Wednesday, December 28, 2016

2016 Year-End Wrap-Up

My most liked Instagram pics of 2016. From top left: A used bookstore in Jimbocho, Tokyo; a new keyboard; crackers and cheese for the Readathon; The Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder by Rachel McMillan; a Sherlock word poster; southwest sunset; moi at the Hollywood Roosevelt; Calypso wants a cookie; and geisha in Kyoto.

The end is nigh... The end of the year, anyway. I know a lot of my internet peeps are happy to see 2016 out, but personally I had a pretty good year. I got to go to Japan (!!!), which was amazing; I published my first cocktail book, The Introvert's Guide to Drinking Alone; and my friends and family are all healthy and happy (insofar as the existential horrors and toil of daily life allows, of course). All told, 2016's probably been one of the better years I've had in awhile.

hakone open air museum
My personal favorite photograph that I took in 2016.

But enough of that, let's talk about something we really care about: books! I did not read many books this year at all (according to Goodreads the count is currently up to 85), but on the plus side there were more high points than there were last year. Some books of note:

the hating game
Favorite Romance Novel: The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

This is by far the best romance I read this year, maybe even in several years. I'm a sucker for books where the hero and heroine fight all the time, but Thorne takes it to another level by making Lucy and Joshua's "games" hilarious and ridiculously entertaining. These two had crazy-ass chemistry and their romance was so intense I never wanted to put the book down. Plus the entire world of Lucy and Joshua and their office is wonderfully realized and fleshed out. If you're wondering if the hype about this book is true, it is. Read it!!

a study in charlotte
Favorite Sherlock Adaptation: A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

I read quite a few Sherlock adaptations this year (shocking, I know), but my favorite of all was A Study in Charlotte, a YA novel narrated by the modern-day descendant of John Watson, Jamie Watson, and featuring the misadventures of Sherlock Holmes' great-great-great granddaughter, Charlotte Holmes. There was some pretty dark stuff going on in this book, but it never turned dour, thanks to Jamie's self-deprecating humor. There were also a ton of fun easter eggs for fans of the original Conan Doyle stories. Can't wait for the next volume!

drops of god
Best Binge-Worthy Series: Drops of God by Tadashi Agi

I spent most of July mainlining this manga series, which follows the adventures of Shizuku, son of a famous wine critic, and Miyabi, his friend and a sommelier-in-training. The plot revolves around Shizuku trying to figure out what the "12 Apostles" of wine are before his rival, Issei Tomine, does. It sounds like a nutty basis for a manga, but it totally works. I love the multi-dimensional characters, the storyline feels like it moves organically, and the art is absolutely gorgeous. Even if I didn't enjoy learning about wine, I'd still be all about this series.

drops of god
Tasting DRC Richebourg, Drops of God, art by Shu Okimoto

and then there were none
Favorite Classic/Audiobook: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

I'm not a huge fan of Agatha Christie, but after watching And Then There Were None on PBS, I was curious enough to give the audiobook a try. First of all, Dan freaking Stevens. It's so nice to hear his voice. I missed him so much! Second of all, even if you're completely familiar with the plot, the story is still a compulsive read. It's not about ten strangers stranded on an island so much as it is about moral ambiguity and facing personal demons. All of the characters deserve what they get, yet there's a sense of horror in their comeuppance nonetheless. While I would have preferred it if Christie had left the question of whodunnit unanswered, this is one of those deceptively simple novels that nearly anyone can get into.

marrying winterbourne
Biggest Disappointment: Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas

This was probably my most anticipated book of 2016. I loved Cold-Hearted Rake, Kleypas' previous novel in this series. But what I loved MOST about that book was the romance between Lady Helen and the department store magnate, Rhys Winterborne, which ended in a cliffhanger to TBC in this book. I was all set to be swept up in their romance, but it's hard to be swept into a story when NOTHING FREAKING HAPPENS. I swear to god I felt like I was watching paint dry. For the first half of the book, every other paragraph was exposition and backstory. DO. NOT. CARE. I nearly DNF'd it and I have never said that about a Kleypas book, not even the ones I thought were stupid. Total waste of time.

the black widow
Runner-Up: The Black Widow by Daniel Silva

I'm not even sure I should count this one, since I kind of abandoned it 50 pages in. Not in a firm DNF way, more of in a I-don't-really-want-to-read-this-right-now-and-oh-look-it's-due-at-library-shrug-oh-well kind of way. Usually Silva can pull me right into a story, but that didn't happen with this book, and I think part of the reason was the politics. Of course all of Silva's novels are political, but in this one it felt like the political aspect overshadowed everything else, including the plot and character development. I just wasn't in the mood to deal with it. This might be the book where Silva and I part ways.

a lady in the smoke
Favorite Mystery/Debut Author: A Lady in the Smoke by Karen Odden

Finally, I have to mention A Lady in the Smoke, a book that has pretty much everything I could ask for from a Victorian mystery: trains, romance, aristocratic ladies hiding their true identity, family secrets, crusading journalists, a scrappy pickpocket that could give Artful Dodger a run for his money. There were a few boring sections, but by the end I was an extremely satisfied reader. The romance subplot was really well-done, too. I hope Odden publishes more books in the future!

2016 By The Numbers:


  • 85 books total (a lot less than I wanted to read, tbh)
  • 17 of those books were romance (probably the first time since I started keeping track on Goodreads that romance hasn't accounted for at least half of my reading)
  • 19 books were mysteries
  • Only 3 were classics. Compare that to 2015, where I read 19 classics
  • 23 books were by male authors, 56 were by female authors, and 6 were either a male/female team or idk–pretty much the same percentages as last year
  • Of those 23 books by male authors, nearly half were nonfiction reads: 10
  • 22 books were published in 2016, less than last year


Tell me about your reading highlights this year!




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Monday, December 19, 2016

Monday Snapshot

Sophie is ready for winter.
I was planning to do this Sunday, then time got away from me. So instead of a Sunday Snapshot, this week we have a Monday Snapshot!

Currently Reading:

Black Ice by Anne Stuart: I thought I'd read this one before, but now I'm not sure. I remember literally nothing about it.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman: Decided to finally give this book a try.

Posted:

A lot!



Movies:

rogue one
Rogue One, starring Felicity Jones and Diego Luna

I went into this movie only knowing that it was a "Star Wars story." In some ways it's everything you'd expect from a Star Wars movie: a ragtag group of unlikely companions, consisting of droids, Rebel Alliance soldiers, criminals, misfits, and reluctant heroes, join together to fight the big bad Empire. In other ways it deviates from the Star Wars franchise dramatically. The first hint that this isn't your typical Star Wars movie is the soundtrack: while Alexandre Desplat's score has hints of Star Wars' iconic orchestration, it's darker and more muted. There's also no scrolling summary of where we are in the story as there have been with all the previous Star Wars movies, so it took me a while to figure that out.

But the major difference between this movie and the other Star Wars films is that the Star Wars franchise specializes in campy adventure. Entertaining adventure, but campy nonetheless. Rogue One, on the other hand, is closer in tone to a WWII movie. There are few "good guys" and "bad guys": both the Rebels and Empire do terrible things that are morally ambiguous at best, and what victories they gain seem small considering the cost. One might be left wondering if it was at all worth it, if one hadn't seen episodes 3-6. It's like Star Wars for grown-ups, basically.

As for whether or not I enjoyed it, at first the movie felt very episodic and pulpy, but once Jynna met with Saw Gerrera, the story sucked me in. The cinematography and acting are both top-notch. The script could have used a little (lot) more character development and the "inspiring speeches" were just like, whatevs. But I'm willing to forgive a lot in this movie because the last scene with Darth Vader was so awesome and badass.

If you like Star WarsRogue One is worth seeing. It's light years better than Lucas' wreck of a prequel, and more original than The Force Awakens.

This week in heidenkindom:

Less than a week till Christmas! Is anyone ready? If you are, you're leaps and bounds ahead of me. I have nothing wrapped, a mere scoach of presents and cards sent out, and I haven't even finished shopping yet. Awful. But I'm sure it will all get done. Eventually. Then I'll be bored. It's a never-ending cycle.

Anyway, if I don't post next Sunday, I hope you all have a Merry Christmas filled with hygge, cookies, friends, family, Netflixing, and reading. Happy holidays!

Boekenkerstboom









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Saturday, December 17, 2016

Virtual Advent 2016: Favorite Christmas Albums

virtual advent blog tour

The Virtual Advent is hosted by Sprite Writes. You can check out all the Advent stops on Sprite's blog. Thanks for hosting again this year, Sprite!



Usually for Virtual Advent, I share my favorite "not holiday" movies, but this year I decided to switch it up a bit and focus on something else I enjoy: music.

Back in the days before iTunes and listening to music on your computer, people listened to albums. While I'm A-okay with shuffling my 8,000-song library at any given time, when it comes to Christmas I still gravitate toward listening to one album at a time. Maybe it's because there's something nostalgic about it; maybe it's because holiday albums help set a mood where listening to a random selection of singles can't. Or maybe it feels like it slows life down just a bit to pick out an album and then pay attention to it instead of having a continuous loop of music playing.

Either way, I enjoy my Christmas albums, but of course I have some favorites that I thought I'd share to put you in the holiday spirit. Remember Christmas Day is only one week away!

the little drummer boy a christmas festival
The Little Drummer Boy: A Christmas Festival by the Harry Simeone Chorale

This was a record (an actual record; I still have it) that my grandparents owned and I was OBSESSED with when I was little. I would listen to it over and over and over. It basically tells the story of Christmas (the Jesus one, not like A Christmas Story) through traditional carols. It might seem strange that a young child would be that into a Christmas album like this, but what can I say. I was a strange kid. You can stream the entire album on YouTube.

john denver and the muppets christmas album
A Christmas Together by John Denver and the Muppets

This is another childhood favorite. As a kid growing up in the '80s, of course I loved the Muppets, and my mom was a huge John Denver fan, so that was win-win for the whole family right there. My favorite songs on this one are Miss Piggy's rendition of Christmas is Coming, The Twelve Days of Christmas, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

You can also stream this one on YouTube!

peter paul and mary christmas album
A Holiday Celebration by Peter Paul and Mary

Another group my mom was really into was Peter Paul and Mary. This is probably why I love folk music today. Anyway, it's not Christmas without the PP&M Christmas album! I love the mix of unusual Christmas carols on this album, especially Light One Candle (which I guess isn't a Christmas song per se) and A Soalin'.

This is another album streamable on YouTube, you lucky ducks.

a colbert christmas
A Colbert Christmas, the Greatest Gift of All! by Stephen Colbert, et. al.

How do I love Stephen Colbert, let me count the ways. This album–and the Christmas special it comes from–is a pure, subversive delight from start to finish. A few of my favorite songs include Toby Keith's Have I Got a Present for You and John Legend's Nutmeg. Stephen and Elvis Costello singing There Are Much Worse Things to Believe In always makes me cry, because I am a sap.

weezer christmas album
Christmas with Weezer, by Weezer

If you're tired of caroling and want to put some electric guitar and drums into your holiday carols (and who doesn't), Christmas with Weezer is perfect! There appears to be several versions of this album available online, but it's short and fun no matter which you choose. I particularly adore their rendition of O Holy Night.

michael buble christmas album
Christmas by Michael Bublé

I feel like I spent my entire adult life waiting for Michael Bublé to put out a Christmas album. Is that weird? Anyway, he finally did, and of course his voice is like butter and he's basically the Frank Sinatra of our time, so. You can stream it on YouTube, or! stream any of his annual Christmas specials as well.







What are some of your favorite Christmas albums?




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Sunday, December 4, 2016

Sunday Snapshot – Of Beasties and Blinds

Graffiti in the "Golden Gai" section of Tokyo.


Currently Reading:

A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie: It seems like it took forever for Miss Marple to show up.

Posted:

Reviews of three books about or related to wine over at Book Riot.

Movies:

deadpool movie
Deadpool, starring Ryan Reynolds and Morena Baccarin

I'll admit that when this movie first came out, I didn't want to see it because the previews made me think, "Hey, I have enough misogyny in my life; let's not introduce any more into it." Plus, I've been highly suspicious of comic book movies everyone loves ever since Guardians of the Galaxy put me to sleep TWICE.

However, I was wrong, and I apologize. I knew this movie would have my undying loyalty when the opening credits listed "Writers: the true heroes of this story." It was entertaining from start to finish and I loved the sarcastic humor of Wade/Deadpool. I also thought Morena Baccarin, whom I shall always think of as Inara, did an excellent job. Yes, it had dark humor, but it was the kind of dark humor where you tell someone they suck because you love them so much. Warm fuzzies all around. It wasn't even that misogynistic by Hollywood standards. Can't wait for the sequel!

fantastic beasts and where to find them
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, starring Eddie Redmayne and Katherine Waterston

Newt Scamander travels to New York City by ship (apparently wizards can't apparate across oceans; don't ask me why because I wouldn't be able to tell you) with a bagful of invasive, non-native magical species. Naturally, they get loose and wreak havoc, but that seems like the least of Newt's problems once the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA, rhymes with yakuza) gets involved, all worried the muggles will figure out magic exists.

This is an excellent film, from beginning to end and top to bottom. Everything is on point and wonderfully executed: the script, the art direction, the special effects, the acting. Redmayne does a fantastic job, not that I'd expect anything less from him; but the actor who stole the show for me was Alison Sudol, who plays Queenie. That's a difficult character to make likeable and give depth to, but she managed it perfectly. I knew as soon as I saw her I recognized her from somewhere, but IMDb was completely unhelpful. Then I realized she's the singer known as A Fine Frenzy! She also writes screenplays and movie soundtracks. A very talented woman; keep an out for her.

Anyway, there's absolutely no reason not to like this movie, and I did enjoy it. But at the same time it didn't pull at my emotions or suck me into the story the way the Harry Potter movies and books do. Idk, maybe if I'd read the book first I'd have been more engaged. Still, definitely a brilliant film. You won't be wasting your money if you go see it.

This Week In Heidenkindom:

Whelp, I haven't gotten any Christmas shopping done yet and I'm buried in work. But instead of taking care of any of that today, I decided to fix a blind in my bedroom that's been broken since the Bush administration. The online instructions said it wouldn't only take 20-30 minutes!

ha ha no

The project was beset with difficulties from the very beginning:


  • Couldn't get the end pieces off. Had to ask my dad for help.
  • Couldn't find a needle to thread the new strings through the blind. Jerry-rigged an ornament hook for the job instead.
  • Strings kept falling off the guides, so I had to ask my mom to hold them while I slid the end pieces back on.
  • Re-threading the cord lock was impossible. Had to ask my dad for help again. He said, "On a scale of difficulty this is an 11 out of 10."
  • FINALLY got the whole thing put back together. Stuck it back up on the blind brackets. Pulled the cord. Brackets broke and the whole thing crashed down on top of me.


cats in blinds

I am so done. Who needs blinds anyway.

Bonus:

holiday cocktails

Check out these winter cocktail recipes from Penny Watson over at Book Bloggers International.


Have an awesome week, everyone. Drink safely.





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Sunday, November 27, 2016

Sunday Snapshot


Currently Reading:

The Burning Page by Genevieve Cogman: There's a lot of unnecessary repetition going on in this book, which is kind of weird.

A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie: Christie certainly had a talent for coming up with unique premises for mystery novels, I'll give her that much.

Posted:

Mini-reviews of The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer, The Masked City by Genevieve Cogman, The Heir by Kiera Cass, and Noblesse Oblige by Cynthia Smith.

Movies watched:

sour grapes
Sour Grapes, directed by Reuben Atlas and Jerry Rothwell

If you've run out of art crime documentaries to watch, why not watch something about wine fraud instead? This doc investigates Rudy Kurniawan, a "wine expert" who came of nowhere and defrauded dozens of rich white guys with bottles of fake wine, to the tune of at least $33 million. The private investigator hired by David Koch poetically called Rudy "the Great Gatsby of millennials."

This documentary has everything: a charismatic kid with a mysterious past, fancy wine, a billionaire with an underground cellar larger than two or three average American homes put together and hidden behind a secret passage (say what you want about David Koch, but at least he's doing filthy rich right), an adorable French winemaker somewhat inaccurately dubbed "the Sherlock Holmes of wine," Wall Street d-bags being out-wine snobbed by Robert Parker ("You like this? It tastes like swamp swill to me"). But even though it's obvious what Rudy's game is from the beginning of the doc, a mystery still remains: who funded his entree into the world of fine wine, and who profited from his success? Definitely recommend this one!

sky ladder
Sky Ladder: The Art of Cai Guo-Qiang, directed by Kevin Macdonald

Cai Guo-Qiang is a famous Chinese artist who uses an unusual medium: fireworks. You might remember his work from the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony, although that's probably not the best example, artistically speaking. This documentary specifically chronicles Cai's 20-year quest to create a ladder in the sky connecting heaven and earth, while delving into his life and past projects.

The strength of this documentary is the gorgeous cinematography, which captures Cai's work from large-scale firework displays to "studies" painted with gunpowder. The work itself is really cool and innovative, as if he's sculpting with light and powder. Still, some people question if Cai has sold out his artistic integrity to the Chinese government. Even though I had to read large sections of the movie, it still wasn't boring. Really a fantastic portrait of an artist and his life that doesn't shy away from criticism, either.

bad santa 2
Bad Santa 2, starring Billy Bob Thornton, Christina Hendricks, and Kathy Bates

I never saw the first Bad Santa, from what I can gather based on this one, the franchise is about grouchy, depressive nihilist who uses the role of "Santa" as a front for criminal activity.

If you're looking for a heartwarming holiday movie, this isn't it. I kind of wish I had mind bleach for this one, actually. Is Christina Hendricks that desperate for work now that Mad Men's over? If she is, I will willing start a charitable fund to keep her from making another movie like this one. I would say this movie was pretty bad, not because it wasn't funny or because of the gratuitous cursing, sex, and general disgustingness, but because underneath it all it all rang weirdly hollow? Like they were going through the motions of being bad rather than channeling true nastiness. IDK, I'm not a Bad Santa expert.

This week in heidenkindom:

I hope all you USA-ers had a good Thanksgiving. I certainly tried to. There was pumpkin pie, at least. Now I have to try to think of gifts for everyone and I'm coming up with a complete blank.

Bonus:

foodie guest posting

Get ready for December Food Fest at Book Bloggers International! I have some excellent guest posts lined up, but if you still want to participate I'd love to fit you in. Just drop me a line anywheres on the interwebs.



Bonne nuit and have a good week everyone!


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Saturday, November 26, 2016

A Heap of Mini-Reviews

I've been neglecting book reviews on this blog for much too long. The problem is, while I do have things to say about the books I've been reading, I rarely have bunches to say about them. So, enter mini-reviews!

For this batch of mini-reviews, I'm looking at a mystery, YA dystopian, fantasy novel, and thriller. Which were worth my time and which made me want to set fire to something? Read on to find out!

noblesse oblige cynthia smith
Noblesse Oblige by Cynthia Smith (mystery)

Emma Rhodes has a very unusual job: essentially, she's a private problem resolver. Rich people hire her to solve their problems, big or small, in just two weeks for the low low fee of $20,000. Business is strange, but good: Emma wears the best clothes, drinks the best booze, and jets between her three homes in NYC, London, and Spain. On this particular week, she's house-sitting in Bruges when she happens to be in the right place at the right time to stop the kidnapping of a member of the Belgian royal family. The royals quickly retain her services, but Emma soon realizes she may not survive the two weeks until she can collect her fee.

I read this book when I was a teenager, and I remember being all about Emma Rhodes. She has everything a girl could want: a life full of travel, handsome men, excellent food, exciting puzzles to solve, and best of all complete independence. She's practically the female version of James Bond. As an adult, I found this more irritating than anything else (jealousy? perhaps) and also found it hilarious how Emma goes into rants that leave her sounding like an octogenarian whig. Some of the things Emma has issues with:

  • Kids these days! They blame their parents for everything!
  • Cell phones: terrible invention of the 20th century, or WORST invention of the 20th century?
  • People who don't say good morning. Even if you're a not a morning person, there's no excuse for being rude!

Anyway, I did like this book, but Emma probably won't be my role model. Anymore.

the heir
The Heir by Kiera Cass (YA dystopian-ish)

Princess Eadlyn is the first female to ever be in line for the crown, thanks to her politically progressive parents. But despite their open-minded policies, her parents think forcing her to submit to the traditional Selection–where suitors are gathered from all over the kingdom to compete for a royal's hand in marriage–is a good idea. Eadlyn disagrees, but is forced to go along with it. Nevertheless, she is determined never to fall for any of these "boys."

This is the first Selection book I've read. It was okay. I liked that Eadlyn was a total bitch, but in a good way. Cuz, you know.

bitches get stuff done gif


I found the details of the Selection often vague or illogical. For example, the cameras–when and where are these people being filmed? Sometimes it sounds like there are hidden cameras on them all the time, and sometimes it's only when they're permitted. If they're only allowed during official times, how would they have "caught" her kissing Kyle? Makes no sense. Perhaps it's explained in the previous three novels.

The book ends on a cliffhanger, sort of, and there's another book to wrap everything up, but I'm not sure I'm going to read it. I don't really care who Eadlyn winds up with and the drawn-out passages about other couples in love and how mayyyybeeee she might want that (or not) made me want to scream. How on earth has this been stretched into five books?

masked city genevieve cogman
Masked City by Genevieve Cogman (fantasy)

Librarian Irene has been permanently assigned to Viction Steampunk London with her apprentice, Kai, a dragon. Then Kai is kidnapped by the fae, the dragons' mortal enemies, and taken to a fae-controlled Venice that's a mix of fantasy, dream, and nightmare. Will Irene be able to rescue him and prevent a war between the dragons and the fae that could stretch across worlds and destroy everything the Library has accomplished?

I liked previous book in this series, The Invisible Library, but I adored Masked City. First of all, Venice! And not just any Venice, but the Venice of imagination, with prisons straight out of a Piranesi sketch and a constant whirl of masked balls and mysterious happenings. Another highlight was Sherlock Holmes–oh, sorry, he's called Vale in this alternate–who remains true to the Holmesian tradition by being at once an irritating jerkface and completely awesome. I am totally shipping him and Irene, I don't care about the canon. The ending of the story was very abrupt but left me wanting more and more. I definitely recommend this series!

the chemist book
The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer (thriller)

The Chemist is basically Meyer channeling David Baldacci or Lee Child. Unfortunately she's really bad at it. Basically, you've got a woman of several names and unknown age, hiding from an evil government department she used to work for. What exactly this department does, is called, how she got the job, and what she did there, is never specifically addressed. At some point someone decided she and her mentor were expendable (again, we're not really told why) and attempted to kill them both. They succeeded with the mentor, but she survived. Now she's on the run, dodging assassination attempts. Perhaps she would have more luck with this if she moved beyond driving distance of DC (just a suggestion on my part but what do I know). But then! The department contacts her, asking her to return to the fold and stop a nonsensical terrorist plot that only she can prevent.

I appreciate that the smart, ruthless main character in The Chemist is a woman–you'd never see her like in a Child novel, for sure–but nothing in this book sounded plausible, and reading the long-ass explanations of our paranoid heroine's daily routine was like watching paint dry. Meyers gives us all the details we don't give two shits about and skips over the information that would make this book feel at least slightly grounded in reality. When the secret twin showed, I was done.

ugh

Major ugh.


Stay tuned next time for more mini-reviews!


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Sunday, November 20, 2016

Sunday Snapshot

Kiyomizu-Dera, Kyoto

Currently Reading:

The Chocolate Temptation by Laura Florand: Hygge reread!

Real Food/Fake Food by Larry Olmsted: This book is making me paranoid about everything.

Movies:

girl on a bicycle
Girl on a Bicycle, starring Vincenzo Amato and Louise Monot

Paolo, an Italian, just proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Greta (she's German, in case you couldn't guess by the name), only to be captivated by a French woman riding a bicycle on the streets of Paris. When he accidentally hits said woman with a tour bus, he becomes embroiled in her life, all while trying to maintain his relationship with his fiance.

This movie is like the European Union in romantic comedy form. In other words, a complete mess. I'm talking twenty car pile-up on the interstate during rush hour level of disaster here. Odie Henderson of RogerEbert.com called it, "the worst romantic comedy I have ever seen," and I'm somewhat tempted to agree, although I feel like I have seen worse. Can't remember what they were at the moment, though. Anyway, I fell asleep about an hour in and that's probably for the best.

This week in heidenkindom:

Not much going on this week. I finished up a bunch of writing assignments that were due and did some half-hearted Thanksgiving shopping. Oh, and I shopped for auto insurance. The thrills just keep on coming.

Bonus:

I feel like you guys deserve a bonus after that blah description of my week, so how about an adult "coloring" book illustrated by Walter Crane??


Have a hella fantastic week and a yummy Thanksgiving, everyone!




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Sunday, November 13, 2016

Sunday Snapshot – Everything is Strange

Hakone Open Air Museum, Japan

Currently Reading:

Real Food/Fake Food by Larry Olmstead: I don't recommend the audio on this one; the narrator sounds like he's constantly surprised and it's a little OTT. The book itself is good, though.

The Forgers by Bradford Morrow: Honestly, I haven't read more than a few paragraphs all week. Might be time to throw in the towel and start on something new.

Movies:

red obsession documentary
Red Obsession, directed by David Roach and Warwick Ross

In recent years, the price of Bordeaux wines has skyrocketed, so much so that they've priced themselves out of the market–the US and European markets, that is. China, on the other hand, is Bordeaux mad, relentlessly seeking wine from the most famous Bordelais châteaux and willing to pay enormous prices for it. Why is China so obsessed with red wine and will the bubble ever burst?

An interesting documentary, although probably only worth watching for hardcore wine geeks. I learned that China is making wine now in the Gobi Desert! That's about all I have to say about it, though. I prefer Burgundy wines. And champagne.

doctor strange
Doctor Strange, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Rachel McAdams

After a car accident, dashing and brilliant neurosurgeon Dr. Stephen Strange starts to spiral. Without the use of his hands, he can't perform surgery and his life has no meaning. Then he hears about the Kamar-Taj, a mysterious place in Nepal (inhabited by what appears to be characters from Assassin's Creed), where he might find a magical cure. While he doesn't find a cure, he does find magic.

This movie has everything: A library, beards, flying, Benedict Cumberbatch with a weird American accent, magic, time travel, martial arts, moving buildings, a loyal cloak. It's trippy, dude. I'm really glad I didn't watch it in 3D because I would have probably thrown up. Anyway, Cumberbatch does a great job, as usual, and his cheekbones are amazing. I do wish someone other than Tilda Swinton had played the Ancient One, because her white Britishness does not add a lot of authenticity to this movie. To say the least. But other than that it was different and entertaining and I enjoyed it.

This week in heidenkindom:

I was going to say something about the election here, but I just don't have it in me right now. I think I need more time to process it. I actually predicted Trump would win, but I'm still recovering from the shock. Also, protip: Facebook is a trash fire.

Bonus:

Chrisbookarama has an excellent idea to devote the coming months to hygge (pronounced "hooga"), a Danish word meaning "cosiness." It involves creating a warm environment and enjoying the good things in life: food, alcohol, friends and family, more alcohol (I kid, maybe), hobbies, etc. This made me think of my favorite comfort reads and maybe having a go at rereading them this winter. Some of my favorite are:




...and a bunch of others. I'm also open to new comfort reads, so if you think of any I'd like, let me know in the comments!


Have a hygge week, everyone!




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Sunday, November 6, 2016

Sunday Snapshot


Currently Reading:

The Forgers by Bradford Morrow: The only book I bought in Japan.

The Heir by Kiera Cass: I wouldn't have thought I'd be at this point in the book and wondering who she'd choose, and yet I am.

Posted:

Explore Jimbocho, Tokyo's bookselling district.

Movies:

inferno movie
Inferno, starring Tom Hanks and Felicity Jones

Harvard University professor and symbologist! Robert Langdon is confuzzled when he wakes up in a Florence, Italy, hospital with blood all over hisself. Then a woman with a gun tries to break into his room and kill him, which leaves him only more confused. His only chance at figuring all this out is the beautiful young doctor who saves him, and a map of Dante's Inferno.

According the professional critics, this is "the best Dan Brown book to movie adaptation to date." Uh, I guess. If you like being bored. The movie was okay but it felt INSANELY long. The other two movies may not be "good," but at least one enjoys watching them. This one has no Paul Bettany and no Ewan McGregor, and the art/secret passages aspect was disappointingly small. Plus I could have done without either of the love stories–really did not care.

They did fix a lot of the problems in the book, but it was still lacking in any oomph or conviction. You can stand to wait for this one to come on cable, believe me.

This week in heidenkindom:

Another busy week, but full of fun things to do. Monday was Halloween, officially my least-favorite holiday, and I'm glad it's over. We did take the dogs for a walk in their costumes, though, so everyone could admire them. Calypso and Sofie were bad and good angels, respectively, and Thor was a dragon!


Thor really really hated his costume. It was hilarious.


Anyway, then on Tuesday my mom and I went to the zoo with one her friends and her friend's grandchildren. Fun fact about me: I LOVE zoos. It was beautiful fall day and we got a couple of good shots outside.




The cutest bunny ever.

This Sunday we also went to a holiday preview wine tasting, an event specifically designed to get you liquored up so you'll foolishly spend more money than you would otherwise. But if you can manage not to do that, the tasting is free, which is awesome. I tried a few interesting wines but I absolutely CANNOT WAIT for the champagne wine tasting they have coming up.

Bonus:



I'm still looking for guest posts for Book Blogger International's December Food Fest! If you want to participate, email me at book bloggers intl at gmail, or hit me up on Twitter @heidenkind.

Have a great week!





Discus this post with me on Twitter, FaceBook, Google+ or in the comments below.

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