The first full week of 2016 just flew by. I did something foolish and hurt my back between Christmas and New Years so I spent a lot of time home just reading and using the heating pad. I was good to be back to normal this week as cabin fever was setting in.
We went to see Spotlight - based on a true story about a Boston Globe team who in 2001uncovered just how deep the Catholic priest scandal really went. It just may win the Oscar for Best Picture. FANTASTIC!
I finished (4) books for 2016 - 2 were started in 2015.
- Like Family; Paulo Giordano - 5/5 (arc) (Jan)
- The Guest Room; Chris Bohjalian - 4.5/5 (eGalley) (Jan)
- Between the World and Me; Coates - 4.5/5 (library) (Jan)
- The Opposite of Everyone; Joshilyn Jackson - 3/5 (arc) (Jan)
Now Reading
- My Name is Lucy Barton; Elizabeth Strout (very good)
- Banquet of Consequences; Elizabeth George (very good)
- The Bazaar of Bad Dreams; Stephen King (short stories - enjoyable)
New Books
- Charlotte Bronte: A Fiery Heart; Claire Harman (Knopf)
- Even the Dead; Benjamin Black (Henry Holt)
- My Name is Lucy Barton; Elizabeth Strout (Random House) Audio
- Hunting & Gathering; Anna Gavalda (Riverhead-purchase)
- Life, Only Better; Anna Gavalda (Europa - purchase)
- Eleanor; Jason Gurley (Random House Audio)
Enjoy your day!
Spotlight is getting a lot of buzz but it's not showing here right now. I hope it hasn't come and gone and I missed it. I'm glad your back is better!
ReplyDeleteIt's weird about Spotlight because it was at our mega cinema when it was released in November -- but only briefly. We ended up driving 25 miles to see it at a smaller theater this past week.
DeleteGlad to hear your back is better, and it looks like 2016 reading selections will be enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteThanks Terra - yes "back" to normal LOL
DeleteEven the Dead looks really good and I've been wanting to read My Name is Lucy Barton. Spotlight sounds like a fascinating and disturbing movie. I'll definitely have to watch it. Hope your back is feeling better! Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThanks Katherine. I do like Benjamin Blacks mysteries. As for Spotlight, it was so fascinating the way the team investigated and out it all together.
DeleteGlad your back is better. I've got a couple of your present reads and they were very good. The Bohjalian book is the one I am eyeing!
ReplyDeleteHope you'll enjoy Guest Room; have a great week.
DeleteA week ago, I read the first in the Benjamin Black "Quirke" series, Christine Falls -- and it was EXCELLENT. I plan to read all of them. I hope you enjoy Even The Dead. John Banville is amazing, and I think he writes even better under the pseudonym.
ReplyDeleteB. Black is a terrific writer. Glad u enjoyed Christine Falls.
DeleteSpotlight sounds good and hopefully it will be on Netflix or Amazon soon.
ReplyDeleteAfter the Oscars I suspect Brian.
DeleteI hope you're enjoying Lucy Barton - I loved it! And glad to hear your back is better - that's the worst injury to have!
ReplyDeleteI love the way Strout writes. It made me fondly remember how much I enjoyed Olive K.
DeleteI am glad your back is feeling better, Diane. I hadn't heard of Spotlight, but then, I don't keep up with movies the way I once did. It sounds like something I would like though. I had intended to start The Guest Room this past week, but didn't manage it. Something else caught my attention instead. I'm determined to get to it though. I've heard such good things about it. My Name is Lucy Barton is getting good reviews. That one is on my wish list.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a great week, Diane!
Thank you Wendy "back" is Back to normal:) I think you will enjoy Guest Room, and My Name is Lucy Barton is terrific as well.
DeleteHope you are feeling much better, Diane! I am really interested in seeing Spotlight. Look at you, already off to a great reading start! I have Lucy Barton on my Kindle and really want to read it.
ReplyDeleteMy Name is Lucy Barton is so good. My back is good now; thanks
DeleteI hope you feel better soon! I need to check out Spotlight. Been hearing a lot about it.
ReplyDeleteI'm good now; thank you. Spotlight is amazing.
DeleteAh, sorry about your back, Diane. Such a trial for you. Glad you had some good books to read. Hope this coming week is even better.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kay. Although having a bad back sucked, it was nice to sit around reading guilt-free:)
DeleteGlad your back healed quickly. I liked your list of books here.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a great week Diane :)
Denise
http://anenglishgirlrambles2016.blogspot.com
Thanks Denise. I just saw all of your HI pictures - so beautiful.
DeleteDiane, I'm glad your back is better; hopefully it's "back" to normal. (I've found that simple "yoga" stretches help me whenever I "tweak" my back.)
ReplyDeleteYour new blog design is gorgeous. The colors are gentle and lovely.
Enjoy your new books! I have some new books to "show off", and hope to post soon for Mailbox Monday.
Thank you for the yoga suggestions. It was foolish of me to twist and turn moving big furniture without asking for help. It was time to change the Christmas header LOL - glad u like the new one.
DeleteI so envy your living in a place where you could go see Spotlight. Upstate New York did not pick it up, much to our dismay. We're both former Bostonians (until 2005 when we took to the Adirondack Mtns.), and my husband, as a software analyst at the Boston Globe, spent a great deal of time assisting writers in the Newsroom all during this crisis. Hopefully, we'll be able to get it on DVD soon.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy the lists!
Judith (Reader in the Wilderness)
Judith - so fascinating your connection to Boston and your husband's role at the Globe.As for Spotlight, it was so fascinating the way the team investigated step by step and finally was able to put it all together. I suspect after the Oscars you will see it on Netflix etc.
DeleteI heard the audio was goo Vicki - enjoy
ReplyDeleteI like your new design! Sorry about your back. Hope it is getting better after resting and reading. Great start on your reading. Have a good week.
ReplyDeleteNothing worse than back pain. I too like your new design.
ReplyDeleteLooks like your reading is off to a good start. Have you been a fan of Joshilyn Jackson? I've read a couple of her books and only ever found them to be about a 3 rating. Not bad but everyone loves her so much I keep expecting more.
ReplyDeleteI love Claire Harmon and Charlotte Bronte, so the Fiery Heart book is sure to be a winner. I'm also eager to read My Name is Lucy Barton.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you're feeling better after having a sore back over the holidays--it's always frustrating when something like that happens.
Love Anna Gavalda! Enjoy :)
ReplyDeleteYay, Charlotte Brontë! :-)
ReplyDeleteI really wanted to see Spotlight, but it left my neighborhood theater before I got there! It will probably show up in one of the other theaters...I hope. Or I'll see the DVD. LOL.
ReplyDeleteI also want to read My Name is Lucy Barton. Thanks for sharing!
I've been hearing good things about Spotlight and I love the cast!
ReplyDeleteI had some back issues last month, thanks to my job. I need to remember that I can't lift heavy boxes like I used to do! I'm glad yours is feeling better.
ReplyDeleteYou enjoyed Like Family much better than I did, I think. I probably won't get a review written for a few more weeks, but I'll just say that while I enjoyed the writing, I never felt a connection to the characters. Something was lacking in the translation, perhaps.
Spotlight -- great movie. Courageous! My favorites: Spotlight and the Big Short. also Room maybe. It's hard to make journalism films compelling but Spotlight is amazing.
ReplyDelete