I am on a movie roll these days! Saturday while Brent and I were watching both our teams lose at football, one of our neighbor/besties and I started talking about how we had been saying for months we were going to watch Rocketman but hadn't gotten around to it. We figured out it was still playing at 1 discount cinema, and we secured the husbands' agreement we could go Sunday! {It always helps to get Brent's buy-in for an activity when he's had a few beers. Ha!}
Plot: A musical fantasy about the fantastical human story of Elton John's breakthrough years.
Review: I continue to love musicals and band biopics! I really didn't know any of Elton John's backstory, so it was very fascinating to learn about him. For example, I didn't know he typically didn't write his own lyrics. He met a man, Bernie, when he was first starting out, and he put music to Bernie's lyrics, and they've been working together for 50 years! Fascinating! However, there were some parts that were a little over-the-top/out there, and I felt it was just a smidge long. Taron Egerton was fantastic, the music was great, learning so much was very interesting - a really entertaining movie! I'd probably given it an A- or a B+. Anyone else see it?
It's time for another edition of 'the randomness that is Allena's reading life'. I read 8 books this month, and I'm so glad I keep track of them in a list on my phone because by the end of the month, I've forgotten some that I read earlier in the month! Anyone else out there like that or am I just getting a little too close to 40?!?!
First up, the romance-y type!
Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught - My mom is actually the one who told me to read this book. It's a very traditional historical romance set in England - titled Lords and Ladies, conflict with a head-strong woman and old-fashioned woman, attraction... I enjoyed it a lot and have the other books in the series on reserve. I don't know if anyone who reads my book reviews likes romance, but if you do, get this one!
Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss - The only reason I put this on my list is because I don't think I ever have before. I read this book about every 12-18 months, it's by far my favorite historical romance, and it's written by the Queen of the genre. Shanna is being forced to marry by her father, so she chooses to marry a condemned man who has a prestigious name. What happens when that condemned man doesn't die? I obviously love this book if I've read it probably 10 times - if not more - but I know this is another one that might not be up other people's alleys.
The Lost Husband by Katherine Center - This is the 2nd Katherine Center book I've read, and she's really great. Libby's husband passed away and she's been living with her mother with her 2 small children. Her aunt invites her to move in with her, and Libby takes her up on the offer as she and her mother don't get along. Her aunt lives in a small town and Libby slowly comes back to life with her aunt, and she is able to find her way again. It was such a sweet book! I'm on the waiting list for Katherine's latest book which sounds great!
Next up, Allena continues to be obsessed with Christina Lauren!
*All rated PG-13.*
Roomies - Holland has a crush on a guy who plays guitar in the subway. Her uncle is a big Broadway producer, and she gets the guy, Calvin, invited to join a musical...until Calvin admits he isn't in the country legally. Holland offers to marry him to keep him in the country...and you can imagine what happens.
Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating - Josh and Hazel are best friends who keep going on disastrous double dates together but are attracted to each other. What happens when they finally act on this attraction?
Dating You Hating You - Evie and Carter hit it off at a party and start dating, only to have the competing firms they work for to merge, and they find out they are fighting for the same position. They are attracted to each other, yet can't let their guard down at work.
My review is the same for all 3: fun, cute, sexy! At the end of all 3, I had the warmest fuzzy inside - I really like how Christina Lauren wrap up their stories. These would definitely fall into chick-lit/modern romance which is really up there for me!
Lastly, Allena is a sucker for Nora Roberts!
Reflections & Dance of Dreams - 2 stories about ballet dancers - these were more like 3/4 books - more than a short-story but not full-length. Very typical Nora. Natasha - have you read these? You're probably the only person who would!
Not my most stimulating month of literature, but it sure was a lot of fun! Hopefully some of my 'meatier' reads will come available this month so I look a little less vapid. {grin}
