Saturday Matinee! Revolutionary Road

Can you imagine packing up your family and relocating to Paris – without having a job? Would you do it?

That’s what April suggests to her husband Frank. Frank loves Paris, and has dreamed returning to that European city. Frank hates his office job, so April suggests they pack up their two children, sell their house, Frank can quit his job, and they can relocate to Paris. April offers to work while Frank “finds himself” by discovering what he wants to do once they move.

I had a hard time getting into this movie. I thought it was kind of slow – slow and a bit confusing. Granted, I was sick with a temperature while I watched it, so, maybe that affected my opinion. There were some flashbacks, and I was kind of confused when I saw that April was an actress at the beginning of the movie. Then, I’m assuming it flashes back in time to April and Frank meeting at a party. April’s acting career is not mentioned again, which is odd. (Unless, I missed their mentioning it.)

April and Frank are not a happy couple. They argue all the time, but, it’s hard to pinpoint their source of discontent. They have two children and live in a quaint home on Revolutionary Road. They’re living the American Dream, and others think highly of April and Frank Wheeler. They even become friends with their real estate agent and her adult psychotic son – a son who has the ability to accurately guess people’s problems and emotions.

This movie reminded me of a foreign film. I’ve noticed that foreign films don’t always make a lot of sense. I know that Frank and April are not happy, but, it’s hard to figure out why. Frank is disgruntled with his job, so he finds solace with a girl in the typing pool. April is a suburban housewife who takes care of the house. Her love for Frank has dwindled – she also finds brief solace in the arms of her next door neighbor. It appears this movie is about lost dreams? I felt there should have been an event….or SOMETHING to explain why this couple is so unhappy.

I was also confused about the ending. April and Frank have a HUGE ARGUMENT, and then, the next morning, April is acting like the perfect wife, making Frank’s breakfast, as if the events of the previous night never happened. Weird…

When I saw April acting totally different than she had the night before, I thought…”Ahh, she’s scitzophrenic.” I figured she had a split personality and that would explain the whole reason of discontent within their marriage – she was really TWO personalities. That was a totally wrong assumption!

Another thing I noticed, which was also a bit weird – Frank and April’s children are not shown very much. You see them breiefly, maybe, two times?

I’m thinking that if I read the book, some of the loose threads in the story could be explained? Such a tragic story, tragic and sad. I doubt I’ll watch this movie again.

I felt that the author of the book/movie was trying to get his point across that the American Dream is not all that it’s cracked up to be. I wish I could’ve written a better movie review, but, this is the best that I could do considering I felt the movie was very incomplete. I only watched Revolutionary Road because I loved Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic. I was very disappointed in Revolutionary Road. This movie was a far cry from Titanic.

Have you seen Revolutionary Road or read the book? If so, what’d you think about it?

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Belong To Me – A Secular Title

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Belong To Me by Marisa de los Santos

Please note that this is a secular title.

If you didn’t know your biological father, would you search for him so that you could meet him? That’s one of the story threads in this book.

I enjoyed reading this book, to a certain extent. I’m not sure if this is classified as literary fiction. It was written in a way that I’m not used to reading.

Cornelia and her husband Teo relocate from the city to a small town. She’s currently not working and her husband is a doctor – an extremely good-looking doctor – a fact that the female neighbors notice immediately. I had a hard time liking some of the characters in their new town. It appeared that they were concerned about liking/disliking people at the drop of a hat – some of their conceptions based upon the way a person looked or dressed. For example, Piper, one of Cornelia’s neighbors, initially doesn’t like Cornelia because of her short, petite stature and her choice of dress for a welcome-to-the neighborhood party. Also, the neighborhood women seemed to have too much time on their hands – none of them worked full-time, and it appeared they were more concerned about appearances and who was doing/saying what in their neighborhood moreso than running their household and raising their children, or minding their own business.

You also have Elizabeth, Piper’s best friend who is dying of cancer. Piper takes care of Elizabeth, placing her own health and family on the back burner so that she can minister to her friend. When you see Piper caring for her friend, she doesn’t seem to be so cold-hearted, which endeared me to the story a little bit.

Cornelia and Teo are childless, a fact that bothers Cornelia. They “mentor” a thirteen-year-old girl, Clare, who is like a daughter to them. Cornelia is also befriended by Lake, the mother of a thirteen-year-old genius boy named Dev. Lake has also recently moved to the area so that Dev can attend a school for highly-intelligent children.

As the story unfolds, you discover Lake’s real reason for moving to the area. You also see a deep friendship form between Dev and Clare. Dev has always wondered about his father, so Dev and Clare “play detective” and search for Dev’s dad, hoping to clear up Dev’s questions about his parentage.

Dev also befriends two kids at his new school, one of his new friends, a girl named Lyssa, has serious mental and emotional problems and he supports her during her difficult times. Dev is also befriended by his school mate Aiden, and they go into business together raking leaves.

This book was not written in a simple, straight-forward manner – which is why I had mixed feelings about the writing style. The story would often go off on a tangent, giving paragraphs of background detail, before getting to the point at hand. I found this style a bit bothersome since I’m not used to reading books written like this. The story itself was mesmerizing, however, it does have a little bit of graphic language.

So, if you didn’t know your biological father, would you search for him so that you could meet him, like Dev did in this book?

Have you read this book, if so, what’d you think about it?

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Saturday Matinee – Legally Blonde!

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Have you seen this movie? If so, did you think it was funny?

Legally Blonde is a funny movie and I really enjoyed seeing it again! I saw it in the theater when it first came out several years ago, and I happened to catch it on Oxygen channel last Sunday. Elle is a vibrant, blonde, fun-loving, and popular president of her sorority. She gives great advice about fashion and makeup to her sorority sisters, plus, she’s a fashion major with a 4.0 GPA. Her and her sorority sisters are eagerly anticipating Elle’s rich, handsome boyfriend, Warner, will propose to her soon. However, Elle is devestated when Warner breaks up with her – after all, she’s not the best girlfriend material because she’s not serious or smart enough to be a part of his family.

Warner is headed off to Harvard Law School and Elle is determined to get into that same school to win him back! She comically goes through the admission process and passes her LSAT and is admitted into Harvard!

Her entrance onto the campus is so comical – it’s so funny to see the reactions of her fellow students. A series of events happens once she’s in her classes, plus, she’s upset to discover that Warner is now engaged to a frigid, cold-hearted woman named Vivian. Can Elle still win him back?

This movie was laugh-out-loud funny in so many ways. I think I liked it so much becaus the character of Elle was so striking. You have the contrast of the flighty, rich, pampered blonde trying to fit in with the serious, studious grad school crowd. Also, Elle is very compassionate. She befriends her nail technician, helping her to re-gain custody of her dog. You also see Elle in the courtroom, helping to win the murder case of one of her sorority sisters.

Legally Blonde was a treat to watch, and if you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend that you watch it.

So, have you seen this movie before? If so, what do you remember about it?

~Cecelia Dowdy~

A Time To Love by Barbara Cameron

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A Time To Love by Barbara Cameron

This book is about Jenny, a news correspondent who covers stories in war-torn countries. She also focuses on how these wars affect children. She has a soft spot for kids and it’s safe to say that the children are her main cause in her news career. When she’s seriously injured from the fallout of a bomb, she returns to her grandmother’s Amish home to recuperate. She also “meets” Matthew, an Amish man with whom she shared a budding romance as a teen. Matthew’s wife has died from cancer and he’s raising his three children with the help of Hannah, his sister.

Matthew and Jenny grow closer as she heals from her accident. However, there is an elder/bishop in Amish territory who objects to the budding romance. Jenny has to convince the elders that she’s in the area to heal and not to cause any trouble. This is a sweet, enjoyable romance that doesn’t have a heavy plot. If you want something sweet and breezy to read, then I recommend this book.

Have you read this book? If so, what’d you think about it?

~Cecelia Dowdy~

SPOILER:

I was reading an ARC (Advanced Reading Copy) so, it’s possible these issues were cleared up in the final version of the story: A few things happened in the story which puzzled me, but I didn’t want to write these things in my review because I didn’t want to spoil the plot for anyone. These things in no way make this a bad book, and I’m recommending the book as a good read, but these are just a few things that I felt I should mention.

I felt that there were a couple of holes in the story. Matthew encourages Jenny to write her thoughts in a journal since she’s no longer able to help the children through her news correspondence. Jenny enjoys writing in the journal since it’s therapeutic for her and she also purchases a journal for one of Matthew’s children. When Phoebe, Jenny’s grandmother, overhears Matthew and Jenny talk about the journal writing, she clearly gets very upset, but, it’s never explained why she’s so upset.

When Jenny talks to her grandmother about the journals, she mentions Anne Frank (the famous Holocaust diary author). It appears her grandmother has never heard of Anne Frank, which I think is odd. Although the Amish live separately, they’re still in America and I know they do have an educational system up to the eighth grade. I’d think they’d learn about US history and such in school? It appeared that the Amish were more separated and far removed in this book than in other books I’ve read.

For example, Jenny appears to believe that her grandmother’s never been on an elevator – I’d think that most Amish may have been on an elevator in a public building (like a hospital or a visit to the doctor.) Her grandmother explains she’s been on one, but I thought it was unbelievable for Jenny to think of her grandmother and the rest of the Amish as living in a totally separate world – I believe the Amish mix with the English more than what this story portrays. Also, her grandmother is puzzled by the term “microwave”. Again, although she doesn’t own a microwave, I’d think that the Amish mix with the English enough to know about cell phones, microwaves, etc. although they don’t own these things.

Also, Jenny marries Matthew and becomes Amish. However, prior to this, she was a famous news correspondent and she lived in the world using her laptop computer, phone, modern conveniences and other electronic gadgets and she was on TV. There was NO discussion about her giving up her former way of life – NONE. I’d think to make the story more believable, there’d be some discussion about what Jenny would be giving up – her career, her electronic stuff, but this is not mentioned at all. I’d think there’d be some struggle for Jenny as she converts to Matthew’s world, but I did not see this struggle portrayed in this story.

In spite of these few things, this is still a sweet, gentle read that is very enjoyable!

Christy Award Nominees!

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Congratulations to the 2012 Christy Award nominees! Looks like an awesome lineup of books! Have you read any of these books? If so, which ones have you read?

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Larkspur Cove by Lisa Wingate (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing
Group)

Wolfsbane by Ronie Kendig (Barbour Publishing)

My Foolish Heart by Susan May Warren (Tyndale House Publishers)

CONTEMPORARY SERIES, SEQUELS, AND NOVELLAS

Dancing on Glass by Pamela Binnings Ewen (B&H Publishing Group)

The Touch by Randall Wallace (Tyndale House Publishers)

The Amish Midwife by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould (Harvest House
Publishers)

CONTEMPORARY STANDALONE

Dry as Rain by Gina Holmes (Tyndale House Publishers)

Promises to Keep by Ann Tatlock (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

Words by Ginny Yttrup (B&H Publishing Group)

FIRST NOVEL

An Eye for Glory by Karl Bacon (Zondervan)

Southern Fried Sushi by Jennifer Rogers Spinola (Barbour Publishing) – This is a wonderful book! Read my review here.

Words by Ginny Yttrup (B&H Publishing Group)

HISTORICAL

Forsaking All Others by Allison Pittman (Tyndale House Publishers)

Mine is the Night by Liz Curtis Higgs (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)

Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

HISTORICAL ROMANCE

A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander (Bethany House, a division of Baker
Publishing Group)

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

To Die For by Sandra Byrd (Howard Books, a division of Simon & Schuster)

SUSPENSE

Over the Edge by Brandilyn Collins (B&H Publishing Group)

Pattern of Wounds by Mark Bertrand (Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

The Queen by Steven James (Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group)

VISIONARY

The Chair by Jim Rubart (B&H Publishing Group)

Forbidden by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee (Center Street, a division of Hachette Book Group USA)

Veiled Rose by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (Bethany House, a division of Baker
Publishing Group)

YOUNG ADULT

How Huge the Night by Heather Munn and Lydia Munn (Kregel Publications)

The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson (Zondervan)

Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren (David C Cook)

Have you read any of these books? If so, which ones have you read?

Leave a comment and join me in congratulating these wonderful authors!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Saturday Matinee – Julie And Julia

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Julie and Julia starring Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci, and Chris Messina

Have you seen this movie, if so did you like it?

I watched this movie on DVD with my husband last Saturday. The movie moved a little slow for me. It got kind of interesting around the middle, but, I just had a hard time really feeling anything about the story. This is surprising because the subject matters of the movie are things that I sometimes enjoy: blogging, cooking, eating, etc.

Julie has just moved to the city with her husband. She feels there’s something missing in her life and she needs a goal. She finally decides to take a cookbook by Julia Childs and try every single recipe within the span of a year. She’s also decided that she’s going to blog about it. At first, it’s slow going on her blog and she doesn’t get many comments. But, then things start taking off and she’s interviewed for the newspaper and getting gifts from blog readers. Julie is a writer, and it’s wonderful to be admired by readers. However, the blogging and cooking take a toll on her life and her marriage.

This movie focuses on Julie’s life as well as Julia Child’s life. In between Julie’s scenes are backstory scenes about Julia Childs and how she started cooking. Julia’s height was usually the first thing people noticed about her. Julia seemed to have extra time on her hands, so she ended up taking cooking lessons and she collaborated on a cookbook with two of her friends.

If you want to see a simple movie, without a really great moving plot, then you should try this movie. It was a little bit interesting learning about Julia Child’s life, especially since she’s such an icon in the world of cooking.

So, have you seen this movie, if so did you like it?

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Do You Remember The First Book You Ever Wrote?

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Photo courtesy of Suat Eman

Do you remember the first book you ever WROTE?

I recall back when I was still in my twenties and I discovered I wanted to be a writer. So, I began penning a romance novel entitled Cavanaugh. Don’t laugh – I named my heroine Cavanaugh. I saw it in a name book at the library. Cavanaugh was a pampered college student. Her mother died when she was a child and she was raised by her father – a wealthy man who owned a successful travel agency (I got this idea since I was working at a travel agency as an accountant at the time). Cavanaugh wanted to be independent and make a name for herself. Her father offered to hire her to work in his travel agency during her summer off from college.

Coincidentally, her father has also hired Evan Sanders to work as an accountant in his travel agency. Evan is a sad, hardened young man because his girlfriend (I think it was his girlfriend, it may have been his wife – I wrote this thing several years ago and it’s kinda hard for me to recall) had died and he was grieving.

As you can guess, Evan and Cavanaugh were attracted to one another.

Meanwhile, Cavanaugh’s father was dating a beautiful woman, Nia, a former model. She was jealous about the attention that Cavanaugh’s father lavished on his daughter. She hated seeing Cavanugh with Evan. Also, Evan had a provocative, shapely, ex-girlfriend (NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH HIS DECEASED WIFE/GIRLFRIEND) who was trying to win him back. Her actions wreaked havoc on Evan’s and Cavanaugh’s relationship.

Cavanugh went on a cruise by herself to decide if her and Evan were meant to be together. When she returned, they kissed, and decided that they could work out their differences…

BLAH!

When I think about this manuscript, I shudder. It’s currently sitting under the stairs, in my basement, gathering piles and piles of dust. I cringe when I read those words. At the time, I even had the audacity to hand the manuscript over to friends and family who kindly gave me lofty reviews….

So, tell me about the first manuscript you ever wrote. What was it about? How long ago did you write it?

I wrote Cavanaugh about seventeen years ago. I feel that writing is a craft that can always be improved. Cavanaugh certainly needed LOTS OF IMPROVEMENT.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Rita Award Nominations

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Last week, RWA announced the Rita Award nominations. Below is the list of nominees, complete with book covers and book descriptions! Join me in giving these lovely ladies a hearty congratulations! 🙂

Have you read any of these titles? If so, which ones did you read?

The Christmas Child by Linda Goodnight
In Redemption, Oklahoma, a young boy is found huddled in a Dumpster, clutching a Christmas book. Scared and refusing to speak, he captures undercover agent Kade McKendrick’s guarded heart. Kade brings the child home until he can track down his family—and his story. All Kade has is a name, Davey, and the boy’s trust of sweet, pretty teacher Sophie Bartholomew. With her kindness and faith, Sophie helps both the boy and the battle-scarred cop to smile again. And as they uncover the mystery of a very special child, a family is formed—just in time for Christmas.

Deadly Pursuit by Irene Hannon
Social worker Alison Taylor has a passion for protecting children. But now it seems she needs protecting. When her tormentor’s attentions take a violent turn, she calls in reinforcements–her police-detective brother, Cole, and his new partner, ex-Navy SEAL Mitch Morgan. As her relentless stalker turns up the heat and the danger intensifies, Mitch takes a personal interest in the case. Because protecting Alison has become more than a job; his future depends on keeping her safe.

Katie’s Way by Marta Perry
A quilt shop brings Amish and Englisch together, and trouble follows…

After a thwarted romance, Katie Miller starts over by moving to Pleasant Valley and opening a quilt shop. Soon Amish and Englisch turn the store into a lively spot…to the consternation of Caleb Brand, who crafts furniture next door. Then Katie’s sister joins her, to escape rumors of her wild rumspringa, and Katie feels the burden of responsibility for a restless teenager. Even worse, her efforts to bring more people to Main Street arouse resistance among local businesses. When acts of vandalism threaten Katie’s shop, she turns to Caleb for comfort, and their friendship deepens. But will Caleb’s secret past prevent him from embracing a future with Katie? Or will their fragile romance develop the strength to last a lifetime?

The Ladies Room by Carolyn Brown
Secrets told in the church ladies’ room are supposed to stay in the ladies’ room. But that doesn’t mean that what Trudy overhears there during her great-aunt Gertrude’s funeral won’t change the rest of her life.

Trudy has a daughter in the middle of a major rebellion; a two-timing husband who has been cheating for their entire married life; and a mother with Alzheimer’s residing in the local nursing home. She doesn’t really need a crumbling old house about to fall into nothing but a pile of memories and broken knickknacks.

Billy Lee Tucker, resident oddball in Tishomingo, Oklahoma, lived next door to Gert, and in her will she leaves him the funds to help Trudy remodel the old house. That’s fine with Billy Lee, because he’s been in love with Trudy since before they started school. And just spending time with her is something he’d never ever allowed himself to dream about.

A beautiful home rises up from the old house on Broadway, and right along with it rises up a relationship. But is Trudy too scarred from what she heard in the ladies’ room to see a lovely future with Billy Lee?

Love On The Line by Deeanne Gist
READ MY REVIEW HERE.
In 1904 Texas Ranger Luke Palmer arrives in Brenham, Texas, with one goal–to capture the gang of outlaws led by Frank Comer. Undercover as a telephone repairman, he uses his days on the range to search, not realizing there’s another pair of eyes watching him.
Georgie Gail, switchboard operator and birder, heads out on a birding expedition, but instead of sighting a painted bunting, her opera glasses capture her telephone man, armed and far away from telephone lines. Palmer is forced to take this alluring troublemaker into his confidence and unwittingly puts her in harm’s way. The closer he comes to the gang, the further she works her way into his heart–and into trouble. Soon it’s more than just love that’s on the line.

The Measure of Katie Calloway by Serena Miller
The Civil War has ended, but in Katie Calloway’s Georgia home, conflict still rages. To protect herself and her young brother from her violent and unstable husband, she flees north, finding anonymity and sanctuary as the cook in a north woods lumber camp. The camp owner, Robert Foster, wonders if the lovely woman he’s hired has the grit to survive the never-ending work and harsh conditions of a remote pine forest in winter. Katie wonders if she can keep her past a secret from a man she is slowly growing to love.
With grace and skill, Serena Miller brings to life a bygone era. From the ethereal, snowy forest and the rowdy shanty boys to the warm cookstove and mouth-watering apple pie, every detail is perfectly rendered, transporting you to a time of danger and romance.

My Foolish Heart by Susan May Warren
When it comes to love, sometimes you have to be a little foolish. Unknown to her quaint town of Deep Haven, Isadora Presley is the star host of My Foolish Heart, a popular syndicated talk radio show. From her home studio, she gives listeners advice on romance . . . even though she’s never had a date.

It’s not that she doesn’t want to, but since a tragic accident took her mother’s life, panic attacks have trapped her inside her small neighborhood. And though she always reminds listeners that their perfect love could be right next door, it can’t possibly be true for her. Especially when a new neighbor moves in. Sure, he’s handsome, but with his unruly dog and Neanderthal manners, Caleb Knight is the last man she’d ever fall for.

To Issy, love isn’t worth the risk. Until she starts to have feelings for a caller—a man she’s never even met but finds honest, charming, and sensitive.
A man she doesn’t realize lives right next door.

Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones
You are cordially invited to the wedding of the year with the most unlikely bride and groom. Save the date . . . and say your prayers.

When funding for Lucy’s non-profit job is pulled, she is determined to find out why. Enter Alex Sinclair, former professional football star and heir to Sinclair Enterprises-the primary donor to Lucy’s non-profit organization.

Both Lucy and Alex have something the other desperately wants.

Alex has it all . . . except for the votes he needs to win his bid for Congress. Despite their mutual dislike, Alex makes Lucy a proposition: pose as his fiancee in return for the money she desperately needs. Bound to a man who isn’t quite what he seems, Lucy finds her heart-and her future-on the line.

To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer
READ MY REVIEW HERE.
Having completed his sentence for the unintentional crime that derailed his youthful plans for fame and fortune, Levi Grant looks to start over in the town of Spencer, Texas. Spencer needs a blacksmith, a trade he learned at his father’s knee, and he needs a place where no one knows his past. But small towns leave little room for secrets…
Eden Spencer has sworn off men, choosing instead to devote her time to the lending library she runs. When a mountain-sized stranger walks through her door and asks to borrow a book, she steels herself against the attraction he provokes. His halting speech and hesitant manner leave her doubting his intelligence. Yet as the mysteries of the town’s new blacksmith unfold, Eden discovers hidden depths in him that tempt her heart.

Levi’s renewed commitment to his faith leads Eden to believe she’s finally found a man of honor and integrity, a man worthy of her love. But when the truth about his prodigal past comes to light, can this tarnished hero find a way to win back the librarian’s affections?

So, have you read any of these titles? If so, which ones did you read?

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Sunday Brunch – Remember Jesus’s Sacrifice

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