Book Talk: I've Been Reading...

A new year and a new lot of reading.  Which of course means time for me to do a blog post.  

 

Ta-da...

Well it may not be winter or even Christmas but that doesn't mean I stop reading Christmas Chick Lit.  Especially when they are this good and colourful.

Of course catching up on my Christmas reads isn't the only reading I've been doing.

 

A little bit of something historical, both true and not, was also on the agenda.  And each of these featured an interesting woman trying to go her own way, especially in love.

And speaking of love, romance chick lit reads for the win as always.  Especially when they are by 2 of my favourite authors... and in pink.  

 

Sigh.  

 

Just heavenly.

The Viewing Files: Cowboys and Indians

There's something about the scenery and the laid back attitude of westerns that appeals.   Give me a decent western and I'm pretty happy.  Of course finding a decent one isn't always easy...

The Sons of Katie Elder

Starring: John Wayne, Dean Martin

Original release:1965

Synopsis:  Four brothers return home for their mothers funeral

 

I've lost count on how many John Wayne western's I've watched and I've still haven't found one I've liked. Are they really all this long and boring?

Rio Bravo

Starring: John Wayne, Dean Martin... again

Original release:1959

Synopsis:  A sheriff tries to bring a murderer to justice

 

In keeping with my trend of finding John Wayne's westerns so far being all a bit long and slow, here's another one to add to the pile of "kind of boring and why did I bother".

Gunfight at the OK Corral

Starring: Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas

Original release:1957

Synopsis:  Earp, Holliday and that gunfight

 

The romantic fantasy version of "the gunfight' of the Old West with ton of male testosterone running rampant and women knowing their place.

 

The fact that I find Kirk D rather dashing in this is probably seriously twisted. I blame it all on my love for a bad boy with a gun and snarky attitude.

Paint Your Wagon

Starring: Clint E and Lee Marvin

Original release:1969

Synopsis:  The hunt for gold

 

Clint sings.

 

Yeah I know that's a bit of a shocker. But if you can overlook that and some of the other singing then as a comedy western it kind of works.

 

Really though I only watched it for "They call the wind Maria" musical interlude.

Cat Ballou

Starring: Lee Marvin and Jane Fonda

Original release:1965

Synopsis:  A woman hires a gunfighter

 

Jane Fonda when she was going through her Brigitte Bardot phase; all long blonde hair, dewy eyes and glossy lips. Somehow it just doesn't seem to belong in a western. Then again there is also singing so maybe it does.

Shotgun

Starring: Sterling Hayden

Original release:1955

Synopsis:  A Marshall hunts a deadly gang

 

Sterling Hayden shirtless and shaving... well that's reason enough to watch this.

The Last Wagon

Starring: Richard Widmark

Original release:1956

Synopsis:  Survivors of an Indian attack have to rely on a man wanted for murder to get them to safety.

 

I could watch Richard Widmark throw axes at people all day. The 'kids' on the other hand were kind of annoying.

The Man from Laramie

Starring: James Stewart

Original release:1955

Synopsis:  Apaches

 

James Stewart has become my western hero. Who knew that could even be a thing...

Bend of the River

Starring: Jimmy... again

Original release:1952

Synopsis:  Two men lead a wagon train to Oregon.

 

Why are James Stewart's western always so much better The Duke's... and shorter. Whatever the answer is I'm a fan.

The Far Country

Starring: Jimmy yet again

Original release:1954

Synopsis:  The Alaskan gold rush

 

Jimmy Stewart being an anti-social loner and annoying people left, right and center and I can so relate.

 

The Canadian scenery is an added bonus.

A Day in the Life - A Summer's Day in the Garden

Finally.  A sunny day and not a rain cloud in sight nor a breath a wind.  So how did my day go...

8.00am

 

Well hello blue skies.  now that's a much better start to the day than the rain we've been having

9.00am

 

Pottering around the garden and look at our lovely apricot.  I'm thinking it might be picking time.

10.00am

 

Still in the garden and busy trying to catch up on all my weeding.  In the meantime the bees are out and doing bee things.

11.00am

 

A quick break for cup of tea and the tomatoes are finally starting to be ready for picking.  Not a very big haul which I blame on all this crazy weather but still it's enough for a morning tea snack.

1.00pm

 

Some how midday came and went and here I am still in working in the garden.  Seems I've been watched over by a certain ginger boy whose hiding amongst the carrots.

3.00pm... ish

Finally the garden is looking good again and not a weed in sight... well mostly and I'm loving my garden path that Other Half laid down for me.  Makes getting around so much easier.

 

The sunflowers are also so close to popping out. Certainly they are tall enough.

4.00pm

 

Dinner time.  Too hot to do any cooking or eat a big meal so cheese and fruit it is.  And yummy cherries, blueberries and apricots.  My favourites.

5.00pm

 

After all that gardening it's time for a nice lazy read... with the fan on to keep cool.

7.00pm

And it's binge watching time and Other Half and I are getting stuck into season 2 of The Tourist. 

10.00pm ish

 

And the sun sets on another day and just look at that sunset.  We get some really amazing ones down here.

The Viewing Files: Mean and Moody and a whole lot of Clint

Sometimes you just want a mindless action movie with guns and shoot outs and dubious good guys.  Or even a whole lot of them.  Especially if Other Half is picking.

I may need some light and frothy rom coms after all that.

 

Hang em High

Starring: Well Clint of course

Original release:1968

Synopsis:  A Marshall survives a hanging and you just know he's going for vengeance

 

Clint being all mean and moody is exactly what we need.

Pale Rider

Starring:

Original release: 1985

Synopsis:  A mysterious preacher helps a bunch of prospectors

 

Back to Eastwood with another one of Other Half's picks and it's surprisingly entertaining. Bonus points for the mountain scenery

High Plains Drifter

Starring: 

Original release:1973

Synopsis:  A gun fighting stranger arrives in a small town... again

 

Ok. That was grim.

 

I'm torn between cheering for Clint cause the they had done him wrong and wanting to shoot him myself. Or at the very least club him over the head with a really hard shovel.

The Outlaw Josey Wales

Starring:

Original release:1976

Synopsis:  A man's family is murder

 

I'm starting to think that these last 3 movies are a trilogy which I've watched out of order because I'm pretty sure he's the same character in all movies.

 

If so it was nice to see a softer side before he became the avenging angel of death he was in High Plains Drifter.

 

If not then I'm really confused and still entertained. So that's something I guess.

Where Eagles Dare

Starring: Richard Burton

Original release:1968

Synopsis:  Nazi's being bad

 

Clint kills just about every Nazi on the planet and Burton charms the ladies and pretty much everyone else with his seductive patter.

 

Pretty much what you want in any decent action war movie.

Kelly's Heroes

Starring: 

Original release:1970

Synopsis:  A group of misfit soldiers plan a gold heist

 

I'm here for all the bromance and Oddball with a side of Moriarty.

Dirty Harry

Starring: 

Original release:1971

Synopsis:  He's a bad ass cop and they're the criminal

 

San Francisco has never looked so good or Clint so gruff and gritty.

Magnum Force

Starring: 

Original release:1973

Synopsis:  This time the baddies are cops

 

Harry's back and taking no prisoners.

Sudden Impact

Starring:

Original release:1983

Synopsis:  Harry after more bad guys... maybe

 

Harry. Doing what he always does. Shooting first and never asking questions. But with a softer side and a dog.

 

Brutal and entertaining the way these kind of movies were.

The Dead Pool

Starring:

Original release:1988

Synopsis:  A game, a list and Harry

 

I'm here for Patricia Clarkson and no other reason... well except to finish this series and laugh at the 80s trashiness.

Book Talk 2023: A Quiet Year of Reading

Would you believe my reading actually went down last year.  Who knew that was even possible. It seems I do do something beside endlessly reading.  I blame all the jigsaws... and the gardening.

Still 163 reads seems like a decent enough total.  And looking at my stats Chick Lit was the way to go for all my comfort reading.

And the stats were...

 

67   Chick Lit   

26   Audio books 

15   Non fiction 

15   Crime  

11   Thrillers

10   General fiction 

7     YA

7     Contemporary romance

2     Science fiction

1     Graphic novels

1     Children's fiction

 

Comparing 2023 with 2022 Chick Lit went up quite a bit while audio books took a big downward dive and non fiction also hit a slump. I definitely need to try and get both of these genres up this year. 

 

Everything else stayed pretty much the same and on the whole I'm still pretty please that I managed to mix it up genre wise.  If even just a little bit.  I'd like to get my science fiction, graphic novels and children's fiction up but as I'm super fussy it's always hard to find things I like in these genres.  I am however going to make an effort to out books in all the genres I'd like to improve on so recs are always appreciated.

As for favourite reads...

The Viewing Files 2023: The Watcher Files

And yet another up and down year of watching.  What with strikes and studios slashing budgets and shows it was a struggle to find things to watch at the end of the day.  A mixture of rewatches (Justified and Spooks) and catching up with shows I had missed earlier at least helped a little.

 

Oh well at least I managed to do a bit more writing, knitting and jigsawing as a result.

One can only hope that next year is a bit better.

Bridgerton

 

I debated about watching this and kept putting it off but finally I caved.  Which was a good thing as it meant I had 2 seasons to wallow in.  A Jane Austen wannabe (though a lot more sexier) for when you need a Jane Austen fix.  Now all we need are some of those other lovely Regency reads to be adapted.

Julia

 

Be still my beating heart.  But this was just glorious.  Funny and quirky with a touch of drama and sadness. 

One of those shows I will probably watch again and again. 

Murder in Provence

 

As much as I love gritty crime sometimes it's nice to go for something a little lighter and this was just the thing.   Murder with lovely scenery and one of my fav actors. 

Vera

 

Now this was my gritty crime fix for the year.  12 seasons on and still brilliant and featuring the always grumpy Vera and her trusty mac and hat.

Hijack

 

Idris is my man.  Even when he isn't Luther.  This time around he's a man on a plane and things are not looking good.

 

This one will keep you glued to your seat trying to figure out what is going on.  Just my kind of thriller.

The Last of Us

Just when you think you'll never watch another zombie show and another one comes along and knocks all the others sideways.

 

Seriously good thanks to a great cast (including the guest actors) and some tight writing.  One episode will actually make you cry it was so good.   Always a sign of  good show.  Or it is if you're me. 

Vikings Valhalla

 

My swoony feels guilty pleasure show.  Action, betrayal and this guy being all manly and charming.

Men with long hair and alot of scruff have never looked so good.

Silo

 

Read the books, watched the series and it's just so good thanks to a great cast and even better writing.

 

I'm now just hoping they don't ruin it all with a bad season 2.

Foundation

 

Complicated as anything (which is why we watched season 1 again before watching season 2) and yet fascinating at the same time.  Just when you think you know what is happening it twists it all around. 

So good. 

Bodies

 

The Brits are back and kicking it out the field with this brilliant time-travel show that's also a murder mystery.  Who knew that could even be a thing?  And it's amazingly good.  

 

Do I spy a series 2 on the horizon...

The Lazarus Project

 

Time travel is back in vogue and the Brits are just nailing it.  Both with the show above and this one.

 

Where as the above combined time travel with murder mystery this one is like a time travelling groundhog day.  Such a great concept.  Why I had missed the 1st season I have no idea.  But at least it gave me 2 seasons to binge back to back.

Wednesday

 

Finally something dark and twisty and oh so me.  Wednesday - yes the girl from the Addams family - finally gets a show all of her own and it's wonderful... if slightly demented. 

Just the thing then.