Recent health issues put me on my rear, on the couch, which means more time for watching TV.
What I’m watching:
1. Ted Lasso. I’m a die-hard fan, and the little notice from Apple TV every Tuesday evening telling me that a new episode has dropped is a jolt of pure dopamine. I am LOVING this season. The last two episodes are among my favorite episodes of anything, ever.
3. Ride or Die on Amazon Prime. Wrongfully cancelled after a single season, this show is a goddamn delight. Middle-aged ladies kicking butt, solving mysteries, jumping off trains, and reinventing themselves–it’s got everything I need.
3. The Other Bennett Sister. I have lost count of how many times I’ve watched Pride and Prejudice. I’m particularly fond of the 2005 movie version with Keira Knightly, but I love it in all its forms. The Other Bennett Sister follows poor, awkward Mary Bennett as she breaks free from her role as the dour, ungainly sister to a young woman of spirit and independence. It’s got longing, hand-flexing, not one but TWO suitors landing in the drink, poor communication, a new take on Mr. Collins, and a life-changing trip with her aunt and uncle.
What I’m reading:
1. Dead Beat by Leigh Bardugo. This is my current audiobook. I don’t typically indulge in creepy/horror/weird fiction, but I’m really enjoying this one. It’s the third book in the Ninth House trilogy, set at current-day Yale University and its environs. While Leigh Bardugo got her start as a YA writer, this is decidedly not YA. Alex Stern gets a miraculous scholarship to Yale, where she’s tapped to join Lethe House, one of Yale’s storied secret societies. She becomes the apprentice to golden-boy Darlington and learns all about the magical underbelly of the Ivy League: rituals, demons, ghosts, portals, power, and even sacrifice. Hey, ‘tis the season for creepy things, and this series delivers.
2. The Astral Library by Kate Quinn. I just finished this, and it was delightful. Quinn made her name writing historical fiction, so this is a departure, but she captures the fierce loyalty and love that so many of us have for books and libraries. It’s a romp!