February/March Content Consumption

Since my family and I are 100% practicing social distancing right now, we have been staying home and consuming so much content.  I realized I never posted a February content consumption post, but that's mainly because I read a ton of books and only watched one TV show...so it really would have been pretty boring.  Although March is already almost over, I thought I would just combine the two now in case you all want to read/watch what I did these past two months while you're social distancing!

BOOKS

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown: 9.5/10 // All I can say about this book is wow.  My family and I got this book for my grandpa for Christmas a few years ago and he still says it's his favorite gift he has ever gotten.  I had been wanting to read it, but I kept putting it off since I don't know much about rowing and I wasn't sure if I would find it enjoyable.  I finally borrowed the book from my grandpa and wow am I glad I did!  It's about a group of boys from the University of Washington and everything they went through on their way to win a Gold Medal in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.  The only reason I didn't give it a 10/10 is because it was a little slow going into it, but once the story picked up I couldn't put it down!  Absolutely loved it.

Stay Sexy and Don't Get Murdered: A Definitive How-To Guide by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark: 9/10 //  I love the podcast, My Favorite Murder.  In this dual memoir by the hosts of that podcast, the two cover topics about how they became the Murderinos they are today, and steps to protect yourself in the wild and not get murdered or kidnapped.  It combines humor with heartwarming essays about their lives and I really loved getting to know the hosts of one of my favorite podcasts even better.  If you're a fan of the show, this is a must read!

Jewels by Danielle Steel: 8/10 // This is one of my mom's favorite books ever and she has been begging me to read it for years.  We found it at a secondhand bookstore and my mom bought it immediately since she couldn't find her original copy.  I finally got around to the promise that I made my mom and wow I'm glad I did!  It's the story of Sarah, and her life up until her 75th birthday.  It includes trials and tribulations in World War II, death of loved ones, running an underground jewel business, and dealing with unruly children.  It is definitely more exaggerated and unrealistic than most of the books that I had read previously which is why I rated it 8/10.  Overall though, it's a great read and one that I know I wouldn't have picked up if it weren't for the insistence of my mom!

A Rage to Kill and Other True Cases by Ann Rule: 6/10 // Ann rule is arguably one of the best true crimes writers of our time.  I read her book on Ted Bundy, The Stranger Beside Me, last year and I absolutely loved it!  This book was great too and showcased her skill as a writer.  It's a few true cases that take place around the Washington area all together in one book.  As interesting as the cases she wrote about were, I still rated this lower because I still love a long, elaborate story of true crime better than little snippets like these.  It did definitely give me a true crime fix, though!

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston: 8/10 //  If anyone else is a fan of The Morning Toast, then you'll know why I read this book.  Their sister podcast, The Readheads Book Club assigned this book for February and I wanted to keep up with what they're reading.  This is another book that I probably wouldn't have read if it weren't for the recommendation, but I'm glad I did!  It's the story of Alex, the First Son of the President of the United States, and Prince Henry, heir to the throne of England.  It's a classic tale of two people who hate each other falling in love, and having to keep their relationship a secret because it could destroy the monarchy and the next presidential election.  I loved this story, and it was a great feel-good romance after all of the true crime and non-fiction I had been reading lately!

A Time to Kill by John Grisham: 9/10 // Another book that I read from the guidance of my parents!  Both of my parents love John Grisham, and both said this is their favorite book by him, and it did not disappoint!  It's the story of a young black girl in Mississippi who was brutally assaulted by two white men.  Her father decides to take matters into his own hands, landing him in jail with a trial on his hands.  His lawyer is Jake Brigance, who has never handled a case this big and with this much on the line.  I loved this book so much and experienced from post-book depression when it was done!

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens: 10/10 // I am definitely late to the party on this book, but wow it was incredible!  This is the story of the Marsh Girl.  How she was brought up, the people she has interacted with, and a murder trial that may be slightly prejudiced.  An amazing coming of age story where I empathized and felt for Kya and everything she was going through.  A book that everyone should read!

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson: 8/10 // This is another Readheads Book Club pick!  Another book that didn't sound like something I would normally pick but ended up really loving!  This is a quicker read but packed with story line.  It's about two childhood friends, Lillian and Madison, who are brought back together because one of them needs a favor: be the governess for her two step-children who spontaneously catch on fire.  The only reason I didn't rate this higher was because I didn't feel fulfilled by the ending, but it's very different from anything that I have ever read before and I really enjoyed it!

The Woman in Cabin Ten by Ruth Ware: 5/10 // I had been wanting to read this book for a long time, but to be honest it's probably my least favorite read of the year so far.  Lo Blacklock goes on a cruise, when she hears a splash in the middle of the night and sees a body being thrown overboard.  The only catch?  No one is staying in that cabin and no one believes since no one onboard is missing.  I loved the idea of the story, but it took awhile for me to get into it, there's a plot point in the beginning that I didn't think was necessary to the rest of the story, and it all just played out...not great in my opinion.  Maybe I had too high of expectations for this book?  No idea, but overall not one of my favorites.

Verity by Colleen Hoover: 10/10 // Another one of my top books so far this year!  This is about Lowen, a struggling author in New York City, who is hired on to finish the book series of a famous author, Verity, who has suffered an accident and can no longer write.  While visiting Verity's home to go through her notes, she discovers a manuscript on Verity's life revealing her darkest secrets about her marriage, family, and her life in general.  I was on the edge of my seat this entire book and at each revelation.  Highly recommend this book, especially if you love mysteries and thrillers!

TV

Ted Bundy: Falling For a Killer (Amazon Prime): 10/10 // It's no secret that I love a good true crime story.  It's also no secret that I'm fascinated by Ted Bundy.  This docuseries is an interview with Bundy's longtime girlfriend, Liz Kendall, and her daughter Molly.  This tells their story, as well as his victim's stories as we learn about Bundy in a way we never have before.  We absolutely loved this and wish it was longer!  So fascinating.

100 Humans (Netflix): 10/10 //  A kind of random find, but my mom and I just finished this the other day and we loved it!  A group of scientists gets a group of 100 humans together to perform experiments and learn more about human behavior.  It was so interesting, and experimented things like, which generation is the most successful, which sex is more superior, and even our bathroom habits.  We absolutely loved this and I was so sad when it was over!

MOVIES

Impractical Jokers: The Movie (theaters): 8/10 // My family and I are big fans of Impractical Jokers!  It's basically on 24/7 in our household.  So when the movie opened in our local theater, we had to go see it!  It's everything you love about the classic TV show in a movie, and we were cracking up in theaters.  If you're a fan of the show, this is a must see!

Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy!  Let me know what you're watching/reading/listening to during this time!

xoxo, Hannah