My son will be celebrating Fatherless Day, since his father died last December. We still haven't managed to decant his ashes. Especially since everyone charges to dump them somewhere. I thought the WA state Ferry boats would be cheap and easy, but it turns out that now they charge $150 and you have to buy a specific biodegradable container for the ashes so it won't sit at the bottom of Elliott Bay or nearby waters for a hundred years. Cool Father's Day Idea: 'Fatherless
Day'
"For all of you out there who
don't celebrate the holiday, we present...Fatherless Day," the Painted Porch
Bookshop in Bastrop,Tex., posted on Instagram, noting:
"(Don't worry, us fatherless employees thought of it, made the
display and fully give you permission to laugh.) Whether you want to deep
dive and talk about it or just dive into some fiction to forget it, we've
got you covered."
The bookshop also shared a pic of its
themed display ("Want to talk about it. Don't want to talk about
it?"), featuring a sign that says: "Don't have a dad? Us either. 'Us'
as in some of us who work here, typing this sign, not the bookstore.
Anyway, here are some books."
I love these spy novel/thriller adaptations...and I love Hugh Laurie starring in them. I look forward to seeing this on the BBC or MGM.
TV:
Legacy of Spies
Hugh Laurie (The Night Manager) "has
landed a mystery role" in his second John le Carré adaptation, the
BBC and MGM+'s Legacy of Spies, Deadline reported, adding that "filming
is currently taking place and Laurie's role will be revealed soon."
The project is is based on le Carré's 1963 novel The Spy Who Came in
from the Cold as well as his 2017 novel A Legacy of Spies.
Laurie joins an ensemble cast including
Matthew Macfadyen as George Smiley, Dan Stevens as Bill Haydon,
Felix Kammerer as Hans-Dieter Mundt, and Agnes O'Casey as Liz Gold.
Legacy of Spies comes from The Ink Factory, run by le Carré's sons
Stephen and Simon Cornwell.
This sounds like a delightfully funny series that I will eagerly stream. I love screwed up book groups.
Badd, Gramm-mar Comedy Series:
'Technically a Book Club'
Badd, Gramm-mar, a comedy series
following a dysfunctional reading group in Los Angeles with a
rotating cast of comedians that have colliding perspectives, will
appear weekly on YouTube on Tuesdays, beginning June 30. The series
was created by Matthew Medney, founder of GUNGNIR Books, the
publishing and entertainment venture that publishes everything from
graphic novels to prose, each release "designed to challenge
convention, spark conversation, and resonate across audiences. Every
story is a new frontier."
The rotating cast of Badd, Gramm-mar
includes Julia Hladkowicz , Rama Vallury, Raquel Woodruff, Jordan
Stidham, former studio exec Donna Dubrow, and
"Ad-Man" Cliff Medney. They play readers, failed creatives,
intellectuals, romantasy addicts, comic shop lifers, and people still trying to
graduate to adulthood.
Each episode centers on a new "book
of the week," from science fiction epics and romantasy to literary
classics and underground cult favorites. In its first months, the group will
review Fourth Wing, The Ministry of Time, Project Hail Mary, and Absolute
Batman, as well as GUNGNIR titles Aeon, Existence Equation, Last Breeds,
and Deadweight.
Medney commented: "Badd, Gramm-mar
began as an experiment to help readers discover great books, but it
quickly evolved into something we believed could be a beacon for the book
community. What emerged wasn't a book club. It was a collision of
perspectives. Every episode brings together five voices from different
walks of life and asks them to debate the same story, revealing as
much about themselves as the book in front of them. The comedy is real, the
disagreements are authentic, and occasionally the insights are of value.
While we may be reviewing books on the surface, Badd, Gramm-mar is
ultimately a conversation about the cultural zeitgeist. Books remain one of
the last great bastions of subcultural identity, where tribes are
formed, ideas are tested, and the future of culture is quietly negotiated
one page at a time."
Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen is a YA romance with cozy mystery vibes, as it takes place in a small town full of characters. Here's the blurb: Finley has always felt most comfortable in someone else’s shadow.
Fortunately, she’s got Colin, her magnetic boyfriend, who sweeps her
along for activities, friendships, and future plans. Then she goes on a
last-minute trip with her distant mom to a family vacation house that
Finley didn’t know existed and is now about to be sold.
Her mom
was estranged from her own parents and siblings since leaving home for
college, and it’s a novelty for Finley to see her aunts and cousins.
There’s also the handful of teens who work at the Egg, her aunt’s diner,
and make up a found family of their own—including undeniably handsome
guitarist Ben.
Then her relationship with Colin goes into
freefall, and Finley’s roadmap for life after high school is gone. She
has no choice but to live, for the first time, without plans. The longer
Finley stays, the closer she gets to the truth about why her mother
stayed away—and why she’s brought Finley here now.
And the
closer she grows to new friends at the Egg, the more she starts to fall
for charmingly awkward, soulful Ben and to realize how much of herself
she’s been missing. By the end of the summer, nothing will be the
same—for this community or for Finley herself.
Finley strikes me as almost autistic in her introversion and desire to stay away from people she's not known for many years, most of whom are part of her carefully crafted plans for the future. Of course, it's all laid at the feet of her "cold and indifferent" mother, who doesn't give her every waking moment of life to support and love her daughter, which is a huge sin in most books, especially ones revolving around teenage girls, who are nasty, resentful, sucking you dry beasts. I believe Finley's boyfriend Colin is the real asshat here, as he dumps her because she's "boring and predictable" with no warning, which is devastating for someone who relies on her carefully laid plans to keep her mental health and life on an even keel. Inevitably, though, there's a kind and gentle (and handsome, of course) guy in the small town who falls for Finley as soon as he sees her, and she falls for him a bit later on. So Finley grows up enough to take responsibility for herself and her feelings, and in so doing rejects the inevitable advances of jerkish ex-boyfriend Colin, while admitting her feelings for Ben. This novel was well-designed, well-written and swiftly plotted. It was also a GMA book club pick. I'd give it a B+, and recommend it to young women seeking a book about growing out of old patterns and plans.
The Sun and The Starmaker by Rachel Griffin is a YA folklore romantasy that was delicately written and subtly plotted. Here's the blurb: There once was a village so
far north that most considered it the top of the world... and in that
village, the Sun fell in love with her Starmaker. From the author of The Nature of Witches comes a whimsical and sweeping romantic fantasy.
Nestled
deep in the snowy mountains of the Lost Range, the village of Reverie
is a small miracle. Beyond the reach of the Sun, Reverie is dependent
upon the magic of the mysterious Starmaker: every morning, he trudges
across a vast glacier and pulls in sunlight over the peaks, providing
the village with the light it needs to survive.
Aurora
Finch grew up on tales of the Starmaker's magic, never imagining she'd
one day meet him. But on the morning of her wedding, a fateful encounter
in the frostbitten woods changes everything. The Starmaker senses a
powerful magic within her and demands she come study under his guidance.
With her newfound abilities tied to the survival of the village, Aurora
is swept away to his ice-covered castle and far from everything she's
ever known.
The Starmaker is as cold and distant as
the mountain itself, leaving Aurora to explore his enchanted castle
alone. Yet the more she discovers about the sorcerer, the stronger their
attraction grows, pulling her closer to the secrets he refuses to
share. But a deadly frost approaches and Aurora must uncover what the
Starmaker is hiding before she is left in an endless winter that even
the Sun cannot touch.
This novel is fascinating because it comes from the POV of those humans who sacrifice their lives to bring sunlight to their fellow villagers, allowing them to live and grow crops, while also leaning into the background of these villagers stories about their gods and the gods/human interactions and failings, which are caused by intermingling which is dangerous to both sides. I found it hard to believe that the young female protagonist fell in love so completely with the aged Starmaker that she was willing to go to any lengths to insure his survival, even railing at the god of the sun to bring him magically back from death. Aurora had been, prior to this, sensible and bright, doing everything she could to get her family's crops to survive the unrelenting cold darkness. Somewhere around 2/3rds of the book, Aurora loses her common sense and self preservation and goes all in on loving a person who makes it clear, throughout most of the novel, that he is incapable of loving her because he's so long-lived as to seem immortal, and he's watched too many people he loved die. From his perspective, she's an annoying young woman who needs to learn her role so he can die and finally get some rest. This book is gorgeously made, BTW, with amazing cover illustrations and stenciled edges. Still, it was about 50 pages too long, IMO. I'd give it an A- and recommend it to anyone who enjoys Alaskan or Icelandic folklore.
The Daisy Chain Flower Shop by Laurie Gilmore is the 6th book in her Dream Harbor series of rom-com novels of aching sweetness. Here's the blurb: The greatest love is the one you never expected to find
Daisy
is fed up with being unlucky in love. And since Mayor Kelly declared
her beloved flower shop cursed in one of his infamous visions, business
has been slow.
Dream Harbor newcomer Elliot
has been adjusting to small-town life following his own relationship
turmoil. And until now he’s avoided the flower shop at all costs. If the
mayor is correct, he doesn’t need any more bad luck in his life.
When
he finds himself walking through the door of the Daisy Chain Flower
Shop, he doesn’t expect it to be a life-changing moment. But as the
petals blossom in the sunlight, might the unluckiest woman in Dream
Harbor finally find that love comes when you’re least expecting it?
The Daisy Chain Flower Shop is a cozy romantic mystery with a fake relationship dynamic, a small-town setting and a HEA guaranteed.
Every book in the Dream Harbor series can be read as a standalone.
“A setting that rivals the Gilmore Girls’ Stars Hollow for cozy charm… wonderfully warm and whimsically witty” Booklist
I agree with the blurb that there are definite GG vibes here, but without the rapid-fire witty dialogue. I loved the "fake relationship" trope, deployed here in a fun way, to allow the townspeople to see that Daisy isn't cursed in love, and also allowing her fake beau a second chance at love and healing. I thought the HEA ending was just a bit too neat, but I still was glad to see it, as I was to read about Elliot and Daisy's future together, though that was very Hallmark-inspired. I'd give this light and sweet novel a B, and recommend it as a beach read this summer for those looking for an easy read and escape literature.
Alchemy and a Cup of Tea by Rebecca Thorne is book 4 in the Tomes and Tea cozy fantasy series. I've read every one of these delightful novels, and I can only hope that this isn't the end of the series. Here's the blurb: This gorgeous paperback release features
romantic lavender sprayed edges, a beautiful color illustration, and a
bonus short story. (Editors note, I never enjoy these "bonus chapters" or bonus short stories, because more often than not they're unsatisfying and feel like an afterthought...blech)
Author Rebecca Thorne brings the Tomes & Tea
series to a delightful, cozy close for our beloved lesbian book- and
tea- sellers.
Reyna
and Kianthe have no trouble commanding the Realm, running a bookshop,
or rescuing baby dragons...but can they save their town from the
swarming influx of...tourists?!?
On the night of her
kidnapping, all Reyna wanted was a relaxing cup of tea. She didn’t
expect to be dropped in a hidden prison cell, but what the hells. She’s
flexible.
With appropriate fanfare, Kianthe “rescues” her
wife...but Reyna’s actually a terrible damsel in distress. Even worse,
Reyna's cell was booby trapped with a mysterious alchemy circle. What
does a radical alchemist want with the Arcandor’s wife? And why did they
think they could get away with this?
While they investigate,
another problem surfaces in their hometown. Word of New Leaf Tomes and
Tea―and its celebrity owners―has finally spread. Tourists are
everywhere, harassing the locals and ruining the charm of Tawney. As
their friends struggle with the sudden influx, Kianthe and Reyna have to
face a bigger conundrum than rogue alchemists: the fact that closing
their bookshop might be the only way to save their town.
Ki and Rey are a delightful couple, and I've enjoyed following their growing, loving relationship. I also enjoy how Kianthe's magic works well with Reyna's badass swordswomanship, and how the couple always manage to find a way to deal with trouble that is rarely violent but always harmless and usually kind. What I didn't like about this novel was the constant focus on the dragons and baby dragons and griffins. They didn't do much to advance the plot, and they wrought a lot of havoc that Ki and Rey were forced to clean up. Of course, the bad guy here was a madman, and the tourist problem was used as a diversion from dealing with him and his narcissism. I would almost think that it was a diluted statement on the politics of the USA, which is in a terrible state right now due to an immature male narcissist, but you never know with books like this. Fortunately there's a magical and romantic HEA, and alls well that ends well. I'd give this pretty cozy fantasy a B+, and recommend it to anyone who has read the other books in this series.
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