updates

BOOKS
                    

 Wings by Aprilynne Pike
This is another of those supernatural storylines except the difference is about fairies. A young girl turns into a fairy and tho it couldve been a good story, it really wasnt. I finished it, but wasnt impressed w/it. The middle had another storyline involving trolls trying to drown her and it had a whole different feeling to the book which really through me off. Its supposed to be a 4 series book w/#3 coming out this May but it didnt really hold my interest.

Still Alice by Lisa Genova
This one was great but the ending was weird. This book is about a 50yr old woman who's diagnosed w/alzheimers and the writing and the progression of the illness is really good. While I was reading it tho, I had certain fears of my own forgetfulness. haha!!!

Dark Fever by Karen Marie Moning
Dont even bother with this one. Its boring and tho there's no actual sex in the book it has several inappropriate scenes in it and really it was just boring. I skipped through it after about half way just to see how one particular part of the storyline played out but between the made up words for these fantastical creatures and the humdrum of the writing.....it was just ugh!!!!

The secret life of bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Great book!! loved the storyline and the characters. I didnt even realize tho till later that the main character was a white girl. But the book has love and fear and was just really good to read!! 

 Wicked witch and curse by Nancy Holder
I started this book but the first few pages had a man being sacrificed for this pagan ritual and a woman making her small child drink the blood that was squirting out of the body and I just had a feeling that I really shouldnt read this book. So, I stopped!!!




I was just noticing that technically I only read 4 books since last time I updated!! How weird, but I'm reading a very long one right now so maybe thats why!!! Plus, I have been very busy at work lately. hahaha

MOVIES

Red- netflix dvd
Great movie...loved all the actors in it and it had a good storyline and pretty good acting.      

TV
This is one of my mom's favorite movies and I always enjoy watching it too. I like how even tho there's a secret going on....it wasnt one of those movies where the person actually lied to the other. I love Minnie Driver and David Duchovney as well so that helps.

TV
Another one I've seen but hadnt in a long time and love both these actors. Its a quirky, funny movie and has some funny scenes in it but mostly just an I love you, oh this is too hard I dont love you, oh wait a minute I really do love you, type of movie!!!!  But very cute!!

  TV
Had never seen this movie all the way through before and enjoyed it. It was nice to see Whoopie in a good character movie. Its a depressing movie but I think everyone should see it at one point.

 Netflix- instant play
So this one was interesting cause it has two storylines....
A pair of literary sleuths unearth the amorous secret of two Victorian poets only to find themselves falling under a passionate spell.  Thats from IMDB. Its been in my queue to watch and then my niece one night asked if I had watched it cause it had Jeremy Northam (Mr. Knightly) and Jennifer Ehle(Elizabeth Bennet) so then of course I had to watch it. It was ok...a little slow in parts but it was a good story and very fun to watch all the actors. 

DVD
So after watching the above movie,(since Gwyneth and Jeremy are in it) I needed to watch this one which I've seen a thousand times and enjoy every single time. Some of my favorite lines???  
"Pork, Mother"(Miss Bates talking to the hard of hearing Mrs. Bates)
and "vanity working on a weak produces all kinds of mischief", (Mr.Knightly to Emma) and Mrs. Westons lovingly advice, "let his actions be your guide".  Love this movie

Netflix- instant play
I've seen this one several times and like it. Tho its hard for me to watch Mel lately. Love Elijah Wood as a little boy. 
Its a good love story!!







 
                               

TV
 This is one of those movies that I dont know why its not in my possession. I LOVE this movie soooo much.  Great storyline, great acting, all my favorite actors, the ending is just so great and I want to see it again just talking about it.

  TV
First saw this movie w/my friends teenage daughter back in like 98' and watch it everytime I see its on. I really like this movie. Jennifer is great as Selena and the music is really good. I remember the day that a neighbor came to me and said Selena had been shot. I didnt know who she was, even tho I grew up in Texas, but I hope this movie was a good testament of her life cause it was great.

  Redbox
I got this one for Dylan and his friends and he told me I should see it and it was very good. It was interesting to see how smart these people are that come up w/these ideas and how greedy some can get. but I liked how even tho these guys were suing him, they did need some credit and deserved some compensation. My opinion.
 It's a good movie to watch.

  Redbox
This was pretty good. Nothing to rave about and kind of reminded me of the movie Losing Isaiah.

     TV payperview
This was really cute. Loved it. The beginning is hilarious when they get set up on a date. Soooo funny. Its a cute romance movie with great actors and a very cute storyline. this is a must see.

 Netflix- dvd
I wanted to watch this for awhile because I like to see any adaptations of Pride and Prejudice but I wont be seeing this one again. It was cute cause it was bollywood...but it was boring. They broke out into singing and the acting was so-so, so it didnt make it my gotta own list.

TV
I watched this cause it reminded me of dylan and we all know I'm having major sentiments this year due to him graduating in a few months. I really love this movie tho.








TV

   Survivor is back baby......Redemption Island and the best part is Rob is back, Bad part is that Russell is back. and this season redemption island is where you go when you get voted out and you battle w/the other voted out person and then the loser really goes home. At some point, one of those people will come back to the real game. Its been on a few weeks now, and the other best part......Russell actually went home for good last week. Can you give me a hallelujah!!!! Sorry Randy.

 I stopped watching American Idol a few years back and decided to give it a try cause of Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez and it was fun during the casting. Steven and Jen are great to watch and made the show this year. Tho after hollywood week when they picked the finalists and some bad ones were chosen and some good were not, I got a little mad. So, I'm just watching the finals shows but only if it doesnt interfere w/something else.

Music

The Moses Lake Stake puts on a production every year and this year was Sound of Music which I love. Sylvia and my coworker Kerry went with me and i was glad to have gone. I knew a few people in the play so that made it more enjoyable. It is definitely a amateur production but that can be fun sometimes. But being the way I am, it was a little hard to process any other Maria than Julie.

February Bookclub

So bookclub this month was a book that I picked and we met at Becky Yawney's house. It was a good turn out but some were missing.
 I was really nervous about this bookclub meeting because I picked Homers Odyssey by Gwen Cooper(I've already blogged about this book a few updates ago) and tho I just absolutely loved it, I was worried what the others would think especially with it being about a cat. (dayna and her cats,right?)  Well, turns out several actually did read it and liked it. I was really happy with the discussion from everyone and how they enjoyed the book and seemed to see the book not just as a book about a cat but for the other parts that was the journey for that book. So I thought it was a great success and cant wait to pick another book for this group again.
Our refreshments this night were brought by everyone and we had some very yummy cookies and fruit and bread w/vinegar and it was all delicious.
So next month's book was chosen by Jayma Mears and its "To Kill a Mockingbird".

Homer!!!!

updates

BOOKS

  Viola in reel life by Adriana Trigiani
I love her books and this one pretty good too. It was different in that the main character Viola is about 14 and throughout the book are many references to todays teens way of life.(I'm surprised Twilight wasnt mentioned..haha). It's a cute book and an easy read.

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
This is a book from the teen reading in the genre of the wolfy/supernatural. I liked this one. It read good and the storyline was great. There's a second book coming out The Lost Saint soon, so cant wait for that.

Fallen by Lauren Kate
about a young girl called Luce (full name Lucinda Price, Luce for short) who gets sent to "Sword and Cross" reform school. Here, she meets Daniel Grigori, of who she immediately feels that she has met him before. Luce then finds out she has met him before as they are destined to fall in love over and over again, but that their love will only end in grief, as Luce usually dies after being with Daniel.
I really liked this book. It had a good story and I cant wait to read the next one Torment which continues Luce and Daniels story.

Evermore by Alyson Noel
I did not like this one. Another immortal book which is fine but the storyline was weak and this author likes to throw in teen drinking/sex and drugs like its a normal thing for teens to do when we all know that THE most popular "teen" books of all time have none of that. I dont even care if there are more in the series. I'm not reading them.

Messenger by Lois Lowry
I'm not a big fan of this author but I read this one since the main character was my favorite character in the Gathering Blue book. I will say that this was the best of the three books.

 Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jaime Ford
This is an AWESOME book. Very well written and a great story w/some interesting history woven in. It's written as a past/present timeline and w/ family and love relationships. VERY good!!!!

MOVIES

netflix-instant play
This is an old movie from 1989 staring Crispen Glover that was a favorite w/my sister and I and when I watched it again it was just ok.













netflix-instant play
This stars Cate Blanchett and was really good. It also stars Rupert Penry-Jones, Billy Crudup and Michael Gambon. Wartime story w/la love story mixed in. I really enjoyed this movie.

 tv
I liked this one...had seen it before but forgotten about it. I love Shirley McClaine. It's a cute, tender movie.

netflix-dvd
Wow!!  What to say about this movie. It was good....A very different movie and luckily I'm the sort that can appreciate this type of movie. There's no real way to describe it...you just have to see it.

 netlfix-instant play
This is a BBC version of Wuthering Heights. It aired during on Masterpiece Classics back in 09. I loved it and fell in love w/Tom Hardy who plays Heathcliff. If you love these kinds of movies...this is a good one.

Downton Abbey.....I was so excited for this to come out and it excelled my expectations. There were 4 parts so I had to wait, to see the whole thing but it was soooo worth it. Too many great actors in it to list so I wont and just a really great series. Have to get this for my collection.






TV

 The biggest Loser
I havent watched this in many seasons but my interest was peeked when Sylvia said the Rulon from the olympics was on it this season and I've become hooked. I dont like Rulon or his partner(isnt that kind of funny) and am rooting for the purple team and the green team.

 Brothers and Sisters
I found this on netflix and FELL IN LOVE!!! the best part is that the series is still going on. I'm so hooked on this Walker family and loved the seasons that Rob Lowe was on as Senator McCallister. I love this whole family!! Netflix only had up to season 4 so then I had to sign up for HULU( 1 week free trial) and watch 13 eps. of season 5. This Sunday it comes back on ABC 10p. Cant wait to continue the Walker sagas!!!! (side note:I watched roughly about 65 hrs of this show in 2 wks. I couldnt stop. It was so much fun)

 Thirty Something
I really shouldnt put this one on here cause I got the idea to watch it from Ken Olin and Patricia Wettig in Brothers and Sisters. I watched a few episodes and quit cause I found the characters boring and they were all so selfish and whiney. Friends being jealous of their friends spouses, husband being jealous of the kids and I just didnt like it.

Survivors
This is a BBC show that I found on Netflix and it was really good. There are 2 series at only 6 episodes a piece. Its based on a virus that kills everyone but a few and these guys find each other and take care of each other while searching for the main characters son and trying to find out how it all happened and of course there's the normal bad guys and a facility that knew the virus was going to happen. It ended w a big cliff hanger and then I read online that BBC cancelled it. WHAT?? I'm so mad about that.

January bookclub

This months bookclub book was Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry.

The central character, Kira, who has a twisted leg, is orphaned and must learn to survive in a society which normally leaves the weak or disabled exposed to die in the fields. In Gathering Blue Kira needs a reason for the Council of Edifice to keep her in the village and not take her to the Field. Along the way she meets characters such as Matt and his dog (Branchie), Thomas, Jo, and Christopher (Kira's dad). For Kira, finding Blue dyes is the best thing for her. Along the
way, she learns more about the truth of her village and the terrible secrets they hold.

We met at Nadine's house (which is really nice and comfy) and Abigail Nielsen was the lead. Seemed like everyone cept a few read this book. Her discussion came from the questions in the back of her book and everyone pretty much had the same outlook on the story. (We all love Matt and Branchie)
This is the companion book to The Giver.(there's another too) I read The Giver awhile back and to be honest didnt really see why everyone loves this series so much. But I'll read the 3rd book since the main character is Matt. Even though we had the meeting at Nadine's, she didnt want to pick a book so I graciously volunteered. I fretted over it tho, going back and forth and with a little prodding from another reader....I chose Homer's Odyssey which is what I really wanted to pick. The girls took it in good stride. (Since it's about a cat,I didnt want them thinking"oh gosh, Dayna and her cats")
So we'll see how it goes!!!

updates

BOOKS

 Beautiful Darkness-Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
The 2nd book to the Caster Chronicles and just as good. I liked the same writing style and the added kick to the story. Cant wait for #3

Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper
I cant say enough about this book. It's a true story of Gwen and her blind cat that she adopted at 4 wks old. He grows w his disability and she grows just from the care and love that comes from not only taking care of an animal but from one w/no sight and doesnt know it. They have an amazing story and is a definite must read even if you dont like cats!!!!

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
This was our BKclub for Jan. Its one of 2 companion books to The Giver. Everyone really praises these books, but I dont see the what all the attention is for.

Hannah's Dream by Dianne Hammond
REALLY loved this one. An Elephant trapped at a failing local zoo is cared for by an elderly couple that treat her just as if she's a child to them but the man has literal dreams of her being at a better place. It's a great read and very heart touching. 

Mistletoe and Molly by Janet Daily
I only read this cause I forgot my book and it was a slow day at work so my coworker gave me this to pass the time. It was one of those silly romance books but the storyline and writing wasnt as bad as some I've read.

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
I've read Shannon before and really like her and this book is no exception. Great story....involved characters and a great ending. I love her books cause they're written for young adult girls but us old ones love them too.








MOVIES

dvd
I only watched this cause its spoofed the Twilight Saga Movies and it was pretty funny if you have an open mind. There's some inappropriateness to it but it was worth seeing just for a laugh.

Netflix dvd
this is a made for tv movie about Temple Grandin who is autistic but educated herself and has many accomplishments. The movie was really good and interesting.

dvd
This was given to us by our Secret Santa and I wasnt sure that I would ever watch it but it was actually really good. Nicholas Cage and Jay Baruchel w/Alfred Molina. Liked it very much.

Redbox dvd
Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz in this action type movie and I liked it. It's hard to watch Tom now cause he's so weird now, but it was a good storyline and there were certain parts that I thought the filming was being portrayed as an old classic type movie which I enjoyed.

Netflix dvd
This is a movie done in 1988 starring Lucas Haas who I love, love, love. It was good when I watched it back then and it was still good all these yrs later. It also stars Len Cariou, Alex Rocco and Katherine Helmond and is a suspenseful, supernatural thriller. It's good!!!

Netflix-dvd
I started crying w this one right away and it was nice seeing Zac Efron play a serious role. The story is good, I ddnt know much about the movie so I was surprised at the turn it took. It also stars Amanda Crew that is in one of my other updates.

Redbox-dvd

This was a waste of $1.08!!!!

Tho it had Greg Kinnear, that was its only value!!

Netflix-instant
I was very very hesitant to see this movie. I dont really like the Disney version due to a little 3yr old about 22 yrs ago that would watch it over and over and over and over and over and over and over, but I watched it out of boredom and now its on my to buy list. I thought it was very well done!!!

Redbox-dvd
I was so excited to see this movie and it was such a disappointment. The dinner part was only like the last 20 min. and the before stuff was just a bunch of crap. I love Steve Carrell but this is not one of his good ones.

Netflix-instant
This is an older movie and have never seen it. Keanu Reeves, Charlize Theron, Jason Isaacs(lucius malfoy), Michael Rosenbaum(smallville), Frank langella so it had a good cast and it was good at the beginning but when she got sick I think that when it went down hill and then the ending was so ridiculous. I didnt like this one.

Netflix-instant
 This one is a classic for me. My sister and I used to watch this one alot. Tom Hanks, Shelley Long, Alexander Gudunov (who I love) and it's a cute comedy and is classic Tom Hanks humor.

 My favorite part is when Walter is on the stairs and the whole thing is falling apart and he's hanging onto the ledge and anna comes running out of a bedroom where a raccoon has attacked her and steps on his hands. Love that!!

Netflix-instant
Watched this a good while back. It came out in 96 and I had forgotten the ending of it.  Has Will Patton,Ellen Burstyn, Marcia Gay Harden and its about a young girl released from prison and ends up in this small town becoming really good friends w/the owner of a diner and tries to start over. It's pretty good.

DVD
Love this one.....Hayden Christian Anderson, Samuel L Jackson and others. I saw it in the theater and loved it then. I love the storyline and kinda wish they had done more of these.








TV

Parks and Recreation- NBC
Netflix-instant
This has been on their programming for 2 seasons and I started watching ssn 1 just out of curiosity and it's really good. Couldnt stop watching and headed into ssn 2. It's funny and cute and cant wait for the 3rd ssn coming up in next week!!!!!

BBC
Netflix-instant
Found this one by accident and looked cute, plus I'm a succor for british comedies and it was good. Had alot of smoking and drinking but it had a good story and good characters and there's a series 2 but not available yet. Darn it!!!