Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model

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Title: Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model

Language: English

Genres: Documentary

Objectional Content: Body shaming, Sexual Assault

Synopsis: A look behind the scenes of the popular show America’s Next Top Model

My Review

I wasn’t a huge fan of America’s Next Top Model, though I did watch a couple seasons of it near the beginning. I remember some of the contestants that appear in this documentary.

The show starts out by telling how America’s Next Top Model came to be, background on Tyra Banks and why she created the show in the first place. This all seems very positive at first, as Tyra wanted to make the fashion industry more diverse and inclusive. She pushed back a great deal with other judges on the show regarding damaging beauty standards. At first. As the former contestants start to tell their stories, it becomes obvious very quickly, that this show wasn’t about being as inclusive as Tyra made it out to be.

It begins fairly lightly (which should tell you something) with the makeovers. It’s clear that the hairdressers don’t know how to work with curly textured hair and end up ruining one girl’s hair completely. When the contestant tried to speak to Tyra about it, thinking Tyra would understand as a fellow black woman, she was completely brushed off and told she was showing up “ashy.” The contestant goes on to say that was a term previously used against black women in a derogatory way.

Sadly, it gets worse from here. A contestant from cycle 2, Shandi, tells her story as well. Hers, I think, is the most heartbreaking. This poor girl was literally sexually assaulted while no one did anything to stop it and the entire thing was filmed. Then in editing, the entire situation was framed as Shandi cheating on her long term boyfriend. I’m sorry but no! Everyone there, including the producers and other contestants allowed Shandi to drink til she basically blacked out and not one person stepped in to say “hey, I think this is going too far.” The producers of that show should be held responsible for that.

I wish that was the worst of it, but as the show goes in, it does get worse. Another contestant, Dani, was forced to have the gap between her front teeth closed, even though she didn’t want to. She was told she would be eliminated if she didn’t go through with it. The procedure was also a quick fix, not a proper procedure that would close the gap over time like braces would. In the same cycle, Joanie, who had something called “snaggle tooth” had 4 teeth removed to fix her smile. She spent over 12 hours in the dentist chair.

Keenyah Hill was another contestant that faced constant body shaming, experienced sexual harassment from a male model during a shoot, and even had scenes edited to make it look like she was over eating. Other girls got hypothermia from a shoot in a freezing cold pool, another fainted from the heat and not eating. It was all filmed and aired for the drama.

America’s Next Top Model became more and more of a reality show centered on drama than an actual course in how to become a top model. The best pictures were no longer chosen as the end and instead the picture would be chosen strategically to get a girl eliminated.

Not once does anyone who worked on or produced this show take any kind of accountability or responsibility. Jay Manuel blames things on Tyra, Tyra blames the audience for wanting more.

Honestly, I could probably go on and on about the problems on this show and how disgusted I was by it all but I’d really just recommend watching the documentary. It is very well done and it’s very interesting to hear from the contestants themselves and their experiences. The documentary is only 3 episodes but it is packed with so much it’s a bit insane.

Give it a watch and let me know what you thought too!

The Merchant Emperor – Symphony of the Ages #7 by Elizabeth Haydon

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Title: The Merchant Emperor

Author: Elizabeth Haydon

Series: Symphony of Ages

Sexual Content: Minimal

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (from Goodreads): The war that they had feared is now upon them. Ashe and Rhapsody, leaders of the Cymrian Alliance, are gathering their allies to combat the machinations of Talquist, who will soon be crowned emperor of Sorbold. Gwydion Navarne remains by Ashe’s side. Anborn, Lord Marshal, has taken to the field. And Rhapsody has been forced into hiding to protect the life of her infant son.

The Merchant Emperor of Sorbold has unintentionally allied himself with a pair of demons and has begun targeting the dragons that remain on the Middle Continent. Talquist will stop at nothing until the Cymrians are wiped out and the entire continent and the rest of the Known World is under his rule.

Assailed by danger from all sides, surrounded by lies and intrigue, Rhapsody is left with one undeniable truth: if their forces are to prevail, she must join the war herself, wielding the Daystar Clarion, an ancient weapon whose power is nearly unparalleled. As she struggles to reconcile her duties as a mother and ruler, a danger far more devastating than Talquist is stirring beneath the surface of the land itself.

My Review

The Merchant Emperor starts off a bit slow, with a lot of dialogue. Rhapsody and Ashe have called a secret meeting of those they trust most to share what they all know of the current situation in the world. By the end, the various members of the council part ways, each to tend to their own duties in the coming war.

The Three are united once again as it is decided that Rhapsody should return to Ylorc with Grunthor and Achmed in order to protect the newly born Meridion. While there, Rhapsody assists Achmed in testing out his Lightcatcher.

There is a fair amount going on with various characters in difference places in this book. I’m happy to see more of Grunthor as he is definitely one of my favourite characters in this series. Achmed seems even grumpier than usual, though the exact reason isn’t really revealed until later. Ashe, on his own without his family, is slowly losing his mind. Finally, it is decided the best thing for him to do is leave Highmeadow in search of what has happened to distant allies, leaving Gwydion Navarne in his stead. Thankfully, this mission snaps him out of his madness and he’s actually useful once again.

About three quarters of the way through the book, Rhapsody makes a life altering decision that will change every thing. I honestly did not see this coming. It was mentioned that she would eventually have to enter the war, as the wielder of Daystar Clarion, but I would never have guessed what she would do in order to make that happen.

My rating for The Merchant Emperor is 4 out of 5 stars.

Have you read this book? What are your thoughts?

As You Stood By – Review

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As You Stood Buy Netflix poster

Title: As You Stood By

Language: Korean

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Psychological, Crime

Objectional Content: Domestic Violence, Violence against women

Synopsis: (from MyDramaList) Eun Su works in sales at a luxury goods retailer in a high-end department store. She has carried the weight of a deep-seated trauma since childhood. Her friend, Hui Su, shares a similar burden; both women are haunted by the scars of their pasts. Hui Su was once a promising children’s book writer, but her career has long since stalled. Now, she is trapped in a nightmarish existence due to the violent abuse of her husband, Jin Pyo. Desperate to escape his cruelty, Hui Su lives in constant fear, unable to break free from his grasp. One day, Eun Su reaches a breaking point and decides to take matters into her own hands. She makes the life-altering decision to save her friend by ending Jin Pyo’s life. Together, the two women devise a plan to kill him. As their plan unfolds, Jin So Baek, the powerful CEO of Jingang Firm, becomes aware of their intentions. Sensing an opportunity, he offers his support, becoming a strong ally in their dangerous mission. With his backing, the women feel emboldened, but their journey is fraught with peril as they navigate the dangerous path ahead.

My Review

This drama was very hard to watch at times. It highlights the nightmare of being in an abusive relationship, and how difficult it is to leave one. Hui Su tried to leave. Her husband threatened her mother and killed her cat. Hui Su’s sister in law, a police officer, told her to her face not to bother filing a report, as the majority of domestic violence cases never receive justice. The sister in law framed it as if Hui Su were filing a report for a friend, but it was obvious she knew what her own brother was doing to his wife. Her mother in law was even an advocate for abused women, who did nothing to help.

When Hui Su’s best friend, Eun Su finds out about what’s happening to her friend, she also goes to the police. However, their nonchalant attitude about the report disgusts her and makes her leave. She knew that even if she filed the report nothing would be done. After Hui Su attempts to take her own life, the two come up with a plan to kill the abusive husband.

With no one willing to help, especially the authorities, and those closest to her, is it any wonder these two women decided the only way for Hui Su to be safe was to kill the man keeping her trapped by his abuse?

There is no such thing as the perfect crime, however, and soon their criminal deeds threaten to come to light. Even with outside help, there’s only so much they can do to keep their secret.

This drama kept me engaged the whole time. I had to keep watching to know how it was all going to end, even when I found the violence difficult to stomach. I think dramas like this are important. They remind people how prevalent domestic violence is and what the consequences for turning a blind eye can be.

My rating for As You Stood By is 4 out of 5 stars. There was a thing or two that didn’t quite add up in the grand scheme of things. I highly recommend watching this drama to everyone.

Have you seen As You Stood By? What are you thoughts?

2025 Year End Wrap Up

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Another year has come to a close and 2026 has officially begun. It’s that time of year where we all post our wrap ups for the previous 12 months. So, what we my goals for 2025? Did I read those goals? And what is in store for 2026?

What Were My Goals for 2025?

I set a goal of 25 books to read last year, and specifically wanted to read the Symphony of Ages series. Did I reach that goal? No, not even close. I read a total of 6 books last year, which were all part of the Symphony of Ages Series.

Goals for 2026

This year I also set a goal of 25 books. At the very least, I hope to finish the Symphony of Ages series. I’m currently on book 7. After that I will continue with books on this list. It is my hope to read more than I did this past year, though I wouldn’t say my time was wasted. I did spend a lot of time on my phone, but I also crocheted quite a bit too.

How about you? Did you reach your reading goals in 2025? And what are your goals for 2026?

Sean Combs: The Reckoning – Review

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Title: Sean Combs: The Reckoning

Language: English

Genre: Documentary

Objectional Content: Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault

*THIS DOCUMENTARY DEALS HEAVILY WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WHICH MAY BE EXTREMELY UPSETTING TO MANY VIEWERS*

My Review

I literally just finished watching this documentary and I have to say I am absolutely disgusted by it. Anyone who has ever experienced sexual assault or any type of domestic violence would be so disgusted and triggered as well.

Over 4 episodes, this documentary goes over the life of Sean Combs (aka Puff Daddy, P. Diddy) starting at the beginning of his career as a young fresh faced teen who “just wanted to dance.” As he gains fame and fortune, that fresh faced teen turns into a slimy, manipulative predator, who uses that fame and fortune to get whatever he wants.

I knew very little about Sean Combs before watching this. I had heard about the allegations against him concerning his “freak offs” and other types of parties. So, going in to this, I didn’t have much of a bias. I now think that Sean Combs deserves a lot more punishment than what he ultimately got, in my opinion.

The fourth episode is particularly aggravating as it covers the trial and the outcome. There are even interviews with two of the jurors that really got my blood boiling. I honestly don’t know how he could be acquitted for some of the charges and only receive a 50 month prison sentence. For the record, that is less than 5 years.

The jurors expressed disbelief at some of the testimony of the witnesses, calling it “unbelievable” and just dismissing that it could have ever happened. They said things like “well, she went back” about Combs’ long time girlfriend Cassie, who endured years of abuse at his hands. Clearly, that person has no understanding of the cycle of abuse and how it affects the victim.

Combs’ lawyers said she could have left at any time, had she wanted to. Yet, there is video evidence of what happened when she tried to leave. The poor woman was thrown to the ground and kicked repeatedly. Not to mention the amount of influence someone like Sean Combs has. If he didn’t want her to leave, she wasn’t going to be able to with any success without a whole lot of help. That help was basically non existent.

To say that I was fuming by the end of the fourth episode is an understatement. This was a gross injustice to all the people, women and men, who suffered and were traumatized because of Sean Combs. In my opinion, he should be in jail far longer than he was sentenced to.

Every time I see cases like this it reminds of just how little justice there is in this world for victims of these types of crimes. Especially when the perpetrator is someone with a great deal of money. As one of the women in the documentary said “Powerful people can do terrible things.”

Thinking about cases like Epstein and Bill Cosby as well as Sean Combs, it is pretty clear that if you have a lot money, you can do whatever you want and get away with it. And, even if they are caught, their punishment will be light. I can’t begin to imagine the fear the people speaking in the documentary must feel thinking about him getting out of jail. It wouldn’t be surprising if a lot of those people didn’t experience some form of retaliation, in my opinion.

I feel terrible for all the victims in this case, as well as the victims of sexual assault and domestic violence in this world.

Despite it being a very hard watch and it making me so very angry, my rating for this documentary is 5 out of 5 stars and I think as many people as possible should watch it. The awareness of this sort of injustice needs to spread if anything is ever to change.

The Assassin King – Symphony of the Ages #6 by Elizabeth Haydon

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Title: The Assassin King

Author: Elizabeth Haydon

Series: Symphony of Ages

Sexual Content: Minimal

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (From Goodreads): The Assassin King opens at winter’s end with the arrival by sea of a mysterious hunter, a man of ancient race and purpose, who endlessly chants the names of the pantheon of demons that are his intended victims, as well as one other: Ysk, the original name of the Brother, now known as Achmed, the Assassin King of Ylorc.

At the same moment of this portentous arrival, two gatherings of great import are taking place. The first is a convocation of dragons, who gather in a primeval forest glade–the site of the horrific ending of Llauron, one of the last of their kind. They mourn not only his irrevocable death, but the loss of the lore and control over the Earth itself that it represents. The ancient wyrms are terrified for what will come as a result of this loss.

The second gathering is a council of war held in the depths of the keep of Haguefort: Ashe and Rhapsody, rulers of the alliance that protects the Middle Continent; Gwydion, the new Duke of Navarne; Anborn, the Lord Marshall; Achmed, the King of Ylorc, and Grunthor, his Sergeant-Major. Each brings news that form the pieces of a great puzzle. And as each piece is added it becomes quite clear: War is coming, the likes of which the world has never known.

Cataclysm, both large and small, await in this sixth volume of the USA Today bestselling fantasy series, The Symphony of Ages. A twisting, fast-moving tale, The Assassin King promises endless surprises–most of which lead to pain.

My Review

Given the amount of set that occurred in the previous book, I was expecting the Assassin King to be much more fast paced. Instead, it starts with a meeting and a lot of dialogue. The characters have all come together to share what they learned in Elegy for a Lost Star. Anwyn is still alive and hunting for Rhapsody and a new character appears, searching for Achmed.

I don’t really have a lot to say about this books, in terms of a review. I found the beginning slow, but it picks up later on. I liked reading it, I’m ready for the next book. Three more novels and this series will be complete, which has been a goal for quite some time. i think it will be very satisfying once I have finished the entire series.

I may update this review in the future when my brain is working better.

Anyway, 4 out of 5 stars!

Elegy For a Lost Star – Symphony of the Ages #5 by Elizabeth Haydon

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Title: Elegy For a Lost Star

Author: Elizabeth Haydon

Series: Symphony of Ages

Sexual Content: Minimal

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (From Goodreads🙂 Elegy for a Lost Star sets the stage for a major turning point in the Symphony of Ages series. The dragon Anwyn–who has lain for three years in deathlike sleep in a grave of rock and black coal is freed by the cataclysm that concluded Requiem for the Sun . Disoriented and confused, she remembers only the person who trapped her in dragon form and locked her in a rocky grave–Rhapsody; and an all-encompassing desire to wreak vengeance. Meanwhile, Achmed, the Firbolg king, resumes rebuilding his shattered home, while a guild of merciless assassins set about taking revenge on him for the killing of their leader. A horribly deformed but magical being finds its way through a carnival of freaks to the palace of an evil despot, who sees in it the potential to be the instrument by which his plans of conquest and brutal domination of a continent will be realized. With the rise of new leaders, good and evil, the long-awaited birth of the Child of Time, the dark plans of assassins and rulers, a confrontation that shakes the relationship of the Three, and a battle to the death between two dragons of unimaginable elemental power, the seeds of chaos are planted for a war that will, by its end, consume half of the world.

My Review

Picking up shortly after Requiem for a Dream ended, Elegy for a Star begins with Gwydion Navarne being invested as Duke. With the impending birth of their baby, Rhapsody and Ashe plan to move to their own keep. After the explosion that nearly destroyed the Firbolg kingdom, the dragon Anwyn, believed to be dead, has been awoken. Though her memories are fragmented, the one thing she does remember is her hatred for Rhapsody and begins to hunt her down.

Faron, the child of the F’Dor host Michael, is now adrift in this world. Found by a pair of fishermen, it is sold to a passing carnival as a “freak.” When the carnival makes it’s way to Sorbold, Faron comes under the notice of the emperor to be. Unfortunately, the would be emperor notices the scales Faron tries to hide and immediately buys it from the carnival for his own twisted purposes.

Unaware that Anwyn is alive and hunting her, Rhapsody goes to the dragon Elysynos during her pregnancy. As no one really knows what to expect with such a child, the dragon’s lair seems the safest place.

Elegy for a Lost Star very much feels like a “staging novel.” By this I mean that it’s setting up a great deal to be resolved in the next book. Other than Anwyn, there isn’t really a central antagonist to be fought against. Everything is ramping up for the next book.

The focus in this book has somewhat shifted away from the Three, following other characters to show what is happening in other parts of the continent. This is fine of course, not everything has to focus on Rhapsody, Achmed and Grunthor. Although, Achmed is getting more focus as of late.

This book is enjoyable and a must read if you read Requiem for the Sun. My rating for Elegy for a Lost Star is 4 out of 5 stars and I look forward to the next book in the series.

The Scholar Who Walks at Night – Review

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Title: The Scholar Who Walks at Night

Language: Korean

Genres: Historical, Mystery, Romance, Fantasy

Objectional Content: Violence, Death

Synopsis: from MyDramaList: In Joseon Dynasty, immaculately dressed in scholarly robes, the young nobleman Kim Sung Yeol lives as a vampire to keep his promise to his friends. When Sung Yeol still was a human, he found out about the vampire Gwi who sits above the King deciding the next royal line and has resurrected as a vampire trying to fight against Gwi. And now, he is living as a guardian vampire fighting against the evil vampire without losing his human nature.

My Review

I found this drama after I watched Tomorrow. I loved Lee Soo Hyuk in that show so much I wanted to know what else he was in. Thus I came across the Scholar Who Walks at Night. I wanted so much to like this drama, and at first it was pretty good. The vampire acting and some of the special affects are a bit cheesy, but I could look past that. The problem is, it just goes on for too long.

Most of the show is spent looking for the “secret plan” to kill the vampire Gwi. Then, once they finally get it, they spend multiple episodes agonizing over how it’s to be used. How the plan is to be used is even misinterpreted, resulting in the belief that the Female Lead needs to be sacrificed to Gwi in order to kill him. Even after they realize that is incorrect, it still takes them forever to come up with a plan.

Kin Sung Yeol started out as a pretty cool character. He has been living as a vampire for 120 years, searching for the way to kill Gwi and free the country from the vampire’s grasp. He is mostly closed off and stoic when he first meets Jo Yang Seon, who is working as a bookseller. As Sung Yeol begins to develop feelings for Yang Seon, he becomes annoyingly whiney. He believes himself to be a horrible beast that may lose control and attack Yang Seon.

In turn, Yang Seon is basically useless. She doesn’t do much except need to be saved constantly. She couldn’t even sacrifice herself for the greater good properly.

Truly, Gwi is the only character that I really liked. The Crown Prince wasn’t bad, but not my favorite. Gwi is a straight forward character. You know what his motives are and how he’s likely to react to certain situations. Yes, he a monster that survives on human blood, but I think in the end he was kind of lonely. I wanted so much for Gwi to win, but I knew that was never going to happen. If you’ve seen any amount of Kdramas in your life, you will know what I mean. The ending was also very cliche.

At one point I considered giving up on this drama, but since I only had a few episodes left, I decided to stick it out.

My rating for the Scholar Who Walks At Night is 3 out of 5 stars. If you enjoy historical dramas with overly sensitive male leads, than this may be a drama for you.

Thanks for reading!

Weak Hero: Class 1 – Review

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Title: Weak Hero: Class 1

Language: Korean

Genres: Action, Youth, Drama

Objectional Content: Violence, Bullying

Synopsis: from MyDramaList: Yeon Shi Eun is a model student who ranks at the top of his high school. Physically, Yeon Shi Eun appears weak, but by using his wits and psychology, he fights against the violence that takes place inside and outside of his school.

My Review

I honestly don’t know what to make of this drama. Is it supposed to be against bullying? Is it showing what happens if you stand up to bullies? Or is it highlighting what Korean society is like?

Our main character, Shi-Eun, seems like a quiet person who keeps to himself and spends all of his time studying. This, apparently, is not acceptable to the school bullies and they begin to harass him. However, because he doesn’t react to being threatened, they instead try to mess with his grades. Using a new student to put a fentanyl patch on Shi-Eun’s neck results in him incorrectly answering a question on an exam. This causes Shi-Eun to lose it and attacks the bully. Everything escalates from there.

The bullies can’t accept that they were beaten and need to get revenge, which leads to involvement with a dangerous gang and everything escalates out of control. Resentment flies all over the place and everyone is getting beaten mercilessly.

The show is very well done. The acting is spot on and the production is great. But, as I said at the beginning of this, I’m not sure what to take away from it.

If you have seen this show, I would really love to know your opinion on it as well. So if you have seen it, please leave your thoughts in the comments. If not, give it a watch and see what you think for yourself.

My rating for Weak Hero Class 1 is 4 out of 5 stars. There is a second season but I have yet to watch it. I needed a palate cleanser after finishing the first season.

Vincenzo – KDrama Review

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Title: Vincenzo

Language: Korean, Italian, English

Genres: Comedy, Law, Crime, Drama

Objectional Content: Violence, Murder

Synopsis: from (MyDramaList): At the age of eight, Park Joo Hyeong left for Italy after being adopted. Now an adult, he is known as Vincenzo Cassano and employed by a Mafia family as a consigliere. Due to warring Mafia factions, he flies to South Korea where he gets involved with lawyer Hong Cha Young. She is the type of attorney who will do anything to win a case. Now back in his motherland, he gives an unrivalled conglomerate a taste of his own medicine—with a side of his own version of justice.

My Review

Vincenzo begins in spectacular fashion when Vincenzo, the character, takes revenge on a rival Mafia family after the death of his boss. Refusing to serve the new boss, Vincenzo flies back to his motherland of Korea. There, safely hidden below and old building, is 15 tons of gold. The rightful owner has passed away and the only people who know about the gold are Vincenzo himself and a friend who helped hide the gold. Unfortunately, the building is bought by illegal means, forcing Vincenzo to become involved in with the building’s tenants and their fight to keep the building from being demolished.

Vincenzo as a character is just amazing. He is calm and collected, even when when being insulted to his face or having his life threatened. He doesn’t give in to his emotions and never acts rashly. He is very good at playing the long game. If someone crosses this man, they will pay for it dearly, but stay on his good side and he will protect you when needed. He is truly a scary type of person. Knowing full well he is not any type of hero for justice, he is a villain that will use what he knows to get what he wants.

In the beginning, I didn’t much like Hong Cha-Young. She is arrogant, loud, and has a weird way of walking like she’s better than those around here. However, after he father is murdered, she quits her high profile law firm to fight again Babel and bring down it’s evil CEO. She kind of grew on me by the end.

Jang Han-Seok is a true psychopath as the true villain of this show. One moment he can be all smiles and innocence, the next he’ll be beating someone with a hockey stick. This man is even more terrifying than Vincenzo because he enjoys the pain he inflicts. I don’t want to spoil anything, but he most definitely gets what he deserves in the end.

This drama has so many twists and turns. There were some genuinely jaw dropping moments and times when I cried. I could barely predict what was to come next. Some dramas can be very formulaic, but not this one. Thankfully, the last episode also wasn’t some stupid kind of filler episode with like a dumb amnesia plot or something.

Although it was slightly open ended in it’s last moments, I’d say this show wrapped up quite nicely, with no loose ends to really wonder about. Considering its been 4 years since it was released, I’d be surprised if they suddenly decided to do a season 2.

My rating for Vincenzo is 4.5 stars out of 5 and I’d recommend it to anyone who is looking for a somewhat intense, but also slow burn story about crime and how people will try to cheat the law.

Thanks for reading!