Oscar Nominees 2013

The nominees for the 85th annual Academy Awards were announced this morning. Y'all know how I feel about movies. I'm totally going to comment.

Best Picture:
Amour
I actually would love to this, but non-big-city-living apparently keeps me from doing so. There's still over a month until Oscar night, so maybe I will get to see it, but I'm not holding my breath. I've heard wonderful things about it though. The only thing I can be judgey about is that it's nominated for best picture AND best foreign language film. Do we need to repeat like that? I mean, if this stayed only in the foreign film category, maybe the academy could've put the highest grossing film of 2012 on the list...the film that had something for everyone...The Avengers. I wouldn't expect it to win...it's too mass market for the academy. However, it was awesome on so many levels that I'm really peeved they didn't even deign to think to include it.

Argo
In my opinion, this has a shot. It was so well done and so engaging that even though I knew the ending, I was still on the edge of my seat, panicked that everything would go wrong. Will it win? Probably not. Should everyone see it? Yes!

Beasts of the Southern Wild
Months after I've seen it, I still have no idea how to describe this film. It was beautiful and horrible and sad and happy and ALL OF THE THINGS! I really liked it a lot, but I don't think it will win either. (Side bar: When I went to Target not long ago, I noticed this was on display with the children's movies. Just because a child is in the movie, don't think that it belongs with the cartoons.)

Django Unchained
I was kind of surprised to this nominated. I mean, sure, I liked it. But it's not something I'd think would be Oscar-worthy? I don't know. It's very gory and foul and, well, Tarantino's hands are visible all over it. And yes, I'm biased, I don't like him, but I still see his work because it's good in it's own way. But winning? This one was just an instant gut felt no to me.

Les Miserables
So gloriously depressing. I really loved it. This reeks of Oscar. In a good way. This is what you expect to see for a win. However, I'm not holding my breath here. There's an ex-President who may have something to say about it.

Life of Pi
This is one I haven't seen yet. A friend highly recommended it, but I was not interested. It's not showing here anymore, so I may be out of luck. This won the AFI award. I don't know if that has any bearing here or not.

Lincoln
Normally I wouldn't root for a Spielberg film, but this one was really, really, really good. I felt there was only one flaw with the whole thing...but I understand why they filmed it that way. See? Look at how I won't give spoilers even when we've all studied enough history to know the story :) I'm feeling that it's probably this one or Les Mis FTW.

Silver Linings Playbook
I can not tell you how surprised I was with this film. I absolutely loved it. It was really witty and you actually cared about the people and what happened to them. Very well done and completely worthy of the nomination. Shouldn't win though.

Zero Dark Thirty
This one opens here tomorrow, so it will be seen before the Oscars. I fully believe that it will be just as awesome as The Hurt Locker. I'm just not sure that they'll give Bigelow her due again so quickly. If I change my mind, I'll update this post.

Actor in A Leading Role
Bradley Cooper for Silver Linings Playbook - He was so great in this. But there was someone better...

Abraham Lincoln Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln - If our late, great President doesn't win this, there is something really wrong with the electoral system.

Hugh Jackman for Les Miserables - Again, really great in this. Perhaps my favorite Valjean since I read the book. But, I still don't think he'll win...unless he busts out the Wolverine claws and takes it from the announcers.

Joaquin Phoenix for The Master - I love Paul Thomas Anderson, but this is easily one of my least liked films of last year. Phoenix did a great job of looking hideous and making me dislike his character a lot.

Denzel Washington for Flight - Didn't see it; don't think he'll win. The DVD comes out February 5th, so I might end up watching it in time.

Actress in A Leading Role
Jessica Chastain for Zero Dark Thirty - Since I've not seen this one yet, I'm not sure how she does. Hopefully she's good though.

Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook - She was excellent in this, but Katniss is going to have to wait a few years before she gets her statue.

Emmanuelle Riva for Amour - Again, haven't seen it but have heard wonderful things. Reserving judgment.

Quvenzhane Wallis for Beasts of the Southern Wild - Hmm. This could happen. She was amazing in her role. Again, reserving judgment.

Naomi Watts for The Impossible - This just started in town so I've not seen it yet. I will though. I don't know that I'll be able to comment on her performance since the trailer makes me cry...I've got a feeling I'll be a sobbing mess and miss a lot of the movie.

Actor in A Supporting Role
Alan Arkin for Argo - He had the best line in the whole movie! I thought he was great, but he wasn't actually in the movie that much. Not sure.

Robert DeNiro for Silver Linings Playbook - Good, strong performance. Don't think he should win for it though.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman for The Master - As much as I want him to have a statue, I do not want it associated with this movie. Ugh. Not sure about this one either.

Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln - If there's a sweep, it'll include Mr. Jones. But, if there isn't and things are distributed a tad more fairly, then my vote goes to...

Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained - At it's core, this movie is about slavery and brutality in the south before the Civil War. But you don't see the main actor, Jamie Foxx, up for Actor in A Leading Role. That's because this guy totally stole the movie. He was so charismatic and genius that I could watch the violence over and over just to see him. My favorite. Fingers are crossed.

Actress in A Supporting Role
Amy Adams for The Master - Please. Just. No. Was she good? Yes. Is this what she needs an Oscar for? No.

Sally Field for Lincoln - This might be her best role yet and she's been around forever. Her talent in this can not be dismissed...she became Mary Todd Lincoln, hoop skirts, crazy, and all. This is the clear winner to me, but she definitely has harsh competition from...

Anne Hathaway for Les Miserables - Wow. Her tiny voice pushing out that song. I don't even think I noticed how hard I was crying until my collar was soaked. I'm ok if she wins this over Mrs. Lincoln Sally Field. But just barely ok with it.

Helen Hunt for The Sessions - Helen Hunt is still in movies? Hunh. Who knew? Well, she must've been fairly good to get a nomination. I've not seen this one.

Jacki Weaver for Silver Linings Playbook - I'm not going to lie...I had to look her up to make sure I knew who she was in the movie. I was right. She played the mom. She was good. Not seeing the Oscar though.

Animated Feature Film
Brave - I totally loved this. It was very sweet and very cute. I followed all the Pixar rules...it will probably win.

Frankenweenie - I did not make it to this one, but I own the original short (it's on the The Nightmare Before Christmas DVD). I imagine it was great. But, I doubt it's winning.

ParaNorman - I did not see this one either...and I'm kind of sad about that because it looked really cute. Again, doubtful of a win.

The Pirates! Band of Misfits - Another no see that I actually really, really wanted to see. Oh well. I will rent it, but I'm seeing this winning either.

Wreck-It Ralph - This I saw. This I freaking loved. I would be ecstatic if it won...I do feel it's the main contender against Brave, and I don't think it's because those are the only two I've seen in this category. It was so funny and cute and had lots for kids and adults. I liked that the main character and supposed to be a bad guy. It was just as heart-warming as Brave, but in a different way. Come on, Ralph! (Plus, Buckner and Garcia theme song! That's retro gold people!)

Skipping Cinematography and Costume Design...even though I think there are some awesome nominees.

Directing
Michael Haneke for Amour - No idea..wish I knew :(

Benh Zeitlin for Beasts of the Southern Wild - This is a definite maybe.

Ang Lee for Life of Pi - He definitely deserved his Brokeback Mountain win, but since I've not seen this one, I just don't know. He's directed some really amazing movies.

Steven Spielberg for Lincoln - Fine. Ok. Just give it to him.

David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook - I wish he would win for this. But it's really hard to deny the glory of all that is Lincoln. Sigh.

Documentary Feature and Documentary Short aren't categories that we get to see the films here before the Oscars...sometimes afterward though. Skipping them.

Also skipping Film Editing, Foreign Language Film (I've seen zero of them this year, which is so lame that I can't even deal with it), Make-Up and Hairstyling, Music Original Score, Production Design (go Hobbit!), Short Film Animated, Short Film Live Action, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing.

Music Original Song
"Before My Time" from Chasing Ice - I'd never even heard of this movie, let alone the song. I think that means I can in no way support it because of my ignorance.

"Everybody Needs A Best Friend" from Ted - Oh man, I really want this one to win. It would be even better if it was the thunder buddies song from Ted, but picking a longer song with less cursing is ok too.

"Pi's Lullaby" from Life of Pi - Listening to it just now...this is lovely. Could be a winner...but I think the winner is going to be...

"Skyfall" from Skyfall - I know people get tired of Adele, but this is a great song and was perfect for the movie. (Please note: If you have not seen Skyfall yet, you really need to do so. It was great. Should be out on DVD next month.)

"Suddenly" from Les Miserables - Wait. I forgot about this being nominated too. Maybe it wins. Who knows? WOLVERINE!

Visual Effects
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Normally I would root for this, but not this time. I gotta root for the one that needs to win awards...as well as all the cash prizes it has already amassed!

Life of Pi - I realize I've been typing over an hour, but I've still not seen this movie. I got nothing.

Marvel's The Avengers - This is the ONLY nomination for the BEST. MOVIE. OF. 2012. If it doesn't win this one award, I am going to be very saddened.

Prometheus - An excellent choice for this category. But I still want Avengers to win.

Snow White and the Huntsman - Really? Whatever. Not even Thor saved this movie for me. Actually, change a few words in this clip and you'll know how I felt about this movie.

Writing Adapted Screenplay
Argo
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook

I have no idea who will win this one. Of the four out of five that I've seen, I would be happy with any of them (actually, knowing my luck, that mean Life of Pi would win). Five way tie? Can we do that?

Writing Original Screenplay
Amour
Django Unchained
Flight
Moonrise Kingdom
Zero Dark Thirty

Oh my gosh! That's another one that got completely hosed. Moonrise Kingdom was one my favorites this year. Please, please, please let it win its only nomination!

Well, that's my thoughts and feelings so far. I'm already planning out my Oscar evening...this year I'll honor Les Mis and have French food while I'm watching. Tune in February 24th on ABC to see who wins! (You might hear me rant from wherever you are, depending on the outcomes.)

The books of December 2012

Well, that's the end of 2012 (wipes dust off hands). I'm ready for 2013. So ready that I already forgot I had plans this afternoon. Looks like I had a good idea to do this blog thing earlier in the day as opposed to later.

Crafts:
OK. Now I will post all of the items I made from about July through December that I gave away to friends as gifts. One or two may not have been opened yet...people, get on that! ;) So, no names, but lots of gifts!

I totally put a bird on it.

"Nobody ever suspects the butterfly!"

It's not a metal chicken named Beyonce, but it'll do.

Remember, I warned you last month, this part was going to be long. This next one is a pattern from weelittlestitches, who rocks.

Joss Whedon...a genius even in stitches. 

Say it with flowers...or one flower...on a dishtowel.

"I only lied about being a thief. I don't do that anymore."

Stay with me...just a few more. This is what happens when the craft store no longer sells the teeny frames I wanted that hang from the tree...a combination that has to be justified.

Invasion from space? I'd say ugh to that too.

This monster looks ready to par-tay!

Hoo can it be now? (I totally kept this one for me.)

"Santa?! I know him!"

Those meddling kids...

Tea time!

Another one from weelittlestitches...except that I took it from an assembled team...

Every day is Thorsday!

So that's it for the crafts section. Hurrah!

Movies:

This was a banner movie release month. I saw eight movies...and I'm going to see another one today (which I guess I should save for next month) and another one on Friday. Everything has been so good that I've not minded sitting in the theater for hours on end.

So the least liked film I saw in December was Killing Them Softly. I thought it looked interesting and I guess as a social commentary, it was. Everyone was just so filthy. No true redeeming qualities for them...and Brad Pitt delivering a speech about poverty and survival in bad economic times is a little unsettling since I'm pretty sure he makes more money in a day than most of the people I know.

Anna Karenina was very good. Yes, spoiler, it's a total downer. But, since it was expected, I wasn't as bothered. Jude Law was fantastic. And while it's not a ploy for everyone, I really enjoyed how they changed many of the scenes as if they were in a play (mobile scenery is always a good thing). I didn't quite buy the lack of carnage at the end, but it was still as dismal as expected. Yay Russian literature!

The Hobbit takes us all back to Middle Earth. And it's a fantastic place to be. As I watched, I wasn't as into it as I thought I'd be. I love the scenery and the additional places we'd not been before...and it was nice to see people from the other movies, but I didn't think I was affected by it. Until I found myself sitting on the very edge of my seat, biting my nails (not something I do), and sobbing...with about an hour left in the movie! It was very exciting toward the end and now I'm hooked and will have to sit through the other two parts. Peter Jackson is still a genius...don't think he isn't.

Hitchcock was a surprisingly good film. I love old movies and because this was about a maker of old movies, it had that feel to it. I didn't know much about the man himself...or the making of Psycho in particular, but I definitely want to know more. Watching this brought that love of older movies back and I ended up re-watching lots of films I'd not seen in a long time...mostly Stanley Donen pictures, but a couple of Hitchcock as well. (I prefer the Donen chatter...extremely witty.)

Silver Linings Playbook was another surprise. It kind of reaffirms that whole "there's someone for everyone" theory. Despite having characters with depression (and other issues), the whole thing was pretty uplifting and generally quite funny. I've not read the book, but I think this adaptation was wonderful.

So Les Miserables puts Anna Karenina to shame for being a downer. It's the first time I can remember seeing a musical in the movie theater that was actually a true musical...almost no talking at all...just singing. It's still a beautiful story and I completely loved it...but I kind of wanted to go home and bury myself in the covers and continue crying for days. Everyone was perfect for his or her part...which has got to be hard to cast for looks and actual singing talent. Very well done.

Jack Reacher was very fun. I hate when I end up liking a Tom Cruise movie. He irritates me, but he's a very good actor and always throws himself into the role. I've not read the books so I don't really know how it compares, but if you need a mindless action movie to cleanse your palette of all the depressing films that made you cry, this could be the right one for you. There were also a lot of very funny moments. It's a fairly typical action movie, but still entertaining with a couple of plot twists.

Lastly, I saw Django Unchained. I lump Tarantino in the people who irritate me list and yet I continue to see his movies. Like Cruise, he is amazing at what he does...and clearly willing to make an idiot of himself (Australian accent? Really?). The best part for me is that he usually gets killed off in the storylines including him, so it's kind of like he must know he's irritating on some level. The star cameos were pretty awesome and I laughed uncomfortably through many scenes. Tarantino is still very over the top with the killing scenes, so there's lots of blood...and, well, parts. I know he's getting some flack for making this one, but it's a good movie. 

Books:

I bought a lot of things on the Kindle...hurrah for gift cards! Awakened (Vampire Awakenings) by Brenda K. Davies, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome by E. M. Berens, Loki by Mike Vasich, All the Lonely People by Jess Riley, City of Dark Magic: A Novel by Magnus Flyte, In the Devil's Garden: A Sinful History of Forbidden Food by Stewart Lee Allen, Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman and Robert Chandler, Letters to Sartre by Simone de Beauvoir and Quintin Hoare, Everyone's Reading Bastard by Nick Hornby, Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie, and Joseph Anton: A Memoir by Salman Rushdie. I have a LOT to read...

The books I read in December were all on the Kindle except for the first one: Eight Women Taking Pictures by Whitney Otto, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, All the Lonely People by Jess Riley, Everyone's Reading Bastard (short story) by Nick Hornby, The Columbus Affair by Steve Berry, and Enslaved by Ducks by Bob Tarte.

I hadn't read a Whitney Otto book in a very long time, so I was looking forward to this one. Eight Women Taking Pictures is about eight women who were photographers going back to the first world war up through the late 20th century. Each woman takes different kinds of pictures and each type of work has different effects on the later photographers. Each story is somehow intertwined with the others...like Otto did with How to Make an American Quilt. This book manages to tell those stories while also covering history, politics, and women's rights. I really, really enjoyed it. The book also managed to cut my arm as I read quietly on the couch as well as hit me in the face as I was reading in bed. Thus my move to the Kindle for a while...it felt safer.

When I was in my early twenties in college, I read Wuthering Heights for the first time. I had great memories of loving this book. Add another twenty years to my brain and it was a 180 degree reaction. I really did not like the book this time around. I guess I grew out of my angsty phase where things like this sounded so terribly romantic. It was just a chore to read through all of the petty outbursts and true and perceived injustices. This time I found that I didn't care about any of the characters at all and didn't really need them to have a happy ending, so that part was ok. Ugh. I'm going to try and reread more classics, but I'll be steering clear of Miss Emily for a long time. I do remember that I liked one of the sisters better...possibly Anne? Yes, it was Anne. Maybe I'll retry one of hers.

All the Lonely People was a cheap buy on the Kindle...the day it dropped another dollar, I grabbed it off my wish list (put there because somewhere - Twitter, blog, Facebook? - another author recommended it). This was pretty entertaining and had me laughing out loud. Basically, the main character feels her family is crap after a huge, food-flinging blow up at Thanksgiving. So she places an ad on Craigslist to find a new family for Christmas. The wacky crew she assembles become good friends and she grows up enough to get that she misses and needs her actual family too. A nice read during the holiday season.

The Nick Hornby short story was about a couple who split and the woman wrote about all of it in her weekly newspaper article. The husband became known simply as Bastard to the paper's reading base. It's from the man's point of view and it's kind of funny. Typical Hornby fare. Read it if you like him.

I got The Columbus Affair thinking it was the next Cotton Malone book. Turns out, the next Cotton Malone book comes out this May. This was another stand-alone. It did mention people and operations from the other books. I ended up liking this one as well as the others. The main character here is a washed up reporter who was stripped of his awards and reputation by a false story...that was actually fabricated by others to bring his ruin. That's the "b" story in this. The main story is about the fabled lost mine of Christopher Columbus...only it's much more complicated...was Columbus a Jew? Was he really searching for a place for Jews to live freely? Did he carry with him the fabled treasures of Judaism? One of the books he read and cited in this book is now on my wish list. The book takes place in Florida, Austria, Prague, and Jamaica. I enjoyed reading it and didn't really want to put it down...although, I did really want to reach into the book and slap the main character's daughter a few times. She was an extremely naive character who did all the wrong things and wouldn't listen to anyone who told her she was wrong. It takes nearly the entire book for her to admit to her mistakes. Her storyline isn't necessary worthwhile, but it ties in and compels much of the action, so I guess she's needed. Overall, Steve Berry continues to write books that I really enjoy reading...whether he includes the main character I know or not.

Enslaved by Ducks is a cute read. Bob Tarte writes about a few different things here and there. This book is about him, his wife, and their pet menagerie. They have bunnies, parrots, doves, starlings, geese, ducks, turkeys, cats, and various other birds in and around their house. He has absolutely no power against the animals and while he occasionally says no to his wife, they generally end up with whatever animal she feels they need. I didn't really come away wanting a pet, but I am slightly interested in a duck. For more than eating. They seem kind of like fun pets...except when they get sick. Normally animal stories end up making me cry because it's generally the end of the lives of the pets. In this book, they did lose a few pets, but they always had more, so it wasn't as upsetting. If you've ever thought you need to own a flying or non-traditional, non-flying pet, you should probably read this book first. It's fun, somewhat educational, and definitely cautionary in its own way.

Well, that's it for the year. I ended the year watching Gone with the Wind...possibly my all-time favorite despite it's flaws. You can take the girl out of the south, but you can't take the south out of the girl. Happy New Year 2013!

The books of November 2012

November...I had so much to do and got so little of it done. Oh well. I'm grounding myself from reading until craft projects are done. Well, I say that, but I won't be able to sleep if I actually do it. Maybe I'll read a chapter a day, before bed, so I can sleep. Just until stuff is done, then bring on the reading material! Yay!

Crafts:
Y'all know that next month will be like the mother-lode of all craft uploads, right? In the meantime, here are a couple of things I can show you. This one will be a Christmas present, but it's not someone who reads this blog, so I'm comfortable putting it up.

You said you wanted something warm...

Next up was part of a friend's birthday present. She likes books too, and coincidentally, I had a book I wanted to get her. The first time she typed this out for me I laughed really hard...now I do it too sometimes (trendsetter!):

SRSLY? I know, right?!

Movies:

As we head into Oscar season, I get more and more happy seeing things. Previews are killing me. I want to see things now! 

Wreck-It Ralph was very, very cute! Little kids like it because it's bright and colorful and has a cute little story. Adults like it because we can probably name all the video games represented when they all gather in the station. I was particularly amused that even Pong went in there. The animation is particularly noteworthy in seeing how so many of the older video game characters moved in distinct patterns...if you watch it, pay attention to that in the party at the pent house. And I squealed a little when at the end, I noticed the theme song for the Wreck-It Ralph game was written by Buckner and Garcia. Don't know who that is? Watch here! (Watching that, I kind of miss the Bandstand.)

My BFF got us free tickets to the local premiere of Skyfall. And then I went and saw it again later. It is so good. Bond is back, with a real story. He's more light-hearted, like Bond of old. But, he's still Craig, Daniel Craig. Which is a Very Good Thing (TM). Javier Bardem as the villain is one of the best casting decisions of the last decade. Well played everyone!

This year was the final installment of the Twilight series. Breakfasting Dawn II included a savory bread pudding, chocolate filled croissants, and fruit with pumpkin dip. It was great! The movie threw us for a loop because we didn't remember exactly how things went down. But, that kind of made it more awesome. I enjoyed that more humor had been injected into the storyline...specifically I'm thinking of Jacob and Chief Swan's scene together. Afterward we had Lunching Dawn II and discussed and ate more good food. A very good day.

Later that same day, I saw Lincoln. No, I don't mean THIS Lincoln. I mean the one with President Daniel Day-Lewis. Luckily I knew the story, so no surprises...except for some of the cast. It was extremely well done and if the Oscars came out today, DDL would win. So would Sally Field. They were all just amazing. I think it could've ended a little different...just with the walking in the hall...with maybe a voiceover of the speech...but I'm not a filmmaker, so it wasn't my call. (Spoiler-ish if you have never read any history ever) One lady in our viewing clapped when the proclamation passed. We were concerned that someone in 2012 didn't know slavery had been abolished. I was scared for her to find out what happened to Lincoln later on...

After Thanksgiving, I saw the new version of Red Dawn. Did it need to be made? No. Was it still entertaining? Sure. Is Thor still massively awesome? Definitely. WOLVERINES!

Books:

I bought (I say bought, but really, unless it was free, I didn't download it...all the monies are going to being Santa for my family and friends right now) a few things on the Kindle, but I can't recall them right now...I'll catalog them as I read them.

This month I read I'm Kind of a Big Deal: And Other Delusions of Adequacy by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor, Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day by Ben Loory, Recalculating by Jennifer Weiner, Adjustment Team by Phillip K. Dick, The Stockholm Octavo: A Novel by Karen Engelmann, and Size 12 and Ready to Rock: A Heather Wells Mystery by Meg Cabot.

I'm Kind of a Big Deal was another series of humorous memoirs from Wilder-Taylor. I've enjoyed the two books by her that I've read, but I might be done. They are chuckle worthy, but when I want a humorous essayist to tell me about herself, I'll probably just re-read Jen Lancaster or Laurie Notaro. I think I get their humor better. Again, it's not a bad read at all...just not totally my thing.

I've had the short story book by Ben Loory on my nightstand for a couple of years. I finally noticed it again and decided to read it...I mean, clearly I bought it because there was an octopus on the cover and I love sea monsters, but still, I also love short stories. This book did not disappoint. I enjoyed all of the short stories in here...especially the octopus one (naturally). The stories were varied in topic, but all were funny, sad, and above all entertaining. The only part I didn't like was finishing.

Recalculating is a short story from Jennifer Weiner available on the Kindle. It seemed really familiar, so either I'm very used to her writing style by now (quite possible) or the character(s) can be found in one of her other books (also quite possible). It was a quick read and a satisfying one. I didn't want a deep, complex character study. I got just enough info to make snap decisions that were correct and get a good story that wrapped up nicely. She's really good at capturing how all types of female characters think and act...this was no different.

The movie The Adjustment Bureau was loosely based on Adjustment Team. The story covers a day and takes the main character through his viewing of things he shouldn't see, through his running away, getting caught, telling someone about it, and trying to cover it up. In the movie, that's Matt Damon over a series of days trying to be with the woman he loves. The story actually made me appreciate the movie even more because the screenplay, while definitely based on this short story, is very thought out and extended beyond what little info we are given. I liked both quite a bit...the movie possibly more. It's a short read if you're interested though. And cheap on the Kindle :)

The Stockhom Octavo is kind of complicated. Set after the American and French revolutions, this story takes place in Sweden. A fortuneteller and card shark work together to save their government's and society's complete demise from the political plot (and fan collection) of a bitter woman...as foretold by their two octavo tarot card readings. This book took a little bit to read because you had to pay close attention, but it was a very good read. I don't think I learned anything about Swedish politics from back in the day (although a little about how classes and women in different classes were treated), but I did learn a bit about the card layout and the geometric and theoretical meanings of such. I thought it was really interesting.

I saved the best for last as I knew I had a stressful week coming, so as the immediacy of it all wrapped up, I knew I needed something funny. Meg Cabot has yet to disappoint. This particular episode in the Heather Wells series did explore some harsher themes than before, there were still tons of laugh out loud moments. Heather Wells is an awesome character...I highly recommend the whole series, starting with Size 12 Is Not Fat, then Size 14 Is Not Fat Either, then Big Boned, and lastly Size 12 and Ready to Rock. Then when you're done with those, read all the other non-teen Meg Cabot books. They're so fun! 

Okay, that's it for now...I gotta get some sleep. Happy holidays!

The books of October 2012

October was a fast one! It's like time passed quicker than the temperature dropped...for once anyway. I'm still working on Christmas stuff most of the time, while watching different TV series on DVD.

Crafts:
Finally! Some of the events happened so I could give some stuff away!

I gave one cross-stitch away as a belated birthday gift. This particular friend and I often swap unicorn and rainbow thoughts and concerns, so I was thrilled when I found the pattern on etsy in Nerdy Little Stitcher's store:

Brings a bad meaning to the Skittles branding campaign...

Next up was the wedding of two friends. I found a very cute pattern from Lizzie Kate that I made for them:

Nothing snarky to say...cute gift for a cute couple.

Last, but certainly not least, probably the pattern I picked out the longest time ago. This one is from the Subversive Cross Stitch site...a gift for a friend who moved away from us to remind him of what he's not actually missing:

'Nuff said.

Movies:
I only made it to one movie that wasn't on DVD in my living room. I went to see Argo. It was really, really, really well-done. I remember the hostage crisis, but since I was in elementary school, I was pretty fuzzy on the details. And even though I knew the ending, I was still on the edge of my seat, freaking out, and hoping their plans worked. If you didn't make it to the theater to see it, make sure you rent it.

Books:
I bought something else on the Kindle that I don't remember, but I also finally read something on the Kindle again, so I'm okay with the forgetting. I also bought myself an early birthday present, In the Pleasure Groove: Love, Death, and Duran Duran by John Taylor. I've not even started it and typing that made me squeal a little.

In October I read The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan, Sutton by J. R. Moehringer, High on Arrival: A Memoir by Mackenzie Phillips, Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography by Rob Lowe, The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie by Wendy McClure, and Total Recall by Phillip K. Dick.

The Throne of Fire is the second book of the Kane Chronicles series. In case you've forgotten, it's the teen series with Egyptian mythology. It was kind of long, but still entertaining. Sadie and Carter Kane are once again pitted against evil and used as the pawns of the ancient gods in order to raise Ra the Sun God from his slumber and keep the world from falling to Chaos. It's as entertaining as the first book and  introduced new teens to their story to help with the fight. Sadie still has a crush on Anubus and their parents are still in the Underworld. Not ideal, but with a basketball-playing ape, a powerful magician-uncle, and a cat god as their protectors, it definitely keeps you interested.

Sutton was another what-if, not-totally-history-based work of fiction. As old man Sutton leaves prison, a young writer and photographer pick him for an exclusive newspaper article about his past and his newly free present. No one found quite what he expected. It was essentially the author's re-imagining of living this gentleman-robber's past through a reporter who didn't expect that the subject matter might not feel like cooperating. That he might have had his own agenda for his first days of freedom. It was very interesting to read what the old man remembered and to hear the contrasting news clips the reporter had. Nothing completely matched up, but the story kept me very hooked.

High on Arrival was a little more than I could handle. I knew Phillips had led a drug-fueled, completely screwed up life and had somehow lived to write a book about it. What I didn't count on was the incest...it wasn't just once, people. It was many, many times. If you've got a weak stomach, this is not your book.

Rob Lowe's book was my next read. As biographies, these were VERY different. Lowe was an alcoholic, but he didn't feel the need to rehash every detail of his alcoholism or his very public arrest over a sex-tape...back when sex-tapes were just. not. done. I liked his descriptions of forging friendships with the guys in The Outsiders. I also was very interested in the part about The West Wing. It was a fluffy, fast read. Nothing horrifying, nothing outstanding.

The Wilder Life is one I've had on my shelf for a while. I totally loved the Little House books when I was a kid. I remember my sister and my mom reading them to me...and then getting to read them on my own...again and again and again every summer. I don't think I've picked them up in about ten years, but reading this book makes me think that I might. Wendy McClure found the books again and they took her to a time when she loved believing that all of it was real. She set out, as an adult, to recapture some of the Little House feeling by visiting sites around America. I really enjoyed this book and her tales of trying things from the cookbooks and frontier life. I get that she had to wrap it up and share why she wrote it...that's fine. I just found that I enjoyed her adventures a little more than the self-discovery part. I also learned some things: I could churn butter while watching a TV show, but I don't want to can butter...also, end times people can be a little scary when you're camping on the wild prairie.

Total Recall was just a short story, but I've seen both movie representations now, so I figured I should give it a whirl. It's not like either movie. It was quick and definitely takes another philosophical bend if you're inclined to read it yourself. I think I'll stick to the movies though. I know I downloaded a few things by Phillip K. Dick. I hope I don't spend too much time comparing them with their movie counterparts.

Well, that's it for October. November is going to have loads of stuff: new Bond, first Christmas craft fair, last Twilight movie, the Lincoln movie, a major holiday (no, I didn't dress up for Halloween this year...I was sick...and still am), and lots of crafting.

The books of September 2012

Coming to you from my very own internets in my own apartment. Woohoo!

Apparently September was spent on my couch, cross-stitching things that I still can't show you yet and watching loads and loads of tv on dvd (and actual tv once I bought an antenna). So a little on the boring side, but everyone needs a slow month, right?

Movies:
I did abandon my couch for the big screen a few times. I went to see The Master. I really, really, REALLY liked Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood, and Magnolia, but this was not Paul Thomas Anderson's best work...at least not to me. I get the loosely hidden threads of "this could totes be scientology but it's not, so, you know, don't judge". Mostly there were just parts that weren't nice to watch. But, the actors were spot on...it was an okay story that was portrayed very well. I think I just wasn't moved by the story to care about it or any of the people. Also, making Joaquin Phoenix unattractive is never going to make you bank.

Cosmopolis is the creation of a film maker that I really love, David Cronenberg. Not totally his creation, I mean, he didn't write it...Don DeLillo did and I talked about it when I read it a few months ago. The film is just as strange as the book, but I could swear the ending was different...which is fine because it didn't start until 10pm and I was getting super sleepy. I thought the tech would be a bit more in your face, but they toned it down. Each character was about what I'd imagined when I read the book...and then I only knew that the main guy was being played by RPattz. He did a great job as this character, but really, not much more was required of him here than is required of a sparkley vampire. (Don't hate on me...I just prefer him as Cedric.) The scenes were very well played out and Paul Giamatti, as usual, stole the show with his part. This is something that you may want to rent...it's something you'll continue to think about after you've seen (or read) it.

I also saw Looper. Looper freaking rocked. It was complicated and awesome. Kurt at Mamapop already reviewed it without giving away any plot...I suggest you check it out here. It was brutal and took you places that were logical given the time travel story-line, but all of that darkness was redeemed and worth it in the end. This movie surprised me. I went in for an action film and left with the satisfaction felt usually from seeing something like Inception or Adjustment Bureau - that feeling of having seen an unexpectedly great story that sucked you in to the point where the silence at the end is almost jarring because you want more.

And, of course, I bought The Avengers on DVD. And I still love it. I've only watched it twice since I got it last week :)

Books:
I don't think I bought any books this month...maybe one or two on the Kindle. I really need to stop getting things from the library and starting using the Kindle more...I like it and now that I have internets at home, I can load it up whenever I want without leaving the couch. Perfect.

This month I read When It Happens To You: A Novel in Stories by Molly Ringwald, It's Not Me, It's You by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor, 11/22/63 by Stephen King, and The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo by Tom Reiss.

Yes, that Molly Ringwald. Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink...you know, the redhead. I took a chance with this one and I felt rewarded. She gave us a teen to rally behind while growing up and now she gives us a story about people whose lives intersect in horrible, interesting, and lovely ways. Each chapter was a different story that overlapped somehow with a different chapter and set of characters. This is a very good, if not slightly sad, read. Give it a shot if you want something slightly on the downer side.

It's Not Me, It's You is a series of short stories about the author's life. It's pretty funny...I mean, how can you wrong with a woman wearing a lamp-shade over her head on the cover? It didn't give me the laughing fits that I get from Jen Lancaster or Jenny Lawson, but it was a fun read. I have another one by her and now that I'm familiar with her style, I think I'll enjoy this other one even more.

Everyone has given 11/22/63 good reviews. I'm bandwagoning. November 22nd is my mom's birthday, so I've heard her story about Kennedy's assassination. But this take is very inventive. It's another "what if" historical alteration book. This time (unlike The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln), the story follows the main character's plot, but the plot of the assassination as it currently stands. In order to change history for the better, a man is talked into going back in time to stop the assassination of Kennedy by (a) figuring out if there really was a conspiracy and (b) killing Oswald. Along the way, he changes other people's histories, making the butterfly effects insane. This is a historical event that it makes sense to wonder about...what would've happened if Kennedy had lived? So many people have wondered about it...and this is just one possible (fictional) scenario. I feel like the main character hadn't given much thought to the "what if" because it was simply fact, which is why it worked...for most of us it's simply something that happened and is part of our past. What parts of history could know a different outcomes...even just in your head? I liked the whole story...the time travel, the lessons learned, the part every single decision and micro-particle play in history. I haven't enjoyed Stephen King in a long time, but he's back. It's a great, thought-provoking book.

Lastly, I read The Black Count. This book came out a couple of weeks ago. Long ago, I think I read something by Dumas. I couldn't tell you which book it was. And I've seen movies about his books. And I read another book based on Dumas' books. So, what I'm saying is, I was familiar. What I had no idea was that he and his father were mixed-race men. Taking the way back machine to pre-revolution France shows a very different world-view on slavery and races than I would have thought. I didn't study loads of French history, so maybe this is only a surprise for me. Anyway, turns out Dumas idolized his father and most of his writings are fictionalized versions of his life and times in some form. His father was a great general, served Napoleon, won honors and distinctions, and then was imprisoned in Naples and never regained his former status due to petty jealousy, illness, and a massive change in attitude toward those of mixed-races. It was very interesting, but not my usual fluff, so it took a bit to get through.

October will be another crazy month, but I should have some crafts that I'll be able to post and I've already seen some movie previews that look good. And, as always, there's that huge stack of books on my nightstand, each patiently awaiting its turn to be read :)

The books of August 2012

Guess what? I still haven’t signed up for internets at home. But, I possess a thumb drive, so everything is ok. And, as the Talking Heads say, “Same as it ever was.” But fingers are crossed that this will be the month I call the cable/internets people. Football starts TODAY and I don’t have the ability to watch it in my own home. Seems like a crime against nature.

Crafts:

Christmas gift crafting has been going on all month. So nothing to post right now…that’s right, no one can see his/her gift until actual gifting time. But trust me, I can see the pile of unframed items to my left and it’s only going to have more on it by the end of this week.

Movies:

I still can’t get over how many movies came out that were worth going to see in the theater this summer. Despite box office lows…and highs (AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!)…I know I’ve done my part to keep movies in production this year.

Total Recall…the new one. I thought they did a really good job updating the super cheesy Arnold version from about twenty years ago.  I rented the old one to refresh my memory and found the new one more to my liking. It was more explanatory…which I’ve lazily come to expect of films. It had a very Underworld look and feel to it since Wiseman directed. I don’t know…there are plenty of haters out there, but I ended up enjoying it.

Next up was the Norwegian film Headhunters. I noticed at Target the other day that it’s now out on DVD. Get it. Watch it. I was really blown away at how there were so many believable (and unbelievable) twists that I never truly knew who was up to what and how it would all go down. Well played, Norway. Well played. Plus, for those of you who enjoy Game of Thrones, the not unattractive Lannister brother who sleeps with his sister? Yeah, that guy is in this…no incest in the film, so, bonus!

The Bourne Legacy…what can I say about this one? Hmm. How about HURRAH FOR JEREMY RENNER? Yeah, that works. This one was so fun to watch…lots of action…and I, for one, never missed Matt Damon (this should not be a surprise for most of you). But I really, really, really hope they make more with Renner because the Pam Landy character plotline? That cannot stand. Go fix it, Renner! We heart you!

The last movie I saw in August was surprisingly not The Avengers (even though I was sorely tempted since they brought it back for Labor Day weekend). I saw Beasts of the Southern Wild. I don’t really have words to describe this movie…at least not words that make loads of sense when strung together: moving, uplifting, depressing, sad…I could go on, but maybe beautifully broken and tremendous work. It wasn’t the easiest thing I’ve ever watched, but it was very good and made you think…and cry if you’re a crier…which apparently I am.

Books:

I ordered some books for instant delivery on my Kindle when they had the big sale, but I’ve not gone back and started reading them yet. I bought A Wicked Snow by Gregg Olson and haven’t started it yet. For some reason, of all the paperbacks lined up in the store, it wanted to be bought.

Here are the books I read in August (cheating and continuing reading through September 2^nd because I really wanted to finish the one I was nearly done with at the time): The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln by Stephen Carter, The Family Corleone by Edward Falco, The Kingmaker’s Daughter by Philippa Gregory, Changeling by Philippa Gregory, and Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness.

I was so excited when I read the synopsis for The Impeachment of Abraham Lincoln. I enjoy history and “what if” histories. This is the story of what would’ve happened if Lincoln had been shot, but not killed, and Johnson had been killed instead. But really? It’s not that at all. It’s the most boring story ever about a history that never happened while focusing on two law clerks. The clerks, one white male and one African-American female, spend time discovering the plot behind the impending impeachment. The storyline about the female being not only one of the first women in the legal field, but also being African-American was interesting, but if that was supposed to be the real story, it should've been more of the focus. I really didn’t want to finish it, but it was like a two-week investment of my time. I was determined. It picked up ever so slightly near the last 100 or so pages. Not worth your time. (Note: major kudos to whoever titled the book because the title really screams "Read this! It'll be great!")

I love The Godfather movies and books. LOVE them. When they had a contest a few years ago and published what happened in between the films, I was hooked! So when I kept seeing The Family Corleone at the library, I put it on my request list. While it wasn’t as bad as some other books I’ve read, I again felt ripped off. This one focuses on Sonny Corleone when he’s in his late teens. Sonny’s not my guy. I enjoyed reading some of the back-stories for the older guys and stuff, but I am never really a fan of anger because you’re an angry, entitled teen. So this one, while entertaining and following along in the tradition of the Corleones, it wasn’t my thing.

The Kingmaker’s Daughter is the last (I think?) installment of the Cousins’ War. You might remember that I liked the first one, was ok with one of the other two, and hated one of them. This one was decent. It took two sisters and had them married off to would be kings of England by their father.  All of it ended horribly, of course, but this one was a bit more believable…how the rivalry and reconciliations might have been…the horrible scheming for status at court. Philippa Gregory can definitely be hit or miss. This one was more on the hit side, but with sections of boring.

Philippa Gregory is now also writing a teen/young adult series. The first one out is called Changeling. It starts out interesting…a young monk is pulled from duty basically for doing math. The higher-ups send him as part of a mission to discover the truths among the mysteries. He ends up at a convent, looking into the devilment that’s come over the nuns. This part of the story was ok. As he solves the mysteries put before him, he receives the next part of his journey direction. So, the second part of this book had him searching out a werewolf who killed a small child long ago. This part of the book was so bland. I’ve read enough werewolf stories and there’s still new ground to cover. This didn’t do it. I’m pretty sure I won’t be reading the follow up books in this series.

Following her A Discovery of Witches, Deborah Harkness kept me spellbound once again (heh…spellbound…see what I did there?) with the follow up book, Shadow of Night. (And yes, as an 80s person, I totally can’t say the title without wanting to sing Pat Benetar’s Shadows of the Night.) Shadow picks up EXACTLY where Discovery left off. Our witch and vampire couple time travel back to Elizabethan England. The history she wove into this book was fabulous! The vampire had some very notable and notorious friends. They travel to France and to Prague and back to their own time eventually. Usually at the end of each section, there’s a chapter taking place in modern day…it’s not always labeled, so sometimes it’s a little jarring since one minute you’re discussing Doctor Faustus with Christopher Marlowe and the next you’re at Sotheby’s auction house after hours making purchases. I love the conversations with Queen Elizabeth! I feel that Harkness really did a great job weaving the history and the people into the story. Now I have to wait…probably like a year…for the next one.

So, not so many books this time, but I really did a lot of crafting…I promise!

The books of July 2012

Guess what? I still haven’t signed up for internets at home. But, I possess a thumb drive, so everything is ok.

Crafts:

I worked on a few crafty items this past month. I finished an item for a different blog, so once that’s up and live, I’ll talk about it here. The other project I worked on was a knitted dishtowel that has a frog pattern worked into it. It’s kind of hard to see, but here ya go:

I made it from the pattern and I still can't totally see it...not even when I squint.

I’m starting to think about Christmas gifts I want to make, so I may be posting less and less crafty goodness until post-holidays. Don’t want to ruin anyone’s surprise!

Movies:

There were still plenty of good movies for me to see…even after all the ones I saw last month! First up was Ted. It was offensive, crude, profane, nostalgic, heart-warming, and hilarious all at the same time. While I wouldn’t recommend it for conservative folk or children, I plan to watch it over and over again once it’s out on DVD. I know I laughed through some crucial hilarity and I need a do-over.

My groups got separated and I ended up having to see Magic Mike twice. I am not even going to apologize for it. Joe Manganiello didn’t have a large role, but he made up for in abs…and moves…and, well if you like to look at extremely pretty male bodies in motion, then this is the movie for you! If you like movies that have a small, underlying plot and an attraction story with actors who look so good you could cry (remember Out of Sight?), then this is the movie for you. If you like only foreign documentaries on stopping world atrocities, this might not be your movie…unless you’re taking a break from all that seriousness.

Dark Knight Rises. First off, watching the news the morning after the midnight opener was so sad. I don’t like for that much reality to intrude on my main escape from said reality. My heart goes out to all the victims and their families and friends. And, as much as I’ve knocked Christian Bale for his public persona in the past, I feel the need to give him mad props for going to the town and not making it about him being there, but keeping it about solace and the victims. A class move from an occasionally not so classy guy. Well done.  In the wake of all of that, the movie was pretty anti-climactic for me. It was too long and loud enough to give me a headache. Was I glad I saw it? Yes…the last 40 minutes or so made it worthwhile, but I most likely could’ve waited until it was on DVD.

And yes, I saw The Avengers again because I feel it slowly leaving our town and I won’t be able to see it again until September 25 when it comes out on DVD. Don’t judge me.

Books:

I got The Confession by John Grisham, but again, I’m mostly still reading things from my stash, my friends, or getting items from the library. The pre-order/order from Amazon came in so I have Size 12 ad Ready to Rock by Meg Cabot, Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison, Off the Menu by Stacey Ballis, I’m Kind of a Big Deal and Other Delusions of Adequacy and It’s Not Me, It’s You by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor. I got one other book, but I might be giving it as a Christmas gift, so I haven’t decided if I should list it or not.

I read some really great books this month (and had a special reaction to one in particular): The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner, Girl Walks into a Bar...: Comedy Calamities, Dating Disasters, and a Midlife Miracle by Rachel Dratch, A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness, Rapture by Lauren Kate, Let’s Pretend This Never Happened: (A Mostly True Memoir) by Jenny Lawson, Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, and Off the Menu by Stacey Ballis.

I’d been listening to The Red Necklace as read by Tom Hiddleston (see: reason #9 to love The Avengers; reason #5 to love Thor; reason #3 to watch a lot of British Masterpiece Theater DVDs; reason #1 to rent The Deep Blue Sea; and reason to live, mine). I realized I had become bewitched by his voice and had no idea what he’d been saying somewhere around chapter 5. The book is actually not bad, although I think I prefer his dulcet tones. The book is about a gypsy boy and his adventures and coming of age in and out of revolutionary France. I don’t really know how to describe it…it’s not totally history or adventure; it’s not totally magic or theatre; it’s not totally France or Britain; but it’s all of these things with some mystery and romance to boot. I enjoyed it.

Rachel Dratch’s book was quite funny and very, very hopeful. As a single lady of a certain age, it was nice to read a book about someone close to my age group, struggling with dating and life and still managing to fumble through and come out looking, well, not rosy, but certainly not like the dirt around the rose in the ground. Some parts made me laugh out loud and a couple of parts made me cry…she warns you about that though, so it’s ok.

A Discovery of Witches is a really, really, really great book! I couldn’t put it down…even when I realized that the last library patron had essentially booby-trapped the book for me. How, you ask? Well I envision it as he or she rubbing his or her cat over each page, individually, to capture the maximum amount dander (and occasional fur) the pages could hold…and then having the cat lick every available surface of the book at any given time until it was returned to the library and put on hold for me. The sinus and allergy reaction to this was epic. EPIC. But I had to finish it. I was so engrossed in the storyline that I wanted to get through the whole book…and once I realized it was the allergic reaction catalyst (heh…catalyst), I tried to read faster so I could be done. If you can find a clean copy, I highly recommend it. There are witches and vampires and daemons and they even hint at werewolves. It takes place mostly in Oxford, England, but ventures into the states and to France. The author took a lot of time developing these characters and she did it well. The next book in the trilogy is already out and I can’t wait to read it. I’m hoping for a dander-free copy this time.

Rapture was the last installment (I sincerely hope) of the Fallen series by Lauren Kate. In this last book, we get the full history of all of the angels and why the main two characters were cursed to live as they have been for centuries. It was a decent wrap up and I’m glad I read the series…it was kind of a lot to take in because of the curse consistently and continually messing with them for so long and you having to read about all those doomed loves over and over again. It was nice to see a conclusion, and, spoiler-ish, I wasn’t sad when it was over.

Jenny Lawson. She is a bloggess. She is, in fact, THE Bloggess. Have you ever read http://thebloggess.com? No? Stop freaking reading this and go over there now. It’s way funnier than I could ever be! And famous people send her pictures of themselves doing inane things! And giant, metal chickens, saving you from towels! GIANT. METAL. CHICKENS. (Knock, knock… for those in the know.) This book, at times had sadness, but most of it, well, my friends were on the lake in single-person paddle-boats and could hear me laughing from the dock. Out loud. I was outside, alone, laughing out loud and I couldn’t stop. Read her blog and then go buy her book. Support her. She is awesome.

Here Lies Bridget was on a summer reading list a while ago. It was a fun teen book that passed a few hours. Bridget was the meanest of the mean girls…pretty much everyone feared her. She took no responsibility for her actions or her words. Once she makes a very bad decision, she gets shown, Scrooge style, how things truly were and she can ether make amends or get out forever. 

The Night Circus. I can’t even. This might be the best book I’ve read this year…and I’m saying that in July, effectively cutting out the upcoming five months when I know I’ve got some really good things to read! It was beautifully written. Just beautiful. The level of detail may put some of you off, but it’s described that way so you can picture all of the circus elements in your head. The simple version of the plot would be two magicians compete within a circus without knowing what the game is or how it will end. That’s it, and yet it’s nowhere close to describing it properly. The night circus is ONLY open at night. Everything is black and white except for the attendees. The tents, the performers’ clothing, the props, all of it: black and white. And yet, what the circus itself is, is anything but black and white. It’s a game; it’s a lifestyle; it’s a career; it’s love; it’s death; it’s life; it’s joy; it’s sorrow; it’s youth; it’s control; it’s wild abandon. If you don’t have this book…and have not bought it by the holidays, there’s a really good chance this is what you’re getting from me. I absolutely loved it. I think my only complaint was that it ended in a way that seemed more black and white than it should’ve been…but that doesn’t change my mind.  Definitely time well spent.

And finally, I read Off the Menu. If you read the Jen Lancaster books like I told you, then you already know about Stacey Ballis. She is Lancaster’s BFF. Their blogs and madcap antics? Are hysterical. This book is very, very good. A chef’s assistant has good friends, an extremely demanding boss, a great family, and a loving doggie. The main character checks the dating site to make fun of the people they send her (since I also have been known to do this, I had no problem believing that others do it as well…don’t judge) and eventually runs across one that seems like a possibility. Their relationship plays out via email and then in person and the way her life adapts because she was open to letting him in is amazing. It was a great end of the month book…it’s positive and funny and you want to be friends with the character and her friends. If you already have The Night Circus, maybe I’ll buy you Off the Menu. At the end of the book are some awesome recipes that they talk about…some even from famous chefs! I pre-ordered the book in hopes of winning lunch with Stennifer. Sadly I did not win but maybe next release? Cross your fingers for me!