Let's Bust a Recap : Project Hail Mary

Oh yes. I unapologetically jumped on the bandwagon of people reading this 2021 bestseller in anticipation of the new film adaptation starring Ryan Gosling. I'm not ashamed to admit it. Sci-fi is not my go-to genre and though I was aware of the universal popularity of Andy Weir's books The Martian and Project Hail Mary, I didn't have much interest in reading them, despite the glowing reviews from personal friends and family. 

But when the news dropped last summer that the long-awaited adaptation would be making its way to screens in March this year, I began that internal bookworm debate of to read or not to read. I was immediately interested in seeing the film. We're fans of the Gosling around here and what better date night than an adventure through the galaxies? Ultimately, I decided—and so did my husband—that we would give the book a go, and since I got to select the book for my book club to read in March, I dragged them into it with me, too.

I procured a copy (a saga in and of itself involving long library wait times, hunting unsuccessfully for a secondhand copy, buying the book from a major retailer, then immediately having my hold come through from the library, my husband taking the library book with him on a trip to Winston-Salem where he got snowed in for a week and read it in like a day and telling me we should definitely keep the copy we bought, but then him finding it in the first secondhand bookstore he visited for a fraction of the price we paid the major retailer, so naturally he bought it and I returned the new book) and, along with my brother Reagan, began reading. (Another fun story: Reagan and I ended up finishing the book within minutes of each other. 1:30 AM Eastern Standard for me; 10:30 PM Pacific Standard for him.)

Okay, so here's where we hit a snag in this review. 

What review, Hannah? You've been bombarding us with all your usual nonsense and gotten nowhere!

Right, but see: I went into this book almost completely blind. I didn't know much of anything about it beyond it involving a guy going to space. And it was one of the best reading experiences ever. I am firmly in the camp of readers who would advise you to go into this book without reading a single review, or watching the movie trailer, or even reading the back of the book. This is one of those books you walk away from wishing you could read it for the first time again. 

But where does that leave me, your humble internet book reviewer? I will give you one sentence about the premise, then a few more details about the success of the book, my general thoughts about the adaptation, and we'll leave it at that. Deal? 

A man wakes up from a medically-induced coma, but he can't remember why he was in one, where he is, or even what his own name is. 

*cue the drama*

You guys, it's so good. Definitely read it. In 2021 it debuted on pretty much every big bestseller list for the physical book and the audiobook narrated by Ray Porter, and it jumped back up to the top of all the bestseller lists again last summer when the teaser for the adaptation dropped. Now, I'll be the first person to tell you that Andy Weir's writing isn't anything to phone home about, but the man can spin a yarn, let me tell you. And while this book was chock-full of the science and math, he never took it to the point where my eyes glazed over, which is saying something because I am not a science and math girl. This is a keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat novel, and I was reading it every chance I got. 

As for the movie: we loved it. A very good adaptation, as adaptations go. Naturally, there were some omissions we were disappointed about, and, honestly, the opening wasn't great; but overall it was a very good time at the movies. We saw it in IMAX which was awesome and I'd highly recommend it if you have the chance to see it that way. I do honestly feel like I would not have enjoyed it as much as I did if I hadn't read the book first. This was an adaptation for the book-lovers if ever I've seen one, and while it still would have been a fun date night if we hadn't read the book first, I don't think I'd feel compelled to buy the movie on DVD or watch it again if I hadn't loved the book so thoroughly and had all the information the movie couldn't possibly have included. 

Project Hail Mary has a fan in me. I don't know that I'll ever pick up Andy Weir's other books, but I'm so glad I didn't miss out on this one. 

Amaze. Amaze. Amaze.

Let's Bust a Recap : Pollyanna

Well, despite the fact that I have no less than nine recaps sitting in drafts—some still from last year—I've spent this week blogging about my three most recently finished books. And none from my 2025 book list, to boot! C'est la vie. 

I've loved the 1960 film adaptation of Pollyanna since I was a little kid, and while I thought it would probably be lovely to read the 1913 novel by Eleanor H. Porter that inspired this classic, I've never come across a copy or made it a point to seek one out. 

But when my thirteen year old niece got her assigned reading list for school this year and Pollyanna was on it, I ordered a copy immediately and told her I'd happily read it with her.

And what a joy.

If you're unfamiliar with Pollyanna, that extraordinary child, well, don't feel bad because as it turns out, none of my nieces have yet seen the film. I know. It is a situation I will rectify as soon as possible. Pollyanna is the story of an eleven year old orphan sent to live with her dutiful Aunt Polly Harrington. After getting a pair of crutches instead of the hoped-for doll in a missionary barrel, Pollyanna's father makes a game out of finding something to be glad for in every situation. After Pollyanna's father dies and she's sent to live with Aunt Polly, she immediately begins a personal campaign to convert the inhabitants of Beldingsville to her glad way of life—except Aunt Polly who won't tolerate any mention of Pollyanna's father. And so our titular character became a byword for every eternal optimist. (Although calling someone a "Pollyanna" seems to be fading out of the vernacular to my everlasting chagrin.)

For the first eleven or twelve chapters, my beloved movie adaptation starring the perfectly cast Hayley Mills as sunshine-y—but not saccharine—Pollyanna seemed to follow the book to the letter, and I truly wondered if I would get much out of the reading experience. But as is almost unfailingly the case, the book had so much more to offer. One of the biggest changes was making young John Pendleton from Porter's beloved book into a much older man in the film adaptation. In the book, it's more of a mystery who Aunt Polly's scorned lover is and Mr. Pendleton is a strong contender. In my opinion, Porter's original story makes the adoption of Jimmy Bean so much more meaningful. The other big change is the nature of Pollyanna's horrible accident and subsequent care she received from her aunt and the town. The book proves so much better, but I'll always love Walt Disney for bringing this one to life on the screen. 

In case you couldn't already tell, I absolutely loved Pollyanna. It had all the hallmarks of an All-Time Favorite: it made me laugh and cry, I couldn't put it down but was sad when it ended, and it's a book I'm sure I'll reach for again. Yes, read the book; and yes, watch Hayley Mills bring Pollyanna to life. 

So there you go: a short and sweet review for this short and sweet book. What things make you glad?  

Let's Bust a Recap : Julie Andrews

Okay, every time I recap a memoir, I feel like I'm always saying how I'm not really a "memoir girl". And I stand by that, I do. But they have been sneaking into the reading rotation more and more in recent years and I feel the need to say, right at the outset: Julie Andrews' memoirs are the first I've picked up and read for the pure fandom. Mary Poppins was my first ever favorite movie. My mom can attest to the fact that I wore out a VHS watching it on repeat. And as you know, I paid good American money a couple weeks ago to go and see The Sound of Music in the cinema, even though I own it on DVD and just watched it earlier this year. Ever since I was a teeny-bopping middle schooler, Julie Andrews has been my number one choice of the person I'd love to sing a duet with if I could choose anyone in the whole world. When Princess Diaries 2 came out and Raven-Symoné got to sing with Queen Clarisse Renaldi at Mia's bachelorette party, I died a little inside. That could have been me, y'all. And listen, if these references are lost on you, don't sweat it, but maybe go to your local library and check out these movies. You're in for a great time. 

When these memoirs first came on my radar a few years ago, they immediately went on my wishlist because Julie Andrews, duh. And by the time I came across two pristine copies at my local Friends of the Library bookstore a few months ago (for a mere $2 apiece, I might add), I already had my ticket to the 60th anniversary screening of The Sound of Music in theaters. And even though these books were obviously not on my list for 2025, I can't turn up my nose at these serendipitous events of circumstance that life sometimes throws us. So shortly after finishing The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Trapp, I picked up Home, the first of Julie Andrews' two memoirs, published in 2008. 

This book is a memoir of Andrews' early years, starting with a bit of her own family history. Throughout the course of her narrative, Andrews takes us along as she remembers what it was like living in and around London during World War II, her parents' sad divorce that consequently split her and her brother Johnny up between her mother and father, and then beginning voice lessons and touring with her mother and stepfather's vaudeville act. Then getting her big break to star as Eliza Doolittle on Broadway, a role she originated there (oh, to have seen that!). She details more of her stage career leading up to Walt Disney himself contacting her and asking her to be his Mary Poppins. 

While I found this first of her memoirs to have a lot of interesting information, it was a bit slow-going at times. The memories of her early childhood are a bit disjointed (as I imagine most everyone's are), and the details of the different performers and managers she worked with in vaudeville and the stage throughout England were largely unfamiliar to me, making the reading a bit of a slog. 

Her second memoir, Home Work published in 2019, picks up where Home left off, with Julie and her first husband and baby daughter traveling to Hollywood to work on Mary Poppins. This is the book about her Hollywood years—from Mary Poppins to Victor/Victoria—and the flow of this memoir was a lot better, in my opinion. The names cropping up in Home Work were also a lot more familiar to me so naturally it made the reading a bit more interesting. The introduction in Home Work serves as a very serviceable review of Home so unless you are also a diehard fan, I would recommend skipping Home and just reading Home Work. The disappointing thing about her second memoir is that it ends before the infamous throat surgery that ruined her singing voice. While I imagine it wouldn't be pleasant to relive that time in her life for any reason, I was sort of hoping for Andrews' own perspective on the aftermath of that surgery and the impact it had on her life. 

Julie Andrews has always been class personified, and that shines through in her books. Everything in her life, even the difficult things, she writes about with a sort of rose-colored tint to it all—with a spoonful of sugar, if you will. It didn't feel very personal at all, more like she was just relating all the events of her life from almost an outsider's perspective. It was interesting. As much as I enjoyed reading her memoirs, I don't feel as if I really know her any better for it. 

Ultimately, I walked away from these books with a profound gratitude for my own mother. Julie Andrews' mum seemed like a real piece of work, and Julie herself seemed so swept up in her career, her second marriage to a substance-abusing husband, her ideal of living in Switzerland, that she never seemed to prioritize being a stabilizing force in her own children's lives. Her daughter and stepchildren were shuffled back and forth between parents, and the two little girls she adopted from Vietnam were raised by nannies. My own mother is an incredibly talented woman with a remarkable work ethic, and I'm not being glib when I say she could have done or been anything she wanted to be. But she chose to be fully present in the lives of her four children. She gave us the foundation to be anything we wanted to be. And I've watched her be my dad's rock my whole life. We would all fall apart without her, and I'm thankful she didn't leave my upbringing to chance or someone else. 

While I still wouldn't classify myself as a big memoir reader, I appreciate the compassion for others and the gratitude for my own life that reading these books brings up in me. And I guess that's a compelling enough reason to pick one up every once in a while. 

What memoir would you read based solely on your personal fandom of the writer? What person do you wish would write one?

Let's Bust a Recap : The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

I have been meaning to read the true story of Fräulein Maria and the von Trapp family since at least college when I went to Austria on a short study tour. The Sound of Music has been one of my favorite movies (and, I would argue, one of the greatest movies of all time) since I was a small child. I can sing every song from the iconic soundtrack—and often do—a power achieved not only from watching the film countless times, but from hearing my mother play the songs on the piano throughout my childhood and learning to play many of them myself. I always knew The Sound of Music was based on a true story, but I didn't realize that Maria herself had written it—years before the film came to be—until much later in my life. I've had my eyes peeled for a copy for years, but never came across one in the myriad bookstores I've visited. After rewatching the film for the gazillionth time earlier this year, I decided enough was enough: it was time to order a copy and finally read it. So in the middle of the night, while my husband was sound asleep (he didn't even make it through the first quarter of the movie), I opened my laptop, found a used copy on AbeBooks, and purchased it for $6.16. Before the book even arrived in my mailbox, I discovered that not only is the movie turning sixty this year, it's being re-released in theaters nationwide for the anniversary, and I'd have the opportunity to see it on the big screen about midway through September. So when the book did arrive, instead of reading it right away, I stuck it on my trusty book cart with the rest of my 2025 TBR and determined to read it right before going to watch the film at my local cinema. 

And come last week, on September 1st, I sure enough picked up The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Augusta Trapp and started to read it. 

And it is my favorite book of the year (so far). I laughed, I cried: it was the best of times. 

Originally published in 1949, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers starts where The Sound of Music starts, with mischievous Maria living as a novitiate at Nonnberg. The book is divided into two parts with the first part covering what we see in the film, and the second, much larger part covering the family's story after escaping from Nazi-occupied Austria. While I think The Sound of Music actually does a lovely job with Maria's story, after reading the book I've realized the film gives just a teeny tiny glimpse of a teeny tiny slice of the von Trapp family's life. There was so much I didn't know about the Trapp Family Singers. Like the fact that before Germany annexed Austria, the Trapp family traveled all over Europe singing for monarchs and even the pope. And that to escape Austria, they actually signed a contract for a concert tour in America and moved to the United States where they eventually became citizens and started their own Trapp Family Music Camp. Not to mention the relief work they did after the conclusion of the war to help Austria recover. The von Trapp Family Lodge and Resort is a travel destination in Vermont to this day...and has been added to my personal bucket list of places to go as soon as possible. 

I wasn't exactly sure what to expect when I picked up this book, but I loved Maria's simple, straightforward writing style, her no-nonsense, honest approach to telling her story, and especially how her deep faith was woven throughout every inch of this von Trapp family history. It was absolutely beautiful to read. And not only that: Maria was funny. Her story of being in the hospital after a surgery to have kidney stones removed and convincing her gullible nurse that the pet turtle Georg brought to keep her company is an animal that feeds on newborn babies' toes had me howling with laughter. I will add that Maria, like all of us, was very much a product of her own time and place in history, and at times it was jarring to see terms pop up in her writing for people of color, including black, Asian, and Native American people, that are no longer acceptable today. There was obviously no malice behind these monickers which made them seem even more out of place in this otherwise charming book. 

I can't recommend The Story of the Trapp Family Singers highly enough. Before I was even halfway done with the book, I texted my mother and told her she needs to read it immediately and I talked to my sister and told her she needs to read it, too. My mother and I, along with my sister-in-law and one of her friends, will be going to see the film based on this amazing story tomorrow night, and I'm excited to watch it once again, this time with a much fuller understanding of what this incredible family went through. 

What's the last book that absolutely delighted you? And do you plan to go see The Sound of Music this weekend on the big screen?

Let's Bust a Recap : The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever has been on my radar for years. I missed out on it as a kid, and I've had my eye out for it for quite some time. But when the trailer for a feature film adaptation dropped earlier this year, I went ahead and ordered myself a copy from AbeBooks. I read it the day before my husband took me to see the movie in our cute, one-screen, downtown theater.

And I loved it.

And I went back and watched the movie a second time with my mom, sister-in-law, and mother-in-law. 

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever—book and movie—will, without a doubt, become a part of all my future Christmas traditions. 

This beloved children's novel was written by Barbara Robinson and published in 1972. It features the six awful Herdman siblings who, after showing up to Sunday school for the free snacks, decide to star in the annual Christmas pageant by volunteering for the six main roles: Mary, Joseph, the angel, and the three wise men. None of the other kids dare stand up to them, and the whole hilarious tale is narrated in the first person by Beth Bradley whose mom is directing the pageant for the first time after Mrs. Armstrong—the usual director—falls and breaks her leg. As word spreads that the Herdmans have hijacked the pageant, the whole town expects disaster, but, in a beautiful twist, the Herdmans end up teaching the town the true meaning of Christmas. 

I know I already said I loved it, but you guys: I. Loved. It. This little novel delighted me from beginning to end, and weighing in at a slim 80 pages—including full page illustrations—you can easily read it in one sitting. I genuinely laughed out loud the whole way through until getting to the pageant itself at which point tears were streaming down my face. What an absolute treasure of a book.

And the movie! So much care was taken with this 2024 adaptation. The majority of the screenplay was lifted straight from the book. In my year of reading/watching book-to-movie adaptations: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever was another smashing success. I think the book comes off a little funnier and the movie a bit more sentimental but both are absolutely wonderful, and, as I said above, I'll be reading and watching in all my Christmases to come. What a joy! I cannot possibly recommend this little gem enthusiastically enough. Get your hands on a copy and read it immediately. 

Do you have any books or movies you like to watch every year at Christmastime? What are your favorite Christmas traditions?

Let's Bust a Recap : The Secret Life of Bees

Next up in the I-Read-This-Book-Solely-to-Watch-the-Movie Tour is Sue Monk Kidd's 2001 debut novel The Secret Life of Bees. My sister Lyndsey read this several years ago and highly recommended it so when I happened upon it in a Little Free Library a couple years ago, I snagged it to add to my never-ending unread shelf. I didn't even realize that there was a wildly popular film adaptation until I happened upon it at one of my local Friends of the Library bookstores a couple months ago. I went ahead and snagged that too but didn't plan on getting to the book or the movie before the end of this year. 

But then my mom came over looking for a book to borrow for a trip. And I was all, "Oh hey, I just got the movie adaptation of The Secret Life of Bees, but I have to read the book first so you should read it and then I'll read it and then we'll watch the movie together." So that's exactly what we did. I even pulled my BFF Christina into the scheme and she read it and watched it with us too. 

First of all, my sister Lyndsey was right: The Secret Life of Bees is an excellent book. Set in South Carolina in 1964, we follow our fourteen year old protagonist Lily Owens on a journey to find her mother. Her entire young life has been shaped by her mother's devastating death when she was just four years old, and after the black woman who has raised her gets in trouble with the town's racist jackweeds when she tries to sign up to vote, Lily and Rosaleen find themselves on a pilgrimage to Tiburon, South Carolina where they end up at the Boatwright sisters' honey farm. 

I fell in love with Lily and Rosaleen. And I fell in love with August, June, and May Boatwright. I fell in love with the Daughters of Mary. And with Zach too. Sue Monk Kidd has a true gift. Her 1964 setting in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement perfectly informed the story she was telling without being heavy-handed. Lily's tender coming-of-age throughout the novel was superbly wrought as well. I felt for every single character fleshed out on the page, and I ached for the injustice of it all. Of motherlessness. Of ignorance. Of abandonment. Of rejection. The Secret Life of Bees is such a beautiful book.

And the 2008 film adaptation was equally beautiful. After we finished watching it, I announced that whoever was in charge of bringing The Secret Life of Bees to life on the screen should be in charge of every book-to-film adaptation for the rest of time. While I wouldn't say it was as well-cast as Far From the Madding Crowd (Queen Latifah is not how I pictured August, and Jennifer Hudson was too sweet to play Rosaleen, although Alicia Keys and Sophie Okonedo killed it as June and May) the screenplay was the créme de la créme of film adaptations and you could see the love that every single person involved—including the actors—had for the book. This was a low-budget movie and all the leads took significant pay cuts to be involved. 

Beautiful book, beautiful film. If ever you were going to read a book and follow it up by watching the movie, this is the combo to do it for. This would be especially great for a book club. I had interesting discussions with both my mom and Christina after finishing the book and then again after finishing the movie to compare and contrast. The Secret Life of Bees isn't all rainbows and butterflies; there is some very hard content including suicide, domestic abuse, and extremely ugly racism, but if you can stomach it, I'd highly recommend it. 

What's your favorite book/movie adaptation combo? As in, you loved the book and thought the adaptation did it justice?

Let's Bust a Recap : Far From the Madding Crowd

Halfway through October already? Say it ain't so. I can't believe we only have two and a half months left in 2024. It's high time we moved to a Tuesday/Thursday posting schedule because I am so behind on recaps. The chances of me ending this year caught up around here are slim to none, but we'll give it the old college try like always. This week, I want to talk about book to film adaptations because 2024 has unintentionally become my personal Read the Book Before I Watch the Movie Year, and you know what? I don't hate it and I also don't see this trend ending any time soon. I already have at least two books slated for next year that fall into this category and it's just fun. It envelops two of my favorite hobbies. If y'all think my home library is out of control, don't even get me started on our DVD collection. My siblings call me the family archivist because I like my physical media, okay? I won't apologize for it. 

But where were we? About to start a recap? Let's get back to that.

Today's subject is the 1874 Thomas Hardy classic Far From the Madding Crowd. And why do I have three copies pictured? Because I definitely suckered my sister-in-law into reading this with me and when she brought her copy home from the library, my mother totally stole it and joined in which resulted in me checking out another copy for Caroline to read. And in case you, like me, need to know every single detail about every single thing: my copy is the red one in the middle, my mom read the Macmillan Collector's edition on the top, and my sister read the shabby green copy on the bottom.

Far From the Madding Crowd is the third Thomas Hardy novel I've read. My first introduction to his work was back in 2017 when I read Tess of the D'Urbervilles. Which I loved. I followed that up by reading The Return of the Native in 2018. Which was a total slog. So I took a break from Hardy even though I had three more of his novels sitting on my shelf. But at the beginning of the summer, I picked up the 2015 film adaptation from my Friends of the Library for a measly fifty cents and immediately convinced my sister to buddy-read it with me so we could watch the movie together. And it fell somewhere in between. I definitely enjoyed it more than The Return of the Native but it can't touch Hardy's masterpiece, Tess of the D'Urbervilles. 

In Far From the Madding Crowd, we meet Bathsheba Everdeen who is a stone-cold fox. She ends up inheriting a large farm from her uncle and determines to become a successful, independent lady-farmer—obviously a rarity in 19th century rural England—but the crux of the plot centers around the three very different men who fall in love with her and attempt to woo her. Gabriel Oak, a hard on his luck shepherd who after a devastating reversal of fortune finds himself in Bathsheba's employ; William Boldwood, a prosperous, middle-aged farmer whose estate borders Bathsheba's; and Frank Troy, a dashing sergeant stationed in nearby Weatherbury. Will Bathsheba relinquish her cherished independence and get married? And if so, who wins her heart? You'll have to read it to find that out. Hardy fills out his novel with a host of colorful characters including all the salt-of-the-earth men who work Bathsheba's farm. These guys were my mom's favorite part of the book. They were hilarious and she was very disappointed that the malt house scene was not included in the film. 

And speaking of the film, we watched it this past weekend and we all agreed that it was very well done. I think it goes without saying that the book is always better, but you could tell that a lot of care was taken when adapting it for the screen, and the actors chosen acted the crap out of it. We were all on the edge of our seats the whole movie, including my mother-in-law who did not read the book. While it felt a little rushed and Carey Mulligan did not fit my mental picture of Bathsheba Everdeen, overall the movie was excellent. Mulligan, Schoenaerts, Sheen, and Sturridge did a phenomenal job of bringing the four principal characters to life. Even despite Mulligan not looking like the Bathsheba I pictured, the casting for this film was perfection.  

If you're only going to read one Thomas Hardy in your life, I'd direct you to Tess of the D'Urbervilles. But Far From the Madding Crowd was a good time and slightly lighter than the absolute tragedy that is Tess's life. If you like a good classic, I'd recommend it, and for a wonderful period piece, definitely check out the 2015 adaptation starring Carey Mulligan. 

Do you read the classics? Who's your favorite 19th century author? 

Let's Bust a Recap : Hallowe'en Party

You knew it was coming, right? As soon as Kenneth Branagh announced his newest Poirot adaptation earlier this year, I was faced with a conundrum: I already had The Murder of Roger Akroyd on my 2023 book list, but now, obviously, I needed to read Hallowe'en Party before seeing A Haunting in Venice. On top of that, shortly before hearing about the movie, I came across the book in a Little Free Library and had just added it to my collection. Literally. In February. Of this year. What's a girl to do? 

Come October I nearly had a fit. I strayed from my list freely and often this year, and, as evidenced by my little self-imposed check-in at the beginning of September, I was feeling the crunch to actually read the books I had put on my list. So I sat down with The Murder of Roger Akroyd and figured I'd just get to Hallowe'en Party whenever I actually planned to watch the movie. 

Well, the same friends who had us over to watch Death on the Nile notified me immediately after seeing A Haunting in Venice come available on hulu that I better get to reading, because we were going to have another watch party. 

Naturally, I obliged. 

In this slim mystery, Hercule Poirot is called by a spooked Ariadne Oliver after she attends a Hallowe'en party where a child is drowned in an apple bobbing tub. The famous author of detective novels is a personal friend of Poirot's, and she begs him to come investigate the crime(s) for himself. The child had declared earlier in the day that she witnessed a murder and so Poirot's mission is twofold: solve the murder of the child, and determine if the dead child really did witness a murder and solve that one too. 

Clever. 

Hallowe'en Party is one of Agatha Christie's much later novels published in 1969 and while it still had her telltale stamp of misdirection and numerous suspects, there was a maturity to this mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed. This is the first Christie novel I've read where I definitively figured out the whodunnit before the actual revelation, but the whydunnit still eluded me making the resolution as satisfying as any of her other books. Reading this one so close to The Murder of Roger Akroyd, I couldn't help compare the two, and this one was by far my favorite. 

The movie on the other hand was the most ridiculous adaptation yet. In Murder on the Orient Express, Branagh did a great job developing the suspects and laying out the mystery, but then royally screwed up the ending. In Death on the Nile, he dragged us through a horrendous adaptation but managed to end it perfectly. In A Haunting in Venice: it was a total free-for-all. Branagh basically took the character names from the book, lifted a few plot devices (like the actual Hallowe'en party, and the separate past and present murders), but then just made his own movie. Like, why? 

I mean, honestly, why?? I really can't get over it. It was awful. 

Even setting the novel aside, the movie just wasn't great; although, much to my own surprise, I enjoyed Tina Fey in the role of Ariadne Oliver. While it's certainly not how I imagined her as I was reading the book, Fey did a great job with the role. While I cannot in good conscience recommend that trainwreck of an adaptation to anyone, I would definitely recommend reading Hallowe'en Party. I will warn you that there are several child victims in this one, but if you can deal with that, this is a great mystery. 

And to end on a fun note: Agatha Christie dedicated this little novel to author P.G. Wodehouse. Because they enjoyed each other's books. You know I'm a sucker for a good dedication and this one made me smile real big. How fun.

Still waiting for your Miss Marple recs over here!

Let's Bust a Recap : The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

Ok, book-lovers. I don't generally give star ratings because, let's face it, they're too subjective and my five star book might be your one star book and vice versa. But after reading The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, all I can think is: that was a solid three-star read. Very middle of the road. I just didn't feel that strongly about it one way or the other. 

I picked up my copy of this popular 2014 novel several years ago at The Book Shelter, and, as is usually the case, it has hung around on my shelves since then largely ignored. But this year, the movie adaptation came out on hulu, so my book club and I decided to read it together. 

In The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, we meet our grumpy protagonist—a widowed book store owner on the quaint Alice Island—a little over a year after his wife has died in a car accident. He subsists on crappy frozen dinners, he's given up exercising, and he's slowly drinking himself to death. His plan to sell the bookstore and retire comfortably is shot to pieces when his extremely rare and incredibly valuable copy of Tamerlane is stolen out of his apartment. Thankfully, he has people in his life who genuinely care for him including his late wife's sister Ismay and the island's chief of police Lambiase, and when a mysterious package shows up at Island Books, Fikry is awakened to a new life he couldn't have imagined for himself. 

I liked the premise. The vague blurb on the back cover did not give away the big twist in the mystery package. I loved how each chapter opened with A.J.'s notes on a famous short story and how Zevin used those openers to foreshadow the chapter to come. The literary references throughout the book are great. I don't know, it just didn't all add up somehow. The emotional ending didn't feel earned. It just kindof fell flat for me. Fikry was giving Ove or Eleanor Oliphant. But if I were to grade them, Ove and Eleanor get an A+; Fikry gets a B-. 

The movie was much the same. I thought the script was actually very nicely developed for this to be a solid book-to-screen adaptation, but the acting was not good. (With the possible exception of David Arquette playing Lambiase.) Every character seemed to speak in a monotone, and some even seemed to be reading their lines straight off a cue card. Lucy Hale looked like the exact opposite of how I pictured the plucky book sales rep Amelia. I liked the score but it felt off in the film. Like it was trying to generate the emotional response in the viewer that the actors certainly weren't going to elicit. And the use of green screens was pretty glaringly obvious. The cutest thing in the movie was the physical Island Books storefront. Overall, good adaptation; bad movie. 

What else can I say? Read it, don't read it—whatever. *shrugs* The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry is just fine. That's all. 

Let's Bust a Recap : Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

To close out Library Week here on the blog, we're talking about the last library book I have in my To Be Blogged pile (for now). The 1970 classic Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. 

(Sidenote: I just Googled National Library Week and it was actually April 23-29 this year. So we're only a month late and actually, that's perfect because that's the week the movie came out.)

And instead of pulling a cover image for the book from the internet, I snapped a quick photo of my movie tickets with these adorable tumblers they were handing out with the tickets at the theater because I 100% checked this book out from the library in anticipation of the new blockbuster adaptation that came out at the end of April. (Tumblers pictured with my iced strawberry-watermelon lemonade because your girl is not much of a drinker.) 

I remember going through a real Judy Blume phase with my best friend when we were in fifth grade. We were the exact demographic for her books, and I spent a lot of time that year under my comforter with a flashlight and a Judy Blume book when I was supposed to be sleeping. As soon as I saw the trailer for the film earlier this year (or maybe even at the end of last year), I knew I'd be grabbing a girlfriend and going to see it, and naturally I needed a refresher with the book before I went. 

In this quick, middle grade read, we meet 11-year old Margaret Simon who is moving from New York City to the New Jersey suburbs right before starting sixth grade. Sixth grade. The wonderful time in a girl's life where she's starting to navigate the tricky terrain of first bras, kissing boys (or thinking a lot about it), and *gasp* puberty. Added to the drama of all this, our protagonist Margaret has been raised without religion because her mother's strict fundamentalist parents cut her off for marrying a Jew, and Margaret's parents don't want to push any religious affiliation on her telling her she can decide that for herself. This leaves Margaret confused and for a school project, she decides to study different religions hoping to find the one for her. The book is peppered with Margaret's frank prayers which typically begin with, "Are you there God? It's me, Margaret." 

The book is so relatable and heartfelt and funny. The turmoil and angst every girl experiences during that challenging time of life is mirrored right back to her in those pages. Leading up to the release of the movie, I saw comments all over the internet from women who loved this book and shared it with their daughters and couldn't wait to go see the movie together. For three generations now, Are you there God? It's Me, Margaret. has been the book for girls to read when hitting puberty. Consequently, since its publication in 1970, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. has been on the American Library Association's list of of the 100 most frequently challenged books because of its candid discussion of menstruation and—the horror—its depiction of a child being allowed to choose her own religion. 

On the flip side, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. was selected by the New York Times as the Outstanding Book of the Year in 1970, Time included it in its list of All-Time 100 Novels in 2010, and Scholastic has this book on their 100 Must-Read Books for Kids. 

Personally, I think this is a great book for mothers and daughters (and sisters and aunts and grandmothers and girls) to read together. It brings up a lot of important talking points on several uncomfortable topics, and if you have a daughter (or granddaughter or niece or goddaughter), and you're having a hard time figuring out how to broach some of these subjects, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. gives you a natural way to do it. 

As for the movie, my sister-in-law Caroline went to see it with me and it was phenomenal. I told Caroline (who has not read the book) that it was the best book-to-film adaptation I have ever seen. Abby Ryder Fortson is Margaret and I will never again picture Margaret Simon without picturing Fortson's face in my mind. We laughed, we cried; it is a total girlfriends movie in the best way. 

So yes, I'd recommend Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. but my recommendation comes with the direction to read it with a girlfriend. Laugh, reminisce, commiserate. If you want the young woman in your life to read it, read it with her and be ready to discuss it. This book is meant to remind you you're not the only one and for that reason, it's better shared. 

What can we talk about in the comments? Embarrassing puberty stories? Ehh, maybe not. ;)

Let's Bust a Recap : The Lord of the Rings

Y'all. I know I wrote a novel-length post on Friday, and today we're diving right back in with The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. These are the books I have finished the most recently, but I am ready to talk about them, and I can't promise that this will be a concise post either. So for that, sorry. But also: not sorry. 

Also, we're definitely going into spoiler territory with this one. The Hobbit is 85 years old and The Return of the King is nearly 70, so I don't feel too bad about this, but if you've been holding out on this classic saga to read it for yourself: reader beware.

And while we're issuing warnings, we're going on a deep dive into my history with Lord of the Rings so if you're not interested: I get it. 

Why all the drama for these books, Hannah? Fair question. It goes way back for me, so buckle up.

Way back when I started this blog, I talked about my LIFE LIST OF BOOKS I WANT TO READ BEFORE I DIE. It's a real thing and it's very serious and The Lord of the Rings has had a permanent and prominent spot on it since I was a literal child. I grew up loving C.S. Lewis. My dad read us The Chronicles of Narnia before we could embrace them for ourselves. I wrote papers on Lewis in high school and college. And his books even now show up on every single annual book list I make for myself. He and Tolkien are inseparable in my mind, and I've been equally aware of The Lord of the Rings since I was very young. I've read The Hobbit and loved it. But for whatever reason, The Lord of the Rings has always intimidated me. I'm not sure if it's the sheer length, my history with the film franchise (don't worry, we're getting to that), or the fact that the few times I tried to start reading it, I gave up very quickly. But this trilogy definitely falls in the Big Fish category, and I had a hard time pulling the trigger. (And yes, we mix metaphors around here. I apologize for that, too.) I have literally pulled them off the shelf every single year since I started making my book lists, and every single year, they haven't made the cut and have gone back to their spot on the shelf. 

Every. Single. Year.

But 2022 is the year that all changed. I attribute this in part to the fact that my sister-in-law read them last year, and I had a serious case of FOMO over it. So this year, they were the first books I pulled and they were non-negotiable. I pulled The Hobbit as well, just because I know it and I love it and I figured it would be a good way to ease into Middle-earth before tagging along on Frodo's epic adventure. My husband committed to reading them, too, because he's been in the same boat with me of wanting to read them but putting it off. He even borrowed his sister's copies so we wouldn't have to share. 

Speaking of my husband, let's go ahead and circle back to my experience with the movies. Peter Jackson's blockbuster adaptations of this trilogy were coming out while I was in high school, and at first I couldn't be bothered with them at all. I didn't want to watch them without having read the books. And on top of that, I wasn't dying to watch a bunch of bloody orc wars, and elves and dwarves and other mythical creatures on this quest. So while all my friends and my brothers were wearing these movies out and dying for the next installment, I was just living my life, you know? 

But when The Return of the King came to theaters, the family I was nannying for at the time was beyond excited to see them and convinced me to go with them. So I brilliantly decided to try to marathon the first two before we went to see it. 

Bad idea. 

I cannot emphasize this enough: if you've never seen these movies, take them slowly. I couldn't stay awake, and finally had my brother give me the Cliffs Notes version right before leaving to see the culmination of Peter Jackson's paramount work in the cinema.

I was so lost. I had no idea what was going on, and I stood up to leave the theater no less than three times because I sincerely thought the movie had ended. I volunteered to do every single bathroom run with the kids and after we left, I wrote the movies off forever. 

Fast forward eight years, and now I am dating my husband. These are his favorite movies. And I'm not saying it would have been a dealbreaker for him if I had refused to watch them, but I'm also not saying it wouldn't have been. Ya feel me? He tells me that I'm going to watch them and not only that, I'm going to watch the extended versions. There are extended versions?! Oh yes. And that's what I was going to watch if I wanted to stay in this relationship. So for one whole week shortly after we started dating, I went to his house every single night and we watched half a movie at a time with his younger siblings. After each part was over, they would all quiz me on what was going on and who the characters were and ask me how I felt about every single aspect of the story.

Y'all. When I say that is one of the all-time best weeks of my entire life, I'm not kidding. I fell in love with the story, the movies, the actors: all of it. I gave them to Cody for his birthday the first year of our marriage, and we watch them at least once a year. And now my husband and I have been happily married for ten years so there's that. 

Hannah, for the love of Frodo, are you ever going to get to the point? That's fair. 

If you're unfamiliar with The Lord of the Rings, it is the tale of a fellowship of men, hobbits, a wizard, a dwarf, and an elf who undertake the mission to destroy the One Ring of power in order to prevent the dark lord Sauron from taking over Middle-earth to rule by his wicked power. It was meant to be a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's book entitled The Hobbit, but it grew into something much bigger. In The Hobbit, we get to go with Bilbo Baggins on his adventure to win a share of treasure being hoarded by the dragon Smaug. In The Hobbit, Bilbo acquires the One Ring, and in The Lord of the Rings, he passes it to his cousin Frodo who ultimately ends up destroying it and saving all of Middle-earth in doing so. Tolkien is considered a pioneer and authority on the high fantasy genre, and The Lord of the Rings is one of the best-selling books ever written with over 150 million copies sold. 

And let me tell you: with good reason. 

My husband and I eventually decided to just read them aloud together, and we loved them. I wanted to hit these right out of the gate while my resolve to read them was high, so The Hobbit was the first novel I read this year, and upon finishing it I immediately started The Fellowship. But after the first chapter, I stalled. I wanted something cozy and familiar while the world outside was wrapped in snow, and then I had to read books for book club, and I ended up setting The Fellowship aside. Cody started it as well, and also stalled. Sometime towards the end of February or early March, we decided to join forces and read them aloud, and while that meant going through them more slowly because we had to wait for times that we could be together to read, it was the best decision. It feels like a fitting way to get my introduction to the books reading them with the man who made me fall in love with the story in the first place. And we both now have an even deeper affection for this story. By the time we came to the final chapter last week when Frodo leaves Samwise to go to the Grey Havens, I was sobbing so hard Cody had to take over reading. This story is so beautiful and powerful, and I truly cannot say enough good things about it. I am genuinely sorry I didn't read The Lord of the Rings sooner in life because it's a book I would have already read again. 

As for the movie adaptations, Peter Jackson did a magnificent job with them. I was a little worried that my love for The Lord of the Rings adaptations was misplaced after Cody and I went to see the first two Hobbit movies and hated them. (I was so angry after the second one, I still have never seen the third one.) But he was much more faithful to the books for The Lord of the Rings trilogy and the care with which he handled it shines through. We can still enjoy the movies after reading the books which is a relief. And hilariously, after reading The Return of the King, I'm now disappointed at how rushed the ending of the movie is. I'm not sure why Jackson decided to give Aragorn such a struggle with his identity; in the books Aragorn is very sure of himself and his place in life, and he is the undisputed leader of the Fellowship unlike in the films where it seems more like Gandalf holds that role. I wish he would have done better by Faramir and Éowyn, and I'm disappointed that Beregond was not portrayed at all in the films, but overall, a fantastic effort to bring this epic to life. 

It's very hard to choose a favorite character overall from this brilliant tale, but after being immersed in Middle-earth and becoming more intimately involved with every character for the better half of this year: my love and esteem for Master Samwise Gamgee is unmatched and unrivaled. He is the true Hero among heroes, and I will love him till the day I die. (And maybe even after. I think these books have possibly won a spot in Heaven.) I'm so glad I went to Middle-earth this year, and I hope to go back before my life is through. This trilogy gets all the stars and my highest recommendation with the advice to push through The Fellowship (it was a little slow to get started) because it just keeps getting better and better. 

Have you read (or seen) the Lord of the Rings? Who is your favorite character? And what books have you been reading lately?

Let's Bust a Recap : The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

The day has come. The title of this blog post could not fit on one line. Oh sad, sad day. But this book is worth it.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was not on my radar, but I picked it up one day as I was browsing through The Book Shelter simply because I couldn't pass up a title like that. I mean, look at it. My husband has dubbed it "The Governor's Luncheon and Pecan Pie Club" because he can't ever remember the actual full name of it. (Though how he consistently remembers "The Governor's Luncheon and Pecan Pie Club" I'll leave you to puzzle out. He's silly.) When I realized it was a historical novel on the German occupation of the island of Guernsey during WWII, I was sold. 

I had no intention of reading this book this year, and I was completely oblivious to the fact that it was recently adapted to film and Netflix would be releasing it last month. But the very week I happened to buy this book, my new bookish bloggy friend Sabrina at Tired Mom Reading mentioned on her Instagram account that she would be re-reading it in anticipation of the movie release and would anyone like to join her? That would be a quick Yes from me and Bob's your uncle, I was reading it the first week of August like it was my full-time job. I could not put it down. 

How this book escaped my notice for 10 solid years since its original publication in 2008 is beyond me and a total tragedy because it instantly earned All Time Favorite status with me. I immediately made my mom and then my best friend and then her mom read it because it is that good, y'all. I've waited to post this recap until I could watch the film (which I waited until I could watch with my mom and sister-in-law over the Labor Day weekend) so stick around for my thoughts on it at the end of this post. 

The novel is actually set in 1946 after the war has ended and is made up entirely of letters sent between all the characters in the book, the main character being Juliet Ashton. Juliet receives a letter from a perfect stranger who lives on the Isle of Guernsey and has somehow acquired a copy of a book Juliet used to own, and from this first letter, a correspondence begins which leads Juliet to the island to meet her new friends and learn more about the German occupation they lived through during the war. 

This book is captivating. Every character is quirky and lovable (I want to adopt Isola Pribby), and the way Shaffer and Barrows managed to capture different attitudes and emotions of Guernsey's inhabitants about the war and the occupation was remarkably believable and relatable and unique to each voice portrayed. This book had me laughing and crying and sighing and grinning and shaking my head. It elicited every response a good book ought to and I loved every second of it.

As for the movie: I was disappointed. My mom and I were the only two out of our little watch group that didn't like it, and all my internet friends liked it, too, so I'm guessing I'm in the minority with my disappointment. But let me tell you what will ruin an adaptation quicker than a wink for me: when the actual plot is changed from what was written. I understand that a movie can't be developed the same way a book can and that things are going to have to be cut. But when you start changing the things that you actually do put in, that's when I'm done with it. On top of that, Lily James' portrayal of Juliet Ashton was an extreme letdown. She didn't capture her vivacity or charm at all in my opinion, and I wasn't impressed with the other female leads either. I did think that Michiel Huisman, Matthew Goode, and Glen Powell were wonderful as Dawsey, Sidney, and Markham, but that did not make up for the glaring flaws in this film. Sad.

Annnnnnd.....unpopular opinion time over. Have you read the book or seen the film? What did you think? Anyone that read the book and watched the film care to offer a defense for it? 

Casual Fridays

I think today we'll phone it in and just do an extremely basic Currently I'm... post. Because at the time I'm writing this, it's nearly 1 AM and I plan to be dead to the world when this goes live in a few hours. Let's see what I can come up with in the next 15 minutes.

Reading...

... technically, nothing at the moment. And not just because I'll be asleep when this post goes live. I finished The Three Lives of James Madison on Monday, 31 Days of Praise on Tuesday, and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (say that 5 times fast) last night. Never fear: I totally intend to begin Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis whenever I wake up. And Othello won't be far behind.

Watching...

... Bones. I'm beginning to lose count of how many times I've watched this show from start to finish, though, if we're going to be precise about it, this would actually only be the second time since the show only came to a complete close last year. I'm currently on Season 10 and loving it just as much as I usually do even though I'm super mad at a certain someone right now. (Can't say who because my mommy-in-law is watching the show for the first time and I can't give away any SPOILERS.)

... Alias. Oh yeah. We're throwing it back old school. Cody and I just picked up the first season at FYE and I am hooked. I never saw a single episode of this back in the day, but I am into it now.

... all the movies. Like, seriously, I have been on such a movie kick lately. In the last couple weeks alone, I've managed to squeeze in all five of the Mission Impossible movies (we're going to see the new one tonight!) along with Ladder 49, Cinderella starring Lily James, and First Daughter to name a few. And that's just in the last few weeks. Y'all. Someone stop me.

Anticipating...

... the Netflix release of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I mean, since I just confessed the movie kick I've been on and managed to mention Lily James in the same breath, I might as well come clean about this. I adored The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (more about that in a gushing recap to come), and I am psyched for the movie. Even though I just watched the trailer and I'm already feeling very skeptical of the creative license taken to make this into a film, I'm a fan of Lily James (and the rest of the cast I was catching glimpses of in the trailer) and I think it's worth a viewing. 

... Mission Impossible 6 tonight! (No, I will never call 4, 5, and 6 by their lame names, and yes, I know we pretty much already covered this in the last section, but it is now 1:08 AM: you get what you get.)

Eating...

... Publix buffalo chicken dip on Tostitos Bite Size tortilla chips. If you don't know the delicious goodness that is this perfect snack (or breakfast, don't judge me), then you aren't living. Get down to the Southeast and get on my level.

... Luigi's Lemon Italian Ice. Because Florida summer. 

... leftovers for days, y'all. I don't know why we seem to be in leftover heaven lately, but we have been and you won't hear me complaining. I think I've subconsciously been cooking in bulk just so I won't actually have to cook every day. 

Listening...

... to Relient K's Air for Free album. It's such a chill summer jam album, and I love it.

... to Train. Whatever album I land on. They're just my go-to. 

... to my entire iPod on shuffle. This is not something I typically do because I have over 10,000 songs on it or something crazy like that, but once every 6 years or so, I just get in the mood to have the whole thing on shuffle and that's the mood I'm in now. It's pretty fun.

... to Despacito. Honestly, I don't know the entire literal translation of this song, and if it's inappropriate, I apologize but don't tell me because it will be a very long time before I stop dancing around to this. 

Feeling...

... so very proud of my littlest sister who just signed her letter of intent to play college tennis on a scholarship because she is the bomb and doing it huge. (Also, I can't believe we're all officially and legally adults now. Is this real life? And can I possibly be this old?)

... bereft of sweet nephew snuggles. I need more in my life. Like yesterday. A six hour drive is too far away, and they're trying to take him to Germany?! I ain't doin' it.

... a teensy bit proud of myself because as of last night, I have read 26 books so far this year and 16 of those are even from my original 2018 book list. Not too shabby, and we still have five months to go. 

Loving...

... my family. 

... my friends.

... my church.

... my life.

... my bed. It's 1:32 AM, and I am done. 

What's currently going on with you?

Casual Fridays

Hello internet! I have been pretty inconsistent with the Casual Fridays around here lately, but hello. We call them Casual Fridays for a reason. (note the emphasis on "casual") I will now proceed to throw a bunch of semi-recent photos at you and call this a Photo-Prompted Post. May the force be ever in your favor. Or something. 

First of all, books and reading because #priorities. Since our last Casual Friday post, I've finished reading a biography of Thomas Jefferson (not my fav), Anne of Green Gables (ALWAYS my fav), and I've started in on some super-fun Christmas-y reads that I've been saving for the end of the year. I also posted my recap of Murder on the Orient Express which brings me to my next photo/topic....

As promised, I am telling you what I thought of the movie. And I have to say: thumbs down. Now, before you go accusing me of being a total book purist and Scrooge or whatever else, hear me out. I went into this really wanting to love the movie. I had high hopes because, as I told my husband before we went, the book reads practically like a screenplay already. Straightforward. No rabbit trails. Good character description and dialogue. Not hard, right? But once again, Hollywood royally screwed it up. To be fair, this is the only Agatha Christie novel I have ever read so I have no idea if they were drawing from any other stories of Poirot to create a character with more depth, but even if they were: unnecessary. Just my opinion. Hate me if you must. If you want Murder on the Orient Express, skip the movie. Read the book. 

On to happier things like girlfriends and pumpkin pie soda. Yes, you read that right, and yes, I really loved it. I know I'm a little crazy about all the pumpkin things, but even I was a little skeptical about pumpkin pie soda. However, it was fantastic, and I wish I was sipping on an icy cold bottle of it right now. (Thanks, Emily!) The week of Thanksgiving, I got to have these sweet friends over for a little mini-Camp Gilead reunion. We all became forever friends working as counselors the summer of '07, and I'm so thankful we got to snag this little pocket of time to catch up with each other. We're not waiting another 7 years to do this again, right girls??

I can't not share this one. How cute are these three? This is a snapshot of my everyday, and I love it so much. These guys are best buddies, and I love watching them all entertain each other. Definitely makes my job easier. 

And the sweetest ballerina had her first recital. Remember how it was the biggest deal on my calendar? Well, we missed it. Because apparently, 3:00 means 2:50 and "recitals" these days only consist of one three-minute song. Oy. It's totally fine. We made her do her dance for us in the parking lot with the phone cranked up as loud as it would go, and it was the most adorable thing you ever did see. 

Speaking of phones, I am definitely living that flip phone life again (aka: my best life). My little iPhone 4 died a long, drawn out death, and, while that was a fun 2 and 1/2 year experiment, I can't say I'm sad it's over. You wouldn't believe how difficult it is to find a phone that doesn't have a touch screen these days. My little no-contract phone company (shout out to straighttalk!) only had ONE option. Good riddance, Smart phone.

My BFF Danette and I had a little matinee movie and lunch date last weekend, and it couldn't have been more perfect. If any of you are looking for a GOOD movie to see (unlike that Murder on the Orient Express trainwreck—oh yes, pun intended) you should definitely go see Wonder starring Owen Wilson and Julia Roberts. But don't go without tissues because, unless you are the actual Grinch, you will absolutely need them. LOVED it, and I always love spending time with this girl.

My amazing, hard-working man built me this beautiful fire pit this week. Y'all, I know everyone is getting snow and everything but it's cold in Florida. I mean, 55 degrees in the middle of the day? I can't. Anyway, not only did my husband build this fire pit with his bare hands, he tore an eyesore of a fig tree out of the ground and put the fire pit where the tree had been. He's my hero, and I love him. And I especially love sitting by a blazing fire with him, trying to find shooting stars during a meteor shower. Merry Christmas to me.

Our church's Christmas concert was this past Sunday, and I have to say, even though I was singing in the choir and not sitting in the audience enjoying it, I was so blessed to be there. Our choir director chose beautiful music and Scripture passages, and he worked hard with us and the orchestra to make everything excellent. And it came together. If you missed it, you missed out.

Don't miss out again. If you want to take some time out of the crazy that is December to quiet your soul and focus on Christmas, this is the service you want to come to. And you are welcome.

I'm going to wrap this post up with a little Link Love because why not?

- The Death of Reading is Threatening the Soul : Yes. Yes, it is.

- Sick People : Just stay home, y'all.

- Free Hugs : Because we just need a little of this in our lives sometimes.

- Arch-Nemeses : Because today's the day! Even though I probably won't get around to seeing it for a few more weeks.

- Food of Life : It's Christmas, y'all. You just eat whatever you want, okay? No judgment here.

P.S. I just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who donated to Compassion for my birthday. With your generosity, we raised more than enough money for 15 water filters. That's so awesome. Thank you.