Tag Archives: no spoilers

Jan8

Groovy Movies: Moana 2 Edition

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Groovy Movies: Moana 2 Edition

Hello!! This past weekend, I spent a lovely afternoon with my dad and two of my nieces to see Moana 2 at the theaters. I was really excited about this for a few reasons. 1) I was with my eldest niece for her first movie theater experience and this was her little sister’s first time seeing a show. 2) My eldest niece and I watched Moana during our very first slumber party. It was her suggestion because I hadn’t seen it. I absolutely loved it and it instantly became a special movie for the both of us. And 3) Movie theater food is the best lol. I know Moana 2 was not as well received as its predecessor, but we enjoyed every minute of it! In a spoiler free setting, let’s discuss:

^^^ And, as always, I have no rights to this video!

It is a joyous day on Motunui because wayfinder, Moana has returned after a three day exploration mission. She is greeted by her precious family (including adorable little sis, Simea) and the island population in its entirety to welcome her home. Moana dreams of connecting the people in surrounding islands and thinks she might have found her first clue to achieve this on her expedition. Little does she know, her next adventure is already on the way. During a special ceremony that evening, Moana has a vision from her ancestors. The message is grim: The people of Motunui will not survive if Moana cannot raise the island of Motufetu from the depths of the sea. Motufetu was sunk by the angry storm god, Nalo, and used to join all of the islands together. Without it, any connection between islands is impossible and the people will slowly fade away.

With no time to spare, Moana assembles a crew of experts to assist in her voyage – a farmer, an inventor, and a historian. However, they are missing a BIG piece of the puzzle: Maui. Proud demigod Maui had his own problems with Nalo and wanted to raise Motufetu himself out of fear that Moana could die. During his efforts, he was captured by Nalo’s enforcer and let’s just say he is currently… tied up. A rescue mission is in order and after some help from an unexpected ally, it is full steam ahead to Motufetu. Can Moana and her team connect the islands and save the day? You’re just going to have to watch the movie!!

Moana is my GIRL and it was so exciting to reunite with her together with my bestie squad. We were hooked from the very start and remained glued to our seats for the whole movie. I know that many people felt like Moana 2 wasn’t as good as the first, but I thought it was just as good. The plot was a fantastic quest, it was visually stunning, the new characters introduced were great, and I could not get enough of the music. The soundtrack for Moana 2 is straight banger after banger. My favorites were “Beyond” and “Can I Get A Chee Hoo?”. The best song for me, though, was “Get Lost”. It was pure jazzy, villainous fun and, like all of the music in the movie, enhanced the scene and location beautifully.

One of the things that I loved the most about Moana 2 other than everything was the nods to the first movie placed throughout the film. The real ones will know and every time a tip of the cap happened, my eldest niece and I confirmed “it’s just like the first movie” lol. And, of course, the bond between Moana and Simea was the sweetest and it felt like watching my two “big” nieces in animated form. The fact that they called each other “big and lil sis” melted my heart because my nieces call each other “sissy”. Like me, my eldest niece thought Moana 2 was a hit. The jury is still out on her lil sis, though, because she slept the whole time lol.

It was such a gift to see Moana 2 with my best girls and I cannot recommend it enough. I know sequels can be hit or miss, but this one was excellent!

What was the last movie you saw in theaters? Is there anything coming out that you would like to see? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct24

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

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Boyfriend 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 The Boyfriend. Even though I figured out the grand reveal well ahead of time, it was a pretty good and fast paced read. I finished it in three sittings! Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Boyfriend for assault, violence, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

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Sydney lives in New York City and is in her mid thirties. Saying she is unlucky in love is an understatement and she is well aware of the ticking of her biological clock. One of her best friends, Gretchen, has found a great new boyfriend. Her other bestie, Bonnie, who has a date almost every night has even found a dreamy guy to cozy up with regularly. So why can’t Sydney? As she scrolls aimlessly through dating apps, she solidifies plans for a dinner out with a match and is actually excited. Until her date arrives, that is.

What should have been Sydney’s handsome suitor turns out to be a catfish named Kevin. Sydney decides to see the date through because they did have some semblance of a connection over text. This nicety proved to be a bad idea and after their dinner, Kevin attempts to assault her on the way home. What was an already terrible situation could have been so much worse had in not been for a Mystery Man who came to Sydney’s rescue. When he looked at her, she felt sparks flying but she never even got his name.

Sydney is officially back to the drawing board and continues to go about her normal routine. Work, dating apps, and outings with her girls. Everything is almost back to status quo, until one of her best friends is brutally murdered in her own apartment. Of course, Sydney swears off the dating apps – for a while anyways. After what she considers an appropriate amount of time off for grieving, she has a coffee date with a new match. They are having a wonderful time during their meet up, but then Sydney suffers a nosebleed that sends him running out the door. Sydney is left with the bill and in a state of shock – Mystery Man is in the coffee shop and he is approaching her!

Finally, the man she has been pining over since their first encounter is talking to her and his name is Tom. He is a total babe, respectful, and a doctor too. Could things be any more perfect? As they pursue a relationship, Sydney has a hard time thinking otherwise – other than some glaring red flags, that is. Maybe, Tom is just a full fledged commitmentphobe. Or perhaps he’s harboring his own dark secrets that Sydney is none the wiser to. All she knows is that Tom might not be who she thinks he is. So who is her Mystery Man, really? Read The Boyfriend to find out!

I wouldn’t go as far as to say that The Boyfriend was the best book I have ever read. There was, however, a lot that I liked about it. As you all know, I love a book with alternating narrators and this one went back and forth between present day Sydney and Tom in the past. This really added to the sense of urgency revolving around Sydney because every time we circled back to Tom’s childhood, we learned a new disturbing fact. While we could see things for what they were, she had no idea and it made her situation that much more dire. The grand reveal was also quite the shocking one despite my super sleuthing.

Where this book fell short for me was in terms of characters. When I consider a “good” book, I think about ones where I felt really connected with the characters. The Boyfriend lacked this significantly. Sydney was a very milquetoast leading lady and read as completely desperate more often that not. Tom, on the other hand, was your typical “love interest with a dark past” and it was rather stereotypical as opposed to something fresh and new. This was too bad because the plot was definitely one I was interested in but the characters lacked that special something to really drive it home.

Overall, I am going to rate The Boyfriend with a six out of ten stars. If you are looking for a decent quick read, I recommend it. If you are on the hunt for a book with a bit more oomph, then it is one you can certainly skip on!

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

Sep10

Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 8 “Nailbiter Returns” By Joshua Williamson Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 8 “Nailbiter Returns” By Joshua Williamson 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 the final volume in the horror series, Nailbiter. From start to finish, Nailbiter was a wild ride and Nailbiter Returns did a good job of wrapping things up. Minus ending on a massive cliffhanger!! As of now, there are no new Nailbiters in the works and it is a shame because I’d love to see what happens next. But, I digress. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on Nailbiter Returns for graphic violence, gore, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

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Volume Eight of Nailbiter picked up right where Volume Seven left off: A high school game called the Buckaroo Brawl was made up by a young Crane and Warren. The game should have ended a long time ago but it has started back up again with look alike Buckaroo Butchers slaying citizens and harvesting their eyeballs for a new Master. Warren, Finch, Crane, and Alice return to Buckaroo at the end of Volume Seven to put an end to the new game where it all began. And Volume Eight begins.

Upon our ragtag team’s arrival in Buckaroo, they are almost immediately separated and Alice finds herself deep in the woods. As she tries to make her way back to the others, it begins to rain. Not regular old rain, but blood. Alice hallucinates nightmares before her very eyes until Warren tracks her down and leads her to where he knows they need to go. It isn’t an underground tunnel or a laboratory, rather it’s the home of Warren’s former high school fling whose ties to the Butchers go far deeper than just an appreciation.

In the house, one of the look alike Butchers hurls Warren and Alice into a dark room where Crane, Finch, and FBI Agent Danny are found in chains. A grand reunion is promised and it is there that they meet the new Master. This is a highly inconvenient time to be dealing with a bunch of cosplay serial killers as the Master has a plan: To rain blood all over Portland and let people experience horror as they never have before. With the Master and game in full force in Buckaroo and a catastrophe underway in Portland, decisions must be made for the safety of all. Can both be stopped? Read Nailbiter to find out!

If you recall, Volume Seven was my least favorite of the Nailbiter series. In my opinion, Nailbiter could have ended with Volume Six and that would have been fine. I’m not sure how I feel about Nailbiter Returns because I wasn’t privy to the plot of the Buckaroo Brawl to begin with. It felt like grasping at straws and that was disappointing as the series has always felt so confident in what it was. I did like the outcome of Volume Eight as well as the introduction of the Master. However, it seemed too little too late and I would have much preferred for this story line to have come forward earlier in the series. Then, these final two volumes wouldn’t have felt like such an afterthought.

While I didn’t much care for Volume Seven and Eight, I really did enjoy everything in the series leading up to it and I’m glad to have read it. Nailbiter is the first graphic novel series I have read that truly felt like horror. The plot of a small town with a double digit amount of serial killers is an instantly gripping one and I just had to know more. There were an abundance of jump scares, serial killers, and crazy twists and turns that any horror fan would appreciate. It was also very easy to get attached to the characters and that made every situation even more shocking. I wish there was more because the final panel of the series leaves A LOT more questions than answers!

Overall, I am going to rate Nailbiter Returns with a five out of ten stars. It was good, but not great. Don’t let this be a deterrent to not read the series, though! I still highly, highly recommend it.

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

Sep7

Groovy Movies: Longlegs Edition

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Groovy Movies: Longlegs Edition

Hello!! There haven’t been too many movies that have come out in theaters recently that Johnny and I have wanted to see. The only one was Longlegs. We had grand plans to have a Middle Class Fancy night on the town of dinner and a show a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, the movie wasn’t playing at any convenient times so we just went home. We both still agreed that we would like to see it sooner than later, so we ended up renting it this past weekend. I honestly haven’t stopped thinking about it since. In the good or bad way? The jury’s still out! But let’s discuss further in a spoiler free setting with a trigger warning placed on Longlegs for graphic violence, gore, and highly disturbing content. Here we go:

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

Long(legs) story short… Agent Lee Harker has been assigned to a serial killer case that has gone cold. In the killings, entire families are annihilated with no rhyme or reason. In fact, physical evidence to place anyone at the scene of the crime is nonexistent. All that is left at every scene is a coded message signed by a person calling themselves Longlegs. A true game of cat and mouse between the FBI and the killer ensues and the only guarantee is that Longlegs will strike again. And soon. Lee Harker must dig deep into her mind and her past because the answers are all there, if she can remember them, of course. What happens next? Watch Longlegs to find out!

OKAY, so when we began our viewing of Longlegs, Johnny and I were SO in. The soundtrack was bumping, the first scene was shocking, and a wild ride of a movie seemed promising. I found Maika Monroe as Lee Harker to be very dull right from the jump and that opinion didn’t change. This was okay, though, because we were exclusively there for Nick Cage. Normally, I would say that that man couldn’t act his way out of a paper bag. As the titular character, however, he was masterful. Eerie, disturbing, and so disgusting to look at that you couldn’t look away. He had me completely hooked and I remained that way until I wasn’t.

The first half of Longlegs was purely procedural cat and mouse. This is mine and Johnny’s favorite type of story line and we were loving it. Then, it took a drastic turn and for the worse. What began as something that *almost* seemed plausible did a total one eighty as it shifted from real life to the demonic. This is when I found my interest fading and fast. Do I understand the delving into the paranormal? Sure. Did I like it? Not one bit. This huge change halfway through the flick seemed haphazard – like a cop out. The supernatural shift also felt incredibly flimsy, as if this was the first thing that stuck to the wall and the director said “okay”. We saw the movie through until the end but my opinion changed to “this was stupid” as opposed to the banner reception I had of the first half.

I feel very conflicted about Longlegs and I think I keep thinking about it because I wanted to like it more than I actually did. I plan on watching it one more time, but I wouldn’t call it a “must watch” by any means. I am going to give it five out of ten stars. Five for the first half and zilch for the rest!

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

Aug29

Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 7 “Nailbiter Returns” By Joshua Williamson Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 7 “Nailbiter Returns” By Joshua Williamson 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 the seventh volume of Nailbiter called “Nailbiter Returns”. I am so sad because I only have one more volume to go in the series and have no idea what to read next! Volume Six of Nailbiter left off on a massive cliffhanger and, honestly, the series could have ended there. Nailbiter Returns was such a “but wait – there’s more!” move and I am glad to have read it. However, it definitely wasn’t as strong as its predecessors. Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a big fat trigger warning on Volume Seven for gore, graphic violence, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

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Volume Six of Nailbiter left us in a total bloodbath – both literally and metaphorically. It was bloody and in a bathroom lol. It was a fight to the death between former high school sweethearts and parents to Alice, Sheriff Crane and Edward “Nailbiter” Warren. There was no telling who lived or who died and that brings us right into Volume Seven. We meet Alice at the Butcher Bar in Portland, Oregon as Buckaroo got completely obliterated mere days ago. She returns home from her night out to find her mom missing and knows there’s only one person to go to in a situation like this – Nicholas Finch.

As it just so happens, Finch has to leave his cozy set up with his partner and child in Texas to head to Portland himself. There was a massive car accident which normally wouldn’t be cause to call Finch in. However, what was found in the trunk of one of the vehicles certainly requires his expertise – the body of a Buckaroo Butcher called Lucha Eliminador who has been dead for years. In fact, none of the Butchers except for the Nailbiter is currently alive. His whereabouts are unknown to everyone. Everyone except Finch anyways.

After reuniting with Alice, Finch brings her to daddy dearest who is residing in a glass box in a basement – exactly where Finch left him. Their reunion is short lived because Finch receives a call for a double murder and, as she does, Alice tags along. The scene they arrive upon is gruesome and it appears that the victims in the situation killed two Buckaroo Butchers – both of which should be dead. Before Finch can even question them, Alice is in the car with the victims – except they don’t look like the victims anymore. They look like the Clown Car Killer and The Blonde and promise to bring Alice to her mom if she takes them to where her dad is.

Alice guns it back to the basement where the Nailbiter is kept and Finch trails in pursuit. During their drive, we are introduced to more Butchers like the Silent Movie Killer and Terrible Two. They seem to be in on a game and want to have their sick idea of fun. The game? A bunch of look alike Butchers committing murders, stealing eyeballs for points, and gifting them to a new Master. The inventors of the Buckaroo Brawl? None other than Crane and the Nailbiter. In an intense final shootout, Alice is reunited with her mom and learns that the Warren who attacked her wasn’t Warren at all. Just someone who bears a striking resemblance. There are still several Butchers who are left in the game and there is only one place left to find them. In the final volume, the gang is heading back to Buckaroo: Where it all began.

I am not sure how I feel about Nailbiter Returns. In a way, I liked it. However, the bigger part of me wishes that the series ended with Volume Six and the ultimate cliffhanger – did Crane and Warren live or die? The “reincarnation” so to speak of the Butchers in Volume Seven seemed like grasping at straws to keep the story going. It was a good story and the Buckaroo Brawl is certainly an interesting idea. I also enjoyed getting to learn about more of the Butchers, even if they were just look alikes. But was it necessary? Not really, no.

Of course, I’m looking forward to the grand finale of Volume Eight. But, in my opinion, nothing trumps what I feel should be the original grand finale of Volume Six. All good things must come to an end – even your favorite series. Nailbiter Returns was highly entertaining and there’s no doubt about that. It’s never good to read something that feels like a last ditch effort to keep something going, though, and that’s what it felt like as I read Volume Seven. Maybe I’ll think differently with the series finale, but this was easily the most disappointing volume so far.

Overall, I am going to rate Nailbiter Returns with a five and a half out of ten stars. Was it good? Yes. Was it great? No. I have come to expect excellence from the Nailbiter series and this one fell totally flat.

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

Aug23

Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 6 “The Bloody Truth” By Joshua Williamson Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 6 “The Bloody Truth” By Joshua Williamson 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 the sixth volume of the Nailbiter series called The Bloody Truth. As per ushe, I finished it in one sitting and spent a majority of my time audibly saying “oh shit” while reading. Lol, this was easily the most insane volume of the series and might just be my favorite one yet. Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a big fat trigger warning for gore, graphic violence, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

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The Bloody Truth begins with a whole lot of… blood. As a Christmas miracle, Edward “Nailbiter” Warren was shot, Finch is currently being tortured by a serial killer named the Book Burner, and Sheriff Crane was stabbed in her home by a rogue Agent Barker. As Alice rushes to the hospital to tend to her mother and avoid her serial killer dad, big things are happening in Buckaroo. It is the grand reopening of the Murder Store that is being operated by a Buckaroo Butcher named The Blonde. Sadly for the eager customers, they will never set foot in the store because in an instant, Buckaroo goes up in smoke.

Unsurprisingly, the Book Burner has a thing for fire and lots of it. He has placed explosives throughout the course of the underground tunnels that run through Buckaroo and it’s time for the big show. To keep the mystery of the Butchers forever a mystery, the explosives detonate and the city must be evacuated. It’s awfully hard for Crane and Warren to escape as they are unconscious in the hospital. While Alice struggles to get both her mother and father out, she gets a helping hand in the worst way possible. The Book Burner is there to take the happy family in its entirety and leads them straight into hell.

Crane, Warren, Alice, Finch, and Agent Barker all find themselves in the underground tunnels and meet The Master (And no, I can’t tell you who it is! What I can say is that he is no stranger.). We also finally learn the secrets of the Buckaroo Butchers, the experiments that turned people into killers, and what The Master was trying so desperately to protect. It doesn’t mean anything, however, if no one makes it out of the tunnels alive. As the explosives continue to detonate, there is a rumbling in the tunnels and our ragtag team must flee. Will anyone survive? Or will the mystery of the Buckaroo Butchers be forever buried underground? Read Nailbiter to find out!

Wow. Wow. WOW. After reading the fifth volume of Nailbiter, I knew that they were setting the stage for all hell to break loose in the remaining volumes. What I didn’t expect was for this to fully happen in The Bloody Truth, but it did and it was nuts. From the very first page to the last, there were twists, turns, reveals, and jump scares that left me completely shook. Each volume built tension that you could cut with a knife and it was simply thrilling to read of its release. There was a lot that I liked in every volume until now, but The Bloody Truth took the cake in a major way.

I consider myself an amateur detective when I read and have a fairly high success rate of solving grand reveals well before it happens. This was not the case for this volume of Nailbiter whatsoever. I had no clue who The Master was and the mystery of the Buckaroo Butchers had me stumped. There were so many red herrings that threw me off the scent and that’s okay! If anything, it was more motivation to keep reading because I hated not knowing. Joshua Williamson did a masterful job of using smoke and mirrors to cover up any inklings that I originally had and it turned flipping through a graphic novel into a full fledged experience. The Nailbiter series could have ended with The Bloody Truth but there are two more volumes left and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

I am going to rate The Bloody Truth with the coveted ten out of ten stars. This was, hands down, the best volume of the bunch and is sure to satisfy the readers who have been craving answers as soon as they started the Nailbiter series. Bravo!

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

Aug19

Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 5 “Bound By Blood” By Joshua Williamson Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 5 “Bound By Blood” By Joshua Williamson 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 discuss the fifth volume in the Nailbiter series called Bound By Blood. Like its predecessors, I devoured volume five in one sitting. There are only three more volumes left in the series and I have been trying to exercise self control to draw it out. However, I just can’t stop reading once I crack open a new one – it’s that good! Before we begin our chat on Bound By Blood, I will be placing a big fat trigger warning for gore, graphic violence, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

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We can’t very well dive into Volume Five without recapping a few things. In Volume Three, we learned that Sheriff Crane is actually Alice’s mom and she put her daughter up for adoption. Any guesses on who the father is? If you said Crane’s high school sweetheart, Edward “Nailbiter” Warren, then you are spot on! We also experienced a shocking finale in Volume Four – the murder of Eliot Carrol by a one Agent Barker of the FBI. If you recall, Agent Barker, Finch, and Warren were working a case in Atlanta, Georgia. With Barker detained and the biggest lead on the mystery of the Buckaroo Butchers dead, Finch and Warren have no choice but to head back to Oregon and continue the investigation.

Back in Buckaroo, Sheriff Crane is still working the lead that Warren gave her about the town doctor – Doctor Glory who is almost certainly involved in the mystery of the butchers. She is assisted by Buckaroo’s mortician, Reverend Fairgold, and a very unlikely source – a freshly released Butcher whose name is Joy. She is much better known as The Blonde, though, and she offers insight, intel, and the hinting of even more information on Warren. We are also introduced to another Butcher named the Fatal Killer who has never been caught, dead or alive.

As Sheriff Crane is hard at work, Alice is struggling. After the news of who her father really is spread like wildfire, she was kicked out of her foster home and is terrorized by classmates. Dear old serial killer dad is back in Buckaroo and wants to help his daughter avoid a self fulfilling prophecy of becoming a killer too. Rather than take Alice to the tunnels under the serial killer graveyard, he takes her to school instead. The tunnels there don’t lead through underground catacombs but to a lab that is filled with tanks of blood.

In the laboratory, we learn exactly how Doctor Glory was involved and why, but there is no time for that now. The masked killer in black is hot on the tail of Alice and Warren as they have their father/daughter outing. The duo is forced to split up as the situation gets dicey. Warren gets away, but Alice ends up in the grips of the killer yet again. This time, he has other plans than to kill her. He wants to introduce Alice to The Master. Who or what is it? Keep reading Nailbiter to find out!

Bound By Blood was an exciting read because we received tons of missing pieces to solve the mystery of the Buckaroo Butchers. We gained a lot of intel, most importantly about the lab in the school that Warren took Alice to. Of course, we were only given as much as Joshua Williamson wanted us to have and it only intensifies the anticipation of Volume Six. There is the potential that these clues don’t mean anything or mean everything, but Bound By Blood really made me feel like we are on the right path for the first time in the series.

Volume Five also treated us to the tying up of several loose ends – primarily in bringing Sheriff Crane and Warren into present day as a mother and father. This is an especially intriguing point in the plot because there is no telling how Alice, their daughter, factors into it. In Bound By Blood we see her struggle between good and evil in real time, begging the question of where she will end up by the end of the series. There are so many possibilities and I have my theories. I can’t wait to see if I was right. 😀

One other point of interest that Bound By Blood brought us was the more formal introduction of two of the Buckaroo Butchers. We got to know The Blonde and the Fatal Killer in a more in depth way than just a few blurbs throughout the series. This is something that I have been hoping for as I work my way through Nailbiter as there are sixteen Buckaroo Butchers and we don’t know a lot about the majority of them. I am keeping my fingers crossed that Volume Six will allow us to better see the rest of the Butchers as our protagonists continue their investigation!

Overall, I am going to rate Volume Five of Nailbiter with an eight out of ten stars. I loved the different story lines, new characters, and information that we got out of Bound By Blood. I have a feeling that Volume Six is going to be the craziest yet as the series winds down!

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

Aug13

Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 4 “Blood Lust” By Joshua Williamson Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 4 “Blood Lust” By Joshua Williamson 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 the fourth volume of Nailbiter called Blood Lust. This horror series has been simply riveting and unputdownable in every sense of the word. I don’t think I have ever read a graphic novel before with jump scares that literally make me say “oh shit” out loud lol! Like its predecessors, I finished Volume Four in one sitting and am so happy to have the entire collection so I can keep greedily reading away. Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a big fat trigger warning for gore, graphic violence, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

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Volume Three of Nailbiter involved a lot of time traveling into the past. Volume Four involves actual travel because the panic of the Buckaroo Butchers has spread across America. As suspended Sheriff Crane tends to her injured daughter, Alice, Finch and Agent Barker of the FBI are working on a new case. In Atlanta, Georgia a serial killer has been making quite a splash. The “Devil Killer” poses and mutilates his victims so they look like demons and his body count is rising. The local police have who they consider to be the primary suspect, except he won’t talk which is why Barker and Finch are called in. His name is Daniel and he proclaims his innocence. However, his birth place of Buckaroo, Oregon made the local force convinced he was the killer.

Meanwhile in Buckaroo, Edward “Nailbiter” Warren is MIA after encountering the masked killer in the tunnels underneath the serial killer graveyard. Crane has more pressing things on her mind, though. Between caring for Alice, she does some investigating of her own into Doctor Glory who works at the hospital and was warned about from Warren. She also seeks out town records that were supposedly destroyed in a fire. Where else would these records be except under the church of Reverend Fairgold that was built over the ashes of the old town hall. A begrudging alliance is formed between these two enemies – Fairgold will give Crane the records if they work together to stop the murders in Buckaroo and our time in Oregon draws to a close.

Back in Atlanta, Finch and Barker are hard at work tracking down the real Devil Killer as they are sure of Daniel’s innocence. As they investigate, Barker experiences pounding headaches and imagines scenes of graphic violence against anyone who looks at her sideways. This doesn’t sidetrack her too much and we learn that all of the Devil Killer’s victims are people who were formerly from Buckaroo. These people sought a life away from their hometown under new identities so they would have better shots at education, employment, and love. They needed help to make their escape and it came from an unlikely source: The Nailbiter, himself.

At the latest crime scene of the Devil Killer, Finch and Barker are reunited with Warren who has been in Atlanta since his run in with the masked killer. As we all know, Warren loves to play god and would track people from Buckaroo to see if they were being good boys and girls. He killed along the way and helped those who wanted a new life to flee. There are only two of Warren’s escapees left alive in Atlanta and the Devil Killer is still on the loose. Who could it be? And what is the shocking finale to volume four? Give it a read and find out!

Blood Lust strayed from the traditional formula of being confined strictly to Buckaroo like the first three volumes. It was quite a jump to go from the doom and gloom of Oregon to sunny Atlanta. This might seem like a pointless plot to the story line of solving the Buckaroo Butchers mystery, but it is most certainly not. The reasoning why is a huge spoiler, which I am so not about! What I can say, is that it is amazing how far the reach of the powers that be expands.

Volume Four gave us the opportunity to learn more about Agent Barker. She was a pretty minor role up until now so it was interesting to see her and Finch work together because they don’t exactly see eye to eye. We also got to experience very different sides of Finch and Warren as they worked the Devil Killer case, which was cool to see. In terms of intel to the mystery at hand, we gained a great big goose egg. This was similar to Volume Two and it might cause a bit of frustration to inquiring minds. However, Volume Two set the stage for absolute mayhem in the next issues and that is surely the case for what’s to come in Volume Five. I can’t wait to read it!

I am going to rate Volume Four of Nailbiter with a seven out of ten stars. This was probably my least favorite in the series so far but that’s not to say that it wasn’t really good! It was, but I expect Volume Five to be even better!

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

Aug11

Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 3 “Blood In The Water” By Joshua Williamson Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 3 “Blood In The Water” By Joshua Williamson 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 discuss the third volume in the Nailbiter graphic novel series called Blood In The Water. After finishing Volume One and Two in one sitting each, I couldn’t wait to pick up volumes three through eight at JC Comics. I had no chill on Volume Three either because I completed it in one go too! The story is so gripping and the artwork is so fantastic that I literally couldn’t stop and I am looking forward to cracking open the fourth one. Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a big fat trigger warning for gore, strong violence, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

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Blood In The Water begins where Volume Two ends – we are nowhere closer to solving the mystery of the Buckaroo Butchers, a masked killer is wreaking havoc, and Finch is preparing to interrogate Edward “Nailbiter” Warren for much needed answers. As a disgraced NSA agent, Finch has very… nontraditional ways of getting people to talk. After a grueling back and forth, Warren is finally ready to spill and they head to Sheriff Crane’s house to debrief and plan their next moves.

In the process of Finch questioning Warren and Crane trying to enjoy her one day off, trouble of a non serial killer related kind is brewing. If you recall from Volume Two, our Reverend Fairgold has a lot more than preaching on his mind. His beloved son was murdered and he wants someone, anyone to pay. Knowing that the cops are essentially going about this case blind, he encourages a group of vigilantes to take justice into their own hands with he as their fearless leader. If you also recall from Volume Two, Warren and Crane were high school sweethearts. How convenient that Finch, Warren, and the vigilantes end up on Crane’s doorstep at the exact same time.

Crane, Finch, and Warren make a quick getaway and go to the place where all of Buckaroo’s secrets are buried: The serial killer graveyard. Under the graveyard is a series of tunnels and jail cells and Warren knows them like the back of his hand. As they explore for answers, they stumble upon the lair of the newest killer – and the masked man himself yielding gigantic blades in each hand. With a gravely injured member of their party in tow, Warren insists on playing the hero and tries to fight off the killer… and his partner? As one person clings to life, someone with answers is finally awake. What can Eliot Carroll tell us in Volume Four? I can’t wait to find out!

WOW did Volume Three pack a punch. I actually think this might be my favorite one in the series yet. We gained a lot more intel and can really begin to see how the loose ends of the story will eventually tie together. Not only did we learn more information for the present mystery, but we also got to time travel to the past. Blood In The Water deep dived into Warren and Crane’s high school romance and its downfall. And, to add a cherry on top, we finally found out why Sheriff Crane is protective over Alice, Buckaroo’s resident weird teen. It was exactly what I wanted!

Blood In The Water was so excellent because of the previous two volumes. One and Two truly set the stage for the craziness that occurred on each page. Plots and details that other readers deemed “pointless” from the past two volumes became indispensable and goes to show that patience is a virtue in graphic novels. Like any good book, all can’t be revealed right off the jump. Volume Three was a testament to this and should serve as a healthy reminder to skeptics that the author, Joshua Williamson, will never stray us far from the path unless he has a good reason.

I am going to rate Blood In The Water with the coveted ten out of ten stars. Everything I wanted to know thus far in the series was answered and it doesn’t get better than that. I have a strong feeling that this is the turning point in Nailbiter when things get really good and I am so happy to have the full collection so I can binge read away!

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

Aug3

Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 2 “Bloody Hands” By Joshua Williamson Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 2 “Bloody Hands” By Joshua Williamson Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new, spoiler free edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! I was introduced to the Nailbiter series at my favorite local comic shop, JC’s, thanks to an excellent recommendation from the owner. During my last trip there, I purchased volume one and two of the series and completed the first one in one sitting. I thought I was going to have to nurse volume two until the special order for the rest of the volumes got shipped to JC’s. Blessedly, it arrived quickly and I was able to pick up the rest of them on Friday. So I devoured volume two, too! Before we begin our discussion on Bloody Hands, I will be placing a big fat trigger warning for graphic violence, gore, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

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Bloody Hands begins where There Will Be Blood left off. Finch and Sheriff Crane have located the man they were searching for, Eliot Carroll, in an underground tunnel beneath what is known as the Serial Killer Graveyard. He is in bad shape and his colleagues are nowhere closer to solving the mystery behind their town of Buckaroo and why it is the birth place to a double digit amount of serial killers. There are several working theories, but none of them are quite right. And, as panic spreads throughout Buckaroo compliments of the murders in volume one, the townsfolk begin to act out in their own uniquely awful ways.

Of course, we are only two volumes into Nailbiter and that is not enough time to make real traction in finding answers. Rather, Bloody Hands helps set the stage for what is to come. We are introduced to The Whistler, another famous serial killer who has a love of “whistling while he works” on his victims. Finch also tracks down a lead that Eliot was working on at a bee farm ran by a deranged grandfather and grandson duo. Buckaroo used to be a blossoming community thanks to its exports of honey. Then, the bees died suddenly and inexplicably. This is the last functional farm in the town and Eliot couldn’t help but wonder if there is a connection between the bees and the Buckaroo Butchers. The jury is still out.

Finally, we get a taste of the zealots of Buckaroo who are trying to turn the town around by any means necessary. Reverend Fairgold begins to fearmonger throughout the streets. He urges the power of prayer and for the townsfolk to share their secrets to shed light on why the devil resides in Buckaroo. Fairgold is extremely insistent on this to our Sheriff Crane as it is revealed that Edward “Nailbiter” Warren was her high school sweetheart in volume one. He, and most of the community, believe that she is helping him in some way. The fact of the matter, though, is that Finch and Crane need Warren’s assistance to get anywhere closer to solving the mystery. Bloody Hands ends with Finch in Warren’s home taking him up on this whether he likes it or not. How will the interrogation go? We’ll find out in volume three!

Although we didn’t learn too much new intel about the Buckaroo Butchers in Bloody Hands, I still thought it was a strong volume. It didn’t pack as much as a punch as There Will Be Blood because the primary focus in this one was the townsfolk themselves. Even if we didn’t get all of the answers we were hoping for, Bloody Hands needed to happen to paint a full picture of Buckaroo because that includes the people that reside there – not just the serial killers. It was extremely interesting to see the measures the residents were taking. Perhaps the most gripping was Issue Nine called School Bus, when the long term bus driver of Buckaroo, Mister Crowe, has his own ideas in mind for how the town should be cleansed.

Bloody Hands was also helpful in relationship development. We really get to see Finch and Crane take their partnership in stride as they work the case. The friendship between Crane and the resident “weird teenager”, Alice, also deepens and she becomes the unofficial tag along throughout the volume. It isn’t revealed how Alice and Crane are connected and I am looking forward to finding that out. I’m not sure if Alice knows Crane because she’s a troubled youth or is, perhaps, her kid sister. Either way, this is A-okay with me because I adore Crane’s begrudging acceptance of Alice’s enthusiasm and huge attitude problem. It provides much needed relief in such an intense series and whatever partnership they have really begins to blossom in Bloody Hands.

Overall, I am going to rate Bloody Hands with a seven out of ten stars. Did we gain traction in solving why Buckaroo is the birth place of serial killers? No. Did this volume need to happen to give you a better understanding of everyone who lives in Buckaroo? Yes. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

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