Lovely Books and Things - 7.24.22

Lovely Books and Things
My Weekly Books and Films Update

Linking up with:
Mailbox Monday (details)
Stacking the Shelves (details)
Sunday Post (details)
Sunday Salon (details)

~*~

HAPPY THINGS:

1. Almost done with covid experience (halfway - i think, i hope)
2. Home made veggie soup from friend, thanks M!
3. Angalo, filipino jazz band, outdoor show at Noise

~*~
Library:

New Animal
by Ella Baxter
Literary, Australia | Published: 2022 | Goodreads

Library: audiobook

The Summer I Turned Pretty
by Jenny Han
YA, Romance | Published: 2009 | Goodreads

Ugly Love
by Colleen Hoover
New Adult, Romance | Published: 2014 | Goodreads

~*~
Virtual Author event: hosted by KQED

Orwell's Roses
by Rebecca Solnit
Essays, Nature | Published: 2021 | Goodreads
~*~
AND watched: Netflix

Persuasion (2022)
Director: Carrie Cracknell
Screenplay: Ron Bass, Alice Victoria Winslow
Based on book: Jane Austen
Stars: Dakota Johnson, Cosmo Jarvis
Drama, Romance | imdb | my rating: 5
not our Anne, but loved it for what it was
Eight years after Anne Elliot was persuaded not to marry a dashing man of humble origins, they meet again. Will she seize her second chance at true love?

AND watched: YouTube

Pride and Prejudice, Cut (2019)
aka Becoming Ms. Bennet Director: Michael Kampa
Screenplay: Elizabeth Snoderly, Erin Murphy West
Based on book: Jane Austen
Stars: Lexi Giovagnoli, David Witts
Drama, Romance | imdb | my rating: 5
a fun P&P story in a P&P adaptation
A popular American vlogger is cast in a British film production of 'Pride and Prejudice', but struggles with her accent.

AND watched: DVD

Sanditon (2019)
season 1
Creator: Andrew Davies
Based on book by: Jane Austen
Stars: Rose Williams, Theo James
Drama, Romance, Jane Austen | imdb | my rating: 5
every episode ends with an upset, the ultimate hook
About Charlotte Heywood, a spirited and impulsive woman, who moves from her rural home to Sanditon, a fishing village attempting to reinvent itself as a seaside resort.

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

Thanks for stopping by :-)

Favorite Things Giveaway Hop

My Favorite Things Giveaway Hop
July 9-22, 2017
hosted by Shooting Stars Mag
(details and complete list)
I found out about this hop on Herding Cats and Burning Soup (here) and thought her comment on man candy was a hoot.

Thought I would share some of my current faves and offer a giveaway as well.

* Whimsical, colorful pencils

* Craft kits

* Scarves

* YA romance books...

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han - Amazon | Goodreads
P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han - Amazon | Goodreads
Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han - Amazon | Goodreads

WIN my review copies!

Open to all.

Offer ends: July 22, 2017

TO DO: (2-parts)

1. READ and comment on one of my Happy Release posts (here).

2. LET me know a favorite thing of yours along with your email.

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Contest has ended - (winner is here)

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Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han

Always and Forever, Lara Jean
by Jenny Han

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Snapchat
Tumblr
Twitter

Just released: May 2, 2017
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Romance, YA
Hardback: 336 pages
Rating: 5

To All the Boys I've Loved Before series:
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
P.S. I Still Love You
Always and Forever, Lara Jean

First sentence(s):
I like to watch Peter when he doesn't know I'm looking.

Lara Jean’s letter-writing days aren’t over in this surprise follow-up to the New York Times bestselling To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and P.S. I Still Love You.

Lara Jean is having the best senior year a girl could ever hope for. She is head over heels in love with her boyfriend, Peter; her dad’s finally getting remarried to their next door neighbor, Ms. Rothschild; and Margot’s coming home for the summer just in time for the wedding.

But change is looming on the horizon. And while Lara Jean is having fun and keeping busy helping plan her father’s wedding, she can’t ignore the big life decisions she has to make. Most pressingly, where she wants to go to college and what that means for her relationship with Peter. She watched her sister Margot go through these growing pains. Now Lara Jean’s the one who’ll be graduating high school and leaving for college and leaving her family—and possibly the boy she loves—behind.

When your heart and your head are saying two different things, which one should you listen to?

My two-bits:

Lovely wrap-up to Lara Jean's teen years.

I loved following this sweet character as she navigates through her last year of high school with the pressures of college, dating, family and life's curve balls.

Lara Jean's dreams, reflections and decisions were down to earth with an innocence that was appealing.

The banter and moments between Lara Jean and Peter were amusing and adorable.

A touch of the 80s and 90s references were fun to come across. Made me want to re-watch Sixteen Candles.

The themes of honesty and staying true carries out throughout this series.

~*~
* review copy courtesy of publisher

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

P.S. I Still Love You
by Jenny Han

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Snapchat
Tumblr
Twitter

Published: 2015
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Romance, YA
Hardback: 352 pages
Rating: 5

To All the Boys I've Loved Before series:
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
P.S. I Still Love You
Always and Forever, Lara Jean

First sentence(s):
Dear Peter,
I miss you. It's only been five days but I miss you like it's been five years.

Zombie sighting:
Kitty and I have the whole sleepover planned down to a T. Zombie makeovers. Photo booth with props. Nail art.

Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.

She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.

When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of makes it so amazing.

My two-bits:

This story does well in picking up where it left off in book one.

The feelings and experiences of having a crush, liking and then loving a person play out with Lara Jean in a modern day setting.

Lots of heart tugging and cute romantic moments make this book a sweet read.

I love the themes of honesty and loyalty that are portrayed.

PeekAbook:

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

To All the Boys I've Loved Before
by Jenny Han

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Snapchat
Tumblr
Twitter

Published: 2014
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Romance, YA
Hardback: 368 pages
Rating: 5

To All the Boys I've Loved Before series:
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
P.S. I Still Love You
Always and Forever, Lara Jean

First sentence(s):
I like to save things. Not important things like whales or people or the environment. Silly things.

What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them… all at once?

Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

My two-bits:

Loved this :-)

This story has a great way of putting you in the moment with its cozy feels. There is a dreaminess to the telling which matches the protagonist's personality.

Loved Lara Jean's easy going nature and her sweet interactions with her family and friends.

Thoughts on friendship, sisterhood and love come to mind while reading this.

Stacking the Shelves & Sunday Post - 4.22.17

Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews (details)
AND
Sunday Post hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer (details)
~*~

I am participating in an Art-a-thon today and spending most of the day working on my comic book journal. There will be music performances and artists of all ages joining in. If you are in the Bay area come by. All is welcome.

Please support arts education and give lower income children the tools to give form to their dreams. Visit Artseed Art-a-thon 2017 (here) for more details. It would mean a lot to me.


~*~
Bought:

News of the World
by Paulette Jiles
-Historical, Western
Amazon | Goodreads

To All the Boys I've Loved Before
(To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1)
by Jenny Han
-romance, YA
Amazon | Goodreads

P.S. I Still Love You
(To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #2)
by Jenny Han
Amazon | Goodreads
For Review:

MacArthur's Spies:
The Soldier, the Singer, and the Spymaster Who Defied the Japanese in World War II
by Peter Eisner
-History, 1940s, WWII, Non-fiction
courtesy of Penguin's First Reads -Thanks!
Amazon | Goodreads

OTHER things (kinda book-related):

Independent Bookstore Day is coming, April 29. I have been visiting independent bookstores during the month. See the complete list of places I visited (here).

My latest visit was to...

#7 Alexander Book Company
San Francisco, CA (here)
with two books by Jenny Han
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
P.S. I Still Love You


AND watched: in theatre - part of Cherry Blossom Japanese Film Festival (details)

Like Father, Like Son (2013)
Soshite chichi ni naru (original title)
Director/Screenplay: Hirokazu Koreeda
Reference: "The Twisted Bond - 17 years of a Changing Baies Affair" (Bunshun Bunko) by Okuno Shuji
Starring: Masaharu Fukuyama, Machiko Ono, Yôko Maki, Lily Franky
-Drama, Japan | imdb | my rating: 5
Ryota Nonomiya is a successful businessman driven by money. When he learns that his biological son was switched with another child after birth, he must make a life-changing decision and choose his true son or the boy he raised as his own.

WHOA. Got me thinking of parenting and of the relationship between parents and their kids.


AND watched: in theatre

Colossal (2017)
Director/Writer: Nacho Vigalondo
Starring: Anne Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis
-Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi | imdb | my rating: 4
A woman discovers that severe catastrophic events are somehow connected to the mental breakdown from which she's suffering.

COOL monster and mental mashup concept.

I caught a preview screening of this which included a Q&A with the director. Nacho shared his love for the rock band, Queen which is something in common he has with Bear McCreary, the composer who did the soundtrack.


AND watched: on DVD

Allied (2016)
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Writer: Steven Knight
Starring: Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard
-Action, Drama, Romance | imdb | my rating: 3
In 1942, a Canadian intelligence officer in North Africa encounters a female French Resistance fighter on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. When they reunite in London, their relationship is tested by the pressures of war.

Oscar nominated for Costume Design

THIS romance/love story set during the war questions honesty and trust. The chemistry between the couple did not work for me.

Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
aka The Conscientious Objector
Director: Mel Gibson
Screenplay: Robert Schenkkan, Andrew Knight
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Teresa Palmer
-Biography, Drama, History | imdb | my rating: 5
WWII American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss, who served during the Battle of Okinawa, refuses to kill people, and becomes the first man in American history to receive the Medal of Honor without firing a shot.

Oscar win for Sound Mixing and Film Editing

AMAZING story about an amazing person that everyone MUST get to know. Ahh, the wonders of the human spirit!

side note: if you have any hangups due to this being a Mel Gibson film, get over it, this story inspires

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

:-)

Waiting on Wednesday - 4.5.17

Waiting on Wednesday
hosted by Breaking the Spine
Spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
~*~
I'm waiting for...

Always and Forever, Lara Jean
by Jenny Han
-Romance, YA
Release date: May 2, 2017
Amazon | Goodreads
Lara Jean’s letter-writing days aren’t over in this surprise follow-up to the New York Times bestselling To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and P.S. I Still Love You.

Lara Jean is having the best senior year a girl could ever hope for. She is head over heels in love with her boyfriend, Peter; her dad’s finally getting remarried to their next door neighbor, Ms. Rothschild; and Margot’s coming home for the summer just in time for the wedding.

But change is looming on the horizon. And while Lara Jean is having fun and keeping busy helping plan her father’s wedding, she can’t ignore the big life decisions she has to make. Most pressingly, where she wants to go to college and what that means for her relationship with Peter. She watched her sister Margot go through these growing pains. Now Lara Jean’s the one who’ll be graduating high school and leaving for college and leaving her family—and possibly the boy she loves—behind.

When your heart and your head are saying two different things, which one should you listen to?

This is #3 in the series To All the Boys I've Loved Before...

To All the Boys I've Loved Before
(To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1)
by Jenny Han
-romance, YA
Amazon | Goodreads

P.S. I Still Love You
(To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #2)
by Jenny Han
Amazon | Goodreads

Stacking the Shelves & Sunday Post - 3.25.17

Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews (details)
AND
Sunday Post hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer (details)
~*~
Slow reading week. But, the mailbox had some goodies.

~*~
For Review:

California
by Edan Lepucki
-Dystopia
courtesy of BookShout -Thanks!
Amazon | Goodreads

Always and Forever, Lara Jean
(To All the Boys I've Loved Before #3)
by Jenny Han
-Romance, YA
courtesy of publisher -Thanks!
Amazon | Goodreads

Get It Together, Delilah!
by Erin Gough
-LGBTQ, YA
courtesy of publisher -Thanks!
Amazon | Goodreads

UNBOXING:

From Owlcrate package (details & signup):
OwlCrate is a subscription service that sends you magical monthly boxes tailored to a chosen theme. Each OwlCrate will contain one new Young Adult novel, as well as 3-5 other bookish treats to help you get your nerd on. @owlcrate

March Box includes:
theme: Sailors, Ships & Seas
- Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
- Signed bookplate, letter and temporary tattoo from author
- Sea theme pendant necklace from The Geeky Cauldron
- Octopus notepad from Boygirlparty
- Mermaid scales washi tape from Simply Gilded
- Sea theme tea towel from Kitch Studios
- Owlcrate pin

Daughter of the Pirate King
(Daughter of the Pirate King #1)
by Tricia Levenseller
-Fantasy, Historical, Pirates, YA
Amazon | Goodreads
There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I’ve gotten what I came for.

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate, Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.


OTHER things: kinda book-related

Win a Signed Copy of Puck for Shakespeare's Birthday (April 23)!
from Twisted Lit (here)

Puck
by Kim Askew, Amy Helmes
-Retelling, Shakespeare, YA
Amazon | Goodreads
Life isn’t always fair, and no one knows that better than fifteen-year-old Puck. When she’s unceremoniously booted from yet another foster home, this city kid lands at DreamRoads, a rehabilitation wilderness camp. Her fellow juvenile delinquents include a famous pop star with a diva attitude, a geeky, “fish out of water” math whiz, and a surly gang-banger with a chip on his shoulder. The program’s steely director aims to break Puck, but she knows that every adult has a breaking point, too. Determined to defy this realm of agonizing nature hikes and soul-sucking psychobabble — even if that means manipulating four lovestruck camp counselors and the director’s dim-witted second-in-command — Puck ultimately gets much more than she bargains for in this “wondrous strange” outdoor odyssey inspired by Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream."


AND watched: in theatre

Song to Song (2017)
Director/Writer: Terrence Malick
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Rooney Mara, Michael Fassbender, Natalie Portman
-Drama, Music, Romance | imdb | my rating: 4
Two intersecting love triangles. Obsession and betrayal set against the music scene in Austin, Texas.

MUST remind myself for next time that I am not crazy about this director's style. However, it does well in taking you into the music scene in an artsy way. You will love the soundtrack if you are into this type of music. Loved the cast and all the cameos of musicians. When Ryan was at the piano I was wanting to hear him start singing City of Stars - but that is another music genre.

The Tenor (2014)
Director/Writer: Sang Man Kim
Starring: Ji-tae Yu, Yûsuke Iseya, Ye-ryeon Cha
-Biography, Drama, Music, Korea | imdb | my rating: 4
The talented Korean tenor, Bae, who penetrate the audience's hears through his delicate and powerful singing, is on the rise to stardom at the European opera scene. Sawada, a Japanese music producer, is searching for a new tenor for an upcoming performance. He watches a performance of Bae and invites him to Japan, which marks the beginning of friendship. But, the thyroid cancer strikes Bae. During an operation, the nerves of his vocal cords has be cut due to the widely spread cancer. Unfortunately, Bae ends up losing his voice at the peak of his career. Sawada cant's stand to watch Bae's miserable so he starts to look for a solution.

PART of CAAMFest 2017 (Celebrating Asian American Film, Music and Food - here)
Based on a true amazing and inspiring story. The power of the human spirit and passion (for whatever) as a driving force can create magic.

As this film was part of a film festival a special thank you recording was made for the San Francisco audience from the actual tenor, Bae Jae-chul.


AND watched: on DVD

Bad Moms (2016)
Director/Writer: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell
-Comedy | imdb | my rating: 4
When three overworked and under-appreciated moms are pushed beyond their limits, they ditch their conventional responsibilities for a jolt of long overdue freedom, fun, and comedic self-indulgence.

FUN and funny. Loved the interviews with the actresses and their moms in the Extras section.

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

Book Covers for Fashion Week

In tribute to Paris Fashion Week March 4-11, 2015 I present some current fashionable book covers...

FOR something french, historical and romantic...

Girl on the Golden Coin:
A Novel of Frances Stuart
by Marci Jefferson
Just released: February 24, 2015
Amazon | Goodreads
FOR something with pouf...

The Heir
(The Selection #4)
by Kiera Cass
Release date: May 5, 2005
Amazon | Goodreads
FOR something made of scales and feathers...

A Court of Thorns and Roses
(A Court of Thorns and Roses #1)
by Sarah J. Maas
Release date: May 5, 2005
Amazon | Goodreads
FOR something steampunk...

Prudence
(The Custard Protocol #1)
by Gail Carriger
Release date: March 17, 2015
Amazon | Goodreads
FOR something contemporary and romantic...

A Desperate Fortune
by Susanna Kearsley
Release date: April 7, 2015
Amazon | Goodreads
FOR something simple and sweet...

P.S. I Still Love You
(To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #2)
by Jenny Han
Release date: May 26, 2015
Amazon | Goodreads
FOR something fantasy...

The Shattered Court
(A Novel of the Four Arts #1)
by M.J. Scott
Release date: April 28, 2015
Amazon | Goodreads

Stacking the Shelves - 10.4.14

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:

Horrorstor: A Novel
by Grady Hendrix
-horror, art, unique
Amazon | Goodreads
-----> I have an ebook review copy, but decided to buy the print version for best reading experience.

The Clockwork Scarab
(Stoker & Holmes #1)
by Colleen Gleason
-mystery, steampunk
Amazon | Goodreads
FREE for kindle:

This Night So Dark
-short story that connects the first two novels in the Starbound trilogy,
These Broken Stars and This Shattered World
by Meagan Spooner and Amie Kaufman
Amazon | Goodreads
-----> GET yours: this is a pre-order and will be available Oct 7, 2014

FREE ebook:

Sacrifice
-gangs, thriller
by Coral Russell
Amazon | Goodreads
-----> GET yours: from BookBunnyPR, available until Oct 10, 2014

For Review:

Drowning
by by Jassy de Jong
-erotica, south africa
courtesy of publisher
Thanks Stephanie!
Amazon | Goodreads

The Spiritglass Charade
(Stoker & Holmes #2)
by Colleen Gleason
-mystery, steampunk
courtesy of publisher
Thanks Lara!
Amazon | Goodreads
Library:

A Discovery of Witches: A Novel
(All Souls Trilogy)
by Deborah Harkness
-vampires, witches
Amazon | Goodreads
Deborah Harkness’s sparkling debut, A Discovery of Witches, has brought her into the spotlight and galvanized fans around the world. In this tale of passion and obsession, Diana Bishop, a young scholar and a descendant of witches, discovers a long-lost and enchanted alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782, deep in Oxford's Bodleian Library. Its reappearance summons a fantastical underworld, which she navigates with her leading man, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont.

-----> listening to the audio version

Dreaming about getting soon:

To All the Boys I've Loved Before
by Jenny Han
-romance, YA
Amazon | Goodreads
Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control in this heartfelt novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer I Turned Pretty series.

What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them…all at once?

Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

OTHER things on my shelf: kinda book-related

True Blood
dvd tv seasons 5 and 6
-----> Netflix binge-ing and enjoying the last two seasons of True Blood which are based on the vampire books series by Charlaine Harris -- still have to catchup on reading these.

~*~
* some of these may be offered as giveaways within the next two months

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

* per usual, check out the sidebar for my current giveaways offers