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The Sowing Season
The Sowing Season
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Sowing Season by Katie Powner was like getting that first taste of fresh hot chocolate, you want to go slow to savor it, but you also want to drink it all down Because it tastes so good. That is what this book felt like for me, it was so good I wanted to savor it, but I also wanted to see the ending. A book theme this year has been books that make you think, and I have been LOVING it. The Sowing Season fits right in, but also stand out from the crowd.

    This story was deep and thought-provoking in ways many books are not. It touched my mind and heart and I loved how Katie Powner showed the characters through real life, the ups and downs, and everything in between. I also enjoyed how the characters lived out their faith. A fantastic debut novel. Now I am looking forward to what other deep thought-provoking books that Katie Powner has in store. 

*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
  
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Allan Arkush recommended Seven Samurai (1954) in Movies (curated)

 
Seven Samurai (1954)
Seven Samurai (1954)
1954 | Action, Adventure, Drama
7.7 (19 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"My father was a film buff. He instilled in me an appreciation of the art of movies. He felt that there was no cinema artist greater than Kurosawa. At a very young age he took me to see Throne of Blood and Seven Samurai. Since then I’ve seen Seven Samurai over fifty times, in theaters, on VHS, laserdisc, and DVD. The latest Criterion edition is my favorite version of my favorite action movie. I love all the extras, especially the history of the samurai, which really enhances the movie’s historical context. In the second season of Heroes, we did a story line set in seventeenth-century Japan. The Seven Samurai box set was an invaluable resource for the costume and art department. About half of our crew watched it and were really inspired by what they saw. It’s one of those movies that I can’t turn off. One minute of viewing and I’m hooked. I’ve heard many people say that about the first two Godfather films, but for me Seven Samurai is the one that lures me into watching multiple hours of a movie I know by heart."

Source
  
Sour by Olivia Rodrigo
Sour by Olivia Rodrigo
2021 | Pop
7
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Album Rating
Some nice variety in pace within a number of songs. (2 more)
Some clever lyrics that make you think, cry and chuckle occasionally... That's right I used the word chuckle.
The album definitely has a theme that flows through it; heatrbeak.
The last two/three songs felt a bit too much for me. I guess everyone will have their favourites and connect in a variety of ways, but I didn't connect quite so much with them. (0 more)
Olivia Rodrigo
I really enjoyed this album.

Having heard Drivers Licence on the radio I couldn't help but be intrigued by the rest of Olivia Rodrigo's songs.

With a very beautiful voice and some interesting (in a good way) intonation in the way she sings parts of her songs, the album didn't disappoint. This is present throughout the album and definitely makes it worth a listen.

Whilst the themes of the songs all revolve around heartbreak, there are some more uplifting moments that make your head bang or your heart flutter positively.

I am rather biased, as I love acoustic music and there are some excellent moments of this throughout the album.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2200 KP) rated Once Upon a Wardrobe in Books

Nov 13, 2024 (Updated Nov 13, 2024)  
Once Upon a Wardrobe
Once Upon a Wardrobe
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Mixed Journey of Self-Discovery
Megs’s younger brother George has a heart defect that keeps him in bed reading. It’s 1950, and he’s just discovered The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and he wants to know where Narnia came from. Since Megs is at Oxford, she goes to ask the author himself. But will C.S. Lewis’s answer help Megs and George?

I’ve been a Narnia fan since I first read the books in 3rd grade, so the premise of this book intrigued. However, it didn’t work for me. It felt too scattered, with too many storylines. It’s part biography of C.S. Lewis with vignettes about his life. It’s part coming of age story for Megs. I see where the author was trying to combine them thematically, but it didn’t quite work for me. I needed a bit more focus on something. Plus, some events in the story really strained what I could believe. But I did enjoy the characters, and I found myself tearing up a time or two. If the premise really intrigues you, check it out. Otherwise, give this one a pass.
  
It Ends With Us
It Ends With Us
Colleen Hoover | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
10
9.3 (15 Ratings)
Book Rating
Holy mother of God. I don't know where to start, honestly. Colleen is very good at stunning me into silence, so it's difficult to put my emotions into words - which is why you'll notice I either have no reviews or pretty vague reviews for her books. But I just can't do that with this one. There's no way. What I read wrung me dry and had me staring at the wall for a full 5 minutes before I could even move. What Lily experiences is so real and raw, so emotional, I felt like I was her. Her thoughts were true to who she was and honest. As I read Lily's diary entries, I felt a kinship, because I had experienced some of the same growing up. I felt her fear, her worry, her anger, her curiosity. To watch your mother go through that is no fun. I found it endearing that Lily wrote her diary in the form of letters to Ellen DeGeneres - she's an awesome woman. I fell in love twice in the span of one book. Even though I hoped I was wrong, I had a strong premonition, and I was right about it. I truly wish I wasn't. After reading the Author's note, I completely agree with Colleen. I kind of wish she had written it differently; I kind of wish she hadn't used the plot that she did. But, as she also said, it would have ruined the whole point of writing this story, and I understand that. I still love the story, because it's beautiful (yet heartbreaking) in all its glory, and it gets the meaning across just the way Colleen meant it to. I'm ashamed to say I was like many of the others: "Why doesn't she just leave?" Sure, I questioned the opposite spouse, but this question has always been the first to enter my mind. After reading It Ends With Us, I feel even worse that I've ever had that thought. It's true, life isn't just black and white, and niether is any situation. We never truly know what it's like for anyone unless we were in that same situation - and no two situations are exactly alike. All I can say is that while I fell in love twice, my heart broke a million times, and it still didn't feel completely whole by the time the story ended. I do hope Colleen decides to write a short novella about Lily's future, because I feel like I need more closure. My heart needs more closure. Nothing could have prepared me for this book and I have absolutely no regrets about going in blind. The Queen never ceases to amaze me. Once again, I'm adding a CoHo book to my favorites shelf. Bravo, Colleen.





***Spoiler***







Naked truth?
I think a part of me still loves Ryle. I worried that he was too perfect in the beginning. I knew there had to be a flaw and I was scared Lily's mom's situation would have something to do with it. What I'm most scared about is the fact I kind of wanted Lily to forgive him and take him back. Because who knows, having a daughter could have knocked the abusive side of him right out. And, sure, she loved Atlas, but I felt like it could have blossomed into a mature, familial type love. I'm so very proud of Lily and the decision she made, especially because it was for little Emmy. But a part of me mourns the loss of Ryle. Because his pain was real, his regret was real. Still... No matter how sorry he was, as Lily stated, there is no excuse; she did what she had to do.