Looking forward to some future thrill rides at the Movie Trailer Park

With the state of the world in flux right now, looking ahead to next year is not quite a hopeful vision of things to come. However, there is one place where we can always count on for thrills and strange new changes that are sure to please us and that is at the movies.

So, one of the most anticipated flights of fancy to arrive in 2018 is the cinematic adaptation of Madeline L'Engle's classic novel, A Wrinkle in Time. For those like me who haven't read the book, it's the tale of Meg Murray, a young girl searching for her missing scientist father whose theories regarding inter dimensional travel were more accurate than he realized.

The film has a good amount of star power behind it, from director Ava DuVernay to actresses such as Mindy Kaling, Reese Witherspoon and Oprah Winfrey as the trio of mystical guides known as Mrs. Who, Mrs.Which and Mrs. Whatsit. Chris Pine and Zach Galifianakis  are also on board,making it a serious set of big league players here.

Granted, that's not a guarantee of success or quality but this is clearly is a labor of love for most of these folks and that should amount to something truly special on screen:

For something a bit more down to earth, we have Red Sparrow, starring Jennifer Lawrence as Dominika Egorova, aka DIVA, a specially trained Soviet spy who may be considering a switch to double agent.

Her interest in increasing her work load is due to a romance with CIA agent Nathaniel Nash(Joel Edgerton), something that her bosses may not see as a threat to their control over her at first. However, the time when those particular set of skills that were drummed into Dominika will be used against those in charge is fast approaching.

This movie happens to be based on a thriller novel by Jason Matthews, which could be a good sign of a solid screenplay and the director on hand, Francis Lawrence, worked with JLaw on the Hunger Games trilogy,so perhaps this may be a savvy sleeper hit in the making:

If you're in the market for fact based ghost stories, then a movie like Winchester:The House that Ghosts Built should be right up your alley.

Helen Mirren stars as the widow of the renowned gun maker who keeps on adding extensions to her already elaborate mansion in order to avoid the haunted spirits within the walls.

Yet, not even the further expanding of the now infamous house is enough to keep the determined supernatural threat at bay. I have a feeling that those who are familiar with the legendary Winchester Mystery House are part of the intended audience but not as much as regular horror movie fans:

Speaking of horror movies, the upcoming X Men themed film,The New Mutants,is certainly been made as one.

The plot has a quartet of newly empowered young people( a couple of which are played by Maisie Williams and Charlie Heaton) held at an isolated location in order to learn control over their seriously dangerous abilities. However, someone or something appears to be hunting them down.

This certainly is a change of pace for the franchise and if the results are anywhere near to what Logan achieved, we're in for some major ground breaking genre material here:

Out of all these,however, my strongest hope is with Ready Player One. Ever since I read Ernest Cline's amazing novel that blended pop culture wonder with video game prowess, it was not hard to envision this as a movie.

Fortunately, Steven Spielberg is at the helm which aids greatly to getting in many of 1980s referenced material into the story(Spielberg has opted out of using his own work,due to not wanting to make this film look like a vanity project). Also, while a few familiar faces(Simon Pegg,Mark Rylance) can be seen in the cast, we have a good amount of fresh faces as well.

That's important as the story is truly the star of the show and judging by this brand new trailer, this film could provide some much needed relief from what's to come in 2018 and revive our collective cinematic spirits for the better:

A bundle of holiday cheer from my Bookish Secret Santa

For the past couple of years, I've taken part in a special holiday gift exchange(arranged by Michelle Miller from True Book Addict) called Bookish Secret  Santa. Giving and getting these well chosen yet slightly secretive pack of presents with a book or two have fast become the highlight of my Christmas season.

This year, my Secret Santa, Charity Huchyt, was bright and early with her set of goodies for me. First up is a book that I'm happy to add to my Jenny Colgan collection, Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery, the third title in this delightful series.

We find our leading lady Polly at her beloved bake shop on Mount Polbearne island, preparing for the holiday season as well as her upcoming wedding to Huckle, her honey making honey. While life does get frenetic for her,along with her best friend Kerensa who is sharing a possible secret about her pregnancy, things are completely up turned when a major storm threatens to cut off the entire island from the main land.

 Granted, this is book three but it shouldn't be hard for any newcomer to dive into this saltwater taffy sweet story.  Jenny Colgan's tales are truly tasty delights any time of year and not just because she includes recipes in her food themed novels such as what many NOLA residents know well as a king cake. I may not be able to eat such treats but this charming book will feed my literary soul, that's for sure:

The reason that I can't eat a king cake,btw, is due to my being a Type 2 diabetic but fortunately there are some sweet treats that I can enjoy. My book also came with a bag of sugar free mini Hershey bars and a bag of Russell Stover mint chocolates, both of which are greatly appreciated.

Russell Stover sugar free candies have become my favorites with their smoothly sweet design and flavor varieties, not to mention choice of sugar substitute which is no joke, believe you me. In that department, it is not one size fits all!

Seriously, it is nice to have something this stylish and satisfying to indulge in once in a while under such a circumstance. Plus, Russell Stover is a quality brand that does make you feel part of the foodie festivities during a time like this,which is sweet of them indeed:

To round this holiday gift bundle off, an aloe vera mask with a pair of  cat themed Christmas socks were included. The ones I received are the gray striped ones in the photo on the left.

My own kitty cat Bella gave her feline approval to them and they're very comfortable to boot. Seasonal socks are great to have and much more convenient to add to any holiday outfit than one of those traditional ugly sweaters that folks love at this time of year.

Nothing against the sweaters there but I just prefer the socks. They are part of the classic Christmas tradition,after all, and offer a more practical sense of joy:

Much thanks to Charity and Michelle, for starting off my Christmas season just right. I have my own Bookish Secret Santa package to send out next week and I hope that my giftee is as pleased with the selections made as I am with mine.

 Between this and the first snow of the season to arrive this weekend, it does feel more like the holidays are here,which is a good feeling that I want to last right through New Year's. Having a good book and a few extra bonuses are a wonderful way to begin,so thank you yet again:

Make some royal family reading time this season

Between the real world announcement of another royal marriage in the making(congrats to Prince Harry and Megan!) and Netflix ready to release the second season of their historical fiction series The Crown, it's safe to say that British royalty has a nice revival moment on hand in pop culture.

To that end, I've rounded up a few novels about English regal reigns from the past to whet our colonial appetites for what's to come. First up is Daisy Goodwin's Victoria, which the author has already adapted into a miniseries airing on PBS.

Both the book and the show chronicle the early days of Queen Victoria's ascendancy to the throne, which gave the forcibly sheltered young woman a chance to become independent yet still also bound by duty and tradition. From her close ties to Prime Minister Lord Melbourne to resisting the influence of her mother's suitor Sir John Conroy, Victoria slowly but surely proves herself to be the formidable queen that history notes her as being.

I've watched Season One of Victoria and eager to see S2(which will debut in January of 2018),which should be a splendid way to keep warm during the cold winter months to come. I have only read Goodwin's The American Heiress yet just from that book, I know her to be an engaging writer who knows how to spin a story web as intricately beautiful as any royal tapestry:

To go a little further back in time, Philippa Gregory showcases The Last Tudor, as in Lady Jane Grey and her two sisters, Katherine and Mary.

With the demise of Henry the VIII's last legitimate son, Jane finds herself placed in a position to take the throne and is backed by Protestant forces wishing to avoid having the Catholic Princess Mary in power.

However, such plans go awry fatally and when Elizabeth I comes to power, Katherine risks all by marrying her lover Ned Seymour in secret. When he has to leave the country, she discovers herself to be with child and unable to prove that she is married which raises many suspicions and sends Katherine to the Tower.

As Mary shares a similar fate, Gregory highlights what each woman had to go through in a time where control of their lives was something that a rare few females of that day could imagine, not to mention find a way to do so and survive . Despite such struggles, the bonds of sisterhood gave them strength to endure and then some:

If you really want to find out who might be considered the great grandmother of English matriarchs, Elizabeth Chadwick has a trilogy of novels that follow the legendary Eleanor of Aquitaine into history.

Starting with The Summer Queen , Eleanor becomes a young bride of the intended King of France,who proves to be an ineffective leader at best and as she gains her freedom from him via annulment, The Winter Crown sees Eleanor joining forces with Henry of Normandy as he becomes the new King of England.

The final book in the trio is appropriately titled The Autumn Throne, as it shows Eleanor in the last years of her life still doing her duty by brokering a marriage for her son Richard the Lionhearted and trying to keep the peace between him and his brother John. This epic tale of a woman who shaped the course of the monarchy of England for many generations afterward is one that deserves to be retold over time and Chadwick honors that literary legacy well:

 These books should be a good start as we go along to check on the latest news of the impending royal wedding and check out Season Two of The Crown. I just started watching Season One and could kick myself for waiting this long to embrace this remarkable series. On the other hand, once I am done with that, my wait for more won't be as long:

Doing my Holiday Library Haul with Trevor Noah and some mysterious companions

I seriously did not intend to head back to the library so soon and on a holiday weekend to boot but as it happened, a book that I placed on hold came in.

 For any book person, that last half of my statement is explanation enough and for others, yes, I did have a good amount of time to pick it up but just waiting until after Thanksgiving day was hard to do.

The book in question is one that I've been wanting to read for some time now. Trevor Noah's memoir,Born A Crime, has been getting excellent reviews but more importantly, it tells his true story of being in a racially divided nation, a part of history that's from a not-so-distant past.

The Daily Show host chronicles his childhood in South Africa,where to be born biracial like him was legally considered a criminal act. Noah talks about how daily life was difficult for his mother(it was dangerous for her to even walk down the street with her own son), the way his relatives engaged with him and what eventually inspired him to be a comedian.

Told in his humorous yet heartfelt style, this is a touchingly insightful look at a childhood that had to make major decisions due to race right up front and how Trevor Noah became the man that he is for it. I am so looking forward to reading this book,so much indeed:

In the meanwhile, I did have one book to return(The Chalk Artist by Allegra Goodman, which was a decent read),so that meant that I could get another one,despite still having a library book at home from my last visit that I just started. Talk about your tangled webs there!

Perhaps that is why I also borrowed The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware. I've heard a lot of good word of mouth about her mystery novels and thought it was time to give her a try.

Our lead detective is Lo Blacklock, a travel writer in need of a rest. While taking a cruise aboard the luxury liner Aurora, Lo becomes convinced that the woman in the cabin next to hers has been done away with, despite the fact that there is no evidence of anyone having taken that cabin or any such person being on this particular voyage.

Lo refuses to buy into the notion that a recent trauma is causing her to not see the situation clearly and get some assistance from her ex-boyfriend Ben into solving this mystery. The plot does sound interesting and folks are comparing this story line to classic Agatha Christie ,which is good reason for me to stamp my passport for this sinister sailing adventure:

You would think that would be plenty,especially with one at home already but I couldn't resist grabbing one of the newest John Grisham titles. Camino Island is set in the world of rare book dealers, where a major heist is the theft of manuscripts by F. Scott Fitzgerald from a vault at the Princeton library.

Bruce Cable runs a specialty book shop in Florida, where such an item would be difficult to sell yet an encounter with Mercer Mann, an aspiring writer who is deep in student loan debt, draws him into the case.

When Bruce finds himself implicated in the crime, the urge to find the stolen manuscripts becomes more than an academic venture. It's been a good while since I read John Grisham and since I do have an interest in the used and rare book market, this seems like a fine way to get reacquainted with his work:

So, that makes four books on loan from the library, a lot for me at the moment. However, reading this quartet of books(which includes Paula Hawkins' Into The Water) and getting them back by Christmas should be a worthy challenge.

Renewal will be a big help in this endeavor,that's for sure. I swear, there is just something about being at the library that makes me crave books more than usual. Perhaps it's that revived sense of childhood wonder, with so many beautiful varieties of books all around me like a garden of words, that makes it such a temptation. Well, at least it's a temptation that only leads to good:

A trio of paperbacks to make your Book Buying Black Friday all the better

Happy day after Thanksgiving,folks,and I hope you all had a lovely day as well as a great meal with your loved ones.

 By now, most of you are engaging in the other annual tradition of this weekend, holiday gift shopping, and to that end, I'm recommending a threesome of fresh new paperbacks that should suit a few of the book lovers on your list.

First up is a special edition of L.M. Montgomery's iconic novel, Anne of Green Gables, from Penguin Classics Deluxe. Not only is this edition adorned with charming artwork by Siobhan Gallagher, it comes with an introduction by Benjamin Lefebvre(director of L.M. Montgomery Online) who details the struggles that the author faced in publishing her book.

There's also an engaging foreword by novelist J. Courtney Sullivan, who talks how Anne of Green Gables peaked her interest in writing and in maintaining life long friendships. To this day, one of her good friends is quick to reconnect with as they both loved the 1985 TV adaptation of the series and feel that it's the best one ever:

Being introduced to Anne with an "e" this year, I feel that any new edition of this delightful story is well worth having,whether you prefer your Anne Shirley to be old school or new. As to adaptations, I've enjoyed watching the current PBS films(the latest one,subtitled "The Good Stars" aired last night) and I'm sure even Marilla would agree that this Deluxe Edition would be a suitable and sensible gift for readers new and established indeed:

Next, for those seeking potential prize winners, we have Elmet by Fiona Mozley, a debut novel that was a major contender for the Man Booker Award this year.

This tale,set in the woods of Yorkshire, is narrated by Daniel,who is living with his father John and sister Cathy isolated from the wider world and their home life feels idyllic for the most part.

However, when a local landowner(who once had John on his payroll as an enforcer) becomes determined to take their land for his own financial gain in a larger project, Daniel's family finds their peaceful existence altered forever, yet not without a serious fight. A smartly written story that takes a sure and steady pace as it explores that pivotal fork in the road that we all must take, some sooner than others.

However, if the folks on your list are more in the mood for a sweet relaxing read, debut author Louise Miller has a slice of storytelling pie ready to serve.

The City Baker's Guide to Country Living has a Gilmore Girls flavor to it, only if chef Sookie St. James was the leading lady instead of Lorelai.  Olivia Rawlings decides to move to the small town of Guthrie in Vermont after her personal and professional life in Boston truly blows up on her.

Taking a job at the Sugar Maple Inn, Olivia finds that her culinary skills are still solid yet her new boss Margaret has a very high standard that is in serious need of maintaining. The reputation of the inn is built upon a lengthy winning streak in the apple pie contest at the county fair and that standard has sunken recently.

In addition to that, Olivia becomes attracted to Martin, a former musician who has returned home to Guthrie in order to help his ailing father out with the family farm. Can she create a winning recipe for her new work and love life? Quite the humorously heartfelt read to give and get this holiday season:

Best of luck on your holiday shopping sprees this weekend and I do hope that these suggestions are helpful. In the meanwhile, let us take a moment during the mad rush of gift buying to appreciate the wonderful reads that have sustained us through out the year. Having new books is great but giving thanks to the ones still on our shelves is important,too:

A Library Haul and a back to the Binchy reread

One thing that I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving is having an active library card,not to mention making a little library trip to have new reads in time for Turkey Day.

My first pick was Into the Water, the much anticipated second thriller from Paula Hawkins,whose debut The Girl on the Train was truly a runaway hit. Granted, I thought the TGOTT was just okay yet it was very addictive to read(one of those stay-up-all-night deals),so I'm willing to take a shot with this one.

The leading lady of this story is Jules Abbot, who reluctantly returns to her home town of Beckford due to the death of her estranged sister Nel. She met her demise by drowning in a local lake known as the Drowning Pool, infamous for the watery graves that many women have found there over the years.

Jules not only has to untangle the mysteries surrounding her sister's death and the other Drowning Pool victims, she has a teenage niece named Lana to try and connect with as well. This set-up has an old fashioned feel to it that might be worth investigating,even with the batch of mixed reviews Into the Water has gotten so far. Who knows, I might like it better than Girl on the Train,we shall see:

The library book that I started reading,however, is Allegra Goodman's The Chalk Artist which has a variety pack of storytelling to unfold.

We first begin with a budding romance between Collin, a struggling of sort artist looking for direction in his life, and Nina, a new to the system teacher struggling to connect with her students. As things go on, Collin learns that Nina's father is a high tech mogul who invented one of the biggest video games of all time.

While Nina wants to get Collin a job with her father, she's worried about how that could change the nature of both relationships. Also, one of her students, Aidan, becomes pulled into a viral marketing scheme to promote the newest version of the game and that could have serious real world repercussions.

These story lines seem far apart but Goodman slowly yet surely draws them close together. The characters are instantly engaging, one of the author's hallmarks, and I'm more than willing to see what will become of them as the pages turn.

Meanwhile, with the holidays fast approaching(not to mention the horror of the daily headlines), I am feeling the need for some emotional comfort food and the best place for that on my bookshelf is my Maeve Binchy section.

Yes, I do have a good chunk of space devoted to the Irish authoress who is sadly no longer with us. I was well into her books before Tara Road was an Oprah pick and rereading it now is doing me a world of good.

Sure, it's a bit melodramatic at times but so what? Binchy always managed to level that out with solid characters and plots that had the ring of realism with a small town flair, even if some of her stories were set in a big city like Dublin.

The plot of Tara Road is what I always liked to call "female friendly" as two women sharing a troubling time in their lives swap houses and countries in order to recoup and reassess. We start off with Ria Lynch, a seemingly happy housewife who is willing to sacrifice for her charming husband Danny but he betrays her good nature to a point where she has to make a stand.

 Once she spends some time in America at the Connecticut home of Marilyn(who is mourning the loss of her son), she begins to get a new sense of herself as well as a new lease on life.

 The book was originally published in 1999 but still stands up as a heartfelt read. Binchy didn't sugar coat the problems that her characters faced, instead she showed just how people felt they should either deal with or ignore the situation at hand until finding the solution at hopefully just the right time.

Some might still think that Binchy's work(and other writers like her) are frivolous entertainment but they couldn't be more wrong. While her books are comforting, they're not simply candy flavored tonics for the spirit. Rather, they give readers a sense of hope that good things are possible despite the bad times in front of you and the way things are now, we could all use a nice relaxing read such as this to help us out:

Don't get me wrong, I'll be reading plenty of new books before this year is out(finally got started on my last Series-ous Reading selection,The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss). Yet, it is nice to revisit an old friend as it were,book wise.

Chances are that I will be making another library visit soon,which is great but I do wish that one of those little lending libraries that people set up in their neighborhoods was within my reach. Then again, my withdrawals vs my deposits might not be as well balanced there,so best to avoid temptation!:

Some good choices on the media menu for tasty Thanksgiving TV

With Thanksgiving being oh-so-close, I felt it was time for another  flavorful reminder of the season with a look at a few of the best TV shows that highlight holiday cooking and eating.

First up is The Chew, the daytime darling of the foodie circuit that has pretty much spent the whole month of November on prepping for Thanksgiving, ranging from recipes old and new to dinner table settings and creative leftover suggestions.

Part of what makes this show fun as well as a great reference guide is the crackling chemistry between the quartet of hosts, with the dynamic dueling contrasts of Iron Chefs Michael Symon and Mario Batali, Top Chef Carla Hall's good humor and the always engaging Clinton Kelly. It's like hanging out with the cool culinary kids, who would gladly invite anyone over for some good food and good talk:

In the evening, however, Chopped is your best bet for some offbeat Thanksgiving meals. Actually, it's a weirdly entertaining way to live vicariously through the bizarre mystery basket ingredients there.

After all, what are the odds on you having to cook with gummy turkey feet, pumpkin pie ice cream, smoked turkey gizzards and green bean casserole? Granted, that was not all in one basket but it could very possibly be in the future,you never know.

Even the regular rotation of judges take their shot at the stove at holiday time, whipping up dishes that may seem strange but are nine times out of ten, taste delightfully savory for any season:

 Speaking of green bean casserole, if you're just looking for some old school food flair, Cooking Channel tends to air the classic Alton Brown series Good Eats for just such an occasion.

The smart and sassy take on nearly every edible item known to human kind has plenty of Thanksgiving highlights, from cranberries(which can be made into a candle!) to the right way to prep that turkey and the perfect mashed potatoes. If you like your Thanksgiving with a side of culinary cleverness, then you are in need of some good eats indeed:

And finally, for those of us who simply want a little home style cooking, Ree Drummond has that on tap as a key ingredient for her daytime series, The Pioneer Woman.

Ree's sincere charms make many of her meal time recipes feel both warmly old fashioned and satisfyingly modern all at once. That special emotional blend of hers is great for Thanksgiving, as she certainly knows how tricky it can be to spread the dinner table love yet she pulls it off with an ease and grace that pours out as smoothly as gravy:

 So, whether you're in need of cooking tips or just want to see the other holiday options out there, there is something for everybody when it comes to Thanksgiving food TV. The recipe is easy and no cook to boot: just take one remote control and click around a few channels until that just right show comes into view. Then sit and watch for a hour or so,binging purely optional.

If done right, your Thanksgiving TV will serve as many as possible and be that small screen sweet treat that tops off your holiday viewing in a most delicious way:

Some nominees for my Nonfiction November reading

Having just finished a month long readathon, it's understandable that  I would want to take a more leisurely approach to the rest of my literary year.

However, I've heard a lot about Nonfiction November, where the main goal is to read more factual books than my usual supply of fiction. While you can follow the challenge officially, most people seem to set up their own TBR and do their own thing here. With that in mind, I have a few books that are in the running for my personal NFN selections and maybe you might want to try one of them,too:

NOURISHED: Food writer Lia Huber chronicles her emotional journey into the world of cooking, going from a romance in Corfu where family love and home cooked meals went hand in hand to a village in Guatemala that the addition of simple vegetables to a soup brightened up everyone's day.

I've started this book already and Huber's writing is very heartfelt, bringing a vivid warmth to her descriptions of the time,place and people around her. Recipes are also included but the stories here are the main course of this memory feast.

With Thanksgiving coming up this month, this delicious memoir could provide some menu plan ideas or a tasty way to appreciate those good moments in life:

 BOOKNOTES: C-Span once had an interview show where authors of nonfiction shared their thoughts about the world as well as put in a good word for their latest book. Book Notes was hosted by C-Span co-founder Brian Lamb and this collection was the first of several that highlighted those interviews in print form.

There's a vast variety of writers on display here from historians such as David McCullough and Doris Kearns Goodwin to political figures like Colin Powell and journalists ranging from Neil Sheehan to Stanley Crouch.

 The show had a good run, starting in 1989 and ending by 2004. I remember watching it from time to time back in the day and wish we had a version of Book Notes right now. Considering how the lines between fact and fiction have been blurred lately, this certainly feels like the right time to check out how the old school was able to make those distinctions very clear. Also, with knowledge under fire as it is now, the subtitle of this book "America's Finest Authors on Reading,Writing and the Power of Ideas" sounds rather timely to me:

 MY BOOKSTORE: This collection, edited by Ronald Rice, gathers together over eighty writers to talk about their favorite independent book stores and give their recommendations for good book buying from all across the country.

The list of writers ranges from best sellers like Fannie Flagg, John Grisham and Elin Hilderbrand to award winners such as Isabel Allende and memoir notables Rick Bragg and Dave Eggers.Here, they share some good stories about how these little literary shops made their reading and writing lives all the better and as a former indie bookseller myself, this sounds like a dream.

A few writers have even become indie book seller themselves, like Ann Patchett who highlights her favorite store here and perhaps took a bit of real world inspiration along with a great book or two from there:

Don't worry, I still plan on reading plenty of fiction(have a few books to catch up) but increasing my nonfiction intake feels like a fine idea. There are way more well read than me in this department,so you can find a lot of good suggestions for your own Nonfiction November list out there but do be sure to check out subjects that sincerely interest you.

On the other hand, it doesn't hurt to try something completely different yet it does help to persist with a lengthy nonfiction read if you are honestly motivated to learn more about a certain subject. Happy Nonfiction November and good reading to all and yes, to all a good read:

My FrightFall journey into Lovecraft Country w/ a fierce Firestarter at my side

Welcome to week two in my progress reports during the Seasons of Reading scary reading challenge(known as FrightFall) for the month of October.

I'm happy to say that I did complete Picnic at Hanging Rock last weekend, letting me check off two books on my list, with two more in the works as we speak:

LOVECRAFT COUNTRY(Still reading-nearly halfway through): Matt Ruff's 2016 novel of fantastical horror has gotten a lot of attention lately, due to it being adapted as an upcoming HBO series with Jordan Peele(the director of Get Out) as executive producer.

All of that attention is well deserved and then some, as this story seamlessly blends racism in the 1950s with the terrors that H.P. Lovecraft, a bigoted fellow himself, dreamed up. Our leading man is Atticus Turner, a black Korean War vet with a love of science fiction/fantasy books, who finds himself and his family becoming the targets of a bizarre cult.

When Atticus returns home to 1954 Chicago, he learns that his father,Montrose, was whisked away by a strange young white man to a rather isolated town with a name that sounds suspiciously like Arkham(the original publisher of Lovecraft's works). No one has seen or heard from Montrose in a while,which is very much not like him.

 Joined by his uncle George and Letitia, a childhood friend, Atticus heads out to rescue his father, who is being held captive by father and son Samuel and Caleb Braithwhite. The Braithwhites are the leaders of The Order of the Ancient Dawn, a cabal devoted to capturing the power of otherworldly forces and Atticus is crucial to their plans.

This is only one of the adventures that Atticus and friends face here,with one of my favorite characters being Letitia, a smart and strong willed woman who can think on her feet and deal with whatever obstacle is thrown her way, human or otherwise:

 One of the most terrifying aspects of the book is the constant threat of racial violence, from various encounters with the police in both the North and South to vicious home invaders trying to drive out their new African American neighbors. The story may be set in the 50s but it does feel frighteningly relevant in this day and age but it's more than just an allegory.

 Ruff creates sharply toned tensions and well developed characters that make this book hard to put down. I'll probably finish it by this weekend and highly recommend LCC to anyone interested in writing that weaves reality and fantasy so chillingly well:

FIRESTARTER(STILL REREADING,MORE THAN HALFWAY THROUGH): I chose this particular Stephan King novel to reread for this challenge due to watching the lackluster film adaptation over the summer.

While that movie is pretty faithful to the book, it's a dull,miscast affair that will hopefully benefit from the proposed remake being planned. Meanwhile, the story of pyrokinetic Charlene "Charlie" McGee is strangely reminding me of Game of Thrones.

Granted, they're in completely different universes but what Charlie goes through as she and her father are forced to flee from the government sanctioned agents of The Shop is no different than what Stark sisters Arya and Sansa are faced with as their family is hunted down by their regal enemies. From falling prey to dubious allies to giving into the lure of violence dealt by her own hands, Charlie is a bit of both Stark girls and like them, has to find her own way to survive.

You could even argue that John Rainbird,the Shop assassin who works his way into Charlie's trust, has a lot in common with Littlefinger. Both are way too obsessed with their female charges and very willing to use that emotional bond for their own personal ends. A main difference between the two is that Rainbird has the cunning confidence to let his chosen prey come to him, rather than openly court her affections like Littlefinger does with Sansa. Rainbird has the deadly flair of an X-Men villain in that regard:

However, the GOT character that Charlie would be most able to identify with is Danearys Targaryen, who like her was marked at birth for great and terrible things.

Both are pursued once their powers manifest themselves and at one point, captured with their loved ones threatened. While their quests are truly worlds apart, what Charlie and Dany truly want is to find safety and love despite their extraordinary abilities, goals not easily obtainable yet that doesn't stop them for long.

In the end, their captors realize much too late that they don't have the power to hold these powerful females for very long and that presumption will seal their fate with fire. Granted, Charlie is her own dragon(not to mention far younger than Dany when her journey begins) but I do think that the Mother of Dragons would have some good advice for this princess of power indeed:

With any luck, I should have both books finished by or before Monday. I hope to take up another Stephen King book next week(the newest one, co-written with his son Owen) and a set of Agatha Christie short stories featuring the incomparable Miss Marple. Poirot is all well and good but I can't help adoring that feisty little old lady and her clever ways:

A library haul and being patient for Sleeping Beauties to awake in my mail box

The start of a new month for me these days means another trip to the library, to stock up on some fresh reads as well as return my previous loans.

Out of the three books that I brought back, two of them had been completed(nothing against that third one but it was sort of an impulse choice that quickly fizzled out for me there),which is not bad at all.

This time, I kept my selections to two with the first one being a novel that I've heard nothing but the highest praise for. Colson Whitehead won the Pulitzer along with the National Book Award for The Underground Railroad, with the added bonus of being an Oprah 2.0 Book Club pick.

However, it's more than the critical praise that has gained my interest in this story. Whitehead re-imagines the legendary network of slaves escaping to freedom in the North as an actual railroad, complete with station stops that are not as safe as they may seem.

Cora hopes to follow her mother's footsteps in fleeing from the plantation in Georgia that she was left behind at as a child. Accompanying a fellow slave known as Caesar, the two of them trek across state lines,making brief stays yet all the while heading forth due to the pursuit of Ridgeway, a notorious slave hunter who insists that his cause is just.


In a strange way, one of the books that I'm currently reading for the FrightFall readathon is putting me in the right mood for The Underground Railroad.

Matt Ruff's Lovecraft Country takes place in a different time period(America in the mid 1950s) yet both books share similar themes of racism mixed with speculative fiction, showcasing the true horrors of the past that still reflect strongly upon the present day.

It also helps that The Underground Railroad is part of the regular fiction section in the library, giving me plenty of time to absorb the wonders of Whitehead's creative world without feeling rushed. A good book ought to be given the proper amount of time to appreciate all it has to offer:

Speaking of FrightFall, my second library loan certainly qualifies as a late entry on the dance card for this bookish midnight ball.

Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield takes place in 19th century England, where William Bellman has achieved a good portion of the good life, running a successful mill and having a loving family by his side.

However, due to an incident in his childhood that lead to the killing of a rook, William's good fortune begins to melt away, taking many of his loved ones to an early grave. In order to save his daughter Dora, the one child he has left, William makes a strange deal with a mysterious man in black who wants him as a business partner for a department store that specializes in funeral fare.

This is Setterfield's second novel and a long time coming as her debut, The Thirteenth Tale, came out in 2006. I thoroughly enjoyed that book with it's Gothic layers and hope that this new tale will be as engagingly eerie:

Meanwhile, I did actually splurge on a new hardcover that is also fit for FrightFall(which a couple of my fellow #FF readers have on their lists as well). Sure, I could've tried the library but a big release like this is already heavily reserved,not to mention only being available for a one week loan at best.

That limit is hard with a book like Sleeping Beauties, with a page count over 700 and some change. Stephen King does tend to get wordy at times, for better and for worse, but I have the feeling that this will be worth it.

For one. this is his first team-up with son Owen, which should be interesting in and of itself. Also, the plot is certainly creative as women all over the world are trapped in cocoons as they sleep, with their minds being taken to an alternate reality. Meanwhile, the men are trying to figure out what's happening and discovering that any attempts to break the women free from their strange sleep are deadly indeed.

The remaining awake female population does their best to cope and resist the lure of the mysterious slumber with their only hope being Eve Black, who may be the cause or the cure. You have to admit, this does sound like a hell of a ride and yes, the TV adaptation rights have already been sold. Reading the book will make that wait easier,although I'm still waiting for it to arrive in my mail box there:

Patience is a virtue and as this post shows, I do have plenty on hand to read. Yet, it's difficult to resist being all nervous-giddy-excited about the book that's on the way. I do get the same way when a book I reserve at the library comes in,making me calculate how soon I can pick it up and should I borrow another book along with that particular chosen one(I always do).

It goes along with the territory,I guess, this eager for more literary anxiety. The whole trick is to able to make it part of the regular balance of your life rather than letting it overwhelm your day. Not an easy struggle by any means yet don't be too harsh on yourself if you stumble now and then. We've all been there and ultimately, your book will arrive,making all that fuss worth your while and forgettable until next time:

Getting a glimpse of Certain Dark Things while attending the Picnic at Hanging Rock this FrightFall

This is week one of Seasons of Reading's month long FrightFall readathon and in honor of the new format, I thought it would be good to do a progress report post each week here at LRG.

So far, I've finished one book and halfway through another, which is not bad,I suppose. The pair of books that I started out with are miles apart from each other when it comes to delivering the scares yet are eerily effective in their own way:

CERTAIN DARK THINGS(finished): Silvia Moreno-Garcia's follow-up to her tale of musical witchcraft,Signal to Noise, goes all-out on the supernatural but keeps the emotional pace of the book down to mortal levels.

The setting is Mexico City, one of the few vampire free zones in the world, where Atl, the youngest daughter of an Aztec line of blood drinkers, takes refuge. Her family was wiped out by a family of Necro vamps, determined to take their territory and she barely manages to survive on her own, even with a genetic enhanced Doberman at her side.

With only one or two possible contacts to help her flee the country, Atl takes up with Domingo, a street kid who falls instantly in love with her. Bonding with a human is risky for Atl but the need for his blood and assistance is too great. Domingo is fine with Atl being a vampire and even being her "Renfield" but he hopes for something more as time goes on.

Meanwhile, Nick, the vicious eldest son of the Necro family is on the hunt for Atl, along with a local gang who prefers to keep the streets safe from all nocturnal invaders who recruit a new cop in town named Ana Aguirre, who has some experience in the vampire killing department.

 As Atl makes her plans to head out of Dodge,so to speak, the ultimate fight or flight instincts come up to the surface for all concerned.

As with her earlier novel, Moreno-Garcia showcases her gift for blending realistic characters with otherworldly elements and that ability is brought to the next level. As much as I adore Atl and Domingo as a couple, their relationship is not overly romanticized yet very touching. The pacing is brisk yet allows for some much needed character development time that pays off by the end.

The world building here is wonderful, complete with an informative glossary at the end of the book that relates various vampire myths from other cultures. Frankly, it's refreshing to see a more diverse view of vampire lore that the standard Hollywood version(which is playfully mocked here) and with more of the good word of mouth that the book has already gotten, Certain Dark Things should pave the way for other culturally creative works in this genre:

PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK(still reading): This Australian novel by Joan Lindsay, originally published in 1967, is considered a classic in that country yet most Americans would know it best from the 1975 film adaptation directed by Peter Weir(which is about to be remade for streaming on Amazon).

We begin at Appleyard College, a proper girls' school in 1900, where the students and teachers are sent off to the title location as a Valentine's Day treat. During that trip, a trio of senior girls and one of their instructors wander off from the rest of the group and seem to vanish without a trance.

Apart from the hysterics of a younger girl,Edith, and the frantic days later search by a visiting Englishman named Mike, there are few clues as to what happened. Even when one of the girls does strangely turn up, there are more questions than answers to be found.

The story is a slow yet steady burn as just about everyone in the community is in an uproar over the bizarre incident. From the headmistress,Mrs.Appleyard, who is concerned about what this will do to her school's reputation to Albert, a local groomsman worried about the effect this has had on his friend Mike, the tension rises with each page turn.

This is not a book to be rushed through,although I consider it a bonus that my copy is the 50th anniversary edition with an introduction by acclaimed writer Maile Meloy(said intro I will read upon finishing the book,as suggested by the author). It may seem brief and sedate but appearances are deceiving, as the old saying goes.

I might even check out the original film before Halloween, as it's fear factor is held in the highest regard as is this sinister short novel of girls who are truly gone in the most chilling sense of the term:

Meanwhile, I've gotten a start on Matt Ruff's Lovecraft Country,which is very intriguing so far and dipping into The Mark of the Midnight Manzanilla by Lauren Willig(which also part of my Series-ous Reading challenge for the year).

There's still time to join in the FrightFall fun and more info, check out Seasons of Reading(there's a link in the first paragraph of this post) and yes, we do have a hashtag on Twitter(#FrightFall). Probably after I finish up with Picnic at Hanging Rock, my reread of Stephen King's Firestarter will begin although I may have to bring another SK book to this party.

Granted, this is a late selection but since King just released this special sleeper hit with the help of his son Owen, a little tardiness is not the worst thing to deal with here:

Ken Follett stokes the flames of his Kingsbridge chronicles with A Column of Fire

One of the best literary surprises of the season has been getting a new chapter in what might rightfully be called the Kingsbridge Chronicles with Ken Follett's latest release, A Column of Fire.

This is the second sequel to Follett's epic novel,The Pillars of the Earth, which became a big bestseller long before it was chosen as an Oprah Book Club selection,not to mention a miniseries on Starz. The second book,World Without End, was also adapted into a made for cable miniseries and with any luck, this one will join them as well.

I've been reading ACOF,slowly but surely(it is a lengthy book,after all) and have been pleased to find that much like the earlier novels, there is plenty to savor and a trio of solid themes that link from one point in time to another:

THE CATHEDRAL: That particular religious building is at the hub of these books, from the beginning where plans to build it consumed most of the characters to the second book,where a partial collapse and the spread of a major diease caused major changes to how the cathedral was used.

In the current novel, the cathedral has been partly underused,due to Henry the VIII's reign and several of the abandoned parts of the building were pledged as collateral for a loan made by Alicia Willard, with hopes that she and her sons Ned and Barney could turn them into a viable marketplace for all of the local merchants to prosper with.

Unfortunately, that deal was broken by the Fitzgerald family(with help from the current bishop) and the Willards have no choice but to find another way to make their fortune,particularly Ned. Time and again, the cathedral has played a vital part in the fate of others and forced many characters to chose between it and their true desires:

FORBIDDEN ROMANCE: Lovers pulled apart by circumstance and social status are key elements in these books, such as Jack Builder and Lady Aliena from TPOTE, and the legacy of WWOE's Merthin and Caris leaves quite a mark for the current romantic couple to stand in.

Much like Caris, Margery Fitzgerald is being forced to marry a local noble man by her social climbing family,including her ambitious brother Rollo. While she would infinitely prefer to be with Ned Willard,who has been deeply in love with her for years, pressure from both her relatives and religion induce her to accept this unwanted engagement.

Will Ned and Margery find a way to be together, despite their changing fortunes and the matters of faith that divide them? Well, we shall see but if past performance is any indication, I think that true love will win out, one way or another:

TURNING POINT IN HISTORY: In each Kingsbridge novel, a pivotal moment in English history is set within the background of the overall story like the death at sea of King Henry I's heir in TPOTE and in World Without End, the fate of overthrowen King Edward II proves to be crucial.

In ACOF, the reign of "Bloody" Mary Tudor is near it's end, causing the once downtrodden Catholics to take harsh revenge against their formerly in power Protestant neighbors. When it becomes clear that Princess Elizabeth has the best chance to take the throne upon her sister's death, many quickly take sides both for and against her.

With his family fortunes spiraling downward, Ned Willard takes up an offer to join forces with Sir William Cecil(and late Francis Walshingham) as protectors of Elizabeth, who must fight against the Catholic forces aligned against her. That doesn't hold well with Margery, as her faith is what lead her to marry against her wishes yet she still holds firm to her beliefs.

The clash of religions in this time period did have a widespread effect that is keenly felt among the characters in ACOF and as Follett also gives us insight into some of the more regal players here, that perspective will be fully enhanced for all involved,including the reader:

With things as they are today, it's good to have a bit of history or historical fiction to look to for some comfort in that hard times can and will be dealt with for the better in the end. I know that the Kingsbridge novels are ultimately meant to be entertainment and yes, they are thumping good reads indeed.

However, in this day and age of prevalent uncertainty, something like a grand epic story from a steadfast storyteller such as Ken Follett does offer a good bit of relief and good reading in a weary world:

Turning back time with page turners new and old

In times like these,when tragic events seem to strike at just about every moment, it can be hard to find solace for our troubles. One of the many places that people look to for emotional inspiration are books and not just for pop culture escape.

A good novel can give us a glimpse of what it was like for others back in the day and how the average person dealt with day-to-adversity as well as anxiety about the state of the world. That book doesn't have to recently written but a new story can take us back to a few older ones along the same line as I will attempt to show here.

 Recently released into paperback, Jennifer Ryan's The Chilbury Ladies' Choir is set in the title English village as WWII begins and with many of the local men called to military service, the church choir prepares to be disbanded. However, the women of Chilbury(lead by a female music professor) see no reason to give up their weekly worship via song and soon form an all-ladies' choir.

Their stories are told through journals and letters, like Mrs. Trilling, a widow who takes in an unmarried colonel while her son is fighting overseas, Miss Paltry, a midwife with limited scruples and secrets to keep and Venetia, whose romance with a newly arrived artist leads to more trouble than anyone expected.

As the war goes on, the women and girls of Chilbury learn to handle the hard times at hand as well as prepare for what may come, by sharing their hopes and sorrows as well as keeping a song in their hearts. Author Jennifer Ryan did a fair amount of research into what those days were like for folks back then and her blend of history and heart serves the reader well:

The Chilbury Ladies' Choir is putting many favorably in mind of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which came out in 2008 and was co-written by Annie Barrows and the late Mary Ann Shaffer.

That novel also involved letters, as newspaper writer Juliet learns more than she intended to about the life and times of the island folk during their time of German occupation during the war.

From a request to find the works of Charles Lamb comes insight and intimacy from correspondence with the resourceful members of the "book group"(formed partly to cover up local gatherings to share the merger food supplies they manage to save from the invading forces at their doorstep) and their erstwhile leader Elizabeth, a plucky soul whose heart was in the right place even when she loved someone from the wrong side of the war.

The book is being adapted into a movie as we speak, with Lily James and Jessica Brown Findlay cast as Juliet and Elizabeth, a good sign indeed. With the film possibly being ready as soon as next year, it might be high time to reread this lovely tale of steadfast folk or discover the joys of it for the first time:

A book and film that I feel truly paved the way for both of these novels(and a good deal more) is Mrs. Miniver. Based upon a series of articles written by Jan Struther,  this fictional yet all too real leading lady represented the small town charms and standards that defined the English resolve to fight in WWII.

The book was published in 1939, with the Hollywood version following in 1942 and both are credited with gaining American sympathies towards joining the war. It didn't hurt that Jan Struther went on a strong lecture tour in the US for the book, not to mention that the movie won six Oscars.

Mrs. Miniver,however, wasn't just a piece of propaganda. It gave a human face to those over in England and elsewhere who did their best to stay true to their better selves during a time of ever increasing crisis. It also showed how even the most casual kindness to others can make a huge difference to even a small corner of the world:

So, as we move on to make sense out of the senselessness around us, it always helps to have a good book or two(or perhaps three!) to help us along the way. Looking back at those struggles in the past,even through fiction, and seeing how people cope then should offer us hope that we,too, can get through this together in the here and now.

Going back in time does have it's disadvantages, as numerous sci-fi stories and even the Outlander book and TV series show us. Sure, meeting a handsome Highlander sounds great but plenty of real world obstacles were thrown in that path to true love there. Perhaps it's best that we don't have any time machines or mystical portals to pass through as it may be best to take such a journey from the comfort of our couches: