Tag Archives: hobby

Mar2

Lil Red’s Book Club: Ward D By Freida McFadden Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Ward D 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 will be discussing a thriller by Freida McFadden called Ward D. Freida McFadden’s books have always fell under my “just okay” category. They are quick reads and twisty but are they mind blowing? No. Are they far fetched? Always! However, Ward D was probably one of the best books that I have read by her and landed under my “pretty good” ranking. Honestly, it’s quite a boost! Before we begin our discussion, I will be placing a trigger warning on Ward D for mental health, child abuse, disturbing content, and graphic violence. Now, let’s get to it:

Amy is a medical student and tonight she is scheduled to work and learn in Ward D, the mental health unit of the local hospital. It’s not that she’s nervous or anything. More like terrified. It will be the night shift in a locked ward with people who are potentially dangerous. Her biggest fear, though? Being mistaken for a patient as Amy has had her own share of mental health issues too. It’s safe to say that Amy has no interest in studying psychiatry further, but it’s just for one night. All she needs to do is make it through.

After being buzzed into the locked ward, Amy gets the lay of the land from Dr. Beck and nurse Ramona. It would be a relatively quiet night in Ward D but there is a glaring issue. A dangerous patient is in one of the seclusion rooms and will be transferred to a more secure setting in the morning. All of the other patients are fearful of him and have made this perfectly clear to Amy with claims that he is going to kill all of them this very night. Dr. Beck’s advice? Stay far away.

The atmosphere in Ward D is tense with patients acting out and it only gets worse. There is a ghost of Amy’s past who is also a patient tonight. Her name is Jade and she was Amy’s best friend in the world until the girls turned sixteen. Jade went from a good girl to an absolute wild child in a matter of years and put Amy into a lot of problematic situations. Some would result in a grounding or possibly a suspension from school. Others would put both girls behind bars. Since then, Amy has turned her life around and is fulfilling her dream of becoming a doctor. Jade, on the other hand, has been in and out of mental health wards for the past eight years.

Between the stress of the patients and the fear that Jade might reveal Amy’s darkest secret, her own mental health begins to deteriorate swiftly. Amy begins seeing shadows, hearing animal like noises from the seclusion room, and even seeing blood on the floor. Is she hallucinating or is something far more sinister happening on Ward D? As the night continues, coworkers and patients alike seem to have simply disappeared. Amy no longer has to get through the night but survive it. Will she evade the man in the seclusion room? Or is this just all in her head? Read Ward D to find out!

One of my biggest qualms with Freida McFadden books are their lack of originality. They all read like plots of thriller books that I have read before with sloppy twists that feel like an afterthought. This, combined with the far fetched nature of her plots has always made her books lackluster for me. Ward D, however, actually read like something new and made for an unputdownable experience. I finished the book in a day! Although I figured out all of the twists and turns in Ward D, is was still a refreshing read with a plot that I was actually interested in that took place in a unique setting.

Ward D was definitely a page turner and I really liked that it all transpired in the course of one night shift. It made the situation at hand feel so much more dire because you just knew that something major was going to happen as the hours counted down. This book also flip flopped to eight years prior which gave a chance to learn more about Amy and Jade’s friendship as well as the hallucinations that Amy suffered from. These flashbacks made Amy shift into an unreliable narrator to the point that it was hard to tell what was real at all. I would never call myself a huge McFadden fan but she was onto something with Ward D!

Overall, I am going to rate Ward D with a six out of ten stars. This is the highest I have ranked any of McFadden’s work since reading The Housemaid series and I have no problems with recommending this book!

What is your favorite Frieda McFadden book? What is your favorite thriller novel? 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

Feb21

Puzzle Place Pt. 2

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Puzzle Place Pt. 2

Hello! Doing puzzles is a past time that I really enjoy. However, I don’t get to do so very often as Johnny isn’t a fan and it’s no fun to put puzzles together by yourself. I was SO happy when my dad purchased a couple of puzzles that featured images of Vincent Van Gogh’s paintings for my family to do together. We had a fair amount of difficulty completing Starry Night but once we got in a groove, it was relatively smooth sailing. By the time my family and I were done, all I had to say was bring on the Sunflowers! I was so confident in our skills that I figured it would be a breeze. I was also very excited as Sunflowers is one of my favorite paintings. A breeze this puzzle was not but after painstaking work, we made it through and have another amazing puzzle to glue together and display as wall art. Check it out:

It was truly a fool’s errand comparing the difficulty between Sunflowers and Starry Night because they are polar opposite paintings. Starry Night in puzzle form was hard, yes, but it provided the opportunity to put it together based on all of the different shades of blue. Sunflowers, on the other hand, was a whole lot of yellow and it proved to be a huge challenge. Every piece looked like it could have belonged anywhere! What’s more, pieces that did fit together and looked right weren’t actually right upon closer inspection, meaning we had to backpedal to find out where we went wrong. Puzzles are supposed to be relaxing and this one was straight up annoying lol.

For all of the irritation this puzzle gave us, it was the biggest sigh of relief once that last piece fit in perfectly. We also didn’t have the stress of a missing piece like when we did Starry Night which was very nice! A five hundred piece puzzle might seem like child’s play to some but it is the maximum of what my family can do while still having a good time. Was this puzzle a good time to put together? Hard no!! Does it look awesome now that it’s finally done? Hard yes!! I cannot wait to see it glued, framed, and hanging proudly above the mantel. Team work definitely made the dream work and we have a beautiful display of Sunflowers to show for it!

The next puzzle painting we are going for is The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai. It is one of my other favorite paintings and will look phenomenal by our Starry Night puzzle!

What is one of your favorite past times? What is the maximum size of puzzles that you can do? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb19

Sunny Days Ahead

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Sunny Days Ahead

Hello! Is it just me or has this winter left a lot to be desired? January felt like it was five months long and February was particularly rough due to the passing of our beloved neighbor. I feel so mentally and physically drained. However, I did perk up this morning when I checked the weather because guess what?! It is going to be almost sixty degrees in Akron, Ohio and that sounds like just what the doctor ordered. It’s amazing what a bit of warmth and sunshine can do to boost your mood and it had me thinking of all of the things I can’t wait to do in the spring. Like the following:

Spring Hiking Spree:

My brother and I are avid hikers and it is our go to activity as soon as the weather warms up. During the winter, we hit the gym for our workouts but in the spring you can always catch us on the trails! The metro parks in our neck of the woods offers a fall and spring hiking spree and we can’t wait to participate in both of them. This will be our second year of completing the spring spree and the third year for the fall. It’s hard not to feel good when you’re immersed in nature, taking a leisurely stroll, and enjoying great company. Bring it on!

Planting Flowers:

My dad has two green thumbs and I love to help him plant flowers in the garden as soon as the appropriate weather strikes. Whether we are scattering seeds in the wildflower patch, making arrangements in raised planters, or simply cleaning up the debris from the winter – it is fun because we’re together! It’s exciting to start a project and watch it grow and come to life. The best of all is when I show up at my mom and dad’s and see the beautiful bouquets he creates from our handiwork as a greeting on the kitchen table. ❤

Warm Weather Clothing:

As much as I adore breaking out my coats, heavy sweaters, and winter accessories for OOTDs, I am SO over it lol. What started out as a mild winter went into a stretch of frigid days and lots of snow in mid January. I wouldn’t say I’m a huge fan of summer but I have been begging for it since then! It is going to be so glorious to step outside in shorts and a T-shirt for work or flouncy sundresses for a weekend date with my main squeeze. Seventy degrees and sunny is my ideal temperature but if it were a hundred degrees tomorrow you would not find me complaining. I don’t do well in really hot weather but trust and believe I would be basking in it like a lizard lol.

Playing Outside:

Johnny and I have three sweet nieces who live nearby and there is nothing better than playing outside all together. I revel in unleashing my inner child with my favorite old hobbies of blowing bubbles, picking flowers, drawing with chalk, and running around the yard like crazy people. Whether we are hitting up the park or staying close to home, the piece de resistance is a frozen treat or something cold to drink afterwards. The cool down is wonderful until it’s back outdoors for more warm weather activities! I am particularly excited to go bunny watching with them in my parents’ yard because there are always a bunch come springtime. ❤

Reading Outside:

As you all know, reading is one of my most treasured hobbies and it is such a simple pleasure to be able to read outside. When it’s nice out, I love to sit on our little patio at the apartment with a glass of lemonade and a good book. Feeling the sunshine on my face as I get lost in a story just makes the whole world disappear and it’s so damn nice to check out for a little while. As much as I love curling up on the couch with whatever book I’m working on, I plan on taking the majority of my reading outdoors whenever the weather is ready!

After a crummy few months, I just know that there are Sunny Days Ahead and I have been chomping at the bit since yesterday!

What is your favorite springtime activity? What are you looking forward to? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb16

Lil Red’s Book Club: A Killing Cold By Kate Alice Marshall Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: A Killing Cold By Kate Alice Marshall 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 thriller by Kate Alice Marshall called A Killing Cold. My sister, mom, and I tend to read the same books and this was passed down to me from my big sis once she was done reading it. About halfway through the book, she told me she was enjoying it. Then, upon completion she changed her sentiment as it was far too far fetched for her liking. I agree with this wholeheartedly. It started strong enough but I was SO ready for it to be over when there was about sixty pages left. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on A Killing Cold for domestic violence, general violence, child abuse, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

Theo and Connor met at a party and both of them felt like they had seen each other before. But where? And when? Call it fate, but a whirlwind romance began and after six short months they are engaged to be married. Theo came from a troubled background. She has no idea who her real parents are and is permanently estranged from her adoptive family after years of trauma they caused. Connor, on the other hand, lived a life of wealth and privilege. His family, the Daltons, are powerful in ways that regular people would never understand. They protect their own, keep secrets buried, and go through life with the air of those who are untouchable.

Every Christmas, the Daltons spend two weeks in their luxury mountain retreat and it will be Theo’s first time meeting them. As she braces herself for their interrogations, she begins receiving texts that warn her to stay far away from Connor. She chalks it up to a jealous ex or perhaps one of Connor’s siblings looking out for him for moving too fast. Besides, it’s too late to cancel the trip now and she is head over heels for her fiance. To the mountains they go and upon their arrival, Theo can’t help but feel that she has been there before.

Her welcome from her new family is icy, if not frigid. They are sizing her up and appear to have every intention of scaring her away. After all, Theo is a poor girl who now has unimaginable wealth falling into her lap. As much as she would like to turn on her heels and run, she holds firm. Of course, she is there for Connor, but for the first time fragments of memories from her early childhood are returning to her. What used to be dicey images pulled from nightmares are piecing together. Real or imagined, one thing is for sure: The Dalton family has something to hide.

As the days on the mountain drag on, Theo begins to explore. She is particularly drawn to an abandoned cabin that the family no longer has use for. In this cabin, a small semblance of truth is revealed. Theo can remember the small bed with flowers on the sheets. It was hers. And, tucked away, she finds a photo of a little girl with Connor’s late father smiling in the snow. There is no longer any denying it. Theo’s childhood began and ended in the mountains. She remembers fleeting moments of her and her mother pretending they live in an enchanted forest. Until it all came to an abrupt halt because her mother was wearing a blue scarf that turned red. What happened to Theo’s mother? And how far will the Daltons go to keep the truth buried? Read A Killing Cold to find out!

A Killing Cold was a shining example of a disappointing thriller. Sure, it had the twists and turns. Were they any good? Not really lol. When I am reading a novel of suspense, I love when they are just plausible enough to have some truth to it. Alice Kate Marshall spun a story with A Killing Cold but it was a plot that couldn’t stand on solid ground. As I read, all I could think about was the example of a Hallmark movie where a girl ends up with her childhood pen pal. It’s a story, yes, but it is as unlikely as the grass being purple.

As I turned the pages, A Killing Cold became more and more convoluted and there came a point when I just had enough. With a quarter of the book left, I was damn near begging for it to be over. The poorly placed Red Herrings, overplayed dysfunctional family trope, and the constant shifting of blame was just too much. It felt like Kate Alice Marshall threw Every. Single. classic thriller writing tool at the wall to see what stuck. Sadly, few of these attempts helped push the painstakingly slow plot forward and I felt nothing but sheer relief by the time the last page was read. A Killing Cold was a total and complete dud.

In a shocking plot twist of my own, I will be rating A Killing Cold with zero out of ten stars. I understand this book has received a fair amount of hype and I promise you it is not worth it. I wasted my time so you don’t have to waste yours! ❤

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

Feb2

What Have We Been Watching?

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What Have We Been Watching?

Hi! It has been colder than a MF in the A-K-Rowdy and it’s literally painful to be outside. Snow + single digit temps = me not leaving the house. Wow, I’m great at math! This is the kind of weather to do nothing but stay inside during and I’m honestly so fine with it. I can always get down with hibernating AKA watching TV all day, cuddling in a heated blanket, and only getting up from the couch when I require the bathroom lol. We have definitely been glued to the TV and will dethaw in the spring. Until then, we’ll stay posted up watching the following:

The Traitors:

My blogging bestie and I are not only Gemini Twins but TV Twins too. We love watching the same documentaries, reality shows, and just pure fun shows together then spending all Saturday afternoon discussing them over FaceTime. During our last chat she did the best job that she could have at describing The Traitors to me and the conversation ended with “you just have to watch it”. So we did and we are addicted! I am a huge fan of a good whodoneit and that is The Traitors to the T. A houseful of C-list celebrities with three “traitors” and the remainder being “faithfuls”. It is up to the faithfuls to determine who the traitors are as they “murder” off the housemates one by one. There are challenges, round table detective sessions, and the incomparable Alan Cumming as the host. This show is a complete blast and they are actually casting regular people in the next season. I plan on applying so maybe you’ll see me on there! Hey, it doesn’t hurt to try. 😀

Teen Wolf:

If you follow me on Facebook (Sarah Mushenheim) then you already KNOW that I am obsessed with MTV’s Teen Wolf series. It’s so damn good and I genuinely can’t believe that I haven’t given it the attention it deserves until now. My client got me hooked and I look forward to watching an episode or two every morning. Long story short: Teenage boy gets bitten by werewolf, teenage boy falls in love with girl, girl’s family are werewolf hunters. It might sound like your classic run of the mill show directed to teenagers but it’s very dark and very well done. The actors are also excellent! Hello baby Dylan O’Brien and holy hot-tastic Tyler Hoechlin. On a separate note, I can’t wait to see Dylan O’Brien in Send Help – my mind was blown when I realized it was Stiles!

The Goldbergs:

Before bed Johnny and I will usually put on Superstore, Abbott Elementary, or The Office. We have also enjoyed watching Stumble, Animal Control, and St. Denis Medical. Johnny suggested The Goldbergs as our new pre-bed show and it has just been okay for me. He knows how much I adore Wendi McLendon-Covey in legit everything she does (St. Denis Medical included!) and thought it would be a good match as she plays the Goldberg family matriarch. Despite my deep love for her and Jeff Garlin as the father, there is just something about this show that I can’t get into. Normally, the shows we like to watch have me in stitches no matter how many times I’ve seen each episode. The Goldbergs is lucky to get one chuckle every time we watch it! I am a fan of the parents and, of course, Big Tasty but the rest of the cast leaves a lot to me desired and also the kid that plays Adam annoys me so much lol. Not my favorite and wouldn’t recommend it!

Documentaries:

It’s no surprise that your favorite armchair detective delights every time a new documentary is out and my blogging bestie and I watch them immediately. We recently finished season two of Shiny Happy People, and breezed through the new Elizabeth Smart documentary on Netflix as well as The Cult of The Real Housewife. All of them were great and the perfect bite size documentaries to watch in one sitting as they’re either three episodes long or a little longer than an hour and a half. Unfortunately, we watch the new docs so quickly that we run out and are left with nothing. We would love some recommendations – the dishier the better. 😀

It’s so nice to return home from work, put a show on, and relax the evening away with our beloved TV to keep us company! ❤

What have you been watching lately? Are there any new shows you are looking forward to? (I can’t wait for the America’s Next Top Model documentary!) 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

Jan31

Surprise Snow Day

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Surprise Snow Day

Hello! This past weekend was christened “snowmagedden” in good ol Akron, Ohio. We had a huge snow storm on Sunday and are now treated to single digit temperatures. It sucks. What didn’t suck, however, was getting a surprise snow day on Monday! The neighborhood one of my clients lives in literally never gets plowed so they let me know that I had the day off because safety first. It was so sweet! For the duration of winter, I would jokingly ask where the adult snow days are at and I finally got one. I rarely take a day off for myself and while I was disappointed to not go to work, I decided to make the most of the me time and had an amazing time. 😀

After working on the computer for the first part of the morning, my day was wide open to do whatever I would like from the comfort of my heated blanket. So, I opened a book and power read the last one hundred and thirty pages or so of the one I was working on. Peep a brand new Lil Red’s Book Club for the review tomorrow! I still had several hours to spare once I was done reading before Johnny got home from work and my next order of business was to play some Vampire Survivors. Johnny purchased this game over our holiday break for a whole two dollars and it has been an endless source of entertainment. And, rather than have to switch off to Johnny when my level was over, I just got to keep playing. It was freaking awesome!

When I had my fill of Vampire Survivors after two rounds, I wound my afternoon down with a viewing of MTV’s Teen Wolf. One of my clients got me addicted to that show and I can’t stop watching to save my own life. It’s surprisingly well done, has a fair share of gross out and scary moments, and a strong cast of actors. My favorite character is Stiles, hands down, but I love Lydia too! I usually like to watch documentaries when I have the TV to myself and it’s really nice to have a show to put on that’s just for fun. Teen Wolf is that for me to the T and I always look forward to the next episode. I’m hoping to find the MTV Scream series on streaming at some point so I can watch that next. If it’s as good as Teen Wolf then I know I am in for a treat. 🙂

Life handed me lemons with a snow storm that kept me from work but lemonade was made with my snow day. Once I got the text from my client’s family to take the day off, I considered it a sign from the universe that a day off was just what I needed. And you know what? It really was! I got to spend the whole day doing all of the things that I enjoy. I was snugly warm in my blanket, had the space heater blasting, and was in a cocoon of comfort. The following day I woke up feeling well rested and so excited to get back to work and that sealed my snow day success. Hey, everyone needs a day off sometimes!

Instead of braving the winter wonderland, I spent an entire day in creating my own fun. The January blues were definitely getting me down and I felt like a brand new Lil Red!

What is a perfect day off like for you? What is winter weather like in your neck of the woods? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan30

Puzzle Place

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Puzzle Place

Hello! My clients got me hip to shopping at 5 Below and I am obsessed. I am an avid van of “little treats” and it is the best place to do so while ballin on a budget. Over the holiday season my parents visited 5B to get a few new games for the grandkiddos. My dad also made a treat yoself purchase by getting two puzzles. Both feature the work of Van Gogh with puzzle versions of Starry Night and Sunflowers. I have always enjoyed doing puzzles and haven’t done so in a while so I was so excited when we busted Starry Night out a few weeks ago. It turned out to be a massive pain in the butt but, my god, was it satisfying when we finally put the last piece in. It’s a beauty and we plan on gluing both the puzzles so we can display them as wall art. Check it out:

This puzzle was five hundred pieces and that is the maximum of what I can do. Any more just feels like torture and I could never imaging doing a one thousand piece puzzle! This Starry Night one might as well have been one million pieces because holy cow was it difficult. Even just getting the border right proved to be a feat as there were countless pieces throughout the puzzle that fit smoothly and looked right. Upon further examination those pieces were, in fact, wrong and it was back to the drawing board. After the border was done correctly, I decided to move onto the sprawling treetop or whatever is in the left of the painting lol. This was much easier but everything afterwards was a challenge!

The next logical step after the questionable tree was the village. This is a part that I thought would come together quickly but it was a lot harder than my dad and I originally thought. Once again, pieces that did fit mislead us and we had to backtrack to get the town just right. However, when we did start expanding to the sky it had me wishing for more of the village because it was a piece of cake in comparison. The most helpful thing that we did to finish this puzzle was color coordinating the pieces and following along with the reference picture. Yes, it’s a lot of blue but all of the shades were different and went in specific areas. This allowed us to focus on one portion at a time rather than trying to find the piece we needed in a sea of other blue pieces.

Once we were down to maybe forty pieces, we organized them to their shape because you could tell at that point which shape needed to go where. The entire time we worked on this puzzle, I couldn’t help thinking to myself “wouldn’t it suck if we were missing a piece?” The answer to that question came back with a resounding YES when I realized that we were. There was one lone piece missing smack dab in the middle. My dad and I scoured the table, looked on the carpet, and shined flashlights under furniture to find it. We were out of luck. Until I moved my feet and saw that I was standing on the missing piece the whole time SMH!!! It was a glorious revelation, though, and it felt awesome to put the last piece in and admire our hard work!

Even though this puzzle was a pain in the nads, it was so much fun to complete it with my dad. Bring on Sunflowers next, baby!

What is the maximum size of puzzles you like to do? What is your favorite indoor hobby? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan26

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Running Man By Stephen King As Richard Bachman Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Running Man By Stephen King As Richard Bachman 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 Running Man by Stephan King writing as Richard Bachman. Johnny and I live for an Arnold Schwarzenegger flick and one of our all time favorites has got to be The Running Man. Who loves you and who do you love? DAMON! Oddly enough, neither of us has read the book and I decided to rectify that. I am so glad I did because it was excellent and I will be looking forward to seeing the new(ish) movie as I understand it follows the book more closely. Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Running Man for graphic violence and disturbing content. Now, let’s get into it:

Ben Richards and his family are destitute. Ben is currently unemployed while his wife turns tricks to make ends meet. Their baby daughter, Cathy, is incredibly sick and needs a doctor like three days ago. Of course, they will never be able to afford the care she needs and she seems to be getting worse by the second. There is only one thing that Ben or really anyone in his dilapidated neighborhood can do for money. To head to the Games Network headquarters and apply to be a contestant.

The games that the Network hosts are not like The Price Is Right. No, they are violent, dangerous, and could potentially kill you all for trying to make a buck. But it’s Ben’s only option and he takes it. After a grueling process, Ben lands a spot on the most popular show on the Games Network – The Running Man. In this show, contestants are free to move and travel wherever they please and all the while they are being hunted. For every hour a contestant lives, money is earned. Should a contestant make it the entire thirty day challenge, they will be rewarded handsomely. This has never been done before.

At the start of The Running Man, Ben will get a grace period of twelve hours to get as far away as humanly possible. To create a disguise, get weapons, and formulate some semblance of a plan. After the twelve hours are up, Ben is fair game to be hunted. Winning won’t come easily and his daughter’s life is on the line. But if no one has won before, why not Ben? He is savvy, creative, and strong. But will that be enough to last thirty days on the run? Read The Running Man to find out!

Can I just start out by saying that The Hunger Games is literally just The Running Man? There, I said it. It’s so true, though! Down on their luck people competing for stability all for the entertainment of the rich. I just know that Suzanne Collins is a Stephen King fan! Having said all that, holy WOW was The Running Man good. It was so fast paced and something new was happening with every turn of the page. Ben’s situation was dire and as it was nothing like my beloved Schwarzenegger movie, I had no idea what was going to happen. I seriously couldn’t stop reading and my jaw dropped on the last page!

The Running Man really is an underdog story and it is impossible to read this book and not root for Ben every step of the way. This is his chance to save his family. His chance to stick it to the man. And his chance to maybe bring some changes to the messed up world that they live in. Every step back was agonizing but every step forward was one closer to the ultimate prize. I was on the edge of my seat to see if he could pull it off. As a funny anecdote, The Running Man is set in the future (now past) year of 2025. This book came out in 1982 and, honestly, Stephen King was definitely onto something with his glimpse into the future. Just my brief synopsis alone is enough to make you see why. -_-

Overall, I am going to rate The Running Man with an eight out of ten stars. It wasn’t my favorite Stephen King/Richard Bachman novel but it was very, very good!

Have you seen either of The Running Man movies? What did you think of the newest one? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah