Happy Monday! Valentine's Day is an exciting time for some, while others wish it never existed! Trust me, ladies and gentlemen, I've spent many V-Days alone, in my pjs, with a bunch of sappy romances and a box of tissues. Hopefully this list of releases will cheer you up. Ever hear of retail therapy? Well Tuesday would be a perfect day to get out of the house and do a little shopping at your local book and movie store. Enjoy my picks of the week!
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BOOKS (Feb. 14th)
YOUNG ADULT
Arcadia Awakens (Arcadian #1)
by: Kai Meyer
To Rosa Alc
antara, the exotic world of Sicily, with its network of Mafia families and its reputation for murder and intrigue, is just that—exotic and wholly unknown. But when her life in Brooklyn begins to fall apart, she must travel there, to her family’s ancestral home, where centuries of family secrets await her.Once there, Rosa falls head over heels for Alessandro Carnevare, the son of a Sicilian Mafia family, whose handsome looks and savage grace both fascinate and unsettle her. But their families are sworn enemies, and her aunt and sister believe Alessandro is only using Rosa to infiltrate the Alcantara clan. And when Rosa encounters a tiger one night—a tiger with very familiar eyes—she can no longer deny that neither the Carnevares nor the Alcantaras are what they seem.
Hidden caves, dangerous beasts roaming the hills, and a history of familial bloodlust mean that Rosa can’t trust anyone. Torn between loyalty to her family and love for their mortal enemy, Rosa must make the hardest decision of her life: stay in Sicily with her new love…or run as far and as fast as she can.
Graffiti Moon
by: Cath Crowley
It’s the end of Year 12. Lucy’s looking for Shadow, the graffiti artist everyone talks about.
His work is all over the city, but he is nowhere.
Ed, the last guy she wants to see at the moment, says he knows where to find him. He takes Lucy on an all-night search to places where Shadow’s thoughts about heartbreak and escape echo around the city walls.
But the one thing Lucy can’t see is the one thing that’s right before her eyes.
Sound interesting? Check out my review for Graffiti Moon HERE!
Ed, the last guy she wants to see at the moment, says he knows where to find him. He takes Lucy on an all-night search to places where Shadow’s thoughts about heartbreak and escape echo around the city walls.
But the one thing Lucy can’t see is the one thing that’s right before her eyes.
Sound interesting? Check out my review for Graffiti Moon HERE!
Scarlet
by: A.C. Gaughen
Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.
Wonder
by: R. J. Palacio
I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.
August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?
by: R. J. Palacio
I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.
August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?
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MOVIES/TV SERIES (Feb. 14th)
MOVIES
How to Die in Oregon (Documentary)
Directed by: Peter Richardson
In 1994 O
regon became the first state to legalize physician-assisted suicide. At the time, only Belgium, Switzerland, and the Netherlands had legalized the practice. 'How to Die in Oregon' tell the stories of those most intimately involved with the practice today -- terminally ill Oregonians, their families, doctors, and friends -- as well as the passage of an assisted suicide law in Washington State.La Hora Cero aka The Zero Hour
Directed by: Diego Velasco
Starring: Zapata 666
La Hora Cero (aka THE ZERO HOUR) is a gritty, fast-paced heist film. Set in Caracas during the 24 hours of a controversial medical strike, it follows Parca, a tattooed hit-man as he takes an elite hospital hostage in order to save his girlfriend. What seemed like a perfect plan will end in a frenetic outcome, as Parca is forced to come to terms with his past, and as he discovers that his worst enemies are much closer than he ever imagined. A love story told in the midst of chaos, La Hora Cero is a timely and universal story about the mythic rise to power and the inevitable fall from grace.
Directed by: Diego Velasco
Starring: Zapata 666
La Hora Cero (aka THE ZERO HOUR) is a gritty, fast-paced heist film. Set in Caracas during the 24 hours of a controversial medical strike, it follows Parca, a tattooed hit-man as he takes an elite hospital hostage in order to save his girlfriend. What seemed like a perfect plan will end in a frenetic outcome, as Parca is forced to come to terms with his past, and as he discovers that his worst enemies are much closer than he ever imagined. A love story told in the midst of chaos, La Hora Cero is a timely and universal story about the mythic rise to power and the inevitable fall from grace.
The Rum Diary
Directed by: Bruce Robinson
Starring:
Johnny Depp, Aaron EckhartAmerican journalist Paul Kemp takes on a freelance job in Puerto Rico for a local newspaper during the 1950s and struggles to find a balance between island culture and the expatriates who live there.
Take Shelter
Directed by: Jeff Nichols
Starring: Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain
Plagued by a series of apocalyptic visions, a young husband and father questions whether to shelter his family from a coming storm, or from himself.
Directed by: Jeff Nichols
Starring: Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain
Plagued by a series of apocalyptic visions, a young husband and father questions whether to shelter his family from a coming storm, or from himself.
TV SERIES
Shades Complete British Miniseries
Starri
ng: Stephen Tompkinson, Dervla KirwanMaeve and Mark meet in London under unusual circumstances: both are recently deceased. Maeve was killed by a hit-and-run driver, and Mark died during a routine surgery while his wife was giving birth to their son. The two mismatched souls find themselves still in this world, thrown together in a weird and wonderful afterlife.
This touching and gently humorous British drama explores what it means to have a chance to help—or hinder—those left behind. Maeve’s lover wasn’t just cheating on his wife; he was also cheating on Maeve. Mark was happily married, but he left his wife and children penniless. In this afterlife, the dead can’t talk to those they knew when alive, but they can speak freely with strangers. Will Maeve and Mark be able to right past wrongs and repair relationships? What will they learn about each other, and themselves?
Awesome post! Very informative. Wonder how my husband would react if I told him I wanted to curl up with a new release on Valentines day instead of going out for the usual dinner and dancing... :D
ReplyDeleteHaha! Hey Jamie!
ReplyDeleteThat is sooo funny, but that's basically what I am doing tomorrow! My boyfriend lives about an hour away so we decided to just celebrate Valentine's this coming weekend. So I figure a little retail therapy won't hurt, followed by an evening snuggled in bed with some good books and a movie :)
Anyway, thanks for showing my blog some love! I just visited yours and joined!
Hope you have a wonderful week!
Mia at The Muses Circle
That book called "Wonder" looks so good...I have a child that could really identify with standing out at school, so I might have to check that one out. Thanks for stopping by my blog...it is ironic that you did yesterday, because I was just reading a book to my youngest about how the word "muse" came about!
ReplyDelete