Sweet petunias, it’s August 10th…so time for 10 on the 10th 08.2020. Today we’re sharing our favorite books, movies, podcasts and TV shows…lately. Let me emphasize that word WE. Because this is one of those I’ll show you mine if you show me yours kind of posts. I’ll share my faves if you share yours. Interactive posts are some of my most popular so hope you will play along. Leave your list in a comment below or link-up your 10 on the 10th 08.2020 post here with me.
I selected this theme long before we knew anything about Covid. But I think there must have been some divine intervention behind it. Because, if you are like me (heaven help you!!), you’ve exhausted your list of favorite TV shows, listened to all the podcasts, and read all the books. You’ve worn out your favorite movies. And you could use some new inspiration to get you through the remaining months of Covid restrictions. Life is opening up again here but still no sign of theaters opening. And libraries won’t open for another 10 days. What’s the case where you are?
Let’s not waste another moment…
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Favorite Books (Lately)
My online book club is playing catch up this month. We all needed a month away to get some of our books finished. So we didn’t vote for an August book. At least not yet. Here are some of the books I’ve enjoyed lately.
Recently Read
- The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson 4.70 out of 5 stars on Amazon, 4.25 out of 5 stars on Goodreads
- Fierce, Free and Full of Fire by Jen Hatmaker 4.90 out of 5 stars on Amazon, 4.40 out of 5 stars on Goodreads
Currently Reading
- The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett 4.60 out of 5 stars on Amazon, 4.41 out of 5 stars on Goodreads
- The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes 4.60 out of 5 stars on Amazon, 4.29 out of 5 stars on Goodreads
Fixin’ to Read
- For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards by Jen Hatmaker 4.70 out of 5 stars on Amazon, 4.11 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. It is FREE in Kindle format for all Amazon Prime members. Check it out, here.
- Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain 4.70 out of 5 stars on Amazon, 4.12 out of 5 stars on Goodreads
Favorite Movies (Lately)
Recently Watched
“Harriet” – 6.5/10 IMDb, 66% Metacritic, 74% Rotten Tomatoes; the story of Harriet Tubman, one of my all-time favorite heroines.
Looking Forward to Watching
“The Woman in the Window” – was scheduled to have been released in theaters 05.15.2020 but – let’s say it all together – C-O-V-I-D. No date for its online streaming date. I read the book and am anxious to see this movie.
“The One and Only Ivan” is scheduled to be released on Disney+ on 08.21.2020 (same day as my summer bucket list update BTW). But if you haven’t read the book by the same name by Katherine Applegate, please speed read it first. Although it is a children’s book, I know you will love it, too.
Favorite Podcasts (Lately)
I struggle to listen to podcasts. Not sure why exactly because my new favorite way of reading is with my ears listening to audio books. One of my summer bucket list activities under the heading ‘Good for the Mind’ is to listen to Dave Ramsey’s podcasts.
My mom preached for years from his early book Financial Peace, published in 1992. But I didn’t follow her good advice or Ramsey’s. Now that I am married to my Prince C., I have more financial peace than I have ever had in my adult life. I guess financial sense skips a generation.
While I didn’t have much financial sense, my daughter Brennyn and son-in-law Mustafa are very fiscally responsible. And using Ramsey’s ‘Baby Steps’ to pay off student loans, cars loans and credit cards. They posted this photo last week.
I have been taking a course on making over your mornings by Crystal Paine. Plan to start listening to her podcasts, The Crystal Paine Show, too. “The Crystal Paine Show is dedicated to helping you embrace life right where you are and take practical steps to get where you want to go.”
And because I enjoyed Jen Hatmaker’s book SO much, I have just begun listening to her For the Love podcasts. “For the love of … People. Home. Stories. Shoes. Family. Jesus. Community. TV. Accessories. Food. Culture. The New York Times best-selling author and star of HGTV’s “My Big Family Renovation,” invites you to drop by and catch up with her friends as they laugh and share about all the things we love.”
TV Shows (Lately)
We have truly enjoyed “Anne with an E.” I have mentioned it in every post, I think, since we discovered it. Based on the Anne of Green Gables books by Lucy Maude Montgomery, it has the same wholesome, good feels of “Little House on the Prairie” and “The Waltons.”
PC enjoys it as much or more than I do. And put it on first thing this morning while we were still in bed. I prefer to watch good shows slowly, one episode every couple of days in order to savor them. But my Prince C. prefers to binge watch. In this tumultuous time, it is refreshing to watch something sweet and innocent.
Apparently the show is not up for renewal but fans are taking action. They have created a petition for requesting, no, demanding that the show be renewed for a 4th season. Sign that petition, here.
When my mom was still able to read large print books, I sent her Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. After she read it, my sister borrowed the book and then was going to share it with me.
I never got around to reading the book but have cheated and started watching the series on Hulu. What drama!! Like an old fashioned soap opera set in the 90s and starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington.
So good!! Wish I had discovered these series earlier in the pandemic! But judging from the rate of new cases of Covid in El Paso each day, we may be on restrictions for some time to come. Thankful we have seasons of both shows left to enjoy.
Bonus
Fall is my favorite season and I am already seeing glimpses of its goodness on the shelves and racks at my favorite stores. Recently I have discovered and enjoyed these Dollar Tree videos by ChicOnTheCheap at YouTube. Give me all the $1 fall decorations!
Don’t you feel totally inspired to jump into some delicious autumn DIYs after watching those clips?
Your Turn
I have never been good at math, so that may or may not be exactly 10 favorite books, movies, podcasts and TV shows (lately). But who’s counting, right? Would love for you to share some of your favorites lately in a comment or link up your 10 on the 10th 08.2020 post below.
Thank you, friends, for taking a few minutes to stop by today. Hope something I mentioned is new and of interest to you. Looking forward to reading everyone else’s suggestions and reviews.
Hugs and kisses,
I read The Woman in the Window – it was so good so I can only imagine how good the movie would be! I listen to Podcasts but I learned that I am only interested in ones that entertain me – apparently I know everything? Ha! I do enjoy them while I’m walking or cleaning the house.
You put together a good list here my friend!
xo,
Kellyann
Thank you, doll. I just don’t have the focus to listen and do anything else at the same time. I try to listen to podcasts in the car but somehow even that is a struggle. I do pretty well listening to books but there’s something about a podcast. Seems like I miss 30 seconds of a podcast and I am lost.
Anxious for The Woman in the Window to come out as a movie. Hope this winter we have some new, exciting choices to watch on TV. We struggle to find anything worth our time.
That does it– it’s the 4th time I’ve heard reference to The One and Only Ivan in this past week so I am getting that book to read today. I know my son has been wanting to read it too so maybe we’ll just buy the kindle version and share.
OH MY GOSH…you are going to love The One and Only Ivan. Please read it with your son. Or all of them. So. Good.
Well you know that my latest fav book is “Big Lies in a Small Town”, which I listened to on Audible. I have now listened to 3 books on Audible this summer and I have really enjoyed all of them-when I had Audible a couple years ago, I just couldn’t get into using it, but since I started listening to podcasts, I actually enjoy the books more. A couple books on my list to read are “The Life She Was Given” for book club and finishing the AJ Rivers series: “The Girl in Cabin 13”, “The Girl that Vanished”, etc. I have already read 3 of them and just started the 4th book. Not terribly deep, but I like murder mysteries so this a series I am enjoying. Podcasts that I listen to…I am a BIG ID channel watcher, so any podcasts with murder/mysteries/true crime are a fav of mine. I listened to “88 Days”, which is a reporter’s(from MN) story of the disappearance of Jayme Closs, Cold Case Files, Already Gone, The Dating Game Killer, and The Trail Went Cold. Right now I am binge watching Chicago PD and an old fav, that I had to order on DVDs because I couldn’t find on Netflix or any streaming, is China Beach-love it!! <3 I have also been LOVING all.the.fall at Home Goods, Joann’s Fabrics, Hobby Lobby, and one of my besties’ dining room table. 🙂 She makes the cutest pumpkins from old sweaters, flannel, and all sorts of fuzzy and fun fabrics in all sorts of fun colors! Fall has always been my favorite season of the year-weather-wise and decorating-makes my house all warm and cozy. I am so looking forward to a much less stressful Fall, since I retired from teaching. I used to be so stressed once August arrived-getting my classroom ready and spending hours and hours at school. Now I look forward to having time to decorate for fall, taking walks in the crisp Fall weather, visiting my daughter in the cities whenever I want (even during the week) reading books, and drinking coffee on my deck in the morning-retirement is something I am hoping to really enjoy-I think I will really enjoy being off in the fall-we will see what winter brings. 🙂
Yay, Mary!!! So glad you left this great comment. So glad to hear some of your faves. I have Big Lies lined up for my next read. Can’t wait. Isn’t Audible just fabulous. Like having a play performed just for you wherever you go. I wouldn’t have been able to pay attention earlier in my life to an audio book but they are right up my alley now.
My first podcast was about the death of Princess Diana. I enjoy watching/listening to crime shows, too. Will check out the ones you mentioned. Just not enough hours in the day. I loved China Beach back when. Should revisit it!
I am so happy for you to be able to look at fall, your fave season and mine, without the stress of back-to-school. It was always fun to me to return to school but then 2 weeks back, and the stress would creep in and I would be a mess. Life sounds good, Mary. And I couldn’t be happier for you, darling friend.
I like how you split up this post! Mine will be a day late, tomorrow! I want to read The Vanishing Half soon. I liked the Little Fires Everywhere TV adaptation!
Thank you for joining me for 10 on the 10th. I am enjoying The Vanishing Half but getting the characters in it mixed up with the characters in Little Fires. That’s what happens when you are 62 and try to mutlitask.
I love how you did this post… what you are “lately” into for media. I will be checking out some of your books and shows for sure.
Thank you so much for joining me for 10 on the 10th. I have lots of great book, TV, movie and podcasts to look into now.
Ooh, I love this topic. I’m going to have to link up later this week! I still want to watch Little Fires Everywhere, though I have not read the book. I like podcasts but I don’t listen to them often because I used to walk and listen, and I’m not walking a whole ton these days, unless you count walking around the pool – and with that, I carry a book around and read. hah
-Lauren
So glad you joined me for 10 on the 10th. Hope you will try Little Fires, the series. I wish now I had read the book and can’t believe I gave it to my 93 year old mom to read! Ha!! Sure enjoying the series.
Can just envision you walking around the pool with book in hand. Great way to cool off!! I finally got smart and listened to my latest Audible book using bluetooth headphones while laying on my air mattress in the pool. Heaven.
We have some stores open here, but no theaters and our library is only open for curbside pickup at the moment, so I’ve been getting my books via the online database, Paperback Swap, or my own bookshelves (which I’m a little ashamed to say is more than half filled with ones I haven’t read yet since I often share my books once I’ve read them).
The Vanishing Half and The Book Woman are both on my TBR! I read The Woman in the Window too, and am anxiously anticipating the movie. I didn’t think I could enjoy watching a serial killer until I watched You, so I think I’ll have to watch Dexter for my next big binge. I really enjoyed Little Fires Everywhere. I hope you do too!
I have heard great things about Dexter. We watched one episode and I think there was a dog killed or abused and I just couldn’t get beyond that. Might need to revisit that series and give it another try. Our library curbside pickup opens this week. Yahoo!! Not sure how it works but look forward to finding out.
We are going to start Little Fires Everywhere tonight! I read the book a few months ago. I did not know that Jen Hatmaker had a podcast! Ohh, going to add it to my podcast faves now.
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Oh, Little Fireflies is sooooooo good. I watch when PC is at work because it is too much drama for him. But I am spellbound.
Please check out Jen Hatmaker’s podcast. I remember you told me about the enneagram stuff. And she has done a whole series on her podcast about enneagrams. Check it out!!
Hi, Leslie – Great post! I’ve recently read ‘Book Woman of Troublesome Creek.’ Although it was fine, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought that I would. I think that I had it built up too much in my mind (or that it was built up too much in the reviews that I had read) and nothing could match that. I haven’ read any of the other books on your list but will check them out!
Donna, have you tried Giver of Stars? I am just starting it but it is also about the pack horse librarians in Kentucky. You might enjoy it more. I think I had a connection with The Book Woman because my father’s family is from Kentucky and it felt like a story about those who could have been my ancestors or friends of family.
I read The Woman in the Window and Little Fires Everywhere and can’t wait to watch both! I’m ready to make some fall DIYs! I need to follow her on YouTube!
Jill – Doused in Pink
These Dollar Tree videos are so fun. I wonder if there are some about Hobby Lobby hauls, too? Need to look into that.
I’m linking up tomorrow.
I lvoe these prompts – so many books/movies/shows that i forget about
I hvae anne with an E on my list too – LOVE that show
We are so lost now that we’ve finished Anne with an E. What do we watch now?
I’m not a fan of podcasts either. I don’t know what the hype is all about. I listen to sermons, and talk radio, but zero podcasts. Loved Anne with a E. I’m hoping they’ll renew it.
Trying to get everyone I know to watch Anne and sign the petition begging for a 4th season.