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The Silent Songbird
The Silent Songbird
Melanie Dickerson | 2016 | Children
8
7.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Silent Songbird is a story about a heroine that wants to something all people want. It takes place in either 1700 or 1800 England. It mostly about the King’s warden. Will she find what wants in life? She knows her duty, but she does not want to marry someone she does not love.

Evangeline knows her cousin goes to set up a marriage to an Earl? She tries to tell her cousin she doesn't want to marry this man. She is forced to run away. This is where all twists and turns and surprises start to occur. She meets a man and asks to go along with him and his men. She also has her friend with her as well. I believe this is where she starts to learn about herself and learns about the world around her.

The author does a good job showing us what it likes for women in that era. We learn of what Lord Shivery is like and how he is. You will be surprised at how and what this man did to his first wife. The author does wonders with her characters. You can see how deep she makes them. You are pulled into the era of that time and you feel like you are a part of that world.
  
For Their Child's Sake
For Their Child's Sake
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Sam and Tara have fought the good fight to keep their marriage together. Over a year ago Tara had enough and told Sam he couldn’t come home anymore. His addiction had destroyed their family and she had to protect their child. Sam walked away and into rehab and now wants his family back.

Tara never stopped loving Sam but that doesn’t mean she is ready to just give in and let him back home again. When a playground accident forces them back together again, as a family, will she be able to hold strong to her convictions?

Sam has been waiting for an opportunity to prove to Tara that he is a changed man. Moving back into the house with his 2 favorite girls is just that moment. He will do whatever it takes to prove he is now able to take care of his family the way he should have been all along.

Sam, Tara and Marley navigate their new normal, while trying to put all the pieces of their family back together again. Return to Stonerock in this powerful story that addresses current day situations like addiction and amnesia. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance reader copy, all opinions expressed are my own. Return to Stonerock with this family working on their second chance.
  
(Un)arranged Marriage
(Un)arranged Marriage
Bali Rai | 2001 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Humour, language (0 more)
Too easy to read (0 more)
This is a funny book
Contains spoilers, click to show
This is the first book I've read for pleasure since I completed my 3rd year at university. This is the type of book I enjoy and I wasn't disappointed.
The story is written in first person from the point of view of a young English Indian boy. It begins on his wedding day and his nervousness and anger at being forced into an arranged marriage. The author then writes the book in retrospect, and takes the reader back three years. The story explores the difficulty of the protagonist who struggles to adhere to his family's traditional views and religion. He endures years of beatings from his alcoholic father and emotional blackmail from his mother. He is beaten and ridiculed by his older brothers and his intimate narration allows the reader to discover his feelings of 'otherness'amongst his family whilst he attempts to live a normal life as an ordinary English boy. The author explores racism, poverty, domestic violence, neglect and love through the use of bildungsroman which concludes with the protagonist choosing his own path in life. It is by no means a happy ending, but it demonstrates determination and an understanding of a culture that the character is unable to comprehend.
Interesting and easy novel to read.
  
Why Did I Get Married? (2007)
Why Did I Get Married? (2007)
2007 | Comedy, Drama, Musical
8
5.0 (4 Ratings)
Movie Rating
I really enjoyed this film. I actually quite like both of them. I love the cast, I love the diversity of marriages, of stories, of imperfections. I am not married and probably won't be for a while but I do know relationships and they are hard work and I like that this movie shines a light on that. Sometimes I think films do a bad job of showing the real stuff and it can almost seem too picture-perfect. We all know there are though films out there.

I think Sheila is the best character in this film. I think it's so obvious how much she wants her marriage to work and how much of an ass Mike is. I think, at least for me, she held the most heart. She's the one I was rooting for the most. She's the one I felt the most connection to.

Tyler Perry is a questionable filmmaker for me. Some of his films are huge wins for me and others are just gigantic misses. It's very obvious that he does all the writing and directing and sometimes I think that can bite him in the butt. Not this film though. I really love this film and have found myself coming back to it several times over the course of my life.
  
Hit & Run (2012)
Hit & Run (2012)
2012 | Action, Comedy, Romance
9
7.0 (4 Ratings)
Movie Rating
it's almost like dax and kristin love each other or something
I really enjoyed this film. With this whole pandemic thing going on, I've been listening to Dax Shepard's podcast, Armchair Expert. He has talked about this film on several occasions and I finally decided to watch it. I am so glad I did.

Not only is the plotline great, the cast is phenomenal, the chemistry is there, but it moves, it takes you with them on the journey and you are never bored. The soundtrack for this film was perfect. It is everything you want from a movie like this and you can feel the love that Dax and Kristin have for each other through the screen. This film was released pre-marriage but when they were dating and I think it just shows. It doesn't feel forced, it doesn't feel fake or uncomfortable, it feels genuine and pure. Especially when you know them as a couple and listened to them talk in interviews and things, I think much more of their actual selves radiate through this film than most would think.

Bradley Cooper, Joy Bryant, and Kristin Chenoweth were the cherries on top of this film, but I think the real great character through this is Tom Arnold's Randy. He was just the true underdog of the film.

I would 1000% recommend this film. Watch!