May I recommend
Anne of Green Gables.
The book is obviously spectacular. Seriously, it’s very funny, fast-paced and is a sharp character study of a fragile but indomitable girl whose super powers are her imagination and conviction of her own value. Not only that, but Montgomery evokes small town life with vivid characters and visceral descriptions. If you don’t want to grab your buggy and trot over to late 19th Century Prince Edward Island immediately, I don’t know what’s wrong with you.
Anyway, A of GG is a great book, and the joy of it is that there’s a million more sequels, plus L.M. Montgomery’s entire oeuvre of non-Anne works, so if you get into her, you’re set for MONTHS. For my money, Rilla of Ingleside is the best of the Anne sequels and The Blue Castle is my fave non-series L.M. Montgomery book.
The book is obviously iconic, but don’t sleep on the musical. They’ve got some catchy tunes, including one about ice cream, that I sing to myself LITERALLY every time I eat ice cream — Ice cream, is there anything more delectable than ice cream? — A banger about small-town gossip. Not to mention Matthew’s (SOB) song about how even though he can’t articulate it, he carries all the love in his heart (The Words). Also, though I can’t remember what I did last Saturday or the name of any of my kid’s teachers, I can still sing every single word of “We Clearly Requested a Boy”, which at age 10 I played and replayed on our record player until I had it memorized. Was I PRETTY cool in elementary school? No. Did I over-identify with a book-loving redhead who yearned for acceptance. You better flipping believe it!
The musical is often staged in amateur productions, but is preferably viewed in Charlottetown P.E.I, with a belly full of Cow’s Ice cream and a sunburn from digging for clams at Tea Hill Beach peeling from your shoulders.
Another option to consume your Anne is via the wonderful 1985 Anne of Green Gables miniseries from Sullivan Production. I had a hankering to show the miniseries to my 14 year old daughter this past December and ordered it from my beloved library.
It came and we were soon DEEPLY invested in Anne, her hated red hair, her un-puff-sleeved dresses, bosom friendships, friends-to-lovers romances and of course Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert (SOB). Then the second disc (yes, we were watching it on DVD) had a giant scratch we couldn’t get past. Curse you ancient technology!
In a panic, and jonesing to know not only what happened with Anne and Gilbert, but just WHO would win the Avery Scholarship, I turned to the Interwebs and found to my delight the entire catalogue of Anne things (as interpreted by Sullivan Productions, anyway) available via this faintly shady website. Desperate, I threw caution to the wind, entered my credit card details and accessed my Anne via streaming. So, I can vouch that the site seems safe and no one has yet stolen my identity or my millions.
Okay, tell me your thoughts on your comments —- where do you stand on Anne with an E? I have THOUGHTS on that one…
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Book Stuff
2024 is the year of Honor the Dead.
I am VERY excited for you to read it!
It currently has a FIVE STAR RATING on Goodreads.
Is that because it only has ONE RATING on Goodreads? Yes, but no matter!
If you use Goodreads and want to help me out, go click on “Want to Read” to boost excitement about it. Or pre-order it from Amazon or your fave book retailer OR ask your local library to order a copy.
Don’t take my word for it, see what all these smart amazing authors said about it:
"This is a gripping mystery novel. Cate Spencer, the lead character, is a flawed individual who has to convince law-enforcement professionals as well as herself that she can bring down a murderer and solve a crime. Everyone is either against her or lies to her, but just when she sees no hope, she goes for one more try. I wanted to applaud and fist-pump at the end.”
—Ray Anderson, author of the AWOL Thriller series
"Disgraced coroner Dr. Cate Spencer finds herself in a small town divided by a longtime feud between two rival families over an outlaw’s lost gold. When a double homicide occurs, Cate, unable to stand by in the face of incompetence, rolls up her shirt sleeves and digs in to solve the crimes. In the course of her investigation, Cate must confront a town wracked with violence, crack sharp shooters, and shocking revelations about her own family history. Honor the Dead is a thrilling murder mystery that masterfully explores life’s hopes and disappointments, delving deep within the characters and keeping you guessing until the end. Highly recommended!"
—Daco S. Auffenorde, Award-winning author of Cover Your Tracks
"Honor the Dead is classic Amy Tector—an intriguing mystery peppered with fascinating historical tidbits and infused with a good dose of humor. Her cast of characters never disappoints and everyone is a suspect until the very last page. This book is too fun to put down. Don’t be surprised if you finish it in one sitting.”
—Kim Hooper, author of People Who Knew Me and No Hiding in Boise
"Picking up from her previous book,Speak For The Dead,coroner Cate Spencer is still reeling from her brother’s mysterious death. She is suspended from work, now having to pass the time as a country doctor in Quebec’s Eastern Townships, an idyllic country setting masterfully obscuring many secrets and a sordid history. There, she can’t help herself as she unofficially investigates a local murder. Layers of intrigue are uncovered with possible links to a legendary outlaw’s lost gold, the drug trade, or an over-the-top family feud. However, it is Cate’s hard-boiled and wasteland kind of life you will embrace. She exudes levels of empathy with crime victims which exacts a heavy toll on her. We care deeply for her and cheer her prowess as she unravels a textured plot of murder, tragedy and power. This is Tector’s edgiest, grittiest and smartest work to date. One can’t help but see hints of Wallander and V.I. Warshawski and wonder when this comes on the big screen.”
—Wayne Ng, author of The Family Code
"The heart of any truly fine mystery is the mystery at the heart of the detective. This new Dr. Cate Spencer story has to do with the world of hatred and lies behind the picturesque landscape of the Eastern Townships, but in the final analysis, it reveals more about Dr. Spencer herself than the world around her. Get your hands on this haunting tale and make friends with the prickly, determined Cate. By the end, you will be cheering for her with every breath!"
—Terry Roberts, author of My Mistress’ Eyes Are Raven Black and The Sky Club
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We adored the audiobook of A of GG narrated by Rachel McAdams. Much more charming than other narrators for later books in the series. Highly recommend for road trips with children (or whomever really 😉).
Hi Amy. I recently listened to a fantastic new Audible version of Anne of Green Gables with an all-star Canadian cast. Narrator is (Ottawa native) Sandra Oh, Catherine O'Hara and Victor Garber play Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, respectively. And the director is Megan Follows, who played Anne on the 1980s TV series.
Highly recommend this audiobook.
https://www.audible.ca/pd/Anne-of-Green-Gables-Audiobook/B0CLMCX9YY?ref_pageloadid=CxKcdRjvWu8xeGiu&ref=a_library_t_c5_libItem_B0CLMCX9YY_2&pf_rd_p=9262d717-a682-4b54-8e37-a6039fe5956e&pf_rd_r=NKQ84BS00R6V87R84QHM&pageLoadId=LWkXGjxVc7tsbmTq&creativeId=4ee810cf-ac8e-4eeb-8b79-40e176d0a225