Hi and welcome to Episode Fifteen of Forecast Stormy. If you'd like to listen to this blog as a podcast, you may do so at http://ForecastStormy.libsyn.com.

Let’s start with books. I’ve been reading even more than usual. If you're a dog lover, you've got to read MARLEY AND ME by John Grogan. The subtitle is "life and love with the world's worst dog," but as you read the book, you'll see Marley wasn't such a bad dog after all. Grogan and his wife got Marley just after they married, and the yellow Labrador retriever was there through thick, thin, and three children. You'll laugh and cry as Grogan recounts Marley's adventures.

On a more serious note, Greg Iles' BLOOD MEMORY is a gritty, thrilling novel that keeps you turning pages long after bedtime. In fact, I read the 496-page book in two days. The title stems from the author's exploration of repressed memories as the heroine, a forensic odontologist, begins to struggle with images from her past. After suffering a panic attack at one crime scene and fainting at another, Cat Ferry knows something isn't right. When she's suspended from the FBI task force, she goes home to Mississippi to try to understand why she is suddenly freaking out at crime scenes. The trip home initially provides more questions than answers; but when some chemicals from her crime kit are accidentally spilled onto the carpet in her childhood bedroom, disturbing memories begin to surface. Are the murders she's been investigating tied to Cat's own past? You'll have to read the book to find out. For more information on BLOOD MEMORY, visit http://www.gregiles.com.

And now onto BODY MOVERS by STEPHANIE BOND: I so wanted to like this book. I've enjoyed many of BOND'S previous books, and I began this one with great anticipation. Even the cover blurb made me laugh: "'This is the best book I've ever read!" - Stephanie's mom" But when I began reading, it was more like Stephanie Plum than Stephanie Bond. If you're a big fan of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, then you know what I'm talking about. I've read most of Evanovich's Plum series, but I stopped reading when the series became stale to me. This book is a LOT like that series: female protagonist who has fallen on hard times; friend who is really "out there" and promiscuous; two great guys who will be vying for her affection for the duration of the series. The plot is good, and the writing is, too; but the too-gritty, too-Evanovich style of this book left me disappointed. I'd rather have Stephanie Bond than Stephanie Plum. It makes me want to go back and reread OUR HUSBAND.

I finally watched NANNY MCPHEE…rated PG…on DVD. This movie wasn't quite what I expected, but it was a delightful offering. Colin Firth is a widower with a passel of unruly children. They've ran off nanny after nanny, with the latest nanny thinking the older children have eaten the baby. (It was really a chicken.) Enter Nanny McPhee charmingly played by Emma Thompson. She's a magical no-nonsense character immune to the children's shenanigans. On the night of her arrival, she tells the children, "When you need me but do not want me, then I will stay. When you want me but do not need me, then I have to go." In that sense, she's something like a mother to them. This is an adorable film the entire family will enjoy.

I also saw ZATHURA this week. I liked this movie more than I thought I would. Don't get me wrong, I liked JUMANJI; but in my mind I'd already dubbed this movie JUMANJI IN SPACE. While that's true to an extent, this is a fun, special-effect laden adventure. As with JUMANJI, the boys play a game that will not let them quit until the game is finished. There are some surprises; and in true family-film fashion, everybody has an important lesson to learn and pretty much does so by the end of the movie. Tim Robbins plays the boys' dad, and it was nice to see him in this role. The last time I saw him was in MYSTIC RIVER, and we all know what an unhappy ending he had in that movie.

As always, if you have any ideas for me, or any movies, books or TV shows to recommend, please e-mail me at [email protected]. Thanks for joining me!