Super Conference!

Sorry!  No new blog post this week as I am preparing for the OLA Super Conference.  I can't wait!  3 days of professional development and meeting people.  See you next week!

Buy or Borrow: Harvest Moon: Light of Hope

Given some of the games I've been playing lately, I decided it was time for something a little more lighthearted and I decided that Harvest Moon:  Light of Hope fit the bill.  It is a very relaxing game that is a mashup of Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing.  There is a bit of a plot, but you can take your time with it which is great!

The premise is that you've washed up on an island and have to repair the lighthouse to bring balance to the island and bring back the harvest goddess.  You start off growing some crops and as you upgrade your tools (hoe, axe, watering can, fishing rod and hammer) you use less energy to take on more difficult materials.  You also rebuild houses to encourage people to move back to the island.  One hour in game is equal to one minute in real life and at the beginning when you tire easily because there is so much to do, you will likely be playing for about 8 minutes before sleeping and starting the next day.

I'm really enjoying the pace of this game!  It is so relaxed, a lot of fun and shouldn't take long to finish.  I would definitely borrow this as opposed to buy because it is still relatively new and expensive (at least for the PS4 and Switch)!

Historical Romance Novels Based on Films

Based on the Bourne Identity, this story is about Jacinda who works at the Bourne matrimonial agency.  When she has a suspicion that he Duke of ? is hiding something she goes to investigate his estate.  When she loses her memory in a tragic accident, the Duke finds her on the shore close to his estate and tries to keep her from finding our his secret.  However, the Duke eventually softens toward Jacinda and 

This romance novel is based on Mary Poppins which was originally written as a book by P.L. Travers.  When blah turns up at the Governess agency where she has been promised a job, she is turned away by the owner.  Desperate and afraid, when she hears that the Duke of ? has fired yet another governess, she takes a chance and goes to apply for the job.

This book is based on While You Were Sleeping, which was one of my favourite rom coms in the 90s.  When shop girl Poppy sees the Duke fall and injured, she goes to help him.  When his family will not let her in, she claims to be his fiancee.  However, his half-brother does not believe her because his brother is so uptight that he would never befriend a shop girl, let alone propose marriage.  Convinced she is just another fortune hunter, he tries to keep her away from the Duke, only to fall for her himself.

Based on one of my favourite action movies of all time, True Lies, this husband and wife duo have no idea that they are working for the same spy agency.  But, with the Napoleonic wars over, what will they do now that the agency is downsizing and has them competing for the same job?

Review: Dynamic Dames (Turner Classic Movies): 50 Leading Ladies Who Made History

Dynamic Dames (Turner Classic Movies): 50 Leading Ladies Who Made History by Sloan De Forest
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I chose this book to read for a couple of reasons. The first is that in the #MeToo era, this book is exactly what is needed to promote strong female characters. Dynamic Dames indeed! The second reason is my knowledge on classic films is somewhat lacking. It covers characters and actresses from classic to contemporary films. I learned more about classic movies and can’t wait to start watching them!

The layout is wonderful and I like that you can hop around if you want to read about a particular actress or character. I also like the chapter titles, with the exception of Fatal Females because I prefer the French “Femmes Fatales”, which evokes more of a classic feeling for me. The writing is concise, fun and flows well. I like that the individual articles are short, but my favourite part was the little tidbit at the end with extra information that didn’t necessarily fit into the flow of the section. If your favourite actress or character wasn’t in the book, be sure to check the list of “More Dynamic Dames” at the end. If want to find out more about some of your favourite actresses, there is a bibliography following this section.

I read this on my Kobo and then looked at the photos on my computer. The photos look ok on the kobo, but they really stood out on my screen.

I know that this book hasn’t been published yet, but I’ve already suggested this book to my sister as I think that both she and her daughters would enjoy it.

#DynamicDamesTurnerClassicMovies  #NetGalley