Tag Archives: star rating

Jul13

Groovy Movies: Jurassic World Rebirth Edition

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Groovy Movies: Jurassic World Rebirth 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 newest edition to the Jurassic Park franchise: Jurassic World Rebirth. Since this flick has come out, I have heard nothing but lackluster reviews and I’m honestly not sure why. I thought it was a perfect summer popcorn movie! It was fun, fast paced, action packed, and exciting. If a movie entertains me, it has done its job and I really enjoyed it. Let’s get to it:

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

In a world where people are caring less and less about dinosaurs, a Martin Krebs cares about them deeply. Or, rather, cares deeply about the almighty dollar. His pharmaceutical company thinks that they can provide a life saving cure for coronary disease. All they need is a DNA sample from three of the biggest dinosaurs of land, air, and sea as they have the biggest hearts and lifespan. With the promise of saving lives and a massive payday, he enlists the help of special operative Zora Bennett and her crew as well as the paleontologist, Dr. Henry Loomis. With the team assembled, they travel to the only place where dinosaurs still roam: Isle Saint-Hubert – a small island close to the equator that offers a habitat where these magnificent creatures can continue to thrive.

As the crew begins their journey, we cut to a family enjoying a day at sea. Reuben and his two daughters Isabella and Teresa and Teresa’s boyfriend Xavier. They are in the middle of a lovely vacation when all of a sudden, something big hits their boat. It’s not an ordinary something but a Mosasaurus, the biggest dinosaur at sea. The family’s tiny boat is no match for the mighty creature and they will be lost at sea if they don’t get help quickly. A life saving radio call alerts Team Dinosaur to their rescue and they will track down a village located on the island they are traveling to so they can return home.

The ride to Isle Saint-Hubert is not smooth sailing in the slightest and they are being foiled by dinosaurs at every turn. The boat is being destroyed, people are falling overboard or being eaten, and by the time they get to the island the family is separated from the crew and the boat can no longer function. On the bright side, they did manage to get a sample from the Mosasaurus. As the family attempts to make their way to the village, Team Dinosaur begins hunting down the remaining two samples they need – Titanosaurus of the land and Quetzalcoatlus of the air.

The mission for the DNA is essentially timed as the crew must obtain them and reach a helicopter port in the village. The helicopter will circle for two minutes and leave for their own safety, with or without any passengers. As the family works together to get themselves to the village, tensions rise in Team Dinosaur. Krebs is risking the safety of his crew left and right and leaves Zora and Loomis questioning their mission. Is all of the money in the world worth a cure that is not obtainable to anyone but the super wealthy? There in lies the rub should all of the samples be obtained. Will the crew and family too leave Isle Saint-Hubert in one piece with an accomplished mission? Watch Jurassic World Rebirth to find out!

From start to finish, this movie was just pure fun. The cast was rocking, the scenery was stunning, and the dinos were out of this world. The plot was incredibly straight forward and simple but obviously the location added such a sense of urgency that it kept this almost two and a half hour long flick moving at a rapid pace. It felt so much shorter than that because I was so invested! Minus the token villains on Team Dinosaur, everyone in the cast was so darn likeable that it made it feel like you were right there with them every time they got into trouble. It certainly made for a thrilling ride!

Jurassic World Rebirth tipped its cap to so many Jurassic Park classic moments: Tumbling falls, close calls, don’t wake the sleeping dinosaur, and yes – a trapped under a car scene too. This movie was a celebration of a beloved franchise and the bad reviews shocked me after all was said and done. Jurassic World Rebirth asks nothing but to join in on the adventure and it is up to the viewer to immerse themselves in it or not. If you do, you are going to be in for a treat and will leave the theater wanting to see it again. I definitely did. 🙂

Overall, I am going to rate Jurassic World Rebirth with a seven out of ten stars. This is a must see summer feature and I highly recommend it!

Have you seen Jurassic World Rebirth yet? 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

Jun20

Groovy Movies: Dangerous Animals Edition

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Groovy Movies: Dangerous Animals Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Groovy Movies! One of my clients is a huge horror movie fan and one of her favorite things to do is catch the newest scary flicks in theaters. Just like me! She also has a passion for creature themed scary movies so Dangerous Animals was an absolute must see for her. We ended up seeing it this past week and it was an excellent choice because we both loved it. In fact, everyone who we talked about it with wants to see it too. In a spoiler free setting, as always, let’s discuss:

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

Dangerous Animals takes place in beautiful Australia with all of the sun, sand, surf, and… sharks that you could ever imagine. Zephyr, our leading lady, finds solace in the waves and spends her time on the beach, hocking snacks from gas stations, and living in her car. Tucker, our main baddie, also feels the call of the ocean – particularly to the sharks that inhabit the water. He runs a swim with the sharks cage diving adventure via his business “Tucker’s Experience”. When he’s not on his boat getting wasted, he is on the prowl for his newest victim. Tucker’s Experience is not simply cage diving, but a front for his favorite hobby of all: Watching the sharks nosh on the people who were looking for the thrill of a lifetime.

Tucker has been watching Zephyr and is intoxicated by her beauty, skills on the surfboard, and all of the booze that he chugs throughout the day. He must have her and blindsides her during an early morning surf. She wakes up on his boat handcuffed to a bed and meets another girl who got caught in his trap. Crafty Zephyr immediately sets to work to get them out of this deadly situation, but Tucker is just as clever too. With every step Zephyr takes towards freedom, Tucker is always one step ahead. He dubs her his “marlin” because of her fight, but let’s it be known that the marlin will always end up on the fisherman’s boat. Does Zephyr stand a fighting chance? Or will she end up as Tucker’s latest shark bait? Watch Dangerous Animals to find out!

From start to finish, Dangerous Animals was just pure fun and funny too! Jai Courtney as Tucker was a formidable leading man and carried this film with gusto. From his drunken dancing, drunken singing “Baby Shark”, and the ridiculousness he is constantly spewing, you could just tell that Courtney was having a ball playing this character. He was the ideal antagonist to the calm, cool, and collected Zephyr. While she was level headed throughout her terror, Tucker was on an entirely different planet and the juxtaposition between the two of them created a strong sense of urgency. No matter how cool Zephyr played it, crazy Tucker was there to play chess and it was a game of cat and mouse on the open seas.

Dangerous Animals clearly didn’t take itself too seriously and it made for a slasher that was so highly entertaining while still serving that classic horror movie gore. In fact, the humor that was consistent throughout the movie made all of the scares even scarier. It really did lull you into a false sense of complacency! This flick is the perfect summer slasher and was a wild ride. I would love to watch it again and can’t recommend it enough!

Overall, I am going to award Dangerous Animals with an eight out of ten stars. It was innovative, hilarious, and scary all in one and Jai Courtney did a phenomenal job. It’s worth a watch for his performance alone!

What movies are you looking forward to seeing? What was the last movie you saw in theaters? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun12

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Missing Half By Ashley Flowers Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Missing Half By Ashley Flowers 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 new thriller by Ashley Flowers (Which sounds like a made up name) called The Missing Half. This book was an insanely fast read and I finished it in a matter of a few sittings. The jury is still out on if I liked it or not, though. It wasn’t bad, just very average. It was, however, way better than my last Book Club read by Freida McFadden so that’s a plus! Before we get started, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Missing Half for disturbing content, violence, sexual assault, and addiction. Now, let’s get to it:

Nic’s beloved older sister, Kasey, went missing seven years ago and it still feels like just yesterday. Nic lives in a perpetual state of miserable limbo – She is a struggling alcoholic with a fresh DUI charge, she works a crappy job that she is able to hold down because the boss is a family friend who feels bad for her, and she is estranged from all family and friends. Her days are spent avoiding thinking about her sister at all costs, until she is forced to by a stranger who came to her work. She says her name is Jenna, her sister Jules went missing shortly before Kasey, and she thinks they can solve the cases together. Who knows their sisters better than their own sisters?

At first, this is the last thing that Nic would ever do let alone think of. But, the possibility of finding answers for herself, Jenna, and their sisters proves to be too intoxicating. And, even if the subject matter is difficult, she is beginning to find a friend in Jenna – something she lacks desperately. The girls begin meeting up and going through each of their sister’s lives with a fine toothed comb and they are looking for anything that can connect the two of them. Who did they hang out with? Were there any boyfriends? Were they acting strangely before they went missing?

As Nic and Jenna dive deeper, they find that there is a huge connection that the police missed. Jules and Kasey worked next door to each other. Jules in a restaurant and Kasey in the record store beside it. While their paths may not have crossed, the manager of the restaurant was well aware of both girls and any other pretty young thing that walks by. With their first true suspect, Nic and Jenna put on their best detective hats but discover more than what they ever could have imagined.

Both Nic and Jenna prided themselves on being best friends with their sisters. They believed that there were no secrets between them as they could deal with anything together. Both Kasey and Jules were hiding something major from their sisters and Nic and Jenna know they are getting close to cracking this cold case once and for all. Someone doesn’t like what they are doing one bit and is doing everything in their power to get them to stop their investigation. Will they solve the case of their missing sisters? Or will it forever remain a mystery? Read The Missing Half to find out!

I quite liked the plot of The Missing Half and it almost felt like reading a true crime documentary on Netflix: Two sisters solving the cold case of their missing sisters. Ashley Flowers was able to invoke a great sense of urgency in her writing and it kept me turning the pages. Despite reading ravenously, I was left feeling wishy-washy about this book. The ticking time clock of the task at hand was so prominent that it didn’t leave a lot of room for character development. I felt no connection to Nic or Jenna. Of course, I was rooting for them to succeed but there wasn’t anything special about them. The picture painted of their sisters was crystal clear and this made Nic and Jenna seem more like secondary characters rather than the two leads. So, when the book was done, all I could say was “huh”.

Regardless of if the book is lackluster or not, I love being a detective while I read and, for the most part, I am very good at predicting the end result well before it happens. In the case of The Missing Half, however, I was so completely wrong when it came to the grand reveal and it really threw me for a loop. It also made me so frustrated because it was a notion I actually toyed with, but thought it to be too implausible and didn’t give it a second thought. The only thing I will say is that this book is Red Herring central so be sure to read it with a discerning eye!

Overall, I am going to rate The Missing Half with a four and a half out of five stars. I wouldn’t call it good or bad, just very okay. It is a quick read if you choose to give it a go and I’ll be curious to see what you think!

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

May24

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Apr20

Groovy Movies: Drop Edition

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Groovy Movies: Drop Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Groovy Movies! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we will be discussing a new thriller out in theaters called Drop. I was going into the theater with the mindset that this movie would be just okay. I went out of the theater thinking it was excellent! Drop was a fresh, exciting take on a thriller that kept me on my toes with delicious twists and turns the whole way through. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on Drop for domestic violence, violence, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

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

Violet is a single mom who is trying to put her dark past behind her and get back out there again. She has a date tonight with a handsome man she met on an app, Henry! Her sister will be watching her son named Toby, she has on a hot outfit, and Henry is taking her to a very exclusive and very expensive restaurant. What could possibly go wrong? The answer is literally everything. While Violet waits at the restaurant bar for Henry to arrive, she begins receiving strange “drops” to her phone. They are from an anonymous source and the messages are popular memes with a threatening twist. Yes, it’s weird but Henry just showed up, they sit at their table, and Violet is ready to enjoy her date.

As Violet and Henry go through their introductions, the drops just keep coming. She tells Henry about it and they chalk it up to pranksters until a drop sends that Violet can’t ignore: There is a man in her home right now that could hurt her sister and Toby and there is only one way for this not to happen: Kill her date. Violet is now completely alone in the situation and will do anything to avoid this fate. She must be crafty because the person threatening her sees all, hears all, and will not stop until she spikes Henry’s drink with a vial of poison. Time is running out and Violet must act quickly. Will she carry out the deed to protect her family? Watch Drop to find out!

The plot to Drop was, admittedly, very straight forward: Threatening messages, an impossible situation, and problem solving. I didn’t mind this in the slightest, however, because it was something I hadn’t seen before. I thought it was absolutely ingenious to play on the “airdrop” function, which somehow seems so much more ominous than a text from a random or blocked number. And, due to having to be within a certain range to use said function, it had to be someone in the restaurant rather than an unknown in an abandoned building. But who in the restaurant? The friendly bartender? The snarky hostess? The man who claims to be “waiting for his sister”? The possibilities were contained to a space but felt endless and that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Not only was Drop highly suspenseful but there were parts in it that were truly hilarious. Amidst all the tension were perfect moments of comic relief that came from Jeffery Self as Henry and Violet’s waiter, Matt. Their first date happened to be his first shift at the high end restaurant and, as an aspiring actor, he made a MEAL out of every single line. He was the kind of waiter who showed up at all the wrong times, made the silliest comments, laughed hysterically at all of them, and would have patrons mentally willing for him to go away. Every time he made an entrance, it was like the rest of the movie stopped, you watched his little show, and then the suspense came back and gripped like a vice. It was such a juxtaposition to the thriller vibes and not only was it an interesting way to go, but it worked beautifully.

Overall, I am going to rate Drop with an eight out of ten stars. It was far fetched, sure, but it sure was fun and kept me guessing and that is good enough for me!

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

Apr19

Lil Red’s Book Club: Sunrise On The Reaping By Suzanne Collins Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Sunrise On The Reaping By Suzanne Collins 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 I simply couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into: Sunrise On The Reaping by Suzanne Collins. I am an avid fan of any and all things Hunger Games and it was nothing short of thrilling to reenter the world of Panem once again. And, of course, to time travel as this is a prequel and Sunrise On The Reaping takes us back to Haymitch’s Games for the Quarter Quell. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning for graphic violence and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

Haymitch Abernathy of District 12 lives with his kid brother Sid and beloved Ma. He is an assistant bootlegger that keeps his District flowing with the good stuff, loves his girlfriend named Lenore Dove fiercely, and has a big day in store. It is his sixteenth birthday but what should be an exciting occasion is always bleak as his birthday falls on the day of The Reaping. This is no ordinary Reaping, either. It is the fiftieth anniversary of the Hunger Games, AKA the Quarter Quell, and the stakes are high: The amount of children being Reaped has been doubled. Two boys and two girls from each District for a grand total of forty-eight tributes will fight to the death until one lone victor remains.

As I’m sure you guessed, Haymitch is chosen as a District 12 tribute along with Wyatt, Maysilee, and Louella and they are whisked off after the Reaping to prepare for their untimely demise. There are meetings with stylists, training with the rest of the tributes, interview prep, and a plot that could change the course of Panem forever. Through contact with some unlikely allies, Haymitch learns that a hatred of the Games isn’t limited to the Districts. There are people in the Capital who loath it too and the perfect world plan is for this to be the biggest, most shocking Hunger Games yet. Not because it’s a Quarter Quell, but because they want to break the system and burn the Games to the ground. And, who better to carry it through than Haymitch? Will he succeed in creating a brighter future for Panem? Or will this plot destroy his own future, instead? Read Sunrise On The Reaping to find out!

Holy WOW, people. Sunrise On The Reaping was absolutely phenomenal and it is, easily, one of my favorite books of the series. I am not surprised – not just because it was excellent but Haymitch has always been one of my favorite characters and it was really cool to learn his backstory. And, let me just say, it is harrowing, tear jerking, and will give you an answer as to why you will never find Haymitch in present day without a drink in his hand. Once you are done with this book, you can hardly blame him.

While Sunrise On The Reaping was emotionally intense, Suzanne Collins was able to pepper in joyous moments expertly. IE: The first introduction of treasured characters from the original trilogy, a pair of tributes sharing a picnic during the Games, or Haymitch tapping into the “rascal” persona his team curated for him. These instances and more were like salve on the wounds of all of the atrocities the tributes faced. However, I knew that the other shoe would drop and when it did it felt even crueler. This book was an emotional rollarcoaster from start to finish and was a perfect addition to the Hunger Games series.

I am going to award Sunrise On The Reaping with the coveted ten out of ten stars. I loved every single minute of reading it. So much so, that I plan on rereading the entire Hunger Games series complete with a movie marathon too. I can’t wait!

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

Apr7

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

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

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! My sister, mom, and I tend to read a lot of the same books and I love our little makeshift family book club. The most recent book my sister read was The Crash by Freida McFadden and she quite enjoyed it so I thought I would give it a try too. It was pretty good and I finished it in just two days. In a spoiler free setting, as always, we will be discussing my sister’s book club pick. The Crash also is a big fat trigger warning as it deals with infertility, sexual assault, violence, and highly disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

Tegan may be young, flat broke, and heavily pregnant but her luck is about to turn around big time. She might not remember the one night stand that resulted in her daughter’s conception but that’s okay too. The man who got her pregnant, Simon, is married, rich, and willing to pay a jaw dropping sum to keep Tegan quiet. Simon’s lawyer, Jackson, assists in all of the details of the contract and Tegan simply has to sign at the dotted line for more money than she can imagine when Simon and Jackson visit her tiny studio apartment. She’s ecstatic, until she smells Simon’s cologne and it helps her remember the night she had forgotten. It wasn’t consensual sex at all that got her pregnant.

After this memory resurfaces, Tegan refuses to take the hush money and decides to stay with her older brother for a few days. She picks up one last shift at the grocery store she works at before her trip, packs her meager belongings, and hits the road. There might be a heavy snowstorm coming but Tegan is confident she can beat it and arrive to her destination safely. After all, it’s barely snowing once she’s on the highway. As Tegan continues her journey, the light snowfall turns into a full fledged blizzard and her beat up car is struggling. At this point, she has no idea where she is, the snow and ice are devastating, and she ends up running into a tree.

The baby is okay from the crash but Tegan isn’t. Her ankle is completely shattered and she can’t get out of her car. She is convinced this is the end until a stranger in a pickup truck helps her. This man should be her savior but his huge build and looming presence scare her. She is in no position to wait for someone else, though, and agrees to his help. His name is Hank and he carries her into his truck and takes her back to his home in the woods that he shares with his wife Polly. The snow is piling high and there is no way she can get to the hospital until the next day.

Once Hank and Tegan arrive at his home, him and Polly decide the best place for their guest to stay is in the basement. Polly, a former nurse, took care of her sick mother and converted the space into a hospital room. Tegan doesn’t like this idea one bit but the living room couch she is laying on is uncomfortable and she reluctantly agrees to the hospital bed. The roads will be plowed tomorrow and she can go to the hospital so what’s one night? Or two? Or three? Tegan has something that Polly wants desperately and her stay will be extended until she gets it. What happens next? Read The Crash to find out!

As I ravenously read The Crash, I couldn’t help but to laugh because this book honestly felt like reading a reboot of Misery by Stephen King. Misery also just so happens to be one of my favorite Stephen King books. The similarities between both books was striking – the plots might have been slightly different but the circumstances were basically the exact same. I wouldn’t say it was a bad thing but it almost felt… lazy on Freida McFadden’s part. Countless scenarios in The Crash felt so “been there done that” or should I say “been there read that” because I most certainly have. I think Freida McFadden got the cliche of “steal from the best and make it your own” wrong because it was more like “steal from the best, change things ever so slightly, and make it your own” lol.

Despite The Crash being a LifeTime movie remake of Misery and the fact that I spot on predicted everything but one twist, there was still a lot I liked about it and this was primarily because of Tegan. I absolutely loved her as the leading lady and she was so easy to root for. Yes, The Crash was very predictable. However, that didn’t take the worry I felt for Tegan away but almost intensified it. I knew what was coming next and the only question was how she was going to get out of it. And, of course, Freida McFadden is an extremely gifted writer regardless of the deja vu plot. She kept The Crash at a one hundred mile per hour pace and it completely solidified the urgency of the situation and kept me turning the pages.

Overall, I am going to rate The Crash with a four out of ten stars. Was it worth the read if you have read Misery before? That’s up for you to decide, but I’m still glad that I gave it a shot!

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

Feb24

Groovy Movies: Heart Eyes Edition

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Groovy Movies: Heart Eyes Edition

Hello!! I have had the pleasure of working with my very first client as an Independent Provider again and it is nothing short of a total joy. When I first started working with her almost a decade ago, one of our favorite community outings was going to see scary movies together. We both share a love for horror and slasher flicks and would hit the movie theater at least once per month. This past week, it was the most wonderful deja vu to go see Heart Eyes, as per her suggestion. This Valentine’s Day slasher checked all of my boxes and it was a blast from start to finish. I can’t wait to watch it again with Johnny because we both adore holiday themed scary movies! 😀

^^^ I do not have any rights to this video!

The Heart Eyes Killer or HEK for short has been terrorizing happy couples on Valentine’s Day for the past handful of years. Any cute couple displaying PDA is not safe from the scorn of this serial killer and they are advised to stay inside and keep their affection under wraps. This is no problem for Ally because saying she is unlucky in love is a total understatement. She went through a bad breakup and truly believes that romance is dead. So much so, that she created a dark ad campaign featuring famous death scenes from romance flicks for the jewelry company she works for to celebrate the season.

With the HEK on the loose, this could not have been a worse time for the campaign to launch so her employer sends in the big guns: A handsome freelancer named Jay who will surely create romantic magic to sell jewelry for Love Day. This comes as a HUGE shock to Ally who happened to have a meetcute encounter with Jay at the coffee shop prior to her campaign coming to a screeching halt. Jay would like Ally’s help for the new ad and invites her to dinner to which she agrees with the emphasis on it not being a date but a work meeting.

The restaurant they go to is very romantic and fully decked out for Valentine’s Day. It would be perfect minus the fact that Ally has sworn off of dating and, oh yeah, her ex boyfriend and his new flame have arrived for their reservation. To make her ex jealous, Ally engages Jay in a passionate kiss. Her former love isn’t the only one to see their lip lock – the HEK did too. In the killer’s heart shaped eyes, they broke the most important rule of all: Absolutely no PDA. From the moment Jay and Ally’s lips touched, their fate was sealed and the killer is hot on their tail. Will they survive the night after the Heart Eyes Killer targets them as the newest victims? Or, will true love conquer all? Watch Heart Eyes to find out!

As soon as Heart Eyes started, I was immediately in and remained that way for the entirety of the film. This short and sweet slasher was nonstop fun! It was hilarious, had some pretty nice eye candy, and crazy kills. My client and I couldn’t believe that a movie like this hadn’t been made before because the plot seems somewhat obvious. Then again, no one else has ever thought of it and Heart Eyes twisted this predictable plot into something shockingly fresh. Like I said, Johnny and I have grown most fond of holiday slashers and Heart Eyes is, easily, my favorite one yet. Is it the best scary movie ever? Of course not. Is it worth the watch? Absolutely!

Overall, I am going to rate Heart Eyes with an eight out of ten stars. Based on the fact alone that I wanted to watch it immediately again with Johnny after seeing it, I highly recommend giving it a watch!

What is the last movie you saw in theaters? What is your favorite scary movie? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb17

Lil Red’s Book Club: Preacher Book One By Garth Ennis & Steve Dillon Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Preacher Book One By Garth Ennis & Steve Dillon Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! For my Christmas gift this year, I treated myself to the entire collection of one of my favorite graphic novel series called Preacher by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. After a stint of reading The Housemaid series, I finally was able to crack open Book One of Preacher and devoured it. I didn’t think it was possible, but it was even better than I remembered! Before we discuss Book One in a spoiler free setting, as always, I will be placing a big fat trigger warning on this graphic novel. It features graphic language, graphic violence, and highly disturbing content. It is not a read for the faint of heart! Now, let’s get to it:

God quit. He has left heaven and is nowhere to be found. In his absence, a creation called Genesis has broken free. Genesis is the child of an angel and demon, harnessing power and knowledge greater than god almighty. What Genesis needs is a human host and it is found in Reverend Jesse Custer. What heaven needs is to get Genesis back and the angels call upon the Saint of Killers to take care of whomever Genesis embedded himself in. During Jesse’s service at a small church in Texas, Genesis enters his body and creates an inferno that kills the entire congregation.

While all of that is going on, we meet Tulip who just so happens to be Jesse’s ex-girlfriend. She is in BIG trouble and needs to make a quick getaway. She hops in the car of a stranger named Cassidy and they hit the road. As they travel to anywhere but here, they see the aftermath of the explosion at Jesse’s church. As Tulip investigates the scene, she reunites with her long ago love. Just in time for the police to show up. Jesse, Tulip, and the elusive Cassidy are fully surrounded by heavy artillery. Then, as Genesis, Jesse speaks. He tells the cops to drop their guns and, amazingly, they do so. After the promise of certain death is eliminated, they get in Cassidy’s car and leave.

In a small diner, the newly formed crew evaluates how they ended up in this situation and what to do about it next. Not only do they have the cops to worry about, but the Saint of Killers is on their tail too and his bullets do not miss. Of course, Tulip would love to know why Jesse left her high and dry years ago but that is a conversation for another time. Right now, all Jesse wants to do is find god. But where does one look for god? Cassidy knows someone who might be able to assist in the search so their next destination is the Big Apple.

Rather than get any answers, Jesse, Cassidy, and Tulip find themselves in the grasp of a twisted serial killer. Jesse and Tulip closely escape and Cassidy ends up in a morgue. Until he wakes up, bums a cigarette from an employee, and decides to hit the road solo. After Cassidy makes his leave, the former lovers, Jesse and Tulip, are all alone. They quickly pick up where they left off after an abrupt end to their relationship, but Tulip still has no idea why it even happened in the first place. She is about to find out.

Jesse’s past is dark and he was raised by a wicked grandmother and her two backwoods cronies. He learned to love the lord through unspeakable abuse and made a vow to never, ever come back after he escaped. Some vows are meant to be broken, however, and said cronies catch up to Jesse and Tulip. They are returned to the place where it all began, Angelville. Jesse’s family knows about Genesis and they know they want that power desperately. They will do anything to keep Jesse and Genesis for themselves and murder is not off the table. Will Jesse and Tulip make it out alive? And where the hell is god, anyways? Read Preacher to find out!

In case you couldn’t tell, Preacher is a WILD ride. Honestly, the above synopsis isn’t even the half of it. Book One has always been my favorite and it sets the stage for the entire collected work so beautifully. Yes, the story is beyond far fetched. Yes, none of this could ever happen in real life. However, if you allow yourself to enter into the world created by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon, it really does feel real. The trio of Jesse, Tulip, and Cassidy are all so likeable in their own right and it’s impossible not to root for them instantly. Because of this, the danger that they are in feels that much more immanent. The twists are shocking and there is a tangible sense of urgency in every panel. Once I started reading, I just couldn’t stop because the last thing you want it for anything bad to happen to our heroes. And, when it does, it feels like a punch in the gut.

Not only does Book One establish the clear divide of “good versus evil” but it also introduces us to a variety of subplots. We get to see the Detectives hunt for Jesse, Tulip, and Cassidy. We meet a young, disfigured teen who vows to avenge his father’s death. We are shown settings and people that might not mean anything now, but they certainly will later. The promise of tying these loose ends is intoxicating. There is no rule book for a story line like this and that means it can go where ever the author and artists wants it to. Rest assured, you will never know what happens next in Preacher!

Overall, I am going to rate Book One of Preacher with a ten out of ten stars. From start to finish, this is a masterclass in story telling, artistry, and creating the blind faith in every reader that somehow, things are going to work out. No matter what!

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