Entertainment

3 great books I read over the summer

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.

-George R. R. Martin

I spent a lot of time reading over the summer. My favorite part of reading is that it takes me to another place, and allows me to live someone else’s life for awhile. Reading has been a wonderful coping mechanism for me the last couple of years. It is a safe place to land when everything seems to be going wonky around me. I enjoyed all three of these books and I hope this blog helps when you are on the hunt for your next book.

The Paper Palace a novel by Miranda Cowley heller

The Paper Palace by first time novelist Miranda Cowley Heller is much darker than it’s pastel colored cover lets on. The book jacket synopsis seemed to promise a light love story, but this book is anything but light. Elle the protagonist is a 53 year old happily married mother of three. Her dilemma is choosing between her husband and her first love, who also happens to be her best friend. The whole story happens in one day, but Heller uses flashbacks from the past to weave an intriguing and engaging story that is hard to put down.

Miranda Cowley Heller is a talented writer. She has written a beautiful story, and she is adept at creating unique, idiosyncratic characters that could be people you know in real life.

I took this book on my vacation over the summer. I thought it was a light romance, but it is actually a heart felt and soul wrenching piece of literary fiction. It was not what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it immensely and I highly recommend it.

Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty

Nine Perfect Strangers by Australian writer Liane Moriarty is definitely a page turner. It was made into a television series for Hulu and it just started streaming. I haven’t watched the series yet, but it is on my list. This is a character driven story, but it also has elements of a mystery. It puts nine strangers together at a high end “spa retreat” for ten days.

It takes a deep dive into each character’s back story, and the reasons they have ended up at the retreat. Overall, I liked this book, but it was slow moving in places and the character’s were not as interesting as I would have liked. It does pick up and get suspenseful toward the end. I recommend it, but of the three books, it was my least favorite.

Writers & Lovers by Lily King

Writers & Lovers by Lily King is an amazing book and my favorite of the three. I had never read a book by Lily King before, and I found this one by taking the recommendation of an employee at Barnes & Noble. Lily King has written a lot of books and I am looking forward to reading each and every one. She is one of the best writers I have read in awhile. Writer’s & Lovers is also a character driven story. (If you haven’t figured it out yet, character driven books are my favorite.)

Casey Peabody, our protagonist, is a struggling writer. She is in her late twenties, living in Boston and waiting tables. She has not given up on her dream of being a successful writer as most of her contemporaries have. It is the story of an artist living her dream and all the struggles that accompany not taking the safe route in life.

The book is set in the neighborhood in Boston where I went to college, so it was a bit of a walk down memory lane for me. Lily King’s writing is sublime. I have read several sentences from the book out loud to my son (who is also a writer) because I am astounded at the innate beauty of her writing. If you can’t tell already, I highly recommend this book.

I think reading books is one of the best parts of life and I hope that this blog has helped you find at least one book that you can add to your reading list. Happy reading!!

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The Best Summer Playlist 2021

It’s summer! My favorite time of the year. I love the sunshine, the beach and the break from real life that summer seems to bring. I get a feeling of excitement when I know that summer is just around the corner. I don’t know about you, but when I was a kid it felt like summer was a year long. Unfortunately, now it seems like it’s over in a blink of an eye, but nonetheless, it’s still my favorite season! I thought it would be fun to share my summer music playlist with you. Music is one of my passions and I love making playlists for different occasions. A’s Summer Tunes 2021 Spotify playlist is below. I hope that you take the time to give it a listen!

Hopefully, you’ll discover a new artist or a new song or two! Have an amazing summer full of sun, fun and of course music!!

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What to watch on Netflix? here’s three great series!

I am always looking for the next best television series that I can binge watch. In my opinion watching episode after episode of of great TV is really one of life’s great pleasures. I have shared three that I have discovered on Netflix lately. I hope that you enjoy them as much as I did!

Locke & Key is a fantasy/drama/horror television series that came out on Netflix in 2020. There is one season available now, and the second season will air on Netflix this year (2021). Also, Locke and Key has been renewed for a third season. After the murder of her husband, Nina Locke (Darby Stanfield) and her three children move to her husbands ancestral home. Her children Tyler (Connor Jessup), Kinsey (Emilia Jones) and Bode (Jackson Robert Scott) soon discover magical keys hidden throughout the house. The keys lead them to surprising discoveries about their father and themselves. The series is based on the graphic novel by Joe Hill. Many reviewers of the series have said that it is just another formulaic Netflix series, but I disagree wholeheartedly. I actually found that Locke and Key had a creative and intricate plot and I didn’t get bored like I do with many series in the same genre. I found some of the action/story pertaining to the keys to be really cool and different. Also, the antagonist Dodge played by Laysla De Oliveira was a worthy opponent and she was also compelling to watch. I won’t say more because I don’t want to spoil it, but I definitely recommend this series!

Away is a drama/romance/ sci-fi television series created by Andrew Hinderaker, which came out in 2020 on Netflix. There is only one season of 10 episodes and unfortunately, it did not get renewed for another season. The series stars Hillary Swank as Emma Green, an American Astronaut who along with an international space crew embarks on a mission to Mars. The last few years Swank has been more involved in producing, but I am glad she decided to take the part of Emma Green. She is a very talented actress and I’ve missed seeing her in things. I was completely enthralled and riveted the entire time I was watching this show. The story is action packed and even though there is only one season it is successful at telling a whole story. Josh Charles is excellent as (Matt Logan) her husband and Talitha Eliana Bateman also gives a great performance as her daughter (Alexis Logan). It will definitely take you away and make you feel like you’re headed to Mars! I highly recommend this series!

Behind Her Eyes is a drama/mystery/thriller 2021 TV mini-series on Netflix and is based on Sarah Pinborough’s 2017 novel of the same name. Simona Brown plays Louise a divorced single mother who lives in London with her son Adam (Tyler Howitt). She works part-time at a psychiatrist office and gets involved with her boss David (Tom Bateman) By chance she meets his wife Adele (Eve Hewson) and then weirdly they become friends. A little bit of trivia, Eve Hewson who plays Adele is Bono of U2’s daughter. She is quite a talented actress and she demands attention on the screen. This setup sounds like a love triangle/thriller, and it is, but it is also so much more. I don’t want to brag, but I am extremely good at figuring out mystery/thriller plots and I did not figure this out at all, even all the way to the end. In the beginning the story is a little slow moving, but it picks up speed and then hooks you completely. This story is very creative and I enjoyed this TV mini-series immensely!

So there you go, three quality television series that you can go and watch on Netflix right now! Have an amazing day and happy binging!

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