To Love Royalty

 Like most little girls who had a diet of Disney princess movies when little, I used to daydream and play pretend about being a princess. As I grew older, I grew out of that. But every now and then, a book comes along and feeds that childhood fantasy. Below are a few of my favorites.

Royals by Rachel Hawkins now known as Prince Charming

Meet Daisy Winters. She's an offbeat sixteen-year-old Floridian with mermaid-red hair, a part time job at a bootleg Walmart, and a perfect older sister who's nearly engaged to the Crown Prince of Scotland. Daisy has no desire to live in the spotlight, but relentless tabloid attention forces her join Ellie at the relative seclusion of the castle across the pond. 

While the dashing young Miles has been appointed to teach Daisy the ropes of being regal, the prince's roguish younger brother kicks up scandal wherever he goes, and tries his best to take Daisy along for the ride. The crown--and the intriguing Miles--might be trying to make Daisy into a lady . . . but Daisy may just rewrite the royal rulebook to suit herself.  

That totally awkward moment when your older sister throws your whole family into the limelight by getting engaged to a crown prince. You just wanted to forget about prom, now you have to navigate the complex world of royalty. Not how you imagined your summer going. There is a sequel I haven't read.

The Royals Next Door by Karina Halle

An ordinary summer goes royally awry when a prince and princess move next door, bringing their handsome bodyguard with them, from New York Times bestselling author Karina Halle.

Piper Evans: elementary school teacher by day--avid romance reader and anonymous podcaster by night. She has a quiet, reclusive life, taking care of her mother, who lives with mental illness, avoiding her regrettable ex, who bartends in town, and trying to make inroads in the tight-knit island community that still sees her, five years in, as an outsider.

And she's happy with how things are--really--until British royals rent the property next to hers and their brooding bodyguard decides she's a security threat. Piper quickly realizes that one person's fairy tale is an ordinary woman's nightmare as a media frenzy takes over the island and each run-in with Harrison Cole is hotter and more confusing than the last. But beneath Harrison's no-nonsense exterior lies a soft heart, one that could tempt a woman who's sworn off attachments into believing in white knights.

But when Piper finds herself smack in the middle of a royal scandal that rocks the island she'll need more than Harrison's strong arms to shield her--she'll have to do a little rescuing herself. With careers, hearts, and friendships on the line, Piper and Harrison will have to decide what they're willing to give up for a chance at their own happily ever after.

Can you imagine what it'd be like if, out of nowhere, Prince Harry and Princess Meghan moved next door to you in your sleepy little town? That would be totally bonkers, right? Especially if they had a super handsome and distracting guard....... Let's be honest, who wants a prince when a guard is available? Just me? Okay............

Good enough for a Princess by Carol Moncado

Crown Princess Adeline of Montevaro has her life planned out for her: get her Master's in international relations, marry nobility, produce an heir, inherit the throne. There's no room for romance with the single father she meets when their cars collide on an icy winter night. Parliament - and her father - would never approve. Charlie Brewer grew up without roots. The son of an archaeologist father and anthropologist mother, he either traveled along or lived with his aunt and uncle in the States. He's determined to give his daughter the stability he never had. He also wants to give her a mom, but the beautiful European he's falling for refuses to move to Serenity Landing, Missouri permanently. He won't move. She can't stay. What will happen when they try to forget each other by dating someone "acceptable"? They find themselves drawn together by one of the girls in the after school program Addie supports - a girl who happens to be Charlie's daughter. How will Charlie, and his daughter, feel when they find out the woman they've both fallen for is a... princess? A trip halfway around the world shows Charlie and Addie how much they long to be together - and how impossible it is. Is there any way he can prove he is Good Enough for a Princess? 

Single Dad meets Princess in this lovely Christian story. It's honestly screams "Hallmark, come make me into a film". Well, until that happens, I will just have to re-read this for the umpteenth time. Book 1 of a series.

Dating the Prince by Lindzee Armstrong

He's a prince with a PR problem. She's a free spirit desperate for money. Can a fake engagement solve both their problems?

His royal highness Prince Alexander of Durham has a serious PR problem. His cheating celebrity ex-girlfriend destroyed his heart and spread lies about the breakup in the press. With a new crisis manifesting daily, Alex will do anything to get back in his country's good graces.

Libby needs a new beginning, and Durham seems like the perfect choice. Her ex was a cheater, and bankruptcy has brought her parents to the brink of divorce. At least her new job as a nanny will help ease her family's financial burdens while offering her a fresh start.

When a lucky penny nearly gets Libby arrested, Alex is her unexpected hero - she just doesn't know he's also a prince. After their first disastrous date is caught on camera, the public swoons over the possibility of a new relationship. A fake engagement could solve both their problems. Can these two opposites commit to a lie, or will the sparks between them burn down the entire charade?

Nanny meets Crown Prince. Only she doesn't know he's a prince, much less Crown Prince. Until she does. Which leads to some super tense moments that are full of tasty dialogue. This one will leave you grinning like the Cheshire Cat. It is part of a series.

The Engagement with the Prince aka Marrying a Prince by Anne Marie Meyer

Marianna Hedley is finally getting her life back together after she walked in on her boyfriend of three years in the arms of another woman. Now she’s pretty much sure that the emergency room where she’s a nurse and he’s a doctor is the very last place she wants to be. So when she gets wrapped up in helping out a handsome man with a head injury—at the beckoning of his mother—she reluctantly agrees. Once she’s sure this foreign stranger is safe, she leaves the ER and swears to never come back. Prince Leonardo DeLuca is in America with one mission—propose to the woman he doesn’t love because his parents think it will be the best thing for their country. When he is out for a run and hits his head, he takes this opportunity to fake amnesia with the hopes that his parents can’t force him to marry someone he doesn’t remember. Right? Wrong. His parents don’t care and try to convince him that he will grow to love the woman he hates. Desperate to get away, Leo “accidentally” proposes to Marianna as part of a plan they’ve concocted. She’ll get away from her ex and his parents will have to go along with the proposal because if not, then they would have to admit to the press that the soon-to-be king is not of sound mind. Everything was going according to plan, until Leo and Marianna soon discover how kind and generous the other person is and their feelings blossom from friendship to something more.

Another Hallmark ready novel. If fake relationships that become real ones are your fave trope, here's a recommendation. It is book 4 of a series but each can be read as a standalone.

Hope you found your next read. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Bonus Post : You best believe it!

 Season 2 of A Shop for Killers is coming out Today! I will keep this brief. If you didn't see season 1 yet, you might want to do that.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below. I'm going to be busy watching this so, bye.

A Belated Tenth Anniversary

     

Thursday, February 25 2016 @ 10:19 am was the date and time of my very first post. I never imagined that I would have been posting here this long. So much has happened since then.

It was a huge leap of faith to publish that first post. I remember be scared that I'd messed up somewhere that I kept checking it. Once I realized that I had not messed up, I still kept checking it because I couldn't believe that I had put my words out there. To be honest, I was somewhat giddy.

Through all these years, as I faced personal ups and downs, writing here has been one of the anchors in my day to day life. Talking to you all has been fun. Even though very, very, very, very few has messaged me back. I enjoy posting.

 

I hope we can hit new milestones together as we continue on as writer and reader. Here's to the future!

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Perfect Crown A review

 

As I mentioned before, I like to watch series that have already finished. I am not the best at waiting patiently when it comes to books and shows. I can be patient about everything else but that. So why, why I ask you, did I break my own rule and start Perfect Crown when only the first two episodes were out? Let me tell you.

First, the OST. A good soundtrack is one of the necessities of a successful show. The opening song here was a catchy pop song that had so much swag, I was held captivated until it finished. You know the type of song I'm talking about. It's that song you'd want playing in the background as you Lady boss your way through an ultra, mega makeover for that dream date you've had in mind since forever ago. And that was just the first song.

Second, the Cast. Our leading lady is the stunning and charismatic IU. Byeon Woo Seok is our handsome and charming male lead. They have an incredible chemistry on screen. Neither one of them outshines the other. And when you're that stunning, it says something. Their acting is as natural as breathing.

Lastly, the plot and directing. Good writing and directing is essential in a show. So far, it has taken a trope (arranged marriage with royalty) and made it new and fresh and modern. It has Intrigue, Comedy, Romance, and Drama. It is delivering on many different fronts. The visual shots were absolutely fantastic, dare I say cinematic. The pacing fast but not overly so. It left a craving for the next episodes. So, I was struck with the fact that I watched this as it aired as opposed to usual.

I want to applaud the screenwriter(s) and director(s) on a job well done. Part of the reason I've drifted to K-Dramas is the fact that the writing seems better than what I have seen so far in America. I mean, let's be honest, an American studio would've botched it. Also, I can't think of an American director who could make a show that feels like a K-Drama. If I am wrong here, you can let me know below. But so far, I've yet to see it. I think I said this before. All in all, I will definitely re-watch at some point.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

The Practical Guide to Love A Review

  

Right after I finished Siren's Kiss, I started The Practical Guide to Love. I was looking for something less intense that was sweet and funny. Thankfully I found it on my first pick.

It was 12 episodes but I honestly would've been fine with 16. While not as cinematic as SK, it was still beautifully shot. The storyline was a perfect blend of quirky humor and every day drama.The Practical Guide to Love was a joy to watch. My mouth was quirked up in a smile for most of the show.

I am just going to give you all the nouns that came to mind as I watched: funny, quirky, sweet, healing, heartwarming, comforting, and cute. It gave more than the name let on. Definitely putting this show in my favorites.

I may never find myself in a love triangle but I do understand letting oneself get sucked into the rut of the daily grind,that endless loop of work that never seems to end. Letting things fall by the wayside as you single-mindly focus on the work before you is something I think the majority of all of us can relate to. Watching a character struggle with this is so relatable.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Happy 250th, America!

  

To celebrate our country hitting this huge milestone, I compiled a list of movies and shows that took place during that year. I am just going to give you the trailers as I don't think I can do them all justice. You can thank me later. Hope you all enjoy!

1776

 

Yes, I know it's a musical. It's still very good and I am picky when it comes to my musicals. My dad introduced me to this one.

The Patriot

 

LB1 loved this movie when he was younger. He watched this movie so much my parents and I started to think it was short. It's not.

Johnny Tremaine

 

This one is based of off a book. I saw bits and pieces. It is on my list of movies to watch from beginning to end or read the book.

Hamilton

 

I will not bore you. You all should know this one.

John Adams

 

This miniseries following our 2nd President covers those pre-Revolution years of his life as well as all he did during those pivotal years. Another show I watched bits and pieces of.

Turn

 

This one is about America's first spy ring. The Culper Ring was instrumental to the founding of our nation. We don't really talk about these men and women but they deserve it.

Liberty's Kids

 

As a kid I loved watching this show. Can you imagine how excited I was to find all the episodes up on YouTube? I introduced all my younger siblings to it. I thought they would like it. It wasn't because I wanted to see it myself.😊

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

The Count of Monte Cristo A Review

  

Mild spoilers and Mini Rant ahead!

Many years ago, I bought a condensed copy of the Count of Monte Cristo. It is one of my treasured volumes. Later, my siblings gathered to listen to the audiobook. When I heard that PBS was airing a miniseries adaptation, you can pretty much expect how excited our household was. We were a bit late and had to catch up on the previous episodes. I was told by my siblings that under no circumstances was I to watch ahead of them. Their faces told me that I shouldn't push my luck unless I was craving a riot.

 

 

My siblings are exactly like me when a story they love gets turned into a show or movie. They want it to stick as close to the storyline as possible. They can understand minor characters disappearing and other slight changes but all major points should remain the same. This series hit somewhere in between.

 

I won't go into too much detail on the tale as you can pretty much look up the book synopsis on Wikipedia. The story flows pretty much how it should.Whoever scouted the locations, props to you. Also, the costumes were beautifully chosen and period correct. The casting director chose the perfect actors for all the roles. Sam Caflin is a superb Edmond Dantes. Jeremy Irons as the Abbe Faria was pure genius. I was intrigued by their choice to focus on Edmond's personal struggles as he embarked on his path of vengeance. Most make a passing mention in a scene we don't dwell on long. But here it was constantly, yet subtly, shown that those 15 years left scars on his soul. I personally liked that direction.

The ever present pining for Mercedes is still there. All I can say here is that we at least get closure on this dead relationship. Most revive it. I only know of one that cut it. I am okay with Edmond and Mercedes never getting back together. They don't in the book so please let us not waste our creative licence reviving a dead horse.

Do you know what we should spend our creative licence on? Haydee. We should spend it on her. This series did have her. But she only comes in on episode 5 out of 8 and plays such a tiny role I wanted to scream in frustration. Only one other version, to my knowledge, has Haydee in it. It too gave her an underwhelming amount of attention. That old version had her rage. This new version had both her strength and determination. Sadly both didn't carry her character to the end she is supposed to have. She and Edmond are supposed to be a couple at the end. Why is it so hard for people to get that memo? Like Edmond can move on, you know. Probably the healthiest thing for him. If the screenwriters of the future say that there isn't enough source material to build a new relationship, remember that creative licence I mentioned. Maybe use it. Harping on and on over your ex is exhausting. The Count was never so. Also, don't think that since Haydee got Edmond in the book, we should give him to Mercedes on the screen. It has been done enough. Learn to let go. Edmond did. Is everyone too scared to tackle the complex emotions that were swirling around? Or do you feel like the daughter of Ali Pasha is unworthy of The Count of Monte Cristo? Someone do Haydee justice! I am one step away from starting a petition.

Aside from that, I wished we saw more of Lt. Morrel and Valentine. Their storyline was the one that had the most impact on Edmond. Prior to the climax of their tale he didn't really heed anyone's advice or care about the casualties left in the wake of his vengeance. They were his wake up call. Not having it felt like the story lacked the proper amount of tension. Also characters that should have died, didn't. Certain connections were never made. Just little things here and there that get to you when you stop and think about it.

LB3 and I both agree that is was both satisfying and unsatisfying at the same time. I know that makes little sense but what can I say? We are something like purists when it comes to adaptations. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.