Primeval Series 4 Promo Image!

Oh just looking at this picture makes me happy. Anomalies, I've missed you. New episodes of Primeval return to BBC America January 1st!

Review: Christmas Is the Time (To Say I Love You) by Katharine McPhee

I’m a very casual watcher of American Idol, during a good year I may watch one whole entire episode of the show. But AI has produced several singers I've come to love and whose projects I’ve enjoyed, namely Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Daughtry, and Katharine McPhee. McPhee has a gorgeous voice, perfectly suited for breathing new life into jazz and pop standards, and Christmas Is the Time (To Say I Love You) plays to those strengths. The result is one of the classiest, most timeless Christmas albums to be released in recent memory. The album opens with “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” where McPhee is accompanied by one of my all-time favorites, trumpeter Chris Botti. It’s the perfect marriage of vocal and instrumental. This is followed by a catchy piano and tambourine-driven version of “Jingle Bells” – it’s not exactly big band swing, but it’s as close as this album comes and the result is undeniably fun. The McPhee-penned “It’s Not Christmas Without You” reminds me a bit of Mariah Carey’s “Miss You Most (At Christmas Time,” both heart-wrenching, romantic ballads of missing one's love during the holidays. Carols like “Oh Holy Night” and “Little Town of Bethlehem/Away In A Manger” are stunning in the simplicity of their arrangements and in McPhee’s vocal delivery, placing the purity of her voice and the message of the lyrics front and center. “Christmas Is the Time” turned out to be a surprise favorite of mine – fun and upbeat and catchy, this song of the Christmas spirit’s ability to transform everyone who gives into it is an album highlight. McPhee puts a more upbeat, pop spin on “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve,” followed by a gorgeous, heartfelt rendition of the perennial classic “White Christmas.” The album closes with a stunning version of “Who Would Imagine a King,” my absolute favorite track on the disc. The clarity and purity of McPhee's vocal here lends the song an almost heart-rending quality - for all its simplicity, the song is a showstopper. Christmas Is the Time is the very definition of understated elegance. Instead of opting for slick production techniques and musical bombast, McPhee's given fans a timeless Christmas record that is gorgeous in its simplicity and fully showcases her lovely voice, sure to be enjoyed for years to come.

Here's a Katharine McPhee webisode I found on YouTube about the recording of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and featuring CHRIS BOTTI!! :)

Review: Merry Christmas II You by Mariah Carey

I have a ridiculously huge collection of Christmas music. This year, two new releases added to the mix have been getting a lot of play - here is the first of those reviews.

When it comes to Christmas music, I tend to gravitate towards the traditional or jazzier sounds of the season. But there is a big part of me that absolutely adores pop music, and Mariah Carey’s Christmas music ranks high on that list. Her first Christmas album, Merry Christmas, became an instant classic and has received annual play from me since I became a fan of her music in the ‘90s. Aside from the occasional single, I’m not a huge fan of the predominantly R&B sound she’s favored for the last few albums. But Merry Christmas II You is the perfect “bridge” project, a great companion album to her first Christmas release. It’s full of classic Christmas carols given the Mariah Carey treatment and newly-penned songs sure to become favorites that will rank with “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and “Jesus Born On This Day” as modern holiday classics. The album opens with a 23-second pure musical “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” intro that perfectly segues into Mariah’s latest single “Oh Santa!,” clearly an attempt to capture lightning in a bottle twice and repeat the success of “All I Want.” And I have to say, for me it works – it’s addictive, catchy, and fun – pure pop magic like only Mariah can produce. This upbeat opener is followed by a succession of beautifully produced, laid-back carols and ballads, perfect for relaxing with a cup of cocoa in front of the fire. “Christmas Time Is In the Air Again” has a wonderful jazz feel to the arrangement, and medleys like “O Little Town of Bethlehem/Little Drummer Boy” prove Mariah is as adept at wrapping her multi-octave vocal range around carols as she is slinky romantic ballads. One of the stand-out traditional tracks is “O Come All Ye Faithful/Hallelujah Chorus” featuring Mariah’s mother Patricia Carey, an opera vocalist who was a huge influence on her daughter’s vocal stylings. I absolutely loved hearing them sing together, the arrangement and vocals all work together to make their collaboration the crown jewel of the album. My personal favorite is the new song “One Child,” a gorgeous retelling of the Nativity story with the reverential feel of a hymn and a wonderful showcase for Carey’s vocals. Other favorites include a funky, upbeat version of “Here Comes Santa Claus” and perhaps most surprising of all, a fantastic reimagining of “Charlie Brown Christmas.” It wouldn’t be Christmas for Carey’s fans without “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” and Mariah delivers again with an “extra festive” mix of her classic pop gem. Finally, the album closes most appropriately with “Auld Lang Syne,” that starts off traditionally and then transitions into a fantastic dance mix, closing the album on a festive high note. Filled with gorgeous arrangements, catchy pop numbers, and Mariah’s signature vocal acrobatics, Merry Christmas II You is pure pop magic, sure to be enjoyed by Carey’s fans for years to come.

Here's a video of Mariah singing "One Child" from the TV special Christmas in Washington:

12 Men of Christmas

When watching the movie 12 Men of Christmas for the third time this holiday season (side note: I realize that sounds like I’m in some sort of pathetic made-for-TV-movie-watching-rut, but hear me out), I realized it was absolutely imperative that I blog about this little gem. Because dear blog readers, 12 Men completely rips off something that you all know is near and dear to my heart – Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Yes, you read that correctly – a movie about a woman who’s trying to put together a beefcake calendar evokes images of Elizabeth and my dear Darcy. The mind boggles trying to comprehend Jane’s response to such an association, though she was quite a forward-thinking authoress, so I like to imagine she’d see the humor in the connection.

12 Men stars Kristin Chenoweth as E.J. Baxter (gosh, those initials E.B. seem awfully familiar…), a New York PR executive who finds herself in need of a job after finding her “perfect” fiancé canoodling with her boss at the office Christmas party. Chenoweth is one of my favorite actresses, a true triple threat – she acts, dances, and sings (and boy does this girl have a set of pipes!). Chenoweth has dynamite-levels of sass and spunk packed into her 4’11” frame, a quality that serves her well in playing a character loosely (very loosely, mind you) reminiscent of the one and only Elizabeth Bennet. E.J.’s story begins innocuously enough, seemingly a simple variation on the old “fish out of water” theme as our Gucci-loving New Yorker finds herself black-balled by her ex-boss and exiled – ahem, I mean moved – to Montana, a.k.a. “the hole in the ground,” to work her PR magic for the tiny town of Kalispell.

The sparks really start to fly when she meets Will Albrecht (echoes of FitzWILLiam, anyone?), a drop-dead gorgeous and insufferably proud member of the local volunteer search-and-rescue squad, which just happens to be desperately in need of a new helicopter and sorely lacking in the fund-raising ideas department. Will is played by Josh Hopkins, who is de-lish!! Even before E.J. broaches the idea of a pinup calendar fundraiser (just in case any really conservative film watchers are reading this, everyone is wearing pants during the photo shoot, so calling this thing a naked calendar is, well, a bit funny), when she and Will meet they immediately butt heads over outlooks on life, priorities, you name it and the only thing they probably would agree on is to passionately disagree.

Lest you think I’m stretching the Pride and Prejudice connections, let me fill you in on the other Austenesque characters that people this little movie. When E.J. moves to Kalispell, she appropriates the services of the irrepressible Jan as her assistant, played by Anna Chlumsky. I still can’t look at her without thinking of the movie My Girl, she’s frozen in time as far as I’m concerned! Jan (c’mon, admit it, how many of you want to read Jan as “Jane”?) is, of course, super-sweet, and suffering from a crush on the adorable but socially awkward Eric (Jefferson Brown). Eric just happens to be (wait for it!) Will’s BEST FRIEND!! As you may suspect, hilarity and misunderstandings ensue when Will warns Eric away from Jan because of her friendship with E.J. Will is also highly aggravated when E.J. starts dating his womanizing nemesis Jason (Stephen Huszar), a Wickham-like doppelganger (with AWFUL hair!), who fills E.J.’s head with stories about Will to cement her poor opinion of him.

My favorite Pride and Prejudice rip-off scene - or maybe I should say loving homage? *wink* - mirrors Darcy's first, very reluctant, proposal to Elizabeth. The way Will freaks out on E.J., going on and on about how much he can't stand her or understand his feelings (the word "revolting" is used more than once) is one of the movie's funniest scenes in my opinion. And though at 6'2" Hopkins has a good 15 inches on Chenoweth, the way her fury builds at Will's insulting declaration is hilarious to behold. I have no doubt that were the scene real, E.J. could have taken Will in a fight. *wink* Also, the resolution of the whole Jason mess and Will's true history (i.e., the real reason he's been such a grouch, poor baby!) turns out to be a nice modern-day twist on the Wickham/Darcy relationship.

Sure, 12 Men of Christmas is predictable, but that's how I like my made-for-TV Christmas movies - they're virtual comfort food, after all. :) And I when I find one that quotes from Pride and Prejudice, one of the all time greats, and one of my all time favs? Well that my friends is a modern holiday classic.

Dear Santa,

I wouldn't complain if all I got for Christmas was Josh Hopkins. Just sayin'.

Thanks,

Ruth

Review: Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball by Donita K. Paul

Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball*
By: Donita K. Paul
Publisher: Waterbrook
ISBN: 978-0-307-45899-5

About the book:

In a sleepy, snow-covered city, Cora Crowder is busy preparing for the holiday season. As she searches for a perfect gift, a fortuitous trip to Warner, Werner, and Wizbotterdad’s (a most unusual bookshop) leads to an unexpected encounter with co-worker Simon Derrick. And the surprising discovering of a ticket for a truly one-of-a-kind Christmas Ball.

Every year, the matchmaking booksellers of the Sage Street bookshop host an enchanting, old-fashioned Christmas Ball for the romantic matches they’ve decided to bring together.

This year, will Simon and Cora discover a perfect chemistry in their opposite personalities and shared faith? Or will the matchmakers’ best laid plans end up ruining everything this holiday?

Review:

If you’re looking for a charming, whimsical holiday read to get you in the Christmas spirit, look no further than Donita K. Paul’s delightful contemporary novella, Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball. When long-time co-workers Cora and Simon meet unexpectedly at the delightfully named Warner, Werner, and Wizbotterdad’s bookshop, they never expected to receive invitations to a ball that could change the course of their lives forever. But in order for the master matchmaking plan of the Wizards of Sage Street to work, Cora and Simon must each lay aside their preconceived ideas about faith, family, and each other, and risk everything on the possibility of love found in a most unconventional way.

Though Two Tickets is set in the present day, the charm and almost courtly appeal of the Christmas Ball made me feel like I was reading a story set at the turn of the 20th century. And with the rather reserved manner of the main characters and the magical aspect of the storyline this tale would fit comfortably in that time period. Since Paul is primarily known for her fantasy novels, she brings a unique and refreshing spin to this modern-day story of love and new beginnings to be found at Christmas, the most magical time of year in my opinion. The faith element may feel rather overt to some readers, but I found it flowed well within the context of the story and the characters’ personalities. And though brief, Paul’s treatment of Cora’s family troubles really shines in this novel – her struggle to reconcile her faith and her difficult, often outright hostile family felt absolutely genuine and authentic.

This little book begs to be made into a Christmas movie (Hallmark Channel please take note!). Its blend of faith, charm, and a dash of holiday magic would be the perfect addition to my Christmas movie collection. My only qualm with Two Tickets is that given the novella format, readers aren’t given enough time to see Simon and Cora’s relationship develop, and to further explore the delightful, magical Sage Street shopping district Paul has created. While I do feel that overall the faith and magical elements of the novella were integrated well within the confines of Paul’s contemporary setting, the manners and quirks of the setting and characters make me wish just a bit that this Christmas Ball was set in the early 1900’s. That setting would ideally fit the mood of this story. That qualm aside, Two Tickets is a fun diversion for fantasy and romance lovers looking to add a dash of whimsy to their Christmas reading.

*Side note: Isn't this the most gorgeous cover EVER? :)

Encore of Endgame

Tomorrow on Masterpiece Contemporary, PBS will air an encore presentation of Endgame. Here's a bit about the drama in case you are interested:

Don't miss an encore presentation, December 19, 2010, of the award-winning Endgame, starring William Hurt, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Jonny Lee Miller on MASTERPIECE CONTEMPORARY. A nation teeters on the brink of civil war in this real-life political thriller about the negotiations that led to the end of apartheid in South Africa and the release of Nelson Mandela.

A note about the quiet state of the blog: Wednesday I came down with this horrible cold/flu hybrid which completely derailed pretty much all of my holiday plans, for the blog and otherwise. Hopefully things will be back to normal sooner rather than later - today's been the best day I've had since Tuesday. Hope everyone's Christmas festivities are going well and that you are staying healthy!! :)

Review: She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell

*Winner of the 2010 INSPY Award for Historical Fiction*

She Walks in Beauty
By: Siri Mitchell
Publisher: Bethany House
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0433-3

About the book:

During New York City’s Gilded Age…

The game is played amid banquets and balls.

The prize is a lifetime of wealth and privilege.

The rules will test friendships and the desires of a young woman’s heart.

Clara Carter is the social season’s brightest star…

but at what cost?

For a young society woman seeking a favorable marriage, so much depends on her social season debut. Clara Carter has been given one goal: secure the affections of the city's most eligible bachelor. Debuting means plenty of work--there are corsets to be fitted, dances to master, manners to perfect. Her training soon pays off, however, as celebrity's spotlight turns Clara into a society-page darling.

Yet Clara soon wonders if this is the life she really wants. Especially when she learns her best friend has also set her sights on Franklin De Vries. When a man appears who seems to love her simply for who she is and gossip backlash turns ugly, Clara realizes it's not just her marriage at stake--the future of her family depends on how she plays the game.

Review:

Clara Carter is a quiet, bookish young woman, who, unlike her peers, prefers studies to dreams of a successful social debut. When her reserved doctor father and society-obsessed aunt decide she must debut a year early, Clara is thrust into preparations for a life she’s been ill-prepared for and isn’t sure she wants – a life where appearance is everything, and reputations rise or fall on the interpretation of a look or the flick of a fan. Charged with saving the family honor by marrying the De Vries heir, Franklin, Clara submits to a strict regimen of social training, diet, and corset-wearing, all with the goal of remaking herself into the type of woman the De Vries scion will find irresistible. But the closer Clara comes to obtaining her family’s goal, the more she questions the cost of a life and debut based on superficiality and social artifice. As Clara’s eyes are opened to the cost of celebrity and social success, she faces a difficult choice – conform to society’s expectations and sacrifice her true self and any hope of happiness, or risk her social and economic well-being for a chance to spread her wings and fly.

She Walks in Beauty is an absolute jewel of a novel, from its stunning cover to the rich historical detail found within its pages. Siri Mitchell brings the fabled Gilded Age of New York City to vivid life, from the glittering ballrooms and opera halls to the filthy slums just blocks away that funded much of the opulent lifestyle enjoyed by many members of society’s upper echelon. With a sure hand Mitchell strips away the veneer of opulence that masks the wealth of the time period and reveals the heart-rending cost exacted from young debutantes seeking social prominence. Securing one’s future meant remaking oneself into the image of society’s ideal model of perfection, and Mitchell’s story drives home a stark reminder that not much has changed since women like Clara graced New York City’s streets. Taught how to walk, talk, eat, and dress, Clara and her peers were given an ideal to aspire to and pressured to conform, no matter what the physical or spiritual costs, in order to win the prize of an eligible match.

Clara is one of the most memorable heroines I’ve encountered in my reading this year. She begins her journey with sparks of independence, quickly overshadowed by her desire and willingness to serve her family’s interests. But the more she learns, the more she chafes at society’s glittering artificiality and wants to matter and be loved for herself – and begins to wonder why she can’t be accepted as she is, instead of being re-molded into an ideal that not only threatens her future happiness but her physical well-being. Clara’s personal and social awakening is at times heart-rending, handled with a deft grace that feels absolutely authentic to the time period while communicating timeless spiritual truths in a subtle, powerful fashion. And the romance will take your breath away – Clara’s true love is a hero in every sense of the word, and their blossoming relationship is a joy to watch unfold.

Mitchell has a gift for bringing history to vibrant life within the pages of her novels, and she fearlessly proves her willingness to explore both the beauty and the horror of history with She Walks in Beauty. The Gilded Age isn’t romanticized – Mitchell presents a fully rounded portrait of Clara’s world, and the resulting story is raw and real and wonderful, at times uncomfortable, always emotional, and unquestioningly thought-provoking. For all the darkness in Clara’s world, Mitchell saturates the story with hope, and the light shines all the brighter for the stark contrast. Thought-provoking, challenging, and rich with period detail and a heart-warming romance, She Walks in Beauty is a story that will shake you to the core and leave you pondering Clara’s journey and its present-day implications long after you finish the final pages. I cannot wait for Mitchell’s next book!

And here's a better picture...

Since I was technologically challenged earlier today (LOL), my friend Kaye was kind enough to save a screen capture of the endorsements page in Irene Hannon's Fatal Judgment, featuring a quote from my review of her previous novel, In Harm's Way. Here's the clear picture:

Sandwiched right between Publishers Weekly and Susan May Warren! Squee!! :) I'm not even gonna try to hide it, I'm still totally geeking out over this one. Thanks for all of the kind comments my friends!