Brrrrrrr, it’s cold outside! While I want to go out and take advantage of all of the sales, I don’t want to get dressed, I don’t want to deal with crowds, and I don’t want to be cold. So, I plan to move between my bed and my couch today while I read, watch movies, and get some work done. Those who can relate to how I feel and plan to stay cozied up at home today, here are 3 movies and 2 books you should check out.

Movies

Molly’s Game (Netflix)

Molly’s Game is an intriguing movie that is based on a true story about the rise and fall of a brilliant woman who saw an opportunity to make money in the poker industry. I won’t say anything more because I do not want to spoil it for you.

Hillbilly Elegy(Netflix)

Hillbilly Elegy is also based on a true story. This is the story of J.D. Vance, a young man who overcame incredible odds and went on to become college-educated, serve in the military, and attend Yale Law School. If you have ever lived in the rural south, you will definitely be able to relate.

Great movie for those needing a little inspiration.

Run (Hulu)

All I am going to say is, there are some crazy mofo’s in the world and Run is a reminder of that!

Books

For those looking for a good read here you go.

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

If you are not convinced by Push that there are some crazy folks in the world, read this book. Once I started reading it, I could not put it down although I was able to guess some of the twists and turns a little early on.

Publisher’s Synopsis:

Ellie Mack was the perfect daughter. She was fifteen, the youngest of three. Beloved by her parents, friends, and teachers, and half of a teenaged golden couple. Ellie was days away from an idyllic post-exams summer vacation, with her whole life ahead of her.

And then she was gone.

Now, her mother Laurel Mack is trying to put her life back together. It’s been ten years since her daughter disappeared, seven years since her marriage ended, and only months since the last clue in Ellie’s case was unearthed. So when she meets an unexpectedly charming man in a café, no one is more surprised than Laurel at how quickly their flirtation develops into something deeper. Before she knows it, she’s meeting Floyd’s daughters—and his youngest, Poppy, takes Laurel’s breath away.

Because looking at Poppy is like looking at Ellie. And now, the unanswered questions she’s tried so hard to put to rest begin to haunt Laurel anew. Where did Ellie go? Did she really run away from home, as the police have long suspected, or was there a more sinister reason for her disappearance? Who is Floyd, really? And why does his daughter remind Laurel so viscerally of her own missing girl?

Child’s Play: A Novel by Danielle Steel

A great read for those of us that set rigid expectations for our children.

Publisher’s summary:

The lessons our children teach us are the hardest ones. What do we do when our children don’t pursue our hopes for them? In this riveting new novel, Danielle Steel explores how families can evolve and grow in unexpected ways.

A senior partner at a prestigious New York law firm, Kate Morgan couldn’t be prouder of her three grown children. Tamara, Anthony, and Claire all went to great schools, chose wonderful career paths, and would have made their father proud. A single mother for years after the death of her husband, Kate keeps a tight rein on her family, her career, and even her own emotions, never once asking herself if she truly knows her children . . . or if her hopes for them are the right ones, and what they want. She is about to find out.

During one hectic summer in Manhattan, Kate’s world turns upside down. One child has been keeping an astonishing secret while another confesses to an equally shocking truth. A wonderful match and picture-book wedding are traded for a relationship that shakes Kate to her core. A totally inappropriate love affair and an out-of-wedlock baby complete the chaos. Challenged as a mother and as a successful independent woman herself, Kate struggles to keep up with a dizzying and escalating chain of events, and begins to realize that she has a part to play in the chaos. Because Kate too has kept secrets from her children.

Sometimes the surprising choices our children make are the right ones . . . better than what we wanted for them. More often than not, parenting is about letting go of our dreams and embracing theirs.

There you go! Curl up, enjoy and be sure to let me know what you think!

Much Love,

Tonza