Revolution of Love

Revolution of Love

Do small things with great love.

Summer 2016 Reading List

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One of my goals for 2016 is to watch less TV and read more. I pledged on Goodreads to read 12 books in 2016 but my reading has been going so well I hope to double that number by the end of summer. It is an ambitious list for me but I added two extra books because I know I will be able to listen to a book on Audible during the drive up to Lake Tahoe and another book on the trip back.

Here is the list of my summer reads. I added Amazon descriptions and links to give you more info. Enjoy!

(Note: I was supposed to post this before my trip to Lake Tahoe but…life happened. I already have three of these books finished for June. I’ll post the reviews later this week.)

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I am a fan of the author Katherine Reay. I enjoyed her book Dear Mr. Knightly and loved her book Lizzy and Jane so I was eager to add her third book to my summer reading list.

The Bronte Plot

  • Author: Katherine Reay
  • Length: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Thomas Nelson (November 3, 2015)

Amazon Summary:

When Lucy’s secret is unearthed, her world begins to crumble. But it may be the best thing that has ever happened to her.

Lucy Alling makes a living selling rare books, often taking suspicious liberties to reach her goals. When her unorthodox methods are discovered, Lucy’s secret ruins her relationship with her boss and her boyfriend, James—leaving Lucy in a heap of hurt and trouble. Something has to change; she has to change.

In a sudden turn of events, James’s wealthy grandmother, Helen, hires Lucy as a consultant for a London literary and antiques excursion. Lucy reluctantly agrees and soon discovers Helen holds secrets of her own. In fact, Helen understands Lucy’s predicament better than anyone else.

As the two travel across England, Lucy benefits from Helen’s wisdom as Helen confronts ghosts from her own past. Everything comes to a head at Haworth, home of the Brontë sisters, where Lucy is reminded of the sisters’ beloved heroines who, with tenacity and resolution, endured—even in the midst of impossible circumstances.

Now Lucy must face her past in order to move forward. And while it may hold mistakes and regrets, she will prevail—if only she can step into the life that’s been waiting for her all along.

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I have seen movies of John Steinbeck’s works but I have never actually read one of his books. The fact that I live on the Central Coast of CA, where his stories take place, it is even more fitting that I correct this error. So for the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge, I chose this for the “a book that was banned as some point” category.

East of Eden

  • Author: John Steinbeck
  • Length: 640 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin Classics; Reissue edition (October 1, 1992); Original Publication (1952)

Amazon Summary:

In his journal, Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck called East of Eden “the first book,” and indeed it has the primordial power and simplicity of myth. Set in the rich farmland of California’s Salinas Valley, this sprawling and often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families—the Trasks and the Hamiltons—whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel.

The masterpiece of Steinbeck’s later years, East of Eden is a work in which Steinbeck created his most mesmerizing characters and explored his most enduring themes: the mystery of identity, the inexplicability of love, and the murderous consequences of love’s absence. Adapted for the 1955 film directed by Elia Kazan introducing James Dean and read by thousands as the book that brought Oprah’s Book Club back, East of Eden has remained vitally present in American culture for over half a century.

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I have been on a kick of reading books set in wartime and this is the first of three such books on my summer list. Also, for the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge, I chose this for the “a book published this year” category.

Everyone Brave Is Forgiven

  • Author: Chris Cleave
  • Length: 432 pages
  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster; First Edition edition (May 3, 2016)

Amazon Summary:

London, 1939.

The day war is declared, Mary North leaves finishing school unfinished, goes straight to the War Office, and signs up.

Tom Shaw decides to ignore the war—until he learns his roommate Alistair Heath has unexpectedly enlisted. Then the conflict can no longer be avoided.

Young, bright, and brave, Mary is certain she’d be a marvelous spy. When she is—bewilderingly—made a teacher, she finds herself defying prejudice to protect the children her country would rather forget.

Tom, meanwhile, finds that he will do anything for Mary.

And when Mary and Alistair meet, it is love, as well as war, that will test them in ways they could not have imagined, entangling three lives in violence and passion, friendship and deception, inexorably shaping their hopes and dreams.

Set in London during the years of 1939–1942, when citizens had slim hope of survival, much less victory; and on the strategic island of Malta, which was daily devastated by the Axis barrage, Everyone Brave is Forgiven features little-known history and a perfect wartime love story inspired by the real-life love letters between Chris Cleave’s grandparents. This dazzling novel dares us to understand that, against the great theater of world events, it is the intimate losses, the small battles, the daily human triumphs that change us most.

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I’ve never read a Kate Morton book so I chose this since it seems like the proverbial beach read.

The Lake House

  • Author: Kate Morton
  • Length: 512 pages
  • Publisher: Washington Square Press; Reprint edition (June 7, 2016)

Amazon Summary:

Living on her family’s idyllic lakeside estate in Cornwall, England, Alice Edevane is a bright, inquisitive, and precociously talented sixteen-year-old who loves to write stories.

One midsummer’s eve, after a beautiful party drawing hundreds of guests to the estate has ended, the Edevanes discover that their youngest child, eleven-month-old Theo, has vanished without a trace. He is never found, and the family is torn apart, the house abandoned.

Decades later, Alice is living in London, having enjoyed a long successful career as a novelist. Miles away, Sadie Sparrow, a young detective in the London police force, is staying at her grandfather’s house in Cornwall. While out walking one day, she stumbles upon the old Edevane estate—now crumbling and covered with vines. Her curiosity is sparked, setting off a series of events that will bring her and Alice together and reveal shocking truths about a past long gone…yet more present than ever.

A lush, atmospheric tale of intertwined destinies from a masterful storyteller, The Lake House is an enthralling, thoroughly satisfying read.

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Another WWII book, I read a lot of great reviews of this book so added it to my list.

The Nightingale

  • Author: Kristin Hannah
  • Length: 440 pages
  • Publisher: St. Martin’s Press; 1st edition (February 3, 2015)

Amazon Summary:

In love we find out who we want to be. In war we find out who we are.

FRANCE, 1939

In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France … but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When a German captain requisitions Vianne’s home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy or lose everything. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates all around them, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive.

Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets Gäetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can … completely. But when he betrays her, Isabelle joins the Resistance and never looks back, risking her life time and again to save others.

With courage, grace and powerful insight, bestselling author Kristin Hannah captures the epic panorama of WWII and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the women’s war. The Nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France–a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women. It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime.

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This book definitely didn’t seem like a book I would be interested in but Modern Mrs. Darcy chose it as one of her 5 books in her Summer Reading Club and recommend it in her 2016 Reading Guide under the “Engrossing Books” category so I thought I’d give it a try.

The One-in-a-Million Boy

  • Author: Monica Wood
  • Length: 336 pages
  • Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; 1 edition (April 5, 2016)

Amazon Summary:

The incandescent story of a 104-year-old woman and the sweet, strange young boy assigned to help her around the house — a friendship that touches each member of the boy’s unmoored family

For years, guitarist Quinn Porter has been on the road, chasing gig after gig, largely absent to his twice-ex-wife Belle and their odd, Guinness records–obsessed son. When the boy dies suddenly, Quinn seeks forgiveness for his paternal shortcomings by completing the requirements for his son’s unfinished Boy Scout badge.

For seven Saturdays, Quinn does yard work for Ona Vitkus, the wily 104-year-old Lithuanian immigrant the boy had visited weekly. Quinn soon discovers that the boy had talked Ona into gunning for the world record for Oldest Licensed Driver — and that’s the least of her secrets. Despite himself, Quinn picks up where the boy left off, forging a friendship with Ona that allows him to know the son he never understood, a boy who was always listening, always learning.

The One-in-a-Million Boy is a richly layered novel of hearts broken seemingly beyond repair and then bound by a stunning act of human devotion.

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I already had two war time books on my list and was reluctant to add a third but then I found out that Tiffany and Cristina were hosting the Late Summer Book Club and this was the book that was voted as the fave and it was said to have a Downton Abbey feel. Well, I had to be a part of that so it was happily added. 🙂

The Summer Before the War

  • Author: Helen Simonson
  • Length: 496 pages
  • Publisher: Random House (March 22, 2016)

Amazon Summary:

East Sussex, 1914. It is the end of England’s brief Edwardian summer, and everyone agrees that the weather has never been so beautiful. Hugh Grange, down from his medical studies, is visiting his Aunt Agatha, who lives with her husband in the small, idyllic coastal town of Rye. Agatha’s husband works in the Foreign Office, and she is certain he will ensure that the recent saber rattling over the Balkans won’t come to anything. And Agatha has more immediate concerns; she has just risked her carefully built reputation by pushing for the appointment of a woman to replace the Latin master.
 
When Beatrice Nash arrives with one trunk and several large crates of books, it is clear she is significantly more freethinking—and attractive—than anyone believes a Latin teacher should be. For her part, mourning the death of her beloved father, who has left her penniless, Beatrice simply wants to be left alone to pursue her teaching and writing.
 
But just as Beatrice comes alive to the beauty of the Sussex landscape and the colorful characters who populate Rye, the perfect summer is about to end. For despite Agatha’s reassurances, the unimaginable is coming. Soon the limits of progress, and the old ways, will be tested as this small Sussex town and its inhabitants go to war.

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For the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge, I chose this for the “book that intimidates you” category. My husband has already battled cancer and I just found out my mom was diagnosed with cancer. I wasn’t sure if I was emotionally strong enough to read a book about a man that dies of cancer but I added it to the list despite my reservations.

When Breath Becomes Air

  • Author: Paul Kalanithi
  • Length: 256 pages
  • Publisher: Random House; 1 edition (January 12, 2016)

Amazon Summary:

At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade’s worth of training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. One day he was a doctor treating the dying, and the next he was a patient struggling to live. And just like that, the future he and his wife had imagined evaporated. When Breath Becomes Air chronicles Kalanithi’s transformation from a naïve medical student “possessed,” as he wrote, “by the question of what, given that all organisms die, makes a virtuous and meaningful life” into a neurosurgeon at Stanford working in the brain, the most critical place for human identity, and finally into a patient and new father confronting his own mortality.

What makes life worth living in the face of death? What do you do when the future, no longer a ladder toward your goals in life, flattens out into a perpetual present? What does it mean to have a child, to nurture a new life as another fades away? These are some of the questions Kalanithi wrestles with in this profoundly moving, exquisitely observed memoir.

Paul Kalanithi died in March 2015, while working on this book, yet his words live on as a guide and a gift to us all. “I began to realize that coming face to face with my own mortality, in a sense, had changed nothing and everything,” he wrote. “Seven words from Samuel Beckett began to repeat in my head: ‘I can’t go on. I’ll go on.’” When Breath Becomes Air is an unforgettable, life-affirming reflection on the challenge of facing death and on the relationship between doctor and patient, from a brilliant writer who became both.

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Have you read any of these already? Did you like them? What are you reading this summer?

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PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, GoodReads, Letterboxd, or Spotify, 😉

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In other words, if you click on my affiliated links and make a purchase, I get a small compensation that goes towards keeping the blog online. Big hugs to those who click and help support the blog! xoxo 🙂

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Mini Book Reviews for 2016 – Part 2 (April – May)

RevolutionofLove.com - goals_2016_booksOne of my goals for 2016 is to watch less TV and read more. I pledged on Goodreads to read 12 books in 2016 and I am following Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Reading Challenge for added fun. It is only May and I have already surpassed my goal and read my 17th book. Yay! Part of that is because of my new love of Audible.

I always considered audio books as “cheating” and not really reading but now I love my audio books, especially the ones that will sync to my ebook. That allows me to read my book but when I have to stop to do laundry or wash dishes or pick up the kids at school, I can still listen and then later pick up with my reader again after the kids are in bed. I especially like that you can now loan audio books out to a friend. I haven’t tried that feature yet but I wonder if my sis is reading this. I’ll try it with her.

Anyway, here are some mini-reviews of books I’ve read on my 2016 reading list. 🙂

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

When I was looking for a new book to read it seemed like everyone was recommending All the Light We Cannot See . In fact, this book counts as my “book recommended by your local librarian or bookseller” in Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Reading Challenge.

The two main characters were Marie-Laure, a young, blind French girl living with her father, and Werner a young, orphan German boy who was gifted in science and mechanics so he was recruited to a Nazi school. The story followed them in the years before and during the war and we see how their lives, unbeknownst to them, intertwine.

The book was riveting and heartbreaking and at times I couldn’t put it down. My only complaint was that it was sometimes confusing. I found myself starting a new chapter and thinking, “Wait….what??” The book was not written in chronological order. It jumped from one scene and flashbacked to another point in time from a different person’s point of view. Towards the end of the book when the story was the most riveting, the chapters would end with a cliffhanger and jump to another scene. It was a little frustrating.

I also hoped for a sweet happy ending and while there may have been closure after all the years passed, it still left my heart a little broken. However, I am happy for the experience of being swept away to another time and sharing a little of life with Marie-Laure and Werner.  I rate it four stars. (Parental note: The book contains adult situations and some language.)

 

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Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

When I first the saw the movie trailer for Me Before You I knew it was going to be a movie I would love and I wanted to read the book first. After a few comments about the book on Goodreads, I realized the story dealt with euthanasia. With this in mind, I broke my cardinal rule of NO SPOILERS and found out if the main character died or not. With that knowledge, I read the book and here’s my thoughts.

The story is about Will a driven adventure seeker who is involved in an accident (not of his doing) and as a result becomes a paraplegic. Lou, a colorful and quirky character, is hired to be his companion. In the course of the book Will and Lou are challenged by one another and their friendship draws out different aspects of each another and they eventually fall in love. However, at the core of the story is whether or not Will decides to proceed with his previous plans to end his life.

(Spoiler Alert – Don’t read anymore if you don’t want to know how the story ends.)

The story is well written and every fiber of my being thought it could have been an amazing love story if Will’s love for Lou would have changed his heart and challenged him to reach for the seemingly impossible, as he was always driving Lou to do. Part of me was mad at him for being so selfish but another part of me knew that I could never understand the emotional and physical toll of living as a paraplegic. While my heart achingly goes out to a person wanting to end their life, my Catholic sensibilities knows that I couldn’t condone the deliberate ending of a life without just cause but it did made me wonder… if that was my Brian or my mom in Will’s predicament and although I’d be vehemently against them ending their life, would I stay by their side at the end, even if I disagreed? It definitely left me thinking.

Normally, I would have rated this four stars because it was well written but because I hated the ending and wished love would have motivated Will to let his life end naturally with Louisa by his side, I give it 3  stars instead. (Parental note: The book contains adult situations, the topic of euthanasia and language.)

 

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Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor and Park is a coming of age romance between two misfit teens in the 80’s. Eleanor is a plus sized red head living in an abusive family situation. Park is half-Korean living with a stable family. They hate each other at first but eventually become friends and fall in love. As a mom who grew up in the 80’s, it was nostalgic to relive the all-encompassing pangs of first love, favorite bands and mix tapes. It was sweet to see young love blossom but it was also heartbreaking (and maddening) to read about the abuses Eleanor received not only from bullies in her school but from her own dysfunctional family living in a terrorized state.

It was a touching story that I thoroughly enjoyed, particularly the way the book switched back and forth from Eleanor and Park’s point of view. However, I do have to say that this book is for very mature teens (or adults who like YA) who have already been exposed to some of the issues in the book. There is a lot of crude and strong language (mostly from secondary characters who attend school with Eleanor and Park) and numerous adult themes such as domestic abuse, living in poverty and characters being emotionally abused. I would rate this book 4 stars with the disclaimer that it is only for people who like this type of YA read and who won’t mind the language. (Parental warning: The book contains adult themes such as abuse, some sexual content – the main characters almost have sex – and strong and crude language.)

 

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The Husband Maker / The Matchmaker / The Wife Maker by Karey White

After reading a number of books with heavier content, I needed something light and fun with a happy ending. I enjoyed reading Karey’s White novel My Own Mr. Darcy so I decided to give The Husband Maker a try. The story was about Charlotte who had the unfortunate nickname “the husband maker” because every guy she has dated since high school has landed out marrying the next girl they date after breaking up with her. She desperately wanted to break the cycle and she believed her time had finally come when she met Kyle, an attractive, well off man from a political family.

The book was an easy and fun read and I enjoyed the various characters but it does end in a cliff hanger. Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait to read the second installment – The Matchmaker. This book was actually my favorite of the three. I enjoyed watching Charlotte grow and learn more about herself. The character Angus was a sweet guy and the love triangle was an added bonus.

The romantic saga is finally wrapped up in the final The Wife Maker. I wanted to love the final book more but the behavior of one of the main characters kept bugging me. However, there was a happy ending and all three books were a fun diversion from the stresses of life and as an added bonus (well, at least from my point of view) there was no language or sex. Karey White knows how to do a clean and appealing romance and I appreciate that. Comparing it to other romances, I rate this 4 out of 5 stars.

That’s it for now. What have you been reading?

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, GoodReads, Letterboxd, or Spotify, 😉

PPS – Disclaimer: “Revolution of Love.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.”

In other words, if you click on my affiliated links and make a purchase, I get a small compensation that goes towards keeping the blog online. Big hugs to those who click and help support the blog! xoxo 🙂

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NOTE: The cute clip art came from GraphicDesignByMia over at etsy.


Mini Book Reviews for 2016 – Part 1 (Jan – March)

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One of my goals for 2016 is to watch less TV and read more. I pledged on Goodreads to read 12 books in 2016. I am following Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Reading Challenge for added fun. Here are some mini-reviews of books  I’ve read so far on my 2016 reading list. 🙂

My January book was Lizzy and Jane by Katherine Reay. I read a couple pages last year but was reading too many books at once and put it aside. However, now that I picked it up again, I couldn’t put it down! It is the story of two estranged sisters who drifted apart after their mom died of cancer. Years later the eldest sister Jane is married with two kids and diagnosed with cancer. The younger sister Elizabeth is a talented chef in New York who has lost the magic in her cooking. She decides to take some time off and visit her sister. Together they attempt the arduous task of healing physically and emotionally in a way that was just absorbing.

I found myself caring about the various characters and was transported into their world – from the discussions of food in classic novels to the feelings of their raw emotions. Towards the end, I had to stop reading the book during the day and wait until the kids were asleep because they would wonder why I was crying.

There is also a touch of God and the lesson that He can bring good out of even terrible situations but it is in no way heavy handed or overbearing. I finished the book last night and although I wanted a little more closure in the romantic storyline, the family healing was beautiful and moving. I definitely recommend the book. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

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The Painter’s Daughter by Julie Klassen

I have been a fan of Julie Klassen’s novels for awhile. In January, I read The Tutor’s Daughter, which I enjoyed. After that I read The Painter’s Daughter which I really enjoyed. The story was about Sophie Dupont an artist who helped her father in his art studio. She met a charming but irresponsible young artist named Wesley who eventually wooed her and had his way with her.

An opportunity to study art in Italy opened up for Wesley and he left Sophie, not knowing that she was now carrying his child. In the meantime, Wesley’s brusque brother Steven, who was used to cleaning up Wesley’s mistakes, discovered the predicament Sophie was facing. To atone for his own past mistakes and to spare Sophie and her unborn child, Steven offered to marry her in name only. Sophie, not wanting to risk the severe consequences she must face as an unwed mother and the inevitable shame her child must endure, agreed.

I loved the emotions and drama that came with Sophia adjusting to life as the wife of a man she did not love. Gradually there was a growing relationship and understanding between Steven and Sophie but the eventual return of Wesley turned everything upside down. I couldn’t put the book down until I found out how the situation played out and which man she ended up with. I was satisfied with the way it was all wrapped up. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

 

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My Own Mr. Darcy by Karey White

My Mr. Darcy was a fun and easy read. The story was about Lizzy who watched Pride and Prejudice (2005 version) for the first time at the age of 16. Since then she was obsessed about finding her modern day version of Mr. Darcy. Eventually she met Chad and agreed to go out with him, despite not being anything like Darcy. She planned to break things off after one date but coerced by her best friend, she agreed to 10 dates with Chad before breaking things off. She slowly warmed up to him and started realizing what a great guy he was until she met handsome and rich Matt, a guy who completely fit her idea of Mr. Darcy. The whole situation became an interesting (and clean cut) love triangle.

The story was sweet and fun but also a little annoying because Lizzy’s obsession with Mr. Darcy was maddening at times. I wanted to smack her upside the head when she continually chose the haughty Matt over the sweet, sensitive and unselfish Chad. Maybe if Matt was little more likable and Chad a little more flawed, I could understand Lizzy’s dilemma better. Having said that, I am still glad I read the book and will look for more titles by the author since I loved that it had a modern day setting without any modern day sexual promiscuity. It was clean but not “Christian preachy” if you know what I mean. 🙂 I rate it 3.75 out of 5 stars.

 

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Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith

It’s been seven years since Seth Grahame-Smith’s mashup book was published and I didn’t have any desire to read my beloved Jane Austen in the light of zombies back then. Fast forward to the current day and my love of The Walking Dead and love of movies, made me curious after seeing the trailer for the movie version of the book. I decided to give the book a try before going to see the movie. Did I enjoy it? My feelings are mixed. On the one hand, it was cool to read all the familiar lines and scenes and see how Grahame-Smith was going to change things up. This line from Lizzy in regards to Mr. Collins asking for her hand made me laugh out loud, “Did this fat little priest mean to take her as a wife? She was horrified at the thought of marrying of man whose only skill with a blade was cutting slivers of gorgonzola.”

The whole concept was interesting and at times fun. However, the book also had scenes that were over the top, campy and beyond tongue and cheek. Some parts make Elizabeth into a mythological type of warrior. For example, there is a scene in which she effortlessly slays a ninja and then rips out his still beating heart and takes a bite. That just made me roll my eyes. There were a few added character changes (like Lizzy’s aunt) that were annoying but minor. Had the over the top scenes been toned down slightly to make Lizzy an incredible but believable ninja slaying warrior, I would have appreciated it more since she already had the drive and spirit to imagine her in such a light.

All things considered, if you love Jane, love zombies and don’t mind people taking liberties with a beloved classic, then by all means, give it a try. Otherwise, just skip it. I rate it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

That’s it for now. What have you been reading?

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, GoodReads, Letterboxd, or Spotify, 😉

PPS – Disclaimer: “Revolution of Love.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.”

In other words, if you click on my affiliated links and make a purchase, I get a small compensation that goes towards keeping the blog online. Big hugs to those who click and help support the blog! xoxo 🙂

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NOTE: The cute clip art came from GraphicDesignByMia over at etsy.

 


TV Talk: Downton Abbey, Season 6: Thoughts on Episode 9

logo_downton_season_6W2_I’m sorry I never got to post a recap on the finale, which I loved. My father-in-law (who had a stroke last year) has been sick and has taken a turn for the worse so I’ve been preoccupied. However, I’ve spent all morning praying and controlling the tears and I have to pick up kids from school in twenty minutes and need a quick diversion. This is my diversion. I don’t have time for a recap so I’ll just post a few comments.

As usual – SPOILER ALERT!

All photos courtesy of PBS Masterpiece.

downton_season_6_ep9AThe Downton finale ended just as I wanted it to… with smiles and laughs and story lines wrapped up in a nice neat bow, no matter how contrived it may have seemed. I loved that our formerly poor Edith finally got her happy ending. I love that Bertie got a taste of life without Edith and it made him realize that his life was not complete without her by his side. I love that Edith refused to get married under a cloud of deceit, having learned the hard way about not telling the truth, and faced her future mother-in-law with the whole story of Marigold. Brave girl! I am sure the drama would have been played up if the show was not ending in less than two hours. Instead things worked out and Edith was able to marry Bertie with a clean conscience and a heart bursting with love. Swoon.

downton_season_6_ep9CAfter all the anger I had for Mary last week, I was more than pleased to see her behavior this week. Matthew was able to bring out a softer side of Mary but Henry was able to bring out a better side in Mary that we didn’t even knew was in there. I love than she made reparation with Edith by bringing her and Bertie together again. I love the tenderness she displayed towards Henry and the sisterly, not so much affection…but respect she shared with Edith, especially when she withheld her joyous news so she wouldn’t steal Edith’s thunder. Classy, Mary. I loved the motherly glow she displayed with the news of her little one growing inside her. I loved the way she had no qualms about her husband being a car salesman or the way she helped Anna undress and give birth to her baby in her room and in her bed. Bravo, Mary.

downton_season_6_ep9BAnna and Bates! We have suffered with them and shaken our fists at Mr. Fellowes over their story lines but tonight we were able to see them both smile and rejoice at the birth of their bundle of joy. It’s about time.

downton_season_6_ep9DIt wouldn’t have been a true Downton episode unless Granny saved the day! I don’t know what I enjoyed more – Violet fighting for her best friend against the likes of obnoxious Larry and his gold digging wife or hearing Violet giggle as she read Spratt’s article, leaving the pain-in-the-arse Denker speechless.

downton_season_6_ep9GLike Bertie, when Isobel faced the prospect of losing someone special in her life, she realized how much she loved Lord Merton and it sparked the crusader in her ready to fight for the man she loved, with Violet as her wing man. 😉

downton_season_6_ep9EAnd there was so many other smiles:

  • Mr. Molesley leaving to be a teacher.
  • The business venture and bromance of Tom and Henry.
  • Thomas turning away from the dark side and embracing the force of goodness as the new butler.
  • Carson being able to stay at Downton despite his illness.
  • Robert’s appreciation of Cora’s work.
  • Daisy finally coming to her sense and seeing what a treasure of a man Andy is. (Not to mention getting a chic modern hairdo.)
  • Daisy’s joining Mr. Mason at the Farm with (presumed) Andy to eventually follow.
  • The tender looks between Mr. Mason and my second fave character after Granny – Mrs. Patmore. As Granny said, “It’s good to be in love, whatever the age.”

downton_season_6_epFELike Tom, I hate good byes. But I am thankful for the lovely six years we’ve had with the Crawley clan…

You were more than just characters on a show. You became a small part of my life as I cheered, cried and laughed with you. Thanks for all the memories. On tedious mornings filled with laundry and dishes, I will be sure to pop you into the bluray player and relive the memories once again.

And thanks to you all for joining me for the ride. 🙂

What was your favorite happy moment? What will you watch next?

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Periscope or Katch (past Periscopes), GoodReads, Letterboxd, or Spotify, 😉


TV Talk: Downton Abbey, Season 6: Episode 8 Recap

logo_downton_season_6W2_It was a roller coaster of emotions after the latest episode to Downton and now it’s time to sit and process so let’s get right into it!

(Sorry but that this ended up a lot longer than I intended!)

As usual – SPOILER ALERT!

All photos courtesy of PBS Masterpiece.

downton_6_8bThe arch characters in Sunday’s episode were sisters Mary and Edith. Edith was still contemplating whether or not she should tell Bertie the truth about Marigold. I must say that I hate when movies have a character that has information that they must tell a loved one but they lie or withhold it from them because they are scared of what will happen once they tell the truth. While I understand why they resist, inwardly I am screaming every time they open their mouth and don’t just come clean. It is like mental nails on a chalkboard within me so whenever Edith and Bertie were together I was dying that she was staying silent because the truth always has a way of coming out and it is always bad, at least at first.

To make matters more complicated, Lord Hexham, the owner of Brancaster Castle, died. Bertie, the cousin and agent, seemed to be without a job. In a striking change of events, Bertie was actually named the new Marquess of Hexham. As such, if Edith married him she would outrank them all. This came as a shock and pleasant surprise to the family. As Robert put it, “Golly gumdrops, what a turn up!” (Only at Downton could such a phrase be uttered with a straight face.) However, there was one person not pleased with the prospect of Edith as her superior. Mary’s looks were throwing daggers and when Tom teased her saying, “So we’ll all bow and curtsy to Edith. You’ll enjoy that Mary.” Mary coldly responds, “Hardly. And if Bertie really is Lord Hexham, which I still don’t believe, he won’t want to marry her now.” Seeing her spite, Cora replied, “Careful, or people will think you’re jealous, dear. We don’t want that.”

downton_6_8cWhile Edith was struggling with her dilemma, Mary was facing her own with Henry. Tom, almost obsessed with getting Henry back into Mary’s life, invited him to Downton. After spending some time away from Mary, Henry decided that he was going to fight for Mary telling her, “I am tougher than I look” and “If you’re trying to get rid of me, I’m going to make this as hard and as horrible as I can.” Mary was furious. For the first time I saw Henry as someone who could stand up to Mary and challenge her She is so used to having her way and people doing whatever she wants, it was nice to see someone meet her toe to toe and not back down.

Mary was feeling overwhelmed with the situation and had this conversation with Henry.

Mary: “I can’t bear to be maneuvered.”

Henry: “But, you see, I think we love each other very much. For some reason, you’re fighting it. I’m not. My birth is respectable so it can’t be that, which forces me to believe that it is my lack of money and position that present the problem. Aren’t you better than that?”

Mary: “What?”

Henry: “It just seems rather small to me. Not to marry a man for lack of money is the same as marrying a man because of it.”

Mary: (going upstairs): “Get out of my way.”

Henry: “Am I not right?”

Mary: “No, you push in here, into my home uninvited in order to call me a grubby little gold-digger? You’ve got a nerve.” And she stormed off.

downton_6_8dThe following morning Mary came down to breakfast and asked where Henry was. She was told that he had left. She was clearly upset that he was gone and she was soon taken over by the ghost of pre-Matthew Mary. All her anger and frustrations were whirling into a perfect emotional storm and she was ready to wreck havoc on whoever provoked her next. Unfortunately, that happened to be her nemesis Edith.

At the breakfast table Robert excused himself and after he walked out Bertie confessed that he was sorry Robert left before he could deliver his happy news. It was like watching a horror flick. Bertie was unexpectedly going to enter into a dark basement inhabited by a maniac serial killer. You could see the killer and the look in her eyes told you immediately what was going to take place but there was nothing you could do to stop it. Edith warned the unsuspecting victim not to enter into the dark basement with, “This is not the right moment” but he carried on. Just as they entered the basement the maniac raised her dagger and proceeded to slice them up with morbid pleasure.

My stomach was sick as I watched Mary calmly and calculatingly destroy Edith happiness by telling Bertie about Marigold and Edith’s past. While I do blame Edith for not coming clean with Bertie during the countless opportunities she had and while I was upset that she also kept poking the bear knowing full well how venomous Mary could be, I was livid with the way Mary callously exposed Edith. (Even as I am typing this and rethinking about it, my anger is rising.) I wanted to jump through the screen and throttle Mary and smack that smug look right off her face. (I may have to schedule a confession time this weekend. 😉 )

downton_6_8lBertie excused himself and prepared to leave for his trip. Before he left, he talked with Edith alone. He admitted to her that he was not hurt so much by the fact of her having a child or the scandal that may come with it, he was more hurt that she kept the truth from him. He told her that had she explained everything to him herself, things might have been different. He explained, “I don’t feel I can spend my life with someone I don’t trust. Who didn’t trust me.” Edith realized the mistake she made in keeping silent. They said their goodbyes and wished each other well. They both parted with broken hearts.

downton_6_8eAfter Bertie left, Tom confronted Mary about her behavior telling her, “Well you got what you wanted.” She tried to deny it and claimed that she didn’t know Edith hadn’t told him the truth yet. Tom would have none and finally showing his Irish temper argued, “Don’t play the innocent with me.” She tried to make another excuse but he yelled, “Don’t lie! Not to me! You can’t stop ruining things. For Edith, for yourself. You’d pull in the sky if you could! Anything to make you feel less frightened and alone.” They argued as she tried to justify herself in regards to Edith and Henry. Finally, she had enough and said she refused to listen to any more and she began to leave the room but not before Tom told her, “You’re a coward, Mary. Like all bullies, you’re a coward.” He left her there open mouthed and walked out.

downton_6_8fWhile back at home, Mary was feeling guilty and went to Edith’s room and tried to apologize. She made the same lame excuses about her not knowing that Bertie hadn’t been told about Marigold. Edith would not stand for it. She refused to believe her and told her exactly what she thought of her and her behavior with the most unladylike (yet justified) language. They go back and forth and Edith finally told Mary to leave her room. Mary silently refused to move and lifted her chin a bit higher (if I could have just reached out and slugged that chin… ahem, um, never mind.) Edith shook her head, gathered her things and walked out of the room. As she left she told Mary, “And you’re wrong, you know, as you so often are. Henry’s perfect for you. You’re just too stupid and stuck up to see it! Still, at least he’s got away from you, which is something to give thanks for, I suppose.” That one’s gotta hurt.

downton_season_6_ep_7cWhile all this is going on, Mr. Moseley started his first day as a teacher at the village school. Things were far from well as the children were unruly and disregarded anything he said. He felt disheartened and admitted to the staff that it was quite a challenge. The next morning Baxter walked with Mr. Moseley to school to give him moral support. He confided in Baxter about his fear of the students or their parents finding out that he was in service all of his life and was still working as a servant. She suggested that he be honest with them and tell them so “they wouldn’t have to find out.” (Hey, Edith, did you catch that piece of sage advice??) Moseley quietly gave it some thought then changed the subject to Thomas and his strange behavior. As he spoke a sixth sense or woman’s intuition stopped Baxter in her tracks. All the little clues she noticed about Thomas started coming together like pieces of a puzzle. She excused herself and rushed back to Downton.

Moseley continued to his classroom. As he was teaching his history lesson he told the class that maybe one of them would run the country one day. The kids claimed that such a thought was daft and that only a toff (which was a rich or upper class person) could run the country. He explained to them, “No, you see, you must never think that education is only for special people – for clever people, for toffs. Education is for everyone.” One student replied, “You would say that, sir.” He confessed to the students that he was just an ordinary bloke who spent his whole life in service fetching and carrying. They were surprised and spoke of their own parents who were in service. Moseley continued, “But I never gave up on learning, do you see? I read as much as he could and I taught myself, and I hope to be able to teach you. Maybe give you the shortcut I never had.” You could see the looks of the students’ faces. They were seriously considering what he was saying. He touched their hearts and inspired them to reach above what they thought possible. I think it was one of the best scenes of the show in the way it displayed hope and the need to look deeper within a person.  Moseley was always shown as a sort of bumbling fool but within there was an intelligent and sensitive man with more worth that other men deemed his superior.

downton_6_8hBack at Downton, Baxter was frantically searching for Thomas. Andy told her that he went to go take a bath. She tried to open the door and Andy broke it down for you. There they found Thomas in a bloody tub with his wrists slit. He was passed out but still breathing. They carried him to his room and called for the doctor. I think we all saw this coming so it was not a great shock but when the upstairs were told, they could not believe it. The silence was broken by Mary who asked Robert, “Do you still think dismissing Barrow was a useful saving, Papa?”  With a look of shock he replied, “That’s rather below the belt, even for you.” Seriously, Mary?? Someone better hid Tio the puppy because she may kick him as she walks by.

That evening preparing for bed with Anna, Mary does look shaken. With tears in her eyes she says, “What a day. I ruin Lady Edith’s life and Barrow tries to end his.”  When Anna brought up Henry, Mary was short with her. Mary apologized and called it a night. The following morning there was a sweet scene between Mary, Master George and Thomas. George visited Thomas in his room (did anyone else notice the nasty mattresses the servants slept on?) and gave him an orange as a gift. Thomas was touched and remarked that at least he had one friend. Mary asked him, “Have you been lonely?” Thomas answered, “If I have I’ve only myself to blame. I’ve done and said things. I don’t know why. I can’t stop myself. Now I am paying the price.” Mary responded, “Strange, I could say the same. I hope things improve for you. I really do.” He said, “I’d say the same if it weren’t impertinent, m’lady.” I am glad that Thomas was not killed off and that he has been given a chance at redemption. In the earlier seasons, he was definitely a character we loved to hate but I am all for conversions from the dark side to the light.

 

downton_6_8gAfter her visit with Thomas, Mary discovered that Granny had not only returned to England but she was sitting in her bedroom waiting to speak with her (thanks to Tom who had filled Granny with all the current details.) Granny questioned Mary about Edith and Mary’s facial expression explaining how she felt about Edith should seriously be a meme. Granny told Mary that she was unhappy and that was why she was lashing out. Mary listed all the reasons why she should not be involved with Henry – his lack of money, position, not being a true countryman. Granny asked that his credentials be left to the side for a moment. She wanted to know if Mary was in love with him. Mary was exasperated that she of all people would act as if his qualifications didn’t matter. Granny explained that Tony had all that she could wish for – birth, money, looks but he didn’t suit Mary because he wasn’t clever or strong enough. On the other hand, Henry was both.

Finally Mary broke down and admitted the truth. She tearfully told Granny that she could not be a crash widow again. She already lost Matthew to a car and she couldn’t bear to lose Henry the same way. She would not ask Henry to give up car racing for fear he would resent her. Composing herself momentarily, she asked Granny, “Oh, can’t you find me some duke. There must be one spare. So I can put Edith in her place?” Granny answers, “You are the only woman I know who likes to think herself cold and selfish and grand. Most of us spend our lives trying to hide it…. I believe in rules and traditions and playing our part. But there is something else….I believe in love.” She went on to advise Mary to first make peace with her sister and then make peace with herself. Mary nodded her consent and hugged Granny.

 

downton_6_8aIn other developments, last week Mrs. Patmore was excited and proud of her new bed and breakfast. However, we saw a man lurking in the bushes taking notes with a camera. It turned out that her guest, a doctor and his wife, was actually a married man with his mistress. Now his wife and filing for divorce and Mr. Patmore may have to testify as she was the proprietor at the alleged house of ill repute. She nearly fainted at the thought while everyone else, downstairs and upstairs got hearty laughs at the thought of her as “an unlikely bawdy house madam.” Fortunately, Rosamund suggested that she, Cora and Robert visit Mrs. Patmore’s establishment for tea. Carson was flabbergasted they would associate themselves with a “tawdry local brouhaha” (if he only knew a fraction of the scandals that went behind their own closed doors) but Robert rebuffed him saying they had enough back bone to handle it and they owed it to Mrs. Patmore (who was in grateful tears by now) to stand by her. In the end they had their tea and they made sure the newspaper was present to photograph them with Mrs. Patmore.

 

downton_6_8iMeanwhile, Edith and her editor are pleased that the new columnist for the magazine is doing so well but they want to meet the mysterious Cassandra Jones in person. Miss Edmunds told Cassandra that if she wanted to be paid more money then Cassandra would have to come to the office and negotiate in person. Edith and Miss Edmunds were unsure if  the real Cassandra would show up or an impersonator. They decided to have the code word “bananas” if they thought she was telling the truth and was the real Cassandra. Towards the end of the episode the mysterious Cassandra Jones was revealed and it is none other than Mr. Spratt! Well, that was a jolly good shock!

Elsewhere, in a moving scene in which Mary slowly redeems herself in my eyes, Mary visited the grave of Matthew and tearfully told him that she was in love with Henry and hoped that he was happy for her and she would be happy for him. She goes on saying, “Remember, however much I love him, I will always love you. ” (Is it weird that the Cure’s Lovesong started playing in my head at that moment?) Mary met Isobel as she was leaving the cemetery and she told Mary that she was delighted that she would be marrying again. Mary truly looked grateful.

downton_6_8kMary returned home and found Henry and Yente the Matchmaker, um, I mean Tom together. Tom left them alone and Henry asked, “Well?…Mary, the last time I saw you, you threw me out for saying that I love you. Now you’ve whistled and I’m here, but I don’t know why.” Mary admitted that he was right. They were both in love and she had been fighting it. She said they were equals in what mattered – in strength and compassion. She rang for tea and he was a bit flabbergasted asking, “Are you always so cool and collected? I do hope so…your words have made my heart pound at such a rate, I’m surprised you can’t hear it. I’m hot, I’m cold, I can barely breathe, and it’s all because of you.” He then asked if she was sure. She said, “I’m not 20, trembling at the touch of your hand, but I know that if I leave you now, I’ll never be as happy as we could’ve been together.” Henry replied, “I’m not 20 either, but I still tremble at the touch of your hands.” Mary responded, “Me too. I don’t know why I said that really,” and giggled. It was a tiny peek at what Mary could be like if she stopped wavering into the dark side.

As luck would have it, Henry already had a license, made his way through red tape and had an uncle who could marry them immediately since he was a bishop. Mary’s response to all this was, “Oh, good old England. Some things never change.” They kissed and made ready for a whirlwind marriage ceremony on Saturday.

The morning of the wedding, a car rolled up the drive and it was none other that Edith. She came up to Mary’s room and surprised the ladies. They left so the sisters could talk. After an awkward silence, Mary said, “You know I’m sorry.” Edith replied, “I assumed you would be fairly sorry unless you are actually insane.” They speak for a bit and Mary finally asked why she decided to come to the wedding. Edith answered, “Because in the end, you’re my sister. And one day only we will remember Sybil. Or Mama or Papa or Matthew or Michael of Granny or Carson or any of the others who have peopled our youth.Until, at last, our shared memories will mean more than our mutual dislike.” Mary looked touched. She asked Edith what Matthew would  think of all this, confessing that she went to his grave to tell him. She said Matthew loved her and wanted her to be happy and she was sure he’d be very pleased.

I have to admit that when I watched this Sunday night I was struggling to forgive Mary. Before I watched this episode, I truly wanted to see Mary happy and in love again and I would have been squealing with glee that she and Henry found their true love in one another. But after witnessing Mary’s cruelty to Edith, I could not jump into happy thoughts for her in less than an hour’s time. Witnessing Edith take the high road and display, what I viewed as heroic Christian virtue towards her sister, helped to soften my heart but I did not enjoy the wedding. I wished the writers had postponed it for the following episode. It all seemed so rushed before I could process everything.

However, having waited a day and re-watching most of the episode this morning, I was able to witness the wedding ceremony and listen to the words and see the couple and be truly happy for them. I was able to smile as they walked out of the church with a shower of flower pedals falling upon them

In the closing scene we saw Edith standing in the distance with a smile on her face as she watched the children, including her own daughter, laugh and run around Sybil’s burial plot (which was both poignant and slightly morbid). Robert toldCora, “Of all my children, Edith has given me the most surprises… and I’m sure we haven’t seen the last one yet.”  I’m 99% certain that Edith’s last surprise of the show will be her marriage to Bertie. I just pray that Mary has a hand in bringing it about as her way to make peace with Edith.

 

Random Thoughts

  • Daisy was actually sweet this week. She did well on her exams and told the staff about how well Moseley taught his students.
  • I thought we were done with the scheming Miss Cruikshank but Violet made her a visit and basically told her that she would not be attending her wedding unless Larry was to invite her personally.

 

Other Favorite Quotes

  • Mr. Bates: (Speaking about Henry) So you were wrong about him?”
  • Anna: “I think I was.” (Pause) “Why are you smiling?”
  • Mr. Bates: “Show me a man that doesn’t smile when his wife admits she’s wrong.”

 

  • Mr. Carson: “I have always known that women were ruthless, but I didn’t think I’d find the proof in my own wife!”

 

  • Baxter: “I hope he won’t mind if we undress him.”
  • Mrs. Hughes: “He’s past minding if we put him in a shy and threw coconuts.” (A rough modern day translation would be, “He wouldn’t mind if he was at a booth in the fair and we threw pies at his face for a dollar.”)

 

  • Carson: “And good luck to us all in the vain hope that we’ll avoid scandalous gossip.”
  • Mrs. Hughes: “You’re such as old curmudgeon.”
  • Carson: “Don’t say you’re going off me.”
  • Mrs. Hughes: “No, because you’re my curmudgeon, and that makes all the difference.” (And she kisses him.) 🙂

So, what did you think?? What was your favorite scene? Line? Are you happy that Henry and Mary ended up together? (Or as much as you love Henry do secretly wish she had ended up with Blake, her pig wrestling partner from season 4? No? Oh, yeah. Me neither.) 😉

Only one episode left! There will not be an episode next week on Feb 28. The 2 hour finale will air on March 6 at 9PM. Until then may your day be filled with golly gumdrop moments. 🙂

PS – You can follow RoL on Bloglovin, Feedly or another news feed. If you are a social media fan like me, we can stay in touch through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Periscope or Katch (past Periscopes), GoodReads, Letterboxd, or Spotify, 😉