I actually got some reading done, I’m proud of myself lol. It was an easy week, I’m just glad everything is going so well so far for both my kids in school. I cannot believe my son turns 12 on Tuesday and we are at the end of August! Where has the year gone? I’m working on arcs – but saw that most my arcs are fantasy books – so I’m in the search for more romance, maybe some fall vibey stuff and even some holiday romances since that’s coming up.
Emily in Paris Season 3, Part 1 – why are they splitting up the series into 2 parts lately?! So strange. I love Emily in Paris, it’s such an escape and it’s always fun.
Die with a Smile – Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – on repeat – it’s so good!🥰
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
Second week of school is done and it’s been a pretty good transition for both kids! So my laptop is NOT broken – it just didn’t like a new cord that I had attached to it to connect to my phone. I’m just happy I didn’t have to buy a new laptop. Nothing else new to report. I feel like August is moving really fast now that school is in session – I saw Halloween candy already being sold at my grocery store!! Bonkers.
Die with a Smile – Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – it’s so good!🥰
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
What a week. My kids started school so there were first day jitters, especially for my new middle schooler but he has done SO good. He is walking home from school since it’s closer to our house and let me tell you the first 2 days I was nervous but tons of kids walk in this area, and now he has a cell phone I can track. But it’s HOT at 2pm – and can someone please tell me how kids walk in hoodies and jackets at 91 degrees out? But my son needs a neck fan, and an umbrella and lots of breaks when he walks? lol…I’m so proud of him. His school is about 1.4 miles away and we’ve finally figured out our schedule. I pick his sister up first and then on our way back I pick him up at our pool area parking lot because by the time he is there, we are driving by it. So yay – it took some trial and error this week but I think we figured it out. I’m proud of both of them for having a good week. Unfortunately, my daughter has her first school cold – it only took 2 days of school for her to catch something. Boo!
And of course with everything happening this week, my Macbook Pro of 11 years finally kicked the bucket! I noticed a strange white screen situation happening on Monday and I was like, eh, maybe it’s nothing. NOPE. Now it’s dead…so I had to do some posts from my ipad but typing a lot is so tedious so now I’m using my son’s desk PC and the screen he has is like 24 inches long and it strains my eyes and gives me a headache. So I ordered a new laptop because I can’t live like this lol.
Let’s hope my daughter’s cold goes away and doesn’t get worse and we have a good second week of school.
House of Dragon – finished the last episode and honestly felt this whole season was a filler. There was one good episode I think. Anyway this last episode is a cliffhanger and I love the music that comes in at the end that foreshadows what is going to happen next. I hope the third season is filled with a lot more action.
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
This week was just us having some simple fun before school starts and to make sure I got all the school supplies. We went to my daughter’s meet and greet on Friday and dropped off all her school supplies. I have to remind the kids that it’s time to wake up early again lol…they don’t like that but at least it’s still August and not dark outside in the morning. So goodbye summer! Hello school days again.
Why do I love this color combo right now in the titles I’m reading?! The pink and green? Love!🥰
Shadows of Perl by. J. Elle
Fear the Flames by. Olivia Rose Darling
Butcher & Blackbird by. Brynne Weaver
Isabel and the Rogue by. Liana De la Rosa
Happy Medium by. Sarah Adler
Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:
House of Dragon –
Olivia Rodrigo Guts (Spilled) – I just added this vinyl album to my collection! 💜 I love it.
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
This one’s a little late because my week was busy. My hubby went back to Okinawa yesterday but that only means the wait for him to come home for good is shorter! Just a few months away. My daughter has her teacher meet and greet this Friday and they both start next week Monday and Tuesday. 😢 So summer and the mornings of sleeping in is over – sigh. But I’m glad my kids will be back in school, mostly for my daughter, because she gets really bored. I just can’t believe kids being back in school means we are close to the holidays. I’m not ready! lol but time doesn’t seem to care if I am or not.
The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by. Megan Bannen (audiobook)
Currently Reading:
Can’t Help Falling in Love by. Sophie Sullivan
Nothing Like the Movies by. Lynn Painter
Shadows of Perl by. J. Elle
Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:
House of Dragon – I’m an episode behind but it was such a busy week. Hoping I catch up this week.
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Del Rey for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
A young woman wins the role of a lifetime in a film about a legendary heroine — but the real drama is behind the scenes in this sumptuous historical epic from the author of Mexican Gothic.
1950s Hollywood: Every actress wants to play Salome, the star-making role in a big-budget movie about the legendary woman whose story has inspired artists since ancient times.
So when the film’s mercurial director casts Vera Larios, an unknown Mexican ingenue, in the lead role, she quickly becomes the talk of the town. Vera also becomes an object of envy for Nancy Hartley, a bit player whose career has stalled and who will do anything to win the fame she believes she richly deserves.
Two actresses, both determined to make it to the top in Golden Age Hollywood—a city overflowing with gossip, scandal, and intrigue—make for a sizzling combination.
But this is the tale of three women, for it is also the story of the princess Salome herself, consumed with desire for the fiery prophet who foretells the doom of her stepfather, Herod: a woman torn between the decree of duty and the yearning of her heart.
Before the curtain comes down, there will be tears and tragedy aplenty in this sexy Technicolor saga.
Content Warning: sexism, racism, violence, sexual assault, murder
I am always intrigued by what this author’s work and so I had to read this one. Hollywood in the 1950’s? The story of Salome? Mind you I grew up watching the story of John the Baptist in that big budget sword-and-sandal Hollywood movie called King of Kings and I will say the only thing I really remember from that movie is Salome’s dance for King Herod.
The Seventh Veil of Salome, is told in a documentary style. Various people who were around for the making of this movie, The Seventh Veil of Salome, are giving their accounts about what was going on on/off set. The actress playing Salome in the film is a Mexican woman named Vera. The story alternates actually from the documentary style interviews, narration from the main characters, Vera, Nancy and Salome. I did enjoy the story of Salome and the political happenings and how it compared to Vera’s experiences as a new Hollywood star in a big budget film where there are lots of politics and drama happening behind the scenes. I love all the historical context of this story – the Hollywood era, what happens on and off set, the mentions of sexism and racism that occurred in Los Angeles at that time period.
I found Vera to be a compelling character and one who embodied what a female actress was during that time. She’s a good girl, raised to follow authority and not make big waves and start a scandal, and being in Hollywood makes her come out of her shell because she is exposed to many people. She experiences the sexism and racism in the industry but she stays strong and stays a professional. There is a romance for her but it comes with some challenges.
Nancy was a fascinating character too though she is a hateful woman. She was obsessed about the role of Salome being hers and was totally racist towards Vera. Nancy had lots of issues and spiraled out of control and even though I really didn’t like her, I did enjoy her parts of the story. She was Vera’s opposite.
As much as I was enjoying the story, I felt like when the story ended something was missing and I’m not sure what it is. Maybe the alternating documentary style and Salome’s story didn’t flow easily enough for me or the climax didn’t hit hard like I was expecting. Or maybe because it’s not a happy ending for any of the women in the story.
My Thoughts:
As a historical fiction novel, this was an engrossing read because I could picture that time period and the making of this movie. I could actually see this story made into a movie. If you like this author I think you will enjoy this one!
What a week! It started off slow but then Wednesday came around and I got to see my old college friend and her family. We hung out at the beach and talked while our kids played in the sand and water. I haven’t seen her in 5 years and it felt SO nice to catch up with life. I love those friends where you don’t see for years and you pick up where you left off like you were never apart. 🥰 It just made my soul happy to see our kids together.
We hung out for almost three hours but my hubby flew in while we were at the beach so the kids were excited to go see him at home! So it was nice. It was so nice that my hubby and I both forgot the day he flew in was our 13th wedding anniversary LOL. Anyway it was a nice week and tomorrow my son goes to pick up his school schedule. It just makes us realize summer is coming to an end for us, only 2 more weeks left. That’s crazy. It’s going to be August. 🤯
The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by. Megan Bannen (audiobook)
The Champions by. Kara Thomas
Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:
House of Dragon
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
First part of the week we did nothing really because my son had covid. But he recovered quick (yay!) then we went to the library and they had a dental appointment. So it was a very chill, and boring week but at least my son is better and my daughter and I stayed healthy. I did get a chance to read some books which is nice!
My hubby told me there is a conference at his old work place here that he wanted to attend since his employer would be paying for it so he’s coming back home for a week and on Wednesday! An old college friend of mine who I haven’t seen in like 5 years is also visiting and I get to see her on Wednesday as well so it should be a fun and busy week.
House of Dragon (Season 2, Ep. 4) – what a dragon battle. But UGH I hate Ser Criston Cole with a vengeance.
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
I hope all of you had a nice, easy week. It was pretty chill for us, all we did this week was grocery shopping and then we went to Chuck e Cheese for 4th of July since my daughter requested we go – and it was packed even though we went right when they opened. And then I thought my son’s allergies were acting up but then yesterday he kept feeling worse (itchy throat, slight cough, congestion) and then before bed I took his temp and he had a fever. A friend of mine just had Covid last week so I decided to test my son and sure enough his test turned positive quickly! 😫 I mean, yay, hopefully this means he won’t get it when school begins in a few weeks (because both my kids usually get sick in the first month of school). But, BOO, because it’s summer and he’s sick. My daughter and I already had a cold last month so I really, really, REALLY don’t want to have Covid. I’m just so tired of being sick and it’s summer time. Being sick in the summer SUCKS.
Anyway, I hope it’s a mild case and it goes away by the end of this week and my daughter and I and my parents who were exposed to him yesterday – don’t get it. 🙏🏼
The Seventh Veil of Salome by. Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Currently Reading:
A Winter Wish by. Emily Stone
Shadow & Storms by. Helen Scheuerer
Not In Love by. Ali Hazelwood
The Mist Thief by. L.J. Andrews
Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:
House of Dragon (Season 2, Ep. 3)
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
It’s been an easy, chill week for me – lazy summer days for sure! Took my kids to the pool, went to the mall to play at the arcade and that’s about it. I cleaned the house, took some bags for donation but nothing exciting at all. I do have time to read though so that’s nice!
The Seventh Veil of Salome by. Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Shadow & Storms by. Helen Scheuerer
Not In Love by. Ali Hazelwood
Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:
House of Dragon (Season 2, Ep. 2) – what an ending 😦
Gossip Girl – so I never watched Gossip Girl when it came out in 2007 because I felt I was too old for it and Sex and the City was my show and related to that one more. But since I have my Max subscription for House of Dragon I decided to watch it!
Brat – Charlie xcx – I listen to it when I’m cleaning the house and it makes the time go by! lol
The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess and Good Luck, Babe- Chappell Roan – because I’m addicted to her voice.
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
Past Midnight Book Reviews & More 