Tag Archives: review

May27

Groovy Movies: The Devil Wears Prada 2 Edition

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Groovy Movies: The Devil Wears Prada 2 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 much anticipated sequel to one of my favorite chick flicks of all time – The Devil Wears Prada. One of my fondest memories is going to see the first one in theaters with my mom, sister, and grandma and I will never forget exiting the theater together and gabbing away about all of the outfits we loved. I was so excited to repeat this process as a belated Mother’s Day outing for my mom and sister and the only thing that would have made it better was if my grandma could be there too! Us gals had the best time and we loved every second of the movie. I think we all can’t wait to see it again so let’s get to it so I can relive it lol:

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

Andy Sachs has made it as a journalist and has enjoyed an eventful two decades fulfilling her passion since leaving Runway. Of course, the fashion Bible was still going strong after Andy’s departure until everything came to a crashing halt. Miranda Priestly featured a fast fashion company that uses sweatshop labor for their clothing and failed to vet them properly. She is immediately on the Internet’s chopping block for this major faux pas and things aren’t looking much better for Andy, either. The paper she just won an award for writing in terminated all of their employees via text.

While Andy starts the process of finding a new gig, she receives a phone call from the CEO of Runway’s parent company. They want to hire her as the new culture writer to set Runway up on a positive trajectory after the latest scandal. Oh yeah, Andy is back at Runway… If only Miranda could remember who she is! Through good old fashioned hard work, Andy has managed to combat the Runway media storm and the CEO is pleased. So much so that he wants to offer Miranda a big promotion at his birthday party. Sadly, that promotion never comes to fruition due to his untimely death and his son is now handling Runway’s future.

The problem? The new CEO doesn’t care about fashion whatsoever and will be downsizing Runway’s operations significantly. The budgets across all departments are bare bones and to Miranda’s great disdain, there will be no more company cars or flying first class. The solution? Find someone else to purchase Runway and let Miranda’s vision continue. In an unlikely alliance, Andy teams up with Emily to save Runway. But is one of them only saving themselves? Watch The Devil Wears Prada 2 to find out!

This sounds silly but being reunited on screen with Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci, and Emily Blunt was like seeing old friends again. I have seen The Devil Wears Prada upwards of one hundred times and it was honestly so special to see the sequel on the big screen with my favorite gals. Was the second one as good as the first? No and I have no problem saying that because it’s true. However, was it fun? Was it hilarious? Was the fashion absolutely impeccable? Yes. Yes. And a resounding YES!! The sequel was everything we all loved about The Devil Wears Prada and it was the most delightful celebration of such an iconic movie.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 gifted us with all of the characters we know and love and was filled with Easter eggs galore! Peep those iconic blue belts within the first few seconds of the movie and listen in for songs played in the first one too. Between the waves of nostalgia with these little tips of the cap, I was in stitches because everything Miranda Priestly and Nigel said was literally the funniest things I have ever heard. And, while I wasn’t glassy eyed over favorite memories or belly laughing I was simply drooling. Those. Clothes!! Every piece worn was nothing but the best and truly spectacular. What I wouldn’t give for that gorgeous bejeweled coat Miranda was rocking. Or that little plaid number that Andy wore?! Ugh. Chef’s kiss. ❤

Overall, I am going to rate The Devil Wears Prada 2 with an eight out of ten stars. Nothing beats the OG but the sequel is an absolute must see!

What is your favorite movie? What is your favorite fashion moment from The Devil Wears Prada? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May26

If The Shoe Fits: ANEFUN Wheelies Edition

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If The Shoe Fits: ANEFUN Wheelies Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of If The Shoe Fits! As you all know, I live in heels during the weekend. During the work week when I am out and about with clients or on a content shoot, however, is when I wear a sad pair of Nikes that were purchased around fifteen years ago when I was in my PacSun era. For the past several months, my Nikes began falling apart and the sole of one of them finally came clean off when I was at the gym. My sneakers had a good run but it was time for something new. Something different. Something with wheels? Oh yeah!

Wheelie shoes became popular in my childhood and I coveted them so badly. I never did get a pair but that’s okay because I got one now at the tender age of almost thirty-two lol. These ANEFUN wheelie sneakers hit me right in the childhood and I can’t wait to bust them out to walk or skate around town! Check it out:

Am I any good at rollerskating? No. Do I care? Absolutely not because these shoes are just pure FUN! I was hopeful that these could double as regular old tennies for my family vacation to Italy but they are, admittedly, pretty clunky. I’ll have to get a normal pair of walking shoes for that, which isn’t as fun as shopping for heels but it is still shoe shopping at least! 😀 Until then, these ANEFUN shoe skates will work just fine. I adore the pastel pop colors against the stark white and when the wheels are up they are like wearing platform sneakers which I am all about. These bad boys are funky, so unique, and transforming them into skates is as easy as pressing the button on the heel. I haven’t taken my skates to the streets yet but I have been practicing in my apartment where the only person who will laugh at me if I fall is Johnny lol. I’m pleased to report that that hasn’t happened yet. 🙂

If you are interested in these shoes for yourself, then heed my warning: Order a size down! I am a true blue size six and that is what I ordered. I was ecstatic when they arrived in the mail and then was immediately disappointed when I realized how big they were by a half a size at the bare minimum. I returned them and ordered a five, instead, and they are actually a bit big too but that problem will be solved by doubling up on ankle socks. These shoes were advertised for women and children but there is NO way a child could fit them when the smallest size had wiggle room for me. Proceed with caution for the sizes and proceed with caution in general because I am one thousand percent sure my butt will be on the pavement at some point when I skate in them!

There is nothing better than making a purchase that your childhood self would freak out over and my inner child definitely is! A trip to the Sketchers store will be in order for a classic pair of tennis shoes but I am going to be wearing my wheelies as often as possible. Be on the lookout for a new OOTD featuring them soon!

What was a toy or clothing item you really wanted as a child? Did you ever end up getting it? 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 Midnight Show By Lee Kelly & Jennifer Thorne Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Midnight Show By Lee Kelly & Jennifer Thorne 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 delightfully refreshing whodoneit by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne called The Midnight Show. I admit that I was a little ambivalent about this book for the first fifty or so pages but once I got used to the unique format and plethora of characters, I was SO in. I’m also pleased to report that I figured out the grand reveal way beforehand and it didn’t deter my enjoyment of this book in the slightest. The Midnight Show was an excellent palette cleanser as I work through the ultra intense Stillhouse Lake series and I highly recommend it. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Midnight Show for addiction and emotional abuse. You ready? Let’s go!

Lillian Martin was a beloved comedienne of the 1980s who had her big break on the first handful of seasons of The Midnight Show (Think Saturday Night Live and we’ll refer to it as TMS for short). She was thrust into fame with the members of her old improv troupe and TMS cast but that came at a cost. The last thing Lillian ever wanted was being chased down by fans, being sent psycho stalker letters, and feeling unsafe as she went about her daily life. The turmoil of her newfound celebrity as well as an abusive relationship led to addiction and she passed away before her time. However, was her passing suicide, murder, or simply an accident?

Forty years after Lillian’s death, Madeline Cohen who is a culture writer for Rolling Stone wants to dig deeper. Sure, she’d like to solve Lillian’s cold case but she is also interested in how the male centered world of comedy might have played a part in Lillian’s downfall. Through interviews with Lillian’s estranged family and former TMS castmates, Madeline begins to put together the pieces of the years leading up to one of the leading ladies of comedy’s death. Each cast member believes that one of their former crew had something to do with Lillian’s untimely passing. But who? Read The Midnight Show to find out!

The Midnight Show was written primarily through TMS cast interviews as well as email correspondence and newspaper clippings. It almost read more like a script for a play rather than a novel and it was a lot to take in all at once as former castmates were introduced rapidly. After the initial sense of being overwhelmed by all of the information, I found my bearings and was able to dive into The Midnight Show and relish every page. The plot was so intriguing and fast paced, the kooky TMS cast members were often hilarious, and it was an exciting and fresh take on a classic whodoneit.

There was one particular character who I just couldn’t get enough of and that was Gina Ross, Lillian’s BFF. Gina was bold, brash, and provided something to laugh about every time she appeared on page. Her sharp wit as she conversed with Madeline really pushed the story forward but underneath all of that humor, you could tell how much the tragedy of Lillian pained her. Make no mistake, though, Lillian’s demise pained everyone interviewed and everyone could be a suspect. My advice if you want to solve the mystery ahead of time too? Take off the rose colored glasses. Your favorite characters might just be covering up a murder!

I am going to award The Midnight Show with the coveted ten out of ten stars. This has got to be one of my favorite books that I have read all year and I think you will like it too!

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

May23

What Have We Been Watching?

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What Have We Been Watching?

Hello!! There is literally nothing better to me and Johnny than sitting down after work and watching TV. It’s our favorite way to unwind after a long day and I always look forward to our evening entertainment. We have a handful of shows that we have been cycling through and maybe you’ll enjoy them too! Let’s discuss:

My Hero Academia:

Johnny is not an anime fan in the slightest but I SO am. In fact, my brother and I recently started going to an anime club at the library to watch new shows and chat it up with likeminded individuals. During our last meeting we watched the first few episodes of My Hero Academia and I freaking loved it. So much so that I have been watching an episode every morning since while I eat my breakfast.

Long story short, the anime is basically like a superhero comic book. Children are born with powers or “quirks” as they call them and spend their days training to become a pro superhero. Our protagonist, Deku, was born with no quirks but it’s his dream to become a hero even without a special power. My Hero Academia follows his from zero to hero plot line and it is a delight! Action packed, hilarious, and heartwarming – this anime has got it all!

Farmer Wants A Wife:

Lololol. Johnny and I originally started watching season one of Farmer Wants A Wife as a joke. Then, somewhere along the way, it turned into one of our favorite dating shows. We are currently watching season four as it airs and it’s exactly what you would expect if you have seen the show before… Girls in terrible outfits trying to woo a farmer through hard work on their land and competing for fleeting moments of their attention. Is it stupid? Absolutely! Are we going to continue watching it for forever? ABSOLUTELY.

The Last Kingdom:

We watched The Last Kingdom when we first started dating and both agree that is superior to Game Of Thrones. Yeah, I said it! We decided to start watching it again from the beginning so we can finally watch the movie that ties the series together. The Last Kingdom is all about the Saxons and Danes as they fight for power across England. Every episode is full of surprises and the man candy of Uhtred is especially nice! I have forgotten a majority of this show and it feels like watching it for the first time. I am so glad we’re giving it another go and love our nightly viewings of an episode or two.

From:

I have wanted to watch the horror series From for ages and we finally began watching it about a month ago. Mere seconds into the first episode we were completely in and devoured the first three seasons. Now, sadly, we have to wait for the weekly new episode installment of season four and it sucks. I just want to binge watch it all!

The premise of From goes like this… A family is driving to a vacation destination when they come across a tree in the road causing them to turn around and find another way. Rather than hitting the highway, they come across a rundown town and continue to return to it. Eventually, they realize they are stuck with the townspeople in a place they can’t leave. What’s more, monsters come out at night slaying everyone in their path. From is twisty, turny, and harrowing and it is my new favorite show. The acting is sublime, the plot is so intriguing, and I’m constantly on pins and needles for what’s going to happen next!

It’s always fun to dive into a new series and you are in for a treat if you give any of these shows a go. They are great!

What are you currently watching? What was the last show you binge watched? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May21

Bath & Body Works Hand Soap Haul

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Bath & Body Works Hand Soap Haul

Hi! I always say this but it’s the truth and I will repeat it until the day I die… The foaming hand soaps from Bath & Body Works are the best. Period. Hands down. They have been a staple in my apartment for the past seven years and change and that will never change! I am always excited when I realize that my stock pile is running low because that means a B&BW shopping trip to explore new scents. Every fragrance I picked this time around was brand new to the store or to me so let’s discuss further to see if you can find your go to summer smell goods too:

Wash, Rinse, Repeat: The fragrance notes offered in Wash, Rinse, Repeat are “breezy palm trees, fresh apple, and sunny amber” and it most definitely makes me want to wash, rinse, and repeat! This scent is a warm day on the beach with a delicious ocean breeze. I can almost hear the seagulls squawking every time I smell it! This is sun, sand, and surf to the T and is absolutely perfect for sweet summertime. This is easily one of my favorites of the bunch.

Disney Princess Collection – Mulan: I have not dabbled in the Disney Princess collection at B&BW simply because all of the scents smell like butt lol. However, I knew that a princess themed hand soap would delight my nieces and Mulan was the best of the bunch. It’s not my favorite by any means but I didn’t gag when I smelled it so into the shopping bag it went. The Mulan fragrance features notes of “magnolia blossom, fierce waters, and radiant apricot”. This scent is a dance between aquatic and floral and it’s nice but I wouldn’t buy it again.

Neapolitan Ice Cream: Have you ever had Neapolitan ice cream? Then you know exactly what this scent smells like! It is an intoxicating blend of “strawberry sauce, vanilla buttercream, and milk chocolate” and it smells good enough to eat. Fruity fragrances are my standard but I also loves me a dessert scent and Neapolitan Ice Cream has me craving a gallon of the good stuff and a chick flick movie marathon. SO yummy!

Kitchen Mandarin: Have you ever had a mandarin lol? Then you know exactly what this scent smells like! Kitchen Mandarin is a delightfully refreshing citrus scent with notes of “sparkling mandarin, fresh thyme, and cedarwood”. It is zesty and zingy and so invigorating! I am very partial to a citrus scent and I definitely prefer Kitchen Mandarin to the classic B&BW Kitchen Lemon. It’s just fun to change things up and I would happily buy this one again.

Berry Almond Drizzle: Speaking of dessert fragrances, we have Berry Almond Drizzle and oh my goodness is it fabulous. The scent notes include “homegrown berries, honeyed almonds, and vanilla bean” and it smells just like a fresh baked almond cookie. It is so rich and decadent and you really can smell the hints of honey and vanilla. If this doesn’t have you craving a sweet treat ASAP then I don’t know what will!

Minus the Mulan fragrance, the ones that remained were winners. I highly recommend all of them if you are on the hunt for new scents!

What is your go to hand soap brand? Do you enjoy fragrance shopping? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May20

Bath & Body Works May Freebies

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Bath & Body Works May Freebies

Howdy! I was running desperately low on my beloved foaming hand soaps from Bath & Body Works and was excited to hit the store for a reup. I had a percentage off coupon and could cash in two freebies that were burning a hole in my pocket and walked away with seven products for just twenty-two dollars. You can’t beat that! Tune in tomorrow to discuss some new hand soap fragrances but, first, let’s take a look at these fab freebies which equaled out to twenty-five bucks that I didn’t pay a dime for. Score!!

My family is going to Italy this year and it is my goal to get everyone in the party a travel size shower gel before our big vacation. I already have two for my mom and I and next on the agenda was Johnny! It is not often that I shop for men’s fragrances at B&BW so it was fun to dip my toes into their different collections. Speaking of dipping my toes in, I chose the Ocean scent for my main squeeze! Ocean features fragrance notes of “blue cypress, vetiver, and coastal air”. I’m not sure what blue cypress and vetiver are supposed to smell like but the coastal air rings true. I loves me an aquatic scent and Ocean is sun, sand, and surf to the T. It is so invigorating and fresh and I could definitely get used to Johnny using this shower gel! 😀

Thanks to my rewards points, I was also able to snag a full size freebie for myself and went with a new body lotion. It was a necessity because I only had a travel size lotion freebie left in my hoard and I’m saving that for Italy too. And, while I am a huge fan of B&BW’s body cream, it is much too heavy for the summer months ahead. I was amped to find that additional fragrance lines from Gingham were back in store and I opted for Gingham Fresh. Although nothing will ever surpass the OG Gingham, Gingham Fresh is a very close second with notes of “juicy pear, sparkling clementine, and fresh daisies”. There is no floral about this fragrance – only sweet/tart fruity delight and I just adore it! Gingham Fresh has all of the softness of a pear scent with the bite of citrus and it is perfect for summer. Highly recommend!

Next B&BW shopping plans? The summer Semi Annual Sale, of course! Bring on those sweet, sweet savings so I can rebuild my beauty care stock pile!

Do you shop the B&BW Semi Annual Sales? What do you normally purchase? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May19

Lil Red’s Book Club: Killman Creek By Rachel Caine Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Killman Creek By Rachel Caine 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 second book in the Stillhouse Lake series by Rachel Caine called Killman Creek. I dove into this series knowing nothing about it and all I have to say is: Holy twists and turns! I really enjoyed Stillhouse Lake and was hopeful that the second book would be just as good. I am pleased to report that Killman Creek was even better than its predecessor and I can’t wait to sink my teeth into the third book next! Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on Killman Creek for graphic violence, disturbing content, animal cruelty, and child abuse. You ready? Let’s get to it:

Killman Creek picked up exactly where Stillhouse Lake left off: Gwen saved her children, Lanny and Connor, from one of her serial killer ex-husband’s cronies by the skin of her teeth. And, oh yeah, her serial killer ex-husband, Melvin Royal, has escaped from jail which has put Gwen and the kids on the run once more. Their endless days of travel and seedy motels comes to a halt after Gwen receives a text from Melvin. He tells her that nowhere is safe. Rather than continue fleeing, Gwen decides to stop being the hunted and become the hunter instead. She leaves Lanny and Conner with her dear friends, Javier and Kezia, while her and Sam Cade begin tracking down the world’s most notorious serial killer.

Gwen and Sam figure the best place to start tracking down Melvin is to track down the people behind Absalom first. The hacker group, Absalom, used to be Gwen’s strongest ally in keeping herself and children safe. Little did she know in book one, they were feeding information to Melvin the whole time. With the help of Sam’s old acquaintance, Mike Lustig of the FBI, they have a starting point in Nowhere, USA to find an Absalom associate named Arden. She informs them of the address of someone higher up in the chain and they head to his remote cabin next.

Minus paper receipts and a hidden thumb drive in the cabin, Gwen and Sam come up with nothing. Until they enter a hidden door that leads them underground to a locked room. In their haste, they didn’t realize they were walking right into a trap and the cabin combusts. The thumb drive, however, proves to be worth its weight in gold as it provides another name: Ballantine Rivard. Rivard is an uber rich entrepreneur who has his own reasons for wanting to find Absalom and shows the duo something shocking acquired off of the dark net. A deep fake video of Gwen helping her husband abduct a victim: Sam’s sister. The deal? Track down members of Absalom and Rivard will pay to have the video removed.

Of course, Gwen has been acquitted as an accomplice and this video hasn’t seen the light of day. Regardless of if its fake or not, it drives a deep wedge in Sam and Gwen’s relationship. What’s more, her children have seen the video too and detest her for it. Gwen is now a woman with nothing to lose. Sam doesn’t trust her and her children want nothing to do with her. The only thing she can do to protect her kids now is to offer herself up as bait. Let Melvin come to her. And if he does, she will be the one to kill him. Will Gwen be able to make it out of this trap alive? Will the only relationships she cares about be salvaged? Read Killman Creek to find out!

Killman Creek was a delicious game of cat and mouse. Make no mistake, though, Sam and Gwen are most definitely the mice in this situation. No matter where they go or what they do, Absalom and Melvin are aware of it and it is up to them to think ten steps ahead. Until Gwen’s world comes crashing apart with the deep fake video. That is when all hell breaks loose, leaving Gwen to her own devices and proving to us once more that she is a woman not to be messed with. Every step forward in this book felt like a success until traps were revealed, guaranteeing danger with every turn of the page as well as the heartbreaking realization that beloved characters might not make it out alive.

As far as characters go, I can’t say that I’m a huge fan of Gwen’s son, Connor, but I absolutely love Gwen and her daughter, Lanny. Both of these gals are tough as nails, hurling themselves into danger rather than shying away from it to protect those that they love. They are brusque to the point of being stand offish but that is just a shield to keep themselves strong as they continue to navigate an impossible situation. Every action they make is done with the highest level of care and it simply radiates. It makes every instance they appear on the page so urgent because I like them both so much! They are, for sure, the stars of the Stillhouse Lake series and I am so looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book!

Overall, I am going to rate Killman Creek with a seven out of ten stars. This was a really strong sequel and sets the stage for even more craziness in book three!

Have you read the Stillhouse Lake series? Who is your favorite character? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May12

Alien Vacation Mini Golf

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Alien Vacation Mini Golf

Hello! This past weekend my brother, his friend, Johnny, and I went to the awesome Alien Vacation indoor mini golf course in Medina. We are all extremely partial to mini golf and this has got to be one of the best courses in our general vicinity. It was the perfect outing for a rainy spring day! We had a blast exploring all of the cool surprises under the blacklights of the Alien Vacation adventure. From huge animatronics and goofy alien antics to an under the sea and ancient Egypt room, this place had it all! The eighteen holes were just challenging enough and I even got a hole in one! Great success! Check it out:

The Alien Vacation mini golf course was an absolute delight and we all plan on going back there together again. It was incredibly reasonably priced at just twelve dollars to play through and also had a bar and snack shack to wet your whistle in the middle of the course. This was so unlike the typical outdoor courses that we have visited before and was a thousand percent worth the forty minute drive to get there. As soon as we stepped foot into Alien Vacation we were SO in. Then, we put on the 3D glasses and were SO out lol. They gave all of us a headache and we were back in once they were off lol.

The highlights of this course has got to be the ancient Egypt room, under the sea, and the jungle. What took the cake for everyone was, easily, the Legends Of The Hidden Temple vibes room as seen in the last picture. This one was WAY cool! You hit the ball up a ramp and it fell into a different slat depending on how hard you hit it. From there, the ball would travel through the breaks in the artwork to deposit the ball either close to the goal or far from it. It also featured pop up surprises and motion once the golf ball fell into the slats. We were seriously wowed by it and honestly could have kept playing that part again and again!

From start to finish, Alien Vacation was just pure fun and we were so appreciative and impressed by the amount of work that had to be put in to create it. This wasn’t a mini golf course to breeze through but one to take your time with and experience as we didn’t want to miss a thing! What made this outing even better is that we went on Star Wars Day weekend. That is a franchise I can take or leave but Johnny was ecstatic as they were playing the soundtrack throughout the course. It was SO epic to play mini golf to such triumphant themes and I could tell that my main squeeze was channeling his inner Han Solo the entire time! ❤

If you are in my neck of the woods or visiting, 12/10 would highly recommend an afternoon at the Alien Vacation mini golf course. I can’t wait to go back!

Do you have any cool mini golf courses near you? How do you usually fare in mini golf (I came in dead last lol)? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May11

Lil Red’s Book Club: A Perfectly Nice Family By Nicole Trope Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: A Perfectly Nice Family By Nicole Trope 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 Nicole Trope called A Perfectly Nice Family. This is the second book of Trope’s that I have read and it was pretty good! It didn’t blow my mind but it was still a solid, twisty suspense novel. After breezing through this book in three sittings, I am excited to start the second book in the Stillhouse Lake series next! Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a trigger warning on A Perfectly Nice Family for disturbing content, general violence, and sexual violence. Now, let’s get to it:

Stephanie is a divorced mother of two to sixteen year old Luke and twelve year old Avery and she is barely getting by. She works part time while trying to obtain a degree, care for her children, and budget like crazy to make ends meet. It doesn’t help that child support from her ex-husband, Doctor Christopher Gordan, is so sporadic and she is sick and tired of begging him to do better. However, a change in luck might put Stephanie’s financial troubles at bay. Thanks to a suggestion from her best friend, Gail, she has decided to rent the granny flat behind her home to a struggling family called the Kemps. They recently lost their home in a fire and need somewhere to stay until they gather their bearings.

In a mere few days, the Kemps have moved in. Husband and wife, Cecilia and Jason, as well as their fifteen year old daughter, Polly. Although she knows that this family has been through a lot, Stephanie can’t help but feel that she has made a big mistake. Jason might be kind and friendly but Cecelia and Polly are a different story. They are rude, mean spirited, and all around off putting. Each respective member of the family seems to be constantly at Stephanie’s door with a request or a complaint. They have signed a six month lease and it promises to be the longest six months of Stephanie and her kids’ lives.

Shortly after the Kemps move in, things in Stephanie’s home begin to fall apart. A broken dishwasher, rotted window frames, and busted pipes occur within weeks. All repairs that Stephanie simply can’t afford to make. She has been suspicious of the Kemps since their arrival. There are no traces of them on the internet and their strange demeanor can’t go unnoticed. But, surely, they are A Perfectly Nice Family, right? Unfortunately, they are far from it and the damage that the Kemps are causing is just beginning. What is their end game? Read this book to find out!

A Perfectly Nice Family fell under my “good but not great” category. I did enjoy the quick read, though! This book went back and forth between Stephanie, Cecilia, and Avery and I loves me a back and forth narrator. It’s always interesting to read the different perspectives and watch as the pieces begin to come together! As far as the plot went, it was a classic Lifetime Movie novel (As Johnny calls my books!) through and through… Strangers are introduced, strange things start happening, and you know the rest. It wasn’t the most inspired story I have ever read but it definitely kept me turning the pages. Even though I easily figured out the grand reveal! Detective Lil Red on the case!

My primary issue with A Perfectly Nice Family were the characters. While I was, of course, rooting for Stephanie and her family, I failed to feel any kind of connection with them. They just seemed to be there to move the plot along and, of course, I sympathized with them deeply but I didn’t have a fondness for them. The Kemps were terrible, to be sure, but every character felt surface level at best with little to no development. If I could have hooked onto just one person in this book, I think I would have liked it better. It just didn’t work out that way.

Overall, I am going to rate A Perfectly Nice Family with a six out of ten stars. This is a thriller you can take or leave. It was fine for what it was but it’s also fine if you skip on it!

Have you read any of Nicole Trope’s books before? What did you think of them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May5

New Polka Dot Princess Dress

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New Polka Dot Princess Dress

Hi!! During my last shopping trip to TJMaxx, I was hoping to find a new dress to wear to my cousin’s wedding later this month. I did find a dress and it was glorious. However, it was much too big and there were no other sizes available. I was really bummed out because it was absolutely perfect and made it my mission to find it online as soon as I got home. I scoured the websites of TJMaxx and Marshall’s and came up blank. I found the exact same dress on Poshmark and it was seventy bucks which was a hard pass. Then, I landed upon a lookalike dress on Shein. Did I feel great about ordering off of the fast fashion website? Not in the slightest. But I needed this damn dress and will never shop on it again. In my defense, it really is pretty! Check it out:

Minus the drastic drop in quality, this dress is an exact replica to the one I swooned over at TJMaxx. The dupe is thinner and pretty sheer but that was nothing that a slip couldn’t solve and I feel like an absolute star in it. I am very partial to a polka dot and this bold pattern paired with the dreamy lace and silk is the stuff that dreams are made of. This dress runneth over with delightful details like the the keyhole opening, the buttons up the lower back, and the butterfly lace at the bottom. Everywhere you look features something exciting and sweet and I am freaking obsessed!

As I had already been burned by the size of this dress once, I decided to order a medium and a large to avoid having to make a reorder. I was ambivalent about Shein sizes and couldn’t get a straight answer from the reviews. I am pleased to report that the medium was very true to size and my new dress fit like a glove. I plan on wearing it with a pair of vintage gloves a la my wedding OOTD when my sister and I were in New Orleans and am thinking a darling pair of Barbie pink platform heels in the shoe department. I cannot wait to show you all the end result because, I hate to toot my own horn, it is going to be good! 😀

This was a one off Shein purchase but I couldn’t imagine wearing anything different to a very special occasion!

Have you ordered off of Shein before? What did you think of your purchase? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah