Sunday, November 29, 2020

The Good, the Bad, and the Books I Read: November

I finished a total of three books in the month of November. 
After October's thrillers and vampire reads I was really dying for some good, cozy contemporary romance - easy reads wherein, I am not on pins and needles waiting for someone to be violently killed. 

How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry
Synopsis: Nightingale Books, nestled on the main street in an idyllic little village, is a dream come true for book lovers--a cozy haven and welcoming getaway for the literary-minded locals. But owner Emilia Nightingale is struggling to keep the shop open after her beloved father's death, and the temptation to sell is getting stronger. The property developers are circling, yet Emilia's loyal customers have become like family, and she can't imagine breaking the promise she made to her father to keep the store alive.

There's Sarah, owner of the stately Peasebrook Manor, who has used the bookshop as an escape in the past few years, but it now seems there's a very specific reason for all those frequent visits. Next is roguish Jackson, who, after making a complete mess of his marriage, now looks to Emilia for advice on books for the son he misses so much. And the forever shy Thomasina, who runs a pop-up restaurant for two in her tiny cottage--she has a crush on a man she met in the cookbook section, but can hardly dream of working up the courage to admit her true feelings.

Enter the world of Nightingale Books for a serving of romance, long-held secrets, and unexpected hopes for the future--and not just within the pages on the shelves. How to Find Love in a Bookshop is the delightful story of Emilia, the unforgettable cast of customers whose lives she has touched, and the books they all cherish.

The Good: 
  • A book about books. Here at T is for Townsend we love a good book about books. I don't have a good reason for it other than we just love the vibe; and the bookshop vibes of this story are strong.
  • It kind of reminded me of the movie He's Just Not that Into You in the sense that we follow a handful of characters that have seemingly independent story lines but are actually all intertwined. 
  • Atmosphere - not only are we getting cozy bookshop vibes in this book, but we are also getting "idyllic little village" vibes of Peasebrook 
  • There were no big plot twists in this book but I will say, after reading the first few chapters I thought I knew what we were getting into plot-wise and it ended up not being that at all. This happened with a couple other character arcs too, which is a good thing in that it kept me guessing as the story unfolded. 
The Bad:
  • Our main character Emelia's dad dies (this is not a spoiler it's on the back cover of the book) and I hated reading it - made me so sad.
  • The pace - it was a little slow moving but hey, we're hanging out in a bookshop in an idyllic little village called Peasebrook so how fast paced can I expect this story to be?
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

The City Baker's Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller
Synopsis: When Olivia Rawlings--pastry chef extraordinaire for an exclusive Boston dinner club--sets not just her flambeed dessert but the entire building alight, she escapes to the most comforting place she can think of--the idyllic town of Guthrie, Vermont, home of Bag Balm, the country's longest-running contra dance, and her best friend Hannah. But the getaway turns into something more lasting when Margaret Hurley, the cantankerous, sweater-set-wearing owner of the Sugar Maple Inn, offers Livvy a job.

With the joys of a fragrant kitchen, the sound of banjos and fiddles being tuned in a barn, and the crisp scent of the orchard just outside the front door, Livvy soon finds herself immersed in small town life. And when she meets Martin McCracken, the Guthrie native who has returned from Seattle to tend his ailing father, Livvy comes to understand that she may not be as alone in this world as she once thought.

The Good:
  • This book had everything you could hope for in a cozy fall read: baking, a small town in Vermont, country music, takes place during the fall/winter months, and any other cliche fall thing you could think of. And we loved all of it.
  • Our main character's faithful sidekick is her dog named Salty.
  • Very detailed, very graphic, mouth-watering descriptions of delicious baked goods.
The Bad:
  • Very detailed, very graphic, mouth-watering descriptions of delicious baked goods. Reading before bed made me very hungry.
  • This book had one particular trope that I absolutely hate reading about - it's spoilery so I won't name it here, but I rolled my eyes so hard and whispered to myself, "seriously??" when it came up. I hate that it was included in the story because we could have had the exact same ending (which I really liked) without this one thing happening. So annoying.
Overall Rating: 3/5 stars

The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler

Synopsis: When Graham Barnett named his diner The Tourist Trap, he meant it as a joke. Now he's stuck slinging reindeer dogs to an endless string of resort visitors who couldn't interest him less. Not even the sweet, enthusiastic tourist in the corner who blushes every time he looks her way…

Two weeks in Alaska isn't just the top item on Zoey Caldwell's bucket list. It's the whole bucket. One look at the mountain town of Moose Springs and she's smitten. But when an act of kindness brings Zoey into Graham's world, she may just find there's more to the man than meets the eye…and more to love in Moose Springs than just the Alaskan wilderness.

This book was not originally on my TBR for November, but when I discovered this was the first in a series and the second book was Christmas themed, I had to read the first in order to read the second in December right?

The Good:
  • The setting - Alaska. In addition to books about books, we love books set in Alaska. Wild, last frontier vibes
  • The humor - this book is funny and I found myself chuckling out loud a few times.
  • Our main characters. Graham is tough on the outside and really rough around the edges, but he can't help but be a good dude. Zoey is super relatable and down to earth and I really loved following both of these characters
The Bad:
  • This book wasn't super believable on a number of occasions - which is fine entertainment-wise but sometimes it was little bit like, "oh come on 🙄" 
  • I liked the ending a lot but there was nothing creative about it
  • Graham calls Zoey "darlin" and it's a little cringey 
  • This book was long. 390 pages and could have easily been done in like, 250. It became a little repetitive because of the length. Still ate up every page though so I can't be too mad.
Overall Rating: 3/5 stars


What did you read in November?!

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Thursday, November 26, 2020

The Thursday Five Vol. 3

An Inspiration
Taylor Alison Swift.
Because I just got done watching folklore: the long pond studio sessions, and if this album didn't blow me away before it surely does now. I LOVE listening to Taylor talk about her songwriting and her ideas and how everything comes to be and just - HER MIND. If I had an ounce of the creativity she does...

A Recommendation
Besides folklore: the long pond studio sessions? Ok how about this recipe for Classic Sweet Potato Casserole. I make it every year for Thanksgiving because 1.) it is delicious, 2.) it has a very short ingredients list, and 3.) it is easy to make - all of which are prerequisites for me to even consider following a receipt. 

A Laugh
A Song
Bad Vibrations by Jesper Jenset. A song about bad vibrations but in fact, sounds like really good vibrations and makes you want to dance. 

A Moment of Happiness
This last weekend Nate and I took our Christmas pictures. I am fortunate enough that one of my dearest friends Jennica, entertains what has become Nate and my accidental tradition of trekking her around every holiday season to try and find a good spot for Christmas photos. We make a day of it, load the dogs up, drive around have lunch and just generally have a good day. This day was a good day. 

Happy Thanksgiving!


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Sunday, November 22, 2020

New Girl: Thanksgiving Episodes Ranked

My favorite, wildly underrated TV show is New Girl. That's right I said favorite. I like it more than The Office, I like it more than Friends. I like New Girl the most out of all the things. If you have not seen it, go turn on Netflix right now and watch all seven seasons and then come back to me and let's talk about how funny it is and which roommate is your favorite. 

So in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I rewatched all their Thanksgiving episodes and I am here to rank them, from my least favorite to my most favorite. And if you have seen them all too, please - let's discuss. 

5.) Season 3 episode 10 Thanksgiving III
In this episode Nick convinces the gang to go camping. Coach has called out Nick for getting lost in his relationship with Jess so now Nick feels like he needs to prove how manly he still is. Nick doesn't pack any food (except for beer) for the group in an effort to make them all hunt and forage for their meals. Shenanigans ensue, Jess eats a dead fish and goes crazy and contracts Giardia. 

This is my least favorite Thanksgiving episode because it kind of like, "jumps the shark" a little for me once Jess eats the dead fish. She goes "crazy" and doesn't know who she is and starts running around in the dark thinking she's an animal and falls into a bear trap, and I just feel like if you eat a dead fish that's not the reaction you're going to have. Mostly, I would think you'd just be really really sick; not like, lose your mind and start saying crazy things? It just doesn't seem very realistic to me. 

4.) Season 6 episode 7 Last Thanksgiving 
There is nothing wrong with this episode except I just laughed the least amount of times watching it. This is the last Thanksgiving in the Loft. Schmidt's dad comes to Thanksgiving dinner and gets drunk because his girlfriend broke up with him. Jess tries to break up with Robbie but instead they end up an official couple, and Nick's new girlfriend Reagan bails on him and doesn't show up for the holiday. Not the worst Thanksgiving episode but also not the best.

3.) Season 1 episode 6 Thanksgiving
This is a really good episode, so it's kind of crazy this ended up in the middle of the pack for me. In this episode Jess convinces her roommates to have a Thanksgiving dinner and invites her crush Paul Genslinger. Shenanigans ensue, and the crew ends up eating their Thanksgiving dinner next door in Mrs. Beverly's apartment - who is supposed to be out of town but is actually dead and the group stumbles upon her dead body in the apartment. There are some really funny moments in this episode that had me laughing and I just really enjoyed watching Paul try and get to know Jess's roommates (it does not go well), and Schmidt freak out about a dirty kitchen. Other LOL-worthy moments include: 
-Jess has named the turkey Hank and the day has thus been dubbed Hanksgiving.
-When Nick mentions their plans to go buy a TV on Black Friday Winston pipes in, "Or as I like to call it, Friday." 
-Schmidt and Jess are attempting to fit the turkey in the oven and Jess yells out, "I can't get it in!" and Schmidt turns to his roommates to reply, "We've all been there am I right?" Schmidt owes money to the Douchebag Jar for this response.

2.) Season 4 episode 9 Thanksgiving IV
Here, Schmidt proposes the idea of "Bangsiving." The roommates draw names out of a hat and invite a surprise date for the person whose name they pick. Jess brings Pearl for Winston, who is a lunch lady and this creates a complex for Winston (is a lunch lady sexy?) Winston brings Pepper, a coworker from the police department who is JACKED which also gives Coach a complex (is a woman who is stronger than him sexy?) CeCe brings Lucy for Schmidt which is also a problem because apparently Nick also dated Lucy. Nick and Schmidt argue over the statute of limitations (1,000 showers) and it is eventually decided that the statute of limitations has expired. Schmidt brings a dude named Jeff for CeCe who ends up showing up way late and is promptly dismissed by CeCe. Coach invites Ryan - Jess's crush from school and she very aggressively comes onto him. I love the roommate meeting on the roof of the loft midway through the day because Bangsgiving is in peril as everyone seems to have a problem with the date that was selected for them. Coach does an impression of a British person having sex (Jess's date Ryan is British), that he assumes is "wildly polite" and I died laughing. I love this episode.

1.) Season 2 episode 8 Parents
In my favorite Thanksgiving episode, Jess's divorced parents come to town and she tries, as she has since she was a kid, to "Parent Trap" them - i.e. get them alone so they'll fall back in love and reconcile and they'll all be a family again. Schmidt's cousin, who also goes by Schmidt comes for Thanksgiving dinner and a contest ensues between the two of them (at the behest of Winston because he is bored) as there can only be one true Schmidt. I laughed so hard at the interactions between Nick, and Jess's mom and dad in this episode: Nick hits on Jess's mom as part of her Parent Trap plan, and argues with her dad over the plot of his Zombie novel - that it is literally the same plot as Twilight and Nick is unawares. But the contest of the One True Schmidt in this episode is enough to put it over the edge as my favorite New Girl Thanksgiving Episode. 

So there you have it. Have you watched yet? How about now? Are you done yet? Let's discuss! 


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Thursday, November 19, 2020

The Thursday Five Vol. 2

An Inspiration
These incredible home libraries that I'm really trying to figure out how to recreate once I get into my new house.

A Recommendation
If you want some feel-good, heartwarming, adorable programming please watch Pick of the Litter on Netflix. You will follow a litter of puppies as they learn to become guide dogs for the blind. Some make it. Some do not. All are good doggos.

A Book
Ok I don't know if any of you follow or have seen the Babylon Bee. They are a christian satire website that pokes fun at church culture and politics and personally, I find them hilarious. Even more hilarious, they released a coffee table book - The Sacred Texts of the Babylon Bee and I just can't with them 😂. 

A Song
The Thanksgiving Song by Ben Rector 
And the coziest, most clever lyric video you've ever seen to go along with it.

A Moment of Happiness
Eating ice cream and watching the premier of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City with my dear friend Brianna, late on a Monday night.



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Monday, November 16, 2020

Currently: November

Currently:

Eating: Veggie Straws
I realize these are not even remotely new to most people but I tried them for the first time last week and they are delicious.

Watching: The Queen's Gambit
You would't think a series about chess would be interesting but on the contrary - it is. 
Also, all I kept picturing in my head as I watched this was Ron Weasley on a life-size Wizard's Chess board yelling "Knight to H3!"

Learning: Trello
I stumbled upon this YouTube video recently about how this online creator plans her content using Trello. I took advantage of the free templates she was offering and have been playing around with it for a couple weeks now. By no means do I have a treasure trove of online content to plan and maintain for business purposes but nontheless, I've so far found it useful for blog content, reading plans, and other personal stuff to start getting myself organized.

Debating: What to wear for Christmas photos this weekend. 
I don't know about anyone else but shopping stopped being fun in my thirties. Where do I shop anymore? Am I too old to be cheap? Am I too old to be trendy? What is trendy for 30-somethings anyway? The harsh reality is, as it turns out you are not in fact, forever 21. 

Loving: My Taylor Swift cardigan. 
Ok, the folklore album came out in July and I managed to get all the way to November until I finally gave in and bought this. That's roughly four months of resisting this purchase as it called my name and beckoned my debit card. Be proud of me. 

Laughing: At this meme


What are your current favorites?!


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Thursday, November 12, 2020

The Thursday Five Vol. 1

I saw this idea from Through Clouded Glass, where she shares things from five categories that stand out to her each week. I loved this idea and wanted to replicate it here at T is for Townsend. I've started with the five categories below but please let the record show: I may change my mind. Because I love this idea so much I just really can't make up my mind. So in the wise words of The Black Eyed Peas, let's get it started!

An Inspiration
In the spirit of celebrating Veteran's Day this week, "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same." -Ronald Reagan

This was a moving tribute posted by Dan Crenshaw, a former Navy Seal and current Congressman, to his Instagram account. 

A Recommendation
Toasted Almond Caramel coffee from Target
I know that most people are in full on Christmas mode right now and that is all well and good but my book of rules says we drink fall flavored coffee until Thanksgiving. I don't make the rules I just make them.

A Book
I just finished How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry and it was the perfect pallet cleanser after all those spooky October reads last month. Cozy and warm and lovely and adorable. 

A Song (or album or playlist or artist. Anything musical, really)
Chase Me Down by Chris Tomlin featuring Raelynn
I am here to say for the record: Raelynn is wildly underrated and one of my favorite female country artists (country sass for miles, y'all!). So I was so excited to see her team up with Chris Tomlin for some Jesus music. You will not be disappointed. 

A Moment of Happiness
My husband Nate and I are having a house built right now and we drive down there just about every weekend to see how it's going. Mostly because we're impatient and just can't help ourselves. Seeing the progress and daydreaming about my new house takes me to my happy place.



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Sunday, November 1, 2020

The Good, the Bad, and the Books I Read: October

Piggy backing slightly off of my last post, wherein I detailed some of the thrilling and truly groundbreaking plans I have for this blog (that is sarcasm, my blog plans are neither thrilling nor groundbreaking they are in fact very basic, run-of-the-mill blog plans), one of those said plans is book-ish content. 

I was an avid reader as a kid growing up, but then I turned into a teenager and had better things to do (obvi, AmIRight?). I then turned into an adult and re-discovered my love for books. Even more recently, I have found the book-ish community on Instagram and YouTube to be one of my favorite places and I want to bring a little bit of that book-ish energy to my blog. Really, I just want to talk about books and I think my friends and family might be getting sick of my rambling-on about them. 

So, if you are not into books that's totally cool you can ignore these posts - it won't hurt my feelings (jk yes it will a little please still read my blog and tell me you love me pls and thx). But if you ARE into books - let's talk about them!

Books I read in October

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
Synopsis: Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest thinkers, inventors, and artists. It was founded by Albert Ellingham, an early twentieth century tycoon, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. “A place,” he said, “where learning is a game.” Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym “Truly, Devious.” It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history.

True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. That is, she will solve the case when she gets a grip on her demanding new school life and her housemates: the inventor, the novelist, the actor, the artist, and the jokester. But something strange is happening. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy. The past has crawled out of its grave. Someone has gotten away with murder.


The Good: 
  • The atmosphere - Ellingham Academy was putting off some serious Hogwarts vibes and I am here for it. A boarding school set atop a secluded mountain in Vermont - old, filled with hidden passageways and sprawling tunnels? Fall leaves printed on each of the chapter pages in the actual book? Yes please!
  • Dual timelines - this book did a great job of incorporating the old story and timeline, with the new. It kept things interesting and helped with pacing. We love a good dual timeline. 
  • Our main character, Stevie - relatable and smart. 
The Bad:
  • This is the first book of four in a series (Book #4 coming out Summer 2021!) and really just felt like a set-up book. The book ended on a HUGE cliffhanger and ZERO of my questions were answered. Which is fine I suppose, since I'll keep reading the next book because now I feel like I need to know what happens. This book on its own however, can't stand by itself. I felt a little cheated when I finished this - like I read it hoping for some sort of a resolution or revelation and got none.
Overall rating: 3/5 stars