Tag Archives: series

Oct20

Lil Red’s Book Club: Vianne By Joanne Harris Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Vianne By Joanne Harris 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 newly released prequel to the Chocolat series by Joanne Harris called Vianne. I have read through *almost* the entire series, skipping on Chocolat as I know the story well, in preparation for the prequel. It has been a delightful experience to read these charming novels of magic, hope, and change. However, I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t excited to delve back into my horror and thriller novels! Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a trigger warning on Vianne for pregnancy difficulties and miscarriage. Now, let’s get to it:

Vianne and her maman have been on the move for as long as she can remember. Their lives were spent traveling from country to country picking up menial work and living hand to mouth all in the name of avoiding the Man in Black. When the winds change, they ride it and go somewhere new. But, now, the destination is up to Vianne and her alone. Her mother has passed and Vianne would follow their old methods but these are special circumstances. Vianne is with child and she knows that she must find work and a place to call home to prepare for the arrival of her baby.

She ends up in Marseilles and every business she visits in search of work denies her. Finally, she tries her luck at a bistro called La Bonne Mere where the owner, Louis, takes a shine to her. Perhaps it is because of her pregnancy or he just needs the help, but he offers her a job in the kitchen and lodging. At La Bonne Mere, Vianne learns the recipes of Louis’s beloved wife and begins to get to know the people in the community. There is Guy and Mahmed who are opening a chocolate shop, cantankerous Emile, wise Khamaseen, and strangers who will become friends. Being Vianne, she has quickly turned Louis’s ramshackle bistro into a place to be but it worries her. It feels too much like home – too much like a good thing.

After an especially kind gesture from Louis, Vianne does what she does best. She flees. She ends up roughing it in Toulouse until she is beckoned back to Marseilles by Guy. He promises her work in the chocolate shop and will teach her everything he knows. Vianne is in no position to turn down this opportunity over living on the streets and accepts. Knowing that she must go back and make right the lives of the people who suffered in her abrupt parting.

With Guy, Vianne learns the magic of chocolate and helps prepare the chocolaterie for its grand opening. She revels in the ritual, in trying new recipes, and using her magic in a more domestic setting. Magic that spreads good into the world with the taste of chocolate on the tongue. Like the bistro, the chocolaterie feels like a place that Vianne can stay. But will that ever be good enough? Or will she answer the call to the wind once more? Read Vianne to find out!

I really enjoyed reading Vianne and it was so worth reading the Chocolat series through for this experience. After the entirety of the series was said and done, there was still so much that we didn’t know about Vianne prior to her arrival in Lansquenet. The prequel answered all of these questions and made me love this fantastical character even more. To finally know her backstory and fully understand her choices was like a gift from Joanne Harris and I craved reading Vianne as much as I crave chocolate on a regular basis.

For all of its delight, Vianne was a bittersweet read. We already know how it’s going to end because the rest of the series exists. But this book allows you to see what could have been. A cast of characters as dear as the ones in Lansquenet, another chocolate shop that is trying to stay on its feet, a permanent home for her children. Part of me wished for more of these stories because it was all too easy to find a closeness to the Marseilles community. We all know that Vianne wouldn’t be Vianne without accepting the winds of change and this book showed us how she came into her own. To learn the magic of chocolate and to be herself. The woman and mother she wants to be.

Overall, I am going to rate Vianne with a seven out of ten stars. This was definitely one of the better books in the series and was a lovely way to conclude my visit to the world of Vianne Rocher!

Have you read the Chocolat series? What did you think of it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct9

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Strawberry Thief By Joanne Harris Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Strawberry Thief By Joanne Harris 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 fifth and final installment of the Chocolat series called The Strawberry Thief. I have been rereading the series to gear up for the newly released prequel called Vianne and I am so excited to sink my teeth into it next. In October, scary movies reign supreme as Johnny and I complete the 31 scary movies in 31 days challenge. These lighthearted, easy read books are a nice change of pace from that and I have really enjoyed revisiting Joanne Harris’s work again. Before we begin chatting about one of my favorite books in the series, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Strawberry Thief for child abuse and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

It has been eight years since Vianne returned to Lansquenet with Anouk and Rosette after receiving a letter from her beloved and deceased friend. She had no intention of staying for long, just long enough to solve a problem for Father Reynaud and then it was back to Paris to be with Roux. However, the urge to settle became too strong and so Vianne, the girls, and even Roux made Lansquenet their home once again. A lot has changed in eight years but some things have remained the same. Vianne’s chocolaterie is open once more, Anouk is now living in Paris with her boyfriend, Rosette is still Rosette, and Roux has stayed in the same place for longer than he ever has before. Life is good, but the wind is blowing and with that wind comes drastic changes.

Rosette has never been one for words and prefers to use sign language or make animal noises. She makes some people uncomfortable but found a friend in the elderly man who runs a flower shop named Narcisse. He is gruff and unfriendly to almost everyone but has taken a shine to Rosette, his little strawberry thief. This nickname came from her love of exploring the woods behind his shop and eating her fill of the wild strawberries that grow there. She dreams of living there one day all by herself and maybe she will. Narcisse passed away suddenly and left the woods on his property to Rosette, much to the disdain of his daughter and family.

Not only did Narcisse leave Rosette a substantial piece of property but he made Father Reynaud the executor of his will. He also leaves behind his confession and life story that is for Reynaud’s eyes only. This infuriates his daughter even more and she spends her time harassing Vianne, Roux, Reynaud, and Rosette for more information. She wants to contest the will so she can have Rosette’s property all to herself. This isn’t the only change that the wind has brought. Shortly after Narcisse died, a new renter has set up in his old flower shop. A mysterious place, ran by an even more mysterious woman.

Vianne has a bad feeling about whatever is going on in that shop and demands that Rosette stay away. Perhaps because the owner reminds her a bit too much of Zozie, the eater of hearts? Despite her mother’s urges, the temptation to enter the shop is too great and Rosette enjoys the company of the owner named Morgane. On her first visit, she learns that Morgane is a tattoo artist – a profession that Lansquenet has never seen the likes of. This information delights Vianne because there is no way that a tattoo parlor will flourish in their small village. Right?

Wrong! Soon enough, Lansquenet is buzzing with tattoo fever and even the most unlikely residents have gotten fresh ink from Morgane. Rosette loves visiting the shop and between the stress of Morgane and her daughter’s friendship, a faltering romance with Roux, and Rosette’s newly acquired property, Vianne takes matters into her own hands. Vianne was once an outcast in Lansquenet and she wants Morgane to have the same treatment. No one, even Father Reynaud, can see what she sees but she feels it fiercely. Maybe if the wind takes Morgane away, the Kindly Ones will be satisfied and leave Vianne in peace. Or maybe, what she’s feeling is all in her head. Will Rosette be able to keep her woods? And will order be restored in Lansquenet if Morgane were to just pack up and go? Read The Strawberry Thief to find out!

I absolutely loved The Strawberry Thief and it was such a wonderful change of pace from its predecessor, Peaches For Father Francis. The Strawberry Thief was fast paced, short and sweet, and I devoured it in three sittings. This book was told from the point of view of Vianne and Father Reynaud as well as Rosette and this delighted me. Finally being able to hear Rosette’s thoughts after two books of not knowing much about her was so amazing. Rosette is sixteen in this book and her chapters spoke of growing up, social isolation, and carving a place in the world that was just for her. The words in her chapters moved me so deeply and solidified what I always knew – she’s not so different after all.

Not only did we get to see the world through Rosette’s eyes, but we also got to travel back in time with Narcisse’s life story. There is a secret that he took to his grave and needed to confess to someone in his passing. Who better than Father Reynaud? To learn the secret, we must start at the beginning and his is a harrowing tale of trauma, abuse, and grief that never left him. It was heartbreaking but beautiful as this shed light on why he became so fond of Rosette. With all of the excitement of these interweaving tales AND a tattoo shop opening in Lansquenet, I simply couldn’t stop turning the pages. When I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it and was definitely one of the strongest in the entire series!

Overall, I am going to rate The Strawberry Thief with an eight out of ten stars. After my wishy washy sentiments over Peaches For Father Francis, I wasn’t sure what I was in for with this book. It was even better than I hoped for!

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

Oct2

Lil Red’s Book Club: Peaches For Father Francis By Joanne Harris Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Peaches For Father Francis By Joanne Harris 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 installment of the Chocolat series by Joanne Harris called Peaches For Father Francis. I have been a fan of Joanne Harris for a long time and when I learned that a prequel to Chocolat called Vianne was recently released, I just had to revisit the best little chocolateer in all of Paris. I have so enjoyed reading through the series and regret not rereading Chocolat to start with. It has been a phat minute since I read that book! However, I know the outline well enough and that has not made reading any of its predecessors anything short of a delightful experience. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on Peaches For Father Francis for sexual assault, violence, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

Vianne, Roux, Anouk, and Rosette are finally a family and living together on a houseboat in Paris. They live simply, love fiercely, and savor every moment together like it’s their last. Life is so good, but the winds are changing and with it brings a letter. A letter from a beloved friend back in Lansquenet who is deceased. In her letter, she states that there are people in Lansquenet who need her and her final wish is for Vianne to return to the little town where it all began. To the tiny village where, eight years ago, she opened her chocolaterie with Anouk and sent the ultra religious into a frenzy that was headed by Father Francis Reynaud. Vianne’s memories of Lansquenet are bittersweet but she cannot refuse her friend’s parting wish and decides to take the girls on a little vacation.

Upon their arrival to Lansquenet, nothing and everything has changed. There are familiar faces and those who Vianne does not recognize. Since her departure from Lansquenet, a Muslim community has settled downriver. At first, things were very peaceful between the villagers and their new neighbors. Children played games in the streets, the adults mingled over coffee, and friends were made. Of course, Father Reynaud has never been open to strangers as we know with his tumultuous past with Vianne. He tolerates the new members of Lansquenet but finds himself questioning everything about them. Their religion, their clothing, and their traditions that are so far away from the gospel he preaches.

As tensions between Father Reynaud and the leader of the Muslim community rise, everyone in Lansquenet can sense it and begin to separate themselves. No more games, no more meals shared but each side remaining on their half of the Tannes river. In a shocking turn of events, the chocolate shop Vianne used to run which is now a Muslim school for girls is set aflame. Its residents, a mysterious woman and her daughter, are unharmed but the damage has been done and Father Reynaud takes the brunt of the blame.

Father Reynaud who has been a long term staple in Lansquenet becomes a stranger. His church is being taken over by a younger, more progressive priest. He is no longer invited to say mass and passerbys on the street can barely mask their disgust. Is this how Vianne felt when she first came to Lansquenet? Unwanted and unloved? To bring both communities back together again is beyond what Father Reynaud can do on his own. But with Vianne back in Lansquenet, he comes as close as he can to begging for her assistance. With a little magic, can Vianne return peace to the little town that will always be in her heart? Or will both sides be forever divided? Read Peaches For Father Francis to find out!

I have mixed feelings about Peaches For Father Francis. After reading The Girl With No Shadow, I not only had a taste for chocolate but more along those same lines. A fabulous new character, the sense of danger, and the delicate dance in the balance of good and evil. Peaches For Father Francis delivered on drama, yes, but I simply didn’t like it as much as the book that came prior. This novel swapped between Vianne and Father Reynaud’s point of view and I would have preferred it if another person from the Muslim community was thrown into the mix. At the end of the day, Reynaud and Vianne were essentially seeing the exact same things and it made for a lackluster read. In The Girl With No Shadow the story weaved between Vianne, Anouk, and the fantastic Zozie so we were getting the point of view from characters that ranged in age and desires. The story came to life whereas Peaches For Father Francis felt stuck.

Well over the first half of the book did nothing for me although things really picked up with the remainder. The very slow burn was finally ready to burst but by the time it did it felt like it was too late for the momentum to carry. I found myself counting down the pages to its completion and as I read The Girl With No Shadow, I didn’t want it to end. While it is always nice to be reunited with Vianne, the girls, and Roux, this was not the strongest book in the series. Despite the wishy washy sentiments, I am excited to read The Strawberry Thief next and conclude my Chocolat journey with the prequel.

Overall, I am going to rate Peaches For Father Francis with a five and a half out of ten stars. I am happy to have read it to further the series but I am even happier to be done with it!

What are you currently reading? What are your thoughts on the Chocolat series? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep21

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Girl With No Shadow By Joanne Harris

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Girl With No Shadow By Joanne Harris

Howdy and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! I recently learned that there was a new prequel to the Chocolat series by Joanne Harris and was very interested in that. I have always loved the thriller books by Harris and thought it would be fun to revisit everyone’s favorite chocolateer again. Rather than starting out with where it all began by rereading Chocolat, I delved right into the sequel called The Girl With No Shadow. I read it forever ago and forgot everything about it! It took me a minute to find my bearings again in the magical world of Chocolat but once I found my footing, I was SO in. As this is such a light and friendly read, there will be no trigger warning on this book. And, as always, no spoilers either! Let’s get into it:

After the incidents in Chocolat, Vianne Rocher seeks anonymity and refuge with her young daughters, Anouk and Rosette, and they find themselves opening a small chocolaterie in an even smaller village. She is no longer the Vianne of magic and delight but lives under the practical pseudonym of Yanne. Tiny Rosette is too small to remember the world of the extraordinary but Anouk does all too well and misses it fiercely. No more reading runes, no more spells – no more Anouk because she is now Annie. The chocolate shop is bland and a far cry from the wonderful space they created and had to flee.

Yanne is now a woman who only seeks to protect her daughters from the changing winds and the Kindly Ones as all magic used will come back to them in a negative way eventually. For financial support and companionship, she entertains an older man named Thierry who wants her hand in marriage more than anything. He tolerates the children and covets a woman who he can control and turn into his perfect little wife. And, with no word from Yanne’s beloved Roux since their departure, she lets him. Anouk’s world has been turned upside down and, as chance would have it, a beautiful stranger attempts to turn it right side up again.

Her name is Zozie and she is simply fabulous. She wears the best shoes, has amazing personal style, and a joyous personality that would give the old Vianne a run for her money. Zozie takes an instant liking to Anouk because there is something special about her – a magic so powerful that she can feel it when she is merely passing by. A magic that should be harnessed, nurtured, and used by someone like Zozie who has countless tricks up her sleeves in her own right.

Zozie begins to work at the chocolate shop alongside Yanne. She cares for the girls, charms every customer that walks in the store, and redecorates the place so that it is unrecognizable of its original drab appearance. When she is not playing hostess at the shop, she is a teacher to Anouk. Zozie teaches her about ancient gods, powerful spells, and the delicious feeling of using magic to seek revenge. As Anouk and Zozie grow closer and the customers only come to the shop to see her, Yanne sinks into the background. Zozie is doing a better job at being Vianne than she ever has.

Of course, Yanne is grateful for Zozie albeit slightly resentful but she is in no position to refuse help. Yanne has a lot on her mind – her daughter’s growing distance, her youngest daughter who is delayed in development, and the arrival of her former love. Roux hearkens the Vianne of old but she is Yanne now. Homely, magic free, and a ghost of her former self to please Thierry. Behind closed doors, Anouk is growing more powerful by the moment and Zozie wants her desperately. Her plan? Read The Girl With No Shadow to find out!

The Girl With No Shadow was a delightful read from start to finish and it was so nice to be reunited with the core four: Vianne, Roux, Anouk, and Rosette. Joanne Harris has such a marvelous way of creating characters that you genuinely care about and want to get to know more. Even the colorful side characters in this book felt like old friends by the time I completed the last page. The Girl With No Shadow alternated between Vianne, Anouk, and Zozie’s point of view and watching their stories weave together so seamlessly was magic in itself.

As I read, I couldn’t help but feeling like I was there too. Harris has the gift of crafting such vivid imagery that you get lost in it. The smell of chocolate, the warmth of the small shop, the way the snow sounds as it falls. It was so intoxicating that it was hard to pull myself away! And, of course, for all of the beautiful prose there is an engaging story unfolding. A love triangle, a new witch in town, and a preteen who is at a crossroads. To dare to be different or to conform to a passionless life. I am about to start the third book in the series and I cannot wait to see what happens next to the owner of the best little chocolate shop in all of Paris!

Overall, I am going to rate The Girl With No Shadow with an eight out of ten stars. It was magical, whimsical, and a book that not only entertained but transported you. Highly recommend giving this lovely series a try!

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

Apr29

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Maid’s Secret By Nita Prose Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Maid’s Secret By Nita Prose Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing a book that simply delighted me from start to finish: The Maid’s Secret by Nita Prose. This is the third installment in The Maid series and if you are like me, you fell head over heels for the unlikely heroine, Molly, and a cast of supporting characters that can’t be beat. Like its predecessors, The Maid’s Secret welcomes us back to the Regency Grand Hotel for Molly the Maid’s biggest mystery yet. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Maid’s Secret for physical abuse and sexual assault. Now, let’s get to it:

It’s a big day for Molly and her beloved fiance, Juan Manuel. The Regency Grand is hosting a live taping of the hit show, Hidden Treasures. The Hidden Treasures! Hosted by the adoring couple, Baxley Brown and Thomas Beagle, the two art aficionados uncover lost art and heirlooms in the most unexpected places and shed light on hidden masterpieces. The hotel is abuzz with excitement from VIP guests and the staff alike because they will be able to get their trinkets and special items appraised too. Before leaving their humble apartment, Molly assembles a box from her dearest gran’s curio cabinet with prized possessions. And, at Juan’s insistence, she brings the “golden huevo” an unspeakably beautiful treasure that fell into Molly’s hands at a manor her gran once worked at as a maid.

With the treasure box in tow, Molly and Juan walk to work and into the hustle and bustle of the big event. After last minute preparations are done to perfection, the staff waits in line to meet Baxley and Brown to see if the old saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” rings true. Before she knows it, it’s Molly’s turn to grace the stage and show the hosts what she brought. Her gran’s teacup and silver spoon that contained priceless sentimental value holds no monetary gain. However, the “golden huevo” catches the eyes of Baxley and Brown. This is no ordinary piece of decor at all: It is the original prototype made from the House of Faberge. Molly is an instant multimillionaire, promptly faints, and becomes an instant sensation too.

When Molly comes to, she is enveloped in a strange new world. Suddenly, her and Juan are rich beyond their wildest dreams and everyone wants a piece of her. From invisible to overnight celebrity, the doting couple tries to take their change of fortune in stride but it proves to be most difficult. At the end of the day, Molly loves her life with Juan Manuel and wants everything to return to normal ASAP. With the hopes of never having to penny pinch again and for her newfound celebrity to die down, Molly agrees to auction off her treasured treasure. The auction will take place at the Regency Grand and when it is over, Molly and Juan will be able to afford their dream wedding, a new apartment, and anything and everything they could ever want.

We return to the tearoom of the Regency Grand where everyone is on pins and needles for the auction’s end result. To Molly’s utter surprise, the lost Faberge is sold for a cool ten million smackers. The lights dim, the crowd goes wild, and when the room is illuminated once again there is one thing missing. The egg! The Faberge was stolen right beneath everyone’s noses and is yet again lost to the world. The only clue? A threat to Molly written on a piece of paper: Find the egg and you die.

Just like that, the buzz on Molly the Maid comes to a screeching halt. No Faberge and no money, but on the bright side – her and Juan get to live their normal life together. That is, until the egg has been returned. The investigation is in full swing once again and it is up to Molly and her companions to solve the case: Her dear granddad, true crime obsessed Angela, Detective Stark, and support from the person she needs the most – the words in a journal from her beloved, departed gran. Will this unlikely team crack the case of the Faberge? Read The Maid’s Secret to find out!

Holy WOW was the third installment of The Maid series amazing. In fact, The Maid’s Secret is my favorite one yet! This book went back and forth between the journal of gran and Molly’s latest adventure and I could not stop reading if you paid me. The multiple narrator format is something I am most fond of and it was incredible to be reunited with gran. She has always been with Molly, but to read her words and hear her story that she kept hidden for so long allowed the series to shine in a brand new light. All of the fairy tales and fables that gran would instill in Molly turned out to have a deeper meaning than you could ever imagine and it was absolutely beautiful to read.

Of course, it was also incredible to be reunited with Molly! Her character is a gift to the literary world and between all of her quirks and darling phrases, I would be hard pressed to find anyone who didn’t instantly fall in love with her. She is the girl you want to root for and see win and everyone in her close circle feels the same way. To have a supporting cast that wants nothing but the best for Molly, just like me, is a rarity in the books I typically read and my heart was bursting with every turn of the page. The true beauty of Molly is that even, in her words, the “bad eggs” have a chance to redeem themselves and that is such an important lesson in and of itself. Molly is a heroine that will encourage, teach, and stay with you and The Maid’s Secret has further solidified her as one of my all time favorite characters.

I am going to award The Maid’s Secret with the coveted ten out of ten stars. If you, too, are a fan of the series: RUN don’t walk to read this book!

Who is your favorite literary character? What is your favorite book in The Maid trilogy? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep20

What To Read Next?!

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What To Read Next?!

Howdy!! I have always been a huge fan of graphic novels and have gotten deeply back into them as of late. I recently finished a crazy adventure that was the Nailbiter series and am ready to sink my teeth into something new. During one of my hauls at JC Comics, the owner gifted me with five free first issues of other horror series that he thought I might like. It was so kind of him and with nothing else to read, I read all five of them in one day to determine what I should start next. I was pretty surprised by the conclusion I came to so let’s discuss each option a bit more (with a trigger warning for violent content):

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Kill or be Killed: The first issue of Kill or be Killed was just okay. Long story short, the main character named Dylan tries to kill himself. Somehow, he survives and is visited that night by a demon with a message. Dylan’s life was spared, so a life for a life every month is the deal. If he can’t commit to it, Dylan will die instead… My main qualm with Kill or be Killed wasn’t exactly the story line and a majority of the artwork was cool. I just thought that the demon looked lame AF and I won’t stand for it lol. I also felt like the plot wasn’t capable of developing beyond the deal with the demon so it was a next for me.

Ice Cream Man: Speaking of lame, that brings us to Ice Cream Man. Yes, you guessed it – it is all about the neighborhood ice cream man who is actually a werewolf. This one was far too goofy for my liking and I am also not interested in werewolf stories either so this was a big fat NO.

Monstress: I hated Monstress almost immediately because I had literally no idea what was going on. However, I kept on reading and I am so glad as it was my favorite one from the batch. Maika Halfwolf was orphaned after her mother was killed in an ongoing war between powerful witches and the Arcanics (or monster kind). The Arcanics are now being rounded up and killed and it is up to Maika to avenge her mother’s death and save her tribe… Holy WOW did this first issue pack a punch. The story line is quite dense, but I liked that because it read like an actual story. The artwork was also magnificent and I was blown away by every panel. I was so sad after reading the last page because I wanted to know more!

Criminal: I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like Criminal and I was right because the first issue did nothing for me. Basically, a career criminal who is the best in the business is contacted to go on a major diamond heist by people who are just as seedy as him. Not my bag whatsoever so into the next pile it went.

w0rldtr33: After Monstress, w0rldtr33 came in second place. The plot goes like this – there is a corner of the dark web that can get people to commit horrible monstrosities merely by glancing at it. The original creators have kept it under wraps, but it has resurfaced once again and left terror in its wake. There are those that want to stop it and others who want to harness it to create a new and not improved world… I am a sucker for a dark web story so I was pretty interested in w0rldtr33. It didn’t catch my attention as much as Monstress but I still would like to see how this battle of good and evil plays out.

My plan is to get Volume One of both Monstress and W0rldtr33 and see what happens. Each of them had their merits but it’s too hard to tell which one to go with after only reading one issue. Either way, I’m excited about it!

What are you currently reading? Is there a local bookstore or comic shop in your neck of the woods that you love? 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

Aug2

Wanted: Sayonara, Summer Guest Bloggers

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Wanted: Sayonara, Summer Guest Bloggers

Hello my beautiful friends! We are officially in August and in my head, summer is already over lol. I have been manifesting a cool breeze, crunchy leaves, pumpkin spice, and everything nice since summer started. Fall is right on the horizon, back to school will be here before we know it, and I’m sure that everyone is trying to squeeze in the last bits of fun in the sun. As a farewell homage, I thought that it would be the perfect time to introduce a Sayonara, Summer guest bloggers series!

For this collaboration, I am looking for summer recaps. Did you go on vacation? Did you make an amazing dish for a neighborhood barbecue? Maybe you sported the most adorable sundress? Or, perhaps you learned a new skill, took a class, or found a new favorite hobby. Whatever you did, I want to hear the highlights and it will be so interesting to see summer aesthetics from all over the world. 🙂

If you are interested in participating, please shoot your girl an email at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com with your ideas. I can’t wait to hear them! Much love. -Sarah

Sep25

Fall Guest Bloggers Wanted!!

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Fall Guest Bloggers Wanted!!

Hey!!! As you all know, Lil Red loves her some fall! Autumn is my happy time and I have been waiting all summer long for it. There is nothing like cool days, seeing the leaves change colors, and Halloween. Fall is the season when Johnny and I live our best lives and I know that we are not the only ones who share these sentiments. With the changing of seasons, I love to host guest bloggers series and I am opening the floor on lifewithlilred for anyone who wants to celebrate all fall everything!

If you are interested in being a guest blogger on lifewithlilred, all you need to do is shoot me an email with your ideas to: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com . I am looking for posts on favorite fall recipes, activities, outfits, makeup, and spooky Halloween fun. If your post idea doesn’t fall under these categories – send them my way anyway. 🙂 It is always such a blast to collaborate with other bloggers and make new friends. I am looking forward to hearing from all of you!! ❤ ❤ ❤ Much love. -Sarah

Mar26

So Bright I Need Shades OOTD

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So Bright I Need Shades OOTD

Hi!! I am having such fun with my Reimagine Your Wardrobe series and am so thankful to my fiance, Johnny, for taking pictures of my OOTDs during my weekly shopping trips in my closet. It is so easy to wear the same, most loved items again and again and I, for one, am definitely guilty of it. This fashion series has challenged me to think outside of the box and try new things and in this outfit’s case that meant wearing a pair of high waisted jeans and not pairing it with a shirt to cover the waistline up. For those of you who don’t know – I am not a fan of high waisted anything so this was a big step for me! Take a look:

3B14D75F-90DD-42BB-A00F-1AE1C486F1A5294657FA-412D-48FA-8B6D-BE98635FC8EADB9F88BF-487E-45B3-BD07-26035478931D672B710C-EAC2-4D0C-A07D-9297CF30EA93EF5F3D31-FD38-4E31-8762-49E3E58B873259B40220-3754-4814-9A44-A4857B9545E6040DC188-F09D-423E-B52F-D7BDA3B88D806F200E01-11BA-479F-AA7F-7CEE0CF909BC

Who? What? Wear?

When I get asked about my issue with high rise, I always reply that I just don’t think it looks good on me. I am barely over 5’1 and have a larger bust so high waisted pants make for a less than flattering silhouette on my body type. I feel like they make me look wide and even shorter than I already am. So why did I buy a pair of high waisted pants? Well,  I really like snakeskin patterned anything and coated jeans are my favorite. Despite the high rise of my Seven jeans, they still fit well so when I wear them I just put on a longer top.

Like I said, it was a big step for me to wear these jeans with a tucked in top and while this OOTD is fairly simple, I felt like I was taking a huge risk! I absolutely adore button down shirts and have wanted to shoot an outfit featuring one for a while. Despite the days being much clearer in Ohio, it is still a bit chilly and my look was perfectly appropriate for the weather and I would definitely wear it again.

I have quite a collection of button downs with a few select ones that get worn a lot more than others. Which is exactly why I wanted to wear my Karl Lagerfeld top because it doesn’t get as much love. After shooting these pictures, however, I have no idea why I don’t sport this shirt all of the time! My most educated guess is that the button down is quite long so it doesn’t tuck in nicely to shorts and I usually don’t wear them tucked in with jeans.

I tried my aviator adorned top with a few different bottoms until I officially settled on my high waisted Sevens but I still wasn’t particularly sold on it. I knew that the button down had to be tucked in if I wanted to wear it, which meant that I needed to be careful about which shoes I selected.

Because my jeans were high rise, I had to find a pair of shoes that would really elongate the look which is why I went with my stiletto heeled mules. The high heel added length while the shape and pattern meshed beautifully with the jeans, making my legs look way longer than they actually are. Finally, I was completely sold on the look and couldn’t help but thinking “so that’s how you style high rise pants” lol.

Once the base of my outfit was complete, it was time to accessorize. I didn’t want to overwhelm my OOTD with lots of jewelry because its silhouette was so sleek. Too many accessories would break up the long lines that I spent so long trying to achieve but I knew I needed something to pop against the neutral color palette.

I stuck with my tried and true method of accessorizing a button down which is placing a necklace shorter in length with a bold pendant smack dab in the middle underneath the collar. Not seeing the necklace’s chain kept with the straight line silhouette that I was going for and the statement pendant almost looks like it could be built into the shirt. And, of course, no outfit is complete without my engagement ring now!

It’s one thing to try out a color or pattern that you don’t often wear but an entirely different shape of clothing is a whole different ball game. I completely stepped out of my comfort zone with this outfit and this is the first time I have ever worn a pair of high waisted pants while actually showing that they are high rise! I feel proud of myself for trying something new and I don’t think I will be shying away from high rise anymore because I felt awesome in this look. 🙂

What is your preferred rise for jeans? How do you take fashion risks? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah