Lovely Books and Things - 9.22.18

Lovely Books and Things
My Weekly Books and Films Update
Linking up with:
Stacking the Shelves (details)
Sunday Post (details)
Mailbox Monday (details)

~*~
HAPPY THINGS:

1. Short work week due to taking the kid back to college.

2. Oregon Shakespeare Festival - going to see Sense & Sensibility, Manahatta, and Othello.

3. Traditional Cheese Fondue

~*~
For Review:

Art Boss
by Kayla Cagan
-Art, YA
Release date: October 2018
courtesy of publisher -Thanks! | Goodreads
A companion novel to Piper Perish which includes illustrations sprinkled into the pages of the book.

Salt
by Hannah Moskowitz
-Fantasy, YA
Release date: November 2018
courtesy of publisher -Thanks! | Goodreads
SEA monster hunters premise makes this a good candidate to add to my R.I.P. 13 challenge.


Freebies:

By a Lady:
Being the Adventures of an Enlightened American in Jane Austen's England
by Amanda Elyot
-Historical, Time Travel, Jane Austen | Goodreads
GOT this from the bookswap table at the local chapter Jane Austen Society Fall meeting.

Finding Fraser
by K.C. Dyer
-Chick-lit, Scotland | Goodreads
GOT this from the free bin at Green Apple Bookstore. Could not resist this Jamie Fraser inspired romance (from Outlander by Diana Gabaldon).


AND watched: in theatre for Fall Film Challenge - six degrees from Kevin Bacon (here)

one
A Simple Favor (2018)
Director: Paul Feig
Screenplay: Jessica Sharzer
Based on the novel by: Darcey Bell
Stars: Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding
-Crime, Drama, Mystery | imdb | my rating: 5
A Simple Favor, directed by Paul Feig, centers around Stephanie (Anna Kendrick), a mommy blogger who seeks to uncover the truth behind her best friend Emily's (Blake Lively) sudden disappearance from their small town.

Watched: 9/15/18
Connection: Anna Kendrick was in Pitch Perfect 3 with John Lithgow who starred with Bacon in Footloose
I liked this chick-lit thriller and enjoyed the french swinger tunes in the soundtrack.


AND watched: on DVD for Fall Film Challenge - six degrees from Kevin Bacon (here)

Annihilation (2018)
Director/Writer: Alex Garland
Based on novel by: Jeff VanderMeer
Stars: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson
-Adventure, Drama, Horror | imdb | my rating: 4
A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don't apply.

Watched: 9/14/18
Connection: Benedict Wong starred with Benedict Cumberbatch in Avengers: Infinity War who starred with Bacon in Black Mass
Interesting concepts brought up in the mysterious zone aka the shimmer. Ended with an interesting cliffhanger too.

The Fate of the Furious (2017)
Director: F. Gary Gray
Writer: Chris Morgan
Writer/based on characters created by: Gary Scott Thompson
Stars: Vin Diesel, Jason Statham, Dwayne Johnson
-Action, Crime, Thriller | imdb | my rating: 5
When a mysterious woman seduces Dom into the world of terrorism and a betrayal of those closest to him, the crew face trials that will test them as never before.

Watched: 9/17/18
Connection: Jason Statham was in The Italian Job with Mark Wahlberg who starred with Bacon in Patriot's Day.
This film series continues to entertain with its action packed scenes (with cars), especially the zombie time sequence.

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

Thanks for stopping by :-)

Winners for March

Here are the winners for giveaways that
ended March 19, 2017

Thanks to all contestants!
~*~

Piper Perish
by Kayla Cagan
Amazon | Goodreads | Giveaway
Winner: Danielle

AND as I have two review copies, I decided to give them to the runner-up contestants:

Winner: Sophia Rose

Winner: Midnight Cowgirl


~*~
* I will email winners for mailing addresses within two weeks.
Winners, feel free to contact me with your info if you don't get my email
or if you are just too darn excited and want to let me know -- like NOW ;-D

* contest policy

* if not this time, maybe next time

Piper Perish by Kayla Cagan (with giveaway)

Piper Perish
by Kayla Cagan

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
BookExcerpt
Website
Facebook
Instagram | Twitter

Just released: March 7, 2017
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Genre: YA, Art, Contemporary
Hardback: 416 pages
Rating: 4

Piper Perish inhales air and exhales art. The sooner she and her best friends can get out of Houston and get to New York City, the better. Art school has been Piper's dream her whole life, and now that senior year is halfway over, she's never felt more ready. But in the final months before graduation, things are weird with her friends and stressful with three different guys, and Piper's sister's tyrannical mental state seems to thwart every attempt at happiness for the close-knit Perish family. Piper's art just might be enough to get her out. But is she brave enough to seize that power when it means giving up so much?

Debut author Kayla Cagan breathes new life into fiction in this dynamic, utterly authentic work featuring interior art from Rookie magazine illustrator Maria Ines Gul. Piper will have readers asking big questions along with her. What is love? What is friendship? What is family? What is home? And who is a person when she's missing any one of these things?

My two-bits:

This novel takes a look at the tumultuous life of a popular teen, Piper, in her senior year in high school. In particular, a student who is talented in art, primarily painting. Piper's creative process and influences come to play. I liked these parts as I find it fascinating to learn about people's creative side in general including inspirations.

Piper's family relationships play a big unsettling part in the story. She suffers growing pains while contending with family dynamics.

Piper's friends are artists as well and represent other forms of art and experiences. One is particular is into fashion design. It was a treat to read about the various outfit ensembles and "looks" he created for Piper.

The story is told mostly by way of journal entries with lists and emails. Also, quotes from contemporary artists (especially from Andy Warhol) along with black and white doodles, sketches and brush strokes are sprinkled throughout these pages to pull you into an artist perspective.

Excerpt: chapter 1

1/1 1:04 pm

It was official: I was blind.

At least that’s what I thought until Kit rolled over and helped me pluck my puffy eyes apart. “I told you not to wear false eyelashes in bed,” she said.

I started crying all over again and pouted at her.

“Just help me unstick my whole face. My eyeballs hurt!”

“It’s not your fault,” she said. “It’s freaking Enzo.” (That’s why she remains my best friend and I will love her forever and ever because she always knows just what to say and also she saw the whole freaking thing happen.)

“I have eyelash glue on my eyeballs.”

“That’s impossible, and even if you did it would be dry by now, not wet. Does it feel like glitter?”

I nod.

“Your eyes are all big and gluey and have gold glitter stickered on ’em because New Year’s Eve sucked, except for I finally made out with French Marcel, until we like, almost passed out. But,” she added, “that was before I saw the very worst breakup of all times.”

I couldn’t even begin to talk about it because my eyes hurt and my heart hurt and I refused for it to be true. Because this is not how my senior year will end. I’m not going through spring semester or the rest of my life without Enzo. Did he completely forget about New York? Is he really assuming Kit and I will go without him?

Andy Warhol said, “Everyone winds up kissing the wrong person goodnight.”

About the author:

Kayla Cagan is a writer and dramaturge who has run social media and content for events like the LA Times Festival of Books and The Taste. She has several published plays in Smith and Kraus anthologies, two award-winning comic books, and various essays. Her work is also included in a One on One anthology from Applause Theatre and Cinema Books, as well as 25 10-Minute Plays for Teens. She and her husband, who wrote the screenplay for the popular 2015 movie THE DUFF, live in Los Angeles.

--~ Blog Tour Giveaway ~--

WIN a copy of Piper Perish + a cool tote bag, pencil and bookmark!

Open to US only.

Offer ends: March 19, 2016

TO DO:

1. ADD this book to your Want To Read list on Goodreads (here).

2. LEAVE a comment with your email.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Contest has ended - (winner is here)

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

~*~
* review copy and excerpt courtesy of tour

Stacking the Shelves & Sunday Post - 2.4.17

Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews (details)
AND
Sunday Post hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer (details)
~*~
The Oscar nominated movie watching continues steadily. And, loving it! La La Land continues to top my list for best picture. Arrival is a close second.

Trying to read and get my requested reviews in between. Oh, it can be tough.

Note to self: must limit requested reviews during January to February to avoid conflict with Oscar film watching

~*~

Bought:

ZYZZYVA
Winter Issue 2017
A San Francisco Journal of Arts and Letters
Website
WANT to read more literary journals this year which is a genre I have dabbled in lightly in the past.


For Review:

Piper Perish
by Kayla Cagan
-YA
courtesy of publisher -Thanks!
Amazon | Goodreads
PRETTY artsy cover with illustrations sprinkled throughout the innards.


AND watched: in theatre

Moonlight (2016)
Director/Screenplay: Barry Jenkins
Based on story by: Tarell Alvin McCraney
Starring: Mahershala Ali, Shariff Earp
-Drama | imdb | my rating: 5
A timeless story of human self-discovery and connection, Moonlight chronicles the life of a young black man from childhood to adulthood as he struggles to find his place in the world while growing up in a rough neighborhood of Miami.

Oscar nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Original Score, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Film Editing.

Beautiful screen shots and scenes - just like the film poster. A story told in three parts with each housing a perfect actor for the main character. Look at the poster above closely and you will notice three slivers of people representing each age - somewhat seamless.

Elle (2016)
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Screenplay: David Birke
Based on book by: Philippe Djian
Starring: Isabelle Huppert
-Comedy, Drama, Thriller, France | imdb | my rating: 5
A successful businesswoman gets caught up in a game of cat and mouse as she tracks down the unknown man who raped her.

Oscar nominated for Foreign Language Film.

WHOA. Did not see that coming. Interesting psychological gymnastics in this one.

Arrival (2016)
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Screenplay: Eric Heisserer
Based on story by (Story of Your Life): Ted Chiang
Starring: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner
-Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi | imdb | my rating: 5
When twelve mysterious spacecraft appear around the world, linguistics professor Louise Banks is tasked with interpreting the language of the apparent alien visitors.

Oscar nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Film Editing, Production Design.

GETS you thinking of the state of humanity with that perfect scifi perspective.

Toni Erdmann (2016)
Director/Writer: Maren Ade
Starring: Sandra Hüller, Peter Simonischek
-Comedy, Drama, German | imdb | my rating: 5
A practical joking father tries to reconnect with his hard working daughter by creating an outrageous alter ego and posing as her CEO's life coach.

Oscar nominated for Foreign Language Film.

Made me cry at a scene I think hit home with the father-daughter relationship story. Lots of laughs if you are into deadpan humor which I am :-)

The Comedian (2016)
Director: Taylor Hackford
Screenplay: Art Linson, Jeffrey Ross, Richard LaGravenese, Lewis Friedman
Story by: Art Linson
Starring: Robert De Niro
-Comedy | imdb | my rating: 4
A look at the life of an aging insult comic named Jack Burke.

CUTE little tribute to comedians (and romance). Loved the cameos from many older comedians - some I did not recognize.


AND watched: on DVD

The Notebook (2004)
Director: Nick Cassavetes
Screenplay: Jeremy Leven, Jan Sardi
Based on book by: Nicholas Sparks
Starring: Gena Rowlands, James Garner, Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling
-Drama, Romance | imdb | my rating: 5
A poor yet passionate young man falls in love with a rich young woman, giving her a sense of freedom, but they are soon separated because of their social differences.

HAD to watch this classic romance flick after watching La La Land. Mostly for Ryan. ;-) A bit of couple dancing and romance here too for him.


Currently flipping through: from the library

Eat Pretty Every Day
365 Daily Inspirations for Nourishing Beauty, Inside and Out
by Jolene Hart
-Beauty, Food, Self help
Amazon | Goodreads
Breakout hit Eat Pretty continues to win over audiences of all ages with its groundbreaking and user-friendly exploration of beauty nutrition. The author's hotly anticipated new book welcomes existing fans and newcomers alike, presenting 365 bite-size daily readings that make it easy to put beauty nutrition know-how to use in everyday life. Organized by the four seasons, the readings explore every aspect of what it means to eat pretty, offering simplified nutritional science, seasonal recipes, motivating goals and challenges, self-care exercises, and uplifting "mealtime mantras." Providing the dedicated support of a personal wellness coach at a fraction of the cost, Eat Pretty Every Day is for women of all ages who want to learn the secrets to living well.

I haven't read Eat Pretty, but definitely plan on it soon as I am loving this little gem of a book.


UPCOMING reviews for February:
The Return of Sir Percival by S. Alexander O'Keefe
The River at Night by Erica Ferencik
River Road by Carol Goodman
My Skylar by Penelope Ward
Luna Rising by Selene Castrovilla
Hidden by the Leaves by SDL Curry
Different Class by Joanne Harris


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