First Comes Love by Emily Giffin

This book is bitter sweet for me as it is the last book I had left to read written by Emily Giffin.  My love for her books began with Something Borrowed and continued when I read Something Blue and Baby Proof.  Little did I know how many others she still had.  First Comes Love was recently published in June 2016 and did not disappoint.  If you are an Emily Giffin fan, you will surely love her latest.

Josie finds herself on a relentless mission to begin her next step in life.  She is 38, a first grade teacher, and no husband or kiddos in the picture.  She feels her time ticking but can't seem to find Mr. Right.  This is probably because she let him get away many years ago on that dark night she tries to forget every minute of every day.  So how convenient when she finds out that his daughter will be in her classroom this year and his beautiful wife will be her parent volunteer.  Just perfect.  Josie does have her best friend Gabe by her side and to kick her butt when she needs it, as well as a wonderful family along with her sister Meredith.  Okay, maybe not a wonderful family, since their whole world came crashing down when Daniel, her brother died.  One tragic car accident took his life and therefore molded the rest of her and her families' lives forever.  As sad as it was, Josie doesn't like to think about it, especially since she has a secret that only her and Gabe know about the night her brother died and this is one secret nobody can ever know.  So Josie does what she can to avoid that night and memories of her brother at all costs.  This happens to drive her sister Meredith nuts and continues to add to the forever growing wedge between them.

Meredith can't seem to see the good in her sister.  Everything she does is for herself and this is something Meredith cannot understand.  After all, Meredith is living in the house her parents used to own because she knows this will make them happy, and she even married her deceased brothers best friend which she is beginning to think was more for him or her tie to her brother then for true love.  Meredith begins to realize she needs more to her life and brings this up to her husband Nolan, but also gives him the notion that maybe she never really loved him the way she should have.  All of this is too much to handle so Nolan, in an attempt to save his marriage, makes Mere go to New York for a few weeks to find out what she really wants.  As hard as it was to leave, Meredith leaves Nolan and their beautiful little girl in Atlanta to figure out her life.  She ends up getting more than she bargained for when her sister joins her and finally tells Meredith a secret she's been keeping since the night their brother died.

In thinking back to all of Emily Giffin's books thus far, I'd say my favorite was Something Borrowed and my least favorite was The One and Only.  This one would definitely fall in the top four of the eight.  It was a good story about the bonds of family and how devastating the long term affects can be in losing a sibling.  It also portrays a true portrait of two very different sisters and how much they love one another even though they consistently clash.  Lastly, Emily gives another view into marriage and shows us a side of marriage that isn't cheating, but isn't full of passion, it's a marriage where two who loved the idea of what being together meant to them that they never paid attention to the fact they really weren't in love. After reading many of Giffin's books, I am starting to worry about her own marriage since this is the 4th one where a woman doubts her feelings for her husband.  I hope Mr. Giffin doesn't read these.

If you are looking for a love story, this is not it.  Nonetheless, it was well written and keeps you interested.  I also liked the tie-in this story had with Love the One You're With as she overlapped characters from that book with this.  I liked when she did this before with Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and Baby Proof.  So until her next book is out, I am off to read the latest from another loved author.  Stay tuned!

Don't Breathe: The Scariest Movie of the Summer

I think my friend said it perfectly when he asked, "Who do you root for in a movie when you have three people robbing a blind man, and then the blind man tries to kill them for doing so?"  That is a pretty spot on question which outlines the main events of this movie.  Three young adults living in the slums of Detroit think they've finally found their break when they find out a blind, retired, Military Vet has hundreds of thousands of dollars after he was paid a settlement when a woman killed his daughter in an auto accident.  They assume it'll be an easy job with the whole him not seeing thing going on, but they were wrong.  Dead wrong.

Rocky, Alex, and Money (dumbest name ever) begin their mission of breaking into the Blind Man's home and find it to be pretty easy minus a few hiccups, like the vicious  dog awaiting them.  They use their expertise to put the dog to sleep and break into the home only to find the Blind man sleeping in his bed.  Money takes the job to put gas in his room to keep him sleeping and then joins the others downstairs. Little do they know it didn't work and he surprises them downstairs.  Yes he is blind, but he still has keen senses and not only attacks Money (who has a gun), but kills him with his own weapon.  This leaves Rocky to hide in the closet as the Blind Man thinks Money was the only robber.  He checks a safe which holds all the money, and also happens to be in the same closet where Rocky is hiding.  She may be freaked out, but she is still ready to take that she came here to get so watched him enter the code and takes the money after he leaves. Alex finds her and together they try to get out of the house, but are constantly held back as the Blind Man boards up ever window, every lock.  He also finds out they are there when he stumbles on the two other pairs of shoes in the kitchen. They are trapped with nowhere to go so they attempt the only route they can think of which is the basement which leads to the shed outside.  In their attempt to escape, they find they are not alone.  There is a woman stuck down there with her mouth taped and an article in her hand.  It tuns out, this is the same woman who killed his daughter.  They can't leave her down there so try to help her escape as well and almost do so, until you know who joins them in the basement and turns off the lights.  Of course this doesn't throw him off but completely altars their senses and makes it very difficult for them to maneuver, let alone escape.  They are stuck down there with a trained killer and most likely will not make it out alive, but they fight like hell to ensure they do.  The question is, will it be enough?

This movie scored high ratings on Rotten Tomatoes which is rare for a scary movie.  It was obviously filled with suspense, but not in a cheesy way. You felt bad for the man a first, but then saw how twisted he was which only got worse, that you had no choice but to root for his robbers.  The ending was one intense scene after another as it kept changing its course.  Just when you thought it was going to end on a peaceful note, another twist was thrown at you.  If you are like I was when seeing the trailer and thought the movie looked really scary but really good, you will not be disappointed.

War Dogs: Guns, War, Money

David, a licensed massage therapist, is reflecting on his accomplishments or lack-there-of.  He is business minded but can't seem to catch a break.  His last resort is spending his life savings on bed sheets in hopes of making a profit in selling them to retirement centers.  When that obviously doesn't go over well, he feels at a loss.  So how convenient that his childhood friend Efraim comes back in town and introduces David to a world he never knew existed.

Efraim is the owner of a company who sells weapons to the military.  As he explains the process to David, David is conflicted with how legal and ethical it is, but can't deny the monetary gain to be had.      He gets an extra push to enter the world of gun running when his girlfriend becomes pregnant.  David feels he has no other choice.  It seems safe, I mean he stays in the office and runs the whole program via internet and phone calls.  That is, until he and Efraim find themselves traveling from Jordan to Bagdad to deliver a truck filled with guns.  He keeps all of this from his girlfriend as he knows her take on the war and general and knows what he does just wouldn't go over well.  To him, it's to support them which justifies it.

Life seems to be getting better as the money pours in and David finds a high end place in Miami for his love and their beautiful baby girl.  In fact, things couldn't be better.  Then David and Efraim meet Henry, an expert gun runner who can't do trades with the US military since he is on the Terrorism Watch List.  Henry is the key for David and Efraim to get the deal that will bring them millions.  David is leery of the whole deal especially when he finds out Efraim has screwed over those close to him in the past, but Efraim reassures him they are partners and this deal will close and make them quite profitable.  In order for this new deal to work, David must spend several weeks in Albania where thousands of rounds are to be packaged and distributed to Afghanistan.  The first glitch occurs when he sees the weapons which were supposed to be all from Albania, were actually from China and therefore banned to be used in a deal with the Pentagon.  The guys come up with a solution to repackage them in undisclosed boxes to hide their origins and find the right Albanians to do the job for a cheap price.  This is when things get a little hairy.  Efraim starts to show his true colors which David was previously concerned with and puts David in a life and death situation.  Efraim also hasn't been paying the Albanians for their services in packaging.  It all ends up being too much for David and he pulls out of the deal only to be investigated by the FBI once they get a tip from someone from Albania of illegal packaging going on.  I guess Efraim should have kept his word on paying those working for him.

This movie had it all; a great story line, acting, and suspense.  It is based on a true story and gives you another aspect of War you may not have been privy to before.  I never realize how much money was involved.  One scene even explains how much it costs to fully dress one member of the military, $17,000.  Yep.  I also appreciated how the movie showed just how easy it can be to let money win over what is right.  It was an excellent action packed movie that I highly recommend.

Sausage Party: The Title is a Dead Giveaway

I saw this movie a week ago and have been processing exactly how I wanted to go about blogging it.  My typical method is to portray who I think will like each movie I review.  Yes, I'll throw in my opinion, but still try to find the good in each.  That isn't to say I couldn't find good in this movie or think of who would enjoy it, I just was amazed at how far the context was taken and how ignorant I was to not realize the adult humor would be that "adult."

If you saw the previews, you know that the premise is basically the world of grocery store food and its perspective of life, specifically what happens when it leaves the store.  That is the innocent side of the movie that I thought I was seeing.  Yes, I ignored the title and thought maybe that was a joke or that there may be a few minor innuendos.  I was quite mistaken.

This is a tale about a hotdog, hotdog bun, and their friends on a mission to find the great beyond....which is really life outside.  They have visions of how magical it will be.  Food and humans living together in bliss.  So of course they find it traumatizing when they find out what really happens.  The horror they discover when they see their friends being ripped into pieces and eaten by these monsters called humans is pretty drama.  I have to be honest, ever since seeing this, I feel a little guilty when taking a bite.  It is up to them to let the others know what happens, which prove harder than they realized.

The actors behind the voices are some greats such as Kristen Wiig (one of my personal favs), Seth Rogan (who also directs it), and many more which only add to the many hilarious scenes.  On a deeper level, you can see fun being poked at many real-world issues such as various races not getting along, how many have a tendency to believe what makes them feel better versus the ugly truth, and those extreme personalities we all know and love....or not.

Overall the movie had hilarious scenes and the basic story plot was entertaining, but there is so much more.  This movie is not for the faint of heart.  You must really enjoy adult humor and please, please leave the kids at home.  I don't even think your just under 18 year old children should be seeing this. There are many sexual innuendos throughout the whole movie and each scene becomes more and more extreme.  I don't want you going into this thinking you'll see some mildly humorous adult jokes because then you'll be like me who was sitting with my mouth open in shock most of the movie.  It wasn't that I hated it, it was just more than I anticipated.  I have a more naive or innocent humor though so if you can handle it, then by all means see it, but just remember you have been warned.  If you are curious, just Google the last scene of the movie and I am sure you will get an idea of what I am referring to.

Jason Bourne: You Know His Name

I know not everyone is a fan of sequels and agrees many movies tend to do a little too many of them. I typically agree with this notion, except for the Bourne movies.  You can't deny their suspense keeps you watching and when you hear the next one is out, you're curious.  If that isn't you, then you probably don't want to read any further.

Jason is back, but this time he is approached by Nicky Parsons who has found some secret info on who Jason is and why he was chosen to be a trained killer.  This truth is something Jason has always needed, so he agrees to work with her in hopes of finding it out.  Their plan spoils when Nicky is killed by a ruthless assassin who is on a mission of his own to kill Jason.  Even though Nicky isn't physically here, she still leads Bourne on the right path to important files that give him intel on how his father was connected to the CIA and even had a lot to do with him being selected and then molded into the killer he became.  One of the leaders of the CIA, however, does not want Bourne to find out this information in fear of it being leaked and the CIA being exposed, or more importantly the corruptness of it all.  The further into this Bourne gets, the more they are after him and he soon finds out the man who killed his father is also the assassin trying to kill him now.  With the help of a new member of the CIA team, Heather Lee, Bourne is closer to finding out what really happened to his father and how Bourne got to where he was for so many years.

Meanwhile, a successful social media company who has typically worked with the CIA in allowing them access to customer's identities, finally severs ties only to gain them as an enemy.  CIA Director Robert Dewey, will do anything to ensure he gets what he wants which is Jason Bourne dead and the owner of the social media company punished one way or another.  It's up to Bourne to figure out a way to deal with his inner demons and decide what he needs to do.  Does he kill the man  who killed his father and the man who led that mission, or does he find another way with less death since that seems to be what he has surrounded himself by?

What I loved about this movie was the pace, suspense, and storyline.  It didn't drag on like some action movies do.  It also didn't seem redundant in its context.  This wasn't an already been done movie in the Bourne Legacy which to me is a compliment to the series since there have been so many movies made.  The suspense had me watching intently for the next twist and Matt Damon did not disappoint.  An awesome summer, action film.

Love the One You're With: Emily Giffin

Ellen is living the perfect life.  She is a successful photographer living in New York with her husband Andy, a successful lawyer.  Andy is handsome, funny, affectionate, and perfect in every way.  To top it off, his sister also happens to be Ellen's best friend since college.  What more could a girl want?  Ellen soon finds out when her ex, Leo, randomly runs into her at a local diner.  Leo isn't just an ex, he is the guy who broke her heart and left her to mend it without much closure.  Her emotions return after their run-in and even though she tries, she can't seem to get away from him.  The question is, does she really want to?

Leo, a journalist, asks Ellen to accompany him to California to photograph a major interview he has with a big-time celebrity.  Ellen knows this will be good for her career, but turns him down as this wouldn't be the respectful thing to do to her marriage.  Leo in all his persistence manages to make it happen anyway and Ellen finds herself on a plane to California with her sister to do the shoot.  Of course she mentions none of this to her husband or her best friend.  The shoot goes very well and as they return to New York, Ellen and Leo feel a lot of feelings return from many years ago.  Ellen still listens to her mind and says goodbye to Leo upon returning to New York.

As weeks pass, Ellen finds herself not only still thinking about Leo and their past, but also begins to notice how lack luster her and Andy's relationship really is.  The passion she and Leo had just doesn't exist with her and Andy, but she loves Andy and knows he's a great husband.  Her conflict grows and she begins to take it out on her marriage.  Then Andy drops the bombshell and tells Ellen he wants to move back to Atlanta near his family and join his father's firm.  This should be good news as Ellen loves Andy's family and she would get to live near her best friend.  But she feels an impending sense of doom.  Ellen loves New York and the life she has built here.  What if Atlanta robs her of her identity?

Atlanta proves to be what she had feared.  The stay-at-home and take care of the house life is just not for her.  Their new friends are also well-to-do and a little too "judgey" for her tastes.  It also doesn't help that she still has Leo on her mind.  So as soon as her and Andy get into an argument, she emails Leo about their last shoot and he begs her to do another one with him.  She debates it but as they talk back and forth, she finds out that her so-called best friend kept something big from her all those years ago. You see, Leo cam back for her, but Margo never told Ellen.  Was it too late?  Could she ruin her marriage to go back to Leo?  What should she follow between her head and her heart?  She had to find out so she took the job and made a plan to see Leo. To do this one final job then see what transpires, but on the night before she is to leave, she confesses it all to Andy whom obviously is not okay with this.  She knows if she goes she'll lose him forever, but if she stays she will always wonder.    What is a girl to do?

Emily Giffin definitely threw in her infamous plot twists with this one.  I honestly could't predict the outcome as I read.  The internal conflict Ellen was facing was evident.  You could feel those intense, raw emotions she had for Leo, but also knew she loved her husband so much.  There were often times I was mad at her, just because I knew what I wanted her to do.  Which to me shows good writing because I was hooked from the start.  A great read if you are in the mood for a suspenseful love triangle for sure.

Bad Moms: 2016 Comedy of the Summer

Now while I am not a mother currently, I have to say I've noticed a shift.  It seems like the life of mothers is more hectic and the demands are higher than when I was a kid.  In my day (wow I sound old), birthday treats were as simple as cupcakes, your mom didn't have to volunteer, and there weren't a million events to attend.  After previously working in education for 7 years, I found motherhood to be all about PTO, committees, food allergies, soccer, girl scouts, boy scouts, and so on.  So if you are a mother, know a mother, or have noticed what I have about the current race to the top for mothers in our society, you will for sure appreciate this comedy.

Amy is 32 and a working mother with two kiddos over the age of ten.  She makes breakfast, takes the kids to school, goes to work, comes back to pick them up, takes them to practice, makes dinner, helps with homework, does school projects, does laundry, cleans, puts kids to bed, sleeps, then wakes up to only rinse and repeat.  She is constantly racing to the next thing she has to do and can never get ahead.  She is judged by the non-working mothers for being a working mother, she can never get ahead at work because she needs to make time for her family, and life feels like a never ending cycle. Then one evening her world comes crashing down when she walks in on her husband cheating on her via video with a girl on the internet.  After kicking him out and now doing all of this on her own (which she was pretty much doing before) life seems unbearable.  So all it takes is one more thing requested of her at a parent meeting from the PTO President for her to loose her sh*t.  

So what does Amy do?  She quits.  How do you quit being a mom exactly?  Amy stops making breakfast, brings store bought donuts to the school bake sale (the horror), takes her daughter to the spa instead of going to Mandarin Class (no clue what that even is), eats breakfast while reading the paper, and so many other things she has always wanted to do.  She starts allowing herself the chance to self-love.  While doing this, she gains two new friends to tag along in her "Bad Mom" journey which creates some pretty hilarious and monumental times.  Together, the threesome takes on Gwendolyn, the PTO President, in a battle to change things and create an environment where it's okay to not be perfect.

This movie was exactly what I had hoped.  Miller Kunis, Katheryn Hahn, and Kristen Bell are hilarious and I hope hang out in real-life.  Kathryn plays Carla, the premiscuous single-mom who will  sleep with anyone in sight.  Kristen Bell plays Kiki, the passive stay-at-home mom who never sticks up for herself.  Then we have Mila, who plays Amy, the mom who is taking her life back.  The three embrace this whole notion of being  a bad mom which really means, being real.  You do not have to be the best at everything and should never judge others, especially when it comes to how one raises their children.  You can work, stay at home, run the PTO, never attend a PTO meeting, send your kid to school with Arby's, and whatever else you'd like because guess what..........they are your kids and this is your life!  When the day comes that I am a parent, I can assure you I would much rather be the one who knows I suck but embraces that versus judging others.  As long as my family and I are happy, that is all that matters.  So if you want some "momspiration" or just a good laugh, go check out this movie.  You'll be glad you did.