goals for Tomorrow: I would love to finish The Devil in the Marshalsea tomorrow and possibly move on to my next book. Stay tuned to find out what that book will be! 

Book Review | Time of Attack by Marc Cameron

Have you ever felt really accomplished upon finishing a book? That's how I feel about Time of Attack by Marc Cameron! I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway back in January, and began reading it on March 30th. Well, it took me just over a month, but I finally finished it, and I can't wait to share my thoughts on the story with all of you.

Time of Attack is a part of the Jericho Quinn series by Cameron, but can be read as a stand-alone novel. This book has two parallel story lines, the first centering on Special Agent Quinn. While attending a friend's wedding, his ex-wife is shot by a sniper who was aiming for his young daughter. Quinn then goes on a hunt to track down the mysterious woman who left his ex-wife without a leg. Along the way he encounters many interesting characters, and ends up traveling to Japan in an effort to find the shooter.

While Quinn finds himself in all sorts of crazy situations, readers are also following another storyline. A manmade disease is suddenly being given to American soldiers before they return home from Afghanistan. Soon dozens are infected, and doctors have no idea how to stop the illness from spreading, nor do they know how to cure it.

As you can imagine, these two plots are action-packed. A good way to describe Time of Attack is a James Bond book filled with extra adventure and mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, though I did find it a bit slow going for me despite all the fast-paced scenes. The main reason I didn't like this reading experience was because of the book itself. It is very narrow and tall, but very wide. It was uncomfortable to hold the book. While this did not detract from the actual story at all, it definitely made me want to put it down more often that I would have in a better binding.

I'm also not a huge fan of violence, so be aware that if you read this book you'll be dealing with more mature themes. This genre is not my usual cup of tea, so it was great to escape from my norm and pick up something new, but I wouldn't want to read this type of book all the time.

My favorite aspect of Time of Attack was the character development. There are a lot of different characters in this book, but I didn't lose track of them due to Cameron's crafty writing. He does a great job at describing the characters just enough so you remember who they are, and builds strong background stories for those in the spotlight.

Overall, Time of Attack is a great read if you're looking for an action-packed thrill ride. I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads, but would recommend the eBook version on Amazon HERE unless you don't mind a bulky book. I don't think I'll be rereading this one, but I will keep an eye out for more Jericho Quinn novels in the future, especially since this one had a bit of a cliffhanger ending! If you've read any of Marc Cameron's books, let me know what you thought in the comments!

I use Amazon Affiliate links so you can find the books I mention easily. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Book Review | The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I'm late to the John Green party, but at last I've arrived. I've been wanting to read The Fault in Our Stars for several months now, and knew I had to pick it up before the movie came out this June. I'm drastically afraid of being spoiled (for any book, TV show, or movie), and I knew the TFIOS ending was in my near future whether I read the book or not. Well, I zoomed through TFIOS as soon as it arrived to my mailbox, and it was a roller coaster that only goes up.

Okay, that's not entirely true, this book was a roller coaster of emotions for me (but snaps for you if you caught that reference). I laughed, I cried, I had all the cliché emotions. Why? Because TFIOS is the story of Hazel, a sixteen-year-old girl with cancer. The book opens with Hazel at her support group, where we meet Augustus – the love interest. TFIOS is told through Hazel's point of view, as she and Augustus join forces to create a new kind of dream team.

I don't want to say much else about the plot, as the book is a short 313 pages, and I think it's best discovered on your own. In fact, I found TFIOS an intellectually troubling read. Green left hints, or so I thought. Every time I thought I had the ending figured out, things changed. I liked that; it kept things interesting. And at one point I exclaimed "Oh my God!" out loud while reading. I was never disappointed, and loved the twists and turns even though I needed to keep the tissue box within reach.

As for the characters, I loved them all. It's quite rare that I genuinely think all of the characters in a story are great. Here, they just were. My favorite was Peter Van Houton, even though I know that's probably an unpopular opinion.

There is so much I could say about TFIOS, but I'll stop by emphasizing the magic in John Green's writing. This book is going to be one that I reread sometime soon, as I want to relive the metaphorical goodness. I highly recommend TFIOS, and gave it a 4.5/5 stars on Goodreads, docked for a couple things that bothered me in the first two chapters. There is no reason not to read TFIOS. Grab your copy on Amazon HERE, and please share your thoughts on the book with me in the comments, as I'm sure many of you have read it already.

I use Amazon affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Snapshot Sunday | Spring in Bloom at City Hall

It's finally spring here in New York City! This week we had lots of rain, but also some sunshine. When I saw these gorgeous tulips outside of City Hall, I had to capture them. It's funny – you can see all of the soil surrounding the flowers as if they are out of place in the middle of a bustling city. Well, they are, but they're cheery and beautiful nonetheless. And yes, I did use an Instagram filter on this snapshot to really make those colors pop!