Kate Padilla's Blog, page 12

REVIEW: DIFFERENT SEASONS

Different Seasons, by Stephen King

Would it be weird of me to tell you that, until this book, I had never read a Stephen King novel? He's one of the most popular writers out there right now, and I had never before read one of his books (spoiler alert: I've never read a James Patterson novel either).

Obviously, I knew about him. He's the king of horror, right? And i guess I had read one of these stories -- "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" -- in college. But I had never read a Stephe...

WELCOME 2018!

I'd like to say that I woke up this morning feeling invigorated for the fresh calendar turnover, ready to tackle each and every one of my goals. I'd like to say that. However, I woke up this morning with a cold. So there's that.

But in my recuperation, I have time to sit and think about what I want to accomplish here. This year will look quite a lot different than last year, and with new circumstances come new goals. But, in sickness and in health, here is a list of what I want to accomplish w...

BOOKS I READ IN 2017

We're there already, aren't we? 2017 is coming to a close, and I found myself looking back in my bullet journal to review what I had read over the past year. Now, this was a unique year for me (for reading), because there was a lot of change in my life. Mid-2016 I changed careers from journalism to finance, and so a good chunk of 2017 was spent studying for my industry licenses. Additionally, because I was no longer reviewing books for my newspaper, I wasn't reading as much overall. 

That bein...

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM BLONDIE MARIE!

No post today.

I am extremely grateful to be spending Christmas with family, and while I am continuing to post over my extended holiday I am taking the day for joy, togetherness, good food, and plenty of games. I wish you the same this holiday season, and I hope you have an amazing Christmas today.

NEW RELEASES: DECEMBER 31-JANUARY 6

JANUARY 1 AMERICAN REVOLUTION 2026, BY T.T. MICHAEL
Dystopian. Todd M. Thiede and Associates. 307 pp.

New to the world outside of military life, Kelvin starts to suspect the government is hiding more secrets including whose boat was targeted directly by the president. Through his journalist wife, he creates an alliance with Ashlee Townsend and her anti-government organization, The Freedom Group. She and her team are well-connected with plans of their own to deal with the corruption they suspec...

NEW RELEASES: DECEMBER 24-30

DECEMBER 28 THE NEVADA ESCAPISTS' CLUB: RUN, RIGHT YOUR FEAR, AND MAKE A NEW LIFE, BY JANE LARK
Thriller. Self-published. 339 pp.

Zach senses the connection he has with the single stranger within minutes of their meeting. But she cannot see what is inside him. She, like him, needs a place to escape. Ali falls into a holiday affair. But what happens when the Las Vegas fantasy is over and her sunglasses-tinted view of the world returns to reality? She is supposed to forget everything ... it was...

GUEST POST: ROBERT GATELY

SHOULD YOU WRITE A SCREENPLAY OR A NOVEL? HOW ABOUT BOTH? I don't believe that jumping media should be avoided simply because someone out there in cyberspace said you shouldn't do it. I converted novels into screenplays, and screenplays into stage plays, with pretty good contest results and, if nothing else, it was a lesson and ... fun.

I say, if you have the passion to write, then write. If it's a screenplay I would opt for simplicity and consistency over complexity and inconsistency. In a no...

NEW RELEASES: DECEMBER 17-23

DECEMBER 19 COMING UP (COMING HOME, 3), BY HARPER SLOAN
Romance. Pocket Books. 384 pp.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Harper Sloan returns with a passionate and breathless romance about the sparks that ignite when a cautious cowboy and a once-scorned woman open up to each other in the third installment of the Coming Home series.

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REVIEW: ATTICUS, BY RON HANSEN

Atticus, by Ron Hansen
Harper Perennial, January 1997. 256 pp.
DISCLAIMER: This review contains spoilers. To read my policy on spoilers, please refer to the right side-bar of this page. THE STORY Colorado rancher Atticus Cody receives word that his wayward younger son, Scott, has committed suicide in Resurrection, Mexico. When Atticus travels south to recover Scott's body, he is puzzled by what he finds there and begins to suspect murder. Illuminating those often obscur...

25 HOLIDAY-INSPIRED LOCATIONS

Whether you're more like the Grinch or Cindy Lou Who, the holiday season is upon us. During the month of December, one of my personal Christmas traditions is to binge-watch as many Hallmark-type holiday movies as I can. Come January 1 I can no longer stomach them, but I am all about the cheesy dialogue and melodramatic acting from December 1-31.

And you know what? Everyone else I know is doing the exact same thing.

Holiday-themed stories -- the schmaltzy the better -- are incredibly popular thi...