Review - A House of Dynamite - Netflix

I'll be honest. I really disliked the new Netflix offering, A House of Dynamite, and cannot recommend it to anyone.

This political thriller directed by Kathryn Bigelow  premiered in October 2025. I'm forced to wonder if the film, derivative of many of the 1960s offerings mining the same "nuclear war by accident" material—ever heard of the Henry Fonda movie Failsafe?—was designed to play upon the fear many Americans have at this time in our history.

Rather than political thriller, I think this film should be labeled psychological suspense with a bushel of paranoia. Is it me or is there thinly disguised political opinions underpinning this film.

I don't know about you, but I watch movies to be entertained, and this movie was not entertaining.

BLURB

 "The film follows the U.S. President and his advisors as they race against the clock to determine the origin of a single, unattributed missile launch and decide on a response, exploring the extreme pressure and impossible decisions involved."

After the dramatic opening that incites your curiosity, the film descends into paranoia and becomes mostly a cliche as it presents the usual terror in the streets as portrayed in most disaster movies. The ending reminded me of 2 other movies—the third Terminator film when the adult John Connor and his love interest end up as the leaders of the destroyed world, and the first War Games film when all the bombs were supposedly unleashed—although in War Games there was an optimistic ending.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Some people like to discuss the odds of thermonuclear war. Not me. Life is difficult enough without obsessing about something like that over which you have absolutely no control.

If you like movies like this, then you'll probably have a different opinion of A House of Dynamite. Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think about this movie.

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Monday Magic - Free App - Audio Editing and Recording

Today I'm hoping you'll try Audacity, the world's most popular audio editing and recording app.

You may not believe this but Audacity is FREE. That's right. It costs absolutely zero dollars.

WHAT IS AUDACITY?

It's the world’s most popular free software for recording and editing audio. If you're producing music, a podcast, or just playing around with sound, you should try Audacity.

Why? Because it's for anyone who wants to get creative with sound. Of course, it’s perfect for anyone who needs to quickly edit or export audio, for any reason.

Audacity has always been and will always remain free for everyone. because it's open source. That means its source code remains open to anyone to view or modify, and there is a dedicated worldwide community of passionate audio lovers who have collaborated to make Audacity the treasure it is today.

Give it a try. Simply go to the Audacity website. Read the information there and download if you're ready.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

It's getting harder and harder to find excellent software that's free. Thankfully, Audacity remains to fill the audio needs of those who are budget conscious.

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Sunday Thoughts - Dogs Are Awesome

In my book, April Fool Proposition, the heroine and hero get a "mutual" dog that I modeled after Freddie, our daughter's golden doodle.

At left, you can see Freddie in a birthday photo from a few years ago. He's all grown up now and is the most intelligent, loving dog one could hope to have.

I've written a few books with dogs as characters because I love dogs. If you're looking for unconditional love, then you need to get a dog.

As a dog lover—no offense to cats and cat lovers—I want to share some of my favorite dog quotes. I think they prove my point that dogs are awesome.

The average dog is a nicer person than the average person. —Andy Rooney

If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I have known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons. —James Thurber

Ever consider what our dogs must think of us? I mean, here we come back from a grocery store with the most amazing haul—chicken, pork, half a cow. They must think we're the greatest hunters on earth! —Anne Tyler

You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says, "Wow, you're right! I never would've thought of that!' —Dave Barry

I've seen a look in dogs' eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts. —John Steinbeck

A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down. —Robert Benchley

Nothing in the world is friendlier than a wet dog. —Anonymous 

If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man. —Mark Twain

Dogs are better than human beings because they know but do not tell. —Emily Dickinson

Dogs do speak, but only to those who know how to listen. —Orhan Pamuk

Handle every stressful situation like a dog. If you can=t eat or play with it, just pee on it and walk away. —Anonymous

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. —Will Rogers

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Saturday Share - Let's Make Honey Bun Cake

 When I was a kid, my older brother Vernon loved honey buns. This was a snack cake made created in North Carolina by the Griffin Pie Company back in the 1950s.

By the time honey buns reached our state, they came from Flowers Foods. I don't know if this was a licensed product or a merger of companies.

I do know that my brother's lifelong love for this golden brown treat still makes me smile. Little boys—and girls—grow up but they don't abandon the delights of childhood.

I think these snack cakes found at convenience stores are now made and sold by Little Debbie.

GENESIS OF HONEY BUN CAKE

Southern home cooks are always looking for ways to recreate something popular which is how the Honey Bun Cake came into being. Today's recipe was in my sister-in-law's collection. Judy was an amazing home chef. I don't think she ever made anything that wasn't mouthwateringly delicious even though she often used a box cake mix because she was a busy woman and needed timesaving methods.

By the way, you'll be serving the cake in the baking pan so if a "pretty" table is important to you, invest in a pretty baking pan for your casseroles and cakes.

You can buy Honey Buns but the taste isn't the same.

Judy's Honey Bun Cake

Ingredients - Batter

1 yellow cake mix

3/4 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

8 ounces sour cream

Ingredients - Filling

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/3 cup chopped pecans

Pretty 9x13 Baking Dish from Amazon

Ingredients - Glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons hot water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. (175° C.). Prepare a 9"x13" baking pan by spraying with baking spray or lightly buttering. You'll be serving the cake from this pan.

2. Mix the batter ingredients well. The batter will be thick.

3. In a separate bowl, mix the filling ingredients.

4. Pour half of the batter into the baking dish and smooth. Sprinkle the filling over this. Then spread the rest of the batter on top.

5. Bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes until cake is done. If in doubt, insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake top layer. If it comes out clean, it's done.

6. Remove from the oven and cool in the pain for about 15 minutes. While the cake is cooling, mis up the glaze. If the glaze is too thick add more hot water, 1 teaspoon at a time, stirring well after each until it is pourable. Using a skewer or fork, poke holes in the cake and evenly pour the glaze over the cake while it is still warm.

7. Cut into squares and serve. People go absolutely crazy over this cake.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

This is a delicious dessert. It's not something you'd eat every day, but for special occasions, you can't beat it. Brew some coffee to go along with the cake. Bon appetite!

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

Have some reading fun this weekend!

Scoop up one of Joan's popular RomCom books for only 99¢

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Halloween Treat - Hearts Flush by MJ Schiller

M. J. Schiller, a bestselling author of the Rock Romance sub-genre, is one of my favorite authors. She blends emotion, great characters, and a compelling plot into a book you can't put down.

Now, she's written and published, HEARTS FLUSH, a book in a different genre—historical western romance—and it's awesome.

I'm excited to tell you about it so let's start with a blurb.

HEARTS FLUSH

For him, everything was riding on this hand.

The year is 1858. Banker Alistair Lynn hires four brothers to protect his family as they travel west.

Jessie Weston, the youngest of the four, is different. Thoughtful, Jessie tries to hide his reading from his brothers, who tease him incessantly for it. 

Piper Lynn, the youngest of the Lynn sisters, is also “different.” Forever with her head in a book, she often speaks with a frankness that others find off-putting. 

When their trip leads them through trials and tragedies, Jessie and Piper fall in love. But, as neither of them is experienced with the opposite sex, they often misunderstand each other. Will these difficulties tear them apart or will it be one of the dangers on their journey that ends their budding courtship in a more permanent way?

Amazon Only Link

EXCERPT FROM HERO'S POINT OF VIEW

JESSIE

If I’d known what I was going to be wagering for, I would have listened to my stupid brothers when they explained poker. Everything important to me was riding on this one game. 

Sweat broke on my brow. Could I remember their card playing advice? I had to, or she’d be leaving with another man, and, in a convoluted way, it would be my fault. 

I glanced up into Piper’s face. The color had gone out of her usually rosy cheeks, her lips quivered slightly, and hers were the eyes of a trapped animal. She was scared to death. And she should be. She lowered her head, looking ashamed and embarrassed. And she should be. 

McDiver ran his gaze over her lustily, and my skin crawled. My opponent rubbed a knuckle along the side of Piper’s finger on the table, and she recoiled. McDiver laughed at her, and my jaw tightened. I would not allow this pig of a man near Piper, even if it cost me my life. 

I studied my cards. A five of hearts, jack of spades, two of clubs, queen of hearts, and an ace of hearts. Could I have a worse hand? They didn’t even come close to matching.

“Well? What’s it gonna be? Ya want ta draw?”

Oh, yes. I can git different cards ta possibly make what I had better. But what to keep? The ace, because it was highest?

I so wished Dawson was around instead of being occupied with a woman. Or, if Amycus weren’t completely drunk, with his head on the bar, he may be able to advise me. 

I glanced up in hopes that Dawson was winding his way down the steps but was disappointed. I picked the four other cards surrounding the ace and was about to lay them on the table when I remembered. 

If I can git them all the same…what did they call it? What does it matter, all with the same symbol on them—that was a good hand. But will it be good enough? 

I kept my three heart cards and removed the other two.

Besides, I’ll have more chances ta match whatever cards the jackass is gonna give me.

I threw my two cards on the table, and he dealt me two more, face down.

He took two cards fer himself, checked them, and grinned. My gut clenched.

It all hinged on these two cards. 

If these cards aren’t the ones I’m lookin’ fer… I need more time ta think of a plan ta git her out of here, the little fool.

If I pull my gun, I’ll have a dozen trained on me before I even git ta my feet.

I could maybe throw the table over, grab Piper, and we could make a run fer it… But the idea of putting my back, and, more importantly, Piper’s, toward this mongrel, well, it didn’t sit comfortably to say the least.

“Well…?”

My heart was beating like a Lakota war drum. 

It was showdown time. 

APPLAUSE FOR THE AUTHOR

M.J. Schiller is a retired lunch lady/romance-romantic suspense writer. She enjoys writing novels whose characters include rock stars, desert princes, teachers, futuristic Knights, construction workers, cops, and a wide variety of others. In her mind everybody has a romance.

She is the mother of a twenty-eight-year-old and three twenty-six-year-olds. That's right, triplets! So having recently taught four children to drive, she likes to escape from life on occasion by pretending to be a rock star at karaoke. However…you won’t be seeing her name on any record labels soon. 

VISIT M.J. SCHILLER ONLINE

Website: https://mjschillerauthor.blogspot.com/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/m-j-schiller

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/MJ-Schiller-Romance-Author/286382241460365

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mjschiller/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mjschiller

Tumblr: http://mjschilz.tumblr.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mjschiller

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6479377.M_J_Schiller

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/M-J-Schiller/e/B009JOQFQQ

BUY LINKS — HEARTS FLUSH 

Books2Read 

Amazon

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

If you're looking for a new release that's got heart and soul, pick up a copy of HEARTS FLUSH by my friend, M.J. Schiller.

You'll be glad you did.

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Breakout the Halloween Candy

Halloween is 2 days away. If your Hump Day is tough, give yourself a break by breaking out the Halloween candy.

Are you like me and buy the bagged candy that is your guilty pleasure?

How does your Trick or Treat preference stack up against the rest of the nation?

I did a little research and discovered these candy facts.

Number 1 in 2025 on the tastebuds of Americans is Reese's Peanut Butter Cups is loved for the combination of chocolate and peanut butter. It's certainly my #1 pick.

That's followed closely by M&M's—classic and peanut—Kit Kats, and Snickers—luscious chocolate, caramel, and peanuts. (I'll take all of them except the M&M's.)

As you may suspect, chocolate dominates the Trick or Treat scene but sour, fruity candies like Sour Patch Kids and Skittles are favorites with Gen Z and Millennials. Gummy candies are rising in popularity too.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

So to get over the hump that Wednesday can be, enjoy a few of those bite-sized candy bars and remember how much fun Halloween was when you were a kid. Why? Because money can't buy happiness, but it can buy chocolate—which is almost the same thing.

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Review - Deep Cover on Prime

Darling Hubby picked this movie to watch last weekend. I was paying scant attention to it since I was pecking away on my laptop keyboard until a scene caught my attention and made me guffaw.

I laughed out loud and said, "Run that back so I can hear that again."

Deep Cover, released worldwide on Amazon Prime Video on June 12, 2025, was completely unexpected. It began a bit slow, setting up the story that became crazier and crazier.

No one would get themselves into the situations the characters found themselves in—or would they?

This 2025 British action comedy delivered belly laughs and eyerolls. Starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom, and Nick Mohammed as improv actors recruited by the police to pose as felons in undercover operations in the London criminal underworld, the movie isn't perfect, but it is surprising and worth waatching.

Paddy Considine, Ian McShane and Sean Bean have supporting roles in the film which was directed by Tom Kingsley and adaped from a script written by Colin Trevorrow, Derek Connolly, and adapted into a screenplay by Ben Ashenden and Alexander Owen.

Orlando Bloom was absolutely amazing in the film. He chewed up each scene and made yoou want more and more.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Do yourself a favor and watch Deep Cover if only to enjoy Mr. Bloom's performance.

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