M. C. Beaton's Poor Relation Series

from goodreads and Amazon

1 - Lady Fortescue Steps Out

After her husband’s death, Lady Fortescue knows she must work, even though the thought will appall her society relatives. So she decides to transform her once-grand Bond Street home into a hotel, the Poor Relation, offering society guests the pleasure of being waited upon by nobility.
 
With the help of other down-and-out aristocrats, London’s newest, most fashionable hotel is born. And it is the perfect venue for Lady Fortescue to play with the love lives of her guests and staff, starting with her nephew, the dashing Duke of Rowcester. Lady Fortescue has it on good authority that the duke once shared a dance with darling Harriet James, the hotel cook. When the duke comes to London, Lady Fortescue orchestrates a reunion that is sure to scandalize the ton. 

2 - Miss Tonks Turns To Crime

The fashionable Poor Relation hotel has rescued its six owners from genteel poverty, but they need ready cash for its upkeep. Once more, one of them must discreetly rob a rich relative.

The faded spinster Miss Letitia Tonks is dispatched to disguise herself as a highwayman and hold up the carriage that is transporting her nip-farthing sister and her lovely young niece, Cassandra. But by a twist of fate, their dashing prankish neighbor, Lord Eston, himself masked as a highwayman, does the deed for her--and grabs the opportunity to dazzle Cassandra with a swift kiss.

3 - Mrs. Budley Falls From Grace

The Poor Relation is in need of money to survive. Widow Eliza Budley wants to help save her new home, but with her fortune lost due to her deceased husband’s gambling debts, how can she? With no rich relative to go to, Eliza calls on the senile, elderly Marquess of Peterhouse, and pretends to be a relation while she steals just enough of his worldly goods to fund the hotel. But when she arrives at his bleak castle, she learns the Marquess is deceased, leaving his handsome nephew in charge of the estate. Once the dashing heir learns of her devious plot, can he get past her criminal leanings long enough to fall in love with her?

4 - Sir Philip's Folly

The owners of the Poor Relation Hotel are busy once again. This time, Sir Philip Sommerville has installed a vulgar, grasping woman in the hotel, and his co-owners are frantic to remove her. At the same time, they decide they must help a young guest find a husband. These experienced schemers almost make and break the wrong matches, but greed is revealed, and love triumphs.

5 - Coronel Sandhurst To The Rescue

Due to a bad wager by one of its founders, the popular Poor Relation hotel is in financial trouble. Fortunately, founder Colonel Sandhurst has a plan. Offering the hotel as a sanctuary to a bride running from her arranged marriage, the colonel plans to return her to her father in exchange for a ransom rich enough to settle the hotel’s debts. But the colonel’s plan goes awry when the bride’s jilted fiancé shows up instead, mistakes a hotel maid for his future wife, and promptly falls in love. To make matters worse, the ransomed bride herself is now smitten with another dashing guest, a nobleman unhappily betrothed to another woman. Now it will take all the matchmaking prowess of the eccentric staff of the Poor Relation to get these romantic affairs in order—and save their beloved hotel from bankruptcy.

6 - Back In Society

Life is finally looking up for the eccentric owners of London’s Poor Relation hotel. The Prince of Wales’s coat of arms gleams over the entrance. All but one of the rooms are filled by the open-handed Prince Hugo and his entourage. The owners have taken on a popular actor as a new partner. Finally, these once-impoverished aristocrats have reached a position comfortable enough to allow them to consider offers to buy the hotel.
 
But their hard-earned success stands in stark contrast to the plight of their latest guest, Lady Jane Fremney. The slight, beautiful daughter of the Earl of Durby has been cast out of her family for refusing to marry the man her father has chosen. Lonely and bankrupt, Lady Jane has decided to commit suicide. But when hotelier Miss Tonks uncovers her plans, the entire staff tries to rescue Lady Jane by finding her a suitable husband—fast! Fortunately, these lovable hoteliers have a knack for matchmaking.

I have read all of the Hamish Macbeth [set in fictional Lochdubh, Scotland] and Agatha Raisin [set in The Cotswolds, England] mystery books by Marion Chesney Gibbons writing as M. C. Beaton. She passed away December 2019 and I'm awaiting the last books for both series to be issued later this year. Although I have tired of both characters, I still read them as soon as they are published hoping Hamish will finally marry either Priscilla or Elspeth, and Agatha, Sir Charles Fraith. Now I'll never know.

I'm no fan of romance novels but I read a few of her romance series years ago and a couple of her Edwardian mystery series. I decided to read one of her romance novelette series, Poor Relation, set in the Regency period, which I finished in 4 days. They are very short, 150 and up to 220 pages, and I liked all of them. Her sense of humor and engaging writing style easily earned 4 stars from me. 

Floor Is Lava

tags: floor is lava, Netflix, reality show, silly

10 less than 30 minutes episodes

I binge-watched the new reality show on Netflix streaming, Floor Is Lava which is an old game played by kids usually on their lawns, pretending the ground is made of lava. I've never heard of this game before. I noticed the reality game show is number 1 for more than a week already so I watched the first episode out of curiosity. It is silly and dumb yet I was entertained the whole time. The "lava floor" is actually a pool lit with red or orange lights to look like lava and maybe tinted with food dye. The lava looks a little bit slimy so it's not that easy to navigate getting to the exit without falling into the water. This game requires team strategy and coordination. 

Recommended for fans of mind-numbing game shows similar to the Japanese silly game show Takeshi's Castle.

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This show is a temporary cure for anxiety over the current negativity in the news - destruction of historical monuments and cancelling of cultural icons like Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben's which IMHO is pure insanity. 

2 Korean Drama Series

Two new Korean drama series came out this week June 19 and 20, 2020. 16 episodes

Backstreet Rookie

It's Okay To Not Be Okay streaming on Netflix

Wow! Cinematography, setting, actors, story are beautiful and mesmerizing. The animation parts and music remind me of 2 dark-themed animated movies Coraline and Jack And The Cuckoo-Clock Heart.

These 2 new series might become my favorites of 2020.

Devoted

tags: Dean Koontz, gifted dogs, horror, mystery, thriller

from GoodReads

From Dean Koontz, the international bestselling master of suspense, comes an epic thriller about a terrifying killer and the singular compassion it will take to defeat him.

Woody Bookman hasn’t spoken a word in his eleven years of life. Not when his father died in a freak accident. Not when his mother, Megan, tells him she loves him. For Megan, keeping her boy safe and happy is what matters. But Woody believes a monstrous evil was behind his father’s death and now threatens him and his mother. And he’s not alone in his thoughts. An ally unknown to him is listening.

A uniquely gifted dog with a heart as golden as his breed, Kipp is devoted beyond reason to people. When he hears the boy who communicates like he does, without speaking, Kipp knows he needs to find him before it’s too late.

Woody’s fearful suspicions are taking shape. A man driven by a malicious evil has set a depraved plan into motion. And he’s coming after Woody and his mother. The reasons are primal. His powers are growing. And he’s not alone. Only a force greater than evil can stop what’s coming next.

Kipp is a Golden Retriever and one of the main protagonists in the book; yes protagonist. There are other adorable gifted dogs in the book, Bella is a favorite. She has her own Bellagram to communicate with other dogs. Oh, and she also reads books and sometimes walks on hind legs like a human when nobody is looking. So cute.

Dean Koontz has once again delivered a bone-chilling thriller, a fight between good and evil, but at the same time full of tender Disneyesque moments with Kipp and his humans.  

Highly recommended for Dean Koontz fans and dog lovers.

Knives Out

tags: horrible, knives dull, mystery, whodunit

goose egg

This Agatha Christie-style murder mystery tried to entertain but failed horribly. Everything about it is horrid - acting, script, setting, and even the music. I can't believe this was written and directed by the same person who wrote Brick which I thought was brilliant. This murder mystery is amateurish as though written by a 5th grader. No kidding.

Viewers who gave it 1 or zero star were more offended by the left leaning and woke bent but I didn't mind it at all. I am more appalled by the childish script, the boring presentation, the contrivance of each family member, the lame attempt at humor, and the annoying and mystifying fake southern accent of Daniel Craig that people likened to Foghorn Leghorn. They are not incorrect. It hurt my ears and gave me a headache. I can't understand why the director made him talk in an inauthentic southern accent which highlighted his inability to act. I always thought Daniel Craig is abysmal and this movie just confirmed it. I read that Johnson is writing a sequel with his character Foghorn Leghorn Blanc as main character. What?!! Geez Louise! It would have been acceptable if the movie is a spoof or parody but it isn't; it's just a 2 hour snooze fest that will put anybody with functioning brain to sleep.

Murder mystery is one of my favorite genres in fiction movies and books and I have seen and read hundreds of them so I believe I know what is good and what is less than inferior. This was written and made for first timers, those who haven't read a good Agatha Christie book or seen a good movie adaptation of her books.

The 1976 movie Murder by Death, a spoof of Agatha Christie-style mystery, is way more intelligent and highly entertaining than Knives Out. The script, actors, and acting are top notch; there's never a dull scene in the entire movie. Even the Adam Sandler/Jennifer Aniston Murder Mystery on Netflix is superior to this overrated and over-hyped movie.

2 Movies - THE WITCH: SUBVERSION And RE: BORN

2 movies that have similar themes: children trained by secret government section to be assassins. Both are extremely gory and with the most awesome lead characters and plot twists. The main twists of both movies are identical.

THE WITCH: SUBVERSION

tags: Korean, Netflix streaming, 2018, thriller, 3 part movie series  

from IMDB

A high school student with amnesia tries to uncover what has happened to her. All leading her into deeper troubles ultimately revealing a darkness she could not have imagined.

Rookie but gifted Korean actress Kim Da-Mi is awesome as a young female assassin and her character reminds me of Eleven. I can't wait to see Parts 2 and 3. Check-out Kim Da-Mi's 2020 Korean drama series, Itaewon Class, currently streaming on Netflix.

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RE: BORN

tags: action, Japanese movie, Tak Sakaguchi, 2016 thriller

from AsianWiki

Toshiro runs a convenience store in a small town. He lives with his young niece Sachi. In his past, Toshiro was known as "Ghost" and was a lethal member of a special covert force.

His peaceful life is soon upturned by members of his former special ops team. Sachi is kidnapped by the group and Toshiro is determined to get her back.

I can't believe Tak is 20 years older since I saw him in Versus, one of my favorite weird Japanese movies. It has comedy, fantasy, vampires, zombie ninjas, yakuza,, romance, blood and gore. I have seen probably a dozen of his movies including the equally weird but most entertaining Death Trance.

He still has his laconic acting style which I like. He wrote and directed the movie and employed his daughter Makoto as Casper, one of the child assassin trainees. She's also good at martial arts although really tiny at less than 5 feet tall. This movie is really really violent and gory. Slit throats galore like chicken at the slaughterhouse. Guns are useless because Tak's character known as Ghost, is able to dodge every bullet which ends up with the enemies killing each other. So one soldier shouted "Stop using your guns!" Knives vs guns, knives won. Lots of knives.

 Both movies are highly recommended for fans of thriller full of blood and gore.

Someone Else's Secret

 tags: Amazon First Reads, soap opera 

from GoodReads

2009. Lindsey and Georgie have high hopes for their summer on Martha’s Vineyard. In the wake of the recession, ambitious college graduate Lindsey accepts a job as a nanny for an influential family who may help her land a position in Boston’s exclusive art world. Georgie, the eldest child in that family, is nearly fifteen and eager to find herself, dreaming of independence and yearning for first love.

Over the course of that formative summer, the two young women develop a close bond. Then, one night by the lighthouse, a shocking act occurs that ensnares them both in the throes of a terrible secret. Their budding friendship is shattered, and neither one can speak of what happened that night for ten long years.

Until now. Lindsey and Georgie must confront the past after all this time. Their quest for justice will require costly sacrifices, but it also might give them the closure they need to move on. All they know for sure is that when the truth is revealed, their lives will be forever changed once again.

From a fresh voice in fiction, this poignant and timely novel explores the strength and nuance of female friendship, the cost of ambition, and the courage it takes to speak the truth.

Why does Amazon publish badly written novels? I know, they are free for Amazon Prime subscribers but do they have to be horrible? The book is as fresh as a stale 1980s soap opera script, stiff and unnatural, and mostly based on contrivance. 

2009: The 22 years old girl Lindsey couldn't land a job appropriate for her major in college and has no choice but to accept a job as a nanny to a family with a 14 year old girl and 5 year old boy. They will be staying at their summer house in Martha's Vineyard for the summer break. The mother doesn't work so why do they need a nanny? There won't be a story then if she's capable of looking after 2 children. 

The author tried to underscore the difference in status between the rich and people like Lindsey, making the rich spoiled brats and just plain abhorrent. And all the men are sex maniacs except for one townie. Townie! Didn't I say this is like a 1980s soap? It doesn't help that Lindsey has humongous breasts and the author reminds the reader that she is a walking cantaloupes on a human body. She mentions them at least once in every chapter lest you forget. Oh, for Pete's sake!

Spoilers

The Night Clerk

tags: drama, Netflix streaming, psychological thriller

I've seen a total of four Tye Sheridan's movies starting when he was a very young boy: Mud (with Matthew McConaughey, Joe (with Nicholas Cage), Dark Places, and Ready Player One. I liked him in all 4 movies. 

He is also very good in this movie playing Bart, a 23 year old with Asperger's. He works the night shift in a hotel where he installed cameras in one of the rooms, not to be a peeping Tom but to practice how to respond and speak to people, imitating what the guest says then practices answering them. He set up the camera to have a live feed to his bedroom. He is already home after his shift and sees the lady who just checked in starts fighting with a man. The guy hits the woman so Bart drives back to the hotel to help. Outside the door of the room, he hears a gun go off and he is frozen to the spot. The other hotel employee finds him calmly sitting on the bed saying the lady looks dead. He becomes the main suspect.

Spoilers

After Life

tags: British dramedy series, Netflix streaming, Ricky Gervais



The second season of After Life is now streaming on Netflix. I really like this dark comedy regardless of f and c bombs. Ricky Gervais as Tony who was suicidal after his wife died from cancer is simply brilliant. The story is very sad but somehow optimistic. The entire Carpenters' song Top Of The World playing when Tony is walking his dog belies what he feels but he is trying to be "zen", not to be a total ahole, and to look forward to a happier life without Lisa, his deceased wife. I hope there will be a season 3.

 Top Of The World - The Carpenters

Such a feelin's comin' over me
There is wonder in 'most every thing I see
Not a cloud in the sky, got the sun in my eyes
And I won't be surprised if it's a dream

Everything I want the world to be
Is now comin' true especially for me
And the reason is clear, it's because you are here
You're the nearest thing to heaven that I've seen

I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around
Your love's put me at the top of the world

Somethin' in the wind has learned my name
And it's tellin' me that things are not the same
In the leaves on the trees and the touch of the breeze
There's a pleasin' sense of happiness for me

There is only one wish on my mind
When this day is through I hope that I will find
That tomorrow will be just the same for you and me
All I need will be mine if you are here

I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around
Your love's put me at the top of the world

I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around
Your love's put me at the top of the world

Highly recommended if you don't mind f and c bombs, and other cussing.

   

The King: Eternal Monarch

tags: action, fantasy, Korean drama, Lee MinHo, Netflix streaming, parallel world, romance 

I can't give a rating yet but I already love the first episode - the acting, story, cinematography, and of course Lee Min Ho who has become even more beautiful at 32 years of age. He has matured and has become a better actor IMHO since playing the rich brat but lovable Jun Pyo in 2009's Boys Over Flowers. He looked overweight when he emerged in April 2019 from his mandatory military service and it's amazing how he lost all of the weight gain in so short a time. He's back being thin but not too City Hunter buff.

I initially thought the story is time travel. It is a parallel universe and the king of modern day Kingdom of Corea, Lee Gon played by Lee MinHo, goes in and out of both universes. Interesting. The second half of the first episode is full of action and lots of LMH close-up shots. Enjoy!

Streaming on Netflix Fridays and Saturdays for 8 weeks starting today, April 17, 2020.

bratty Gu Jun-Pyo and his "croissant" hair, Boys Over Flowers, 2009

he buffed up as City Hunter Lee Yun-Seong, 2011