As an avid reader of fiction (and an author who one day hopes to make the list) I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE checking out the New York Times Best Seller list. So, here it is… The independently ranked top 10 YOUNG ADULT selections for Oct. 2019!
If you’ve read any of the TOP 10 selections and recommend them, please comment below and let me know. If you see something you like and plan to pick up a copy, you can do so by clicking on the title, the book cover, or the [BUY IT HERE] button.
When you purchase a book using a link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission.All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
As an avid reader of fiction (and an author who one day hopes to make the list) I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE checking out the New York Times Best Seller list. So, here it is… The independently ranked top 10 Fiction selections for October 2019!
If you’ve read any of the TOP 10 selections and recommend them, please comment below and let me know. If you see something you like and plan to pick up a copy, you can do so by clicking on the cover, the title, or the [BUY IT HERE] button.
Children with special talents are abducted and sequestered in an institution where the sinister staff seeks to extract their gifts through harsh methods.
When you purchase a book using a link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission.All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
When I grow up, since I can’t be Stephen King… I’d like to be Sandra Bullock!
I have to say, I have been a long time fan of America’s Sweetheart – Sandra Bullock! My husband says it’s because she looks like my mom, but I don’t think that is it. She is just an amazing actress, in my opinion.
I went to college to be an actress, and shortly after graduation headed out to Los Angeles, CA with big dreams. I always saw Sandra Bullock’s career as the ideal acting path for a woman. Why? Because she has done it all… Comedy… Drama…Romance…Action…
I mean just look at this list:
Bird Box (2018)
Ocean’s Eight (2018)
Our Brand is Crisis (2015)
Minions (2015)
Aningaaq (2013)
The Heat (2013)
Gravity (2013)
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2012)
All About Steve (2009)
The Proposal (2009)
The Blind Side (2009) – ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS!!!
Premonition (2007)
Loverboy (2006)
The Lake House (2006)
Infamous (2006)
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous (2005)
Crash (2004)
Murder by Numbers (2002)
Two Weeks Notice (2002)
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002)
Miss Congeniality (2000)
28 Days (2000)
Gun Shy (2000)
Forces of Nature (1999)
The Prince of Egypt (1998)
Practical Magic (1998)
Making Sandwiches (1998)
Hope Floats (1998)
Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997)
Two If by Sea (1996)
In Love and War (1996)
A Time to Kill (1996)
The Net (1995)
While You Were Sleeping (1995)
Speed (1994) – THIS IS WHERE SHE REALLY GOT NOTICED!
The Vanishing (1993)
The Thing Called Love (1993)
Demolition Man (1993)
Fire on the Amazon (1993)
Wrestling Ernest Hemingway (1993)
When the Party’s Over (1992)
Who Do I Gotta Kill? (1992)
Love Potion No. 9 (1992) – CUTE ROMANTIC COMEDY!!!
(NOTE: This is not a complete list of all of the movies/TV appearances of Sandra Bullock – for a complete list visit her IMDB site HERE!)
While I will admit that not every movie she has done has been a home run… you can’t deny that she has done it all. She started out just like a lot of other want to be actresses (myself included) doing B-movies that were unsuccessful and embarrassing at best! Although, she had something – that thing called talent, and she refused to give up. When she finally did SPEED she got the recognition she deserved. People started taking notice. Since then she has done everything from action, to comedy, to fantasy, to dark comedy, to melodrama, to romantic comedies, to thrillers, to serious drama… Plus… SHE WAS A WITCH!
Gravity, although she didn’t win the Academy Award was by far, in my opinion, the best female performance of 2013. She was amazing… heart-breakingly good in that film.
The other night, I re-watched the 2013 movie, The Heat… OMG I laughed so hard!!! She had such amazing comedic chemistry with her co-star Melissa McCarthy (WHO IS HERSELF AWESOME). They bring THE HEAT and all the laughs with them!
Sandra was named Entertainment Weekly‘s 2013 Entertainer of the Year after the success of The Heat and Gravity. A MUCH DESERVED TITLE!
She was also named Entertainment Weekly‘s Entertainer of the Year for her roles in The Blind Side and The Proposal in 2009.
Why she didn’t win anything for her performance in Bird Box is beyond me. She was fantastic in that film. The way she dives into a role, without apology, is beautiful!
Okay… one last comment – She is beautiful! At 55 years old this woman doesn’t look a day over 35.
A
young woman disenchanted with love mysteriously finds herself trapped inside a
romantic comedy.
MY 2 CENTS:
I
won’t lie, I love romantic comedies… they are my guilty pleasure! Plus, I am a
huge fan of Rebel Wilson, her comedic timing is amazing. So, after watching the
preview, I was all in!
Writing/Story: ★★★★
This movie was clever! Think of every romcom cliché
you can… now, imagine them all in one movie… what you get is ‘Isn’t It Romantic’.
The thing is, in this film, it works. It’s a parody on romantic comedies… The
movie is making fun of all romantic comedies well being one of the funniest, wittiest,
and most beguiling romantic comedies I’ve seen in a while.
This story could have gone south… and tanked, but writers
Erin Cardillo, Dana Fox, and
Katie Silberman obviously have a clear understanding of what works in a
romantic comedy and what we all make fun of. They gave us a perfect balance of
comedy and emotion.
Cinematography ★★★★
I have nothing bad to say about the cinematography
in this film… nothing amazing either.
Character(s)/Acting: ★★★★★
Rebel Wilson was amazing, as she always is. Her comedic timing alone could have carried the film, if that had been necessary. However, with the cast line up this movie had, there was no question it would be fun to watch.
Having Adam Devine and Rebel Wilson playing off each other, yet again, seemed like one of the most natural things in the world. Their chemistry on film may have started in Pitch Perfect, but I have a feeling it will continue for years to come.
Liam Hemsworth, as Blake, did a great job playing the arrogant, good looking, rich guy… and a bit clueless too.
Betty Gilpin, as Whitney, was fantastic. The part is a bit underrated but Gilpin made the role something to remember. If you don’t know Gilpen, then you need to watch GLOW… she is brilliant!
MY FAVORITE QUOTES:
“My life’s become a mother-BEEPing romantic comedy and it’s PG-13.”
TO SUM IT UP:
If
you like Romcoms… laughing… and just an all around feel good movie, then you
should watch this one. Grab a cozy blanket, a bucket of popcorn, a couple
glasses of wine (or your favorite beverage), your significant other, and settle
in for a great date night in!
Have
you seen ‘Isn’t It Romantic’ yet? Let me know your thoughts, in the comments
below. Tell me what you thought of the movie. As always, I do recommend seeing
this film for yourself and forming your own opinion.
Check out my YouTube channel and the video
review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.
Carnegie Visual Arts Center, 207 Church St., Decatur, AL
Bank Street Players is honored to present “Love, Loss and What I Wore” this October at the Carnegie Visual Arts Center with proceeds going to the Breast Cancer Research Center at the University of Alabama Birmingham. The play by Nora and Delia Ephron is a powerful work about women that is both poignant and humorous as it explores a range of life experiences to which everyone in the audience will find a way to relate.
All tickets are $15, general admission, and will be sold at the door beginning a half-hour before each performance. Tickets can be reserved for pick up at the will-call desk before each show by calling 256-318-3265.
Proceeds benefit the Breast Cancer Research Center at the UAB.
For more information contact: carolcpuckett@gmail.com or 256-318-3265 or 256-341-0562
His voice... Deep. Commanding. Angry. Slurred, from too many glasses of cheap whiskey.
I can hear it, almost as if he were standing right behind me. Yet he's been gone for years. Long since buried 6 feet under.
He used to scream at my mother and I, but his yelling wasn't what scared me. It was when he got quiet... still... that's when I knew he was really angry.
I'd have to strain to hear him. But it was in those moments, trying so hard to hear... to understand... that I knew pain would quickly follow.
Alright,
now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in
you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing.
Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!
Write about something you can’t forget!
What books have made your September reading list? Are any of them on the New York Times Best Seller list? Comment below and let me know, then, CLICK HERE to check out the 10 Ten Best Sellers for September and see which ones you’d like to add to your reading list!
Would you prefer to watch the video tips rather than reading them? CLICK HERE
Today’s
#MindfulnessMonday Tip: No one likes to feel
afraid, so when you do listen to your subconscious and act accordingly. Don’t
judge… don’t doubt… don’t brush it off. Your fear is your subconscious telling
you something and you should listen.
Mindfulness of fear,
what is it?
Emotional Mindfulness is staying in touch with your emotions. Therefore, Mindfulness of Fear is staying in touch with your fear and what triggers your fear. Staying present in the moment-to-moment embodied experience of feeling afraid. It means experiencing the sensation of fear, without judging it or trying to push it away. At the same time, mindfulness of these emotions means you don’t have to justify the feelings. Just feel them and act accordingly.
For the next 24 hours, I want you to be open and
accepting of all your emotions. Don’t stifle them, don’t ignore them, and don’t
judge! Accept your emotions for what they are, your subconscious talking to you
and sending you messages about how you feel about certain situations. Allow
yourself to feel… everything… This act of emotional mindfulness will help you
better understand yourself and keep you grounded in in who you are.
Mindfulness Journaling:
Throughout the day,
as your moving through the emotional mindfulness exercise, I want you to take
time to jot down what emotions you’re experiencing. Don’t judge them as right
or wrong, don’t try to justify them. Simply write down the emotion and a quick note
as to what you believe triggered the emotion. You’ll be able to go back to this
journal time and time again to see if there is a pattern to your emotional
reactions to situations either at work, at home, or among friends and family.
This exercise and
journaling are designed to help you accept your emotions and better understand
what events and who might trigger certain emotional spikes.
Mindfulness journaling can be very
private. However, I would love to invite you to comment below and share your
experiences with the ‘Clean a Room Mindfully’ exercise.
Check out
my #MindfulnessMonday YouTube Series and don’t forget to click subscribe so you
never miss an episode!
I’m certified in Holistic Stress Management and Mind/Body Fitness. I’ve been practicing Mindfulness for 10+ years and am passionate about helping others in their pursuit of a more mindful existence.
Twenty-seven
years after their first encounter with the terrifying Pennywise, the Losers
Club have grown up and moved away, until a devastating phone call brings them
back.
MY 2 CENTS:
I
have to say, seeing as Stephen King is my favorite author, this film is
probably my most anticipated films of the year. I loved the book, thought the
mini-series back in 1990 did an amazing job bringing the book to life, and
really enjoyed the 2017 version of IT Chapter One. With the whole cast from the
2017 version coming back for Chapter Two plus the addition of Jessica Chastain,
James McAvoy, Bill Hader, and so many other awesome actors I can’t deny I was
very excited going into the theatre.
There
is a lot to love about this film… there are also a few things I didn’t really
care for. Now, I’ve heard complaints about the movie’s length, at 2 hours and
49 minutes it is a very long movie, but you have to consider the length of the
book… Like most Stephen King novels, it’s not short!
Writing/Story: ★★★★★
As I said before, this movie is based on the novel
IT by Stephen King. When IT was originally adapted to live action, it was a
mini-series on television. I remember eating it up. I had just finished reading
the book and couldn’t wait to see it. With it being a mini-series, they were
able to really get a lot of the details from the book into the show… something
you can’t really do when it’s a movie on the big screen, you just don’t have
the time to fit it all in.
Splitting the movie into two parts, Chapter One and
Chapter Two, did allow for more detail, but I felt as an audience member that
chopping it up so much really made certain aspects of the films uneven. Plus, when
you really look at what the movie is about, an evil clown comes to town every
27 years and kills kids… it’s a little surprising how long the movie is. Both
movies pretty much have the same plot – Pennywise is back, killing kids, and the
members of the Loser Club have to fight and kill him.
I think one of the reasons I really liked the
original mini-series and even why I liked the 2017 movie a little more than
this one is because you really get to feel what they are going through from a
kids perspective. Think about it, evil creepy clown running around town in the sews
killing kids… as a kid, that is some seriously scary stuff. However, with these
characters, they approach Pennywise in much the same way they did as children,
they have all the same fears they did 27 years before. However, that isn’t
really realistic, as we get older, we change, people evolve, what we are afraid
of changes and we approach our fears in a different way.
Cinematography ★★★
I think there are some really great shots in in this
movie. However, I also think that the way it was filmed gave away a little too
much too quickly. Sure, as the audience, we already know who Pennywise is and
what he looks like, but I just think with a scary movie there is something to
say for keeping the monster hidden that amps up the suspense. It seemed that
Pennywise got a lot of screen time in this film, which took the scare level
down significantly for me.
Computer-Generated
Imagery (CGI): ★★
Fun
fact about the young actors who played the Losers Club members in IT Chapter
One: They grew tremendously in the 2 years following filming that they actually
had to be digitally ‘de-aged’ in some scenes because they looked significantly
older than before. For me, every time I noticed it – which was often throughout
the film – it pulled me out of the moment. I get that there really wasn’t another
way to do it, since the flashback scenes with the kids had to look like they
were from the same time period as the 2017 film, but for me the technique just
wasn’t executed that well.
Character(s)/Acting: ★★★★★
Let’s
talk about Character(s) and acting… First off, there isn’t a whole lot of
character building in this movie. I understand that we, as the audience, already
know the characters from when they were children in the first movie, however
this is 27 years later… people tend to change, a lot, in 27 years. The movie
gives us only one scene for each of the main characters to show us what they
are like now. It just feels really rushed as the movie pushes the characters
together, trying to get them back to Derry. Then, once they are there the pace
slows down considerably and it almost feels to slow with not enough action.
In
terms of acting… WOW! Everyone is really strong. Both the adults playing the Loser
Club as well as their child actor counterparts.
I
think one of my favorite scenes is when they all first come together, at the
restaurant. They haven’t seen each other is 27 years and yet there is an
instant connection. You can see and feel the comradery as if they have remained
close friends all their lives. They do a really good job of making it seem like
these adults are the grown versions of the kids we saw jut two years ago in the
2017 movie. Mannerisms and speech patterns are all very similar and it helps to
be able to connect each of the children actors to their adult counterparts.
Best
actor award has to go to Bill Skarsgard who plays Pennywise. Pennywise is just
a wonderful role for an actor. Tim Curry was amazing as Pennywise in the 1990 mini-series
and Bill Skarsgard has done a wonderful job in both the 2017 and 2019 files. He
is creepy – Defiantly the thing that nightmares are made of.
MY FAVORITE QUOTES:
“See,
the thing about being a loser, you don’t have anything to lose. So, be true. Be
brave. Stand. Believe. And don’t ever forget, we’re losers, and we always will
be.” ~ Losers Club (IT Chapter Two)
“Here’s
Johnny” ~ Henry Bowers
The
reason I like this one so much is because it’s a throwback to another Stephen King
book, The Shining when Jack Torrance has gone crazy and is chopping down the
bathroom door with an axe to kill his wife.
TO SUM IT UP:
Although
I enjoyed this film, maybe not as much as the 2017 movie, I have to say it just
doesn’t fully live up to the 1990’s mini-series. However, I do tend to lean toward
originals more so then remakes and books rather than movies.
Have
you seen IT Chapter Two yet? Did you see IT Chapter One, or better yet did you
see the Original IT Mini Series? And, even more importantly, have you read the
book? Let me know your answers, in the comments below. Tell me what you thought
of the book, the mini-series, or the movies! I’d love to know. As always, I do
recommend seeing this film for yourself and forming your own opinion.
Check out my YouTube channel and the video review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.
Open the video and watch it on YouTube so you can subscribe to my channel and never miss a video!
Secrets. Everyone has one. Some are bigger than others. And when secrets are revealed, Some will heal you … And some will end you.
Kate Sedgwick’s life has been anything but typical. She’s endured hardship and tragedy, but throughout it all she remains happy and optimistic (there’s a reason her best friend Gus calls her Bright Side). Kate is strong-willed, funny, smart, and musically gifted. She’s also never believed in love. So when Kate leaves San Diego to attend college in the small town of Grant, Minnesota, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with Keller Banks.
They both feel it. But they each have a reason to fight it. They each have a secret.
And when secrets are revealed, Some will heal you … And some will end you.
WOW… I ate this book up, binge reading it in just a couple of days. It is a super-fast read with so much amazing detail.
WRITING (★★★★★): Kim Holden draws you right in
with her playful dialogue between life long friends Kate and Gus. Immediately
we feel their connection and realize that these two friends have just been separated
as Kate left for college and Gus is still home in southern California following
his dream of being a Rockstar.
The way Kim tells
the story, each chapter from one character’s perspective, really pulled me into
the book. It makes you, as a reader, feel more involved and it gives the story
an overarching personal feeling that telling it from third person just wouldn’t
have accomplished.
STORY (★★★★): This story takes you on a rollercoaster
of emotions. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll get pissed… but, if you’re like
me, you’ll love every minute of it.
A
little warning though, this one is for mature audiences. Topics covered in
Bright Side include loss, disease, eating disorders, homosexuality, sex,
drinking, and SO MUCH MORE!!!
CHARACTERS (★★★★★): As an author,
Kim Holden understands character development. She has to be one of my top 5
authors for character development. She had me emotionally connected, not only
to the main character Kate but also with Gus, Keller, and everyone else.
Seriously, even Kate’s college roommate, who is kind of a jerk, is written in a
way that makes her misunderstood… I found myself wanting to know more about
her. Who knows, maybe Kim will write a book for her at some point too.
Kate, also known as Bright Side, is a
beautiful person inside and out. She is optimistic in every sense of the word
and sadly, life has just not been kind to her. She has been dealt a terrible
hand, but she doesn’t let it get her down. With every line… even when she is saying
Dude every other word, we get a sense of who she is. That is the magic of good
character development.
APPEARANCE (★★★★★): Simple… Intriguing… and totally Bright Side! The
cover made me smile even before I opened the pages to meet Bright Side!
FAVORITE
QUOTES:
“Today, my life is awesome. I don’t want to
think about tomorrow. Or the day after that. So I repeat to myself: Today, my
life is awesome.”
“Don’t judge each other. We all have our own
shit. Keep your eyes on yours and your nose out of everyone else’s unless you’re
invited in. And when you get the invitation, help, don’t judge.”
“Imagine for a moment that you were free of
all the expectations in your life. What would you do? How would you live your
life with no one watching? What would your future look like?”
“Do Epic.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kim lives in what she calls the greatest city in the world: Denver, Colorado. Some of her favorite things: reading, writing, her husband and her son, her bicycle, Facebook, iced coffee, and music. She also loves dreaming. Her advice to anyone reading this, or any of her books… follow your dreams. It’s never too late. Get started today … heck get started RIGHT NOW! Make your dreams reality. She loves to hear from fellow readers. So, if you want to reach out, find her on Goodreads at author/show/7445352.Kim_Holden
Check out my YouTube channel and the video
review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.
This is the story of Gus. Losing himself. Finding himself. And healing along the way.
“ … but the honest-to-God truth is I don’t even know how to function anymore. Bright Side wasn’t only my best friend; she was like my other half … the other half of my brain, the other half of my conscience, the other half of my sense of humor, the other half of my creativity, the other half of my heart. How do you go back to doing what you did before, when half of you is gone forever?”
Note from the author: Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is recommended for mature audiences.
FRANCO (Bright Side Book 3)
Franco Genovese is the drummer for world renowned American rock band, Rook. He’s got it all. A killer smile. Tattoos. Talent. Razor sharp wit and humor. And a heart as big, and generous, as they come. Life is good. Steady. Uncomplicated. Just the way he likes things. Until one night at an unassuming L.A. bar changes everything. Enter Gemma Hendricks. She’s a successful young architect from Northern England with an adorable smile, sarcasm for days, and an unparalleled trusting heart. The attraction is instant. So is their friendship. It’s also temporary because they’ll both be heading home, thousands of miles apart from each other, in a few days. Or is it? There’s something Gemma wants more than anything else. And when Franco propositions her to provide what she’s looking for, everything changes. Will it transform friendship into love, or will it be their ruin?
There are two sides to every story.
The surface reality that’s presented to the world…
And then there’s the other side.
The real one.
The one that matters.
Seventeen-year-old, self-proclaimed asshole, Toby
Page, is alone.
No friends.
No family.
He trades maintenance work in exchange for room
and board.
Every day he fights demons no one else can see.
Every day he wants to give up.
But he can’t.
Not yet.
When Alice Eliot moves in downstairs, she offers
Toby some light in his dark world.
At a crossroads and barely hanging on, it’s hard
to have perspective.
It’s difficult to see your own worth when you’re
the villain in your story.
Luckily for Toby, Alice brings things out in him
that no one else ever has.
As the two sides of Toby’s story are revealed, and
the full reality comes into view, truth is gained, unlikely heroes emerge, and
improbable alliances prove that kindness is fundamentally human.
The question is, Will it all be enough to save him?
ALL OF IT
Seventeen-year-old VERONICA SMITH has it all: a loving family, a funky car named Jezebel, and a plan to go to college after graduation. On the first day of senior year, she meets DIMITRI GLENN–a mysterious transfer student with gray eyes and a mischievous smile who seems determined to win her heart. But there’s something odd about Dimitri, leading Veronica to wonder if there’s more to him than meets the eye. Before long she finds herself in a whirlwind romance that seems too good to be true–until a series of devastating events leaves her questioning everything. It’s not until she chooses to think with her heart instead of her mind that she can rise from the ashes to learn the truth of their connection.
This is a glimpse into divorce: the lead-up, the aftermath,
and the redemption that follows.
Love is strange. It comes out of nowhere. There’s
no logic to it. It’s not methodical. It’s not scientific. It’s pure emotion and
passion. And emotion and passion can be dangerous because they fuel love…and
hate.
I’m now a reluctant connoisseur of both—an expert
through immersion. I know them intimately.
When I fell in love with Miranda, it was swift and
blind. She was the person I’d elevated to mythical status in my head, in my
dreams.
Here’s the thing about dreams, they’re smoke.
They’re spun as thoughts until they become
something we think we want. Something we think we need.
That was Miranda. She was smoke.
I thought I wanted her. I thought I needed her.
Over time reality crept in and slowly dissected
and disemboweled my dreams like a predator, leaving behind a rotting carcass.
You look outside: It’s snowing! But look closer. Those aren’t snowflakes falling from the sky! What is it?
I could hear the sirens and smell the smoke before I could muster up the strength to open my eyes. I had been knocked out. Again. It was the second time in just under a month and I was sure my handler at Operation Atlas wasn’t going to be happy about it.
When I finally rolled to my back
and opened my eyes, there was ash floating from the sky and landing softly on
the ground all around me. There had to be two or three thick inches of ash
coating every surface within a one-mile radius.
The fire wasn’t supposed to be that big. They had told me just to take out the warehouse, but they didn’t know about the chemicals being stored in the basement. By the time they exploded, it was too late. I was thrown clear across the parking lot and knocked out cold. The fire department came, but even they couldn’t stop the flames from jumping from building to building. By the time they found me, the fire had consumed the entire block.
Luckily, I was able to stop it before
it jumped the road and spread deeper into the city.
Starting, and stopping fire… that’s
my superpower. Although, lately, it seems like more of a curse.
Alright,
now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in
you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing.
Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!
You look outside: It’s snowing! But look closer. Those aren’t snowflakes falling from the sky! What is it?
What books have made your September reading list? Are any of them on the New York Times Best Seller list? Comment below and let me know, then, CLICK HERE to check out the 10 Ten Best Sellers for September and see which ones you’d like to add to your reading list!
Nina Soden 