Marvelous Maxi Dress OOTD Bloopers

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Marvelous Maxi Dress OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Marvelous Maxi Dress OOTD! Since starting my TikTok, I have had a crash course in the art of using the tripod. Mine is, admittedly, not the best and is pretty rickety. However, practice really does make perfect and I have noticed a huge improvement after shooting at least two outfits per week. Despite all of the time and effort, there are some things that I can’t improve no matter how hard I try – the weather! And let me tell you, the sky was angry the day I shot this OOTD. It was windy AF and made for countless moments like this lol:

^^^ Just a little taste of what you’ll find on my TikTok! 😀

Now, where was I? Ah, yes. The sky was angry that day, my friends. You can literally hear the wind howling! At one point, this was excellent. As I pretended to model, I was having full fledged wind in the hair moments and I was living for it! I flipped my new hair this way and that and you know your girl was feeling her damn self. I was well aware of my tripod being slightly tipsy (Too many mimosas before a morning OOTD shoot, perhaps?), but like the throwback toy – Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down. The ol’ tripod held on for dear life until it came toppling down with a resounding thud.

Blessedly, this whoopsy was no harm no foul to my phone and I assumed the position to shoot at least one decent video. And then the tipsy tripod continued to fall again, and again…. and you guessed it – AGAIN. I kid you not, this must have happened between five to seven times and I was getting irate at this point lol. Back when I first started shooting with my tripod, there always came a time when I just threw my hands up and called it a wrap because frustrated. This feeling came back tenfold every time I heard the thud of the tripod fall but, hey, it made for some fabulous blooper footage. It wasn’t a complete wash, either, because I still managed to find ONE good take amidst the rubble of tripod falling down videos. The sky may have been angry, but there was definitely a silver lining!

As one of my favorite theater warm up tongue twisters goes: Whether the weather is cold or whether the weather is hot: Whatever the weather we’ll weather the weather, whether we like it or not. I definitely didn’t like it lol but I think I weathered the weather the best I could!

What is springtime weather like in your neck of the woods? Have any spring flowers bloomed in your yard? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Marvelous Maxi Dress OOTD

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Marvelous Maxi Dress OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Ever since I got my hair done, all I want to do is show it off and have been having so much fun shooting fashion content for the ol’ blog and TikTok (@lilred6794). Better yet, the weather has been behaving (kind of) and that means I can break out ALL of the dresses for spring. Today, we are going to take a look at a look featuring one of my personal favorites – the maxi dress. And, yes, it’s mainly a personal favorite because no leg shaving is required lol lazy girl win! Check it out:

Maxi Dress: Hayden Los Angeles, EmLeigh’s and Mama B’s

Heeled Boots: Formentini, TJMaxx

The belt was purchased forever ago from some stand in the mall and I’m ninety-nine percent sure the earrings are from Target!

I am, indeed, dress obsessed. And, yes, you guessed it – it’s another lazy girl win lol. Dress OOTDs are the best because there is literally nothing to it. Dress, shoes, accessories, done. I chose the Hayden Los Angeles dress for this look because I have been waiting on pins and needles to break it out. It is the perfect spring time maxi dress! It offers flowy movement, a gorgeous palette of flowers on a deep navy blue background, and I just love that Western inspired piping. This dress is ideal for a garden party, dinner on the patio, or a springtime special occasion. And, while this dress might seem “dressy” – don’t let it fool you. It is comfy as can be so you can show out in style while feeling like you’re wearing a nightgown. There is, truly, nothing better!

Next, it was time for shoes and accessories. This dress is actually too big for me but it was the only one in the store so I bought it anyways. To add some shape, I put on a belt with the most darling apple clasps. It cinched in my waist and provided a fun pop! I also opted for a pair of long, dangly earrings to accentuate my neckline as the open real estate for showing skin was minimal and I wanted to add length wherever I could. Finally, I chose a beautiful pair of stone grey Formentini boots. As they are a neutral, it was no harm no foul and it gave me the height boost I needed. Who says a five foot one gal can’t wear a maxi dress?!

With that, I was ready to strut my stuff in my Marvelous Maxi Dress OOTD feeling like a Spring Fling Queen!

What is your favorite style of dress? What do you look forward to wearing in the warm weather? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

70s Spring OOTD

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70s Spring OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a *sort of* brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! I rarely repeat outfits that I post on my blog, however, there is one particular look that I have been dying to wear since I got my hair done. This OOTD was one of my favorites. It was super retro, super fun, and I thought the color palette would compliment my new do beautifully. And, all I have to say is: When I’m right, I’m right lol! Check it out and be sure to peep the videos from this look on my TikTok @lilred6794 . Now, let’s get to it:

Dress: MaxSport LA, TJMaxx

Flower Boots: B.A.I.T., ModCloth

The necklace belonged to my grandma ❤

Stud Earrings: American Eagle Outfitters

I originally wore this look during the wintertime on a weekend getaway with my family. This time around, no topper jacket or cozy scarf was needed to keep me warm and I got to fully show off this OOTD in glorious springtime weather. Let’s start by talking about the MaxSport LA dress because I am truly never going to get over it. I purchased this dress for ten dollars on clearance at TJMaxx and it still had the original price tag. Guess how much it was? Did you guess? Okay, I’ll tell you: Two hundred and forty bucks! It was the steal of the century and the fashion gods were shining upon me. I love the colors and the fit is just perfect. It hugs in all of the right places without being clingy, it provides fabulous movement, and those mini bubble sleeves are the cutest! This dress is also fairly light, making it ideal for a warm spring day.

Shoes and accessories were all that was left for this look and I wasn’t going to steer from the original formula aside from excluding boot socks. Even if I wanted to switch up the norm, I couldn’t imagine a different pair of shoes than my floral embroidered babies by B.A.I.T. ! They fit the 70s vibe that the dress invokes to the T and also has a similar clearance story. I admired these one hundred forty dollar boots on ModCloth for forever and got them during a warehouse sale for thirty dolla holla. It was simply thrilling lol. For jewelry, I put on a tiny pair of pearl studs so my favorite necklace from my grandma could do all the talking. It nestled into the U-line of the dress like it was made to be worn with it and it is always so special to wear it. ❤

This repeat OOTD with a few modifications might not be the norm on lifewithlilred but I sure loved wearing it! 😀

Do you have any clothing or jewelry that is special to you? What is an outfit that you have no problem repeating? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Back On The Ice!

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Back On The Ice!

Hello!! My childhood sport of choice was competitive figure skating and I stopped when I was about sixteen years old. After that, I would skate just for fun and coach for the Special Olympics a few years later. Prior to the pandemic starting, I thought it would be cool to try ice dancing and take lessons again and did just that. Cue pandemic, what felt like an indefinite hiatus, then I was back. Until I wasn’t lol. I had an extremely off putting encounter with a male coach and it instantly sucked all of the joy out of being on the ice again. So, I hung up my skates and never went since. Until this weekend!! Check it out and peep the videos on my TikTok @lilred6794 :

A month or so ago, I noticed one of my friends on social media had recently got back into skating after some time off too. I knew who she was but she skated in a different club than me and was a few years younger than me in high school. However, her decision to skate again inspired me and I thought that it couldn’t hurt to shoot her a message to see if she wanted to go together sometime. The answer was a resounding YES, we scheduled a skate date, and were both so eager to hit the ice together this past weekend.

I arrived at the rink a bit earlier than my friend so I started the open skate session solo. And omg I was feeling good as soon as my blades touched the ice. The open skate was blessedly not crowded at all so I basically had free reign to do anything and everything. I did a few warm up laps and like no time had passed at all, I was back to spins, jumps, and footwork. What’s that old saying about riding a bike? Granted, what I was doing wasn’t perfect and I felt straight up drunk after spinning but I was sure proud of everything that I could still do!

By the time I was nice and warmed up, my friend was ready to get her skate on too. I told Johnny it was like the equivalent of going hiking with a friend. We skated around, talked like we had known each other for years even though we just met, and just had fun skating for the joy of it. It was such a wonderful experience to skate with no pressure whatsoever and to encourage each other to keep trying all of our long lost tricks. Before I knew it, the hour and a half long session was over and we exited the rink exhausted but exhilarated. We are going to try and skate at least once a month and I am already chomping at the bit for our next skate date!

The moral of the story is to NEVER let anyone take the fun and joy out of something you love to do. I am so thankful to have found a friend that gave me the motivation to get back on the ice after swearing off of it and am still riding the high of how proud I feel of both of us!

What is your favorite sport to play? Which sports did you play when you were little? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

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Take Me Out To The Ball Game

Howdy!! I had a big day when I went to see Peter Pan at Playhouse Square. Very shortly after I arrived home from the show, it was time to go on the move again for an evening at Canal Park in Akron. My brother, Johnny, our bestie Cliff, and I all went to see our minor league baseball team, the Akron Rubberducks play against the Altoona Curve. Johnny’s work generously offers free tickets to their employees and we were all so excited to attend a game together. I had no idea what to expect because the last time I went to a game was almost a decade ago. And, let me tell you, all of our expectations were exceeded a million times over because we plan on going to as many games as we can this spring and summer!

Going to a minor league baseball game was truly the most fun I have had in ages. Not for the baseball itself but for the pure spectacle that unfolded before us. At least once per inning between the Ducks and the Curve, some type of audience interaction event was peppered in. The Ducks mascots: Astro, Webster, Rubberta, and Homer would amble through the crowd or run around the field. Children were brought onto the field to tip people dressed in inflatable cow costumes. There was an inflatable pony race and the list goes on. Not to mention the fact that a signature catchphrase was repeated frequently to everyone’s delight: “That’s a Luigi’s foul ball!!” One of the most popular restaurants in our neck of the woods, Luigi’s, has been affiliated with the Rubberducks for forever and their namesake is on the loudspeaker Every. Single. Foul. Ball. It’s hilarious!

As we watched the game, we were literally on the edges of our seats for what would happen next. Was the umpire going to scream at the coaches again? Would someone on the Curve get struck out with the prize being five dollar beers for the crowd? Would the children behind us continue to chant “five dollar beers” all night? This was a fantastical mystery of an experience and I wanted to know everything – Including why in the H-E-double hockey sticks it took us this long to go to a game together? Had I known a Rubberducks game was this ridiculous, we would have been season ticket holders. You live and you learn and I can’t wait for the next game. 😀

This Akron Rubberducks game opened my eyes to all of the fun we can have essentially in our own backyard and all I have to say is: Duck em’ up!!

Does your city have a minor league baseball team? What is your favorite baseball team? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Going Green OOTD Bloopers

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Going Green OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Going Green OOTD! This green with envy number was created to go see Peter Pan at Playhouse Square with my sister and nieces. The show was take it or leave it but I had the best time with my best girls and I was so happy to see everyone had green in mind when they picked me up. My sister had on a gorgeous forest green sweater and my eldest niece wore her Tinkerbell costume. So cute! Take a look at the yikes shots from this OOTD shoot as well as an intermission story that still cracks me up:

The intermission during Peter Pan couldn’t have come a moment too soon. My little niece was ready to get up and move and we were getting hungry. So, we made our way to the snack counter for soft pretzels and my traditional tiny bottle of champagne that I get every time I see a show at Playhouse Square. Everyone in the theater had this idea too so we got to the end of the line and stretched our legs as we waited patiently. While we chit chatted about the show, we noticed a crowd forming around people dressed as pirates and someone in a crocodile suit. I thought it was so fun that Playhouse Square had character actors come out and encouraged my sister to take the girls to see them while I held our place in line.

After a few minutes or so, my sister returned and said something that shook me to the core: This cosplay group was not hired by the theater but just came to the show dressed in full Peter Pan garb. All I could say was “Wait, what?” lol and I had to go investigate. So, my sister and the girls took up post in the concession line while I played detective. I approached this merry band of enthusiasts and they were so genuinely excited that I went up to them and wanted to know more. The crocodile suit person told me that not only do they have several pirates in their crew but a Peter and Wendy too. In fact, when they were led to their seats in the theater, the usher told them that they were going to be late for curtain call! Character actors they were not but, arguably one of the best parts of the theater experience, they sure were. 😀

I’m still very curious as to how the crocodile sat comfortably during the show but some mysteries are meant to stay that way. Their creativity and clearly excellent sense of humor made my day!

Have you cosplayed before? Do you have a favorite character you would love to dress up as? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Going Green OOTD

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Going Green OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! I spent a wonderful afternoon a couple of weekends a go at Playhouse Square seeing Peter Pan with my sister and nieces. The show was so so but the company can’t be beat! As to be expected, the audience was donned in a sea of green and I just had to follow suit. It was Peter Pan, after all! Take a look and peep that freshly dyed hair too:

Shawl: This was a Christmas gift from my mom! ❤

Sweater: Shrinking Violet, TJMaxx

Skinny Jeans: 1822 Denim, TJMaxx

Heeled Boots: Bamboo, TJMaxx

The earrings were bought forever ago from Target!

Green is one of my favorite colors but, surprisingly, my options for this look were very limited. I have a lot of spring and summer clothes in green but the weather on the day of the show was anything but warm! And, when I said my options were limited, I meant that there was literally only one thing that I could wear to brave the cold in: My green shawl with a faux fur collar. It really is the perfect shade of forest green, the faux fur added some drama for the theater, and hey – it made styling this outfit a breeze!

With no other weather appropriate green clothes to consider, all that was left to do was build the base and accessorize. The shawl is most definitely a statement piece so to keep that shining, I employed the All Black Everything approach. I put on a black sweater, a crispy new pair of black skinnies, and that was that. With such a minimal palette, it made the shawl even more striking and the collar seemed larger than life. I always love showing out at Playhouse Square and just one eye catching piece had me feeling like a star.

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. For shoes, I wanted to add a bit of gold fairy dust and went for one of my favorite pairs of heeled boots by Bamboo. They flowed with the jeans perfectly and I can’t get enough of that shiny gold baroque pattern that provided the most delicious pop of color. As there was no open real estate for jewelry, I put on the prettiest pair of flower earrings that look like stained glass. The color palette mimicked my new hair so closely and gave an extra dose of sparkle and shine. With that, it was off to the show!

I had so much fun stepping out in my Going Green OOTD! It was perfect for a matinee of Peter Pan – not too showy as if it were an evening viewing but just right to show off some fashion flare!

What is your favorite color to wear? What is your favorite shade of green? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

New Hair, Who Dis?

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New Hair, Who Dis?

Hello!! This past Friday I enjoyed a wonderful day at The Shear Shop so my stylist, Anna, could get my hair right. I had been looking forward to this since I booked the appointment because I couldn’t wait to start experimenting with lighter colors again for spring. Anna selected brand new Pulp Riot colors just for me and created a masterpiece that we lovingly named “Rainbow Ice”. It reminded us so much of the signature shaved ice from the ice cream truck! Take a look:

^^^ Pulp Riot colors are Blue Muse, Lemon, Pyro, and Desert Sky!

The last time Anna did my hair, we were enamored by the end results after bleach was applied. My hair turned into a mermaid palette of yellow, orange, blue, and teal. We wanted to invoke those same summer vibes but in a cleaned up version and that served as our inspiration for this look. To start, Anna bleached my hair twice. Once to lighten up my roots and twice to strip the rest of the hair. As per ushe, we loved how my locks looked post bleach and briefly contemplated just leaving it like that. However, temptation for new Pulp Riot colors won as soon as Anna showed me my options!

For our Rainbow Ice palette, Anna chose Blue Muse, Lemon, Pyro, and Desert Sky. The wild card factor was also considered because my hair truly has a mind of its own. We never have any idea of the way my hair is going to pull colors and what the fresh dye is going to do on top of old colors that didn’t get bleached out all of the way. In that regard, there is some risk because there is an element of the unknown. However, this risk payed off big time and my hair did exactly what we wanted it to.

To start, Anna painted my bangs and top roots with Pyro because it blends so nicely with my real hair color. Then, she applied Desert Sky with a hint of Lemon at the bottom for the top half of my hair. Finally, it was time to bring on the blue and Blue Muse was painted onto the rest. All that was left to do was wait fifty minutes for the color to set and I damn near ran to my ice cold water wash. I was on pins and needles to see what was going on under all of that foil!

After my ice bath, I was in love immediately. Then, Anna cut my hair into a pseudo shag, styled it, turned my chair to the mirror, and I was head over heels. This Rainbow Ice palette is pure magic! From the Pyro, pretty peachy pink of Desert Sky, and Lemon on top with the Blue Muse on the bottom, it looked like a literal sunset over the ocean. We also were crazy about how the Blue Muse pulled. It wasn’t completely true to the color it should have been, which is a bright electric blue. We were fully aware of the possibility of Blue Muse looking more teal from the bleach and remaining navy blue in my hair and were so not mad about it. In fact, I couldn’t picture anything different because this new spring hair is everything. ❤

Huge shout out to my amazing Anna because this isn’t just dyed hair – this is art!!!!!

Are you changing your hair for spring and summer? How often do you get your hair done? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Groovy Movies: Drop Edition

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Groovy Movies: Drop Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Groovy Movies! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we will be discussing a new thriller out in theaters called Drop. I was going into the theater with the mindset that this movie would be just okay. I went out of the theater thinking it was excellent! Drop was a fresh, exciting take on a thriller that kept me on my toes with delicious twists and turns the whole way through. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on Drop for domestic violence, violence, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

^^^ As always, I have no rights to this video!

Violet is a single mom who is trying to put her dark past behind her and get back out there again. She has a date tonight with a handsome man she met on an app, Henry! Her sister will be watching her son named Toby, she has on a hot outfit, and Henry is taking her to a very exclusive and very expensive restaurant. What could possibly go wrong? The answer is literally everything. While Violet waits at the restaurant bar for Henry to arrive, she begins receiving strange “drops” to her phone. They are from an anonymous source and the messages are popular memes with a threatening twist. Yes, it’s weird but Henry just showed up, they sit at their table, and Violet is ready to enjoy her date.

As Violet and Henry go through their introductions, the drops just keep coming. She tells Henry about it and they chalk it up to pranksters until a drop sends that Violet can’t ignore: There is a man in her home right now that could hurt her sister and Toby and there is only one way for this not to happen: Kill her date. Violet is now completely alone in the situation and will do anything to avoid this fate. She must be crafty because the person threatening her sees all, hears all, and will not stop until she spikes Henry’s drink with a vial of poison. Time is running out and Violet must act quickly. Will she carry out the deed to protect her family? Watch Drop to find out!

The plot to Drop was, admittedly, very straight forward: Threatening messages, an impossible situation, and problem solving. I didn’t mind this in the slightest, however, because it was something I hadn’t seen before. I thought it was absolutely ingenious to play on the “airdrop” function, which somehow seems so much more ominous than a text from a random or blocked number. And, due to having to be within a certain range to use said function, it had to be someone in the restaurant rather than an unknown in an abandoned building. But who in the restaurant? The friendly bartender? The snarky hostess? The man who claims to be “waiting for his sister”? The possibilities were contained to a space but felt endless and that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Not only was Drop highly suspenseful but there were parts in it that were truly hilarious. Amidst all the tension were perfect moments of comic relief that came from Jeffery Self as Henry and Violet’s waiter, Matt. Their first date happened to be his first shift at the high end restaurant and, as an aspiring actor, he made a MEAL out of every single line. He was the kind of waiter who showed up at all the wrong times, made the silliest comments, laughed hysterically at all of them, and would have patrons mentally willing for him to go away. Every time he made an entrance, it was like the rest of the movie stopped, you watched his little show, and then the suspense came back and gripped like a vice. It was such a juxtaposition to the thriller vibes and not only was it an interesting way to go, but it worked beautifully.

Overall, I am going to rate Drop with an eight out of ten stars. It was far fetched, sure, but it sure was fun and kept me guessing and that is good enough for me!

What did you think of Drop if you saw it? What is the last movie you saw in theaters? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Lil Red’s Book Club: Sunrise On The Reaping By Suzanne Collins Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Sunrise On The Reaping By Suzanne Collins Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing a book that I simply couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into: Sunrise On The Reaping by Suzanne Collins. I am an avid fan of any and all things Hunger Games and it was nothing short of thrilling to reenter the world of Panem once again. And, of course, to time travel as this is a prequel and Sunrise On The Reaping takes us back to Haymitch’s Games for the Quarter Quell. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning for graphic violence and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

Haymitch Abernathy of District 12 lives with his kid brother Sid and beloved Ma. He is an assistant bootlegger that keeps his District flowing with the good stuff, loves his girlfriend named Lenore Dove fiercely, and has a big day in store. It is his sixteenth birthday but what should be an exciting occasion is always bleak as his birthday falls on the day of The Reaping. This is no ordinary Reaping, either. It is the fiftieth anniversary of the Hunger Games, AKA the Quarter Quell, and the stakes are high: The amount of children being Reaped has been doubled. Two boys and two girls from each District for a grand total of forty-eight tributes will fight to the death until one lone victor remains.

As I’m sure you guessed, Haymitch is chosen as a District 12 tribute along with Wyatt, Maysilee, and Louella and they are whisked off after the Reaping to prepare for their untimely demise. There are meetings with stylists, training with the rest of the tributes, interview prep, and a plot that could change the course of Panem forever. Through contact with some unlikely allies, Haymitch learns that a hatred of the Games isn’t limited to the Districts. There are people in the Capital who loath it too and the perfect world plan is for this to be the biggest, most shocking Hunger Games yet. Not because it’s a Quarter Quell, but because they want to break the system and burn the Games to the ground. And, who better to carry it through than Haymitch? Will he succeed in creating a brighter future for Panem? Or will this plot destroy his own future, instead? Read Sunrise On The Reaping to find out!

Holy WOW, people. Sunrise On The Reaping was absolutely phenomenal and it is, easily, one of my favorite books of the series. I am not surprised – not just because it was excellent but Haymitch has always been one of my favorite characters and it was really cool to learn his backstory. And, let me just say, it is harrowing, tear jerking, and will give you an answer as to why you will never find Haymitch in present day without a drink in his hand. Once you are done with this book, you can hardly blame him.

While Sunrise On The Reaping was emotionally intense, Suzanne Collins was able to pepper in joyous moments expertly. IE: The first introduction of treasured characters from the original trilogy, a pair of tributes sharing a picnic during the Games, or Haymitch tapping into the “rascal” persona his team curated for him. These instances and more were like salve on the wounds of all of the atrocities the tributes faced. However, I knew that the other shoe would drop and when it did it felt even crueler. This book was an emotional rollarcoaster from start to finish and was a perfect addition to the Hunger Games series.

I am going to award Sunrise On The Reaping with the coveted ten out of ten stars. I loved every single minute of reading it. So much so, that I plan on rereading the entire Hunger Games series complete with a movie marathon too. I can’t wait!

What are you currently reading? What is your favorite Hunger Games book? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah