Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

 

Title:  Sense and Sensibility

Author:  Jane Austen

Narrated by:  Rosamund Pike

Publisher: Audible Studios

Length: Approximately 11 hours and 25 minutes

Source: Included with my Audible membership

What is your favorite book featuring sisters?  I feel like Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Little Women, and the Little House series are my favorite books featuring sisters.

In Regency England, the Dashwood sisters; Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret have just lost their faither.  Their half brother inherited the entire family estate and now the sisters and their mother must start a new and reduced life.  Luckily, Mrs. Dashwood’s cousin, Sir John Middleton, has a cottage for them to live in.  With their reduced circumstances, will they be able to find love?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       Rosamund Pike was a lovely narrator.  I enjoyed this audiobook so much!  Rosamund Pike played Jane in the 2005 Pride & Prejudice which made it extra fun to have her as a narrator.

·       I read Sense and Sensibility in April for the @dees.reads Classic Buddy Read.  There was good discussion in the Instagram buddy read group that focused on how the novel was very much Elinor’s story and that Marianne was underdeveloped and very emotional.

·       I am also trying to reread all of Austen’s novels this year to celebrate her 250^th birthday I am running a bit behind!

·       John and Fanny Dashwood are so detestable.  I love how Austen masterfully wrote this scene with Fanny talking John down to giving his sisters nothing.

·       It was interesting look into who you can count on in life.  Sir John is a distance relation, but he is very helpful to the family.  John Dashwood is their half-brother, but he does nothing.  Mrs. Ferrars cuts Edward out of her will, but not her other son, Robert, for the same “sin.”

·       I thought it was interesting how Mrs. Dashwood and Marianne share many of the same qualities.

·       I always feel like Elinor is my spirit heroine as the oldest sister trying to keep it all together to help her family.

·       Willoughby is such an intriguing villain.  I always find myself loving him although he is a terrible person.  His last visit to explain himself to Elinor is very self-serving, but it also makes me understand his love for money is more than his love for anything else.  It makes me feel sorry for his wife!

Overall, Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen is a beautifully written classic novel with unforgettable characters.  The audiobook narrated by Rosamund Pike was an excellent edition to listen to.

The Starlets by Lee Kelly & Jennifer Thorne (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Title: The Starlets

Author:  Lee Kelly & Jennifer Thorne

Narrated by:  Gail Shalan

Publisher: Harper Muse

Length: Approximately 9 hours and 17 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Harper Muse & NetGalley.  Thank you!

Do you have a favorite epic movie from the golden age of Hollywood?  Gone with the Wind is my favorite epic classic movie.

In the summer of 1958, Vivienne Rhodes, has traveled to the Italian island of Tavalli, to star in the new epic movie, A Thousand Ships, about Helen of Troy and the Trojan War.  She is surprised to discover that she will not be the star, but her nemesis, Lottie Lawrence will be the star.  Lottie “stole” Vivienne’s fiancé and Vivienne is still reeling from the heartbreak.  Vivienne and Lottie inadvertently discover a murder on the island and are soon on the run.  Will they be able to find help and solve this mystery?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I read about half of this on audiobook and half in the physical book.  I enjoyed both media formats and read this book quickly.  The narrator was engaging.

·       The storyline moved very quickly and kept me on my toes.  I really wanted to know what was going to happen.

·       I loved all the nods to real Hollywood movies and stars from that time period.  I love classic movies and old Hollywood.

·       I enjoyed how the two women were enemies, but were able to put aside their differences, get to know each other, and work towards a common goal.  They became friends by the end.  I loved how their relationship developed.

·       The characters were great.  I loved Vivienne and Lottie, but the other characters on the set were fun and interesting as well.  The villains were very dastardly.

·       I liked the adventure too as the two women fled through Europe. There is a scene involving Ben Hur and a race car that I will never forget.

·       There were great moments of humor in the book as well.

Overall, The Starlets by Lee Kelly & Jennifer Thorne was a fast-paced historical fiction novel set in the golden age of Hollywood with unforgettable characters.  I loved it and highly recommend it!

 BOOK DESCRIPTION

One perfect island. Two rivals. A star-studded cast. But underneath the glitter, disaster is brewing.

Summer, 1958. Vivienne Rhodes thinks she’s finally landed her break playing Helen of Troy in Apex Pictures’ big-budget epic, A Thousand Ships, an anticipated blockbuster meant to resurrect the failing studio. Naturally, she’s devastated when she arrives on the remote Italian island of Tavalli and finds herself cast as the secondary character, Cassandra—while her nemesis, the fiancé-stealing Lottie Lawrence, America’s supposed “sweetheart,” is playing the lead role instead.

The tension on set, though, turns deadly when the ladies discover that members of the crew are using the production as a front for something decidedly illegal—and that they are willing to kill to keep their dealings under wraps. When the two women find themselves on the run and holding key evidence, Vivienne and Lottie frantically agree to work together to deliver the proof to Interpol, hoping to protect both their lives and their careers.

Staying one step ahead of corrupt cops and looming mobsters, the archrivals flee across the seas. Their journey leads them into Monaco’s casinos, Grace Kelly’s palace, on a road trip through the Alps—even onto another film set, before a final showdown back on Tavalli, where the lives of the entire cast and crew hang in the balance. Vivienne and Lottie finally have the chance to be real heroines—to save the day, the film, maybe even each other—but only if they can first figure out how to share the spotlight.

ADVANCE PRAISE

“A spry and suspenseful crime novel set just after Hollywood’s golden age”— Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A sheer delight! This fast-paced caper is fresh, fun, and exactly the escape readers need right now.” — Marie Bostwick, New York Times bestselling author of Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly

AUTHOR BIOS

Jennifer Thorne is an American author of books for adults and young readers who writes from a nineteenth-century Cotswold cottage in the medieval market town of Minchinhampton alongside her husband, two sons, and various other animals.

Born in a small town in Tennessee, Jenn grew up bouncing between her parents’ homes in various other states and countries, with books as her constant companions, before returning to New York as a teen to study drama at NYU. Though acting had been her lifelong dream, she found that she was more fulfilled by writing performance vehicles for her friends than acting in them herself. After a move to Los Angeles, she detoured into writing and never looked back. Connect with her online at jenniferthorne.com.

Lee Kelly is the author of City of Savages, a Publishers Weekly "Best of Spring 2015" pick and a VOYA Magazine "Perfect Ten" selection; A Criminal Magic, which was optioned and developed for a television series by Warner Bros.; The Antiquity Affair, co-written with Jennifer Thorne; and With Regrets.

Her short fiction and essays have appeared in Gingerbread House, Orca, and Tor.com, among other publications, and she holds her MFA degree from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. An entertainment lawyer by trade, Lee has practiced law in Los Angeles and New York. She currently lives with her husband and two children in New Jersey, where you'll find them engaged in one adventure or another. Connect with her online at leekellyauthor.com.

The Brightest Star by Gail Tsukiyama (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

 

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @harperviabooks for the review copy of The Brightest Star by Gail Tsukiyama.

Do you like classic movies?  I love classic movies.  The only regret I had about cutting the cable cord ten years ago was losing Turner Classic Movies, my favorite channel.  Luckily, I’m able to stream a lot of classic movies.  One star of the golden age of Hollywood that fascinates me is Anna May Wong.

I first learned of Anna May Wong when I was reading The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck for my classics book club.  We read the novel as a club and then watched the classic 1937 movie.  Luise Rainer won the Oscar for the main role of O-Lan.  Anna May Wong was the most famous Chinese actress of the day and actively tried to win the role of O-Lan.  Instead, the role went to a Caucasian actress, Luise Rainer.  The Hayes rules of the day prevented the Caucasian lead, Paul Muni from being able to kiss and have a relationship with a non-Caucasian lead.  Even though it was a novel about Chinese characters and author Pearl S. Buck wanted Chinese actors to play the characters, the main characters were all played by Caucasian actors in yellow face.

The Brightest Star is the story of Anna May Wong’s life from her start in her family’s laundry to her too early death at age fifty-six.  The story starts with Anna May Wong at the end of her life taking a train journey across America after finally getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  As she journeys across America, she thinks back on the incredible journey of her life and her constant struggle to make it as a Chinese American actress.  She was born in America, but her native country thought of her as a foreigner and wouldn’t let her have main roles that were not stereotyped.  Will she be able to break through and become a star?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I didn’t know much about Anna May Wong before I read this novel, and I learned a lot.  It made me dig more into the real history of Anna May Wong and this book follows her real history very well.

·       I liked Anna May Wong’s “spunk.”  Her family did not approve of her acting, but she kept at it anyway.  She was constantly striving for something better.  She went to Europe looking for the roles that alluded her in America.  Her fame in Europe made it so that Hollywood wanted her even more.

·       I thought it was interesting that she was a fashion icon.  The photos taken of her, and unique dress blending Chinese and American fashion also helped to create her a star and for studios to want her in a film.

·       Love alluded Anna May Wong.  Or should I say, a lasting love?  She found different partners and love throughout her life but didn’t find one partner that lasted a lifetime.  It was also mostly because of prejudice at that time that did not allow her to be with who she loved.

·       When Anna May Wong did not get the role of O-Lan in The Good Earth, she decided to go to China and visit her parents’ homeland.  While she found some support in China, there were others who said she was not a “real Chinese” person.  Anna May Wong did not have anywhere where she belonged.

·       This book was told through Anna May Wong’s first-person narration.

·       I did feel that the novel raced through Anna May Wong’s life and didn’t spend enough time for me to really feel and know the inner depths of her character.

Overall, The Brightest Star is an interesting historical fiction story of trailblazer Anna May Wong.  I learned a lot!

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

 

Title:  The Outsiders

Author:  S.E. Hinton

Narrated by:  Spike McClure

Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.

Length: Approximately 5 hours and 48 minutes

Source: Checked out with Hoopla through the Kewaunee Public Library.  Thank-you!

 

What is your favorite book that you read in middle school?  I don’t really remember being assigned books in middle school, just short stories, but I loved reading R.L. Stine, Christopher Pike, the Nancy Drew Case Files, and Sweet Valley High during that time.

I somehow missed reading The Outsiders.  My two boys read it and enjoyed it in middle school and my daughter has just started to read it at school this week.  I noticed it was one of the top hundred favorite books in the PBS Great American Read in 2018. I finally read The Outsiders myself in January as part of the #classicbuddyread hosted by @dees.reads.

Ponybox Curtis is a fourteen-year-old orphan.  He has two older brothers that take care of him and want him to have a better life.  Over a two-week period, he struggles with what is right and wrong in life between his group, the greasers, and the rich kids, the socs.  When a tragedy occurs, how will Ponyboy and his friends handle it?

My thoughts on the novel:

·       It started off slow for me, but I got sucked into the story and I couldn’t quit listening to the audiobook.

·       I was shocked and moved by the story.

·       It’s amazing to me that this book was written by a teenager, and I think it really helps it to speak to teens.

·       This is a found family story.  I love that Ponyboy learns to appreciate his brothers and understand their sacrifices as the story progresses.

·       Ponyboy realizes that his enemies are people too who make both good and bad decisions and are loved.

·       People make assumptions about the greasers, but they can also be heroic and good.  Don’t judge a person by their appearance.

·       There was a LOT of smoking in this novel.

·       I had never watched the classic 80’s movie.  I finally watched it over the weekend, and it was pretty good.  Bravo to whoever the casting director was.  I don’t know how they wrangled that many future stars into one movie.

Favorite Quote, “It seemed funny to me that the sunset she saw from her patio and the one I saw from the back steps was the same one. Maybe the two different worlds we lived in weren't so different. We saw the same sunset.”

Overall, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton was a good book and definitely worth reading, even as an adult.

Strangers in the Night by Heather Webb (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

 

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @williammorrowbooks for the review copy of this book.

What is your favorite Frank Sinatra song or movie?  I have been on a Frank Sinatra kick the last couple of months listening to his songs.  I love so many of them and Strangers in the Night is one of my favorites.  My favorite movie starring Frank Sinatra is From Here to Eternity.  I’ve known Ava Gardner as a star, but I think the only movie I’ve seen of hers is Showboat.  I love old movies so I’m not sure how that has happened!

Strangers in the Night is a historical fiction novel detailing the tempestuous relationship between Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner.  Frank was a married man with three children when he fell in love with Ava Gardner.  Ava had previously been married and divorced twice and was already a star.  Frank and Ava together brought out both the best and the worst in each other.   This novel is their love story through the decades.

I enjoyed that Strangers in the Night was told from the dual narratives of Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra from when they first met through Ava Gardner’s death.  As a classic movie fan, I loved that the filming of my favorite movies that these actors were in was discussed.  It was fun as they interacted with various members of the golden age of Hollywood. 

Frank and Ava’s romance was very turbulent.  They were constantly cheating on each other, fighting, there were suicide attempts.  Frank was constantly with prostitutes and did not think that was cheating.  Through it all, they always felt that they were each other’s greatest love.  They ultimately found they couldn’t live together, but the love never stopped.  Frank had a quote, “ My girl liked to be courted, and I’d give it to her better than anyone else.  Courting was my specialty.”  I agree.  Frank was great at courting, but not so great at actually being a good long term partner.

I enjoyed the author’s note at the end, information about Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra, as well as great questions for a book club.  This would be a fun book to read for a book club.  It has Classic Hollywood, historical fiction, romance, adventure, etc.  The short chapters with alternating viewpoints kept this book moving.

Elizabeth and Monty by Charles Casillo

 

Title: Elizabeth and Monty

Author:  Charles Casillo

Narrated by:  Paul Heitsch

Publisher: Highbridge, a division of Recorded Books

Length: Approximately 11 hours and 47 minutes

Source: Checked out from the Kewaunee Public Library through Overdrive.  Thank-you!

 Do you have a lifelong best friend?

 Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift were unlikely best friends on the surface; they seemed more destined to be Hollywood lovers.  Elizabeth was a beautiful teenager on the verge of stardom and Montgomery Clift was a young rising star when they first starred together in A Place in the Sun.  Elizabeth fell madly in love with Montgomery, but he had a secret, he was gay.  The two had chemistry, but it was just as friends.  They loved bawdy humor and could commiserate on their stage mothers.  They remained friends through all of their trials through the end of Clift’s life and beyond.  Taylor’s work with HIV patients was partially inspired by Clift.

 I had just listened to the History Chicks podcast on Elizabeth Taylor and I wanted to learn more.  I was intrigued by this audiobook.  It told the story of the two stars lives and how their paths crossed.  Nothings was as shocking as the crash that changed Clift’s life forever.  Taylor saved his life that day, but Montgomery had a sad, slow decline until the end of his life at the age of 44.  I felt so sad for him and horrified.

 The only thing I didn’t like about this book was when it went into gossip about Clift’s genitalia.  The guy is dead . . . you can leave those details alone.

 I just rewatched The Heiress with Montgomery Clift and it has made me really want to rewatch A Place in the Sun to see the start of this great friendship. 

Best Movie Year Ever: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen by Brian Raftery

Title: Best Movie Year Ever:  How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen

Author: Brian Raftery

Read by:  George Newbern

Publisher: Simon & Shuster Audio

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 55 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Simon & Shuster Audio.  Thank-you!

Words cannot express how much I enjoyed this audiobook.  I love movies and books . . . and listening to an audiobook about movies is right up my ally.  Even better is that I was 21 years old in 1999 so I will go along with the thesis that 1999 was a premiere year for movies.  I always have read and heard how 1939 was the premiere movie year so it was interesting to listen to a new perspective, and one that is more current. 

I was surprised listening to this audiobook just how many excellent movies came out in 1999:  Fight Club, Office Space, The Matrix, The Sixth Sense, 10 Things I Hate About You are just a few examples and all movies I love.  As a young woman, I was in college, and watching these movies either at the theatre or on videotape.  I remember watching The Blair Witch project on campus with the cheap movies that would play weekly through the year. 

This audiobook had a great narrator who made it interesting to listen to – I love his conversational, enthused tone.  He made the audiobook like a conversation I would have with a friend about movies.  It was very entertaining.

I had not watched all of the movies that were mentioned, but I found it all interesting.  Author Brian Raftery masterfully gives not only a summary of what the movie is about, but what made it special and capture the imagination of people in 1999.  There were insights into how the movie was made, marketed, and released.  It also had interviews from those involved in the making of the movie from the actors, actresses, directors, etc.  It discussed why the movie fit into what people were feeling at the time.  It was fascinating, even learning about movies that I have not seen.

I’ll admit I loved when favorite movie critics from the 90’s (example Owen Gleiberman from Entertainment Weekly) and Premiere magazine were mentioned.  I was a subscriber to both Entertainment Weekly and Premiere at the time and it was a great blast from the past. 

I really liked the discussion about how the proliferation of indie movies at the time allowed freedom, experimentation, and unique movies.  It made me sad that we don’t see that now, but author Brian Raftery made a case for TV having taken over the mantel shortly afterwards with the Sopranos and how now many of the new daring movies are shown on streaming services.  It was a very interesting discussion point. 

Overall, Best Movie Year Ever:  How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen is a fascinating audiobook for those that love movies and late 90’s culture or who would like to learn about it.    I would love to listen to more audiobooks like this.  Does anyone else know of other good books about movies?  I hope Brian Raftery writes more books!