#MovieReview | The Zookeeper's Wife

Title: The Zookeeper's Wife

Genre: W2 Drama

Release Date: April 7th, 2017

Rating: PG-13

Cast: Jessica Chastain

Summary from IMDB:  The Zookeeper's Wife tells the account of keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, Antonina and Jan Zabinski, who helped save hundreds of people and animals during the German invasion.

IMDB Trailer

Review:  No matter how many movies, or stories I see about world war 2, It never ceases to amaze me about how cruel people can be and how utterly fearless others are in the face of such atrocities. I didn't know going into the movie that it was based on a true story, not that it would have changed anything. This movie was a deeply emotional ride. One that I will not easily forget.

The Zookeeper's wife saved over 300 Jews from being sent to the death camps. At one point, the zookeeper himself helped children on to the train, knowing full well where they were headed, but had no power to stop it. I couldn't imagine how hard that would be not to break down and cry. 

This was a great movie to watch and I would recommend it to anyone who likes to be emotionally moved. I can't wait to pick up the book.

#BookReview | Colorless by Rite Stradling

Title: Colorless

By: Rita Stradling

Genre: Historical / Fantasy

Pages: 400

Release Date: August 8th, 2017

Publisher: 

Audience: Adult

Summary from Goodreads: In Domengrad, there are rules all must live by: Fear the Gods. Worship the Magicians. Forsake the Iconoclasts.

To Annabelle Klein, the rules laid down by the Magicians are the mere ramblings of stuffy old men. As far as she’s concerned, the historic Iconoclasts, heretics who nearly destroyed the Magicians so long ago, are nothing but myth. She has much more important matters to worry about.

Heiress to a manor mortgaged down to its candlesticks and betrothed to her loathsome cousin, sixteen-year-old Annabelle doubts the gods could forsake her more.

Then Annabelle is informed of her parents’ sudden and simultaneous deaths, and all of the pigment drips out of her skin and hair, leaving her colorless. Within moments, Annabelle is invisible and forgotten by all who know her. 

Living like a wraith in her own home, Annabelle discovers that to regain her color she must solve the mystery behind her parents’ murders and her strange transformation. 

Meanwhile, hundreds of the Magicians’ monks, with their all-black eyes and conjoined minds, have usurped control of Annabelle’s family manor. An Iconoclast is rumored to be about—a person who they claim goes unseen, unheard, and lost to memory, yet is the greatest threat to all of Domengrad. For the first time in a hundred years, the monks plan to unleash the dire wolves of old. 

Their only target: Annabelle.

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Review: Rita Stradling has done it again. I absolutely love this book and its historical fantasy feel. The story throws you right into the action when Annabelle learns of her parents death and her color fads. Essentially, she becomes inadvisable.

We follow a wonderful twisting and turning plot to find out how Annabelle's parents died, and hope that she can regain her color and become real to the world again. I felt really immersed in this old historical world, but also grounded in a new world feel. The characters were wonderful and full of life. Even the one that was colorless. 

Another fantastic read by Ms. Stradling.   

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

#WeeklyMenu Week 211

I think I need a vacation from my vacation. Its been a long week even though we had a blast at the beach. The boys ran in the waves, rode bikes around town, walked the shopfronts, and had an amazing meal at Mo's. All our favorite things.

This week we are back to being normal, except I have to work Monday. The first Monday in three years. We'll see how the eclipse affects our work day. That is to be seen.

Enjoy this weeks menu!

Monday

- Spaghetti

Tuesday

- Crispy Baked Chicken Wings

Wednesday

- Chicken Carbonara 

Thursday

- Baked Pork Chops

Friday

- Caprese Chicken

Saturday

- Italian Chopped Salad

Sunday

- Tuna Sandwiches