Audiobook Review: Shacking Up by Helena Hunting

Author: Helena Hunting

Narrator: Jacob Morgan & Rose Dioro

Title: Shacking Up

Series: Shacking Up #1

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Humor

Format: Audiobook

Published: May 30, 2017

Where I got It: Borrowed from library

Summary: 

Ruby Scott is months behind on rent and can’t seem to land a steady job. She has one chance to turn things around with a big audition. But instead of getting her big break, she gets sick as a dog and completely bombs it in the most humiliating fashion. All thanks to a mysterious, gorgeous guy who kissed—and then coughed on—her at a party the night before.

Luckily, her best friend might have found the perfect opportunity; a job staying at the lavish penthouse apartment of hotel magnate Bancroft Mills while he’s out of town, taking care of his exotic pets. But when the newly-evicted Ruby arrives to meet her new employer, it turns out Bane is the same guy who got her sick. Seeing his role in Ruby’s dilemma, Bane offers her a permanent job as his live-in pet sitter until she can get back on her feet.

Review:

I read the short story that takes place after this one...and it was okay. I decided to give book 1 a try esp since it was available at my library. 

Here we follow Ruby and Bane. Ruby cannot catch a break. She is months behind on her rent and she can't find a steady job. She has a huge audition that can turn it all around but she blows it when she completely bombs because she was sick as a dog. All thanks to the hunk who mistakenly kissed her and then coughed on her. Luckily her best friend found her a great opportunity to house and pet sit while the owner is out of town for work for 5 weeks. When Ruby meets this owner...it is the same guy who got her sick...Bane. Feeling terrible he offers the job and a place to live until she can get back on her feet. 

I am so glad I backtracked and read this. The short story after this was just okay but it didn't do any justice to these fun characters.

Yes, Ruby and Bane were fun. I loved watching them get to know each other via phone and video chat. They talk...flirt....it was fun. Once he comes home things change and we finally get some smexy stuff, but it was nice seeing a slow burn between these two. 

There is some drama near the end...mainly miscommunication and badly timed events and voicemails. Easily resolved so they could get back together. Very sweet. 

The narrators were fun. We had two. One for Ruby's POV and one for Bane's. I do wish Bane had more time. I feel like he only had like 3 or 4 chapters. 

In the end, though, I enjoyed this quite a bit. I loved watching Ruby and Bane fall for each other. It was a slow burn but for SURE worth it by the end. I wanted more chapters with Bane's POV, but other than that zero issues. 4 stars from me. 

Challenge(s):
- #49 for Audiobook challenge

Book Review: Angels of the Resistance by Noelle Salazar

Author: Noelle Salazar

Title: Angels of the Resistance

Genre: Historical Fiction

Format: ebook

Pages: 416

Expected publication: November 29th 2022

Where I Got It: Netgalley

Summary: 

Netherlands, 1940

As bombs fall across Europe, fourteen-year-old Lien Vinke fears that the reality of war is inescapable. Though she lives a quiet life with her mother and older sister, Elif, in their small town of Haarlem, they are no strangers to heartache, having recently suffered an immeasurable loss. And when the Nazis invade the Netherlands, joining the Dutch resistance with Elif offers just the atonement Lien craves.

Trained to shoot by their late father, the sisters are deadly wolves in sheep’s clothing. They soon find themselves entrenched in the underground movement, forging friendships with the other young recruits, and Lien even discovers a kindred spirit in a boy named Charlie. But in wartime, emotional attachments are a liability she can’t afford, especially when a deeply personal mission jeopardizes everything she holds dear—her friendships, her family, and her one shot at redemption.

Review:

Couldn't resist this one when I first saw the cover and then read the summary. I knew I had to check it out!

We follow Lien and her family. She has lived a quiet life in a small town in the Netherlands. When the war comes she feels like it is inescapable and decides to join the Dutch resistance to drive the Nazis away. Trained by their late father to shoot, the sisters will become a threat the Nazis do not see coming.

I literally finished this in two sittings. It was hard to put down because I had to know what was going to happen to everyone. There are a lot of characters you grow attached to and that is dangerous at this time. You know some will not survive the war and the Nazi rage. 

I loved Charlie. I think Charlie was my favorite. Lien was my second favorite. Poor things...too young to have to deal with fighting in a war. 

Now, I will say the first quarter of the book was slower-paced, but you could tell something was coming and something bad had happened. Our narrator seemed too scared to talk about the past. It makes sense later on. But yes, the beginning was slow but it was worth pushing through. I had to know what was going to happen next. 

The ending did bring a tear to my eye for sure. SOBS! Honestly...I didn't cry until the end. Yes, there are a lot of sad parts throughout, but that epilogue did me in. Lien is an angel that is for sure. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this. The beginning was a touch slow, but I still couldn't put it down. I finished this in just a couple of sittings. If you are looking for a good WWII that will give you feels, this may be the one you are looking for. I'll give this 4 stars. 

Movie Review: Queen (2013)

Film Title: Queen

Length:    2h 26min 
Released:  7 March 2014 (India)
Genre: Comedy, Drama 
Rating: Not Rated - I would say PG
Where I Got It: Netflix

SUMMARY:
A Delhi girl from a traditional family sets out on a solo honeymoon after her marriage gets cancelled.

TRAILER:

REVIEW:
One of my co-workers suggested watching this and funny enough I randomly watched a trailer on YouTube earlier that day. Fate? I think so.

The story follows Rani who is betrayed by her to-be-hubby so she takes off to have a solo honeymoon. It is time for her to spread her wings and mend her broken heart. 

What a fun movie. It was sad, but it was so heart-warming. I felt so bad for Rani. Poor girl. Screw that Vijay! He needs to be kicked. How can he do that to her? Ugh! Asshat. But - luckily she realizes this and won't wait around for him to maybe change his mind. You go girl!

I loved all the settings and places Rani was going especially France. So beautiful. So fun. I am kinda jealous. Not the whole getting left at the alter, but getting a chance to go out on an adventure! 

Loved Vijayalakshmi!! I want to see a movie about her. I hope someday she and Rani get to meet again. They are so opposite, but they were adorable as friends. An unlikely friendship and I loved it. 

The guys were fun too. They were funny and all cute. Is it wrong I wanted her to get with the Russian guy? They were adorable together. BUT the story is about her finding herself.

I think what really made this film was the honest and true clash of cultures. It was fun seeing everyone having to learn to get used to each other and get an understanding. It was beautiful. These people are SO different, but they all have big hearts. LOVED IT!

This is a must-see. Yes. 100%. There is drama, but there is also comedy. It was fun and I loved seeing Rani grow and become who she was meant to be. 5 stars for sure!

Time for TV Tuesday: Versailles (season 2)

Recently Finished:

Versailles (Season 2)

First off…I have to say I am in love with Fabien. He is utterly the best!!! So hot and so tough and so awesome. It broke my little heart what happened. Poor guy! WAH!

Okay…let us backtrack. 

This is Season 2. Season 1 was reaaaaaaaaaaally good and left with a huge cliffhanger. Season 2 jumped right in and was off. I would highly suggest not skipping the first season. There is a lot of ties that are going to be tied or extended in this season. Louis is struggling to keep his country, his family, and himself together. I just don’t get why everyone is freaking out…so what if the KING wants to relocate court to a new capital? Get over it. I guess people get stuck in their ways and don’t like change. Psha on them. 

I hate the King’s mistress and this season really showed me my hatred was not misplaced. 

I like the King’s brother and his lover. I didn’t like Chevalier at first…he seemed 2D but he had some character development in this season that made me actually warm-up to him. I have to thank Phillip’s new bride. She was a hoot and she was just so warm and loving. I hope to see more of her in the future. Same with Sophie! 

There is a lot of drama, murder, and intrigue afoot with these bored nobles. They seriously need hobbies. I was hooked on each episode and I finished the season within three days (dang work getting in the way). So good. 

I honestly felt this was a LOT better than the last season. The characters were more developed and there was more intrigue afoot.

I also was happy that this didn’t end on a serious cliff-hanger. It ended well and surprising. I want more! Where is season 3??? LOL!

Yes, I obviously recommend this series to history buffs and even for people who like a good people story. Watch season 1 first though. Lots of backstories you need to enjoy this season. I’ll stamp this with 5. No complaints. 

Time for TV Tuesday - Versailles (Season 1)

Recently Finished:

Versailles (Season 1)

Season 2 is finally arrived! It has been SO long since I watched Season 1, so I had to re-watch the season just to brush off the dust. It was so good the first time that I honestly did not mind. 

Ooooooh Versailles. This is the number 1 place I want to visit. I have many reasons….for the history, for architectural reasons, for the gardens, for personal reasons, and so many other reasons. Whenever I see or hear about Versailles I feel so connected with it. I can see it in my mind’s eye. So beautiful. So naturally I had to watch this show. 

The show follows King Louis on is voyage to build a new city for his court. This came to him in a dream and he realized that this is the New France that he wanted to build. He wanted this to be his pyramid. His mark upon the world. Along with this, he has to deal with jerky nobles who are all jerks and with all the intrigue of people trying to kill him or the ones he loves. It is not easy being a King. Sure you get all the food and women you want. All the riches are yours. But you also become a glittering target and sometimes friends become enemies and you love your loved ones through death or betrayal. Life is never easy. 

I adore the actor who plays King Louis. He is wonderful. He certainly embodies the man and I couldn’t think of someone better. I also adore his head of Security, Fabian. Oh! And I love the Gardner. I also love poor Sophie. Bless her little heart. Honestly, the whole cast does well. My only nick pick is that the vast majority of people have the English accents (which whatever – I’m used to it by now), but the ONE English character has a Swiss-French accent. I like her a lot, but it is a little confusing. There were times she was able to care off an English-French accent, but the majority of the time it was heavily a Swiss-French accent. She was a wonderful Henriette, but it took a minute to get used to the accents. I just wish everyone would share one accent in these films. Like everyone do French or do English or do Swiss. Just want some continuity lollll. 

Anyways….yes, the cast did wonderful overall. 

I have no real complaints about Season 1. I started Season 2 the other day. I’m trying not binge watch it since I just binged watched season 1, but it is hard. 

This is a really good show. I highly recommend it for my fellow History Buffs. Some big and small inaccuracies, but nothing annoyingly untrue that is just too much. 

FYI – be warned…the last episode will drive you to continue to season 2. It drove me mad for a long time and then they finally saved me by coming out with the next season. Thank goodness.  

I’ll give season 1 a 5. More so a 4.5, but I rounded since I don’t give decimals. 

Saturday Movie Night - Admiral (2015)

Hello everyone! This month Blodeuedd and I are reviewing, Admiral. Blodeuedd is in green and I am in blue. 

Title:  Admiral
Genre: Action/Adventure, biography, & Historical
Running Time: 2 hours and 31 mins
Rating: Not Rated (I would say a R)
Released: 2015

When the young republic of The Netherlands is attacked by England, France and Germany and the country itself is on the brink of civil war, only one man can lead the country's strongest weapon, the Dutch fleet: Michiel de Ruyter.

TRAILER: 

DISCUSSION: 

Ok, so this was a LONG LONG movie. Omg Carole, really...really

I had no idea it was so long xD. I thought it was like max 2 hours. Dang near 3! D:

I thought 2 too and then I was all wtf, noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. It was way too long. I did like the naval battles, even if there were too many, but still edit out some stuff,

For sure. It needed some editing and cutting. There was ONE scene I wish they would’ve gotten rid of….bleh!

Are you talking about the disgusting scene that made me wish the Dutch would burn in hell? Cos I did!

Yaaasss. Poor dudes ;( I got all teary-eyed and had to look away. Normally I do okay with scenes like that...but for some reason it really got to me.

That was so effed up. I was all for the Dutch fighting for their country, but after that  I wanted him to walk away and say FU! Let that stupid country rot. It was disgusting. Omg, I felt sick.

Same, same. I was hoping he would go to England or France...they would’ve welcomed him with open arms. The Prince/King dude was a weasel.

I even had to go google it. Sick bastards. But yes he would have done well and they did respect him.

Respected him more than his “countrymen”. Aholes the lot of them.

FU you Dutch people! LOL, I can’t believe one scene made me so mad, but it did. It was horrible. Still...fine I am glad they did win, but those motherfs should pay.

Yes, yes. They should. I’m glad Michiel got to give that Prince a piece of his mind. Speaking of the guy. What did you think of the actor playing him? He was good. He was chunky, but very athletic. It made me laugh when he was swinging around on ropes. Not an easy feat. LOLLLL

At first I was all damn he is old, his wife is so young, but well he WAS old in RL so that was good. Dunno what age his wife really was though. He felt good as an honest hardworking sailor that had risen in the ranks.

He was good. I didn’t like the girl who played his wife though. Her voice grated on my nerves. She reminded me of the stereotypical fisherman’s wife. But I liked him and his buddies. Johan was cute. LOL

Oh Johan..yes.

LOL. nope her voice did not get me like that. I did see a commercial on tv today and a woman’s voice was all ugh, noooo! So I get the feeling. I thought she did well. Nothing to complain about.

And now I forgot what to say…..

LOL preggo mind! But yes, her acting was decent, but that voice. GAH!!!! I’m glad I didn’t cheat with this movie. Normally I am doing research as I read/watch a historical to see what is fact or fiction. I watched this from beginning to end without looking. Very interesting story and time in history. Brutal for sure. It for sure reinforced my idea that I would never want to be a sailor during these times. I love the ships...but manning them and being at war? NO THANK YOU.

It was SO long that I cheated. I was bored. I had done everything I meant to do online so I checked a few things, and then I checked a few other things cos that is how I roll. And it was not like I was bored bored, it was just so long. Preggo me does not want to sit still that long. I watched it in two turns.

I used to like Hornblower, that tv series, it’s just something about ships, but damn what a way to go when you go.

If I was on a ship like that, I don’t want to get eaten by a shark or anything like that. Or be alone because I am the only survivor. Scary! But I agree. It was just long. I think they should’ve done a mini-series with this. There were some things I was confused about since they didn’t have time to really go into detail.

You go to sharks, I just did not want to die with splinters of the ship stuck to every part of me. *shudders* Horrible.

What things?

Just some of the historical parts. Hahaha. After watching I had to give myself a quick history lesson and then it all made sense. My history knowledge is not familiar with Dutch history ;D

Yes I did not know the rest of the world was such bitches and declared war. But then they ruled the seas. They were great.

One thing I liked about the movie is that I did understand quite a lot without reading subtitles, so sometimes I did some things online and did not look up ;) But then they said something strange and I did check.

LOL jelly. I understood a sentence here or there when the French or English spoke. But the rest? I had read the subtitles. GAH.

I know German so that helped, and sometimes they said things so similar to my dialect. Of course Dutch is so different! I  can understand words, I would never have understood the whole movie.

Dutch is a weird language. When we had a Dutch foreign exchange student, she tried to teach me some but it has so many influences that I would need a long time to try and learn it.

It’s the way they speak. It feels like Danish, I have such a hard time understanding Danish cos of the way they speak.

Languages, I swear. I wish we had a common language like they do in Lord of the Rings. Each country has their own language, but we all speak a common language too! XD BUT anyways, I’m glad it was the original language and they had the right accents. I hate when they don’t try and be authentic.

The only guy who annoyed me was the English king, his accent felt wrong ;)

It was very American trying to sound British badly. LOL But at least he kinda sorta tried. The French mistress’s accent was SO thick...she should’ve just spoke French D:

Totally! He did not feel like a king to me then. I guess they did not get another actor.

He sounded like he didn’t want to be there. XD

Should we wrap it up? Your lunch is over?

LONG movie, but interesting

Boo! I DON’T WANT TO GO BACK TO WORK!!!!!!! But yes, I agree. Long movie and interesting. It needed some editing or split into a mini-series. LOL

Still a movie was good, cos a miniseries would have to be done well.

My turn next then :D

Hehehe good luck. The end?

The end.

About the Authors

Carole and Blodeuedd have been blogging a long while now. The last couple of years the epic duo have been discussing books, watching movies, and even wetting the pen and sharing their stories with the worldwide web. They both love cats, chocolate, and a good story.

Book Review: Bite Me Your Grace by Brooklyn Ann

Author: Brooklyn Ann
Title: Bite Me Your Grace (Scandals with Bite #1)
Genre: Historical Romance & Paranormal
Pages: ebook
First Published: April 2013
Where I Got It: My shelf (Amazon Freebie)

England's "vampire craze" causes much vexation for the Lord Vampire of London, Ian Ashton. To save his reputation, Ian enlists aspiring authoress Angelica Winthrop without realizing she has hidden plans of her own.


Angelica Winthrop's life goal is to ruin her reputation, avoid marriage, and become a gothic authoress like her idol, Mary Shelley. To find inspiration for her new story, she breaks into the home of Ian Ashton, Duke of Burnrath, not knowing she will be coming up against the Lord Vampire of London. Romance sparks and reputations are at stake. But who knows the real difference between fact and fiction?


Silly, silly lovers. It was a tough romance, but of course it works out. Ian is a Duke, but he is also a vamp. There is a rumor around the ton that he is a vamp due to a book that was written. He needs to rid of this rumor FAST. Then there is Angelica who was a bloody idiot the entire novel. She may be smart, but she is dumb. I get that you want freedom to be a writer, but alas, ruining yourself will not get you there. It will hurt your family and in the end...you. That is what happens. Can you really live in poverty? Ugh idiot. I liked her for her spirit, but she was not the brightest bulb in the box.

I am glad that this was a tough love even though they got married fairly quickly. There is a lot of issues at play. Of course there is a lot of miscommunication at one point and it made me want to rip the hair out of my head. Honestly...though...I would have probably acted as Angelica did when overhearing something. I would have been ANGRY and super hurt. :/

I am excited that Rafael has his own book. I do want to learn more about him and his story! He intrigued me and I feel bad for him. I can't but love the cynical ones. hehehe

But yes, this was a good HR and PR. The mix was good and I can't get enough of HRs even with the paranormal element tossed in. The story had me hooked from page one. The ending was a little dragged out, but it ended how I wanted it to. So I am happy. HEAs for everyone!

In the end, this was a good one. It fixed my need for historical romance and for paranormal romance. The characters were fun even and the love had to be worked for which makes me happy! I recommend this to those that like this genre or someone new to it. When I got it was free. I am curious about the next two books in the series. Well...I shall stamp this with 4 stars.

Movie Review: The Fault in Our Stars

Length: 2 hours & 5 mins
Released: 2014
Genre: Drama, Romance, and Comedy
Rating: PG-13
Directed By: Josh Boone
Where I Got It: seen in theaters

SUMMARY:
Hazel and Gus are two extraordinary teenagers who share an acerbic wit, a disdain for the conventional, and a love that sweeps them - and us - on an unforgettable journey. Their relationship is all the more miraculous, given that they met and fell in love at a cancer support group. THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, based upon the number-one bestselling novel by John Green, explores the funny, thrilling and tragic business of being alive and in love.



TRAILER:

CAST:

Hazel - Shailene Woodley

Gus - Ansel Elgort

Isaac - Nat Wolff

Frannie - Laura Dern 

Michael - Sam Trammell

Van Houten - Willem Dafoe

REVIEW:

Okay.....I have not read the book yet. I have read a John Green book a long time ago (I didn't finish it), so it counts? Right? Honestly, sometimes seeing the movie motivates me to read the book. Like the first Harry Potter movie made me actually interested in reading the series. This movie did motivate me to check out this book and give John Green a second chance. 

I went with a group of my gal pals to see this and HOLY TEARVILLE! The place was in tears. There was something that would get you. I don't care who you are. Even my one friend who doesn't cry found something in the film that made her tear up. I even cried a couple times. 0.0 The thing that really got me was when Hazel was talking about when she first got the cancer and they thought she was going to die. The mom leaned over and told her, "It's okay to let go honey...we love you." Then the mom started crying. OH MY GOODNESS!!!! It struck close to home. I had been about the same age as Hazel when I was in the hospital and nearly died myself...it just reminded me of the struggle my parents went through. 

Anyways....

I liked this movie. If you look past that these two lovebirds are young adults (thus it is a young adult book/movie), it is a good tale about love and facing ones mortality. I read a few reviews saying that this was "cheesy", "phony", "unrealistic", and etc. First of all....THIS IS A STORY WRITTEN FOR YOUNG ADULTS! DUH!? What did you really expect? Books/movies like these are written to give people hope of finding that true love even when it doesn't seem possible. People with cancer also can find love. >_> At times it was a touch cheesy, but a good cheesy. Gus was a cheeseball, but that was just his personality. A lovable cheeseball. I personally like Isaac more (when he wasn't in a relationship with that skank). 

WARNING!

DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE IN THEATERS!!!!! OR wait til the crowds calm down before going. The pre-teen fandom girls killed my soul. I wanted to punch them. They don't understand the rule to turn off their phone and put their phone in their purse/pocket. >_> It ruined part of the movie for me, because I would get distracted by the ringtones going off and all the blue lights. Sighs.

The cast was pretty good. I especially loved the fact that Willem Dafoe played the cranky author. He was a brunette though...so I didn't catch it was him right away. 0.o He was a genius (like always). The writing was good. I loved how they presented texting and emailing to each other. You were able to follow along and I liked it. The comedy was subtle, but it was there.

In the end, this was a good movie. It did have some cheesy moments in it, but I feel it added flavor to the film. It was a tearfest, so make sure to bring someone that won't judge you. Keep in mind this is a young adult book inspired movie, so yeah.....I will one day read the book. It has inspired me to do so. In the end, I shall stamp this with..........5 stars. More like 4.5, but I rounded. 

 Favorite Character(s): Hazel, Isaac, Gus, Frannie, and Michael

Not-so Favorite Character(s): Van Houten (asshole, but I love the actor) and Isaac's ex

RE-WATCH: YESSSSS!