Top Ten Tuesday - My Ten Favorite Movies

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists.  Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups!  Today's topic is a non-bookish freebie so I'm picking my Ten Favorite Movies.  Most of the movies I've watched in the last few years have been classic.  Not only are these genuinely my favorite movies but most of these I watched with my grandfather who I miss dearly so that gives them extra points.  

1.  Casablanca - Every time I see this movie another aspect or scene catches my attention and reminds me just why I love it.  We were lucky enough to see it in the theater a couple of weeks ago and seeing it on the big screen was magical.  The scene where they defiantly sing the French anthem at Rick's gave me literal chills.  

2.  Apollo 13 - I've spent most of my life in a town where the primary business is space and I'm married to an Aerospace Engineer but even without that connection to space this is still a great movie.  I couldn't even begin to guess how many times I watched it and yet I still hold my breath while they wait for communication to kick back in.

3.  Mrs. Miniver - This movie takes place in England during the start of World War II and is another movie I could watch over and over.  I love the characters and there are so many wonderful or heartbreaking moments throughout the movie and I am still on the hunt for the Wedgwood Jasperware coffee pot that they use in an early scene.

4.  Rear Window - This is probably my favorite Grace Kelly movie.  It's so refreshing to see her as a character other than the icy socialite she tends to play.  And Jimmy Stewart's pretty great too.

5.  Princess Bride - I'm pretty sure this is on most people's top ten movie list and if it isn't it should be!  

6.  Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - All of the main characters are gorgeous and charming.  The script is perfection and the scenery is gorgeous.  This is another movie that never gets old.

7.  Inside Out  - So this is a bit different than the rest of the movies on this list but it' is one of my favorite Disney movies and I think it's a great movie for kids to help them deal with their emotions.  And it's just entertaining!

8.  Mr. Blanding Builds His Dream House - Cary Grant is hands down my favorite author and this comedy involving and advertising exec falling down the rabbit hole of ownership is fantastic and proves just how amazing Grant is an a comedy actor.

9.  His Girl Friday - Another Cary Grant movie and another comedy but couldn't be more different than the previous movie.  Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell are absolutely fantastic as fast talking newspapermen.  

10. Anne of Green Gables - the Kevin Sullivan 1980s version - and its sequel - There's a third movie in this series but I refuse to admit it exists but the first two are my absolute comfort watch and flat out wonderful.  The movies (especially the sequel) aren't very true to the series but the casting is such perfection that I can't help but love it.

What are some of your favorite movies?  Have you seen any of these?

Who Cries For the Lost - Historical Mystery

Goodreads: Who Cries for the Lost (A Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery #18) by C.S. Harris

Rating: Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)
Source:   Purchased

Description:  June 1815. The people of London wait, breathlessly, for news as Napoleon and the forces united against him hurtle toward their final reckoning at Waterloo. Among them is Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, frustrated to find himself sidelined while recovering from a dangerous wound he recently received in Paris. When the mutilated corpse of Major Miles Sedgewick surfaces from the murky waters of the Thames, Sebastian is drawn into the investigation of a murder that threatens one of his oldest and dearest friends, Irish surgeon Paul Gibson.

Gibson’s lover, Alexi Sauvage, was tricked into a bigamous marriage with the victim. But there are other women who may have wanted the cruel, faithless Major dead. His mistress, his neglected wife, and their young governess who he seduced all make for compelling suspects. Even more interesting to Sebastian is one of Sedgewick’s fellow officers, a man who shared Sedgewick’s macabre interest in both old English folklore and the occult. And then there’s a valuable list of Londoners who once spied for Napoleon that Sedgewick was said to be transporting to Charles, Lord Jarvis, the Regent’s powerful cousin who also happens to be Sebastian’s own father-in-law.

The deeper Sebastian delves into Sedgewick’s life, the more he learns about the Major’s many secrets and the list of people who could have wanted him dead grows even longer. Soon others connected to Sedgewick begin to die strange, brutal deaths and more evidence emerges that links Alexi to the crimes. Certain that Gibson will be implicated alongside his lover, Sebastian finds himself in a desperate race against time to stop the killings and save his friends from the terror of the gallows.

Genre:  Mystery - Historical 

Why I Picked This Book:   I've read the last few books in this series and enjoyed them - especially the previous book so I couldn't resist this book.

My Impression: This may be my favorite book in the series so far.  While I haven't read the entire series I've read the last five or so.  I've always enjoyed them and found them well plotted with interesting and complex characters but never thought they were the fastest reads.  However, not only does this book have all the intriguing twisting plot points and complex characters - including a more vulnerable side of Sebastian and his hilarious if cruel aunt - but the pace was lightening fast.  From pretty much the first page I was hooked and didn't want to put the book down.

The first victim, Miles Sedgewick is definitely one of those people where it's not so shocking that he was murdered but more surprising that it took someone so long to finally do him in.  The question is which of his bad behaviors is what got him killed.  With fingers pointing squarely at the woman Sebastian's dear friend Gibson is in love with Sebastian must dig around in bad behavior and the world of the occult to find out what really happened.  And to find out if Sedgewick's killer is also the one responsible for the deaths of the other bodies being pulled up from the bottom of the river.

Along the way Sebastian finds himself being threatened and attacked.  Is it because of his previous actions in France or his current investigation?  Not only did the mystery itself hook me but I was fascinated by the French history that is the background of the story.  The politics and brutality was fascinating and has me wanting to learn more abut French history in general.

Before reading this book you really need to read at least the previous book as the actions in that book do connect with some of the events in this book.  This was a fast paced, interesting, and entertaining mystery that kept me guessing from beginning to end.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Absolutely!  I'm looking forward to the next book in the author and want to go back to read the earlier books in this series that I missed.

Would I Recommend this Book?  I would definitely recommend this series but this book might be best if you've read a few books in the series first just so you understand who everyone is and how they're connected.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Rolling Stone - Classic Mystery Review

Goodreads:  Rolling Stone by Patricia Wentworth

Rating: Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)
Source:   Purchased

Description:  A con man named Spike Reilly was dying an agonizing death in a Brussels hotel. Next door, the erstwhile sleuth and wanderer, Peter Talbot, was very much alive. And in a moment of brilliance and madness, Peter knew that he could adopt the dying man's identity and use it as his passport into a dangerous ring of thieves.

Reborn Spike Reilly, Peter followed a trail of coded messages that led first to a well-appointed English manor, a house full of well-appointed guests, and then to the true identity of Spike's employer: Maud Millicent Simpson, England's most deadly woman. After steering him through the theft of a priceless painting, Maud then had a second job for "Spike": kidnap and kill a beautiful young lady. For Spike Reilly it might have been all in a day's work. But for Peter Talbot it meant playing a role within a role within a role - and somehow coming out alive!

Genre: Mystery - Classic

Why I Picked This Book:   I'm reading through my non-Miss Silver books and this is one I haven't read.

My Impression: This is one of Wentworth's spy books and while I don't enjoy those quite as much as the typical English country house type mysteries this was still a lot of fun.  Peter Talbot is a likable guy with no real connections other than an aunt who ends up taking the identity of  a criminal in order to figure out just what kind of con the criminal is running.  

A fun bit of mayhem ensues as Peter follows orders without being quite sure just what he's getting himself into.  But things quickly turn serious when Maud Millicent arrives on the scene and Peter has to think fast and make sure he's keeping his poker face up while trying how to get out of a situation alive - and with Terry alive too.

I enjoyed this read quite a lot.  It's not the most the most realistic but it's fast paced enough and entertaining enough that I didn't mind.  If you're looking for a bit of escapist fun with a classic mystery touch of espionage this is a great choice.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Of course!  Wentworth is one of my favorite authors and I'm looking forward to reading more of her non-Miss Silver books.

Would I Recommend this Book? Absolutely!  If you like classic mysteries this is a fun read.

Friday Fives - Five Books on My TBR with Flowers in the Title

I'm taking a bit of a break from my usual Friday Linkups to try something a little different.  I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much.  This month my theme is gardening and flowers so I'm looking at books on my TBR with flowers in the title.

1.  A Memory of Violets by Hazel Gaynor - I have loved every book by this author and this one looks just as wonderful.

2.  Morning Glory by Sarah Jio - I have enjoyed other books by this author and always mean to read more but somehow haven't.  This sounds like a fantastic read.

3.  Wildflower Hill by Kimberley Freeman - I haven't heard much about this author or this book but it sounds like a story I would enjoy with a woman inheriting a property in Australia after an injury ends her career in ballet.

4.  The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley - I've heard wonderful things about this author and this one sounds fantastic.

5.  Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly- I love historical fiction and this looks wonderful.

Do you have any books with flowery titles on your TBR?

Books from the Backlog - Death and Daisies

Today I'm linking up with Carole from Carole's Random Life of Books for Books from the Backlog.  I really enjoy the chance to feature a book that's been hiding in the piles of books for far too long!

Goodreads:  Death and Daisies by Amanda Flower

Blurb:  Fiona Knox thought she was pulling her life back together when she inherited her godfather’s cottage in Duncreigan, Scotland—complete with a magical walled garden. But the erstwhile Tennessee flower shop owner promptly found herself puddle boot-deep in danger when she found a dead body among the glimmering blossoms. One police investigation later (made a trifle less unpleasant by the presence of handsome Chief Inspector Neil Craig), and Fiona’s life is getting back on a steady, though bewitched, track. Her sister Isla has just moved in with her, and the grand opening of her new spellbound venture, the Climbing Rose Flower Shop in Aberdeenshire, is imminent.

But dark, ensorcelled clouds are gathering to douse Fiona’s newly sunny outlook. First, imperious parish minister Quaid MacCullen makes it undeniably clear that he would be happy to send Fiona back to Tennessee. Then, a horrific lightning storm, rife with terribly omen, threatens to tear apart the elderly cottage and sends Fi and Isla cowering under their beds. The storm passes, but then, Fi is called away from the Climbing Rose’s opening soiree when Kipling, the tiny village’s weak-kneed volunteer police chief, finds a dead body on the beach.

The body proves difficult to identify, but Kipling is certain it’s that of the parish minister. Which makes Fiona, MacCullen’s new nemesis, a suspect. And what’s worse, Isla has seemed bewitched as of late…did she do something unspeakable to protect her sister? The last thing Fiona wanted to do was play detective again. But now, the rosy future she’d envisioned is going to seed, and if she and Craig can’t clear her name, her idyllic life will wilt away in Death and Daisies, national bestselling author Amanda Flower’s second enchanting Magic Garden mystery.

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  This has been gathering dust on my NetGalley shelf for way too long and it looks like such a great read!  Plus, I've really enjoyed every book I've read by this author.

Overdue Reviews - Scheduled to Death + First Degree Mudder

 

Goodreads:  Scheduled to Death (A Maggie McDonald Mystery #2) by Mary Feliz

Blurb:   Professional organizer Maggie McDonald has a knack for cleaning up other people’s messes. So when the fiancée of her latest client turns up dead, it’s up to her to sort through the untidy list of suspects and identify the real killer. 

Maggie McDonald is hoping to raise the profile of her new Orchard View organizing business via her first high-profile client. Professor Lincoln Sinclair may be up for a Nobel Prize, but he’s hopeless when it comes to organizing anything other than his thoughts. For an academic, he’s also amassed more than his share of enemies. When Sinclair’s fiancée is found dead on the floor of his home laboratory — electrocuted in a puddle of water—Maggie takes on the added task of finding the woman’s murderer. To do so, she’ll have to outmaneuver the suspicious, obnoxious police investigator she’s nicknamed “Detective Awful” before a shadowy figure can check off the first item on their personal to-do list — Kill Maggie McDonald.

My Thoughts: It's been years since I read the first book so I was a bit afraid that I wouldn't know what was going on in this book but had no problem jumping in, picking up on who was who, and getting caught up in the mystery.  Each chapter starts with an organizing tip from Maggie's business which I really enjoyed.  As well, Maggie is frequently at work or tackling some project so that it feels believable that she is actually a professional organizer but it isn't so detailed that I feel like I'm reading a book on home organization.  One of my pet peeves with cozies is when it feels like the main character's career is just window dressing and that wasn't the case here.  The mystery hooked me.  Even though the victim is dead at the very beginning of the book I did feel like I got to know her and really enjoyed meeting Linc and the rest of the community and I loved to hate Detective Awful.  Maggie's a great lead character.   Her reasons for getting involved in the investigation do make sense and she's not so nosy and forceful with her questions that it seems over the top.  The story is well paced with likable characters and a bit of suspense.  Plus, there's a golden retriever and that's a really hard story element to beat! My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

Goodreads:  First Degree Mudder (Pacific Northwest Mystery #4) by Kate Dyer-Seeley

Blurb: Back home in Portland, Oregon, Meg is ready to take her career as an outdoor writer for Extreme magazine to the next level. Lesser journalists sling mud—Meg plans to run through it. To train hard for Mud, Sweat & Beers, an extreme 5K mud run, she’s signed on with the Mind Over Mudder team, run by ten-time mud marathon champ—and former drill sergeant—Billy the Tank. But when Meg finds her tenacious trainer dead in the locker room, she has a sinking feeling someone may have been pushed too far. Digging through the hidden secrets at Mind Over Mudder is a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it. Meg will have to tread carefully, though—or she may soon be running for her life . . .

My Thoughts:  Poor Meg is in over her head once again with the Mind Over Mudder team preparing for her first mud run.  Honestly, I've had a few friends do mud runs and they sound really awful but it was fun watching Meg get ready for the run with full enthusiasm even if her body wasn't quite as enthusiastic as her mind.  Meg's also going through of a tough time in her personal life with her best friend possibly leaving the country, a dating situation that is as clear as the mud she has to run through, and being forced to see that her late father may not be quite the saint she thought he was.  Meg just seems so young and her struggles seemed very real.  With everything going on the mystery got pushed to the side a bit.  Meg suspected everyone and no one and was a bit all over the place with her investigating.  Despite that I did enjoy the read and enjoyed spending my time with Meg.  If you enjoy cozy mysteries with an outdoorsy feel this is a fun series to try though it is best to start with an earlier book.  My Rating: Liked It! (3 Stars)

Top Ten Tuesday - Books with Animals on the Cover

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists.  Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups!  Today's topic is Books with Animals on the Cover.  I love books with animals in them and so I always look for animals on the cover.

1.  A Skeleton in the Family by Leigh Perry

2.  A Wee Murder in My Shop by Fran Stewart

3.  The Calamity Cafe by Gayle Leeson

4.  The Lion in the Living Room by Abigail Tucker

5.  Arsenic with Austen by Katherine Bolger Hyde

6.  The Shepherd's Life by James Rebanks

7.  Assaulted Caramel by Amanda Flower

8.  Murder Can Mess Up Your Masterpiece by Rose Pressey

9.  Fixing to Die by Miranda James

10. The Secrets of Bones by Kylie Logan

What books with animal covers are on your TBR?