Lovely Books and Things - 1.10.21

Lovely Books and Things
My Weekly Books and Films Update

Linking up with:
Sunday Post (details)
Mailbox Monday (details)

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HAPPY THINGS:

1. Energy and motivation to organize closet. Pre-spring cleaning ;-)
2. Surprise lasagne meal with oreo cookies for dessert from friend.
3. Creative plant presentations.

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Bought:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
MinaLima Edition
by J.K. Rowling
YA, Fantasy | Published: 2021 | Goodreads
Excited to see the interactive elements to this new illustrated edition.

Library: audiobook

The Down Days
by Ilze Hugo
Dystopia, South Africa | Published: 2020 | Goodreads

Library:

Artificial Condition
(The Murderbot Diaries #2)
by Martha Wells
SciFi, Novella | Published: 2018 | Goodreads

Freebies: from Free Little Library

Fortunately, the Milk
by Neil Gaiman
illustrated by Skottie Young
Middle Grade, Fantasy | Published: 2013 | Goodreads

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Virtual Author event: hosted by Strand Bookstore
Listen to archive of this and check out their calendar for future free author events (here)

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie
by Marie Benedict
Historical, Mystery, Agatha Christie | Published: 2021 | Goodreads

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AND watched: on Netflix

Bridgerton (2020)
Creator: Chris Van Dusen
Based on book by: Julia Quinn
Stars: Phoebe Dynevor, Regé-Jean Page, Nicola Coughlan
Drama, Romance, Regency | imdb | my rating: 5 Wealth, lust, and betrayal set in the backdrop of Regency era England, seen through the eyes of the powerful Bridgerton family.

LOVED the diversity take for this romance. Enjoyed the costumes and soundtrack (especially the Billie Eilish cover)

Someone Great (2019)
Director/Writer: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
Stars: Gina Rodriguez, LaKeith Stanfield, Brittany Snow, Alex Moffat
Comedy, Romance | imdb | my rating: 3 After a devastating break up on the eve of her cross-country move, Jenny enjoys one last NYC adventure with her two best pals. Someone Great is a romantic comedy about love, loss, growth and the everlasting bond of female friendship.

CUTE moments and liked the growth spurts for each of the characters.

The Ridiculous 6 (2015)
Director: Frank Coraci
Writers: Tim Herlihy, Adam Sandler
Stars: Adam Sandler, Terry Crews, Jorge Garcia, Rob Schneider
Action, Adventure, Comedy | imdb | my rating: 5 An outlaw who was raised by Native Americans discovers that he has five half-brothers. Together the men go on a mission to find their wayward, deadbeat dad.

WESTERN tropes with fun and funny bits. And, interesting twists.

AND watched: on DVD

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Director/Screenplay/Story: Wes Anderson
Story/: Hugo Guinness
Inspired by writings by: Stefan Zweig
Stars: Ralph Fiennes, F. Murray Abraham, Mathieu Amalric
Adventure, Comedy, Crime | imdb | my rating: 5 | rewatch A writer encounters the owner of an aging high-class hotel, who tells him of his early years serving as a lobby boy in the hotel's glorious years under an exceptional concierge.

INSPIRED to rewatch this as I wanted to see the details and whimsy parts.

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

Thanks for stopping by :-)

Stacking the Shelves - 12.3.16

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!

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Bought:

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them:
The Original Screenplay
by J.K. Rowling
-Fantasy, YA
Amazon | Goodreads
=====> Coincidentally, my sis-in-law gave me a fantastic little acorn owl creation that could definitely be part of Potterworld ;-)


For Review:

Small Admissions
by Amy Poeppel
-Chick-lit
courtesy of tour -Thanks!
Amazon | Goodreads

Fall With Me
by Jayne Frost
-New Adult, Romance
courtesy of author -Thanks!
Amazon | Goodreads

Gift:

The Constant Princess
(The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels #6)
by Philippa Gregory
-Historical, Romance
Amazon | Goodreads

OTHER things on my shelf: kinda book-related

Pemberley - a party
a virtual book event
December 11-16, 2016
=====> JOIN me for a week of celebrating Jane Austen's birthday.


AND watched: in theatre

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
Director: David Yates
Writer: J.K. Rowling
Based on Harry Potter series by: J.K. Rowling
Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston
-Adventure, Family, Fantasy | imdb | my rating: 5
The adventures of writer Newt Scamander in New York's secret community of witches and wizards seventy years before Harry Potter reads his book in school.

Oscar nominated for Costume Design, Production Design.

Loved being introduced to the magical side of America. More! we need to see more :-)


AND watched: on DVD

Me Before You (2016)
Director: Thea Sharrock
Screenplay: Jojo Moyes
Based on book by: Jojo Moyes
Starring: Emilia Clarke, Sam Claflin
-Drama, Romance | imdb | my rating: 5
A girl in a small town forms an unlikely bond with a recently-paralyzed man she's taking care of.

=====> Box of tissues required while watching this one. Heartwarming and hopeful.


Currently flipping through:

Zombie Tarot Cards
An Oracle of the Undead—with Deck and Instructions
by Paul Kepple and Stacey Graham | Quirk Books
=====> Because I am in the middle of the December Zombies virtual book event. Check it out (here)


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

Stacking the Shelves - 8.13.16

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:

You Will Know Me
by Megan Abbott
-Mystery, Thriller
Amazon | Goodreads

=====> Books Inc., Opera Plaza, San Francisco, hosted a visit from author, Megan Abbott, to celebrate the release of her 8th book!

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child , Parts I & II
by J.K. Rowling
-Fantasy, YA
Amazon | Goodreads
=====> Because Harry Potter is irresistible.


Borrowed: Thanks Dina!

Please Look After Mother
by Kyung-Sook Shin
-Family, Korea
Amazon | Goodreads
=====> Yay! fits right into my Korean reading challenge.


Audiobook: from library

Siracusa
by Delia Ephron
narrated by Talia Balsam, Katie Finneran, Darren Goldstein, John Slattery
-Mystery, Italy
Amazon | Goodreads

OTHER things book-related:

Korean Book Challenge
hosted by vvb32 reads (details)=====> Decided to make my Korean book reading official by creating a challenge. If I get other participants I will throw in a giveaway with it. As I am starting it mid-year books read earlier this year are eligible


AND watched: in theatre

Indignation (2016)
Director/Screenplay: James Schamus
Based on book by: Philip Roth
Starring: Logan Lerman, Sarah Gadon
-Drama | imdb | my rating: 4
In 1951, Marcus, a working-class Jewish student from New Jersey, attends a small Ohio college, where he struggles with sexual repression and cultural disaffection, amid the ongoing Korean War.

=====> Coming of age story with a sad tinge.

Hell or High Water (2016)
Director: David Mackenzie
Screenplay: Taylor Sheridan
Starring: Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges
-Crime, Drama | imdb | my rating: 4
A divorced dad and his ex-con brother resort to a desperate scheme in order to save their family's farm in West Texas.

Oscar nominated for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, Original Screenplay, Film Editing.

Loved Jeff Bridges performance in this. This film portrays a depressing vibe of New Mexico just right.

AND binge watching: online

Descendants of the Sun (2016)
Tae-yang-eui hoo-ye (original title)
tv series
Starring: Joong-ki Song, Hye-kyo Song, Goo-seo Jin, Ji-won Kim
-Kdrama, Romance | imdb | my rating: 5
A love story develops between Captain Yoo Shi Jin, from South Korean Special Forces and Doctor Kang Mo Yeon, who works as a Surgeon at Haesung Hospital in Seoul. They will find themselves in the middle of great events and deadly dangers, both in their Motherland and in the fictitious, war-torn country of Urk.

=====> Loving it - totally living up to the hype.
Coincidentally for this post, I found a Harry Potter reference - one of the soldier's moniker.


Currently flipping through: various Duran Duran scrapbooks

=====> Reliving some high school fangirl moments before going to a Duran Duran concert at the end of the month ;-)


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

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts I & II by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, John Tiffany

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Parts I & II by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, John Tiffany

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
BookExcerpt
Website
Play details

Just released: July 31, 2016
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books; Special Rehearsal ed. edition
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Hardback: 320 pages
Rating: 5

Harry Potter series:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts I & II

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, a new play by Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The play will receive its world premiere in London’s West End on July 30, 2016.

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

My two-bits:

LOVED it!

Although Harry's story is told in a different format than the previous novels, it stays true to the essence of the HP world.

Some twists and turns and lessons to be learned.

Plenty of adventure and appearances by favorite characters throughout.

I left the book feeling that I MUST go to London to see this 5 hour play. It is currently SOLD OUT! Boo-hoo. Maybe next year will open up for me...

Olympics Book Tag

Olympic Book Tag
sponsored by It Starts at Midnight (details)

Found this fun tag as a way to indirectly participate in the Summer Olympics.

TAG you are it - feel free to join in or comment with your book picks ;-)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Fantasy, YA | Amazon | Goodreads=====> Plan to pick up the newly released, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child this weekend!

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
Road Trip, YA | Amazon | Goodreads | my review=====> Loved how the references to the different sites and food references.

Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
Fantasy | Amazon | Goodreads=====> You never know who is next on the hit list with this series.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Mystery, Thriller | Amazon | Goodreads | my review=====> Wha? What? HUH?

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Contemporary Fiction | Amazon | Goodreads | my review=====> This chunkster had my attention for a good part of a year as I could only take small doses at a time, but worth it.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Chick-lit | Amazon | Goodreads | my review=====> Still have to see the movie version.

A Spear of Summer Grass by Deanna Raybourn
Romance, Travel, Africa | Amazon | Goodreads | my review=====> Loved how this one transported me to 1920s Africa.

The Boys in the Boat:
Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown
Non-fiction, Sports | Amazon | Goodreads | my review=====> Loved learning about the world of rowing.

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I am looking forward to watching the Gymnastics. How about you?

FYI: I am going to read this one for the gymnastics theme - it is a dark one...

You Will Know Me
by Megan Abbott
-Mystery, Thriller
Amazon | Goodreads | my review