How to get away with Murder

First of all let my start by saying I’m not even sure how they came up with this show. There are so many twists and turns and surprises that I’m impressed that this show was still so concise and makes sense. Usually when you add too many details to something it’s hard to make sense of all the information but in this show they did a good job of making everything fall into place but still keeping you wondering all the way to the last episode what was really happening. 

Annalise is this badass criminal attorney, with so much power and confidence that it’s sometimes hard to see her when she expresses real emotion or pain. I love that in her pain she still tries to protect the people she cares about. I wasn’t a real fan of Bonnie or Michaela because they both gave me the feeling of only doing something if it benefits them or if it’s for themselves. Connor, Wes, and Laurel had there moments when their actions were questionable but you knew that they meant it for the greater good. Asher is just a dork, a grown man acting like he’s still in high school. Frank is hands down my favorite character; he’s mysterious, reliable, and always there to support Annalise, he goes out of his way to do things for the people he cares about even if they don’t deserve it.

My husband and I binged this season and couldn’t wait to start on the next one! I think that this show just has a way of grabbing your attention and making you need to know who actually committed the crime, what was the motive, how, and after everything was said and done if they would actually get away with it. Ultimately even though you know it’s wrong you want them to get away with it because of you attachment to the characters. 

All Fall Down by Ally Carter

 

Grace Blakely is absolutely certain of three things:

1. She is not crazy.
2. Her mother was murdered.
3. Someday she is going to find the killer and make him pay.

As certain as Grace is about these facts, nobody else believes her -- so there's no one she can completely trust. Not her grandfather, a powerful ambassador. Not her new friends, who all live on Embassy Row. Not Alexei, the Russian boy next door, who is keeping his eye on Grace for reasons she neither likes nor understands.

Everybody wants Grace to put on a pretty dress and a pretty smile, blocking out all her unpretty thoughts. But they can't control Grace -- no more than Grace can control what she knows or what she needs to do. Her past has come back to hunt her . . . and if she doesn't stop it, Grace isn't the only one who will get hurt. Because on Embassy Row, the countries of the world stand like dominoes, and one wrong move can make them all fall down. 

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Review 

Grace has lived through something no one should ever experience, not only the loss of her mother but witnessing her murder. People want her to forget and to move on but she can’t, she has to find the person responsible. Now she’s back on Embassy Row and she will discover he truth even if it kills her. On her journey she makes new friends and reconnects with old acquaintances.  The road to the truth was hard and sometimes the truth should have been left in the past.

I really enjoyed this book and I think this is another great story by Ally Carter. I love her books and how there always seems to be a epic plot twist.  

I loved all of Grace’s friends and how supportive they are. Noah is my favorite character, he’s the perfect best friend. I really enjoy how quickly he befriended Grace in an environment where cliques dominate. I like that they are just friends (no flirting), it’s just a really wholesome and fun relationship. I love how he, Megan, and Rosie stood by Grace and never gave up on her. 

If you loved the Gallagher Series and the Heist Society Series then I suggest getting a ticket straight to Embassy Row. I honestly didn’t think I would like this book as much and I held off reading this for a long time but I was wrong and I am disappointed in myself #Dontjudgeabookbyitscover. Ally Carter has never done me wrong and I can’t wait for book two.

Rating: 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Grimm

 

I will start off by saying I love Grimm. Grimm is a really interesting show. It puts an interesting twist on two things most people love, detective shows and fairytales. The fairytales they use and go through are nothing like you would expect. It is such a fun and intense show and you never really know what to expect. 

The show starts off with our main character Nick finding out he’s a Grimm and can see things that other people can’t and that he is basically the defender of humanity against Wesen. However, unlike his ancestors and past Grimms he starts to navigate this world and believes that not all Wesen are bad. He befriends Monroe who helps guide him in the right direction and stands by his side even though being friends with a Grimm is frowned upon. 

Over the runtime of the show Nick grows into the person he wants to be and learns how to let those closest to him in on his secret and what actually goes on in his life. Along side him is Monroe, Rosalie, Hank, and Wu. They are always there for him and to support him. However, there are many people he’s not sure if he can trust or not, depending on the direction the wind blows will determine if they are with him or against him. The world is a dangerous place for a Grimm, yet the world would be more dangerous without a Grimm.

Honestly this is one of my favorite TV shows besides Criminal Minds and Bones. I think if you like both of those you should definitely give Grimm a try.

Rating: 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Along for the Ride

Auden is a girl who had to grow up too quickly. Her parents were divorced early on and she was forced to grow up to fit into the mold and expectations her mother set for her and that she set for herself. She wants a summer to break the mold, to see if she can grow, to see if she can be different. I really liked Auden’s journey to self discovery. She found her boyfriend, life long friends, and finally was able to address family matters that had hurt her in the past. 

Eli is just this sweet character who is dealing with losing one of the people he loved most and through that he pushed away a lot of his friends, until Auden walks in. Something about her makes him let her in but as their relationship develops he doesn’t want to relive the past, but with her by his side and her pushing him to keep living instead of dying with the person he lost Eli is able to over come some of his grief and learn to honor the memories instead. 

I thought it was such a wholesome and fun movie. Both main characters had real problems that make them easy to relate to but to watch them over come those problems and support each other was so beautiful. I also loved how Audens relationship with her friends progressed, with her mother, and with her stepmother and father. I think the movie did a great job addressing all the issues and having realistic resolution while still showing that you can over come your pasts and your struggles.

Becoming Ms. Bennet: Pride and Prejudice

 

This was a fun rendition of Pride and Prejudice. I like that this was a movie about making a movie about Pride and Prejudice Vs a remake. I think whoever tries to make a remake has a tough act to follow on the one starting Kiera Knightley. However, I have seen Lexi Giovagnoli in quite a few movies and I feel like she gets better every time. I loved her chick flicks, I think they are perfect for any romance lover. I think the main reason I liked this movie is because of the characters parallels to the Pride and Prejudice characters they are playing. I love Liam and I think he is easier to love and to thaw than the cold heart of Mr. Darcy. I love how he warms to Kate and is trying to stand up and protect her. I enjoyed the relationship that Kate has with a lot of her costars. I also like that they tried to make it realistic and that everything in the movie industry didn’t come naturally to Kate, she has to work hard or lose her job. I think it was a fun twist that adds a modern day flair and yet still holds true to a lot of Pride and Prejudices original charm. 

This vs That: The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

I decided to watch the Hating Games because Lucy Hale was in it and I love her. But when I saw it was based on a book I was like well dang I’m going to need to read it too. 

The book has a lot to offer. It’s a fun compelling book that is an enemies to lovers romantic comedy. It’s a great read for any romance reader. I particularly liked that this was a very straightforward book romantically. I don’t always love when stories introduced love triangles but I think that this had the right amount of it to add a little drama to the novel without overdoing it, ultimately you know that Josh is Lucy’s dream man even if she is unwilling to admit it for awhile (because of the whole enemies thing). Joshua’s behavior at times I found weird because he clearly has had romantic feelings for Lucy for far longer than she has had them for him but the way he expresses himself doesn’t always convey that and adds tension to their everyday dynamics.

I loved the feisty interaction they had in the movie. It was just the right amount of sassy and entertaining. I did watch the movie twice and thought it was amazing both times (it has the same feel to me as To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, which is one of my top favorite romance movies). I think that while the movie missed a lot of details like most movies tend to do just based on time alone, I think some of the interactions play out better. I liked the way Lucy defends Josh with his family at the wedding VS the book, but his fathers reaction was better in the book. I love the way the book portrays Josh’s breakup with his EX before Lucy and how he has always loved Lucy, but I love the way the Movie ends better because I think it offers a more full circle ending.

All in all they both have a lot to offer and are both successes in my mind. Both deserve five stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️.

Book = Movie

Bridgerton

 

First of all I love Bridgerton, I think everyone does. There is something about the time period, with the right hint of drama and scandal that makes this show irresistible. I loved the first season with Daphne and Simon and I wasn’t sure if the second season would measure up but of course a Bridgerton would never disappoint. Season two was potentially more dramatic than season one and I’m not even sure how they did it. Bridgerton is making this era popular and is bringing back tea parties. My Husband wasn’t too keen on watching this with me because he said it looked boring but after a few minutes he was hooked as well (he cracks me up). 

Anthony is back determined to take a bride, but for duty and nothing else. Love isn’t in the cards for him as far as he is concerned. He plans to wait for the Queen to name her diamond and that will be his bride because any woman in their right mind would jump at the chance to marry the Viscount. 

The Sharma’s came to Mayfair for the season in hopes of finding the youngest daughter Edwina a husband. This doesn’t seem like a difficult task since the queen named her the seasons diamond. She becomes the desire of all the men including the Viscount. However, this is a matter of the heart and she won’t settle for less than she deserves.

Kate is determined to find her sister a husband who will love and support her and the Viscount is definitely not the one but Edwina seems to have her eyes set on him. While Kate and Anthony bicker about the future between him and Edwina they discover an attraction between themselves that cannot be denied and a potential scandal that must be avoided for both of their families sakes.

I really enjoyed this season. I loved finding out more about Anthony and what made him the man he is. You get to find out more about his past and one of the biggest tragic events that occurred to the Bridgerton family, the death of their father. You get to see lots of mentions of Edmund and how he was as a father and how is absence affected everyone. It was bittersweet and I think probably the most insightful thing in the season. 

Daphne’s presence was always a plus but I wished we got to see more of her and even had some appearances made by Simon. Colins wasn’t really my cup of tea in this season. I felt as if he hadn’t really grown up and learned to stop chasing things that were pointless, a child still wishing for things that the adult in him knows he can’t have and then missing the beautiful things right in front of him. Benedict was the same funny carefree spirit. Eloise definitely had more of a presence in Daphne’s absence and I loved her story as it progressed through the season. I can’t wait to see her love story in the future because whoever courts and marries Eloise Bridgerton better have a back and a mind of steel. I do think she can be overly dramatic but I suppose one of the siblings must be. As for Edwina Sharma she truly has a heart filled with kindness to be able to forgive her sister and accept the Bridgerton family after the wrong doings done to her, I hope she gets the fairytale ending she deserves. 

This show is honestly a masterpiece and I am pretty sure that Netflix created the double thumbs up just for Bridgerton.

Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and Double Thumbs Up 👍 👍 . 

Fatherhood

 

Fatherhood is a true story about a man who loses his wife due to a complication after she gave birth and who then needs to figure out how to raise his newborn daughter. The man goes into a hospital with his wife and leaves only with his baby. Can you imagine living through something like that. The movie centers on him learning how to take care of her and the struggles he faces as a single father. His friends and family doubt his ability to raise Maddy. His former mother in law is constantly stepping on his toes and they often end up in arguments each stemming from their own grieve. Matt learns that he can’t always have all the answers and starts focusing on trying to honor his wife’s memory and doing what is best for his daughter. You see him navigate years of fatherhood and trying to move on in his work life and romantic life. Ultimately is was a beautiful story of a loving father.

This movie was an absolute tear jerker. I started crying within the first few minutes and didn’t stop until it was over. It was such an emotional movie and you can’t help but imagine what that situation would feel like and sympathize for Matt, but he didn’t let the circumstances hold him back he always powered through every struggle for his daughter. 

I thought Kevin Hart was absolutely brilliant in this performance. I think I am use to him playing more comedic roles and wasn’t sure if he would really be able to pull this off but I was completely wrong. He killed it. It was heart wrenching and I felt the story as it I was living it myself, it was truly beautiful.

I think the only thing I wish was done better from a production/script standpoint was the ending. Typically when a movie is based on a true story they end telling you what happened after the ending. Did the person get their dream job, was the couple happily married for 40 years, did the person die in war, etc. In this movie we don’t get that, we don’t know where Maddie and Matt are or what happened to them after the credits roll.

Still this movie is a 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. 

The Titan's Addiction by Anna Zaires

Emma has been hesitant in a lot of aspects about her relationship with Marcus because he has already disappointed her once but she cannot deny her feelings for him. With each passing day they grow stronger and he grows more intense. She knows he wants her but could he love her even though she doesn’t meet the criteria he is wanting in a wife. Can she put her heart on the line?

Over the two books Marcus has had a lot of different feelings for Emma from lust, desire, affection, etc. but there was a turning point for Marcus where he realizes that his feelings for Emma have changed into something deeper. It hits him hard and it is such a real and beautiful moment. After that it’s like he has to reevaluate his priorities and goals to realign them with the new vision he sees for his future. He’s going to handle this like he does everything in his life, with complete focus and dedication.

I have to say I enjoyed both Marcus and Emma’s characters in this book, I felt that they both grew in positive and realistic ways. Emma had to learn to let go of her past and to compromise, that always looking back would mean she would lose the present. Marcus had to learn that he couldn’t have a relationship as if it were a business transaction and he has to be willing to take the biggest risk of all, his heart. I loved the way the story played out and progressed. I love when they invite each other into their lives sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly. The relationship seemed authentic and was so much fun to get to experience that with the characters. The ending was perfect too.

If you haven’t read a book by Anna Zaires Twist Me is a great read. 

The Witcher

 

I decided to watch the Witcher because my husband kept raving about the video games and Henry Cavil. He fan girled about it so much that I decided to give it a go. 

After we started the show I was definitely intrigued and wanted to keep watching, we watched both seasons in four days. I think that the show has a lot of good things going for it. I did find that the show seemed slow at times, and it took all season for things you expected to happen sooner to occur. In season one I was especially confused by the time line because it is very clear at points that the three main characters were on different time lines,  however it was never specified so in each episode you were never sure if they were in the present or in the past for a long time. Also time passes really quickly at times. 

As for the praises the characters that play Geralt, Yennifer, and Ciri were perfectly casted. I love the relationships that Geralt has and how he defies the expectations that Witchers are incapable of emotions/feelings. He cares for his friends and family and would do anything to protect them. I love the connection between him and Yennifer and I hope we get to see that continue in the future in Season Three, they have a lot to get through for their relationship to thrive and as a romantic I can’t wait. 

My FAVORITE relationship is Geralt and Ciri’s.  I think that when Geralt was given Ciri as his child surprise no one thought it would go anywhere. However, years later he stops trying to outrun destiny and after a long strenuous process he is reunited with the child he is supposed to care for. From the moment they meet you can tell that this relationship is going to be made of gold. They will care, protect, and love each other. I loved watching Geralt step into a father like role and watching their relationship blossom. 

Season two ended with a hell of a cliffhanger and I can’t imagine waiting months or even a year to find out what happens next. The ending left a lot of questions unanswered and fans waiting for the next installment. 

CAUTION this show is very gory and while my husband loved it and praised the detail and the work during the fight scenes I did have to look away a lot. 

I have never played the games or read the books but if you are a binger I would watch this show because it is something you can immerse yourself in completely for eight-sixteen episodes.

365 Days

When I first started watching this movie I didn’t know what to expect and it got really intense really quickly almost to the point of being uncomfortable but I feel as you get use to it that it gets more interesting. You have Massimo who is in the Mafia and falls in love with a girl he sees from a distance. He dedicates years of his life to finding her and waiting for her until he sees her again and kidnaps her in hopes that she will fall in love with him. Laura is in a relationship where she isn’t getting what she needs from her partner and on her birthday trip she gets kidnapped. She is scared and angry but she won’t cower in fear because of her captor. He wants her to fall in love with him but how can she? As time goes on she continues to push Massimo and continues to find that he isn’t what she thought he would be. She is allowed to have a life, and socialize with her friends and family, and go out as if she were still free. The only difference is that she now has the complete devotion and love of a man unlike in her last relationship. As time goes on she can’t help but wonder if she does love him after all.

This was interesting to say the least but its definitely not meant for all audiences. I liked how their relationship progressed and I like that Laura wasn’t a scared frail thing, she stood up for herself if she had to and Massimo tried to defy his nature to be what he thought she needed. The ending has me going WTF!!!! I couldn’t believe Netflix would end a Romance/Erotic movie like that. However, I did see that there would be a sequel that would be released this month so there is time for redemption because the ending of the movie was a cliffhanger vs. a tragic ending. 

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

First of all let me just say how cute Sonic is, I want one! 

I saw the first Sonic movie when it originally came out and I had really liked it but in preparation for the second movie I decided to re-watch it. However, now I am married. I kept telling my husband that he had to see it with me and he kept complaining that he didn't want to watch it because it was for kids. After a few attempts I convinced him to watch it with me and after the movie was over he was like that was so great... He was so excited to see the second one with me. 

We went to see it on Friday the day it came out and all the anticipation and hype was so worth it. I loved the development of the family Sonic now had with Tom and Maddie. It was really cute to try to see Sonic try to act grown up at times despite the fact that he is clearly still a kid. I loved the addition of Tails and Knuckles. Tails is the sweet, supportive, and caring friend. I loved him instantly. Knuckles is more rough around the edges and is dryer in personality but my husband loved him as did my sister. 

The movie had a lot of plot twists that kept you you wondering what was going to happen next. Personally my favorite scene was at Maddie's sister wedding, the ending was also super sweet. I played Sonic way back when and I think as a player this movie was satisfying and as a movie watcher its just so much fun. I would definitely recommend you take your little ones to see it and it if you don't have children still go see it because this is a movie for everyone. 

STARS: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ouran High School Host Club Anime

Anime isn't my usual cup of tea, but my sister seems to be obsessed with it at the moment so if I want to be the hip cool sister I have to attempt to watch what she find interesting. We binge watched this show in two days and I have to say I was impressed with how entertaining it was. There were some things that I didn't find appropriate for children but it was an overall great show. 

The introduction slogan to the host club is "The Ouran Host Club is where the school's handsomest boys, with too much time on their hands, entertain young ladies who also have way too much time on their hands. Just think of it as Ouran Academy's elegant playground for the super-rich and beautiful."

The slogan is pretty funny and I love when Tamaki says it. So the club revolves around six boys who started a host club together to entertain the ladies with their charm. In this school they would definitely be considered the popular kids. One day Haruhi stumbles upon the club on accident and after an incident with the club she is forced to join, however the club thinks she is a boy at first and when they realize she is a girl they decide that she will continue to pretend to be a boy to remain in the club. However, her joining the club was just the thing they needed to bring them closer. They aren't just friends but family. 

Throughout the show you can tell that Haruhi has impacted them in some way, making them open up. But she can often be seen being annoyed by all the antics of the host club and can sometimes take on the roll of a babysitter. By the end of the series you can tell that she also has opened up to then and despite how she was forced to join she actually enjoys being there and part of the group.

Tamaki is the leader/king of the host club and all the original members formed this club based on his insistence. Tamaki is very smooth and charismatic making him the most popular host of the club but behind all that charm is a boy who just wants to feel loved and like be belongs. He is often seen letting his emotions getting the best of him in one way or another, whether is it by overreacting in situations or by stretching the host club thin in order to go out of their way to help others. He has a good heart and for most of the anime he struggles to realize the feelings he has for Haruhi. He is my favorite character! 

Kyoya is Tamaki's bestfriend and Vice-president of the host club. He is often depicted as being the one to pull the strings behind the curtain and only doing things that benefit him in someway. However despite the fact that he portrays himself to be cold he is actually very concerned with the happiness of his friends. Through the show you see him develop more and are able to see that he developed his cold demeanor due to the pressures of his family but because of his friendship with Tamaki and the other members of the host club he is able to push past the pressure that were placed on him and he eventually surpassed the expectations that were put on him by his family because of the support of his friends.

  

Hikaru and Kaoru are twins that come as a set. They were always considered to be indistinguishable and even interchangeable. This caused them to feel lonely and as if they could only rely on each other, they never felt like individuals until they joined the host club. Tamaki tried to make them feel welcomed and the other hosts were able to make them come out of their shell and make them feel included, but it was actually Haruhi who made the biggest impact as the only person who has ever been able to tell them apart. Their charm as members of the host club is twin love/flirting which I found to be one of the weirdest parts of the anime but they seemed to only act that way when they were hosting. 

Mitsukuni better known as Honey is honestly one of the cutest parts of the show. He is often depicted as the sweetest and most childish of the hosts, carrying around his stuff animal and eating sweets daily; however, he is actually one of the oldest hosts. His behavior is a contradiction to how he was raised which makes his younger brother resent him. However, you cannot be deceived by Honey's childlike demeanor. He is a martial arts champion, surpassing his father at a young age. He never hesitates to defend his friends if the situation arises.  

Mori is Honey's bestfriend and protector a role he takes very seriously. He is the silent type and would be considered to be unapproachable if it were not for his friendship with Honey that seems to make him appeal to the girls of the host club. He is supportive of everything Honey does, including joining the host club and he is usually willing to go anywhere with him honoring the bond their family's had formed generations prior. He is loyal to the bone.

Overall, the charming methods that are employed by the host club are at times awkward but usually amusing. Each member contributes something unique to the club. And while on the surface it may seem like the club is mostly for them to flirt with girls it is actually more about their friendship. It is about them supporting each other despite the pressures of their families and always being their for each other. I really enjoyed the show more than I thought it would. I would say if you haven't seen this show try it out.