I ♥ Monday
And on a Monday, no less!
♥ CLARITY by Kim Harrington. A girl with a psychic gift, from a family of psychics, must work together with her ex and the skeptical detective’s son to solve a crime–for which her brother is the prime suspect! The gorgeous cover and that hook both made me eager to read this debut, and it didn’t disappoint. Clare’s a fantastic heroine: smart, resourceful, funny, and feisty. Not perfect–she makes mistakes and then admits when she’s wrong. The mystery kept me guessing throughout, and the pace was fantastic. There’s a love triangle, but it’s not the focus of the book, and both boys are appealing; I don’t know myself which one I want Clare to end up with. I can’t wait for the next book in the series, PERCEPTION!
♥ THE VESPERTINE by Saundra Mitchell. Amelia’s sent to Baltimore for the summer season to land a husband, but when she begins to see visions of the future in the setting sun and meets a mysterious artist, she flirts with ruin. I was lucky to read this early through NetGalley. I loved how the setting (1889 Baltimore) comes to life here in dozens of little details. From calling cards to fashion, from spiritualism to archery to the superstition of hiring a fourteenth, the author obviously did her research. I also adored the banter between Amelia and her cousin Zora. It was lovely to see ladies who, yes, whisper about boys, but are obviously smart and talented and have a strong friendship besides.
♥ THE CHOSEN, produced by Theater J, at Arena Stage through March 27. We got to see an open dress rehearsal last night. It was the best show I’ve seen in awhile. Beautiful clean staging, powerhouse acting, great pacing. While I’ve not read the original novel, the adaptation by director/playwright Aaron Posner was lovely, gripping, and heartwarming. More than a few of the audience were in tears during one climactic father-son speech. If you’re in or near DC, definitely try and see this one! (Disclaimer: the Bril Playwright Husband volunteers at Theater J and was the dramaturg for this show. But I have no problem telling him stuff sucks–trust me, we’ve had many a *discussion* over differing opinions on shows–so I really did think it was awesome!)
