Tag Archives: thriller

Oct8

Groovy Movies: Heart of the Beast Edition

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Groovy Movies: Heart of the Beast 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 new Brad Pitt flick called Heart of the Beast. I could honestly give a hoot less about Brad Pitt but my friend wanted to see Heart of the Beast and I am never one to turn down an outing to the movie theater. Going to movies is my absolute favorite regardless of what I am seeing because I just love the experience of it! I went into Heart of the Beast not expecting anything from it and left pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It was very good! Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a trigger warning for scenes of combat and animal attacks. You ready? Let’s go:

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

James is a retired Special Forces Command Sergeant Major and is flying his plane to camp in the remote Alaskan wilderness with his combat dog, Odin (AKA Odie). James and Odie have been through a lot together and find what joy they can in nature. But, really, the only thing that brings James joy is his dog. They spend their day fishing and playing fetch before making camp for the night to get some rest for their departure the following day as the weather is going to turn. They awake to an overcast morning, pack up the plane, and begin their trip home as the rain starts to fall.

As James pilots the aircraft, he begins massaging his shoulder and eventually collapses on the wheel from a heart attack. The plane crashes and James lands in water but Odie is nowhere to be found. After emerging from the wreckage, James finds Odie lying on the ground in the woods, breathing but injured. James starts a fire, gets Odie comfortable, and consults his map to learn that they are fifty-eight miles away from the nearest road. They have no form of communication, no one is even aware of James being gone, and they are going to have to travel on foot to get back to civilization.

The following morning, James wakes up and Odie is upright, alert, and watching over him. Their journey home through the Alaskan wilderness is about to begin. The terrain is tough and there are dangerous animals like wolves and bears roaming. All James and Odie can do is put one foot in front of the other, keep up their strength, and avoid the animals stalking them at all costs. The trek is perilous and one wrong step could be their last. Will Odie and James be able to make it back safe and sound? Watch Heart of the Beast to find out!

Now, I’m sure all of you are wondering if Odie made it through the movie and I’m pleased to report that the answer is YES or else I wouldn’t have seen it. I also don’t consider this to be a spoiler because the movie opens revealing that Odie is okay. If you were on the fence about seeing this movie because of that, then you are free and clear to proceed! I am so glad that the movie started that way because I don’t think I would have liked it nearly as much if I was worried about Odie the whole time. Because of that, Heart of the Beast went from a probable tearjerker to an intense tale of survival and it had me on the edge of my seat.

Make no mistake, Brad Pitt was the star of the movie but Odie was the star and their relationship was so beautiful. I could literally feel the love in every scene and it made every slip, trip, and injury that much more harrowing because all I wanted was for them to make it through as a team. Odie was, indeed, fabulous and Brad Pitt was quite good and really showed his range as a physical actor. Not only were our two key players impossible to look away from, but the cinematography in Heart of the Beast was glorious. The scenery was gorgeous but it was fickle as danger lurked at every turn. Heart of the Beast was a fast paced thrill and, although I can’t say for certain if I would watch it again, I am definitely glad that I saw it in theaters!

Overall, I am going to rate Heart of the Beast with a seven out of ten stars. It wasn’t my favorite but I did like it a lot and I also think this is the first Brad Pitt movie I have ever seen lol.

Who is your favorite actor? What did you think about Heart of the Beast? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct4

Lil Red’s Book Club: Do Not Disturb By Freida McFadden Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Do Not Disturb 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 a Freida McFadden thriller called Do Not Disturb. In case you couldn’t tell, I have been on a HUGE McFadden kick as of late. Some were good, some not so much but I really enjoyed Do Not Disturb! I finished it in two sittings flat and the grand reveal left my jaw on the floor. I totally did not see it coming and it made for an excellent finale. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on Do Not Disturb for domestic violence and miscarriages. You ready? Let’s get to it:

Quinn Alexander just killed her husband, Derek. She stabbed him to death and she is not mad about it in the slightest. Derek abused her physically and mentally and after a brutal fight, she was the one left standing. She could call the cops and turn herself in or she could run. Option B is her choice and she quickly packs a bag and flees as a snowstorm hits. There is only one person Quinn will miss when she crosses the border into Canada – her big sister, Claudia. She’s all Quinn can think about as she begins her life as a fugitive from the law. Then, her getaway comes to an abrupt halt barely two hours in: The snowstorm has turned into a full on blizzard.

Quinn’s small car is no match for the heavy snow and she knows she must pull over for the night and start fresh in the morning. She needs a place that’s well off the beaten path and finds Baxter’s Motel, a ramshackle establishment with a sign you can barely make out from the road. It’s perfect. Although the lodging leaves a lot to be desired, the handsome owner of Baxter’s, Nick, is kind and even fixes Quinn some dinner. She eats her fill, falls into a restless sleep, and will surely be back on the road by daybreak.

Rosalie is Nick’s wife and suffers from a rare and progressive form of multiple sclerosis. She loves her husband but he is a murderer and a cheater too. As Nick goes about his day at the motel, she sits in the window and watches. Rosalie can see it all through the lenses of her binoculars and was treated to a private viewing of Nick’s infidelity. And just one day later, his other woman is stabbed to death. The police could never prove Nick’s involvement and their relationship has been more of a caregiver and patient ever since. Old feelings of jealousy constantly pester Rosalie and she grows even more resentful when she sees Nick being so nice to pretty and young Quinn.

As Quinn hunkers down in the motel, she learns from the news that she is a wanted person and is a sitting duck. She needs to make a move and fast. All the while, Claudia is searching for her as she is convinced that Quinn is innocent and the police won’t do their job correctly. She, too, ends up at Baxter’s based on Quinn’s last known whereabouts and is taken aback by Nick’s harsh demeanor and the silhouette of Rosalie in the window. Quinn is nowhere to be found and she is certain the couple knows more than they are letting on and she intends to find out. Quinn is Claudia’s baby sister after all and they love each other, right? … Right? What will become of Quinn? Will she end up in jail for the rest of her life or be able to make a great escape? Read Do Not Disturb to find out!

Do Not Disturb was giving ALL of the Psycho vibes and I was so there for it! This book absolutely drew inspiration from the cinematic masterpiece complete with the seedy motel, a skeletal women in a window, and references to the infamous shower scene. It was a tale that felt deeply familiar but was refreshed with an intriguing story line that made Do Not Disturb uniquely its own. What’s that old saying again? Steal from the best and make it your own and Freida McFadden did exactly that with this unputdownable thriller.

So as not to reveal spoilers, I have to be vague here but I will say that the plot twists left me one thousand percent shook. I think I was focusing and enjoying the Psycho angle so much that hints and clues simply slipped by without any thought to them. This was a book that I just wanted to read and delight in as the saga of Quinn progressed. Our three key players in Do Not Disturb were Quinn, Nick, and Rosalie and as their stories intertwined, a clear picture of what was going to happen next began to form. That is, until Freida McFadden incorporated a genius twist that took the book in an entirely different direction. Do Not Disturb kept me guessing and turning the pages till the very end and I loved it!

I am going to award Do Not Disturb with the coveted ten out of ten stars. This was one of the strongest McFadden books I have read and I highly recommend it if you are a thriller fan too!

How often do you read? What is your favorite book? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct1

Lil Red’s Book Club: Never Lie By Freida McFadden Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Never Lie 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 an ultra twisty thriller by Freida McFadden called Never Lie. As you all know, I fancy myself an amateur detective when I read and this book really through me for a loop. I saw the one twist coming from a mile away but the major reveal left me absolutely SHOOKETH. This is one of the best Freida McFadden books I’ve read in recent memory and I finished it on one day. Once I started I literally couldn’t stop to save my own life! Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a trigger warning on Never Lie for graphic violence, mentions of sexual violence, and disturbing content. You ready? Let’s get to it:

Tricia and Ethan are newly married after a brief whirlwind romance and have only known each other for less than a year. Despite not knowing everything about each other, they are moving full steam ahead and plan on purchasing a new home. In fact, they are heading to a showing of a remote estate when the snow starts to fall. They barely make it to the sprawling mansion as the conditions turn dangerous and their car peters out in the lengthy driveway. Their real estate agent is nowhere to be found, surely ditching their viewing due to the blizzard, and Tricia and Ethan are stuck. The only option is to find shelter in their potential dream home and wait out the storm.

As they explore their lodging for hopefully just the night, they learn that this is no ordinary home at all. It once belonged to the famous psychologist and author, Dr. Adrienne Hale. She was well known for her critically acclaimed book The Anatomy of Fear but even better known for her disappearance roughly three years ago. Her body has never been located and the world thinks her boyfriend, Luke, was to blame for her demise. Tricia is thoroughly creeped out to spend the night in a dead woman’s home but Ethan is in love with the house and wants to put an offer in. This is going to be a long night.

Throughout the evening, strange noises throughout the home startle the young couple and they search the premises for who or whatever is making the ruckus. Their mission proves to be futile and Tricia decides to take her mind off of her fear by tucking into a book from Dr. Hale’s library. She opts for her favorite, The Shining by Stephen King, and when she attempts to pluck the book from the shelf, a secret room is revealed. A room that houses all of the recordings Dr. Hale has made as she sees patients.

Tricia is a curious one and believes that she can solve the doctor’s murder based on the tapes that are hidden away. As the snow continues to fall, she dives into the saga of the sessions leading up to Dr. Hale’s disappearance. Upon her discovery, she learns about a problematic patient named EJ. A man who threatened and stalked the doctor in the weeks before she fell off the face of the earth. The man’s voice on the tape sounds familiar to Tricia but she just can’t place it. The one thing that she knows for sure, though, is that the doctor’s killer is still out there. And he might just be in this very house. Will Tricia solve the case of the missing doctor before it’s too late? Or will she, too, become a victim while stranded in the snow? Read Never Lie to find out!

Holy WOW was this book good and it is, easily, one of my favorite Frieda McFadden books yet. I rarely finish a book in just one day and that honestly tells you everything you need to know. Never Lie was fast paced, eerily claustrophobic, and featured a major twist that left my jaw on the floor. Funnily enough, I was bragging about having everything all figured out about halfway through and I was dead wrong. Never Lie was Red Herring central and it lured me into a false sense of complacency thinking I knew it all. The rug was pulled right under my feet and I landed flat on my fanny when I learned how wrong I was!

Whenever I read a Frieda McFadden book, I never feel a real connection to any of the characters because they all lightweight suck lol. That was very much the case with Never Lie and I could not be bothered to give a hoot about any of the key players. That’s okay, though, because McFadden’s writing style is all plot based. Every character in this book played their part to keep the story going at a rapid pace and it didn’t even matter how unlikable they were. All that mattered was getting to that end reveal and I think you will all agree if you read Never Lie that it was a doozy and then some. Highly recommend!

Overall, I am going to award Never Lie with the coveted ten out of ten stars. If you are a McFadden fan, this is a must read. You are going to love it!

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

Sep25

Lil Red’s Book Club: Brain Damage By Freida McFadden Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Brain Damage 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 a Freida McFadden thriller called Brain Damage. Freida McFadden books are either good or bad, in my opinion, and I either love them or can’t be bothered. Brain Damage, however, was very different because it just made me sad. This was an incredibly hard book to read and I will be placing a massive trigger warning for domestic violence, severe brain injury, and HIGHLY disturbing and upsetting content. You ready? Let’s get to it:

Dr. Charly McKenna is a dermatologist in New York City. She loves her job, has a fabulous apartment right across the street from Central Park, and is content with her life as a single woman. That’s not to say that dating wouldn’t be nice, though, especially if it was a date with her new patient, Clark. Although she has a strict policy to not date her patients, Charly’s heart stops when she sees handsome and fit Clark for an appointment. To her utter surprise, he asks her out and she declines. But she does tell him that in three months they could go out when he is discharged as a patient.

Charly has been looking forward to this date for a long time and spent a small fortune on a dress to impress. Unfortunately for Charly, their date won’t even make it beyond her apartment because Clark is unforgivably rude. She asks him to leave and is more than ready to never see him again. Until a few weeks later. In the waiting room of her practice, a disgruntled ex of a former patient threatens Charly and who is there to save her but Clark? He steps between Charly and the man charging towards her, diffuses the situation, and Charly figures that one more date can’t hurt. In fact, it helped. After a brief whirlwind romance, Charly and Clark are engaged to be married.

Their wedding is small and simple at a courthouse and after their slightly disastrous honeymoon, Charly and Clark are back in the city. Then, their relationship begins to spiral rapidly and Charly is convinced that she never knew Clark at all. A divorce is imminent but all of Charly’s plans are immediately halted. Upon returning to their apartment late one evening, Charly opens her door and suffers a gunshot wound to the head. When she comes to, she awakes in a hospital bed and cannot even speak.

As Charly progresses through rehab and eventually finds her voice, she is still none the wiser about who hurt her. Some days, she can barely remember her name. It sure comes as a shock for her to learn that she is married when Clark shows up for sporadic and brief visits! Although Charly is making gains, she will still not be able to live independently and Clark offers to be her caretaker. The arrangement does not benefit Charly in the slightest but she doesn’t want to end up in a nursing home. Even if that means staying with Clark and allowing for another uninvited guest to live in her apartment. Everyone at the rehab facility can see that something is up with Clark but Charly feels like she doesn’t even have a choice. Will she improve enough to remove herself from his “care”? Or will Charly be subjected to a lifetime with the man she was going to divorce? Read Brain Damage to find out!

Brain Damage took place in the Before and After. In the Before, we learn everything that led up to Charly’s tragic injury. In the After, we meet her dazed and confused after an almost fatal shooting. Before Charly is strong, confident, and smart as a whip. After Charly is meek, fully dependent on caretakers, and can barely form sentences. And it was all very, very sad. If you have ever experienced a loved one being gravely injured or ill, this book is going to trigger you without fail. It did for me and I almost considered not finishing it after a few chapters in the After. You all know that I can’t not finish a book though and had to see it through.

For all of the bad in this book, Charly was an absolute star and she was the only reason why I kept reading. I wanted to see her improve. I wanted to see her get justice. And I wanted her to achieve the best possible outcome in life because she was handed the shortest end of the straw humanly possible. If you can’t rally around Charly while reading Brain Damage, you might not have a soul lol. Although this book was incredibly upsetting for me, it was a solid read and an intriguing story line. There is no arguing that. The subject matter was just not for me which will explain my low star rating.

Overall, I am going to rate Brain Damage with a three out of ten stars. The three are for the book being pretty good but I couldn’t wait to be done with it. Read at your own discretion!

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

Sep15

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Anniversary By Alex Finlay Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Anniversary By Alex Finlay 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 Alex Finlay called The Anniversary. Although I wouldn’t call this book great, it was pretty good and the twisty cat and mouse plot was intriguing. My main qualm wasn’t so much with the contents of the book itself, rather with the at times, disjointed writing style of Alex Finlay. We’ll get to that more after the synopsis, though! Before we begin our chat about The Anniversary, I will be placing a trigger warning for graphic violence, disturbing content, sexual and physical assault, and combat in war. You ready? Let’s go:

High schoolers Jules and Quinn have seemingly nothing in common. Jules is beautiful, popular, and the star of the school. Quinn, on the other hand, is solitary, introverted, and prefers the company of books to people. However, these polar opposites formed a bond by semi-flirting their way through study hall before returning back to their normal crowds or lack thereof. While their interests are far from the same, the night of May first 1992 will forge their paths together for years to come to solve the mystery of what happened that fateful night and all of the tragedies to follow.

On May first, Quinn was sent to a juvenile detention center for almost killing a kid in a fight. On May first, Jules was kidnapped by the May Day Killer but he let her live. Life was never the same since. While Quinn was incarcerated, his mother was murdered and his brother’s health began to fail. With nowhere else to go upon his release, Quinn joined the army. As Quinn serves his country, Jules is serving looks and has a blossoming career as a young model. Her life might look glamorous on the outside but on the inside, Jules is almost always in the haze of a drug or alcohol induced stupor to shield herself from the memories of her narrow escape.

The May Day Killer was never found after Jules’ abduction and he continues to strike every year like clockwork. Some girls are spared, some are never seen from again. The FBI is desperate to close this case and Jules and two other May Day survivors begin to assist by trying to remember every detail from their encounter with the serial killer. Meanwhile, Quinn is working a case of his own. Before her murder, his mom uncovered something hinky going on at the factory she worked at. The day she was going to spill was the day of her death. His mom’s findings are meaningless to Quinn and leave him with more questions than answers. Little does he know, his mom’s murder and the May Day Killer are more connected than anyone thought possible. Will Jules and Quinn crack the cases to their own trauma? Or will a serial killer continue to walk free? Read The Anniversary to find out!

I am very much a fan of a good wild goose chase between a killer and the victims and The Anniversary really scratched that itch. The plot for The Anniversary was juicy to say the least and it kept me turning the pages. In fact, I finished it in three sittings. To a point, I enjoyed the story and the characters both major and minor. The biggest turn off of this book all came down to the way it was written. The Anniversary was marked through the passage of time with chunks of the book taking place one year or up to ten years later. This pieced together approach was somewhat confusing because so much could happen within that time frame! Once the next year took place, you basically had to remeet the characters with where they were at instead of where they have been which only left me wanting more. More information, more cohesion. More something to make this book feel like a completed work rather than a second or third draft.

Although I truly didn’t care for the way this book was set up, it doesn’t take away from the fact that it was still a slightly above average thriller. The grand reveals were shocking, it was fun to play detective along with the FBI, and it was almost like reading an episode of Law & Order: SVU. I will say that I felt like Jules’ character was a bit one dimensional but that was made up for in spades with Quinn. I don’t think it’s possible for him to not tug at your heart strings! The Anniversary had all of the fixings for a semi high Lil Red’s Book Club star rating. It really did fall short on the choppy writing, though, as it completely took away from a fully positive reader experience.

Overall, I am going to rate The Anniversary with a five out of ten stars. This was a perfectly average thriller that deserves a perfectly average rating. You’re not missing out on anything if you don’t read it, but you’re not going to hate it if you do give it a go!

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

Aug28

Lil Red’s Book Club: Ambush By Colleen Coble Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Ambush By Colleen Coble 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 sort of thriller, sort of romance, sort of religious (Yuck!) book by Colleen Coble called Ambush. Had I known that Coble was known for Christian literature, I would have vetoed it from the jump. However, I was too far into the book to abandon it and saw it through. Ambush was a below average read that appears to be the first part of a series. Will I read the next one when it comes out? The jury is still out but let’s discuss anyways! Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on Ambush for sexual violence, graphic crime scene descriptions, and general violence. Now, let’s get to it:

Paradise has had a tough go in life. After losing both of her parents she was bounced from foster home to foster home, each one being worse than the last. The only high point in those years was her relationship with Blake which came to a crashing halt when his attempt to help her failed. The two high school sweethearts never spoke again afterwards but Paradise’s past is about to catch up to her fifteen years later. Since her and Blake’s falling out, she went on to become a vet specializing in wild and exotic animals. Although she loves her job, an almost deadly attack by a big cat has left her broken and she takes the first opportunity she is offered to get her groove back. She will now be the vet at The Sanctuary.

The Sanctuary is exactly what it sounds like – a place for wild animals that were injured to roam, heal, and live the rest of their lives under expert care. It would be perfect minus the fact that Blake’s mother is the owner of The Sanctuary and he has returned in the wake of tragedy after the suspicious death of his father. Tensions are, indeed, high at The Sanctuary as the two former flames meet again but it is softened by Blake’s two younger brothers and his caring mom, Jenna. Paradise’s world at The Sanctuary revolves around caring for the animals and avoiding Blake at all costs. Soon, her avoidance of the man she has held a grudge against for so long will be the least important thing on her mind.

Since Paradise began her job, strange things have been happening at The Sanctuary and the surrounding properties. A body was found at a nearby ranch and angry activists have targeted The Sanctuary, committing break ins, arson, and shootings. The detective on the case feels no sympathy for Blake and his family and makes it clear that Blake and Jenna are his prime suspects in the murder at the ranch. With no help to be found for The Sanctuary from the police, the team decides to investigate themselves and that includes Paradise. As her and Blake work together to solve their own mysteries, they continue to grow closer and closer. If a flame is rekindling, it must wait until The Sanctuary’s problems are solved and Blake and his mom are in the clear. Will Paradise finally have the happy ending that she so needs and deserves? Read Ambush to find out!

In theory, Ambush offered a little bit of everything I like in a book. A juicy mystery, old love blossoming, and crooked cops. In practice, it was just very okay. My main qualm had nothing to do with the religious aspect of Ambush but had everything to do with the writing. Throughout the book, Colleen Coble made the decision to regurgitate the exact same phrases, words, and descriptions that had already been used several times over. It was verbatim and it drove me absolutely bonkers because lazy writing is the one thing I won’t stand for. There were countless times when it felt like I was rereading the same pages over again and it got to the point that it was laughable.

So the writing wasn’t great but what about the characters? Meh lol. Paradise as a leading lady was neither here nor there for me as she was extremely milquetoast. The personality factor was definitely lacking and she often read as bland and bored. Blake and his family, on the other hand, was too perfect and it was so unrealistic. I’m sure one would argue that god was on their side as they were ultra religious. What I mean by too perfect is that in the midst of all of this violence at The Sanctuary, no one got angry. Lives could have been lost and not one voice was ever raised. I don’t know about all of you, but I would be PISSED if I ended up being almost mauled by hyenas! Once again, I chalk this up to lazy writing to not even bother hinting at conflict within themselves and Ambush often read as a first draft as opposed to a published book.

Overall, I am going to rate Ambush with a two and a half out of ten stars. This is one that can certainly be skipped on but I’d be a liar if I said I don’t want to find out what happens in the next book!

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

Aug25

Groovy Movies: The End Of Oak Street Edition

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Groovy Movies: The End Of Oak Street Edition

Hello! This past week I enjoyed seeing one of this summer’s most fun popcorn flicks called The End Of Oak Street starring the incomparable Anne Hathaway. This is a very good year for my girl and I loved seeing her in The Devil Wears Prada 2 and The Odyssey. She will also be in Verity coming out in November, I believe, which I do plan on seeing just because it’s her even though I hated the book with a passion lol. But I digress. The End Of Oak Street was a wild ride that moved rapidly with nonstop thrills, the occasional jump scare, and dinosaurs galore. Honestly, Jurassic World who? The End Of Oak Street was the fresh take on dinosaurs that we all needed and left the latest installment of Jurassic World in the dust! Let’s discuss in a spoiler free setting, as per ushe:

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

The year is 1982, it’s summertime and the living is easy. Kind of. Denise, her husband Greg, children Audrey and Brian, and family dog Starbuck live in a picture perfect suburban neighborhood. Families barbecue, children play together, and you can always count on a neighbor for help. Behind closed doors, however, Denise and Greg’s marriage is strained and their kids are constantly hearing them bicker. Denise goes through the motions while her husband works odd jobs and delivers pizza and when everyone is asleep, she heads to the basement to work on a book she is writing in secret.

Denise’s elderly neighbor is editing her book and after wrapping up their session requests her help. A strange plant grew out of nowhere in her yard and they each have no idea what it could be. Denise snaps a picture on her Polaroid camera, uproots the plant, and heads to the library to investigate. To her surprise, the librarian tells her this plant has been extinct since the time that dinosaurs roamed the Earth. The following night, a huge storm takes place with bright lights flashing that definitely doesn’t look like lightening. The power in the neighborhood goes out and Denise’s family hits the hay in the hopes that the storm has passed and the power will be on when they wake up.

That is not the case and what’s worse, Starbuck is nowhere to be found in their backyard. Greg and Denise decide to look for the dog together while the kids hold tight and step into an unfamiliar new world. Their neighborhood has turned into Jurassic Park overnight! The landscape has changed to lush greenery, mountainous terrains, and huge lakes and dinosaurs wander in search of something tasty to eat. Within minutes, the street devolves into chaos with families trying to escape, many of them not making it beyond their own front door.

Greg and Denise book it back to their kids and begin the process of boarding up their home. But they can’t stay there indefinitely and need a plan to get themselves back to 1982. Their daughter, Audrey, suggests that they could have entered a portal to go back in time and that could have been the bright light they saw during the storm. The trick is for that light to appear again, find it, and avoid the dinosaurs at all costs. Will this family learn to work together and make it home alive? Or will they be stuck on Oak Street forever? Watch the movie to find out!

If you are looking for a short and sweet action packed movie, then you can stop your search. The End Of Oak Street has you covered! This flick clocked in at one hour and forty minutes and after the brief introduction to the family and neighborhood every scene was more insane than the next. The threat of the dinosaurs was so palpable I found myself holding my breath as they wreaked havoc creating close calls that were centimeters away from disaster. Not only were the dinos fearsome but they were so well designed and it was such a nice change of pace to see these creatures in a movie other than Jurassic Park.

The only thing I really didn’t care for in The End Of Oak Street was the son, Brian, who was just whiny and annoying the whole time. My beloved Anne Hathaway made up for it in spades, though! It was wild to see her wielding a gun and being a total badass because I’m so used to her girl next door roles. As she always does, she played the part so well and my eyes were never not on her even when dinosaurs were mauling her neighbors lol. If you are an Anne Hathaway fan like me, this is a must see. Even if you’re not, this is a must see because this was one of the most exciting action movies I have seen in ages!

Overall, I am going to rate The End Of Oak Street with a nine out of ten stars. If Brian wasn’t so cringy it would have been a perfect ten!

Have you seen The End Of Oak Street? 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

Aug5

Lil Red’s Book Club: It Could Have Been Her By Lisa Jewell Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: It Could Have Been Her By Lisa Jewell 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 Lisa Jewell’s newest thriller called It Could Have Been Her. I am an avid fan of Lisa Jewell and thoroughly enjoyed the talk she did through the library systems last year. It was so cool to see one of my favorite authors on the computer screen answering questions from readers and talking about her writing process and upcoming projects. I was super excited to read her latest book and it did not disappoint. It Could Have Been Her was a wild ride! Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a big fat trigger warning for child abuse, domestic abuse, sexual violence, and highly disturbing content. You ready? Let’s get to it!

Twice divorced Jane is in her mid fifties and lives a solitary life in her family’s crumbling estate located in the middle of nowhere. She doesn’t have much in the way of human company but she loves her four dogs more than life itself. As her and her pups take their daily walk, they come across a small white dog that Jane has never seen before. She takes him to the vet and learns from his microchip that the dog’s name is Hugo and lives in London. How did this little dog get all the way to her property? Although she would like to keep Hugo, she makes the trip to return him to his owner and is shocked by where he lives. In a home that will forever be seared into her memory as what could have been her final resting place when she was twenty-nine years old.

The man who answers the door is named Stuart Tucker and he is dodgy but appreciative that his dog is back. Shortly after Jane drops Hugo off, she receives a call from the vet who heard something strange from Jane’s closest neighbor. Hugo was with a girl who was renting a spare room in her house. She has left all of her belongings and is nowhere to be found. This piques Jane’s interest as she fancies herself an amateur sleuth and wants to crack the case. What happened to the girl who rented the room under the name Rose White?

Stuart Tucker is a keeper of secrets. He lives with his partner, Jessamine as well as her daughter Daisy and mother named Annie. Jessamine spent her childhood in a house of horrors and her life revolves around when she can have her next drink. Stuart dotes on Daisy because no one else will and waits on Annie as if he were a butler. All the while, he takes the verbal and physical abuse of Jessamine as she is prone to fits of rage. He knows something terrible happened in this house but does his best to avoid thinking about it. If he does, he might just run away for good even if that means leaving Daisy all alone.

Tucker knows that Jane is poking around with her detective work and his family’s downfall might be coming sooner than he thinks. And Jane doesn’t think, she knows that she is getting close to finding answers. Rose is somehow connected to the house that lives in her nightmares. If Jane finds her, she can come to terms with her own trauma and move on with her life. But will Jane really want to learn the answers to the questions that have lived rent free in her mind for over two decades? Read It Could Have Been Her to find out!

Let me just get this part out of the way: There were some parts of It Could Have Been Her that were really difficult to read. In fact, this is one of the most disturbing thrillers I have read in recent memory and I do not say that lightly. Having said that, this book was really REALLY good and might just be Lisa Jewell’s darkest novel yet. The plot of this book twisted and turned at a rapid pace and the beauty of it was that every twist made perfect sense. This was a delight after reading My Husband’s Wife where every reveal was meant to shock as opposed to moving the story forward. Lisa Jewell weaved a tale of inter generational trauma that infected everyone it touched and it was up to the characters in the story to pick up the broken pieces the best way they knew how.

For all of the macabre in It Could Have Been Her, it was balanced out by our lovely heroine Jane. This woman was an absolute joy with her quick wit, her loves for dogs, and the blinding pride she feels for all of her stepchildren. She was truly the bright light that this book needed as Jewell guided us through the depths of human depravity. Throughout the book, I could see her confidence grow and her world expand and it was exciting to read about her whole new lease on life. Because for her to move forward, she needs to confront her past. This is no easy feat for anyone and it will be impossible for you to not root for her every step of the way if you read this book!

Overall, I am going to rate It Could Have Been Her with an eight out of ten stars. This was exactly what I needed after reading the massive dud of My Husband’s Wife and further solidifies Lisa Jewell as one of my go to authors. Just read at your own discretion!

Who is your favorite author? Have you read any good thrillers recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug2

Lil Red’s Book Club: My Husband’s Wife By Alice Feeney Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: My Husband’s Wife By Alice Feeney 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 one of Alice Feeney’s newest books called My Husband’s Wife. When I began reading this book, I was most intrigued. Then, my tune changed drastically close to halfway through. I am telling you right here right now that My Husband’s Wife was the most far fetched garbage I have ever read lol and I encourage all of you to not waste your time on it. But, hey, that’s what these reviews are all about – for you to enjoy a book too or find something better! Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on My Husband’s Wife for suicide, child abuse, cancer, and graphic crime scene descriptions. Let’s do this thing:

Eden and her husband Harrison have just moved to the famous Spyglass house in Hope Falls with the hopes of a fresh start. Harrison will continue to travel back to London as his business is booming and Eden will spend her time painting. In fact, she even has an exhibition at a gallery this very night. To clear her mind before the big event, she goes for a run and returns to Spyglass to shower, don a pretty dress, and show the world her art. She inserts her key into the lock and it doesn’t turn. Did Harrison change the locks while she was out? After pounding on the door, a woman answers and she looks a lot like Eden and Harrison is treating this mystery woman like his own wife. But Eden is Eden so who in the world is she?

Olivia Bird AKA Birdy lives a life of solitude and prefers the company of her dog, Sunday, to almost all people. Birdy is also harboring a secret. Her body is riddled with tumors and she does not have long to live. Before she passes, there are loose ends to tie in Hope Falls as her grandma left Spyglass to her in her will. Bird visits the home once before putting it on the market and it is quickly purchased by Eden and Harrison. Her task is done but her life’s trajectory will soon call her back to Hope Falls, a place that she only vaguely remembers from her childhood.

Hope Falls is one of the safest places to live and the small town only has one police officer named Carter. A promotion to become head detective hangs over his head but it is snatched up by a more decorated person on the force. Their arrival couldn’t have come at a better time as a body has washed up on the shore and it looks a lot like Eden. The real or fake one is yet to be determined as the body is badly disfigured. Whoever this person is, there is a murder to solve and every new piece of information leaves the officers even more confused. Was the death of the unidentified person a case of suicide? Or was it part of a sinister plot to both bury and avenge the past? *Don’t* read My Husband’s Wife to find out!

My Husband’s Wife started out with a bang. The changed locks, an identity crisis, the the introduction of the elusive Olivia Bird. I was loving it as I worked my way through the first one hundred and twenty pages or so and then this book took a drastic turn and not in a good way. The relative simplicity of the plot that was being established began to turn so convoluted and each discovery in the investigation seemed more unlikely than the next. Now, don’t get me wrong. I completely understand that the thrillers I enjoy reading are far fetched but My Husband’s Wife was just too much. Each passing plot twist upped the ante in ridiculousness that it was almost humorous if it wasn’t all so dumb lol.

The sad thing about this book is that it did start out so strong and I had a fondness for Olivia Bird. She was truly the only saving grace in My Husband’s Wife with her cool attitude, dry wit, and sleeves of tattoos. I really did like reading about her but that wasn’t enough to salvage this utter train wreck. As you all know, I fancy myself an amateur detective and revel in figuring out grand reveals. It’s a game I play every time I read but My Husband’s Wife was so lackluster that I didn’t even care to try. And that’s really saying something!!

I am going to bestow zero out of ten stars upon My Husband’s Wife. If you are looking for a twisty thriller, check out Freida McFadden’s latest books because this one is SO not it!

What is your favorite thriller? What are your thoughts on My Husband’s Wife? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul29

Lil Red’s Book Club: Dear Debbie By Freida McFadden Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Dear Debbie 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 one of Freida McFadden’s newest books called Dear Debbie. Freida McFadden is a hit or miss author for me. Some of her books are great, others leave a lot to be desired and I feel like there is no middle ground. Her books are either good or bad lol. However, her most recent thrillers have hit hard – so much so that I finished Dear Debbie in one day! I just couldn’t put it down! Before we begin our discussion, I will be placing a trigger warning on Dear Debbie for sexual assault (one instance involving minors), graphic violence, and disturbing content. You ready? Let’s get to it:

Debbie gives great advice but she never necessarily takes her own. She is the voice of “Dear Debbie” in the local newspaper and does her best to point lonely or sad housewives in the right direction. Her own direction these days? Aimless. Her husband, Cooper, pulls disappearing acts during the evening and there is something going wrong with her teenage daughters that she is completely in the dark about. Debbie’s life wasn’t supposed to be this way. She was a promising student at MIT until an incident happened that made her academic dreams crash and burn. So she became a wife, a mother, and every day since the incident has left her feeling inadequate.

The only thing Debbie really has going for her is Dear Debbie and she enjoys her work. She takes pride in encouraging others to make a change but in one article, her advice goes too far in the eyes of the editor. A woman wrote to Debbie about the financial restraints her husband constricts her to and Debbie advised her to get a divorce. That did not fly for the family friendly publication and Debbie loses her job. Now, Debbie has nothing left to lose and decides to start righting the wrongs in her life.

Her targets are the people who do wrong for the sake of doing it. People who have made her daughters cry. Someone who is standing in the way of her husband’s promotion at his job. The snarky housewives who simply tolerate Debbie’s existence. But this is all child’s play because Debbie is working up to the number one person on her list. The person who derailed her life when her future could have been so vastly different. Debbie is going full on vigilante and there is nothing that can stop her now that her mission has begun. Who will suffer her wrath? Read Dear Debbie to find out!

It has been a while since I read a twisty thriller as I was working through a few palette cleanser books. Dear Debbie scratched that itch and then some! This book was a fast paced tale of revenge and what happens when a woman has had enough. For over twenty years, Debbie lived with her secret and shame and her getting fired from the newspaper was the straw that broke the camel’s back. It was absolutely delicious to read about this “super mom” getting more unhinged with each passing page and I genuinely had no idea what she was going to do or say next. It is rare that I finish a book in one day but this one was just that good.

One of my complaints with Frieda McFadden’s work has been her twists. In her earlier books, they seem to be placed so haphazardly with the point of shocking rather than making complete sense. It always left me feeling disappointed because better options were out there and weren’t being used. Her most recent books are so much more concise with grand reveals that actually feel plausible and tie the story line in a bow rather than leave the reader scratching their heads over the frayed edges. The twists in Dear Debbie were shocking, for sure, but they also kept the story moving along and kept me turning the pages until there were none left.

Overall, I am going to rate Dear Debbie with an eight out of ten stars. Freida McFadden has definitely moved up on my radar and I cannot wait to read what she writes next!

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