Week ending (books, tv, food)

This morning we started the day by watching the Food Network, which is never a good idea. Why? Because instead of relaxing at home, practicing guitar, doing homework or washing the dishes, you’re suddenly at the grocery store to buy ingredients for whatever was just on Paula Deen’s Best Dishes.

We had the Turkey Black Bean Burgers with Corn Salsa for lunch, accompanied by Lemony Slaw and with Chocolate Milkshakes for dessert. It was all delicious and all DIRECTLY from the tv show.

I finished The Very Thought of You the other day and I’ve been wrestling with how to talk about it. The cover is what first caught my attention and I was heartened by the description on Amazon (though I will admit to not reading the reviews) and I believe that I heard something about it on Books on the Nightstand. Then when the price dropped to $9.99, I bought it. I loved the book, even if I wouldn’t necessarily classify it as my typical fare. It’s a contemplative read, which doesn’t mean boring so much as nuanced, and an amazing story about love and complicated relationships in difficult times. It doesn’t have a barnburning pace but I found I had a hard time putting it down because I wanted to know where it went (which was, incidentally, thoroughly satisfying). My mission is now to find other people who have read it.

Speaking of love: I spent yesterday and today re-watching Defying Gravity which was a purchase with birthday money. It’s maybe the best series to never get a full first season in television and seeing it again just made me sad that shit like the Charlie’s Angels reboot is going to air and probably be wildly successful. I’m hoping that Ringer is going to satisfy my interesting/smart tv niche for the fall but it’s on the CW so my hope is limited. Defying Gravity was great because it was smart and touching and challenging about topics that make me unsurprised that it didn’t get picked up but is just so goddamn good that I bought the DVDs. It’s the kind of fiction I love.

State of Wonder and Supergods are both topping my wishlist currently but my $10 ceiling prohibits them. I’m going to settle for digging into Wildwood. If you want to see what else I’m interested in, the list is here. It’s not entirely up to date as I’ve taken to sending samples of the books I’m interested to my Kindle and using that as a list of sorts.