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Throwback Thursday: Annie Hall Turns 40

by manz

Annie Hall was released in April 1977 and seems to be a favorite Woody Allen film for many. I’m not a huge Allen fan and find most of his films annoying, but I enjoyed this funny, awkward, witty, and utterly charming romantic comedy.

The film spans the rise and fall of the relationship between Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) and Annie Hall (Diane Keaton). The film is full of the usual onslaught of Allenesque conversations and observations, but it’s the 70s and there are iconic New York film locations and high fashion to be noticed.

In 1978 the film won four of the five Academy Awards it was nominated for, including: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Original Screenplay.

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Fabulous Fiction Firsts #633

by muffy

An April 2017 LibraryReads, Kate Eberlen's engaging debut Miss You * brings to mind One Day by David Nicholls, where two souls that are meant to be, crisscross each other for years without connecting, after a chance meeting as 18 year-olds.

Tess and (An)Gus first met in a dim church in Florence and bumped into each other on the Ponte Vecchio while on holiday, before heading off to university in London.

Gus would read medicine, fulfilling the family wish. Tess never made it to university. Her mother's untimely death and the brute of a father meant she would stay home and raise her special-need younger sister, Hope.

Over the course of the next 16 years, as they individually fumbled through failed romances and marriage, balancing family and professional demands, the two narrowly missed one another several more times - while queuing up at Selfridge's one Christmas Eve; at a posh country wedding; at a frenzy Stones' concert where Gus, now a physician, attended to an unconscious Tess.

"Eberlen, who has written historical fiction and chick lit under the name Imogen Parker, excels in creating realistic characters whom readers will adore—including Tess’ unusual sister, Hope; Tess’ sassy best friend, Dolly; and Gus’ impulsive college pal, Nash. Eberlen also shines at keeping the story moving through 16 years of friendship, purpose, and love. Swoon-worthy." (Booklist)

Will appeal to fans of Jojo Moyes and Marian Keyes.

* = Starred review

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Fabulous Fiction Firsts #628, Pt. 2 "If you are here today...you are a survivor. But those of us who have made it through hell and are still standing? We bear a different name: warriors.” ~ Lori Goodwin

by muffy

Former book editor Jennifer Ryan's charming debut Chilbury Ladies' Choir takes us to a small village in Kent during the spring and summer of 1940.

With the men off to war, the vicar disbanded the church choir until the newly arrived Miss Prim(rose)Trent, a worldly, take-no-prisoner university music professor, challenged the women to form an all-female choir.

Over the course of six months, through letters and journals, we watch as these women continued to cope with the fall-out of war, scrimmage over village affairs, and struggle with matters of life and death, while the choir brought them together, sustained them in their darkest hour, and took them to great heights, far beyond their expectations.

Widowed Mrs. Tilling is resentful having to billet Colonel Mallard in her son David's room, only to find love when she least expects it; Edwina Paltry, a scheming midwife with a sinister plan and a shady past, is determined to cash in on other people's misfortunes, come hell or high water; 19-year-old Venetia Winthrop, wild and impulsive, is courting trouble by seducing a dashing artist who might very well be a spy; a 13-year-old accomplished First Soprano, Kitty Winthrop, plucky and fearless, finds solace in her music while navigating the grown-up world and her first heartbreak. Silvie, a young Czech refugee, taken in by the Winthrops, is anxious about the state of her homeland and the fate of her family.

For fans of Mary Ann Shaffer's The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society ; and Home Fires, a PBS period television series based on the book by Julie Summers. Television rights to Chilbury Ladies' Choir have been optioned by Carnival TV, the production company behind PBS' Downton Abbey.

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Enjoying and Understanding Outlander

by ballybeg

I just got around to reading Outlander. It is only the first long, complex book, of a long, complex series of books, loaded with characters, details, symbolism, history, and inter-weaving, multi-layered plots. The television series is another dimension of the Outlander phenomenon, also rich with period detail, language, folklore, and a dizzying array of settings and characters.

I was surprised and gratified, therefore, to discover these aids to appreciating the books and films, with some Scottish history and background, and lots of details to enhance the understanding of Gabaldon’s highly imaginative series.

For the television series, The Making of Outlander: The Official Guide to Seasons One & Two, adds interest and depth to the filmed version.

For the books, The Outlandish Companion Volume One is an elaboration of the first four books, and The Outlandish Companion Volume Two highlights details from books five through eight. Included are synopses of the plots, commentary by the author, glossaries of Gaelic language, bibliographies of books Gabaldon used when researching and writing the books, but also fiction series, by other authors, she recommends to enjoy and which complement hers (I got some good reading ideas here), and so much more.

For really fascinating detail about the rich world of Outlander, this book is a must: The Symbolism and Sources of Outlander: The Scottish Fairies, Folklore, Ballads, Magic, and Meanings That Inspired the Series. Here you can find: all about the mythologies of standing stones, sun and fire feasts; voodoo, Native American and Scottish folklore; the symbolism of plants, jewelry, animals, clothes, kilts and tartans (and what about that dragonfly in amber?); references to literature (the Bible, classics, Shakespeare and the English romantic poets) and music explained; and all about magic, witches, second sight, herbs, the sword dance, kelpies in the loch, La Dame Blanche, and more.

Then, just for fun, because everything ends with food, and who can resist oatmeal scones with clotted cream?, Outlander Kitchen: The Official Outlander Companion Cookbook.

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A Holiday Romance from Jill Shalvis

by CeliaM

Looking for something heartwarming and delightful to read this holiday season? Look no further than The Trouble with Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis.

Back cover:
Willa Davis is wrangling puppies when Keane Winters stalks into her pet shop with frustration in his chocolate-brown eyes and a pink bedazzled cat carrier in his hand. He needs a kitty sitter, stat. But the last thing Willa needs is to rescue a guy who doesn't even remember her. Saddled with his great-aunt Feline from Hell, Keane is desperate to leave her in someone else capable hands. But in spite of the fact that he sure he never seen the drop-dead-gorgeous pet shop owner before, she seems to be mad at him. Willa can deny that Keane changed since high school: he less arrogant, for one thing--but can she trust him not to break her heart again? It time to throw a coin in the fountain, make a Christmas wish--and let the mistletoe do its work.

I'm a huge sucker for holiday romances but they do tend to follow a couple of familiar tropes:
- Hero returns home after ten years to discover heroine has a child who is, suspiciously, ten years old.
- Everyone learns the true meaning of Christmas through a big holiday festival.
- Hero and heroine are stuck in a snow storm and are forced to shelter in a conveniently located abandoned cabin.

This book too has some of those classic elements - the heroine is obsessed with Christmas decorations and wears lots of sweaters and aprons with holiday themed puns embroidered on them. But it also has adorable animal antics, a cast of witty, meddlesome secondary characters, and some refreshing, unpredictable plot twists. Bonus: if, like me, Carl the doberman becomes your favorite character, he is featured in the novella sequel, One Snowy Night.

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Love in one day

by Lucy S

The Sun is Also A Star
National Book Award Finalist

In her second novel for young adults, The Sun is Also A Star, Nicola Yoon (Everything, Everything) takes an intricate and varied look at the immigrant experience in America as seen through the eyes of several different characters. The two main players in this story are Natasha, whose parents have lived in New York as undocumented immigrants for 8 years, and Daniel, who was born in America to parents who immigrated from Korea.

At the start of the book, Natasha’s family is on the brink of deportation and Daniel is facing pressure from his parents and “perfect” older brother as he is applying to top colleges. These two experiences, one of trying to stay in the United States, and one of trying to fit in, circle around each other to bring Natasha and Daniel together. Interspersed throughout Daniel’s and Natasha’s chapters are stories and vignettes from background players, including the universe, that round out the diversity of the immigrant experience, of faith and religion, fate, family and the search for one’s place in the world.

Many events that occur on the day that Natasha and Daniel meet seem fated, but could just be coincidence? This is one of the of the larger questions Yoon conveys. Do things happen for a reason or does it just seem that they do because of what we chose to notice? Natasha and Daniel first approach this puzzle from very different viewpoints but learn that they are not so disparate in their thinking after all.

And they discover together that whether or not people change, their eyes can be opened to new ways of seeing. Though these existential questions might generally contribute to teenage angst, Daniel and Natasha are not typically angsty. Worried, yes, but grounded as well. They have the same concerns as most teenagers, as well as larger concerns imposed by culture, family, and citizenship. “For most immigrants, moving to the new country is an act of faith. Even if you’ve heard stories of safety, opportunity, and prosperity, it’s still a leap to remove yourself from your own language, people, and country. Your own history.” Their love story is the best kind, romantic and awkward and thrilling all at once. Their chronicles of immigration and of belonging provide relevance to this romantic tale and show us that much can be accomplished through brave acts.

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Why Read Romance

by CeliaM

Let's be honest. Romance novels tend to get a bad rap. They get dissed and dismissed by people who don't read them. But try telling the readers who make up the billion dollar a year industry that romances aren't good and you'll have a lot of angry fans on your hands. In my experience romance readers are a loyal group, ready to defend their genre and their beloved authors.

Over the years numerous authors, bloggers, and industry professionals have stood up for the genre in pieces about who reads romance and why. One of my personal favorites is an article from historical romance author Sarah MacLean. She talks about the reactions she gets when she tells people what she writes:

"'When are you going to write a real book?'

Ah, Old Reliable. This one trots out at family gatherings, cocktail parties, reunions with old coworkers, drinks with other writers, playdates with other moms. It’s the most innocuous of the three, for sure—no one who asks it means to offend—but it’s loaded with insidious meaning.

These questions and their myriad brethren used to put me right on the defensive. I’d feel required to pontificate on the value of the genre, of its long history (Pride and Prejudice was a romance, didn’t you know?), of the value of books as entertainment, of the way romance builds literacy and community among readers, and the idea that the books are powerful feminist texts—written by, for and about women. In romance, after all, the heroine plays the role of the hero. And she wins. Always." (Sarah MacLean, 2016).

I read romance for all of these reasons and more. The plots, the characters, the sheer number of dukes in regency England and cowboys in Montana. I read them for the dialogue, the tropes, the humor (intended or not), the happily ever afters.

Stay tuned for more from the romance world. Favorites, classics, brand new picks, more!

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Fabulous Fiction Firsts #621 Spotlight on Women's Fiction Debuts

by muffy

Nine Women, One Dress by Jane L. Rosen. This LBD, darling of the season (picked no less by WWD) is 90-year-old Morris Siegel's swan song, capping a long career as the celebrated pattern-maker for the Max Hammer line. But before he can truly retire, his LBD will touch 9 women's lives in unexpected ways.

From a Bloomingdale’s salesgirl dumped for a socialite to a secretary secretly in love with her widowed boss. From a young model fresh from rural Alabama to the jaded private detective who might have a chance to restore her faith in true love. From an unemployed Brown grad faking a fabulous life on social media to a mean girl who would die for the dress. Their encounter with the dress will transform them in ways beyond their imagination.

"Rosen’s debut novel is rich in relationships, written with clarity and humor and surprise twists that bring the tale to a satisfying conclusion." (Kirkus Reviews). Charming and irresistible, Chick lit at its best.

Not Working is what Claire Flannery does, and not all that well. Lisa Owens' 20-something protagonist quits her job to find her passion, without a clear idea what that might be. While she navigates, observes, and comments on the emotions and minutiae of day to day life as only someone without the distractions of a regular routine can, she's trying the patience of everyone around her - from her brain-surgeon boyfriend Luke, to her mother who is no longer speaking to her (all Claire's fault).

As Claire begins an inevitable downward spiral, drowning her sorrows in gallons of wine, self-pity, and bad decisions, "Owens deploys a deft sense of humor to help us laugh at the incongruities of contemporary upper-middle-class crisis." (Kirkus Reviews)

Kat Lind, an American expatriate living in London is feeling particularly vulnerable, having just lost her mother, sent her young son Will to visit her in-laws; and missing her jet-set entrepreneur husband, Jonathan. When she notices the announcement of an exhibition by British artist Daniel Blake at a prestigious gallery, images of their time in Paris as students come flooding back. At the show, Kat is stunned to find paintings of a young Kat, including one entitled The Blue Bath that holds particular significance for both of them.

As their attraction rekindles and the portraits catch the attention of the public, threatening to reveal not only her identity but also some devastating turn of events, Kat must face life-altering decisions.

"Set in London and Paris, Mary Waters-Sayer's romantic debut novel is filled with lush settings, sensuous details, and poignant events. Readers will be wholly involved with Kat’s heartbreaking dilemma." (Booklist)

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Fabulous Fiction Firsts #607 "Fin del mundo y principio de todo" (The end of the world and the beginning of everything)

by muffy

My Last Continent by Midge Raymond is "a delicate romance, a fragile habitat, and two people who literally have gone to the end of the earth to find each other." (Booklist).

Every year, environmental scientist Deb Gardner makes the arduous journey to Ushuaia, commonly regarded as the southernmost city in the world - literally the end of the world. For a few weeks on the remote Petermann Island, she studies the Emperor and Adélie penguins in solitude, and conducts eco-tours for the cruise ship company that sponsors the research.

Keller Sullivan, a former Boston attorney appears one season to work as a dishwasher but shares Deb's passion for the environment. Soon they look forward to the blissful few weeks each season spent among their penguin family, to escape the frustrations and sorrows of their separate lives and find solace in their work and in each other. Then Keller fails to show up at the beginning of a new season.

Shortly into the journey, Deb’s ship receives an emergency signal from the Australis, a cruise liner that has hit desperate trouble in the ice-choked waters. Among the crew, Deb finds, is Keller.

"Midge Raymond’s phenomenal novel takes us on a voyage deep into the wonders of the Antarctic and the mysteries of the human heart. My Last Continent is packed with emotional intelligence and high stakes—a harrowing, searching novel of love and loss in one of the most remote places on earth, a land of harsh beauty where even the smallest missteps have tragic consequences... Half adventure, half elegy, and wholly recommended." ~ Karen Joy Fowler

Suggested read-alikes: The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney; The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman; and Euphoria by Lily King.

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Fabulous Fiction Firsts #605

by muffy

A best-seller in Europe, the first foreign-language romance novel to be translated and published in the U.S, All In * by Swedish author Simona Ahrnstedt is "sexy, smart, and completely unputdownable." (Tessa Dare)

David Hammer, the upstart, infamous venture capitalist and corporate raider, known for his brutal take-overs is poised to pull off the biggest deal in the history of Swedish finance, make it world-wide finance. His sight is set on Investum - one of Sweden's biggest and oldest financial institutions, owned and controlled by the De la Grip Family. After years of planning, all the players are in place; he needs just one member of the owning family on his side—Natalia De la Grip. He invites her to lunch.

(Countess) Natalia is everything David despises - upper-class, traditional, as close to royalty as you could get without actually being royal and yet he finds her brilliant, driven to succeed in a man’s world, and enchanting. Natalia is intrigued by this way-too handsome man who is rich, dangerous, and in the business circles - utterly unethical. However, the powerful chemistry between them leaves both of them exhilarated and vulnerable.

As the deal goes through, it turns out that it is not all about business. Past history, family secrets and revenge will force David and Natalia to confront their innermost fears and desires as they make deeply difficult choices.

“The author’s ability to skillfully fuse a luxurious lifestyle, a refreshingly different Swedish setting, a plot riddled with revenge and financial intrigue, and plenty of steamy romance means All In will be the must-have leisure read everywhere this summer.” (Booklist). For fans of the glitz-and-glam novels of Judith Krantz, Beatriz Williams, and perhaps Sylvia Day.

* = starred review