RHONDA REVIEWS: SCHOOL SPIRITS

I had been seeing this show advertised on Netflix for awhile, but since it only had eight episodes and was on season one I was hesitant to watch. Too many times I've been taken in by a show on Netflix only to have it cancelled after a season or two leaving me wondering what happened to my beloved characters. But one night I took the chance and dived in to watching School Spirits. 

There may be minor spoilers ahead, but nothing major. Just some character references about how I feel about them! 

It was a little different than I first thought it was going to be, but I loved it. There were some predictable moments in it, but then there were some really unpredictable ones as well. I loved how the show leaned into some stereotypes of typical high school cliches, but then showed depth to those characters as well. I appreciated how they showcased that despite the difference in time periods that these teens were in school that teenage and young adult problems are quite similar. Something to think about when we assume that an older or younger generation is so vastly different from ours. 

I was happy to find that they did renew for a second season, and I was bummed to find out that I'll have to wait until 2025 to find out what happens to everyone. 

My favorite character is Rhonda (obvi), but I also really like Charley. I like that although the main focus of the show is on helping Maddie find out what happened to her we still get really great insights into the other characters lives and their tragedies. Mr. Martin is the least liked character, followed by Maddie's mother who infuriates me to a beyond I cannot describe. Sheriff Baxter also has his fair share of pissing me off. 

Overall, I thought the show was really well paced,  and it definitely kept me wanting to watch more at the end of each episode. They ended the season on a great cliffhanger and IMO are taking too long to get the next season to us. 

This review is not sponsored by anyone (but it could be!) and all views are my own (even if I got sponsored that would remain the same). 

Happy binge watching! 

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RHONDA REVIEWS: Sweet Magnolias

 

I was looking for a cozy sweet show that didn't require an intense amount of brain power to follow, and I happened across Sweet Magnolias on Netflix. Now as a southern gal, I LOVE shows set in the south. Then I saw it was filmed in Covington, Georgia (the clock tower was the giveaway), and I think that town is the cutest thing. 

Besides the idyllic town, and the scenery the show was overall really good. There were a lot of heartwarming parts, along with parts that showed challenges that people face. They touched on a lot of deeper topics, and showed quite a bit of range in the emotions that they felt. 

There is teen pregnancy, adoption, extramarital affairs, loss of a pregnancy, PTSD, and teen drinking. The show is also very Christian, however for the most part they show the side of Christianity that preaches forgiveness, understanding, and being a kind compassionate neighbor without judgement. Normally, the religious aspect would drive me away; in this show I feel they did not preach that I should be Christian, but rather shared what they thought being one should be. 

The cast is fairly diverse with the town having people of all races, social status, and sexual orientation. I do feel they could have had more diversity in the sexual orientation aspect as they seemed to only throw in the one gay couple. They also could have brought in other religions, and maybe those things will be present in future seasons. 

Overall, it's a cute show that I will continue watching so I can see how the characters end up. I'm rooting for some of them. 

Rhonda Reviews: LUCIFER

 

Rhonda Reviews: Lucifer

I finally finished watching Lucifer. I know that I'm late to the game as the show ran the finale in 2021. But I had stopped watching it as it was a show that my son and I watched together, so when our relationship became strained I quit watching. 

Recently, I rewatched the episodes that I had already seen, and then finished the series. I already knew that I loved the show. The characters were based on characters by one of my favorite authors, Neil Gaiman, so it makes sense. The character of Lucifer is undoubtedly one of the best ever. 

I love religious iconography and mythology in shows and books anyway. Although I am not religious, I do enjoy studying it. Lucifer was almost part of my grad school thesis as I wanted to study the depictions of The Devil in popular culture and media. 

It feels as though there are only two depictions: pure evil or sorely misunderstood. 

But I digress. 

This show is funny, entertaining, and for me, it was quite thought provoking. Particularly in regards to our own guilt sending us to Hell and the Hell loops. I would definitely recommend this show to anyone who loves funny crime procedural dramas with a supernatural touch. 

Have you watched Lucifer?

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Rhonda Reviews: Suits

 

A review of Suits which has been off for a bit, but I typically watch everything on a streaming service and miss the hype by a few years. Well M and I recently watched this one. 

And it was good. 

But the ending? It felt like it just sort of ended. Although we do get the Donna and Harvey thing out of the way which let's be honest we had all been hoping for. But Jessica? Definitely got the raw end of the deal. 

When we first started watching I hated the character of Louis Litt. Partially because that actor played in Hostel and that movie severely fucked with my head. So in the beginning I couldn't stop picturing that and almost stopped watching because of it. But the character development on Louis was by far the best. He had the most growth of anyone. Plus the scenes with Louis always ended up being the funniest! 

Overall, I would recommend this IF you like legal shows that use A LOT of legal jargon without really explaining it. Although the plot line does get a little repetitious at times which is why I think they could have ended it when Mike and Rachel left then wrapped the whole Harvey and Donna thing up. 

Rhonda Reviews: The Deer and The Dragon by Piper CJ

 

I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of the first book in Piper CJ's new series, No Other Gods entitled The Deer and The Dragon. 

And this book quickly catapulted to vie for a place in my top five favorite books of all time. I have read the book three times since being given my copy. The first time I felt like I flew through it, so I wanted to go back and re-read for more details. After that I needed to go back and read to take notes for merch. My shop Neon Daisy is the shop that handles apparel for Piper CJ. And I am beyond excited for the designs coming for this book as it's definitely my favorite of hers so far. 

I related so much to Marlow despite us not having a ton in common which is beautiful. I think it takes someone seriously talented to write a character that someone relates to on a deep emotional level despite not having a ton in common. I loved Caliban and thought the writing of him was genius. 

I love books with mythology and twists on mythology that are common to the Christian world. And this book delivers on that theme. It also has the perfect amount of spice with the plot being the most important part and the spice being a little perfect something extra. 

The book officially comes out in May, but I suggest you pre-order it because it's fucking amazing. 

Pre-Order Here! 

Link does provide commission when you pre-order.