Kate Willis's Blog, page 54

A Map of Tiny Perfect Things (Review)

(Before we get into this review, I just gotta say, this movie gets better and better the more I think about it, and my sisters keep pulling it out for girls’ nights with their friends so I think they agree. It’s everything I want in a chick-flick–wholesome, deep, nerdy, and just plain adorable. )

Just look at this scrumptious cover…

What I thought was going to be another shallow, dime-a-dozen teenage romance movie ended up being a heartfelt, deep message on life, loss, and the beauty of every moment as it passes away. I finished it with a tear or two. 

The rapidfire, overlapping, sometimes oddly divergent conversations between the main characters (and some side ones too) built such a realistic chemistry that was a delight to follow and the true backbone of the movie. His tangent on the plane, tho. 

And don’t get me started on how delightfully nerdy it was. From the copy of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy to Time Bandits (onscreen! important to the plot!) to the theoretical physics and fourth dimension… I was unabashedly eating it up.

Those twists at the end though… If anything they gave the movie more soul.

CW: language, kissing, jokes about public nudity, hospitals, loss.

Available on Prime Video, filterable through VidAngel

Making Space

Last night I finally threw away two pairs of shoes that had been mine for approximately 15 years.

One pair were my “fancy” slides, with just enough sparkle and heel to make me feel formal but not like I was going trip and fall over. My favorite thing about them was the ghost of a stubborn Goodwill sticker that lingered in the shape of a bird. I stared at it countless times while bored or shy, and it got me through a few hope-draining sermons.

My other pair were my trusty red slides/sandals. I found them late one night at a Ross on a tennis shoe hunt and my parents splurged to get me both. I used them only occasionally until last year when I injured my foot and needed something comfortable for our trip to New Mexico. They served me well through the early months of dating.

It’s funny just how much an item can bless me, and how much I needed to finally make space for something else to serve me well.

My Favorite Day

“Would you like to have a tea with me at the park?”

“Sounds delightful.”

Lemon tartlets with white chocolate L‘s.

Assembling sandwiches with you.

Choosing our favorite picnic basket.

Toting the hot teapot to the park and finding a spot in the shade.

Feeling British-y together in your pretty cool hats.

Reading the next couple chapters of Peter Pan.

Dunking Biscoff. Cloud watching. People watching.

Hanging out with you, Joshua.

It was my favorite day.

The Man Who Invented Christmas (Review)

This movie means so much to me as an author (it perfectly captures the agony and ecstasy), as a reader (nerdiness abounds), as a human who doesn’t always deal with the past well and sometimes finds fictional people more “real” than living, breathing ones. Much to think about, much to love about life.

The Victorian backdrop and the perfectly subtle, creative references to A Christmas Carol were an absolute delight. Dan Stevens is a powerful actor, though I love the whole cast really.

It’s an intensely frightening moment when the message you’re writing for other people is exactly the one you need to hear…

I didn’t grow up on this movie, but I already feel it becoming a tradition.

CW: extreme poverty, verbal abuse, dead rodent, angry conversations, ghosts , familial hurt. A scene where the walls of a hole shrink in at intervals may trigger claustrophobia.

Movie Review // The Man Who Invented Christmas

“The journey that led to Charles Dickens’ creation of “A Christmas Carol,” a timeless tale that would redefine Christmas.” (Kenneth Chisholm, IMDB)

This movie means so much to me as an author (it perfectly captures the agony and ecstasy), as a reader (nerdiness abounds), as a human who doesn’t always deal with the past well and sometimes finds fictional people more “real” than living, breathing ones. Much to think about, much to love about life.

The Victorian backdrop and the perfectly subtle, creative references to A Christmas Carol were an absolute delight. Dan Stevens is a powerful actor, though I love the whole cast really.

It’s an intensely frightening moment when the message you’re writing for other people is exactly the one you need to hear…

I didn’t grow up on this movie, but I already feel it becoming a tradition.

CW: extreme poverty, verbal abuse, dead rodent, angry conversations, ghosts , familial hurt. A scene where the walls of a hole shrink in at intervals may trigger claustrophobia.

Book Review // An Unlikely Proposal by Toni Shiloh

“Their friendship can survive almost anything…

For two best friends,

marriage could be their greatest test yet…

Trinity Davis must not have heard firefighter Omar Young correctly. Did her handsome widowed best friend just suggest they get married? Omar needs a mom for his adorable little girls, and it’ll fix Trinity’s financial woes. But saying “I do” isn’t just business. Especially when the only vow they’re in danger of breaking is their promise to not fall in love…” (from Goodreads)

I pre-ordered this book five months in advance. That’s how excited I was for new content from this author, and she did not disappoint!

Right away, I was very happy to see some Type 1 Diabetes representation since I have a younger sister with the diagnosis. I’ve only read a handful of books with this factor, so it’s always a delight to find one. One major aspect of the T1D sideplot didn’t quite seem to line up, but the rest seemed carefully researched and honest.

I absolutely love the banter between the main characters. They have such a wholesome, amazing friendship, and right away I could feel that they had known each other for years. I was definitely rooting for them to become more.

Trinity was a fantastic character, and I loved how much she threw herself into motherhood and caring for the girls. Her struggles with fear and letting herself love hit me hard. I went into this book expecting trope-y cuteness and got all of that + a good dose of spiritual truth I was needing.

My only complaint is that sometimes the internal dialogue got pretty repetitive, but that was just a small downside compared to the goodness that was this book.

Definitely a perfect Valentines’ read.

Quotes…
“But what about us? How will we keep in touch?” “Funny thing.” He paused. “There’s this technology that allows you to video chat. Your face will pop up in this screen right here on my phone.” “On a phone? Get out.” His body shook with his laughter. “That’s right. And my face will appear on yours.” “You’re pulling my leg.” “I’ll pull your hair if you’re not careful.”

Traveling with kids seemed to require a lot of time and extra baggage. Every time she was out and passed another mom, she couldn’t help but give a head nod in solidarity. They’d packed the kids for an excursion and were battle ready.

CW: deaths prior to the story, medical emergencies, one character is a firefighter.

Mini Book Haul! (Literally)

Book Outlet has my email address.

Sometimes they send me promotions.

Sometimes I follow the sale link and browse books.

And sometimes I buy a couple.

The site is so huge, my favorite way to shop is by searching author names. Since I’ve been looking for a copy of The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe for forever, I typed in the author’s name and the most darling, adorable thing popped up.

A Penguin Mini of Matched!

Pocket-sized, mass market, completely unabridged, and adorable as can be.

I’d heard about them a couple years ago (thanks for the fangirl session, Perry!), so I was really curious and excited to see one in person.

I added it to my cart, ordered, and forgot completely about it until my box came last week.

Behold.

It’s so litttttle.

I guess the horizontal format is to make it easy to read one handed, and I can see how even just from holding it while taking these pictures.

Little copy, big copy.

It’s such a cool idea, and I’m so glad it popped up on my book shopping escapades.

This is not a paid promotion, I’m just a nerd.

Love and Memory Cover Reveal (+Happy Deals)

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I read Water Princess, Fire Prince by Kendra Ardnek in it’s first edition cover and loved it to pieces, then absolutely gawked over the new cover for it and the second one, so today I’m particularly excited to share the cover for the third book with you.

First, a snippet from the book.

Book Friday Just Gets Better

First there were 150. Then it grew to 280. Now, this year the Indie Black Friday Book Sale has 400+ titles for free and $0.99.

What Day Is It?

It is a truth universally recognized, that a blogger in possession of a schedule must be in want of a knowledge of what day it is.

The days have been running together lately.

Some stressful and tiring. Others filled with creativity and projects and service and fellowship.

All marching on toward holidays and blessedly cool weather.

Today is a Monday.

I know this because yesterday had church in the morning and a video call date with my boyfriend in the evening.

I use Sundays as my points on the compass, my proof in a sea of days that a whole week has passed and another one will pass, but I still get a little lost.

Today is Monday, my phone tells me. The 23rd. I know it is three days until Thanksgiving. My ingrained memories of it always being a Thursday and my knowledge of the names of days reminds me. My boyfriend is flying in Wednesday night, and that’s two days from now.

It’s more mental math than knowledge of where I swim along in the calendar. The days are pretty similar, right?

What day is it again?

Today is the day I listened to Christmas music with my boyfriend for this first time this season. Made shortbread cookies. Played a Scrabble-like game with my family. Tackled laundry. Watched a movie over video call with my boyfriend.

Today was today, and a lovely one.

I’ll try to remember it’s true name.