Hello, lovely ladies đ€
How are you this fine day? We’ve had a welcome start to autumn, a blessed relief from the incessant heat that’s been plaguing the Eastern parts of our country. Phew!
Without much preamble, let’s get stuck into this week’s blog:
Bookstr reports on some nutter’s self published book miscrediting E L James, calling it her “earlier” work. She’s denied any ownership of this book, but it makes me so mad when folks blatantly steal like that. *imagine me getting on my soap box* For all the pleasure authors give us I believe they deserve every red cent coming to them. Erika might not be a good example, because we all know that she’s swimming in it, (not that that should matter), but even fairly well known writers do not make a vast living from just putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, as the case may be. Spread the love, peeps. Don’t take something that doesn’t belong to you. đ
And while the Darker movie is not yet cold, most of us are ready for the cinematic conclusion of our obsession. Check out these fan made clips of Freed:
People are so creative. Where do they get the time?
This week I read:
Fidelity by Aleatha Romig, book 5 in the Infidelity series. My 3 star rating is mainly due to 2 reasons: firstly, the series is too long. You have to be sure that your story is gripping as all hell if you’re going to subject your readers to 5 purchases. And secondly, though I LOVE a well-researched, action packed story, and I understand that a lot of scenes in the genre we read are a tad exaggerated, there comes a time when a storyline is simply too implausible to ignore. And when innocent folks end up in jail, no matter how bitchy they were to the main character, I balk at an author’s sense of justice. Note to writers: when you put something out into the big, wide world, please remember that you have a voice, one that may reach many, many people. As is the case IRL, keep your words soft and sweet AND real.
Currently I’m reading:
Royally Matched by Emma Chase, book 2 in the Royally series. As far as I’m concerned you can NEVER go wrong with a prince and a fairytale…. đ
Then, as a fitting ending to this week’s post, I thought I’d share a little life truth:
#Truth đ
Short and sweet today, girls. Have a beautiful weekend!
fifty shades of grey and more 
Hi Monique and ladies, hope you are all well.
So if I had the skill to insert fireworks and flashing lights I would đ that’s how brilliant a reading week I had yeahhh!!
Starting with my book recommended by Amazon, Becoming Mrs Lockwood by KI Lynn, apart from a few things that I didn’t like, the age difference being the main thing I really enjoyed this book, good long story, hot male lead and steamy sex what’s not to like!.
I then read Preston’s Honor by Mia Sheridan, another fabulous 5* read from Mia, love her books, great story loved everything about this.
I also read Vicious, the first book in the Sinners of Saint series, by LJ Shen another great read though I have to say I hated Vicious but that was obviously what the author was going for, I just wanted to kick him in the teeth lol.
I am currently reading Twist Me, a trilogy by Anna Zaires, a new author for me, my friend recommended this to me and though a little dark, probably not enough to wreck your nerves Monique, really enjoying this as well.
This has been one of these weeks that are few and far between where you really enjoy everything you read so long may it continue.
On another note, number one son has left your part of the world Monique and is now in New Zealand, I’m worried how much he loved Australia lol. He has 10 days were he currently is then 5 days in Cancun then onto Canada before he arrives home on 31st March – I can’t wait to see him check he’s ok then head away 2 hours later on my cruise đ
Ladies, hope your reads were as good as mine x
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Whoo-whoooo *clapping hands* That’s great, Katherine! I LOVE having great reading streaks like that. Thank you for the recs đ Mia IS a very good author. Did you know that the movie rights for Arthur’s Voice was sold? And not long to go before your baby is back home, then you can squeeze him in a big hug. đđ» Glad he’s having a good time. And a cruise? Sounds wonderful! Where are you going, you blessed thing? đ
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Mon I would deffo recommend all the books I’ve read they were all great reads.
I’m heading to the Med having 2 days in Barcelona then going to Greece Italy Rome France Monte Carlo and Nice before doing 2 days in Venice before heading home 14 days pure rest & relaxation I hope đđ
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Ahh, hard life, huh? đđ Enjoy! And I’ll definitely check out your marvellous recs â€ïž
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First..a few more chapters into Idol. Enjoyed. I get it.
Second…so sad that two weeks later, our movie ardor is getting cold. Feel like time to smoke a cigarette and start a shopping list. So sad. ALL their fault.
And so…third…going to see movie again tomorrow… discount day….and make a list of why I’m angry with THEM. Will report back in detail with all invited to ignore me, as usual.
Finally…disconcerting to see fan preview using JD images.from his serial killer turn in The Fall. Not wrong, just disconcerting
Lissa
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Hey Lissa. Glad you enjoyed Idol. Hopefully you’ll get to Managed and enjoy that one even more. Yes, the movie has been a bit of an anti-climax, hasn’t it? I also meant to go see it again, but now that it’s out of Gold Class and only in regular theatres, I’ll have to wait for the DVD. I’m an utter movie snob when it comes to venues. đ But I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on take two. Please let us know how you go. LOL! For The Fall footage in the fan-made trailers. I thought the same thing. The with a blonde Dakota. It’s just not right. đ Have a good week, Lissa. Let’s hope the movie surprises you. đ€
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I really want to find time to go see the movie again, but life is moving a bit quickly these days and it may not happen. Def will be looking forward to watching the DVD version. Bookwise – I don’t have much to report. Didn’t think it was possible, but was totally grossed out by alien sex. All I can say is if you meet a Xaravian that wants to do the wild thang…just say oh HELL no and ESCAPE!!
So, staying away from the paranormal stuff for a while. I have been soothing myself with re-reads. Loved revisiting FSOG, of course, and have been re-reading the Up in the Air series by RK Lilley. Nice to have old favorites to comfort yourself with.
Katherine – your cruise sounds beyond fabulous!!! You do know how to have a good time!!! I enjoyed the Twist Me series a great deal….liked her paranormal series too. (yummy. very unlike that last read!)
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Whahaha! I’ll keep that in mind, Sharon. Last thing I want for myself is to be lured into icky alien lovin’. It’s pretty high on my list of things to avoid. Hope you get your sexy little hands on something AWESOME soon, Sharon. I’m looking forward to Tiffany’s new one coming soon. Have a lovely week, girlfriend đ
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I’m also beyond curious to see Kristen Ashley’s venture into erotica. Some of her novels have been pretty hot for me already, will be interesting to see Kristen when she takes the leash off. (So to speak.)
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Yessss, me too! And I see the first one has the tables turned… the Alpha becomes the sub!!! I have it waiting on my Kindle app! đ
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Ooooo, just read the excerpt from Tiffany’s new book. Know I’m gonna love it. Don’t have to worry about any aliens with her. đ
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Whahaha! No, I’m sure you’ll be safe!!! đđđ
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Thanks Sharon looking foward to the break and the rain and wind!
I really enjoyed Twist Me Series as well hope its not to dark for Monique
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Getting away from the wind and rain I meant lol if I go to the med and its raining i’ll jump overboard đČ
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Whahahaha!
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Hello to all the readers. Last night I saw 50 shadows released and the truth I did not like. I’m a big fan of books and I think you could have done better.
The exenas were very fast and in several of them could have used the real dialogue of the book, as for example the dialogod between Anastasia and Elena. I think something good was lost there. And I found it very funny the exena where Leila points the gun at Ana and appears
Christian, but a dominant seems to be hypnotizing jajaaj
I know that it is very difficult to put on the screen a book but I think Jamie Dornan could have done better, as for example in the series The fall where he plays a serial killer, I love it.
I hope not to offend anyone with my comments but that’s what I think.
A kiss Monique.
I’m Veronica from Montevideo Uruguay.
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No, no offence at all, Veronica. I think we all feel basically the same. The movie flashed by in blurred scenes. And you’re right, so many missed things. Aww well. I don’t think any movie is ever as good as the book. Thank you for sharing your thoughts đ
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Hi Veronica. Think that we all agree about the movie. We had such high hopes but just too much to put into two hours. It was still fun to see, just didn’t meet our expectations.
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Apologies, I meant 50 darker shadows.
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Okay fellow space travelers…just back from a double-header of Logan with Hubby and then FSD (viewing #3) on my own while Hubby waited in the lobby. Paid all of US$2.75 equivalent, so no big investment of money.
Oh yes, this is where everyone can stop reading if they want to b/c…I TOOK NOTES! This is the master vent of the movie which I blame on THEM. I’m sort of not even excited about waiting a year for FSF…since JD’s turn in a Robin Hood film is coming out just about the same time. I almost would rather see JD in tights than naked at his point. Speaking of which:
1. Did you notice that there was hardly any any any JD nakedness? This is not a complaint, but an observation. I am convinced he renegotiated it b/c he has two kids now. Did not matter to me at all, but
2. Was pleasantly surprised by being able to pay attention to JD’s acting in the movie since I had fewer distractions. His acting, walk, accent…were (dare I say it) excellent! The problem was the material they gave him. He wasn’t CG, rather a regular guy who had a misstep and wants to get back w/ his girl. He was essentially acting in another chick flick. But I enjoyed him.
3. Okay…the opening….white swirls that we remember becomes the white flowers of the bouquet. But this time I realized it looked like palmar markings and I amused myself that they were hinting at the twitchy palms. They weren’t. That would be too deep, reflective. But it amused me.
4.Sorry, but Ana is just not sad enough in the opening scenes. I mean they CAN make dark shadows under her eyes…it’s Hollywood. A bit of crying would be nice. And she looked too put together to be so despondent.
5. In parallel, you have no hint at the character development of Christian who, accd to (book) Grey, relooked at he relationship and came up with another approach through thought and introspection. Instead he just came across as…he wanted her back.
6. Okay, the obvious…that her seeing him across the room in the gallery was in complete parallel to the hardware store, but didn’t have a punch like the hardware store scene did.
7. Okay, so she has the maroon dress from Kate that she’s wearing to the gallery, but why is she so put together in all the other scenes that run up to getting the clothes in the closet. She’s dressed just too snazzy. This is the babe who was wearing a blouse print like ones I wore in the 60’s and had no idea what to do with her hair when she went for the interview a month or so before. She didn’t have the time let alone the emotional strength to get her act together (and go shopping!!) in the long weekend between the goodbye elevator and the gallery. Hollywood always makes things too pretty.
8. Okay, we’ve complained that scenes were too rushed, that too much was squooshed in. So tell me WHY there were so many freakin’ Ana-wakes-up-along-in-bed scenes. Yes, we have the reference to the ones in the first book…but in this film they’re filler, filling time that doesn’t need to be filled!!
9. The charity party. Really? Yes, this is for a tony charity at a tony home, but this kind of over the top was pure Hollywood and did nothing, absolutely nothing to advance the movie, etc. Oh, of course you need the party, but not the way they did it.
a. why was so much screen time give to the singer? It didn’t advance the plot in any way. Is he someone’s cousin or something. Forgive me if he’s molto-famous…but it was a waste of time that could have been filled with other more appropriate plot points
b. why did the cinematographer have to go all Gone With The Wind on us with the pan-shot of C&A in lower left of the screen then panned to the right with a wide shot. All that was missing was the camera pull-back a la the railroad scene in GWTW where all the soldiers are out in the sun on the ground. Just grandstanding…and did nothing for the film other than to show how much money they spent.
c. Mia’s hair…did it have to be changed and did time have to be spent on it? Must have been in Ora’s contract.
10. One scene early on after or during sex…Ana has a perfect manicure and polish….too early…too perfect…too annoying.
11.When he says good night after the first dinner and she has the big box in her hand, she’s suddenly kissing him and then walks in the door…and…the box is no where to be found.
12. Okay, I get it…elevators are a big deal in the books but even a bigger deal in the movies. But does ELIZABETH have to come out of the SIP elevator? What no creativity?
13. So tell me, why is the kinky fuckery line suddenly Ana’s and not Christian’s creation? Why? Did it move the plot differently? Did it make a difference? Why did that have to be changed and give one a hiccup?
14. I think the longest scene in the entire movie was in his office when she was looking at the dossiers. Completely appropriate…but SO LONG that it almost seemed to drag. Weird…but shows you how choppy the movie was.
15. Why is Christian in all these dark shirts. Didn’t they read the books?
16. Movie emphasized a question from the book. Christian was wearing a high end tuxedo shirt…very sheer…why couldn’t you see the lipstick thru it? Sorry..always bothered me since they had sex after the lipstick was put on his chest and they were going to a ball that evening and he showers obsessively…so no shower that afternoon?
17. She has to have someone put up her hair professionally, but after rambunctious sex and her hair is down, she can put it backup all by herself? I thought the basic haircut idea was better.
18. The snippy comment driving from Escala to yacht after Ana says that the apartment would have been safe…it’s like a fortress….but he says, she shouldn’t even have been able to get into the garage. This is a straight diss of Mr to Mrs. ELJ, commenting on the problems in her writing. Just don’t feel it was nice.
19. I’ve said before that using the beauty of North Vancouver and the coast line as a substitute for Seattle is so jarring and annoying. The waterways and coastline in Seattle are beautiful, but there are no snow-capped mountains on the water or mountains of that height.
20…..and the house…the isolated mansion. That is pure Vancouver but so not Seattle where you have neighborhood near the water but just off of them are houses on the water…like you see in the fireworks display at his parents’ house.
21. Am I correct that they changed the decor of the apartment behind the staircase….now is a wall of isolated wine bottles? Why was this change necessary? Christian was not so upset that in less than a week he called in a decorator and changed something?
22. Was the director so uncreative that he had to have EVERYONE leaning on a wall to say his/her lines? Problem with set construction that the actors had to hold up. Or just lazy directing?
23. He goes down on her 3x in the movie..very nice…but they actually made it expected and ?boring?
24. The drizzling of the oil was sort of weird…like no one knew how to do it so they made it like they were 4yo kids fingerpainting….lazy directing again.
25. Okay…I get it…there’s a put-Ana’s-panties-in-his-pocket theme in this series. Or, you just had to have the reference to the first movie, in case you forgot.
26. Okay…Kate and Ana moved to Seattle.
a. When she went in to get the toothbrush…did you get the feeling that this was not an apartment two recent college grads just moved into a few weeks before? No boxes around? So so so many books in the bookcase? So so so unbelievable…again Hollywood on crack.
b. “I’m meeting Kate for drinks”…and they greet as if they hadn’t seen each other for weeks…but…they live together.
27. Saw FSD in Cairns (Oz) the first time and winced when Laila character lost the American accent and went Oz-y on a few words. Now it’s more jarring with each repetition.
28. Why wasn’t her hair wet after walking for 3 hr in the rain. I mean…really?
29. She’s walking outside and the trees scream February and March..but they graduated in May…you know what I mean? And all those coats and sweaters? Like it’s cold, not just cool.
30. When she gets out of bed after they made love when he woke up from nightmare and asked her to marry him…and she’s wearing panties but naked otherwise? Pandering that she’s naked and not in a tshirt or just couldn’t creatively think of way for Ana to be naked w/o showing her with frontal nudity…down there?
31. Flying east over ridge toward Mt St Helens into the kill zone (where there are acres and acres of fallen trees from the 1980s blast…and engine failure…and he’s flying over mature trees? Grrrr. As bad as an obvious Vancouver representing Seattle.
32. Grace comes over to distraught Ana to give her tea…and puts it far away on table. Bad doctoring. Ana could be near shock so she should be given hot drinks for her to drink, not admire on the table.
33. Shower sex…yeh, yeh…completely recreates the first kiss in the elevator of the first movie…I get it. Again…lazy directing. We wanted…um…more…not constant references to the previous movie.
34. It’s way after midnight…he’s been in a crash…they’ve gone hot and heavy in the shower…and they still have the strength to go to the red room and do that weird hands-behind-the back, weird oiling, side entering stuff? So freakin’ sad.
Okay…can not read any more of my notes. But this is cathartic. I think I feel like I’m done with the movie. Don’t think I’ll be clicking on it on Amazon. In a few months, I’ll be able to get it on VOD on cable for free anyway.
If you’re still reading….I don’t know what to say…lol
Monique…sorry for being so long…I return the use of your blog to you.
Lissa
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Wow. Okay. That’s thorough, Lissa. đđ» Will have to come back to this when I have a little more time đ
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Lissa, you are hysterical. I think this may have been better than watching the movie! I felt the urge to light up a cigarette when you were done, except that I don’t smoke and didn’t have any.
Agree with most of what you said, but I really want to watch the movie again and compare your notes!
Can’t believe hubs sat in lobby, did he watch it the second time with you? I just love the image of you sitting in a dark theatre furiously scribbling!! Hope you now are enjoying a proper cathartic release!
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Hubby… his official name here, I guess, saw the movie the first time with me in OZ. When I saw it then second time in Manhattan, he was visiting someone. The third time was part of a daylong date: late lunch, saw Logan together, then he got some reading done in the lobby while I saw FSD.
He is well aware that he ONLY benefits from my obsession(s) and tries his hardest to be a Dom when I need it. His skill is shallow but his love and dedication are deep. Both of us in second after first long, unsatisfying marriages. We’re in long-term repair mode…. and finding joy in whatever we do.
Well aware this represents supreme luck. We consider it like winning the lottery.
Lissa
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Aww, that’s a beautiful piece of sharing, Lissa. And how lovely for you both that you’ve a second chance. I’ve said it before, but he sounds like a keeper â€ïž
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Tell your hubby he is earning big sighs from your book club! Does sound like you both are in a happy place! Cheers from Florida!
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Yup, popcorn was definitely needed! LOL!
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LOL Lissa, your comments are getting better and better I find it hilarious you took notes at the film đđ
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Right, finally I have a moment to come back to your deliciously detailed comment. Wow, you really DID take notes! LOL! I so agree with you on ALL your points. I spotted the same continuity issues, which, like you say, is just damn lazy, and I also share your ire about Ana’s polished gloss. But the start, both Ana’s and Christian’s lack of heart sickness, was such a let down. They were both so utterly broken but NONE of that shone through. Ug, and I still can’t get over the goody-two-shoes boyfriend that CG was in this movie. Where were the passionate fights? Our unbending, jealous Dom??? And we never saw Ana’s internal struggle. She just seemed fine, like you say, Rom Com style rather than intense love story….
No worries for the wordy comment. That’s what we LOVE to do here đ
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