January 2022 – My Life in Ruins
A couple of months ago, I did a piece for my website on Leap Year, one of my favorite movies and a film that unfortunately isn’t a critical favorite. You can read that column here: https://annacampbell.com/my-favorite-things/2021-2/august-2021/ Today, I want to talk about another film that received a critical drubbing but which has never failed to enchant me. Leap Year only manages a measly 6.5 out of 10 on IMDB. Today’s selection is even less popular, coming in at 5.9. Read more…
February 2022 – Recommended Reading – Fiction
After a break from all the short book reviews, we’re heading back to some more now! I can’t help it. Reading a good book is one of my absolute favorite things! This month, I’m talking about some fiction I’ve recently enjoyed and that I think you’ll like too. First up, I’ll start with one of the best romance writers in the business. I’ve been a fan of Loretta Chase for years. Her Lord of Scoundrels often gets voted as the best romance ever written and if you haven’t read Mr. Impossible, you’re missing out on a huge treat. Read more…
March 2022 – Recommended Reading – Nonfiction
More book recommendations today, because let’s face it, we’re all here because we’re readers! Today, I’m going to talk about some of the wonderful nonfiction I’ve recently read and enjoyed and that I think you might enjoy too. I’m going to start Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker. What a marvelous book for the insomniacs among us – and definitely not because it’s boring and likely to send you to sleep. Read more…
April 2022 – Recommended Reading – Murder Mysteries
I love a good mystery, especially when there’s a romantic subplot, which there usually is. This month, I’m going to talk about three recent murder mysteries that I that I thought were terrific. First up, I’m going to go for an Australian writer, Pamela Hart, who has recently launched a really fun, clever series of mysteries. Digging Up Dirt (2021) is set in Sydney and features intrepid TV researcher Poppy McGowan. Read more…
May 2022 – The Kurland St. Mary Historical Mysteries
I love a good historical romance and I love a good historical mystery. Today I’m going to talk about a series that is a wonderful combination of both genres. The Kurland St. Mary mysteries by Catherine Lloyd are set just after Waterloo and are based around the idyllic (if rather deadly) estate and villages owned by Major Robert Kurland who has returned from the war with a severe injury to his leg and a lifelong fear of horses. Read more…
June 2022 – Vale Vangelis
Taking a break this month from the line-up of recommended reading, although I’ve got more great books to talk to you about next month (unless someone else whose work I very much admire should pass away, which I hope won’t be the case!). As regular readers of My Favorite Things know, I love movie music. It’s great to listen to but perhaps even more important, it’s great to write to. Read more…
July 2022 – A Glorious Week at the Gold Coast
Last week, I had a wonderful time staying for a week at a lovely apartment at Kirra on Queensland’s Gold Coast. As you can see from the photos, the views were spectacular and I got a whole heap of vitamin sea. I got together with my critique partner and we did a lot of work – which took some concentration when the view outside was as good as this, believe me! Read more…
August 2022 – Disney’s Live Action Beauty and the Beast
I’m very slow to get to the popular stuff. Not sure why. Perhaps it’s because there’s such an explosion of information when something really big comes out, I get a little sick of the whole thing before I get a chance to watch it. To give you an example, I’ve only just watched the Harry Potter movies! So given that introduction to this column, you won’t be at all surprised when I tell you that I’ve only just watched the Disney live action Beauty and the Beast that came out way back in 2017. Read more…
September 2022 – Still Life by Sarah Winman
I picked up this book on a recommendation from a friend, who found it very hard going for the first third and then adored the rest. Well, I have to say I don’t agree! I fell in love with Still Life from page 1 and adored every single word of it! Even better, it got me out of a longish reading slump that for a bookworm like me has been pure torture. I hadn’t read Sarah Winman before although I remember When God Was a Rabbit making a stir a few years ago. I’m looking forward to reading that one, now that I so enjoyed Still Life. Read more…
October 2022 – The Lost Daughter by Nicola Cornick
I’ve got a real treat of a book for you today. Are you a fan of dual timeline stories? They’re sometimes called time shift stories. You know, there’s two narrative strands in a novel, a contemporary story with a mystery and a historical story that explains what’s going on in the present. Sometimes time travel is involved. Sometimes it’s a mystical link between the past and today. Sometimes it’s just a straightforward historical event that has repercussions in the contemporary world without any woo-woo playing a part at all. Read more…
November 2022 – The Great British Bake Off
There’s always great rejoicing in this house when the new season of The Great British Bake Off starts. We’re about halfway through latest series (series 13) here in Australia, and the magic is as powerful as ever. American viewers can watch the show, too, but because Pilsbury own the Bake-Off trademark, it’s called The Great British Baking Show in the U.S. Are you a fan of cooking shows? I have to say in general they’re not at all my thing. But a very dear friend told me years ago that this one was something special and I’m so glad I listened to her. Read more…
December 2022 – Reading Recommendations from 2022 (Mysteries)
I’m going to take a couple of months to give you some quick recommendations for books I really enjoyed over the last six months or so. Today I’m going to start with mysteries. Do you read mystery fiction? I read a lot of it, which is good because there’s a bit of a renaissance in the genre going on right now. All three of the books I’m about to recommend have been major bestsellers and all three of them would find a welcome place on your list of Christmas reading. Read more...