Tag Archives: blah

Mar8

One Of Those Weeks

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One Of Those Weeks

Oh hey! Have you ever had One Of Those Weeks where everything just feels kind of off? There was plenty of good for this past week like my girls afternoon with my mom and some excellent shifts at work. However, a situation occurred that left me in a bit of a slump and the rest of the week felt like a juggling act. I mean that metaphorically in terms of keeping myself in check to still be successful for the remainder of the week. I also mean it quite literally too…

Can anyone please tell me why when you’re already feeling low that you have to just start dropping everything in sight too? Lol, amidst all of the blahs I turned into the biggest butterfingers and it just added to all of the annoyance. Where do I even begin?! Let’s see, I dropped one of the bunny’s water dishes that spilled all over the bathroom floor, I dropped my work phone in a public bathroom, and as I put groceries into our tiny freezer an avalanche of frozen food went toppling. In honorable mention, I spilled my seltzer water dangerously close to my laptop, the bunny’s heart of romaine snack took a nosedive to the floor, and my funny bone got knocked hard against a door frame at work. There has been nothing funny about it!

While all of this was a massive pain, the worst was yet to come. Something that I have feared and hoped would never happen… My septum ring fell out on Thursday morning. *Dun dun dunnnnn* While I was in the bathroom, I noticed that my second septum ring that clicks together had come apart. I tried to fix it but my acrylics made that incredibly difficult and the ring ended up in my hands. In that moment, I went into a full on panic. Every single frustration caught up to me and this was the cherry on top. Honestly, I almost called off for the day right then and there. Nose piercings are notorious for closing quickly and if I couldn’t get the ring back in ASAFP then a trip to the piercing parlor was in order.

I tried several times to get the ring in to no avail and at that point I had to weigh my options. There were only two: Keep trying or give up. As best as I could, I tried to center myself with deep breaths and gave it one final go. Blessedly, the ring went in and Johnny was able to come in with the assist to snap it shut. Praise be to he! Between a crummy work sitch and a relentless case of the dropsies I think I would have gone into a tailspin if my septum closed up too. This actually just happened before I sat down to write this bum mood stream of consciousness. And, on the bright side, at least this unfortunate part of my week ended up a-okay!

It is five AM on Thursday morning and after all of this straight up nonsense, I am beyond ready for a break. Bring on the weekend! *Face palm*

What makes you feel better after experiencing frustration? What has annoyed you recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb28

Lil Red’s Book Club: The First Time I Saw Him By Laura Dave Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The First Time I Saw Him By Laura Dave 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 the sequel to Laura Dave’s thriller, The Last Thing He Told Me, called The First Time I Saw Him. I read The Last Thing He Told Me five years ago and I have to admit that I don’t remember much of it. However, I guess I liked it well enough because I gave it an eight out of ten stars in my review! Perhaps I would have liked the sequel more if I had a better recollection of its predecessor because The First Time I Saw Him really missed the mark for me. There is no content in this book that requires a trigger warning so let’s get right to it:

It has been over five years since Hannah’s husband, Owen, has disappeared off of the face of the earth due to providing evidence against a dangerous crime organization. It was all for the safety of Hannah and his daughter Bailey and they have been rebuilding the pieces of their lives since he vanished. Bailey is now a college graduate and Hannah is still making fantastic pieces of hand carved furniture. They have also grown very close to Bailey’s maternal grandfather, Nicholas, who was also part of the crime syndicate that Owen turned against. Nicholas also played an integral role in protecting Hannah and Bailey. After decades of loyalty to the big boss, he left with the promise that as long as Nicholas is alive that no harm would come to those he loves.

Unfortunately, that promise is swiftly broken upon Nicholas’s passing and the crime family wants blood. They still hold a grudge towards Owen for his betrayal and as he is in hiding, the only way to get to him is to get to Hannah and Bailey first. Almost as soon as the death of Nicholas is announced on the news, snatchers from the organization are deployed to Hannah and Bailey’s homes. Luckily, they have prepared for this situation for a long time. They hoped that their plan of escape would never have to happen but they are now thrust into it with both of their lives on the line.

Hannah and Bailey are on the run and the name of the game is to get as far away from their usual haunts as possible. Through back roads, safe houses, and the help of a friend with a private jet, they end up in France. Who they meet upon their arrival is certainly not who they were expecting but their help could provide the protection they need and a way to find Owen again. While Hannah and Bailey prepared and perfected their escape plan for over half a decade, other plans were being made too. Plans for a last ditch effort should the truce between Nicholas and his former employer no longer be honored. Hannah and Bailey have one final go at a normal life with or without Owen. Will the help from an unlikely ally see it through? Or will the family they could be simply vanish? Read The First Time I Saw Him to find out!

The only thing I really remember from The Last Thing He Told Me was essentially a wild goose chase. Hannah and Bailey on the run, their initial poor relationship, plans being made, plans changing, and the ever watchful organization hot on their tail. The First Time I Saw Him was basically the same thing minus Hannah and Bailey being besties now. Regardless of how long it has been since I read the first book, I had the nagging feeling as I read its sequel that I have read it all before. The bones of The First Time I Saw Him were so similar to its predecessor that it felt more like a review than a brand new book.

What I remember liking the most about The Last Thing He Told Me was its sense of urgency that was so palpable on each page. Both Hannah and Bailey had no idea what was happening as they avoided peril and I could feel their anxiety so clearly. That swell of emotion was just not there as I read The First Time I Saw Him because its plot had already been done before. Yes, it was scary that Hannah and Bailey were put in this situation once again but it was also such a crazy story that it felt like a really bold move to rinse and repeat it. While I enjoyed Laura Dave’s writing, the sense of deja vu was much too prominent and The First Time I Saw Him felt like something borrowed over something new. This might sound harsh but it just felt like a lazy effort on Laura Dave’s part and I was happy to be done with the book or, rather, the CliffsNotes of the first one.

Overall, I am going to rate The First Time I Saw Him with a three out of ten stars. It was well written but that didn’t save the repeat plot one bit!

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb13

Groovy Movies: The Strangers – Chapter 3 Edition

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Groovy Movies: The Strangers – Chapter 3 Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Groovy Movies. In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing The Strangers – Chapter 3. I am an avid fan of The Strangers franchise and thoroughly enjoyed Chapter 2 which came out last September. I was so eager to see the third installment as Chapter 2 ended on a cliffhanger and I was chomping at the bit to see what would happen next. While Chapter 3 tied up several loose ends it was overall very disappointing and honestly begs the question of why this movie was even made lol. They could have tacked on an extra half hour to the second one and it would have made it even better. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Strangers – Chapter 3 for brutal violence, gore, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

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

The Strangers – Chapter 3 picks up immediately where Chapter 2 left off. Maya is still on the run from The Strangers but their numbers have dwindled down to Scarecrow and Dollface. Despite being down one Stranger, Maya is the only person to survive an encounter with them and they can’t let her get away. As Maya continues her night of terror she is eventually picked up by the sheriff but realizes she might be in more danger with him than without. In a moment of desperation, she steals his car only to end up crashing it and being found by Scarecrow and Dollface. While Maya is held captive, her sister and brother-in-law travel to Venus, Oregon to track her down. The townspeople are less than helpful so they decide to take matters into their own hands by tailing the sheriff, who is surely up to no good. Through his flashbacks, we learn that they were right on the money.

Eventually, Scarecrow and Dollface try to incorporate Maya into their murderous pack as the new Pin-Up Girl. They track their victims and Maya is thrown into a situation of kill or be killed. She takes the opportunity to slaughter one more Stranger until it is down to one on one. This is her last chance to get far away from Venus where the whole town is in on The Strangers or end up as Pin-Up Girl permanently. Will she make her escape? Or become the newest member of The Strangers? Watch Chapter 3 to find out!

The Strangers – Chapter 3 fell flat in every sense of the word and I am genuinely bummed by it. Of course, none of the following installments of The Strangers after the first movie were amazing but they were still fast paced and fun to watch. Chapter 3 was slow moving, had minimal jump scares, and the new information provided could have fit neatly into Chapter 2 without the need for a trilogy. The best parts of this movie actually came from the sheriff’s flashbacks but they were few and far between. Had they explored that story more, I think the movie would have been much better for it as it was messed up and something new. Rather, the song and dance of Maya thwarting The Strangers continued and it made this hour and a half flick feel endless.

Chapter 3 ended with the potential for another movie and all I have to say is: Please don’t lol. I was SO excited to see this movie after Chapter 2 and it was the worst of the entire franchise. I fear that if they continue on with this story, it’s just going to end up getting even more terrible and that’s a shame. I completely agree with those who said The Strangers should have simply been a standalone film. For the most part, however, its predecessors were pretty good until Chapter 3 took this sentiment to a slamming halt. If you see the movie, you will know from the ending exactly what they could do with another one. If we were watching the same movie, I think you will agree to leave well enough alone!

Overall, I am going to rate The Strangers – Chapter 3 with a three out of ten stars. The flashbacks were its only saving grace in an otherwise totally lackluster horror flick.

Are you a fan of The Strangers franchise? What is your favorite movie from the series? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb1

Lil Red’s Book Club: Anatomy Of An Alibi By Ashley Elston Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Anatomy Of An Alibi By Ashley Elston 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 Anatomy Of An Alibi by Ashley Elston. I have been reading a fair share of Stephen King and was excited to give Anatomy Of An Alibi a go. I love horror but I also love a twisty thriller and was ready for a change of pace. I have also never read anything by Ashley Elston and it’s fun to explore new authors. I suspect this will be the last thing I read by Elston, however, because this book was not it for me in the slightest. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on Anatomy Of An Alibi for car accidents and general violence. Now, let’s get to it:

From the outside, Camille’s life looks picture perfect. She is married to a successful defense lawyer named Ben, has a gorgeous home, and a bank account with more money than she knows what to do with. Everything would be perfect if the people in her life were too. Ben is a controlling husband who watches her every step and tracks her phone. This is rich because Camille has done nothing wrong but has every reason to believe that Ben is up to no good. He is secretive, spends hours tucked away in his home office, and their marriage is disintegrating. She could divorce him but there is a clause in the prenup she signed that she can only have her cut if there is wrongdoing. IE: Ben cheating on her or abusing her.

After some snooping, Camille thinks she has her way out. She finds a woman named Aubrey’s name, home address, and work address on a napkin in Ben’s briefcase. Jackpot! She’ll meet the woman he is cheating on her with, have her admit it, and get this divorce moving. Camille decides to pay Aubrey a visit at the bar she tends at and learns that she is not a cheater at all. She only knows Ben’s name as he’s somewhat of a local celebrity. But Ben certainly knows her.

Aubrey was orphaned at sixteen when her parents got hit by a drunk driver. Paul Granger is the man who was convicted of the hit and run but he has maintained his innocence. In a letter he wrote to Aubrey, he informs her that there has been new evidence in his case that was given to him by a dirty cop. A dirty cop who is dying and wishes to make good with anyone he harmed. With this information, Aubrey makes it her mission to uncover who really killed her parents while Camille focuses on finding a way to escape her husband.

As the story weaves on, the ladies find common ground and must work together to prove that Ben isn’t who he says he is. He either killed Aubrey’s parents or is covering it up. What they need is a plan to prove Paul’s innocence and force Ben to spill what he knows. So they concoct a perfect alibi. One that will allow Aubrey to pose as Camille while Camille spies on Ben through security cameras. Then, the unthinkable happens. Ben is murdered while Aubrey and Camille touch down at their meet up spot and both of their lives are now on the line. Will they get the information they need? Or is one of them going down for murder? Read Anatomy Of An Alibi to find out! (Or don’t lol)

I absolutely love thriller novels and I say the twistier the better. I revel in the surprises and being at the edge of my seat. Anatomy Of An Alibi was twisty, yes, but it was a mess. This book was so incredibly convoluted and read like the twists were just being thrown in for the sake of having them. Every page felt like an eternity to read for a story that just wasn’t that good to begin with. This book was exhausting and, to be frank, poorly written. For all of the poorly crafted plot twists, there was a character that was equally as poorly crafted and I didn’t care for any of them. Normally I can live with one or the other but when both the plot and characters don’t move me, reading feels like a chore rather than something enjoyable.

I finished this book during my surprise snow day and almost didn’t bother with it. It was boring and predictable. The only saving grace was the budding relationship between Aubrey and one of her roommates. Who doesn’t like a little romance?! Other than those fiery moments, Anatomy Of An Alibi was a snooze fest through and through. Perhaps it would have been better written by another author because I think Ashley Elston bit off a bit more than she could chew with this book!

Overall, I am going to rate Anatomy Of An Alibi with a zero out of ten stars. Do not waste your time on this one because it was one of the worst books I have read in recent memory!

What is your favorite twisty thriller? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan23

Stereophonic At Playhouse Square

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Stereophonic At Playhouse Square

Hello! This past Saturday Johnny and I had a hilarious little adventure “seeing” Stereophonic at Playhouse Square. We got dolled up (Peep my OOTD soon!), had a delicious lunch at El Meson, and headed to Cleveland for a matinee showing. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Stereophonic, it is loosely based on Fleetwood Mac’s recording process for their album, Rumours. Johnny and I thought we definitely could get down with that. Unfortunately, we definitely could not lol. Let’s discuss:

Whenever I attend a show at Playhouse Square, I expect excellence. My main squeeze and I have been lucky enough to go to so many wonderful performances there and it’s extremely rare for us to not enjoy ourselves. I guess there is a first time for everything (Minus a silly blip when we saw Les Mis and left) because, pardon my French, but Stereophonic sucked ass. In fact, I was so immediately not into it that I almost whispered to Johnny that we should leave five seconds in. If you are interested in Stereophonic from the music perspective, just know that that’s not what you’re going to get. Rather, you are in for a whole lot of meaningless chatter.

I would say that Johnny and I got about twenty-five minutes into Stereophonic before I pulled the plug and we hightailed it. In that time, all we saw was a bunch of people talking over themselves, getting drugged and boozed up, and having conversations that meant nothing to the task at hand. That being, recording an album. It was very difficult to even know who was speaking as the characters were spread out between the studio and the lounge area. The audio was very disjointed and even if we cared to follow along with the dialogue, it felt like it was just voices in the air rather than seeing the cast speak. If that makes sense?

All Johnny and I wanted was to hear a song and leave. Roughly twenty minutes in, the drummer laid down a killer beat and we were like okay, let’s go. Then, he stopped and the incessant chit chat commenced once more. Five minutes later, we were literally like okay, let’s go and left lol. From my understanding, a hefty portion of the audience dipped out at intermission and I applaud them for holding out that long. They have far more strength and mental fortitude than Johnny and I could muster that afternoon.

When we returned home, plenty of ads for Stereophonic were on my Facebook and I took the time to read some of the comments left for Playhouse Square. I would say about seventy percent of them were in the negative with complaints that included: Too much talking, too slow a pace, not enough music, and the final nail in the coffin – that they just didn’t care. On the positive end of comments, others were saying that it was like being a fly on the wall to watch the creative process. These comments begged the question – Were we even watching the same show? From start to twenty-five minutes later, Stereophonic was exhausting and I cannot speak about it poorly enough!

If you are expecting a rocking Fleetwood Mac-esque musical with Stereophonic, do not and I repeat: DO NOT bother. This was easily the worst production I have seen in my extensive span of Playhouse Square shows. Very disappointing!

What are your thoughts on Stereophonic? Are you seeing anything at the theater soon? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec17

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Inmate By Freida McFadden Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Inmate By Freida McFadden 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 another Frieda McFadden thriller called The Inmate. This is the second McFadden book I have read in a row and like its predecessor and all those that came before it, The Inmate was very average. However, it was a quick read and Freida McFadden is the author I turn to when I want a twisty tale that can be read in a sitting or two. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Inmate for general violence. Now, let’s get to it:

Brooke has returned to her hometown called Raker with her son, Josh, to live in her recently deceased parents’ home. After horrible bullying at his old school, Brooke thinks Josh needs a fresh start although a new beginning for him means going back into her past. Brooke is the survivor of a terrible string of murders and Josh’s father is none other than the perpetrator. Her parents all but disowned her after deciding to keep the baby and they barely communicated since. Before this all took place, however, the small town she grew up in was a happy place and she hopes the same for Josh.

Prior to the move, Brooke applied as a nurse practitioner to every medical facility in the area and received no calls back… Except from Raker Penitentiary. This was her last resort option and now her only option. She accepts the job and crosses her fingers that her former boyfriend and Josh’s father, Shane, will never end up as one of her patients. Of course, it was bound to happen and Shane ends up in the exam room for stitches on her very first day. She does her job, tries not to notice how good he still looks, heeds the warning from her colleagues that Shane is a “manipulative” person, and sends him on his way.

Shane is not the only ghost from her past that she encounters upon her return to Raker. There is Tim, her next door neighbor, first best friend, and was an attendant at the party in their teens that turned deadly. He is the assistant principal at Josh’s school, has turned into quite the looker, and is still as madly in love with Brooke now as he was back in the day. After a few dates, Tim becomes a staple in their household and Josh adores spending time with him. Life is teetering on being actually good and Brooke could get used to this, if she could just keep her racing thoughts out of her head.

Brooke feels like she is missing something from the night of the murders. A critical piece of information that might make Shane innocent after all. There is something suspicious about Tim and as Brooke removes Shane’s stitches at work, he claims that it was not him but her new boyfriend who committed the crimes. Did Brooke really put an innocent man in prison with her testimony? If she did, she needs to make it right but whodoneit? Her first love and the father of her son or her new flame? Read The Inmate to find out!

I like to fancy myself an amateur detective and every twist that occurred in The Inmate was seen from a thousand miles away. Do I like when this happens? Not necessarily although I like to pat myself on the back lol. I prefer to be surprised and there were no real surprises to The Inmate… until the final twist. And, the final twist is always where my problem lies with Freida McFadden books. The shockers leading up to the grand reveal are so transparent and when the reveal happens it’s so out of left field that it barely makes sense. That was very much the case with The Inmate. BAM here’s what happened and now the story is over. In a way, this feels like a cop out on McFadden’s part. To write an entire book, throw some random ending in, and then just be done. It explains why I always feel unsatisfied after finishing her thrillers!

My other qualm with The Inmate and Freida McFadden books in general are the characters. They are all so simple with nothing special about them and it makes it hard to feel anything for them. The characters in The Inmate felt wildly underdeveloped and it almost read like a first draft rather than completed product. In a crazy thriller scenario, the characters were dull and the sense of urgency of a potentially innocent man in prison was nonexistent. The Inmate was an alright story but it felt so incomplete and, therefore, I was unimpressed.

Overall, I am going to rate The Inmate with a four out of ten stars. This was not McFadden’s best and I would not recommend this one!

What is your favorite Freida McFadden book? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec10

Covid Chronicles

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Covid Chronicles

Howdy!! On Friday morning I was ecstatic. I had a short shift, then I was going to get my hair done. Afterwards my best friend was going to come over for our Christmas celebration and a Chinese food dinner and it was going to be a perfect day. Until I got a fateful text from Johnny at six in the morning that his boss had Covid. In an instant, my stomach dropped and my plans flew out the window before I even took a test. Somehow, I just knew and the faint pink positive line on my test confirmed it. I promptly said goodbye to my perfect day and Johnny and I hunkered down together in our covidness.

I believe this is our fourth round of Covid and, I have to say, this time around was a breeze. I felt excellent and would have had no idea we had Covid if we weren’t aware of the exposure. Johnny, on the other hand, felt a little crummy but it was more like how you feel when the weather shifts suddenly. This also made sense for him to feel that way as the weather in our neck of the woods took a drastic dip into low temps with snow. Alas, we were both positive and it positively sucked to have so much we were looking forward to cease to exist…. but did it really?

Lol, listen I was not thrilled whatsoever when my test was positive. However, looking on the bright side – I literally never take time off and my holiday break just came slightly early. I swear, every time I go for months on end without taking a day off, the world says hold my beer and gives me the flu or, in this case, Covid with no symptoms. Minus my big weekend being canceled, this was the best case scenario and I planned on enjoying it!

During my Covid stint I watched So. Much. TV! We’re talking Gypsy Rose Life After Lockup, the reunion of The Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives, St. Denis Medical, and so much more. Not only did I have a healthy bingeathon but I also had fun playing Animal Crossing again after three years and one month lol. Once the cockroaches from my house were clear, I got back into the groove of island life and am eagerly awaiting the update in January. I forgot how much I liked playing Animal Crossing after being apart from it for so long. I guess I played my fill when the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic was happening!

It’s funny because I texted my blogging bestie to complain about my positive test and I said something along the lines of “I think people just forgot to test for Covid when they aren’t feeling well”. But the thing is, I forgot too. It has been a long time since Covid was headline news that it was easy to chalk it up to a thing of the past. It is still very real, though, so do be sure you get a few tests as the holiday season approaches. Then, everyone can gather safely together and have a blast celebrating. ❤

My Covid Chronicles read more like a really lazy handful of days off and, hey, I’ll take it. Stay healthy and stay safe, everyone!

What is your favorite lazy day activity? Have you been sick recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May24

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Tenant By Freida McFadden Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Tenant By Freida McFadden 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 Freida McFadden’s newest book called The Tenant. I have a love/hate relationship with McFadden’s books. I absolutely loved The Housemaid series, however, the other books I have read by her definitely did not meet my expectations. Unfortunately, The Tenant was another instance of that and fell under my usual critique of McFadden – “good but not great”. Before we begin our Book Club meeting, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Tenant for violence and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

Blake and Krista are newly engaged and happy as can be. They live in a charming brownstown in New York City and Blake has just accepted a hotshot new position as VP of Marketing at the company he works for. Everything is going picture perfect, until Blake’s world comes crashing down. Shortly after settling into his fancy new office, Blake is fired for selling the company’s marketing campaigns. This is an offense that Blake isn’t even aware he made and has no idea what his boss is talking about. He feels confident that this was all some kind of misunderstanding and will have his job back before the week is out.

That week turns into months of unemployment and Blake and Krista are barely scraping by as Krista’s wages at a laundromat pale in comparison to their mortgage. If they don’t get their money problem solved ASAP, they will be on the streets and Blake finally agrees to Krista’s big idea: Have a tenant move in to help with bills. As they go about the interviewing process, every candidate is borderline crazy and they are ready to give up. Blessedly, Whitney shows up for her interview and is… normal. She’s pretty, has great references, and had her first and last month’s rent ready to go. They were sold.

The first week or so with Whitney goes swimmingly and Blake even has a new temp gig. Embarrassing, yes, but every little bit from the paycheck helps. Then, little things start to happen at the brownstone that never occurred before Whitney moved in. There are loud noises all throughout the night, the kitchen is filled with fruit flies, and Blake breaks into an inexplicable and painful rash. With no other plausible explanation, Blake blames Whitney wholeheartedly and is convinced that she is not who she says she is.

As more and more offenses against Whitney tally up and become even more disturbing, Blake quickly descends into a paranoid state. He can’t trust anyone and barely trusts himself as he repeats the claims in his head. All he knows is that he and Krista don’t know Whitney at all and she could be dangerous. In fact, she could be the reason Blake lost his cushy new job in the first place. But, is she? Or does Blake have his sights set on the wrong person entirely? Read The Tenant to find out!!

Let me start off by saying that I really liked the general story line of The Tenant. Happy couple, hard times, a stranger moves in, and the shit hits the fan. It really is a perfect combination and fits Johnny’s description of “LifeTime movie books” to the T lol. I just wish I liked the book more!! The tension that was building in the brownstone was delicious, a little slow moving at times, but my interest was piqued. Then, the twist happened, which I saw coming from a mile away but it just felt… random. It felt like a lot of build up for a twist that didn’t necessarily need to happen but simply was put there for shock value. This is actually a complaint that I have had with past McFadden books as well, like the plot changed fully on a dime and it wasn’t thought through completely.

On top of feeling wishy washy about The Tenant as a whole, none of the characters were particularly likeable. This book was told from Blake’s point of view and it was interesting to read a LifeTime movie book from the male perspective. BUT, Blake was a major a-hole and it was hard to feel sympathetic for him in the entirety of the read. Once my sympathy ran out, I was ready for The Tenant to be done because it was the only saving grace that the main character had. I can’t say that I felt strongly in favor of any of the characters and that’s not a good thing as I want to feel that connection when I read. The Tenant definitely missed the mark big time.

Overall, I am going to rate The Tenant with a three out of ten stars. If you are a diehard Freida McFadden fan, I am sure you will give it a read anyways. You are not missing out on anything if you don’t, though!

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

May14

Beat The Spring Blahs

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Beat The Spring Blahs

Hello!! When I think of spring, of course, rain is involved. However, I mainly am focused on sunny days, light jacket weather, and pretty spring flowers blooming. Unfortunately, the sunny days in my neck of the woods have been extremely limited and it has been grey, cold, and rainy for a majority of the season. It sucks! In fact, I’m bundled up in a heavy hoodie and beanie as I type this and I am still chilly. With days that feel like it’s six o’clock in the evening all day, everyone in Akron is desperate for a change in the weather as the blahs have definitely kicked in. Mine most certainly have and I have been trying to do the following to help perk me up. Maybe some of these ideas will help you too:

Make Your Own Sun:

If the sun isn’t shining, who says you can’t make your own?! Try incorporating brightness into your day any way you can. Whether this be picking up a bouquet for your kitchen table, wearing a bold colored jacket, or painting your nails in a shocking hue. These vivid shades add a much needed pop to the dreariness outdoors and it will be sure to make you smile when you utilize them. I employed this method by getting bright pink and orange nails during my last fill and complete strangers have told me how nice it is to see some color!

Take Advantage of Rain Free Days:

The rain free days have been scarce, but when the days are blessedly clear, you best believe that I am walking! Take full advantage of the break in weather and get outdoors. Your dog will love a good walk or hike in the woods, you can complete lawn work, or simply sit outside and read a book or chat on the phone. You will be so happy that you took the opportunity to get out and get active once that next storm hits and it is back indoors.

Rainy Day Activities:

There are some activities that just hit different when it’s raining out. IE: Crafting, reading, listening to music, or watching scary movies! If the day is a wash, you might as well make the most of it indoors and enjoy yourself. Use these rainy days to relax, recharge, and unwind because the rain falling on your windows gives you the perfect soundtrack. And, yes, these rainy day activities can also include a good nap to catch up on some Zs! 😀

Daydreamer:

Summer might not be here yet but that doesn’t mean you can’t start planning for it now! What is your perfect warm weather day like? A BBQ with friends? A late evening bonfire? Going swimming or playing outdoor games? Build your day and make it happen as soon as that warm weather hits to celebrate. It’s always nice to have something to look forward to and a fun day or party is just what the doctor ordered. After a big get together in the sun, you will be kissing those springtime blahs goodbye.

I am not a summer girl in the slightest but I have been craving it something fierce as of late. Just a few more weeks to go and I cannot wait for the rainy day blahs to kick rocks!

What is springtime weather like where you live? What is your favorite rainy day activity? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb25

Hadestown At EJ Thomas Hall Review

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Hadestown At EJ Thomas Hall Review

Hello!! This past Saturday, Johnny and I had Part Two of our Valentine’s Day celebration: A night at EJ Thomas Hall in Akron to see our favorite musical, Hadestown. Two years ago, we saw Hadestown for V-Day at Playhouse Square and it was magnificent so I just had to jump on the opportunity for us to see it again. We both went into the show knowing that it wasn’t going to be as good as our first viewing and we were spot on about that. Don’t get me wrong, there was plenty about it that we liked. However, this show had some glaring issues that were difficult to look past. Let’s get to it:

First things first, let’s start with the good because there were two standout performances. Jaylon C. Crump as Hermes really helped carry the show and was so solid from start to finish. His vocals were phenomenal and he was exuberant, which was very necessary especially considering the times when the actors on stage just seemed tired. Johnny and I were blessed with seeing Nathan Lee Graham as Hermes at Playhouse Square and, frankly, no one compares to him. Having said that, I could tell that Jaylon found inspiration in Graham’s portrayal and that was good enough for us.

Next up was Nickolaus Colon as Hades who, easily, had the strongest performance of the night. During our first show of Hadestown, the man who played Hades took the dark and mysterious route and that is still my preferred portrayal. Nickolaus had a different approach, playing Hades with anger that boomed and resonated. This was further complimented by his larger than life and looming presence and he made it work so well. We were both really impressed by him and his rendition of “Why We Build the Wall” was one of the best numbers of the whole show.

Finally, we have Megan Colton as Eurydice for Honorable Mention. I loved that she brought some grit to Eurydice’s character and my qualm isn’t exactly directed at her but to her acting partner, Bryan Munar, as Orpheus. Look, I don’t know if he was having a rough night and I am not trying to be mean but he was not good at all. His falsetto, which is such an important part of the vocal performance was simply not there. There was no strength behind it and his performance felt more like one of their first rehearsals rather than a real live show.

Johnny and I were not the only ones to feel this way about Munar. In fact, as we were both in line for the bathroom, literally everyone we chatted with was not impressed with him either and had nothing but negative feedback. He brought the entire show down and because of that, Eurydice didn’t shine as brightly as she should have. This is truly unfortunate and while I understand that everyone has a bad night, I really wish it didn’t happen when we saw it lol. From this performance alone and the fact that he could barely hit his falsetto definitely had me questioning the casting decision.

Last on the “not so great” list was Namisa Mdlalose Bizana as Persephone, which was a major disappointment for me. Persephone is one of my favorite characters of the entire show and I don’t think she was done justice with Bizana’s portrayal. It is no secret in Hadestown that Persephone loves to self medicate with booze and drugs. She is so much more than that, though, and Bizana played her as a falling down drunk. This did little to add dimension to Persephone’s character and Bizana turned her into a caricature. On top of that, her vocals didn’t feel strong enough for such a boisterous lead and she seemed exhausted throughout the show.

It’s funny because I saw Jesus Christ Superstar at EJ Thomas Hall after seeing it at Playhouse Square. I was so surprised because it really was a comparable performance for the most part and there were even aspects that I liked better at EJ Thomas than at Playhouse. Having that experience going into Hadestown made me feel hopeful that we would still be seeing an excellent show despite my ambivalence. I am kind of bummed because regardless of the cast members that shined, this performance felt like a dress rehearsal and not even a good one. Major characters brought the whole cast down and that is a crying shame!

Although this performance of Hadestown was literally nothing to write home about, Johnny and I still had a fabulous time on our date night. Stay tuned for my OOTD coming soon!

What is your favorite musical? Have you seen a play or musical recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah