We lost power for a few hours on Saturday, so we escaped to the a/c in the local movie theater! Much of what is playing now are the typical summer blockbusters - sequels of action movies filled with car chases and explosions - not really my kind of thing. So, instead, we watched The Incredibles 2, the sequel to an old favorite animated movie from when our kids were young. Yes, we have now graduated to going to children's movies without children! Just like the first movie, it was clever, funny, action-packed, and a lot of fun.
It's been 14 years since The Incredibles first hit theaters, but the original cast is back in this wonderful sequel. In case you somehow missed the original, it's about a family of superheroes, taking place in a 50's/60's style but modern world where superheroes have been outlawed because of the collateral damage they often cause while saving the day. As in the first movie, mom Helen (played by Holly Hunter) and dad Bob (played by Craig T. Nelson) are trying to act like a normal family and keep their superpowers under wraps. Teenage daughter Violet (voiced by Sarah Vowell) and over-active son Dash (voiced by Huck Milner) also have powers, as does baby Jack Jack (which the family doesn't know yet, though the audience does). The sequel begins with a major crisis, as the Underminer, voiced by John Ratzenberger, causes big problems in the city with his mole-like digging machine. Elastigirl (Helen) and Mr. Incredible (Bob) stop the rampage but not before the Underminer gets away and lots of that collateral damage occurs. Things change, though, when they are approached by a tech mogul named Winston Deaver, played by Bob Odenkirk, and his sister, Evelyn, played by Catherine Keener. They want to change the laws outlawing superheroes and have a plan for Helen and Bob to help them - all they need is some good PR!
As with the first movie, everything here is super-clever (pun intended!) and happens on two levels: one for the kiddos and one for the adults. Helen goes to work as Elastigirl, while Bob stays home with the kids, so there are the expected "inept dad left with the kids" jokes (only this time it's a superhero dad), but everything is executed perfectly, with plenty of suspense and lots of laughs. It's an intriguing plot with lots of twists and turns, and of course, this all-star cast is wonderful in their roles. Our favorite character, superhero costume designer Edna (voiced by Brad Bird), is back and even funnier, along with best super buddy Frozone, voiced by Samuel L. Jackson. Of course, the animation is top-notch, and the settings - a combination of high-tech and 50's/60's style - are a lot of fun. Whether you have kids to bring along or not, The Incredibles 2 is nonstop fun from beginning to end, with the cleverness and humor you expect from Pixar. Oh, and the animated short at the beginning of the movie, Bai, was excellent as well - and right on the mark for two parents with young adult sons like us!
The Incredibles 2 is currently in theaters (click Fandango below to check times and locations near you). Streaming (now available for pre-order) and DVD will be released in October 2018.
Whew, what a hectic, crazy, whirlwind week! Lots of time with my sons last week, helping them (and them helping me) with shopping, financial stuff, student loans...and of course, feeding them! We couldn't find a dinnertime when everyone was free, so we had a nice family lunch on Saturday. All that running around last week left me pretty wiped out this weekend (due to my chronic illness), so we focused on catching up and also relaxing at home. I had to turn down two invitations from friends, but we made up for it with a wild Friday night watching the first two episodes of the new (last!) season of Orange is the New Black - soooo good! And when we lost power for a few hours on Saturday (we've had storms every day for weeks now), we escaped out to try a new BBQ place and see The Incredibles 2 at the theater (both with lovely a/c). Both were very good. Yes, we are at the point now where we go see children's movies by ourselves!
So, busy, busy week, but we always find time for books...and especially our Big Books this summer! Here's what we've all been reading:
I am still reading - and loving - Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld, a YA novel that's been on my
shelf for way too long. This is my 3rd book for my Big Book Summer Challenge. This engrossing YA novel has two intertwined
narratives that are both great. In the first, a teen girl participates in NaNoWrMo (a
month-long writing challenge every November), writes a paranormal YA
romance, sells it to a publisher, and moves to NYC. The other story
is the actual novel she wrote, as she struggles with edits and rewrites. The two stories are told in alternating
chapters, and both are absolutely compelling. This is what summer reading should be - where you can't wait to pick up the book again and you stay up way too late reading just one more chapter!
I mentioned last week that I started listening to Made for Love by Alissa Nutting, a novel with some
strange elements. It's about a young woman
escaping a bad marriage to a tech mogul, after he demands
she has a chip implanted in her brain so he can "meld their minds," so
she moves to her father's trailer in a senior citizen trailer park,
where her dad is happily setting up housekeeping with his new lifelike
sex doll, Diane. I was going along with the strange bits until one character encountered a dolphin in the ocean and became...uh...sexually attracted to dolphins instead of women. Yeah, it slid from merely quirky to seriously weird, so I gave up. Life's just too short, and I have WAY too many other books waiting!
Instead, I started another audio book that I am thoroughly enjoying so far, Plus One by Elizabeth Fama, a YA novel (another freebie from SYNC). It's set in an alternate reality, where the reduced population after the flu pandemic of 1918 led to the remaining people being divided into Rays, who live during the day, and Smudges, who live at night. Sol is a seventeen-year old Smudge. Her brother was transferred to day-living as part of a court settlement four years ago, and is now married with a newborn baby. Since Sol and her brother are now on opposite schedules, they are not allowed to see each other (except for an occasional Unity Day). Sol's beloved grandfather who raised them both is dying, though, and Sol is determined for him to hold his new granddaughter before he dies. To accomplish that, she must break a lot of laws and take a lot of risks. A Ray doctor's apprentice named D'arcy gets pulled into helping Sol. I am really enjoying it so far - lots of suspense and action, and I think a love story is coming, too.
My husband, Ken, finished his second Big Book of the summer and one of my all-time favorites, Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. This was one of my Big Book Summer reads a few years ago, and Ken gamely watched the movie adaptation
with me, even though he found it pretty confusing (I loved the movie). It's a complicated
but engrossing book, with multiple interwoven stories that show how we
are all connected across space and time. He enjoyed it, though not quite as much as I did.
Now, Ken is taking a break from the Big Books to read a thriller that was one of my potential review books, Last Seen Alive by Claire Douglas. It was just released in June. I listened to and enjoyed another of Douglas' novels, Local Girl Missing, on audio.
Our son, Jamie, 23, is reading book 10, Crossroads of Twilight, of the Wheel of Time series
by Robert Jordan. He has been plowing through this series, one huge
book at a time. It's Big Book Summer all year-round for him; he rarely
reads a
book with under 400 pages. Most of the books in this series are between
900 and 1200 pages!
Just a couple of blog posts last week -
TV Tuesday: GLOW - entertaining show about 80's women's wrestling - fun!
What Are You Reading Monday is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, so head over and check out her blog and join the Monday fun! You can also participate in a kid/teen/YA version hosted by Unleashing Readers.
P.S. I normally keep my chronic illness blog and my book blog lives separate, but I would love some support from my book-loving friends! I was nominated for a WEGO Health Patient Leader Hero award. In order to move onto the finals, I need lots of endorsements. It only takes a moment - just use this link to my award profile and click Endorse Sue Jackson. This means a lot to me because I now spend a lot of my time helping other patients, and the award would help me to reach even more. Thanks!
My husband and I were both intrigued to hear that when best-selling author Michael Crichton died a decade ago, he left behind a finished but unpublished manuscript. We were both big Crichton fans and read most of the books he published in the 80's and 90's, so on a recent road trip, we enjoyed the audiobook of Dragon Teeth, a historical novel about early paleontology and the Wild West.
In 1876, William Johnson, a young student at Yale, gets involved with a dinosaur bone-hunting expedition to the West with renowned paleontologist Professor Marsh. Though Marsh assured William's parents that he'd be safe, the group head further and further West, well into areas where Native American tribes are warring with U.S. soldiers. Along the way, William realizes that his teacher is more than just eccentric - he's paranoid and obsessed with another paleontologist, Edwin Cope. He's so convinced Cope is out to get him that he abandons William alone in the rugged town of Cheyenne, WY, thinking he is a spy for his nemesis. Alone and scared, William does end up joining Cope's group when he encounters them. They journey far into the wilds of the American West with an Indian guide, encountering native tribes, soldiers, and Marsh's group, too. William, as part of Cope's group, helps to make a major discovery, but getting the bones back East could prove impossible.
Although this novel is unlike Crichton's later sci fi thrillers, it reminded us a bit of The Great Train Robbery. It is historical fiction, and Marsh and Cope were real-life paleontologists - and real-life adversaries. Crichton also mixes other real historical figures into the story, including Wyatt Earp. The novel combines science, suspense, history, and action. We both enjoyed listening to the compelling story. Crichton brings the Old West to life (the latter part of the novel takes place in Deadwood, South Dakota, a region very familiar to us), and there is plenty of suspense to keep the story moving along. Dragon Teeth was a very entertaining and engaging story that keep us rapt during our long hours on the road.
320 pages, Harper Paperbacks
Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in
return for an honest review. My review is my own opinion and is not influenced
by my relationship with the publisher or author.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from
these links provide a small commission to me (pennies per purchase), to help
offset the time I spend writing for this blog, at no extra cost to you.
After hearing rave reviews of the Netflix series GLOW for more
than a year - and more raves when the second season was recently
released - I finally found time to try it and was instantly hooked on
this show about a group of women starting a women's wrestling TV program
in the 1980's.
Ruth, played by Alison Brie of Community and Mad Men
fame, is an out-of-work actress having an affair with a married man and
struggling with her life. Her best friend (who she has a serious
falling out with in an early episode) Debbie, played by Betty Gilpin, is
also an actress who had an ongoing role in a soap opera and is now at
home with her baby. Ruth goes to a casting call at an LA gym and
realizes it's not a typical acting job. The director, Sam, played by
stand-up comic Marc Maron (here with an awesome 80's mustache) is
looking for women to star in a new low-budget TV show, GLOW - Gorgeous
Ladies of Wrestling. It's meant to be a female-centered spin-off of the
popular men's wrestling circuit, with stars like Hulk Hogan. Most of the
women hired are a bit reluctant but in need of work, but after a while,
they all begin to get into the spirit of it, as they figure out their
characters and costumes and learn fake wrestling moves. Along the way,
Ruth and the other women gradually get to know each other better.
If
you are thinking - like I did this past year - that you're not
interested in wrestling, you should still give this show a try. It is
really about the women, their lives, and their relationships with each
other. The 1980's are perfectly captured here - with the real clothing
and hairstyles that we wore back then (as opposed to some of the
over-the-top depictions of the 80's we often see on the screen). I
noticed Ruth wearing the same Reebok hightops I treasured! But it's more
than just a fun recreation of that time; the show also focuses in on
issues like women's rights, racism, and equality - not in a
hit-you-over-the-head way, but in a way that makes you think. Despite
its serious moments, this show is also a LOT of fun to watch with the
costumes, the moves, the shows, and the music. It is taking me back to
the 80's and making me laugh, smile, and think. I finished season 1 and
have just started season 2 (which many viewers say is even better).
GLOW is a half-hour Netflix original program, so it is available solely on Netflix.
Have you watched GLOW yet?
P.S.
Ruth also drives my beloved car (that I still drive today!) - a VW
convertible, though hers is yellow and mine is red. How could I not love
this show?
Happy Birthday to me! 53 years old today and don't feel a day over 80 - ha ha, just kidding (sort of)! Both of my sons are home and spent the night, which is rare these days, and one of them even got out of bed briefly this morning to wish me a happy birthday! I am spending my morning writing a review for Shelf Awareness and writing this post - work that I love. Tonight, we have a family dinner planned (OUT - no cooking!), so all in all, a good day.
This is a two-week catch-up post because last week, my husband and I went on a whirlwind 5-day trip to my home state of New York for a double-reunion weekend. We spent two days in Potsdam, NY, where my alma mater, Clarkson University is, for my annual sorority weekend. My husband is a good sport, hanging out on the porch with me and my old friends while we reminisce, catch up, sing old songs, and LAUGH - so much laughter! I brought my old photo albums from 30 years ago, which were a big hit. These are such amazing women and friends - we get together, and it's like it was just yesterday that we were there at the house together in college (it wasn't). We rushed to Rochester on Sunday for a family reunion but arrived 6 hours late! There had been 90 people there earlier, and luckily, a few were still left, so I was able to reunite with a few family members and meet some new ones I'd never met before. My dad's family is HUGE - he would have loved this revival of the old summer reunions, and I've been thinking about him a lot.
So, not a lot of reading time the past two weeks, but as always, we have been enjoying our books. Here's what we've all been reading:
I gave up on The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe after about 120 pages. It was the choice for one
of my book groups this month and is a memoir
Wolfe wrote in 1968 about a road trip with Ken Kesey (author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest)
and a bunch of other drug-addled hippies in a psychedelic school bus. It is written in 60's slang (groovy is just the tip of the
iceberg), including some rather offensive racial terms, but mostly its stoned/high stream-of-consciousness style just drove me a little crazy. I missed the book group meeting, but it sounds like almost no one finished it.
So, next I needed to read my next review book for Shelf Awareness, Red, White, Blue by Lea Carpenter. That's the review I've been working on this morning. It's an unusual kind of spy novel with a unique narrative style, alternating between the current life story of a woman who recently lost her beloved father and a CIA case officer talking about aspects of her father's life and work. Intriguing and unique.
And now I am back to my Big Book Summer Challenge! Yay! This weekend, I started Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld, a YA novel that's been on my shelf for way too long. Once again, as with all my Big Books...why did I wait so long? I am LOVING this novel!! It has two intertwined narratives that are both great - a teen girl participates in NaNoWrMo (a month-long writing challenge every November), writes a paranormal YA romance, sells it to a publisher, and moves to NYC and the other story is the actual novel she wrote. The two stories are told in alternating chapters, and both are totally engrossing. I actually stayed up until 11:30 pm Saturday reading, which is a wild late night for me!
On audio, I finished listening to Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, a freebie from SYNC in 2015. I last read this novel in 9th grade
and remember enjoying it, but I absolutely loved revisiting it on audio! It has in-depth characters you care about, a multi-layered and intriguing plot, suspense, and humor - some passages had me laughing out loud. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute (my review at the link).
On our road trip, my husband and I listened to Dragon Teeth by Michael Crichton. This historical novel was found - complete - after Crichton's death. It's different than most of his sci fi thrillers, but we enjoyed it very much. It tells the story of two feuding paleontologists in 1876 who each head out west with a team to try to find the next big thing in dinosaur bones. It's historical fiction set in the Wild West with the dangers of warring Indian tribes, the US Army, bandits, and more. Based on a true story with plenty of suspense and intrigue, it kept our attention on our long trip.
Now, I am listening to Made for Love by Alissa Nutting, a novel with some strange elements that I am enjoying so far. It's about a young woman escaping a bad (and weird) marriage to a tech mogul, after he demands she has a chip implanted in her brain so he can "meld their minds," so she moves to her father's trailer in a senior citizen trailer park, where her dad is happily setting up housekeeping with his new lifelike sex doll, Diane. Yup, a little weird, but so far it is good, with suspense and humor mixed in.
My husband, Ken, is reading his second Big Book of the summer and one of my all-time favorites, Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. This was one of my Big Book Summer reads a few years ago, and Ken gamely watched the movie adaptation
with me, even though he found it pretty confusing (I loved the movie). It's a complicated
but engrossing book, with multiple interwoven stories that show how we
are all connected across space and time. He's enjoying it, even though his reading time has been limited.
Our son, Jamie, 23, is reading book 10, Crossroads of Twilight, of the Wheel of Time series
by Robert Jordan. He has been plowing through this series, one huge
book at a time. It's Big Book Summer all year-round for him; he rarely
reads a
book with under 400 pages. Most of the books in this series are between
900 and 1200 pages!
What Are You Reading Monday is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, so head over and check out her blog and join the Monday fun! You can also participate in a kid/teen/YA version hosted by Unleashing Readers.
The 2018 Big Book Summer Reading Challenge is on, and there is still plenty of time to join! It's easy-going,
like summer - you only need to read one book with 400 or more pages
sometime between now and the end of summer (early September) to
participate (though of course, you can read more Big Books, if you want
to). It's great motivation to tackle some of the bigger books on your
shelves or TBR that usually get overlooked. Check out the details at the
link and join the fun!
My review of The Possible World, a novel by Liese O'Halloran Schwarz, was just published in Shelf Awareness. I've been waiting to share this one with you because I absolutely loved it!
This unique novel pulled me in right from the first chapter. It's about three different people in Providence, Rhode Island, whose separate lives slowly come together over the course of the book. Lucy is a doctor in the ER when a little boy named Ben is brought in after a horrific murder scene at his friend's birthday party. Alone and orphaned, the boy is scared and confused, and Lucy is drawn to him. Across town, Clare is almost 100 years old and finally decides to tell a friend her life story and share her secrets.
I love stories like this where different narrators' stories gradually intertwine, and this one had lots of surprises and twists to keep my interest, as well as intriguing and likable characters. I definitely recommend it for anyone who enjoys fiction. And now I would like to read Schwarz's first novel, Near Canaan, too. The author is an ER doctor herself, which gave the hospital scenes plenty of authenticity.
Last week, we traveled to New York State (my home state) for a double-reunion weekend (both college and family). As always, we brought our pop-up camper along and enjoyed a bit of quiet time in nature amid the noise and chaos of the reunions (which, of course, were a lot of fun!). These pics are from northern NY - Selkirk Shores State Park, on the eastern shore of Lake Ontario (beautiful at sunset!) and kayaking at Higley Flow State Park, just north of the Adirondacks, on a dammed portion of the Racquet River.
Sunset over Lake Ontario
Selkirk Shores SP at dusk - nice and quiet
Sunset selfie!
The shore of Lake Ontario
One last look at the sunset - time to head back to camp and relax!
Quiet morning kayaking on the Racquet River at Higley Flow SP
Reflections in the water
My husband and I kayaking
A very humorous "dead end" (click to enlarge)
We saw a couple of what we think were seagulls but with unusual markings
Me with good friends on the porch of our sorority house (classes of '87 - '90 here)
Hope you are enjoying a good weekend! Catch-up weekend here after our trip last week.
I last read Great Expectations by Charles Dickens in my 9th grade English class...let's just say that was a very long time ago! I remember liking it - and all the Dickens' novels we read in school - but I only vaguely remembered the characters and very little of the plot. I remember in school thinking that all Dickens' novels started out slow, with a lot of dull description, but then they picked up about a quarter of the way through. So, I was very pleasantly surprised when I recently listened to Great Expectations on audio (free from SYNC in the summer of 2015) and was immediately pulled into the gripping story and enjoyed every moment of it.
A young orphaned boy named Pip lives with his older sister, who is harsh and scolding, and her husband, Joe, a blacksmith who is kind and gentle and adores young Pip. The plan is for Pip to apprentice with Joe at his forge, and Pip is happy with that plan as he and Joe are very close. Everything changes, though, when Pip is invited to the home of the eccentric Miss Havisham, an elderly woman who is stuck in time as the jilted bride of her youth. Her young charge, Estella, is beautiful but haughty and dismissive, and Pip falls instantly in love with her, though she often makes him miserable. Suddenly, being an apprentice and following in Joe's footsteps is not enough, and Pip yearns to become a gentleman. As he gets older, an anonymous benefactor sends him to London and supports him and his education, and Pip feels as if his dreams are coming true.
I had forgotten that this story and its characters had so much depth and complexity. The book is narrated by Pip later in life, looking back on what happened in his youth. It's painful to see him reject kind Joe and chase after this dream of a different life. Every character is full and feels real, and the story has plenty of suspense as to what will happen to Pip and who his mysterious benefactor is. And this classic novel is very, very funny! I'd forgotten that Dickens had such a rich sense of humor, but some scenes (like when Joe meets Miss Havisham or the scenes with Pip's friend, whose almost-deaf father is just called The Aged) made me laugh out loud. The audio production I listened to, narrated by Anton Lesser (produced by Naxos Audiobooks), was outstanding, with each character fully realized and individual, and the older language made easily understandable yet sounding authentic. I absolutely loved listening to this book - far more than I expected to! Great Expectations highlights the renowned talents of Dickens for gorgeous language, engrossing plots, engaging characters, and substantial wit, and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. Now, I am eager to move onto some of the Dickens novels I haven't read yet, like Oliver Twist and David Copperfield.
384 pages, Dover Publications
the audio I listened to was produced by Naxos Audiobooks
(though obviously, there are many, many editions of both the book and the audio)
Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in
return for an honest review. My review is my own opinion and is not influenced
by my relationship with the publisher or author.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from
these links provide a small commission to me (pennies per purchase), to help
offset the time I spend writing for this blog, at no extra cost to you.
The second book I read for my Big Book Summer Challenge (still time to join the fun!) was Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon, sequel to Outlander, which was one of my very first Big Book Summer reads six years ago. I had this second chunkster on my Big Book list for the past several summers, so I was glad to finally get to it. I wish I hadn't waited so long! I think it really says something when you finish a 743 page novel and are sorry it ended and wish you could read more. In fact, if I didn't have other reading obligations lined up, I would have gone right onto book 3 in the series because I hated to leave Jamie and Claire. These epic stories that combine history, romance, and time travel are incredibly compelling and entertaining.
Don't worry - I will avoid spoilers in case you haven't yet read the first book. The basics of the set-up of the first book are that a woman named Claire in 1945 travels back in time to Scotland in 1743 and meets a man named Jamie.
At the start of book 2, Claire is back in her own time, returning to Inverness, Scotland, twenty years later in 1968 with her daughter, Brianna, who looks exactly like Jamie. Her husband, Frank, has died, and Claire has returned to Scotland to investigate what happened to her friends in the 1700's after she left...and maybe to finally share some of her unusual personal history with her daughter. She enlists the help of Roger, adopted son of Reverend Wakefield, who helped Frank with his historical research years ago. After a short introduction in 1968, the novel then shifts back to 1744, as Claire shares her story of what happened back then. She and Jamie were in France, since Jamie was no longer safe in Scotland. The setting is quite different from the wilds of the Scottish Highlands, as Claire and Jamie join the royal court of King Louis in Paris. Although ostensibly they are Jacobites (supporters of Scottish independence), in secret their mission is to prevent the Scottish attempt to regain independence from England, which Claire knows from her history lessons will result in a massacre of many thousands of Scots. In the last part of the novel, they return to Scotland, so this second novel fills in the story of what happened to Claire after the end of the first novel and before she returned to her own time. The story wraps up back in 1968.
Much of this novel has a different feel to it than Outlander because of the setting, among the elite of Paris, but it is just as fascinating a glimpse into history. The beginning of the novel perfectly sets up the rest of the story so that you think you know what will happen, though there are plenty of surprises along the way. As with the first book, the mix of history, romance, and intrigue is absolutely engaging, and here there is some royalty and high society added, as well as espionage. And if you yearn for the Scottish Highlands, you'll get plenty of that toward the end of the book as well. Jamie and Claire are just as endearing as ever and feel like old friends. While the historical detail is absorbing, and Claire and Jamie's relationship is as tender and moving as ever, I personally love the time travel aspects best. As with any time travel novel, ever-intriguing questions are explored, like can you change history? and what happens if someone goes back in time and affects your ancestor's life? I was pulled into the story immediately, even though it's been at least five years since I read the first book (though it helped that I recently watched season 1 of the Outlander TV show), and it gripped me all the way through 700+ pages. I never wanted it to end and am ready to jump into the next book of the series now! Hmmm...my birthday is next week...
768 pages, Delta Trade Paperbacks
P.S. Each season of the Starz Outlander TV series corresponds to one of the books, so season 1 covers Outlander and to avoid spoilers, read Dragonfly in Amberbefore you watch season 2!
Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in
return for an honest review. My review is my own opinion and is not influenced
by my relationship with the publisher or author.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from
these links provide a small commission to me (pennies per purchase), to help
offset the time I spend writing for this blog, at no extra cost to you.
Purchase Dragonfly in Amber from an indie bookstore:
My husband's been traveling a bit lately, so I've been on the lookout for some new shows I can watch on my own (he and I have a long list of shows that we watch together!). One that I am enjoying is Alias Grace, the Netflix mini-series based on the historical novel of the same name by Margaret Atwood (my review of the book is at the link). I enjoyed the intriguing and compelling novel, and so far, the TV series is just as good.
It is based on the true story of Grace Marks, a young woman in Ontario accused of murder in 1843 and sentenced to life in prison at the age of sixteen. As the show opens, we see Grace in prison twenty years later, going to the adjoining Governor's house each day as a servant and returning to the prison each night. Dr. Simon Jordan, an American doctor in the new field of psychiatry, has been brought in by a local group who want to free Grace to assess her mental condition and get behind her amnesia of the events on the day of the murders to find out what really happened. From then, much of the action takes place in flashbacks, as Grace describes for Dr. Jordan, in great detail, her early life, her family's emigration to Canada from Ireland, her first job as a house maid, and her later job at the home where the murders took place. The story emerges bit by bit, with glimpses of Grace both in the past and today in the prison and the Governor's house. It's clear that Dr. Jordan is fascinated by Grace, though her memories of that fateful day remain trapped inside so far.
I'm just a few episodes into the 6-episode series, but I am enjoying it very much. The story has so far stayed close to the book, and it is wonderful to see this intriguing novel brought to life on the screen. While the story is engrossing, part of the appeal of this show (and the book) are the details of life in the 1800's - seeing Toronto as a growing city with muddy roads or the way that poor people lived or the wealthy homes are run with the servants' lives behind the scenes. The settings and costumes are as fascinating as the story. As with the book, the question that runs through the entire story is whether Grace Marks actually committed the murders she is accused of or whether she was an innocent victim? You decide (our book group was split!). Either way, this suspenseful historical fiction will keep you riveted.
Alias Grace is a Netflix original program, so it is available for streaming only on Netflix or you can get the DVD (buy it or borrow from your library).
In looking for a TV show to review today, I realized that I have already reviewed many of the shows we are currently watching or looking forward to this summer. So, here is an overview of some of our favorite shows of summer, with links to prior reviews (including trailers).
My husband and I are currently watching two shows on cable that we were excited to see returning this summer, plus I am watching two network shows on my own:
Humans (BBC/AMC) is a unique sci fi drama set in the near future where there are lifelike androids that act like servants to humans and do menial work. Now, in the third season, many of the "synths" have become conscious (I'll save the surprise as to how and why for you to discover in prior seasons), leading to fear and violence among humans. This is an intense, exciting, and thought-provoking drama that we look forward to each week. Season 1 and season 2 are currently available for free on Amazon, with season 3 episodes starting at $1.99 or available for free On Demand or at the AMC website.
Salvation(CBS) is another sci fi show that started last summer and is back for a second season. The premise is that a giant meteor, large enough to cause a massive extinction event, is headed for Earth, and a small group of scientists and government officials are working hard to figure out how to stop it, with time running out. Of course, there are bad guys who want to take advantage of the impending disaster for their own gain. As the second season starts, word of the meteor has gotten out to the public, causing panic, and a terrorist group has taken control of the rescue efforts. As with many popular TV shows, the science is a bit iffy, but we enjoy this action-packed thriller. Season 1 is available free on Amazon or at CBS All Access. Season 2 is currently airing (3 episodes so far) and is available On Demand and on the CBS website (just those first 3).
Younger (TV Land) is one of my favorite shows, and I look forward to its return every summer! It's a dramedy about a 40-year old single mom who lies about her age to get back into the publishing world, after her 15-year hiatus for motherhood. I know, I know - that doesn't sound very believable that a 40-year old woman could pass as a 26-year old, but Sutton Foster is great in the lead role, with an excellent supporting cast, and the whole show is very well done. Now, in its 5th season, Younger just gets better and better as the lies pile up, and certain people in her life find out the truth. You can watch Younger on Amazon, with season 1 starting at $1.99 an episode or $7.99 a season. All 5 seasons are available for free On Demand (a rarity!) for cable subscribers.
The Bold Type (Freeform, formerly ABC Family) got me hooked last summer, with its first season. The show features three young women just starting out in the world of magazine publishing in NYC. The three millennials all work for a fashion magazine (clearly based on Cosmo) in the first season, though each has a different job and different career aspirations. The show follows their ups and downs with friendship, work, and relationships. It's a lot of fun and visually gorgeous, but it also digs into some serious issues like racism, immigration, and sexual harassment. Season 1 and Season 2 are both available on Amazon, starting at $1.99 an episode or $16.99 a season. A few episodes (including the first two of season 1 if you want to try it out) are available free at the Freeform website, and season 2 is currently available free On Demand for cable subscribers.
And on streaming:
Bosch (Amazon) is a favorite that is back for its 4th season. My husband and I are both big fans of the books, written by Michael Connelly, and love the TV series that brings the books to life, with Titus Welliver perfectly portraying LAPD Detective Harry Bosch. This is a straight-up detective series, with each season the adaptation of one of Connelly's best-selling novels. Season 4 is currently airing, based on the novel Angels Flight. Everything about this show is top-notch, from the cast to the writing to the carefully plotted mysteries. If you want to start back at season 1, all seasons are available free on Amazon Prime.
Orange Is the New Black (Netflix) is coming back for its 6th and final season on July 27. I CAN'T WAIT!!! This is one of my all-time favorite shows, and my husband likes it, too. The trailer for season 6 looks amazing (but poor Suzanne!):
A few that I haven't reviewed yet (but hope to soon):
Goliath (Amazon) is back for its second season. We enjoyed the first season of this legal thriller starring Billy Bob Thornton.
Breaking Bad (originally AMC, now on Netflix and Amazon) - yes, finally! Are we the last people on Earth to discover this show? We spent our 4th of July binge-watching it. I know the plot summary doesn't sound interesting, but it is a great show. Review to come soon, in case there are other late adopters like us.
Alias Grace (Netflix) is adapted from the historical novel by Margaret Atwood, based on the true story of a woman accused of murder in the 1800's. I recently enjoyed the book, so I've started the TV mini-series (2 episodes in so far), and it is very good.
GLOW (Netflix) is another new one for me, though it just started its second season. Based in part on real life, it is about the start of GLOW, Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, in the 1980's. I've watched a few episodes so far and am hooked!
There are more, but those are the main shows we are watching so far this summer!
What summer shows are you enjoying or looking forward to their return?
After hearing so many accolades (nominated for 199 awards, including 5 Oscars, including Best Picture) of this movie, I was eager to see it, so when my husband was away on business recently, I watched it...and loved it! Lady Bird is a tender, realistic, funny coming-of-age story that focuses on the relationship between a mother and her teen daughter, with top-notch writing and acting.
Saoirse Ronan plays 17-year old Christine, on the cusp of adulthood, unsure what her future holds, and wanting to be called Lady Bird. The acclaimed and award-winning Laurie Metcalf plays her mother, Marion, who wants what's best for her daughter but doesn't always understand her struggles or her dreams. The story follows the relationship between the two of them in Sacramento during Lady Bird's senior year of high school. In the course of the movie, Lady Bird has her first boyfriend, discovers drama club, ditches her best friend for someone cooler and more popular, and struggles with college applications and plans for her future. Through it all, she and her mom are in constant conflict, though she has a very sweet relationship with her dad.
All the rave reviews I heard about this movie were right on-target. It's a perfect combination of warmth, angst, and humor - pretty much the epitome of being a teenager. Metcalf and Ronan are both excellent in their roles as the often-fighting but still loving mother and daughter. Both bring out the complexities of their roles and relationships. While some scenes are sad or angry, humor is perfectly woven through the entire film, making it a joy to watch. By the end, I was rooting for Lady Bird's dreams to come true.
We had a beautiful weekend here!! Our unbearable heat & humidity finally dropped for a few days, and we were able to open our windows again and spend a little time working in the yard (which looks like a jungle). THIS time, as I weeded a portion, I asked my husband to get mulch to spread over it, so I won't have to re-do it again in a week! I just came in from the yard again this morning, but our temperature is going up near 90 today, and the humidity will be back tomorrow, so that's it for me for a while. My illness makes me very heat intolerant. So, feeling very grateful for a few lovely days to enjoy the outdoors.
Meanwhile, our sons are off to Rhode Island (Watch Hill and Block Island) on their grandparents' sailboat with their cousins, a beloved annual tradition known as the Grandchildren's Cruise! Even though our sons are now 20 and 23, this is still the highlight of the year for them. We are SO thankful that our younger son recovered from his concussion in time to go and that our older son finished his summer class (last college class!) on Friday. Hopefully, they are both relaxing and having a great time. We'll be heading out ourselves this weekend for my annual sorority reunion - thankfully, it is WAY up north, so hopefully, it will be cool enough since we are bringing our pop-up camper (aka home away from home). We're also making a detour on Sunday to my hometown, Rochester, for a big family reunion. Busy weekend but should be fun!
Amidst all this summer fun, we are, of course, enjoying our books, too, with a heavy focus on Big Books, as always in summertime:
I finished my second Big Book for my Big Book Summer Challenge: Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon (book 2 in the Outlander
series). It was just as compelling and engaging as Outlander was. It's quite
different, since much of it takes place in 1744 Paris, rather than the
Scottish Highlands, but Claire and Jamie are just as wonderful. Since I
also recently finished watching season 1 of the TV show, they now feel
like old friends. I just finished last night and am laughing because I see that last Monday, I said I was almost done! It's all relative with a 700+ page book. I am dying to start reading book #3 immediately, but I have some bookish obligations for book group & review - can't really fit in a 1000-page book right now!
I just started The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe, the choice for one of my book groups this month. I'm a bit wary of this one. It's a memoir Wolfe wrote in 1968 about a road trip with Ken Kesey (author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) and a bunch of other drug-addled hippies in a psychedelic school bus. One of our group members already e-mailed saying she gave up halfway through. It is written in 60's slang (groovy is just the tip of the iceberg), including some rather offensive racial terms. We'll see - I'm giving it a chance. Oh, it IS over 400 pages, so it will count as a Big Book (if I finish it!).
On audio, I am listening to Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, a freebie from SYNC one summer. I last read this novel in 9th grade
and remember enjoying it.
I am loving it this time around - I'd forgotten that Dickens had a good
sense
of humor! The story is completely engrossing and kept me company during my weeding sessions.
My husband, Ken, is also reading his second Big Book of the summer and one of my all-time favorites, Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. This was one of my Big Book Summer reads a few years ago, and Ken gamely watched the movie adaptation
with me, even though he found it pretty confusing (I loved the movie). It's a complicated
but engrossing book, with multiple interwoven stories that show how we
are all connected across space and time. He is at about the halfway point and is enjoying it overall, though he doesn't like the writing as much as I did.
Our son, Jamie, 23, is reading book 10, Crossroads of Twilight, of the Wheel of Time series
by Robert Jordan. He has been plowing through this series, one huge book at a time. It's Big Book Summer all year-round for him; he rarely reads a
book with under 400 pages! Most of the books in this series are between 900 and 1200 pages!
What Are You Reading Monday is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, so head over and check out her blog and join the Monday fun! You can also participate in a kid/teen/YA version hosted by Unleashing Readers.
The 2018 Big Book Summer Reading Challenge is on, and there is still plenty of time to join! It's easy-going,
like summer - you only need to read one book with 400 or more pages
sometime between now and the end of summer (early September) to
participate (though of course, you can read more Big Books, if you want
to). It's great motivation to tackle some of the bigger books on your
shelves or TBR that usually get overlooked. Check out the details at the
link and join the fun!
DVD: 
