Showing posts with label Author Reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Author Reading. Show all posts

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Stacking the Shelves - 11.19.16

Stacking the Shelves
hosted by Tynga's Reviews (details)

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

~*~

Bought:


=====> Book Passage, Corte Madera, hosted an event with, Isabel Allende to celebrate the release of her latest novel, Japanese Lover. She spoke about the book inspiration which was prompted by a conversation she had with a friend. Isabel also handled Q&A from the audience.

Japanese Lover
by Isabel Allende
-Historical, Romance, WWII
Amazon | Goodreads

=====> I plan on reading this, but I decided to give this copy to my auntie.

The Improbability of Love
by Hannah Rothschild
-Art, Historical, Romance
Amazon | Goodreads

=====> Got this because the perspective and the main character of this tale includes the viewpoint from a painting.


Freebie: from publisher

Reputations
by Juan Gabriel Vasquez
-Contemporary Fiction, Politics, Spain
Amazon | Goodreads

=====> Picked this up at a table full of ARC freebies.

AND watched: in theatre

National Theatre Live: Hamlet (2015)
Director: Robin Lough
Based on play by: Shakespeare
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Ciarán Hinds
-Drama | imdb | my rating: 5

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, finds out that his Uncle Claudius killed his father to obtain the throne, and plans his revenge.

=====> Another stellar live performance from Cumberbatch. So depressing. So emotional.

Dr. Strange (2016)
Director: Scott Derrickson
Writers: Jon Spaihts, Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill
Based on Marvel comics by: Steve Ditko
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rachel McAdams
-Drama | imdb | my rating: 4

A former neurosurgeon embarks on a journey of healing only to be drawn into the world of the mystic arts.

Oscar nominated for Visual Effects.

Fun cast! Loved Tilda Swinton's performance as the Ancient One. What I found strange was hearing Cumberbatch without his English accent ;-) Oh, and stick around for all of the end credits for some easter eggs.


Currently flipping through: from the library

Demon
Volume 1
by Jason Shiga
-Graphic Novel, Horror, Humor
Amazon | Goodreads

=====> Hilarious. Who knew being an actuary could come in handy.

~*~

* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

Saturday, October 29, 2016

Stacking the Shelves - 10.29.16

Stacking the Shelves
hosted by Tynga's Reviews (details)

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

~*~

Bought:

=====> Book Passage, Corte Madera, hosted an event with, Maria Semple to celebrate the release of her latest novel, Today Will Be Different. She did a Q&A with author, Kelly Corrigan and imparted lots of interesting info about the writing craft.

Today Will Be Different
by Maria Semple
-Chick-lit
Amazon | Goodreads

=====> HAD to get this as I loved her novel, Where'd You Go, Bernadette.


Other things book-related:

Coming soon...

Jane Austen-ish
a virtual book event
November 6-11, 2016

=====> JOIN me for a week of Jane Austen-ish kinda things (giveaways included).


AND watched: in theatre

National Theatre Live: Frankenstein (2011)
film of theatre production
Director: Danny Boyle
Play: Nick Dear
Based on the novel by: Mary Shelley
Starring: Jonny Lee Miller, Benedict Cumberbatch
-Drama | imdb | my rating: 5

Created by Victor Frankenstein, the one known only as the creature sets out to discover the world and the meaning of life.

=====> Oh, humanity. Amazing performance from the cast and cheers to Cumberbatch as the creature. His part for physically intense moments.


Currently flipping through: from the library

The Singing Bones:
Inspired by Grimms' Fairy Tales
by Shaun Tan
-Fairy Tales, Fantasy
Amazon | Goodreads

=====> Some creepy-ish fairy tale sculpture images for the season.


~*~

* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

* check out the sidebar and click on GIVEAWAYS for current offers

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Stacking the Shelves - 10.22.16

Stacking the Shelves
hosted by Tynga's Reviews (details)

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

~*~


=====> Book Passage, Corte Madera, hosted a release party event for Martin Cruz Smith and his latest release, The Girl From Venice. Photo from Martin's Facebook (here).

On my want list:

The Girl From Venice
by Martin Cruz Smith
-Historical Fiction, Italy, WWII
Amazon | Goodreads


Audiobook: from library

My Paris Dream:
An Education in Style, Slang, and Seduction in the Great City on the Seine
by Kate Betts
narrated by the author
-France, Memoir
Amazon | Goodreads

=====> Going to feature this during A Week in Paris, a virtual book event, which starts on Sunday.


Review: from library

Paris Sketchbook
by Fabrice Moireau, Mary Kelly
-France, Art, Travel
Amazon | Goodreads

Paris is seen through the eyes of artist Fabrice Moireau, with sketches in watercolor and pencil perfectly matched by an introduction by Mary A. Kelly. These residents of the world's most romantic capital city are the perfect guides to its streets, monuments, gardens and delightfully hidden corners.


AND watched: on DVD

Cabin in the Woods (2012)
Director: Drew Goddard
Screenplay: Drew Goddard, Joss Whedon
Starring: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams
-Fantasy, Horror, Mystery | imdb | my rating: 4

Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin in the woods, where they get more than they bargained for. Together, they must discover the truth behind the cabin in the woods.

=====> Wanted to watch this to get into that Halloween mood. Interesting premise with that "Whedon" touch.


AND binge watching: on DVD

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997)
tv series, season one
Creator: Joss Whedon
Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Head
-Action, Drama, Fantasy | imdb | my rating: 4

A young woman, destined to slay vampires, demons and other infernal creatures, deals with her life fighting evil, with the help of her friends.

=====> Finally getting around to watching this popular Joss Whedon creation.


Currently flipping through: from the library

Gast
by Carol Swain
-Graphic Novel, Mystery
Amazon | Goodreads

Helen is an amateur bird watcher and naturalist who lives in a rural community in Wales. When a local farmer Bill tells Helen that a “rare bird” named Emrys killed himself at Cuddig farm, she decides to investigate. One of the dogs at the farm tells her, by way of explanation, that Emrys “had no feathers and couldn’t fly.” She plucks an old cosmetic kit from a dumpster and discovers it belonged to Emrys. Inventorying the kit’s contents, she finds a spent .12 gauge shotgun shell. Her attempt to learn more about Emrys turns into a journey of self-discovery and ultimately a hard-fought reconciliation with the world ― as it is.

=====> Engaging story that takes you to small towns and perspectives from its local animals.

~*~

* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

* check out the sidebar for my current giveaways offers

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Stacking the Shelves - 10.15.16

Stacking the Shelves
hosted by Tynga's Reviews (details)

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

~*~

Bought:

The Secret Lives of Rock Stars
by Suzanne Lazear
-Urban Fantasy, YA
Amazon | Goodreads

=====> Curious to read this music and urban fantasy mix.

=====> Book Passage, San Francisco, hosted a visit from author, Eowyn Ivey, to release her latest, To The Bright Edge of the World. It is in epistolary form with the illustrations and a map of the Alaska described in the story. Some inspiration is from Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier.

To The Bright Edge of the World
by Eowyn Ivey
-Historical, Fantasy
Amazon | Goodreads


For Review:

Love Connection
(First Comes Love #1)
by Camilla Isley
-Romantic Comedy, Chick Lit
Amazon | Goodreads -giveaway ends Dec 6

Secrets in the Snow
by Michaela MacColl
-Historical, Jane Austen theme, YA
courtesy of Chronicle Books -Thanks!
Amazon | Goodreads


Other things book-related:

Coming soon...

A Week in Paris
a virtual book event
October 23-28, 2016

=====> I will be spotlighting books from one of my favorite places in the world, Paris ;-)


AND watched: on DVD

Seven Samurai (1954)
Shichinin no samurai (original title)
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Screenplay: Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
Starring: Toshirô Mifune, Takashi Shimura
-Action, Adventure, Drama, Japan | imdb | my rating: 5

A poor village under attack by bandits recruits seven unemployed samurai to help them defend themselves.

=====> Loved how the band was hand-picked and put together along with the bonding. Epic battle scenes.

Magnificent Seven (1960)
Director: John Sturges
Screenplay: William Roberts
Starring: Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson
-Action, Adventure, Western | imdb | my rating: 5

An oppressed Mexican peasant village hires seven gunfighters to help defend their homes.

=====> American version of Seven Samurai. Embodies a classic western. Yul Brynner steals the show.

Return of the Magnificent Seven (1966)
Return of the Seven (original title)
Director: Burt Kennedy
Writer: Larry Cohen
Starring: Yul Brynner, Robert Fuller, Julián Mateos
-Action, Western | imdb | my rating: 4

Three survivors of the initial Magnificent Seven outfit, Chico, Chris and Vin, recruit four new members in order to re-form the outfit and defend a few Mexican villages from attacks by vicious bandits.

=====> The story continues with a new bunch headed again by Yul Brynner's character, Chris. Again, I enjoyed the process of getting new members and learning about their mad fighting skills.


AND watched: in theatre

Magnificent Seven (2016)
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Screenplay: Richard Wenk, Nic Pizzolatto
Based on screenplay by: Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke
-Action, Adventure, Western | imdb | my rating: 4

Seven gun men in the old west gradually come together to help a poor village against savage thieves.

=====> American version of Seven Samurai with its own twist. Loved the cast.


Soulmate (2016)
Director: Kwok Cheung Tsang
Writers: Wing-Sum Lam, Yuan Li, Nan Wu, Yimeng Xu
Starring: Chengshan Li, Sichun Ma, Dongyu Zhou
-Drama, China | imdb | my rating: 5

Two women who have been close friends since adolescence must cope with the changes that maturity brings.

=====> Gives interesting perspectives on soulmates. The love relationships tugs at the heart.


I Belonged to You (2016)
Director: Yibai Zhang
Writer: Jiajia Zhang
Based on short story series by: Jiajia Zhang
Starring: Chao Deng, Crystal Zhang, Baihe Bai
-Drama, China | imdb | my rating: 5

A recently dumped radio host finds a new perspective on love when a young intern begins to work with him on his show.

=====> Another film that tugs at the heart. Need tissues with this one. Loved the various location shots around Chongqing and Yading Daocheng in China.



=====> The Mill Valley Film Festival hosted an onstage conversation with Ewan McGregor, a screening of AMERICAN PASTORAL, and presented Ewan with an MVFF Award in recognition of his auspicious directorial debut. Fangirl moment: It was a thrill to be at this event :-)

American Pastoral (2016)
Director: Ewan McGregor
Screenplay: John Romano
Based on novel by: Philip Roth
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Connelly
-Drama | imdb | my rating: 5

In 1968, a hardworking man, who's been a staple in his quaint community for years, watches his seemingly perfect middle class life fall apart as his daughter's new radical political affiliation threatens to destroy their family.

=====> Sad but beautifully made film of an American dream that comes true and then what comes after.


Currently flipping through: from the library

Chopsticks
by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral
-Graphic Novel, YA
Amazon | Goodreads

=====> Heard about this one from Sophia Rose of the Delighted Reader. The premise of a story told through pictures, text messages, various media clippings, etc. pulled me in.


~*~

* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

Saturday, October 8, 2016

Stacking the Shelves - 10.8.16

Stacking the Shelves
hosted by Tynga's Reviews (details)

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

~*~

Bought:

Warm Bodies and The New Hunger:
A Special 5th Anniversary Edition
by Isaac Marion
-Zombies, YA
Amazon | Goodreads

=====> I really liked the movie version of Warm Bodies and saw that this book also offered The New Hunger novella. Awesome two-fer!

Jane Austen
(Adult Coloring Book): 55 Removable Coloring Plates
by Abrams Noterie (Creator), Anita Rundles (Illustrations)
Amazon | Goodreads

=====> Could not resist this one because of the variety of all the Jane novels - not just Pride and Prejudice.

Eileen
by Ottessa Moshfegh
-Historical, Mystery, Thriller
Amazon | Goodreads

=====> As a Man Booker Prize 2016 short list nominee, I was drawn to this.

=====> Book Passage, Corte Madera, hosted a visit from author, Liane Moriarty, presenting her latest, Truly Madly Guilty. She mentioned that her novel, Big Little Lies has been made into an HBO series that will run in 2017.

Truly Madly Guilty
by Liane Moriarty
-Women's Fiction, Australia
Amazon | Goodreads

For Review:

Brake Failure
by Alison Brodie
-Women's Fiction
courtesy of author - Thanks!
Amazon | Goodreads

Outward Blonde
by Trish Cook
-YA
courtesy of publisher -Thanks!
Amazon | Goodreads


UNBOXING:

BOOK OF THE MONTH (details)
If you’re an avid reader, one thing is for certain: if you only shop the “bestseller” lists, you’re going to miss many of the best stories. That’s why we work hard to bring you the gems: well-written, immersive stories that transport you, give you thrills, and tug at your heartstrings. The books that are truly worth reading.



MONTH Box includes:
- A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles | Amazon | Goodreads
- Notecard from judge to selected book
- BOTM Bookmark

He can’t leave his hotel. You won’t want to.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Rules of Civility—a transporting novel about a man who is ordered to spend the rest of his life inside a luxury hotel

“Towles’s greatest narrative effect is not the moments of wonder and synchronicity but the generous transformation of these peripheral workers, over the course of decades, into confidants, equals and, finally, friends. With them around, a life sentence in these gilded halls might make Rostov the luckiest man in Russia.” –The New York Times Book Review

In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, and is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances provide him entry into a much larger world of emotional discovery.

Brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the count’s endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose.



AND watched: in theatre

The Girl on the Train (2016)
Director: Tate Taylor
Screenplay: Erin Cressida Wilson
Based on book by: Paula Hawkins
Starring: Emily Blunt, Haley Bennett, Rebecca Ferguson, Justin Theroux
-Mystery, Thriller | imdb | my rating: 5

A divorcee becomes entangled in a missing persons investigation that promises to send shockwaves throughout her life.

=====> Captured the story well and the three actresses portrayals were spot on.

The Hollars (2016)
Director: John Krasinski
Writer: James C. Strouse
Based on book by:
Starring: Margo Martindale, John Krasinski
-Comedy, Drama, Romance | imdb | my rating: 4

A man returns to his small hometown after learning that his mother has fallen ill and is about to undergo surgery.

=====> Family drama with both happy and sad moments. Had a circle of life vibe.

Our Little Sister (2015)
Umimachi Diary (original title)
Director: Hirokazu Koreeda
Screenplay: Hirokazu Koreeda
Based on manga by: Akimi Yoshida
Starring: Haruka Ayase, Masami Nagasawa, Kaho, Suzu Hirose
-Comedy, Drama, Japan | imdb | my rating: 5

A story that revolves around three sisters who live in their grandmother's home and the arrival of their thirteen-year-old half sister.

=====> Beautifully told story with gorgeous setting to enhance it. Sisterhood at its best.


AND watched: on DVD

On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
Director: Peter R. Hunt
Screenplay: Simon Raven, Richard Maibaum
Based on book by: Ian Fleming
Starring: George Lazenby, Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas
-Action, Adventure, Thriller | imdb | list | my rating: 2

James Bond woos a mob boss's daughter and goes undercover to uncover the true reason for Blofeld's allergy research in the Swiss Alps that involves beautiful women from around the world.

=====> So far, the least favorite, Bond film. Mostly because the actor did not really fit the part. And not crazy about the relationship aspect. I did like the Swiss and snow setting. Also, Diana Rigg was beautiful in it.


Currently flipping through: from the library

Adulthood Is a Myth:
A "Sarah's Scribbles" Collection
by Sarah Andersen
-Graphic Novel, Humor
Amazon | Goodreads

=====> Hilarious!

~*~

* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently
 
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