Okay, friends: I have a pile of really good books and movies to recommend to you today…plus one of my favourite Christmas gifts ever!
BOOKS
Lie To Me by J.T. Ellison
They built a life on lies
Sutton and Ethan Montclair’s idyllic life is not as it appears. They seem made for each other, but the truth is ugly. Consumed by professional and personal betrayals and financial woes, the two both love and hate each other. As tensions mount, Sutton disappears, leaving behind a note saying not to look for her.
Ethan finds himself the target of vicious gossip as friends, family and the media speculate on what really happened to Sutton Montclair. As the police investigate, the lies the couple have been spinning for years quickly unravel. Is Ethan a killer? Is he being set up? Did Sutton hate him enough to kill the child she never wanted and then herself? The path to the answers is full of twists that will leave the reader breathless.
Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak
It’s Christmas, and for the first time in years the entire Birch family will be under one roof. Even Emma and Andrew’s elder daughter—who is usually off saving the world—will be joining them at Weyfield Hall, their aging country estate. But Olivia, a doctor, is only coming home because she has to. Having just returned from treating an epidemic abroad, she’s been told she must stay in quarantine for a week…and so too should her family.
For the next seven days, the Birches are locked down, cut off from the rest of humanity—and even decent Wi-Fi—and forced into each other’s orbits. Younger, unabashedly frivolous daughter Phoebe is fixated on her upcoming wedding, while Olivia deals with the culture shock of being immersed in first-world problems.
As Andrew sequesters himself in his study writing scathing restaurant reviews and remembering his glory days as a war correspondent, Emma hides a secret that will turn the whole family upside down.
In close proximity, not much can stay hidden for long, and as revelations and long-held tensions come to light, nothing is more shocking than the unexpected guest who’s about to arrive…
It Takes Two by Jonathan Scott and Drew Scott
{Disclosure: HGTV Canada sent me an autographed copy of this book}
A New York Times bestseller! Jonathan and Drew Scott, known for their wildly popular HGTV shows including Property Brothers and Brother vs Brother, follow up their New York Times bestseller, Dream Home, with a highly anticipated memoir.It Takes Two: Our Story shares never-before-revealed tales of the brothers’ childhood and rise to fame-from starting their first business at 7 years old, their years modeling and acting, to their first house purchase at the impressive young age of eighteen. They soon found their true passion in life, combining their natural gifts for entertaining with the skills they learned from buying, renovating, and selling homes.Complete with hilarious behind-the-scenes stories from set, Jonathan and Drew discuss how their family and upbringing have led to their success in life. Throughout, the brothers keep fans laughing with the clever-and sometimes zany-sibling banter for which they’re known best.
Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent
‘My husband did not mean to kill Annie Doyle, but the lying tramp deserved it.’
Lydia Fitzsimons lives in the perfect house with her adoring husband and beloved son. There is just one thing Lydia yearns for to make her perfect life complete, though the last thing she expects is that pursuing it will lead to murder. However, needs must – because nothing can stop this mother from getting what she wants …
The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.
You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife.
You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement – a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love.
You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle.
Assume nothing.Twisted and deliciously chilling, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen’s The Wife Between Us exposes the secret complexities of an enviable marriage – and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love.
Read between the lies.
The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn
It isn’t paranoia if it’s really happening . . .
Anna Fox lives alone—a recluse in her New York City home, unable to venture outside. She spends her day drinking wine (maybe too much), watching old movies, recalling happier times . . . and spying on her neighbors.
Then the Russells move into the house across the way: a father, mother, their teenaged son. The perfect family. But when Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble—and its shocking secrets are laid bare.
What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger? Who is in control? In this diabolically gripping thriller, no one—and nothing—is what it seems.
Twisty and powerful, ingenious and moving, The Woman in the Window is a smart, sophisticated novel of psychological suspense that recalls the best of Hitchcock.
MOVIES
The Greatest Showman
Be warned: you have to like musicals to enjoy this film, but if you do, you’ll be blown away. It’s a great family movie with tons of important messages to impart.
All the Money in the World
I was particularly interested in this one because I wanted to see Christopher Plummer, nominated for several awards for this performance after replacing Kevin Spacey. It was excellent.
The Commuter
Yes, it’s a typical Liam-Neeson-action-flick, but I actually enjoyed this one more than the Taken series, and it keeps you guessing.
And finally…
GIFT
I picked this up for my husband (okay, fine, and for myself) as a Christmas gift and I just love it. You can preheat the bed, and settings range from Low (1) to High (20). It makes it so cozy when you get in to binge watch Netflix on a cold winter night!
You read all those books and saw all those movies and teach full time and are a mom and a wife??? How many hours are in YOUR day?
You must not have noticed that there was no December or January edition of Kate’s Favourite Things – I’ve been saving these ones up! I definitely don’t take in that much entertainment in a month! Haha!