It’s the end of the month, so it’s time to share a few of my favorite recommendations from February! Luckily, this month was less eventful than January. Not that it was quiet by any means– \my oldest plays snare in his school’s winter percussion group and his school hosted a large indoor winter percussion, winds, and guard event in the middle of the month. And of course yours truly is a band booster volunteer! My feet are still tired and my ears may still be ringing, but it was great fun and it’s always amazing to see so many unique and creative shows.
What I’m Reading:
Mad Honey* by Jodi Piccoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan was beautiful, heartbreaking, twisty, and with the signature structural fun you can expect from any Jodi Piccoult book. I found myself completely immersed while also wanting to dissect it like honeycomb to see how they had done it (I still may go back and do that!). This book has voice for days, questions that will linger with you longer than it takes to finish it, and a subtle beauty that stings, much like the bees that feature throughout.
I was so excited to read my friend Sheila Athens’ book, Neena Lee is Seeing Things*. This is a terrific read about grief, parenting, love, guilt, and forgiveness. Neena Lee is reeling from a panic disorder after the death of her brother. Desperate to get back to her life and pay the bills, she takes an assignment to go to Cumberland Island, GA and write a piece about the anniversary of JFK Jr and Carolyn Bissett’s wedding that took place on the island in one of the greatest secret celebrity weddings ever pulled off. During a private tour of the small chapel where the couple were wed, Neena is shocked to find JFK Jr himself sitting in the back of the church, despite being dead. Even stranger, he speaks to her, desperate to have help finding his lost bride. This book is full of emotional heart — funny, heartwarming, and a realistic depiction of one woman’s grief and need to let go of her family’s burdens.
I sped through (pun very much intended) The Breakaway* by Jennifer Weiner this week. This was an impulse pick up when I saw it on the library shelf and the perfect palate cleanser after a couple of non-fiction titles I was reading for business. I love a missed connection story (see One Day below!) and this didn’t disappoint. I love Jennifer Weiner’s books for always bringing reality-based yet complex relationships and topics to the forefront.
What I’m Watching:
Beef has been on our watch list for awhile and we finally got around to it this month. First of all, it is brilliantly acted by Ali Wong and Steven Yeun. Secondly, it is a genius exploration of story trajectory. If you’ve ever struggled with the action/consequence/obstacle balance that drives a story forward, watch this show. The escalation of action is steeped in character motivation and stakes and it’s just brutal and beautifully done. The ending is completely inevitable, satisfying, and yet still ambiguous enough (which I love). Note: If you’re squeamish, just be prepared for a little eye covering in the penultimate episode (I’m not sure how graphic a particular scene was because I am awfully wimpy and closed mine once I realized what was coming!). Did anyone else watch? What did you think?
I got leveled by a head cold this past weekend and used the excuse to binge the Netflix adaptation of David Nicholls’ book One Day.* I loved this book when I read it years ago. The movie adaptation was fine, but the new series format allowed for much more depth and nuance. If you aren’t familiar with the book, please know this is not a true rom-com with an easy breezy happily ever after. I don’t want to spoil anything but I will say that watching it with already congested sinuses was probably not my smartest decision. I may have needed an extra box of tissues after.
What I’m Listening to:
Noah Kahan’s Stick Season — give me your atmospheric singer songwriter albums any day. Love this one, plus bonus tracks with some of my favorite artists, like Brandi Carlile and Hozier.
I’m loving my friend and coaching colleague Nicole Meier’s new podcast: Steps to Story. Nicole provides weekly, bite-sized advice perfect to set the stage for your writing time. This podcast is great for writers of any stage, but will be fantastic to share with the emerging writers in your life.
Broadleaf Write Now Member spotlight with Kristine Rudolph. I’ve known Kristine for ages when our juniors in high school were wee little babies bundled in strollers at Piedmont Park in Atlanta. We didn’t realize until well into our relationship that we both were writers. It has become one of my most precious writer friendships. This podcast is an excellent discussion of how her “what if” questions latches her onto each new story, where she gets ideas, and her switch from writing adult domestic thrillers to middle grade. And if you’re in the Atlanta area, please check out Broadleaf Writers Association — this is an excellent organization for writers that provide amazing support, opportunity, and education for writers.
What have you been reading, watching, and listening to in February? Let me know so I can add them to my list!
*These are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you purchase through the link.
Featured photo above by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash