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Irresistible (Buchanans #2)
4
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
<b>POV:</b> Multiple. <spoiler>The biggest issue I have with this book.</spoiler>
<b>Descriptive Sex:</b> Yes.
<b>OW/OM:</b> Yes. <spoiler>Sort of? Walker does kiss an ex-<i>lover</i> while Elissa and Walker are together. Said ex is also married and I just do not see why it had to be included. Also, as mentioned in other reviews, if there's an ex or dead spouse that aren't physically there but still deters the relationship, I would include it OW/OM drama. In this case, Walker's (dead) ex-high school girlfriend is why he doesn't want to commit.</spoiler>
<b>Separation:</b> No.
<b>Content Warnings:</b> domestic abuse, child abuse, drugs, and mention of abortion.
<b>★★½</b>

If this book was purely Elissa and Walker's story, got rid of that ridiculous Naomi scene (re: OW/OM), and didn't rush the ending, then this would've easily been four stars for me. This book suffered from the randomly scattered scenes in the POV of Walker's siblings. I know it was done because this is a continuous story of these siblings that spans over four books, but I really don't want to read about these characters with OW/OM then in their book they end up with someone else <spoiler>(I'm only assuming this is the case in [b:Delicious|73069|Delicious (Buchanans, #1)|Susan Mallery|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388274581l/73069._SY75_.jpg|70723] since we see Dani with someone in this novel before her book. Also assuming <i>Delicious</i> involves Naomi and Walker which I'm glad I passed over otherwise I wouldn't make it through this. Although if it doesn't then that makes the Naomi scene even more pointlessly thrown into this book)</spoiler>. Which is why I don't plan on continuing or going back. I did really like Elissa and Walker individually as well as together though. It was touch and go since there is a lot of push and pull when I think Elissa deserved definitiveness.
  
    Grandma&#039;s Kitchen

    Grandma's Kitchen

    Education and Games

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    Cook up fun and learning in Grandma's Kitchen! Bake together some compound words, snatch healthy...

    Grandma&#039;s Garden

    Grandma's Garden

    Games and Education

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    Join this charming dancing Grandma and all her silly veggies for fun adventures in the garden! She...

SO
Stars Over Sunset Boulevard
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
To what lengths would you go to make your deepest desires come true? For Audrey Duvall and Violet Mayfield, the lines of reason are blurred. Will the bond of true friendship be enough to hold them together?

A hat is found in a vintage boutique in Los Angeles 2012. It is unmistakably Scarlett's green curtain hat from Gone With the Wind. But how did it end up there? In 1938 Violet leaves home and travels to California and gets a job as a secretary at a movie studio. With high hopes of starting a new life she meets Audrey Duvall, a fellow secretary who was once rising star in Hollywood. As the filming for Gone With the Wind commences both Audrey and Violet find themselves in places they never thought imaginable. And when the infamous curtain hat goes missing, more than one person's future is at stake. Will Violet finally get the family that she dreamed about for so long? Will Audrey finally make her big break? And what will they sacrifice to see it all come to pass? Through the joys and the heartbreak, they are always there for each other. We know that love comes in many forms, and that ultimately, love conquerors all.

There is something about Susan Meissner's books that have me completely enraptured from the start. Her ability to paint pictures in my mind is outstanding. The history and colorful detail is captivating. Gone With the Wind has always been a favorite of mine, and I enjoyed the creative liberties of the setting! This story is a wonderful reminder to us that even when we do things to protect others, there are consequences to face. In my opinion, truth and honesty are always the best route to take. A quote from my High School Drama teacher that has always stuck with me is: "Can we be brave? Will we be brave? We MUST be brave for life requires it." It doesn't matter if we are making curtains into a dress to beg a man for money. Or your child undergoing a bone marrow transplant at 9 weeks old. Or speaking the truth to someone you love. Life requires us to be brave on a daily basis. But we are never alone. We never have to walk through the shadows on our own. Whether it is a friend, sister, mother or auntie, reach out for support. Because they most likely need you, just as much as you need them. I highly recommend Stars Over Sunset Boulevard!It will make you cry, laugh out loud and be truly thankful for the loved ones that surround you. Now I am off to curl up in a warm blanket, drink some tea and watch Gone With the Wind.

I received a free digital copy of Stars Over Sunset Boulevard from Penguin Group through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
  
Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Beauty and the Beast (2017)
2017 | Fantasy, Musical, Romance
Whenever I was asked who my favorite Disney prince was, I’d answer, without hesitation, “The Beast.”

Friends would look at me askance and ask, “The Beast? Really?”

And I’d simply reply, “Have you not seen his library?”

I also claim Belle as my favorite Disney princess. As a bookworm, Beauty and the Beast gave me a princess I could relate to. Sure, I had just graduated from high school the year before the animated film – not really the demographic Disney was catering to. But when I first watched Belle’s introductory scene, as she made her way through the village with her nose buried in a book while the townfolk sang of her “odd” behavior, I felt l the corners of my lips rise on their own, in a smile of recognition.

Sure, it also may have been because of the clever lyrics of the late Howard Ashman and the wondrous melodies of Alan Menken in that first song alone, but Belle quickly me over not only with her joy for stories and spirit of adventure, but also with her brave spirit.

Beauty and the Beast is a fairy tale told many times over and Disney’s live-action version follows the animated classic closely with some variation and additional scenes and few more songs. Like the animated film, it’s sweepingly romantic and just as enchanting. What the audience may struggle with is that Emma Watson’s Belle is not as…well, animated as the animated Belle. She brings a solemnity to the role, and as singing talent goes, while she is no Paige O’Hara, she can sing.

Luke Evans makes a menacingly handsome Gaston and his big number, with his sidekick LeFou (Josh Gad) is an entertaining high point that cements Gaston’s position as my favorite villain. Dan Stevens brought a bit more humanity to Beast, and with a heartbreaking song of his own, his despair is more keenly felt in this movie. But I have to admit, I prefer Josh Groban’s version of Beast’s solo, which you do get to hear if you sit through the credits.

Lumière the candelabra and Cogsworth the clock were brought to life with great voice work Ewan McGregor and Ian McKellen, respectively. Emma Thompson voiced Mrs. Potts perfectly. I don’t know if it was her voice, the theme song or the ballroom dance scene that provoked an overwhelming sense of nostalgia, but the captivating combination literally brought tears to my eyes. Kevin Kline, who played Belle’s father, Maurice, Stanley Tucci, and Broadway great Audra McDonald round out a solid supporting cast.

As a huge fan of the 1991 Beauty and the Beast, I didn’t believe a live-action version could improve on the beloved, timeless classic. But just like with the animated film, it was truly the songs that made the movie, and the music does it again for the live-action film, making it a memorable, magical treat for young and old alike.
  
    Stack the States®

    Stack the States®

    Education and Games

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    ▸ Voted Best Kids App for iPad! -Best App Ever Awards ▸ Voted Best Educational Game App -...