Gender Games Book Series by Bella Forrest

I recently finished the seven books in the Gender Games series by Bella Forrest. It took me roughly nine months to read all the books. Previously, you may remember my great addiction to the Hunger Games series. I've also read the Divergent series. The Gender Games series reminded me so much of the other series' that I so enjoyed.

The premise was that there were two countries; Matrus and Patrus. Matrus was female-ruled and dominated. Males living there had little to no rights. Patrus was male-run and women living in there were essentially property with no rights of their own. Each warred against the other.

Violet is an orphan along with her brother in Matrus. Her brother, Tim has failed the test given to males to only keep passive males. She doesn't want him sent away to some sort of work camp, so she tries to smuggle him to Patrus, but they're caught. He's essentially sent to work camps and she's sent to a youth prison. She loses track of him from there. She's deemed essentially a criminal and lives in a detention center where she fights to the death for her life. She keeps getting in more trouble. At one point, to try to get her brother back, she agrees to go to Patrus to work undercover with a guy named, Lee to steal back an egg stolen from Matrus.

So she heads to Patrus, where she gives up all her rights. She "marries" and lives with Lee and his dog, Sam. Lee works at science facility that houses the egg. Violet can't go anywhere by herself during the day. Lee asks Patrian warden, Viggo Croft if Violet can hang out with him during the day for pay. A warden is essentially a law enforcement officer. She shadows him to the gym where he trains and around as he does his job. He seems quiet and rough around the edges. They fall for each other.

With Lee's help, Violet does some recon on the area in preparation for their mission which will be several months away. Violet hates waiting. Over time she comes to know and like Viggo. She hates that Lee wants to make Viggo the fall guy for their mission that now includes blowing up the science facility with King Maxen in there while stealing the egg.

They carry out their plan and head to Matrus. Lee has Violet wait on the room while he visits the Queen. After Lee comes back, he sends Violet to visit the Queen and her advisor, but Violet walks in the see that Lee has murdered them. She runs to the roof and Lee is taking off without her, trying to pin the murders on her. Violet catches the edge of the airborne vehicle and won't let go. She shifts the balance and Lee topples out to his death in the gardens below.

Violet tries to assess the situation. Did Lee really try to set her up? Who was he working for? Who can she trust? Violet grapples with trying to learn how to navigate the vehicle. She finds a note that helps her understand what's going on. She ends up in the Green, a dangerous area with deadly air and animals. She crash lands in a tree and falls out. She uses Lee's gear to survive. Finally, she sees what's going on. All the rejected boys of Matrus are housed in a building in the Green for HORRIFIC scientific experiments which enhance their skills. She finds her brother, but can't get him and the other boys out. She needs help.

Patrus pays Viggo to find and murder Violet. He now hates her as he feels lied to and used for her egg-stealing mission. They find each other she convinces him that she was also lied to by Lee.

If I summarized all SEVEN books we'd be here all day, so check out your local library and read the books for yourself. They'll leave you on the edge of your seat. The ending wasn't all the closure I ever needed, but it was a good end to this terrific series. I sure hope it's made into a movie.

Music: Red Letters by Crowder

This fall, I've been loving the new Crowder song, Red Letters.

Crowder shared on Multitracks.com, "'Red Letters' is a moving testimony of the way Jesus has freed us from our sin and shame. It utilizes significant imagery as it walks through our desperation to the moment when Jesus took our place on the cross and we received His gift of salvation." Red letters bring to mind that the words of Christ are written in red in the Bible.

Here are the beautiful lyrics:

RED LETTERS

There I was on death row

Guilty in the first degree

Son of God hanging on a hill

Hell was my destiny

The crowd was shouting crucify

Could’ve come from these lips of mine

The dirty shame was killing me

It would take a miracle to wash me clean

Then I read the red letters

And the ground began to shake

The prison walls started falling

And I became a free man that day

Felt like lightning hit my veins

My dead heart began to beat

Breath of God filled my lungs

And the Holy Ghost awakened me

Yeah, the Holy Ghost awakened me

When I read the red letters

And the ground began to shake

The prison walls started falling

And I became a free man that day

For God so loved the whole wide world

Sent his only Son to die for me

Arms spread wide for the whole wide world

His arms spread wide where mine should be

Jesus changed my destiny

Thank You, God, for red letters

When the ground began to shake

The prison walls started falling

And I became a free man that day

The prison walls started falling

And I am a free man today
© sixstepsrecords

Music: Fall On Me by Andrea Bocelli and Matteo Bocelli

Most people over the age of 30 know of the singer, Andrea Bocelli, a blind Italian singer and songwriter.

Recently, Andrea and his son, Matteo came out with a duet. It is just beautiful and worth listening to over and over again. Enjoy!

My Day Trip to Leawood and Lawrence, KS

The day after I got back from Chicago, I went to the KC area with my mom for one of her doctor's appointments. While there, we checked out Blue Koi, a restaurant that that she saw featured in Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. There we enjoyed their terrific dumplings. I also tried bubble tea for the first time and loved their almond joy one. I can't wait to visit Blue Koi again!

On our way home to Manhattan, KS, my mom was craving a burger. From my explorations of Lawrence, KS in May, I recommended the Burger Stand at the Casbah. They have grass-fed beef, which is a requirement for my mom. Mom ordered and enjoyed the Classic burger and I ordered and loved the Black & Blue burger. My burger came with Maytag blue cheese and granny smith chutney; so good, especially since I love sweet and tart flavors! The fries were also good. The Burger Stand makes all kinds of unique sauces, which I think helped them stand out. My mom talks about going back there soon.

Black & Blue Burger

The Classic Burger

Part 4: My 1st Trip to Chicago, IL

Underneath the Navy Pier was a bunch of shops and restaurants. We got dinner at America's Dog; hot dogs! It was pretty good.

Next, we stopped to pick up souvenirs at Oh Yes, Chicago. They had a lot of selection.

We also stopped by this shop that had a really cool light fixture.

Until next time, Chicago!!!

Part 3: My 1st Trip to Chicago, IL

No trip to Chicago would be complete without a visit to Navy Pier. I was so excited to finally be there. We were there in the evening and the views were beautiful!

Movie #11: Game Night

I love game nights and I loved the movie, Game Night. It stars Rachel McAdams, Jason Bateman, Kyle Chandler, Lamorne Morris, and Jesse Plemons. It was crazy to see Friday Night Lights alums, Kyle Chandler and Jesse Plemons together again. I recognized Kylie Bunbury from the short-lived series, Pitch Reminds me that I'm sad that they cancelled it.

The movie focuses on a group of friends and their epic game nights. Jason and Rachel play a married couple that live next to an odd cop and former gamer-nighter played by Jesse Clemons. Jason's brother is played by Kyle Chandler. He is almost idolized by the group and he's back in town. He wants to host a game night to remember. The movie is so funny and has twists and turns throughout. My only complaint would be the language.

Part 2: My First Trip to Chicago, IL

One night, my coworker and I decided to venture into downtown Chicago for some sightseeing.

We took the train, which seemed most convenient. While it was convenient, it was not what I bargained for. It was hot out. The train was hot, smelly, crammed, and made me extremely motion sick. I was convinced I might explode internally. I couldn't even talk for fear that I'd vomit. So, I was very relieved 45 minutes later when we arrived in downtown Chi-town.

Next stop was Millennium Park to see the Bean. I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I think, I imagined it would be in the middle of a large open area. Instead it was within Millennium Park and so very crowded. Not what I expected, but very cool to see.

While I wish I got good pics of me with the Bean, I was still a little green-looking from the train.

Movie #10: 12 Strong

I'd seen previews, but finally rented 12 Strong from the library. My parents and I enjoy war and history movies. 12 Strong is about the U.S.'s response to the attacks of 9-11. It centers around one captain who recently switched roles and is no longer over his team. As the attacks happen, Captain Mitch Nelson, played by Chris Hemsworth rallies to get his team back together. It isn't easy, but eventually he gets reassigned to his team. Once that happens, he positions his team to lead the charge to take on the Taliban.

Interestingly enough, his wife in the movie is played by his real-life wife, Elsa Pataky.

The movie shows their role as they worked with an Afghan warlord to take on the Taliban. It was really remarkable and a must-see!




Have you seen it? What did you think? If you haven't seen it yet, are you going to see it now? :)

Bobby Bones Dances to Song: A Million Dreams on Dancing with the Stars

I will admit, I've never been a Bobby Bones fan. On the radio, he talks too much for my taste. On the first several episodes of Dancing with the Stars, he was so eccentric that he seemed high. He just didn't seem real.

On this last week's episode, the theme was Most Memorable Year. Bobby opened up and shared how he was raised and it was shocking. After watching the video below: I was really touched by how he grew up and succeeded in life despite the hand that life dealt him. The dance was filled with emotion and was so touching. I had goosebumps.

Movie #9: Life of the Party

This last weekend, I got the movie, Life of the Party. My mom likes Melissa McCarthy, so we decided to give it a try.

The movie was HILARIOUS! We laughed for much of the hour and a half. Unfortunately, we could've done without the sex scenes. I wouldn't watch it with kids. In the movie, it's portrayed as cool that the mom and daughter talk about their walk of shames and that the mom has sex with the daughter's classmate. Mom's need to be role models and show good, healthy behavior, especially to their kids.

Part 1: My First Trip to Chicago, IL

For work, I had a conference in Chicago. I'd never been there before, so I was hoping to squeeze in some sights, despite the conference being at a hotel near the airport. I also wanted to try Chicago-style pizza for the first time ever.

We arrived later than anticipated and were hungry. After quickly checking in, we ventured out to find Chicago-style pizza. Right next to our hotel was Giordano's. The pizza was so good. The cheese was stretchy. The slices were thick and rich! I could go for a slice right about now!

The conference was at the Westin O'Hare We also stayed there. I was so impressed with the whole place. The rooms were so comfortable, I slept like a dream. The conference areas were nice and clean. I was also very impressed with the quality of meals at the conference. From my previous experiences, conference food was normally awful, but was excited to see quality food at every meal. I would definitely recommend Westin O'Hare!

I went for drinks at Ram Brewery with conference friends. It was your average brewery. Time catching up with friends is always priceless.

Part 3: My Mini Vacation in Kansas City

We also checked out the Ocean's 8 movie that I reviewed on here at Cinemark Palace at the Plaza. The matinee was fairly priced and for mere cents more, we were able to watch it in the VIP room. That I recommend. The VIP room offers food and alcoholic beverages in the evenings. It also offered super comfy chairs. With 20ish seats in the VIP room, it almost felt like we were watching the movie in a mansion's movie room...I can dream. ;) I should mention that they also had special bathrooms for this room too (it's the small things).

Everyone knows I love chocolate, so we stopped at Panache Chocolatier. The chocolate was pricey, but good. Truffles (my fav) were $2.50 each. They had popular/trendy flavors and I enjoyed their fleeting goodness.

We got our nails done at Plaza Nails. Loved that place. There's nothing like getting your nails done on vacation. :) It's fun and special; I hadn't gotten my nails done in I don't know how long. They even had my favorite colors too! :)

Not the same day, but near the end of the trip, we found Cupcake A La Mode. While the staff were unfriendly and left something to be desired, the cupcakes were so good. I even got an amaretto flavored one and I LOVE amaretto!

All in all, it was a fun trip and I loved each place we explored! Until next time KC!

Music: Head Above Water by Avril Lavigne

In high school and college, I loved Avril Lavigne's music. I knew Avril Lavigne had gone through health issues and was essentially out of the music business, but I didn't know the whole story. This article was eye-opening, click here to read it.

This song, written through a trying time in her life, really spoke to me. I've been struggling lately and was in tears while watching it. What a beautiful prayer to God.



"God keep my head above water.
Don't let me drown, it gets harder.
I'll meet you there at the alter
as I fall down to my knees."

I'm just going to say it...Being Single Sucks

Being single sucks. I thought by this point in life that I'd be married with kids. I say this as my biological clock ticks to explosion.

I want a partner in life

I want someone who shares my faith and can encourage me in it. Going to church alone is HARD!

Also, the older I get, the more set in my ways I get and that scares me

Maybe this person doesn't exist for me

Yes, I know I'm, whining, but I don't care.

SNL Amazon Echo Silver Skit

A coworker recently told me about a hilarious SNL skit about Amazon Echo Silver Alexa. It sounded like something I'd enjoy, so I found it. As promised, it was hilarious!

Enjoy!

Part 2: My Mini Vacay in Kansas City

For some reason, KC was pretty rainy for mid-June.

After getting restaurant suggestions from a friend, we checked out Char Bar. Totally loved that place! Had the weather of been nicer, I would've played their yard games. They're also pet-friendly, my friend's dog got a fresh bowl of water brought out for him. They're in the Westport area. Now the food...we shared their Charred Grits & Bits app with burnt ends and obviously, grits. So good with a little kick of spice.

My friend ordered and loved the CBGB Burger. I ordered Burnt Heaven. It was perfection with cole slaw and jalapeno straws. I thankfully had enough for leftovers the next day and it was just as good the second time.

Their rosemary lemonade was really refreshing and tart.

We were definitely in BBQ Heaven at Char Bar and I'd recommend that place again and again.

We checked out the nearby Sephora and dropped a lot if cash there. Found some cute shirts at H&M.

What adventures!

Movie #8: Ready Player One

Almost six years ago, Ready Player One was the book chosen as the book of the year by Kansas State University to be read by freshmen. I read it and really enjoyed it. It was set in the future where everyone spends most of their time in a virtual world called, the Oasis.

I wasn't sure if I would remember the details or if the movie would be as good as the book. The main discrepancy was that Artemis was supposed to be a curvy lady. I was really impressed that it matched up and translated well to the big screen. Check it out!

Part 1: My Mini Vacay in Kansas City, Missouri

A friend who I hadn't seen in awhile stopped by KC on her road trip across the country and invited me to come hang out for a couple of days.

We stayed in the Country Club Plaza area at the Holiday Inn Country Club Plaza. It was just outside of main area which was nice.

On our way to the Plaza for dinner, we walked through the Mill Creek Park area. It was a cute, little park. A big feature of the park is the beautiful J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain. It's fairly large and features horses.

We decided to eat dinner at Cheesecake Factory, which is on the edge of the Plaza closest to our hotel. I had never been there to eat before and I LOVE cheesecake. I ordered and loved their skinny taco salad.

I got their carrot cake cheesecake and it did not disappoint. :)

Part 3: My Staycation in Manhattan, KS

Roughly, 8 years ago, I attended Symphony in the Flint Hills. It's such a cool event, the Kansas City Symphony is essentially picked up and placed in a tranquil, prairie setting. Between the music and the scenery, it's an unforgettable experience. What's also interesting is that it moves locations around that state.

This year, it was roughly two hours from Manhattan, KS at Rosalia Ranch in Rosalia, KS.

Along the way, they had related events in Cottonwood Falls, KS. We stopped and got this great photo of their courthouse.

Cottonwood Falls was cute and quaint. At the Vintage Bulldog, I found a super cute, turquoise, glass fruit bowl. At Salty Cow Mercantile, I found a new K-State bracelet.

The music and scenery didn't disappoint. My dad took a gazillion photos. Here are my best photos:

We finished off the weekend, eating brunch at my beloved, Coco Bolos. My dad ordered and loved their Stacked Enchiladas. I super enjoyed their Baja Chicken & Shrimp Wrap! A great end to the weekend!

Part 2: My Staycation in Manhattan, KS

Summer experiences in Manhattan:

Our Arts in the Park Summer concert series is cool. I've been impressed by the caliber of performers. The Manhattan community really shows up for these.

New to Manhattan, as of this year is a Thai rolled ice cream place, called Pandora Rolled Ice Cream. This was my first time trying out this particular place and my second time eating Thai rolled ice cream. The process is neat to watch. The ice cream was pretty good, though the employee was not engaging at all.

Another fun summer event was Concert on the Patio at Liquid Art Winery. They always have a food truck. This time they had my favorite food truck, Smokin' Wille's BBQ. So good!

Beautiful Kansas Sunset

Part 1: My Staycation in Manhattan, KS

My dad and I wanted to travel together, but financially that wasn't feasible for me. So, he said he could come visit. So, we had a staycation in Manhattan, Kansas.

We started off at the Chef Cafe. It was rated the top breakfast place in Kansas and I could see why.

My dad enjoyed their Classic Breakfast and I LOVED their Dang Quesadilla with bacon, potato, scrambled eggs and cheddar-jack cheese grilled in a large flour tortilla. Served with chipotle sauce and sour cream.

We also took a morning 4.5 mile hike around the ever-beautiful Konza Hills.

The views we enjoyed


What a great start to our vacay!

Music: Reckless Love by Cory Asbury

I love the song, Reckless Love by Cory Asbury. The lyrics remind me of the goodness of God and His deep love for us. Something that I need to reminded of often.

LYRICS:
Before I spoke a word, You were singing over me
You have been so, so good to me
Before I took a breath, You breathed Your life in me
You have been so, so kind to me
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine
I couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah
When I was Your foe, still Your love fought for me
You have been so, so good to me
When I felt no worth, You paid it all for me
You have been so, so kind to me
And oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine
And I couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah
There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me
There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me
There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me
There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine
And I couldn't earn it, I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah
Songwriters: Caleb Culver / Cory Asbury / Ran Jackson
Reckless Love (Single) lyrics © Bethel Music Dba Bethel Music Publishing

Movie #7: Ocean's 8

While in KC, (which I'll save for another post)I saw the movie, Ocean's 8. I'd seen the previous Ocean's movies and was interested in seeing one with an all-female cast. Like a lot of movies, most of the good scenes were shown in the previews. Womp-womp!

I was pretty impressed with the 8: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Rihanna, Helena Bonham Carter, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, and Awkwafina. James Corden and Dakota Fanning were also in the movie.

The premise is that Sandra is the sister of the now-deceased Danny Ocean and is on her way out of prison. She plans a heist at the Met Gala and slowly starts building her team. As always, things don't go as planned, but they carry off the heist.

See for yourself!

Day 2: Lawrence, KS

Day 2 was a hot day. After working outside in the heat, we had a couple of hours free. I made a friend and convinced her to go exploring. We were going to go to the river, but it was too hot. We walked around Mass Street, downtown. Got a frap at Starbucks and explored stores. We looked at clothing stores, bike shops, book stores, and running shops.

We checked out a cute shop called, Eccentricity. They had jewelry (my weakness) and clothing. I found two bracelets to add to my collection. The clothing prices were high, but the jewelry prices were reasonable.

After that, it was time for dinner and we ate at Free State Brewing Co. I had a really good Apple Walnut Salad and added chicken. It was light and refreshing, since I had to go back out in the heat later. After dinner, we walked around more. Eventually, we ended up at Ten Below Zero for Thai frozen ice cream. So good!!! It was like watching an artist at work.

Then it was back to the track for us for more work. It sure was beautiful out.

Last meal in Lawrence was at Salty Iguana. The hamburger meat in my burrito was unseasoned and ground too finely. Wouldn't eat there again, though their cheese dip was good.

Until next time, Lawrence!

Day 1: Lawrence, Kansas

Even though I've lived 1.5 hours from Lawrence, Kansas all my life, I've never spent much time there. They are the location of our rival school, so maybe that's why.

Anyway, earlier this month, I went to Lawrence to work the Western Athletic Conference Track and Field Championship at Rock Chalk Park. That was the first conference meet that I've worked.

The hotel they had us at was the DoubleTree by Hilton Lawrence. I was impressed with the hotel; the staff were great, the rooms were nice, and the bed was perfect. Would definitely stay there again.

To get me started, my friend gave me an intensive list of her favorite places in Lawrence. After a day in the heat working in track, I changed at the hotel, and headed to Mass Street. Mass Street was really eclectic and fun. They had restaurants, clothing stores, dessert shops, as well as running and bicycle stores.

I started with dinner at one of the recommended restaurants, Port Fonda. It is just off of Mass Street. I actually found parking right in front of the restaurant. I was super hungry, so I ordered their shrimp tacos and a roselle margarita. The tacos were fantastic and the margarita was too strong (the bartender watered it down for me). I would recommend that restaurant and can't wait to go back.

From there, I walked around Mass Street and went in to a few shops. I ended up at the Burger Shack at the Casbah for their highly recommended milk shakes. I ordered and loved their Cinnamon Toast Crunk shake. It very much lived up to the hype. I want another one now!

Thus completed my first day in Lawrence; successfully!

Movie #6: I Feel Pretty

Two weekends ago, my Zumba group went together to see Amy Schumer's, I Feel Pretty. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I really like it. It was killer funny and had a good message about loving yourself.

The movie introduced a few actors and actresses I never saw before:

Tom Hopper played the easy-on-the-eyes, Grant LeClair.

You're welcome...

Rory Scovel plays Amy's love interest, Ethan.

He grows on ya!

Aidy Bryant played one of Amy's close girl friends.

There were many other veteran actors in the movie in addition to Amy Schumer:
Busy Philipps
Michelle Williams
Naomi Campbell (also a model)
Emily Ratajkowski (also a model)

Check out the trailer:

I love a good laugh!