1) Read one book each month.
1a) Read Agatha Christie books in chronological order.
2) Watch films from IMDb's top 100 movies of all time.
3) Support charities.
June has been a steady month as far as my challenges are concerned. I've managed to read two books as well as an Agatha Christie book and I've watched four films.
It seems everyone's reading, has read or is going to read The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins, it's very popular at the moment. I think the first half of the book was better than the second half, I'm not sure if it's because of all the hype but I expected more from it. The beginning kept me interested as I didn't know where it was taking me but because it had had such great reviews, the second half was a bit of a let down, especially as I guessed what was going to happen. If you haven't yet read it, don't let me put you off, I did enjoy it but I wanted a bit more from it.
The Highway by CJ Box was a free book for my Kindle so I thought I'd give it a go, even though it's not the type of book I'd usually read. It's about two teenage girls who are kidnapped by a serial killer and the race to find them. Some parts, as you might expect with a book on this subject, are quite graphic but I think the author has put in just enough detail without going overboard with the more gruesome descriptions. It contains a twist which I never saw coming and I thought the ending was very good.
The Agatha Christie book I read in June was The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd. This is her sixth book and in my opinion, the best I've read so far through this challenge, even though I knew who the murderer was before I started. I watched a documentary about Agatha Christie a few months ago when this information was revealed without warning, I was so annoyed, but I have to say that the plot was very clever and even knowing the ending didn't spoil it for me.
I crossed another four films off the IMDb top 100 movies of all time list this month.
I didn't know anything about American Beauty other than it won five Oscars. It held my attention though I wouldn't go out of my way to watch it again, but I did think Kevin Spacey was very good in it.
I'd never heard of Boyhood before I watched it, though I got to one particular scene which I recognised and then realised that I'd seen Eleanor watching it a few days before. Boyhood was filmed between 2002 and 2013 and follows Mason grow from a young six year old right until he reaches eighteen. Although there was no major plot to the story, I thought it was very clever how it was filmed over such a length of time to see the actors actually age in the film. It kept me interested and I enjoyed it.
The Usual Suspects is another Kevin Spacey film. I wasn't sure I was going to like this crime thriller when I started watching it but I did. It has a twist and although I guessed it very early on, it didn't spoil my enjoyment of it.
Double Indemnity, made in 1944 and starring Fred MacMurray as an insurance salesman and Barbara Stanwyck as a housewife who wants her husband dead, is another film I enjoyed this month. This film was nominated for seven Academy Awards but didn't win any yet it was ranked at number thirty eight on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 best American films of the 20th century. I thought it was very good and had a great plot. It kept me watching right to the very end.
You can read my earlier post about H2Only, the campaign run by the RNLI to get people drinking more water and in turn, raise money for this good cause. Eleanor took part and I made a donation.
Earlier this month I had a bit of a clear out in one of my kitchen cupboards. I love mugs and often buy them when I see one I like and it had got to the stage where I couldn't close my cupboard door. I had a bit of a clear out, getting rid of the boring mugs which came with a couple of dinner services and an old High School Musical mug of Eleanor's. They were taken to the St Gemma's Hospice charity shop where the staff were only too happy to take them off my hands, in fact, they were putting them in the window as I left.
It's a beautiful day today and the weather's set to get hotter as the week goes on. I don't like it when it gets too hot so I'm sure I'll be spending a large proportion of the week indoors venturing out first thing in the morning or last thing at night. I hope it's just as nice where you are.
The trouble with The Girl on the Train for me was that I didn't like any of the characters. The story was ok, but I won't be looking for the author's next book.
ReplyDeleteHaven't seen Boyhood, but I have seen the others you watched. I do like Kevin Spacey, he often seems better than the movies he's in.
The characters in The Girl On The Train definitely weren't likeable, I've heard a few people say that they couldn't connect with any of them and that made reading the book a problem. I know exactly what you mean about Kevin Spacey, I think he's a brilliant actor but the films he's in are often less that you'd expect. I really enjoyed The Usual Suspects, it's a film I'd recommend.
DeleteIt's a beautiful sunny day and most of which I will be at a computer desk:-( but I have some time off this week so I am hoping it will last until then. I haven't seen Boyhood but heard lots about it and it is one I want to see when I get around to it. I read Girl on the Train and I really enjoyed it but I think it is a bit of a marmite book. I went on to read All completely beside ourselves and Elizabeth is Missing both of which were very hyped as being really good and I was left a little disappointed with both of them so I think you're right sometimes you get too much hype and are then left a little deflated. I have just finish Laline Paulls The Bees it was recommended by a work colleague and she described it as Watership Down for adults and she was right it was very good but you do have to get your mind set as that of a Bee and put yourself in their world. Thanks for taking part in my giveaway I wonder if you will win two years running???? all will be revealed on the 12th July:-)
ReplyDeleteI do feel for those people who are sat in an office or stuck in a factory when the good weather arrives, I'm glad you've got some time off due so that you can enjoy it while it's here. I enjoyed Boyhood but not a lot happens in it. Eleanor had watched it before me and wasn't all that impressed. I really enjoyed We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, I found it really sad and it left me wanting to explore the content further. It just goes to show how different people enjoy different things. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for your giveaway, but I'm just being greedy, the one I won last year was really lovely.
DeleteIt's cracking the flags here. Well done with your challenges.
ReplyDeletexx
It is here too. I don't know how I'll cope later on in the week if it gets any hotter.
DeleteHaving just enjoyed a few days away ... I think we timed it well because they are forecasting very high temperatures for this week, and like you I'm not too keen.
ReplyDeleteYou have done well with your challenges this month. I've always liked Kevin Spacey he has appeared in some great movies, but you do seem to have watched a good and varied selection.
Are you a Wimbledon fan ? It's all over the BBC the next two weeks.
Hope your week goes well
All the best Jan
I don't mind it being hot if I don't have anything to do except sit in it but I can't do very much when it's so hot. I think Kevin Spacey's a great actor. I don't think I'd have chosen to watch any of the films I've watched this month if I wasn't doing this challenge but I'd recommend them all, with the exception of American Beauty, I wasn't all that struck with that one. I'm afraid I'm not a Wimbledon fan, though Mick, extended family and friends are so no doubt I'll hear plenty about it.
DeleteI loved the Usual Suspects and American Beauty, thought they were very good. I've never heard of the Boyhood one, that is certainly an interesting concept filming it over many years.
ReplyDeleteI remember watching Pointless a while back and they revealed who the killer was in The Girl with the Dragon tattoo, it was one of the answers where you had to match the book to the killer. In the book it keeps you guessing until near the end, very naughty of them.
Lisa x
I had no idea what Boyhood was before I started watching it but I thought it was a great idea seeing the actors age like you do in the film, I think you'd enjoy it. I could never get in to The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo but it's so annoying when programmes let the cat out of the bag like that, especially with a book which keeps you guessing til the end.
DeleteYou're doing very well with your challenges, Jo. Well done you! :o)
ReplyDeleteI think it's easier to keep up with reading and film watching during the winter months but I'm managing to keep going, even though I've got very little time on my hands at the moment.
DeleteWell done on your challenges. You seem to be staying on track with them at the moment. I'm finding it hard concentrating on anything, but do have a book on the go called Dewey, about a cat in a library. I think I'll enjoy it and our charity shops are still doing well out of me at the moment, though we are trying to sell some things too. I'd love some warm weather at the moment. This winter has been much colder than its been for a long time. I'll be glad to get vinyl and carpet over these hard tiled floors. Have a great week and take care.
ReplyDeleteThe great thing with books is that you can just pick them up when you've got a spare moment and read them at your own pace. I'm still trying to declutter, there's a long way to go yet but I'm getting there. Our weather has warmed right up and the temperature is set to soar further still this week, I don't like it too hot though, especially when I've got housework to get on with.
DeleteI enjoy reading CJ Box's books when I'm in the right mood. That's often considered to be Christies best book.
ReplyDeleteNone of those films are really for me, although I have seen them all!
I think that mugs are something that we all accumulate and should have a clear out now and again.
I do the same as you in this hot weather. Flighty xx
This is the first CJ Box book I've read and I enjoyed it, if that's the right word for a book on such a subject. I enjoyed his writing style. I thoroughly enjoyed The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd and even though I knew who the murderer was I was still questioning it right the way though. I really enjoyed all the films I watched this month, American Beauty not so much but definitely the other three. I rarely drink hot drinks so I don't often use mugs but it doesn't stop me accumulating them. Hope you're managing to find some cool spots now that the hot weather's here.
DeleteI agree with you about The Girl on the Train. When I read it, and wrote about it on my blog, I think I was unnecessarily positive about it. Later, looking back on it, I realized the same things you've said. It was good, but like a lot of hyped-up mysteries these days, it seemed disappointing too. I enjoy Kevin Spacey's movies. The Usual Suspects is excellent and American Beauty is good too. I remember the first time I ever watched The Usual Suspects, though; the ending was literally breathtaking. Like, I stopped breathing when I realized what was happening! Wow, what a great movie. I hope you're having a good week, Jo.
ReplyDeleteI think we sometimes get caught up in the hype of books or films. I'd definitely read The Girl On The Train again, it was good, but I think the hype spoilt it for me as I expected more from it after all the rave reviews. I'd recommend The Usual Suspects to anyone. It isn't a film I'd have chosen to watch if I wasn't doing this challenge but it goes to show that you should sometime move out of your comfort zone and watch things you wouldn't usually do as there's some great films out there. I did guess the ending quite early on but I know what you mean, it's one of those Hollywood moments.
DeleteYou are doing really well!! I could do with slimming down the mugs, but we only have one (small) shelf full and I love them all! I just need to make sure that I don't buy any more!! xx
ReplyDeleteI have a bit of a thing about mugs, but they have to be just what I want, the right shape, the right size, the right design. That's why the run of the mill dinner set ones had to go. Now I've got room to buy some more.
DeleteI was disappointed with the Girl on the Train - at times I just wanted to give the characters a shake and tell them to get on with it!!
ReplyDeleteI did enjoy it but I think I'd have enjoyed it more if I hadn't heard so much about it beforehand.
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