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Recipe for Disaster (Violetta Massoni #2)
Recipe for Disaster (Violetta Massoni #2)
Theda Vallee | 2021 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
137 of 250
Kindle
Recipe for Disaster (Violetta Massoni book2)
By Theda Vallee

Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments

Mix two parts mystery, a dash of danger, and a sparkling heap of fabulous….

Etta Massoni used to work in her families bakery, now she chases supernatural baddies, trying her best to keep Stella-her attitude ridden magic -and her family in check.

When the cities nightclubs fall prey to an ancient curse, the bodies start piling up. The supernatural world is under threat of exposure, her team is in shambles, and a group of drag queens needs saving.

When the Massoni family decides to fight, they go all in, even if it means Nonna has to learn to twerk in the name of justice.


Ok this has to be one of those books that just hits you in the face! It’s so bloody funny and I mean hilariously so. Nonna and aunt Sophia have to be 2 of the best characters I’ve ever encountered and that’s before we meet the the Queens! I didn’t think Theda Valle could beat Stir until Petrified (Violetta Massoni book 1) but this just killed it and I loved that first book so much! This lady has some serious talent and I really can’t wait to see what else she produces. Aswell as the funny side the serious side comes through just as powerful it really is a treasure you find when you give these Indie authors support. It’s not that often I get excited like this over a book or author that’s got some serious talent although not sure my husband would agree when I’m laughing that hard I wake him at 2am 😂😂😂.
  
BT
Beneath the Stands ( Sugarlake 2)
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
66 of 220
Kindle
Beneath the Stands ( Sugarlake 2)
My Emily McIntire
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Elliot Carson left Sugarlake and has never looked back. Revered as the next big thing in basketball, Eli’s a star until an injury ends his career, sending him spiraling with no direction.

But he won’t go home.

He can’t.

Instead, he accepts a coaching gig at Florida Coast University, determined to leave his past behind. But fate has other plans when Becca, his sister’s best friend, shows up as a student and, even worse, becomes the new team manager.

Rebecca Sanger is the preacher’s daughter and the town's disappointment. When she ignores her family’s demands to come home, she’s cut off and needs a job so she can stay enrolled at FCU. She thought she had everything figured out, until Eli Carson—the person she hates more than anything in the world—ends up being her new boss.

Forced together, Becca and Eli’s hatred turns to heat, and they start an affair. But disaster quickly strikes, ripping them apart.

Years pass, and Becca’s back home, under her parent’s thumb, and living a mundane life. When Eli shows up out of the blue with a fiancée in tow, Becca is tasked with planning their wedding.

There’s only one problem.

Becca still loves Eli.

And he hates her.

A pretty decent read especially as lately I’ve struggled with romance. It was interlinked with book one so if you haven’t read it you will need to. It was good seeing conclusion to one story as well as it leading to the next. Flowed well and was a nice hit of that spice. It’s good to read a bit of spicy romance now and again.
  
Pompeii (2014)
Pompeii (2014)
2014 | Action, Drama, Mystery
6
6.1 (7 Ratings)
Movie Rating
The disaster movie has always been a genre guaranteed to create incredible box-office returns. If you look at Roland Emmerich’s impressive blockbuster hit 2012, which grossed over $750million, it is clear that destroying well-known landmarks = bums on seats.

However since 2012‘s 2009 release the genre has fallen into a dormant state. Nevertheless, four years later Paul W.S. Anderson attempts to reawaken this box-office behemoth with his take on the tragic true events at Pompeii, but does the film succeed in its task?

Partially is the short answer. Anderson’s first film since 2012’s disaster Resident Evil: Retribution is as cheesy as a Dairylea triangle, but it also has some stunning special effects to give it some life.

Game of Thrones’ Kit Harington stars as Milo, a slave captured by the Romans after they wiped out his entire family. He is taken to a gloriously recreated Pompeii and immediately sets his sights on the very beautiful Lady Cassia, played by a rather dull Emily Browning, who just so happens to be the daughter of the city ruler, Severus. I’m sure you can guess the plot…

What ensues is a cheesy mess of terrible acting and stilted dialogue that jars with the period nature of the film. Only the knowing of what is to come from Mt Vesuvius, which is beautifully rendered in CGI, stops the film from grinding to a halt.

Kiefer Sutherland dons a downright ridiculous English accent for the role of Senator Corvus, the chief antagonist in the film. He is on business in Pompeii to see if trade can be established and investment can be agreed with the great city of Rome – though this plot point gets lost along the way.

Another issue is the true story which Pompeii is based on. The great tale of tragedy and mother nature showing her ruthless side is one we all know – but all we really want to see is the mountain going boom. Unfortunately we must wait whilst Anderson tries his best to make us care about the characters with their sickly back-stories, for which he fails in breathtaking fashion.

Finally after nearly an hour of what feels like a poor-mans Gladiator we are treat to a stunning spectacle, as Mt Vesuvius explodes in rip-roaring style. As the mountain blows and the fireballs rage Anderson once again tries to get us interested in the paper-thin story, thankfully not pushing too hard this time, and he lets the special effects take over.

Historical accuracy is, surprisingly, very good. According to the director, Pompeii was faithfully recreated for the film with aerial shots of the city as it stands today topped up with CGI to show the thriving metropolis we see in the film.

Unfortunately, scientific accuracy takes a back-seat for the sake of high drama, which is the case with many films of this nature. The iconic pyroclastic flow, attributed to killing the majority of Pompeii’s inhabitants due to its huge speed and massive temperatures is slowed right down to ensure the film can last another ten minutes or so – though this is perhaps to be expected.

Overall, Paul W.S. Anderson has created a film which certainly looks the part, but is lacking in so many other areas. Kiefer Sutherland’s villain is completely upstaged by the constant shots of the volcano, which are almost pantomime like in their ‘it’s behind you’ staging, and the rest of the cast are wooden and not particularly likeable.

However, what it lacks in story and acting finesse it makes up in the beautiful special effects and engaging cinematography. It’s worth a watch just to see Pompeii get obliterated – which is probably not a very nice thing to say at all.

https://moviemetropolis.net/2014/05/03/pompeii-3d-review/