Depoe Bay, Oregon
January 2018
It's been a long time since I've posted a month-end summary, but it's a new year and fresh beginnings, so I'm hopeful that I continue with this for the full year. Last month, SuziQOregon (at Whimpulsive) shared a list of all the first lines of the books she read in 2017. I thought it might be fun to do the same in these monthly summaries.
In addition to the books I've read, I'm going to start noting any favorite movies or TV shows we've watched during the month. I'm also adding some pictures of the puzzles we've been working on.
Books Read in January:
Morningstar: Growing Up With Books by Ann Hood
Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks by Annie Spence
The Dry (Aaron Falk #1) by Jane Harper
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
First lines:
When I was four years old, for reasons no one in my family could explain, I picked up my older brother Skip's reading book and I read it. (Morningstar by Ann Hood)
Dear The Goldfinch, We've grown apart. (Dear Fahrenheit 451 by Annie Spence)
It wasn't as though the farm hadn't seen death before, and the blowflies didn't discriminate. (The Dry by Jane Harper)
I shouldn't have come to this party. (The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas)
Movies & TV Series:
The Crown - I love this show! I love the history and the cast. I'm enjoying it so much that I decided to get a copy of the companion book and am eager to read it before Season Three begins. It's funny. I thought I would enjoy Victoria for the same reasons, but I just can't get interested. It seems too much like a soap opera.
Broadchurch - I think I may be just a little bit in love with David Tennent. He is so much more likeable in Broadchurch than he was as Zebediah Killgrave in Jessica Jones. Broadchurch is a wonderful, wonderful series with a great cast and superb writing. We are now two episodes away from the end of Season Two and it's hard not to binge, but I really want to savor this show.
Dunkirk - I thought this film was well done, but it was very intense. Dunkirk plays a part in Ian McEwan's novel, Atonement, and my reaction while watching Dunkirk was the same as when I saw Atonement on the big screen. It was terrible to watch the soldiers, anxiously waiting to go back to England, and under attack by the Germans as they stood on the beach waiting to board ships, as well as small leisure and fishing boats. After watching Dunkirk, I find myself thinking about rereading Atonement, which is one of my all-time favorite novels.
Puzzlemania
Since moving to Oregon, I have been bitten by the puzzle bug. I find great pleasure in working on a puzzle with my mom and we've done both 500 and 1000 piece puzzles. We have finished some in a few hours and others in well over a week. We've given up on one, but have stuck with all the others, even those that make us crazy with frustration!
Can you guess which was the most frustrating? The easiest?
Love your puzzles. I'm just not a puzzle person. At all. Not sure why but I like my puzzle in mysteries. That's how my brain works. LOL
ReplyDeleteI've watched the first season of Broadchurch, but haven't gone on from there. I need to go back to it. Maybe this summer.
Kay, I haven't always been a puzzle person, but I find it relaxing and a bit addictive. I never felt like I had time for it before, but we just leave it set up and work on it a little at a time. It's pretty rewarding to complete the difficult ones!
DeleteWe just finished watching Season Two of Broadchurch. I can't remember the last time I watched such a good series and I'm going to be heartbroken when it's all over. Olivia Colman and David Tennent are superb in their roles as Detective Sargent Ellie Miller and Detective Inspector Alec Hardy. On the plus side, Colman is going to play Queen Elizabeth in Season Three of The Crown.
I read Morningstar and Fahrenheit 451. Loved both of them.
ReplyDeleteI did not enjoy The Crown season 2 as much as I did season 1 but am looking forward to season 3.
I was sad to see Broadchurch end.
We did not enjoy Dunkirk as much as you did. My husband has a masters degree in military history and was very disappointed.
We are puzzle enthusiasts as well. There is always one set up on our dining room table. They are great stress relievers. Who is the manufacturer of the first one with books? Have you tried any WASGIJ? They are fun and a challenge.
Sharon, we just finished Season Two of Broadchurch and I am gong to be so sad to see it end after Season Three. It's really one of the very best shows I've ever watched.
DeleteYes, working on a puzzle can be very relaxing unless you have an entire section of the same color with no distinguishing designs. I really struggle with blue sky and water! I've never done a WASGIJ, but we did a Jan van Haasteren (which looks very similar) back in December. Our neighbor has dozens of those puzzles!
Oh, I loved, loved, loved this post! Such fun to hear about your whole month! Funny, I was thinking of writing more about the tv shows I watch. I have done occasional pieces on what I learned from tv, but haven't in a while. Broadchurch was good, but so, so hard to watch. I didn't think the second season was good, but the third one was as good as the first. I've seen the F. 451 movie but haven't read the book. Tom saw Dunkirk, but didn't care for it.
ReplyDeleteNan, I love your enthusiasm for this post! :) I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Yes, Broadchurch is hard to watch and I find myself holding my breath during a lot of the scenes, but it is so good. The writing is excellent and I love David Tennent and Olivia Colman. We finished Season Two last night and will start Season Three tonight. I am really going to hate to see it end!
DeleteThe book I listed isn't really about the original Fahrenheit 451. It's one of many books talked about in Annie Spence's humorous book about books. I don't think I've ever seen the F. 451 movie, but I did read the book years ago.
I didn't read past the : Duh!
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DeleteI enjoyed reading this post! It's been quite some time since we did a puzzle, but a blogging friend just sent me a Sanibel & Captiva map puzzle (unopened) that she found at an estate sale... looks hard, but we might start it on a rainy day. Love your new header photo.
ReplyDeleteJoAnn, this was a fun post to put together! And now I've tweaked my template a little bit, which allows for larger photos, so I'm very happy (but also wondering how far back I should go to resize them... maybe just some of the travel posts.) I'll bet the Sanibel & Captiva map puzzle is a lot of fun. Take a picture of it when finished, if you wind up working on it. I'd love to see it! My header is from one of my favorite spots on our path along the bluff. We keep pinching ourselves...
DeleteRetirement is looking better and better to me. I love how you are living your life.
ReplyDeleteDeb, you will love retirement! I am very content, although I'm sitting far more than I used to when I worked in the bookstore...
DeleteSo glad you'll also include shows in your monthly wrap-up. We always are on the hunt for a new show to watch. Broadchurch is amazing. We finished the third season and I miss it. We've started a show from Norway and not sure if we'll continue yet.
ReplyDeleteIliana, we've just started Season 3 of Broadchurch and I know I'll be heartbroken when it's all over. Thank goodness there are so many more to choose from. I may start Vera or This Is Us after Broadchurch. We'll see!
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