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The Santa Suit
The Santa Suit
Mary Kay Andrews | 2021 | Fiction & Poetry, Mystery, Thriller
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Ivy Perkins buys a 106-year-old farmhouse, sight unseen, after a divorce. Known as Four Roses Farm, it was once home to Bob and Betty Rae Rose. Bob was famous as the town's Santa Claus, which Ivy learns when she discovers his lovely Santa suit tucked in a closet. In the pocket is a note from a young child, who simply wants her father to return home from the war. The note strikes a chord with Ivy, who finds herself wondering who the child was--and did she ever reunite with her father? Her investigation brings her in contact with the local townspeople, including Ezra, her realtor, neighbor, and handyman; a young woman named Phoebe; and a sweet town elder named Everett. Despite her reluctance to join in the town's many Christmas traditions, Ivy cannot help but be swept up in the small town and its spirit of Christmas.

"You mean, what's a nice, single, big-city girl like me doing in a hick town like Tarburton?"

This was an incredibly adorable, silly, cheesy book (more of a novella really). If you love Christmas movies, you'll find that this is basically a Hallmark Christmas movie in book form. And, as such, it's practically perfect: the snowy setting, a magical Santa suit, and a small town romance. What more could you ask for? Yes, you could pick at plot pieces and motives, but why? This is a quick read and a sweet one. Read in front of the fire with a cup of hot chocolate. 4+ stars.
  
SL
Secrets, Lies & Revenge (Book 1)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
92 of 235
Book
Secrets,Lies &Revenge (Book 1)
By Ben Andrews
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Four women. Three murders. Infinite secrets.

After Emily Lamont and her grandmother, Cynthia, move into the affluent neighborhood of Beechwood Close — their plan is set in motion.

Ava Shaw has built up a stellar reputation, the envy of society at Beechwood. Yet her troubled past soon catches up with her when things begin to spiral out of control, threatening to finally expose the truth she spent years hiding.

Rose Walker is struggling to find peace in her home, but when she is approached by a stranger who spins stories of a group that can change her life, things finally start to look up. Until she learns of their sinister motives…

Florence Foster is transforming her life in a desperate attempt to recapture the affections of her wandering husband. But, as divorce approaches, her worst fears come to fruition.

As plans unfold and secrets are revealed, the fate of the four women hangs in the balance. But one thing is for certain, hell hath no fury like a women scorned.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. It was full of drama from the start. The characters were interesting and you felt everything with them. A book full of secrets, lies and revenge it certainly was. I was lucky enough to be gifted this along with an Arc copy of book 2 in the series and I can’t wait to see how these lives continue to unfold.
  
Marriage Story (2019)
Marriage Story (2019)
2019 | Comedy, Drama
A bad movie disguised as a good movie
Wow what a disappointment.

I would say for a movie without out of the ordinary cinematography, art direction, costumes, lighting locations, sets or soundtrack; it had better have a good screenplay. And it didn't. I found the dialogue to be unbelievable, corny and not the way real people talk. I'll forgive this on occasion if I am listening to screenplay prose, like Tarantino maybe, where I don't care if his characters go on and on about nothing because the way they say it is so interesting. Here there is none of that.

Divorce is not a pleasant subject and the portrayal of their profession in this film makes them out to be all scum sucking horrible people. I know acting in the best interest of their clients is what they are supposed to do, but the way they twist every conversation or nonchalant occurrence between two people into something that happens to their client's advantage is just horrible.

While watching I was trying to decide if these reasons were why I was not enjoying and that was just not the case.

It's poor writing. The scene that everyone is talking about where Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver yell at each other and become increasingly emotional at the same time is all right, but honestly I felt overacting. I kind of felt that way through the entire film to be honest.

Not sure why this is getting all the accolades it is and am hoping it gets snubbed during awards season (but not likely).

What a disappointment...

  
There's a Riot Goin' On by Sly & The Family Stone
There's a Riot Goin' On by Sly & The Family Stone
1971 | Soul
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"I was listening to this album when I went through a nihilistic phase in my life. I only listened to Sally Can't Dance by Lou Reed and this record. It's a very murky and dark record and if you're ever going through a period of your life where you're doing a lot of drugs then this is a good record to get into. It's perfect for a murky time. It's mysterious and I like it because while it's a funk record it's a funk record slowed down to Portishead speed or whatever. It just feels like you're in a slow motion dark funk thing. Yet inside of this drum machine-filled landscape are these lyrics that are very evocative and mysterious and they really deal with the delicate frailty of human emotion. There's a song called 'Spaced Cowboy' on it where he yodels, it's such an idiosyncratic album but I cannot recommend it enough, from start to finish it's beautiful. Apparently 'Family Affair' from this record was the first song to be played on US radio that had a drum machine on it. The whole record is filled with this drum machine called the Maestro Rhythm King. I was so obsessed with this record that I even found the same drum machine on eBay and bought it back when eBay was a new thing. Then my first wife took it in the divorce! She took it because she was so obsessed with it too. It's such a cool drum machine. I really miss it. I would like to have it back if it's possible."

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