Everything is Awesome

The Lego Movie
As soon as I heard this was coming out I knew I had to see it. We may have taken out niece and nephew with us, but even if they hadn't been available I would have dragged the boy to it.

First there are the awesome main characters voices of Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Ferrel, and Morgan Freeman. Just as awesome is the supporting cast with smaller parts from Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, and Liam Neeson. There's a ton of fun cameos with Gandalf, Dumbledore, and The Ninja Turtles, but even more exciting is when the character cameo is voiced by the real life version like with Shaq, C-3PO, and Lando Calrissian.

Plus there's just the fun of watching everything. I loved how I was able to recognize specific Lego blocks, since everything in the movie is made from pieces. Which even means the water, bubbles, and smoke is again made from blocks. I thought it was so fun and clever the way the pulled it all together.

As for the movie itself, yes, a lot of it was predictable. And yes, they may have thrown in a few cameos, because, well, why not? But even so it was enjoyable and it had a good message. Plus there was a fun, although slightly expected, twist near the end.

If you were ever a fan of Legos I say you need to go see it. I've also heard rumors that a sequel is planned, which I definitely want to see as well!

The Royal Hairdresser, The Queen, and the Revolution {Giveaway}

Marie Antoinette's Head by Will Bashor
Published: October 16, 2013 by Lyons Press
I think when anyone, myself included, pictures Marie Antoinette you think of her over-the-top hairstyles. Except, I never really thought about how they happened. Was she the one who wanted it done? Was she following the trend? No, it turns out her personal hairdresser, Léonard Autié, was the man responsible and this book is his story.

You wouldn't expect there to be a lot known about a hairdresser, and it seems that's actually the case. However Léonard did publish his own memoirs based on his journals which is where a lot of the information comes from. It is interesting reading a biography that includes quoted conversations between people, but the author clearly indicates that this comes from the memoir, and before that diary entries. Except when you write in your diary, and include quotes, how clearly do those quotes reflect actuality? That is a potential issue with this book, but it is one that the author is very upfront about.

Not too surprisingly there wasn't much about Léonard's early life. Although that was fine with me, because I thought it really picked up once he got to the court of Versailles. I thought it was fascination hearing why and how all of Marie Antoinette's hairstyles evolved. And I loved the intimate look and conversations we were able to hear of Marie Antoinette's from Léonard's perspective.

There is still quite a bit of story after the Queen's death, and while there is a lot here, I wasn't a huge fan of it. I did still enjoy parts, but overall there was so much going on, and so much politics with it all, that I couldn't quite keep up.

This isn't the first non-fiction book I've read about Marie Antoinette, but it is the first in a long time. There were definitely details I felt as if I was learning for the first time, or others that came back to me once I read them. For these reasons I do think that even if you aren't that knowledgeable about Marie Antoinette's time as queen you'll enjoy this. But if you are, you should still enjoy this since it's a from such different and somewhat unexpected perspective.

4/5

I'm excited to announce I'm giving away a copy of Marie Antoinette's Head to one lucky reader! (Giveaway is limited to the US and Canada.) Please use the rafflecopter form below to enter.
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SYNOPSIS
Marie Antoinette has remained atop the popular cultural landscape for centuries for the daring in style and fashion that she brought to 18th century France. For the better part of the queen’s reign, one man was entrusted with the sole responsibility of ensuring that her coiffure was at its most ostentatious best. Who was this minister of fashion who wielded such tremendous influence over the queen’s affairs? Marie Antoinette’s Head: The Royal Hairdresser, The Queen, and the Revolution charts the rise of Leonard Autié from humble origins as a country barber in the south of France to the inventor of the Pouf and premier hairdresser to Queen Marie-Antoinette.

By unearthing a variety of sources from the 18th and 19th centuries, including memoirs (including Léonard’s own), court documents, and archived periodicals the author, Professor Will Bashor, tells Autié’s mostly unknown story. He chronicles Leonard’s story, the role he played in the life of his most famous client, and the chaotic and history-making world in which he rose to prominence. Besides his proximity to the queen, Leonard also had a most fascinating life filled with sex (he was the only man in a female dominated court), seduction, intrigue, espionage, theft, exile, treason, and possibly, execution. The French press reported that Léonard was convicted of treason and executed in Paris in 1793. However, it was also recorded that Léonard, after receiving a pension from the new King Louis XVIII, died in Paris in March 1820. Granted, Leonard was known as the magician of Marie-Antoinette’s court, but how was it possible that he managed to die twice?

Author Bio
Will Bashor has a doctorate in International Relations from the American Graduate School in Paris, and he teaches at Franklin University, Columbus, Ohio. His interests have ranged over many fields, among them the study of international law and business, linguistics, cultural anthropology, and European history.

As a member of the Society for French Historical Studies, he attended its annual meeting sponsored by Harvard University in Cambridge in 2013.

Disclosure: I was provided this book through France Book Tours. All opinions expressed are my own.

Mailbox Monday (64)

Mailbox Monday is the place for bloggers to share the books they've recently added to their shelves. It was started by Marcia, who now blogs at To Be Continued..., and is hosted each month at the Officially Mailbox Monday site. The week I'm excited to share...
For Review from Virtual Author Book Tours
Cover Me Boys, I'm Going In by Keith Hirshland
This is a memoir about the author's life in sports reporting. He does specialize in golf, which I'm not actually a huge fan of watching. But I'm still excited to see a behind the scenes look at what it's like being on tv and being a sports reporter.

For Review from TLC Book Tours
When the Cypress Whispers by Yvette Manessis Corporon
This is a chick-lit type, where Greece is featured. It's about an American who escapes back to her childhood home in Greece to help herself move on from the loss of her husband.

From Paperback Swap
The Midwife of Venice by Roberta Rich
I'm more excited about this one than I have been about any book in a while. It's a historical fiction about a Jewish midwife in Venice in the 16th century. Combining so many of my favorite theme to read about (Renaissance! Judaism! Babies!), I'm really hopeful that this lives up to my expectations.

From Goodreads
Nothing Sweeter by Laura Drake
Yes, this book is exactly what the cover makes it out to be. But it is about an L.A. girl who moves to the South like me, and just that gets me even more excited for it.

What did you find in your mailbox this week? And do you have a favorite book that seems to be about all encompass all the themes you enjoy reading?

While you're here, don't forget to enter my giveaway for At The River's Edge by Mariah Stewart!

Down By the River Banks {Giveaway}

At The River's Edge by Mariah Stewart
Published: January 28, 2014 by Ballantine Books
Series: The Chesapeake Diaries #7
If you go back and read my reviews of the other books in the series, you'll find them all eerily similar. But that's a good thing because you know exactly what to expect this these. Girl with cute girly profession (wanting to open a restaurant) meets a guy with a strong masculine profession (owner of a landscape company) and falls in love. Then there's the question of who is the one moving and starting over in a small town; this time it's actually both of them.

Now that this is my third book in the series I'm loving that I'm able to recognize certain characters. It's so fun to be able to peek back into their lives and see what's changed. Although this shouldn't be a deter if you haven't read earlier books. I actually started this series with #6, then read #1, and only now am reading #7. But as a warning if you pick up this book, you will want to read more to find out all the other back stories.

If I have any major complaint with this it's the cover. Which is funny because I actually really like how dreamy and romantic it is. I just hate that it doesn't match the rest of the books in the series. Even more the title doesn't match the others either. I realize it's a silly thing to complain about, but still, it obviously bothered me more than I should have.

I'm definitely happy to have had the chance to read this book, and I think it's the perfect escape. You can't help but feel transported to a little beach town in the spring which is exactly where you want to be this cold winter. Yes, you know what going to happen, but you're still not going to want to put it down till you see exactly how it will all play out.

4/5

If this book piques your interest, it's your lucky day because I have one copy to giveaway! (In the US only.) Please enter using the rafflecopter form below.
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Disclosure: I was provided this book through TLC Book Tours. All opinions expressed are my own.

Today I'm linking up with Blonde Undercover Blonde for Book Club Friday!

Masala Meatballs

Frozen Thursdays are an old blog relic. Back in the early days of the blog I used to have fun trying and writing about various frozen food products. I don't really write them anymore since I rarely buy frozen meals and when I do, I stick to my favorites (Amy's Vegetable Lasagna and Pesto Tortellini). Except about once or year or so I like to bring it back to share a new discovery, like today...
Sukhi's Masala Meatballs
Like the other Sukhi's products I've tried they aren't really meant to be meals, instead they're better as appetizers. But that doesn't stop me from eating it as a single serving. They also aren't the easiest to heat up since the sauce comes in it's own packet and you need a separate bowl to heat it up. But assuming you're willing to go through the extra work they're well worth it.

They do pack a punch, and by the end of them my mouth was on fire. But if you were to serve this at a party where you're only eating one or two at a time I think they'd be the perfect intensity.

Do you have a frozen meal that you always seem to go back to?

This product was purchased by me, without any motivation except being hungry. All opinions are my own.

January in Review

Last year I used Lisa's approach to recapping a month, where I'd highlight the meals, moments, reviews, and remembering from the month before. Except there were times where I didn't have an exceptional meal to highlight, or nothing too out of the ordinary happened to mention in my moment. Instead this year, I want to use the same basic idea, but in a free-er form where I don't need to highlight each single item. Which leads us to...

In January...
...I spent a week in California visiting with family and friends.
...the boy made burritos with mole sauce using a specialty seasoning mix he had purchased in California.

...I posted reviews of 5 books and 3 movies.
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Somewhere in France by Jennifer Robson
The Gods of Heavenly Punishment by Jennifer Cody Eppstein
Degrees of Courage by Shari Vester
Splintered by A.G. Howard
47 Ronin
The Wolf of Wall Street
I, Frankenstein
Out of all of these Somewhere in France was without question my favorite.

...four years ago, in 2010, I recaped the first episode of Jason Mesnick's season of The Bachelor including this gem,

"I liked Melissa, the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader. "

Of course, while Melissa wound up being the winner that season, Jason later choice Mollie who he married and now has a daughter with. And Melissa is also now married with a baby of her own!

What are your highlights from this January? And would you rather recap a month with defined guidelines or without any?

Monday Movie Review

I, Frankenstein
Yes, we saw this. In IMAX 3-D even, because that was the only showtime that worked. Was it better than I expected? Yes. But it was still pretty bad.

The special effects weren't nearly as cheesy as I would have thought. And the actual plot surprised me, because it wasn't really about Frankenstein's monster. Yes, he was there. But the main story was the fight between demons and gargolyes.

So again, it wasn't awful. But my head hurt a bit afterwards, and there's probably a dozen other options out there that would be a better choice than this.