March is a fun month, not only is it Saint Patrick's Day which is fun for everyone (not just the Irish), it means we are slowly approaching my favorite season... spring!
We have another Alex Delaware suspense novel from Jonathan Kellerman, watch the video trailer to learn more. Don't miss the amazingly funny Undateable quizzes and ecards! Find out why everyone is falling in love with Henry House. Plus much more!
The wait is over! For the very first time, you can read all 23 of John Grisham's bestsellers as eBooks. That includes A Time to Kill, The Firm, The Pelican Brief, and the rest of John Grisham's now-classic library of legal thrillers. In addition, all of his other works including The Innocent Man and his brand new short story collection, Ford County, are available as well.
You've enjoyed his work in print, in audio, on screen and now—for the first time—digitally.
David Mitchell, the celebrated author of Cloud Atlas has a new novel out this summer. We couldn't wait to share an excerpt from The Thousand Autumns of Jacob Zoet with you, so please visit for a sneak peek!
Fried Chicken, Macaroni and Cheese, Brownies and 147 other favorite recipes under 350 calories all from world famous chef, Rocco DiSpirito!
"With two months till Mother's Day, there's no excuse for another last-minute FTD bouquet of dyed carnations: Get Mom a copy of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, by Helen Simonson."
—Washington Post
#1 New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Kellerman brings us another spellbinding psychological suspense story featuring Alex Delaware.
Delaware's new case promises to be an uphill climb for truth and a down and dirty fight for justice. Allegations of rape, assault, and possibly murder bubble up at one of L.A.'s most prestigious prep schools, which make for a social and political time bomb—especially given that one of the students has connections high up in City Hall.
Returning to the rich psychological territory explored in the beloved The Lake of Dead Languages, Carol Goodman's latest fictional foray is both exquisite and haunting. Arcadia Falls follows a mother and daughter as they uncover the sinister secrets of an upstate New York boarding school, which is located in an isolated town known to have inspired a number of magically eerie fairly tales.
In a recent nationwide street giveaway, readers received a special copy of The Lake of Dead Languages that includes a sneak peek excerpt of ARCADIA FALLS. Check out these photos from the promotion!
It is the middle of the twentieth century, and in a home economics program at a prominent university, real babies are being used to teach mothering skills to young women. For a young man raised in these unlikely circumstances, finding real love and learning to trust will prove to be the work of a lifetime. In this captivating novel, bestselling author Lisa Grunwald gives us the sweeping tale of Henry, an irresistible hero and the many women who love him.
In this tense, mesmerizing thriller by Linwood Barclay, critically acclaimed author of Fear the Worst and Too Close to Home, a man's life unravels around him when the unthinkable strikes. Visit Linwood Barclay's website to learn more
Twenties Girl, by New York Times bestselling author Sophie Kinsella, is an enchanting ghost story and a funny, deeply moving testament to the lasting bonds of friendship and family. Check out the new Facebook Application that has been created! It includes quizzes, gifts and much more! Learn more about Sophie Kinsella by visiting her newly updated website!
Suze Orman's million-copy bestselling financial action plan—fully revised and updated for 2010 and beyond—will help you gain financial security at last.
Discover:
• up-to-date information on new legislation that could affect how you will achieve your financial goals
• an explanation of new FICO practices, and a new strategy for dealing with credit card debt
• sound advice about rebuilding your retirement plan, and what to do if you're already retired
• guidance on how to live within your means, and strategies to keep you on the path to achieving your goals in this new age of financial honesty
PLUS AN ALL-NEW CHAPTER ON KIDS AND MONEY—how to give your kids a solid financial education, no matter their age!
Visit Suze Orman's official website and download Suze Orman's free Money Tool iPhone application today.
At last, the everyday fighting men who were the first Americans to know the full and horrifying truth about the Holocaust share their astonishing stories. Rich with powerful never-before-published details from the author's interviews with more than 150 U.S. soldiers who liberated the Nazi death camps, The Liberators is an essential addition to the literature of World War II—and a stirring testament to Allied courage in the face of inconceivable atrocities. The liberators' recollections are historically important, vivid, riveting, heartbreaking, and, on rare occasions, joyous and uplifting. This book is their opportunity, perhaps for the last time, to tell the world.
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Due to my peanuts salary, it was ages before I was able to afford this month's Internet subcription. I've missed this blog so much that I could'nt wait to go back to it. But I hadnt counted on the lastest post being another obituary.
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I heard the news of Gary Coleman's death yesterday and I was and am very, very sad.
The sitcom he starred with Todd Bridges (Willis), Conrad Bain(Phillip Drummond) & Dana Plato(Kimberly), Diff'rent Strokes was a never to be missed programme as a child, I could never stop laughing at their antics- especially Gary's character, Arnold. The last time I saw them together again, minus Bain, was on VIBE in 1999 with Sinbad and I was so psyched seeing them all grown up and nostalgia hit hard when some memorable scenes were played on the show.
Words just can't express my sadness; years back Dana died at the young age of 34- it's amazing and frightening just how life is unpredictable and fragile. It was just yesterday that I was watching the show and laughing at the three of them. It's true they had their problems long after the show wrapped up but then again it's one of the harsh realites of life. But now and always, Gary will always be Arnold just as Dana would always be Arnold and Willis' loving, warm hearted sister; Kimberly.
May Gary's Coleman's soul rest in peace and may Almighty God grant him and Dana His infinite Mercy. AMIN.
Last year, a fourth version of Tu O Nadie (No One But You) was made; Sortilegio, which means ‘Love Spell’. Andres Garcia and Lucia Mendez's 2009 successors are Alejandro ‘Alex’ Lombardo (William Levy) and Maria José Lombardo (Jacqueline Bracamontes) , the villain is called Bruno (David Zepeda).
The story line here is the same with majordifferences:
-The story is set mostly in Merida, in the free and sovereign state of Yucatan, instead of Acapulco like the previous versions.
-Alex and Bruno have the same father. Victoria’s first husband, Samuel was friends with Alex’s father, Antonio. She and Antonio fell in love and had an affair, which Samuel found out about. Samuel, out of spite, refused to divorce her and they moved to Europe. She gave birth to twins; Bruno and his sister Raquel. Samuel died when the twins were six, so Vicky was finally free to marry Antonio, now widowed.
However, Alex was made the principal heir to the estate, because- although Antonio tried very hard to raise the twins well- Bruno and Raquel, (Bruno especially), caused him and Victoria nothing but trouble.
No one except Antonio, Victoria and the housekeeper Felipa knew that Bruno and Raquel were not Samuel’s children. Victoria told a very shocked Alex years later; by then Antonio was dead and he and Bruno were enemies.
-Raquel grew to fall in love with her handsome stepbrother; not knowing he was actually her half-brother. She settled for a loveless marriage with Roberto, who is actually bisexual.
-Alex’s ‘accident’ was a car accident. Bruno paid his two accomplices to ram their truck against his car, causing it to somersault off the road. The car burst into flames after Alex was flung out.
Alex’s best friend, Fernando, in a sub-plot, fell in love with Victoria, Alex’s stepmother. At first she’s astonished that such a handsome, young man (he’s Alex’s age) was interested in her but fell for him too. However, they had to keep their relationship secret for a while. (Weird, but that’s what happened folks.)
-The scene where Alex and Maria José made love for the first time, was the most erotic of all the versions of Tu O Nadie; their subsequent love scenes all through the telenovela the same way.
-Maria José’s sister, Paula got a job in Alex’s company. They have another sister they knew nothing about at first- Maria Jose's twin Sandra. Their father Pedro was not a widower; his wife Elena abandoned them years back for a rich man but took Sandra with her. In order for M.J and Paula not to think badly of Elena, Pedro made them believe she was dead, including having them visit a fake grave. Sandra grew up a spoiled party girl who later died from a drug overdose.
-Bruno murdered the judge before Alex and Fernando could question him. They were shipwrecked on an Island for months and it was assumed they were dead. But they made it home just in time. Maria José was already heavy with child and she fainted when he surprised her in their bedroom. He was right there in the delivery room when she gave birth to their son, named after his late father, Antonio.
-Alex appeared to be more religious than the previous heroes (Antonio, David, Tony); he constantly wore a rosary with a crucifix round his neck. He later took it off and slipped it under Baby Tony’s pillow in the cot, for protection.
-Bruno and Maura conspired to kidnap Maria José. Her memory was erased, which caused her to forget Alex and their baby Tony. Alex patiently helped nurse her to health after dragging her back home until her memory slowly came back; thanks to pills given to her by the family doctor.
-Maura’s sister, Lisette came up with a joke to invent a fictitious name- Mario Aguirre- and say he’s Maria José’s lover but repented after she was diagnosed with cancer.
- Maura later ended up in prison for her part in Maria José’s kidnap & for fraud.
-Bruno was shot to death by his accomplice, Erik when he was trying to kill Alex on the beach.
- Bruno’s funeral was shown.
Alex formally asked Maria José to marry him.
They actually had THREE weddings;
A civil wedding at the mansion
The traditional Mayan ceremony
...and the formal church wedding!
Honeymoon
-The last scene was of the happy couple making love on the beach, decorated like the Garden of Eden, complete with wooden animals.
TRIVIA...
-William Levy is from Cuba, and the youngest actor to play the main character originated by Andres Garcia (who was 44 during Tu o Nadie), being 29 years old at the time.
- Mexican actress and former beauty titleholder Jacqueline Bracamontes is a year older than her co-star, William Levy.
- David Zepeda is 5 years older than Jacqueline Bracamontes and 6 years older than William Levy.
- Guillermo Zarur- the actor who played the Lombardo family's head butler, Ezequiel- played the head butler of the Lombardo family, Ramon, in the original version of this telenovela- Tu O Nadie (No One But You) in 1985.
- Chantal Andere- the actress who played Bruno's twin sister and Alex's half sister Raquel; played Aide who was Lorena's rival for David's affections in a previous remake of Tu O Nadie; Acapulco, Cuerpo y Alma (Acapulco Body & Soul) in 1995.
That's all on Tu O Nadie, folks. Thanks for staying till the very end. Yours in blogship...
The second version of Tu O Nadie, released in 1995 is Acapulco Bay; a joint venture of Televista and Fox TV. The story is also set in Acapulco but with both American and Hispanic actors and actresses and the names anglicized versions of the Spanish names of the main characters.
Here, Antonio is Tony Stockdale (Anthony Newman), Raquel is Rachel Swanson Stockdale (Raquel Gardner), and Maximilian Albeniz is Max Hauser (Ash Adams but credited as "Jason Adams" at the time).
DIFFERENCES...
The false wedding between Max and Rachel was conducted by a clerk, not in Guadalajara but in San Francisco.
.
Rachel’s father, Peter Swanson, walked with a cane.
Tony and Rachel nearly made love for the first time, on the night of their first date.
The night Tony confronted Rachel to tell him the truth; he had to stop her from committing suicide first- she tried to drown herself in the ocean.
Tony and Rachel didn’t go out on the yacht, they had a picnic on the beach and went skinny dipping
.
Tony’s personal assistant Charles was old enough to be his father.
-Tony and Rachel’s daughter, was shown sleeping in an incubator.
- Max was shot dead in the final episode, but NOT by Tony.
Tu o Nadie was remade twice in 1995, this one called Acapulco, Cuerpo y Alma- 'Acapulco Body and Soul'.
Here the couple is David and Lorena Montalvo, played by Saul Lisazo (Hector in Until My Last Breath) and the lovely Patricia Manterola respectively ; the villain is called Marcelo de Maris (Guillermo Garcia Cantu), and produced by the same production company that brought Tu O Nadie- TELEVISA.
Differences:
-David was brought home by his rescuers after his ‘accident’.
- Lorena is not from Guadalajara but from Zithuatanejo, a Mexican town on the Pacific.
- David and Lorena’s first time happened in the family yacht.
-David and Marcelo got into a fight (Marcelo, of course started it) Lorena moved out of the house, back to her place; upset that David didn't trust her completely.
-David formally proposed marriage to Lorena. They had a civil wedding.
- There was no Roberto Aguirre all through the story.
-One of Marcelo's conspirators was Lorena's envious sister, Julia.
-Lorena gave birth to a baby boy.
-David's sister Cinthia gave birth to a girl, naming her after their stepmother, Elena.
This is the grand finale of this fantastic, action-packed telenovela. The first time we watched the ending, my family and I were excited but also sad it was wrapping up.
Posting the recaps from the beginning to the end was a real challenge because they were mostly drawn from memory, but I was happy to do it because Tu O Nadie will always remain my favourite telenovela, and I’m glad I was able to share it in this blog.
To the visitors who left comments and encouraging words and have been here to the end, I thank you all very much and as a treat, look out for the juicy trivia and additional posts attached to Tu O Nadie. Now for the concluding part of Antonio and Raquel’s love story...
Evil Max stepped into the
elevator and saw Daniel passing by just as the doors closed. Having given the
written confession, the judge began packing his things. He answered the door
and got the shock of his life when Max barged in. At gunpoint, he admitted
what he’d done but lied that his signature was forged. Alas, that didn’t help
because Max shot him in the stomach, using a pillow to muffle the sound.
Back at the mansion, Camilla suggested the room down the hall be fixed up as a
nursery since Baby would be coming home soon but Raquel objected to the idea of
Minerva sleeping far away from her. Ramon recommended his niece to be Minerva’s
nanny- as Raquel would be ‘distracted’ now and then. Raquel sarcastically
wondered who and what could distract her now. She asked Ramón if he had seen Martha around and was told no. Exchanging a peck with Camilla, she went upstairs.
Camilla asked Ramón about his odd remark to Raquel, what did he mean by it? He shrugged, smiling knowingly and said, ‘Well… you never know, ma’am.’
Footsteps were heard
and Camilla’s eyes widened. ‘Antonio…’ she whispers in disbelief, before walking into
her brother’s arms. Ramón formally welcomes his boss home and Tonio thanks him. Camilla said Claudio and Andres had told her he was alive but she hadn’t dared to hope. Tonio asked for
Raquel and was told she was in her room.
But before he could
go, Mummy Vicky appeared and ran into his arms, weeping with joy. Meche came out from
the kitchen, filled with astonishment.
Vicky asked
anxiously, ‘What’s going to happen to Max?’ Antonio stopped smiling and
made no reply.
‘It was he…wasn’t it?’
At Tonio’s solemn ‘yes’, she burst into tears and Camilla took her away to her
room. Tonio turned to Meche and assured her Gabriel was safe; he escaped with
Martha, according to Luis. Filled with relief, Meche asked what was now going
to happen to them and was assured they would be protected. Ramón told
Tonio Max wasn’t in the house and hadn’t been seen all day. With that, Tonio
went upstairs to the room he shared with Raquel.
Raquel saw him
through the dressing table mirror and turned round, Tonio smiling at her amazed
face. Slowly she got up, touching him. Tonio held her arms, saying, ‘It’s me.’
Raquel threw herself into his arms, crying ‘My love! Antonio, my love!’
They kissed and hugged each other passionately; Raquel sobbing with joy, unable
to stop staring at her husband, back from the dead.
'Can't you say
anything?' he asked her.
'Well... I'm
speechless!' Raquel stumbled over her words, took his hand, and pressed it
against her cheek. 'My love.' she murmured.
‘Did you doubt we’ll ever
be together again?’ he demanded and she nodded.
‘I never did,
Raquel!’
They held each other
again, kissing.
If only Evil Max wasn’t skulking around outside
instead of behind bars at that moment! Moving on...
At
the guest bungalow, Daniel told Chucho what went on between him and the judge
but Chucho still wasn’t pleased he’d promised not to turn him over to the
police. Daniel decided to hide the precious document under the carpet,
reminding himself to tell Meche when Chucho pointed out she may come to sweep
the place. Chucho went back to the mansion and was very surprised to hear the
good news from Ramón and Meche.
'You swear on the Holy Ghost?' he exclaimed. Meche assured it was true, "the boss" was back. Ramón happily declared it was the happiest
day for the Lombardo family. "Well... not for all of them. Poor Mrs. Victoria," he added soberly. The three servants looked
sad as they thought of the unfortunate woman upstairs.
Upstairs, Raquel gave
the whole gist of what happened after Tonio’s disappearance to the day she had
to go to the hospital. She tells him Victoria begged her to let Max
stay at the mansion and manage the business on her behalf, and how she found out he was Roberto Aguirre the day she was taken to the hospital.
Tonio consoles Raquel as she sobs in his arms, assuring her it is all over. He tells her he loves her- more than he’s ever
loved anyone; her and their daughter.
She smiled, ‘You know
about her?’
Smiling back, he says he went to see Baby Minerva at the hospital that morning. As she hugged him again, something hard
pressed against her ribs. Pushing back his jacket, she saw the gun. Max, sheer
murder on his face, entered the guest bungalow, but Daniel wasn’t there.
Andres and Claudio joined Vicky and Camilla in the bedroom. They told the two
women that Luis and Rod were in custody, while Maura and Carla were presently
giving their statements. The police were on their way. Vicky began weeping again, poor thing.
Martha and Gabriel finally get back, stopping at the guest bungalow first. Daniel isn't there, and Martha is filled with terror over what might have
happened to her father as they’d already seen Max on the grounds. Gabriel
suggested she stay and wait while he go and find his sister and warn Raquel.
Martha didn't want him to. Max would shoot him on sight, but Gabriel decided to
take his chances.
Evil Max caught up
with Daniel in the mansion and demanded for the written confession but for once
the timid old man stood his ground and refused to tell him where he’d hidden
it. Max started to punch him mercilessly. (Wicked Bastard!)
Ramón, Meche and Chucho found Martha at the bungalow. She is amazed at the news of Tonio's return but tells them Max is
around and Gabriel has gone to the house as well. Ramón picked up the phone and
placed a call to the mansion.
Raquel pleaded with Tonio to let the police handle Max, not him. The phone rang
and Tonio got the message from Ramón. After expressing his anger at not being told about Max immediately, he ordered everyone to stay where they
were presently and hung up. Raquel watched as he locked the French windows and
begged him again. Tonio assured her he wasn’t a murderer, but he had the right to be prepared to defend
himself since Max was still bent on killing him. He locked the door behind him over Raquel’s tearful protests; he didn't want Max breaking in and nabbing her while he was looking for him.
Raquel bangs on the door, terrified and worried.
Downstairs
in the living room, Evil Max was still demanding the document, this time
his gun drawn. Daniel was now bleeding but still defiant. Gabriel appeared from
behind and hit Max with his crutch, and both he and Daniel struggled with Max. From the stairs, Tonio pulled out his gun, ordering Max to drop his. Without hesitation, Evil Max fired at him and
Tonio dodged.
They exchange fire,
Max using Daniel as a shield, but Daniel struggles and
pushes him right into the line of fire. Evil Max aimed at Tonio again but was flung
over the couch when Tonio got him squarely on the chest. Tonio silently went
down to bend over his step-brother as he bled.
The ruffian grabbed
him by the shoulder and his last words were: ‘You’ll never love
her ... as much as I did.’ He fell back and gave up the ghost. You say
such a thing at a time like that, you unrepentant sinner???
Chucho hurried in, exclaiming they had heard gunshots. He, Martha and Ramón gasped at the sight of Evil Max’s dead body on the
floor, Meche immediately grabbing hold of her brother. Mummy Vicky and the others came down the stairs and saw the gruesome sight as
well. Everyone silently watched poor Vicky bitterly weep over her son after futilely calling his name,
closing his staring eyes with her hand. Tonio stood apart from everyone, silent.
Tonio went back upstairs to Raquel who embraced him, sobbing.
She looked at his pale
face and asked, ‘You murdered him?’
‘I had to do it.’ was
her husband’s reply.
'You shouldn’t have
done that,’ she said and began to weep hysterically. Their marriage was over
because of his action; they now both bore the guilt of Max’s death and how on
earth would they be able to live happily when his death would always come
between them? Tonio tried to console her but she continued to weep. Helpless,
Tonio left the room, hoping she would calm down eventually.
A YEAR LATER…
The scene opens in
Guadalajara City. (to our amazement that night)
Raquel is feeding
Minerva, a chubby-cheeked replica of herself, now a year old. After Daniel took
the child to bed, the doorbell rang. It was Vicky and the two women embraced
tearfully. After greeting Daniel, Vicky explained why she’d come; she could no
longer bear watching Tonio suffer. He was devastated at what
happened a year ago- time wouldn't let him forget- and in the present
situation, he and Raquel are living apart. He couldn't bear the thought of losing
his wife. Surely Raquel didn’t blame him for what he had to do?
Raquel replied she
didn’t, she realised he had no other choice but she wished he had
not been the one to do it.
Vicky said she had told herself the same thing... many times, but she gradually accepted it, and right now, Tonio was like a ghost of his old self; he loved Raquel and missed
her very much- he couldn’t go on without her. Raquel said she loved Tonio too
but reminded Vicky that Max had been her son, her biological son.
Vicky took Raquel's hand, reminding her that Tonio was very much her son
too.
Raquel was still filled with guilt over Max’s death; if only she’d stood
up to him at the very beginning and had the courage to tell Vicky and
Tonio the truth on time…
But Vicky begged her
to stop blaming herself, what was the point of wishing what could have been?
She, his own mother, had been forced to accept long ago that the real person to
blame for the whole tragedy was Max. But right now, she didn’t know what would
become of Tonio if Raquel continued refusing to see him. Raquel asked if Tonio
had asked her to come over to Guadalajara to talk to her. Vicky said no, he
asks for nothing these days but goes around very silent and miserable; all he
thought about was Raquel and their Minerva.
Tears running down
her cheeks, Raquel told Vicky to tell Tonio to come for her, that she missed
him and loved him very much; she could no longer live apart from him. The two
women held each other, sobbing. The next scene showed Minerva toddling around the garden. Raquel reads a magazine, keeping a sharp eye on the child at the same time; calling out to her, 'Don't go too far away!' She didn’t notice someone coming along. She did’t notice Minerva toddling up to her Daddy who picked her up, lovingly cradling her in his arms.
Raquel finally looks up
and sees the moving sight of Tonio (his moustache shaved off,
enhancing his handsome face further) carrying their daughter.
There’s a look of
peace in Raquel's eyes as she got up from the grass. Tonio puts the
child down, picking up the doll she left on the grass, before moving towards
Raquel. They regard each other for a second before Raquel placed her arms
around her husband’s neck; his arms encircling her tightly.
Little Minerva
Lombardo watches with innocent interest as her parents exchange loving looks and another kiss.
What else can we assume, after the final shot? Tonio took Raquel and Minerva back to Acapulco and moved on with their lives, Max's ghost no longer between them.
TRIVIA
- Dominican-Mexican actor Andres Garcia, who played the main character Antonio Lombardo, was 44 years old at the time- 14 years older than Lucia Mendez.
- Andres Garcia was cast as Antonio after Venezuelan actor, Jose Luis Rodriguez, turned down the role.
-The young actor who played Gabriel was Lucia Mendez’s (Raquel) real-life
younger brother, Abraham Mendez.
-The soundtrack played at the final few minutes of the episode was sung by Lucía
Méndez (Raquel), “El amour sin ti ni vale nada” which means, “Love is
worth nothing without you.” Lucia sang most of the tracks in the telenovela
as well, including the main theme song, Corazon Di Piedra (Heart of Stone).
-Tu O Nadie aired in Italy under the title, Cuore Di Pietra ( "Heart of Stone" in Italian)with Italian voice overs. Antonio was named Alessandro, Raquel named Elena, Victoria named Lorenza, Max's full name Massimo, Martha named Marta and Tonio and Raquel's daughter Minerva was named Melania.
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