Book Review #77: “Mosquitoland”

I’m going to go out on a limb here, and declare that Mosquitoland is my favorite book of 2019.

I had a feeling this book was special when I found it at Barnes & Noble last year, while I was looking for books to purchase with the gift card I received for my birthday.

—

I fell in love with Mim, the main character, right at the start. I loved how Arnold addressed mental illness, psychiatric care, and dysfunctional families. I was rooting for Mim the entire time on her journey, which became quite a map of routes, detours, and exits.

I admire Arnold and his creation of his characters. I love how he used music throughout the story. The resounding theme of being on a journey stuck with me the whole time. It was quite a ride.

Arnold is so good with his words and storytelling, that I felt like this story was a mix tape of coming of age, mystery, suspense, a bit of horror, and all of it was delicious. I could hardly tear my eyes away from the book. I wanted to know what happened next.

I found myself a bit surprised with the end of the book. No spoilers — But it was an interesting turn, something I hadn’t considered. It made me like Arnold even more as an author.

I look forward to reading more from Arnold – He has three more books I’m eager to devour.

5 out of 5 stars.

---

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

Tag #85: Song Challenge

Image Credit: Pinterest

I wasn’t tagged for this. However, I love everything Kristian at Life Lessons Around The Dinner Table posts. When I saw this on her blog, I wanted to participate, too!

Here’s the link to Kristian’s post:

• A Song Challenge

---

A Song Challenge from Laura Venturini

The original post was created by Laura Venturini. You can find her post here:

Weekly Song Challenge-Round 9

Rules:
Copy rules and add to your own post, pinging back to this post.
Post music videos for your answers to the musical questions.
Tag two people to participate!

---

1. Post a music video of a song by an artist popular in the 80s.

Rick Astley – “Never Gonna Give You Up”

2. Post a music video of a song that makes you wanna shake your groove thang!

Van Halen – “Jump”

3. Post a music video of an acoustic version of a popular song.

Eric Clapton – “Tears in Heaven” (MTV Unplugged)

---

Tag – You’re It!

• I’m not tagging anyone specifically. But, if you want to participate, please do!

---

Thanks for sharing your post, Kristian! You inspired me to get back to the blog after a long 11-day hiatus. Thank you!

---

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

Writing Prompt #219: Romantic Movies (Day 18)

Image by Nietjuh on Pixabay

The Wedding Singer (1998)

I LOVE this movie!!

In my opinion, this is one of the best 1980s-period movies. Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore are adorable. And I heard the name “Julia Gulia” for YEARS before I saw this movie in full.

In a way, this movie is still relevant today. There are people who fall in love with others who have certain images or ideals of them, like Linda did with Robbie. However, Robbie finally comes to his senses and recognizes what a good thing, and a good person, Julia is. And that’s part of what makes this movie so endearing.

Glenn’s character reminded me of my ex, John, in a really creepy way. I’m glad Julia finally saw the light, but her character reminded me of me when I was in school. It was weird!

This movie is easily in my top 10 films now. I’ve only seen it twice, but I plan to watch it more frequently. Like other films, a big selling point for me is the soundtrack. I also love how Billy Idol is involved!

---

Come back tomorrow for a new movie!

---

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

Tag #78: Song Request Book Tag

Thanks, Daniel, for tagging me!

Here’s the link to the post where I was tagged:

• Song Request Book Tag

---

Rules

• Thank and link back to tagger.
• Credit to Daniel @ Page to Page
• Listen to tagger’s song requests! After you’re done listening to the three songs the person who tagged you has chosen, choose a book that you think best goes along with that song and tell us why you chose it!
• Request 3 songs of your own! Give any three songs (and your corresponding book choices that think go well with said song) you want for your taggers to listen and respond to!
• Tag 5 people!

---

Daniel’s Song Requests

Song: “Falling Apart” by Broods

Book: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle

I mean, the book starts with “It was a dark and stormy night,” so you can only go up from there, right? I want to re-read this book this year. It’s been forever!

—

Song: “Not What I Meant” by dodie

Book: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

My mind immediately went to misunderstandings. I know I say “That’s not what I meant” a lot! I think the assumptions and misunderstandings that occur between these characters fit perfectly with this song.

—

Song: “The Luckiest” by Ben Folds

Book: A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

Daniel, this song made me cry!

It’s so hard to pick just one book for this song! Oh, man!

I knew a Nicholas Sparks book was perfect for this song. After much deliberation, I picked A Walk to Remember because I think the lyrics fit perfectly with how Landon eventually feels about Jamie. The tears, though. The tears.

---

Laura Beth’s Song Requests

Song: “I’m Comin’ Over” by Chris Young

Book: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I think this song about wanting to be with someone so badly, and getting closure later, can easily be paired with a classic like Gatsby.

—

Song: “Better When I’m Dancin'” by Meghan Trainor (The Peanuts Movie)

Book: Summer Boys (Summer Boys #1) by Hailey Abbott

When I need a pick-me-up, I’m drawn toward this song. I love how upbeat it is, and makes me want to move my feet! The same goes for Summer Boys and the rest of its series – It’s such a fun series to get lost in. I saw a girl in my high school orchestra class reading it one day. Intrigued, I asked her about it. She graciously let me borrow the first book, and then I found the rest on my own, most through the library. It’s definitely more on the “fluffy” side of reading, but I love the whole series. Now, I want to re-read all of it – Maybe this summer!

—

Song: “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond

Book: Calico Joe by John Grisham

Whenever I hear “Sweet Caroline,” I think of baseball! John Grisham’s book is the perfect book for this song. In fact, when I first read this book, the song popped into my head a couple of times, and I found myself singing along!

---

Tag – You’re It!

1. Destiny at Howling Libraries
2. Fiction No Chaser
3. Jenna at Bookmark Your Thoughts
4. Kristian at Life Lessons Around The Dinner Table
5. Simon at Planet Simon

---

This was such a fun tag. I love books and music, and seeing this combination was challenging, but inspiring. Thanks again, Daniel!

---

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

Writing Prompt #208: Romantic Movies (Day 8)

Image by Nietjuh on Pixabay

Dirty Dancing (1987)

Oh my word. This movie!

Much like Footloose, I memorized much of the soundtrack before seeing the movie in full.

I didn’t see the movie in full until I was well into college. Now it’s one of my favorite movies, and definitely a guilty pleasure.

While at Longwood, I had the great opportunity to attend the annual S.E.A.L. Leadership Conference twice, once as an attendee, and another time as a workshop presenter. The cool thing? The conference was held at Mountain Lake, near Pembroke, Virginia, where portions of the movie were filmed! They have Dirty Dancing Themed Weekends, and I’d love to do that someday.

When I joined the Longwood chapter of Alpha Sigma Tau, we participated in a fun event called “Greek Sync,” where many of the fraternities and sororities would select a group of members, and the groups would choreograph and perform a routine to that year’s theme. During my first semester as a sister in 2009, we used part of “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life” as our opening number of our performance, where Erica and Kirk, one of the sorority sister-fraternity brother couples, performed part of the dance that was in the movie. Ironically, when we were first starting rehearsals and decided to have this part in our performance, we were watching the movie so Erica could learn the dance moves. We found out that night Patrick Swayze died! We all cried our eyes out. None of us could watch the movie again for at least a week!

—

Back to the movie!

Patrick Swayze sets my heart on fire. May he Rest in Peace!

Jennifer Grey truly comes of age in this movie! I’m always jealous of their dancing skills!

It’s a good story, of course. And I love the scenery!

I shameless sing along to every song in this movie, especially “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life.”

I want to watch this movie again, right now!

---

Come back tomorrow for a new movie!

---

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

Writing Prompt #206: Romantic Movies (Day 6)

Image by Nietjuh on Pixabay

Footloose (1984)

I’d memorized the words to “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins YEARS before I saw the movie in full. Once one of my sorority sisters found out I hadn’t seen the whole movie in 2010, she organized a sweet movie night, just the two of us, and we watched it in my dorm room. It was so awesome! Thanks, Sam!

I can’t articulate very well how much I love this movie! I love the music. I love Kevin Bacon. I love the story, which is based on real-life events from Elmore City, Oklahoma. I love the certain nostalgia feelings of high school. I went to college in a small town, so I could imagine how people in towns like Farmville, and hundreds (if not thousands) of others in these United States, live in a small, close-knit community where all the kids grow up together and their families know one another.

I also love how a series of life lessons are sprinkled into this coming-of-age story, which has comedy, drama, romance, and music!

As a Christian, I also appreciated the inclusion of the pastor and his family into the story, and the roles their characters play throughout the movie.

—

I will also mention that I enjoyed the Footloose remake in 2011. I loved seeing in theaters, and Al was so sweet to take me. I loved Miles Teller as Willard, and Julianne Hough was awesome as Ariel. I play the soundtrack in my car about a month, especially if I need a pick-me-up. While no one can outdo Kenny Loggins, Blake Shelton did a bang-up job with “Footloose.” I also enjoyed Jana Kramer’s version of “Let’s Hear It for the Boy,” and “Almost Paradise,” performed by Victoria Justice and Hunter Hayes. “Dance the Night Away” was a great choice for a pivotal scene in the remake as well.

—

Do you have a favorite song from Footloose? Me personally, my favorite is “Footloose,” followed by “Never” by Moving Pictures, and “Holding Out for a Hero” by Bonnie Tyler.

---

Come back tomorrow for a new movie!

---

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

Writing Prompt #203: Romantic Movies (Day 4)

Image by Nietjuh on Pixabay

Grease (1978)

I really do love movie musicals!

I can’t remember when I first saw this movie, but I know I loved almost everything about it. Danny was a tough guy, and Sandy was sweet and innocent. I know I wasn’t in high school yet, because I remember thinking about how “cool” high school was for them, and how cool high school was going to be for me. And, to see Sandy truly come of age and transform was a sight to see.

What I do remember is listening to the soundtrack in various people’s cars during youth group and other events. I borrowed the CD from the library a lot. I love the music!

I also remember asking my mom a lot of questions about the historical side, since she grew up in the 1950s. She wasn’t in high school then, but it’s a movie she likes, too.

At the end of the movie, the carnival was a dream!

Do you have a favorite song from Grease? I think mine is “You’re the One that I Want.”

---

Come back tomorrow for a new movie!

---

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂