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In Session by Glen Campbell / Jimmy Webb
In Session by Glen Campbell / Jimmy Webb
2012 | Rock
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"‘Wichita Lineman’ was my Mum’s favourite song, she played it all the time. Anytime I hear it now it takes me back to being a kid and reminds me of growing up in Viroqua, Wisconsin. I grew up in a small town and with the sound and production of this song I can visualise the bleak Midwestern cornfields and driving through them. Jimmy Webb wrote it and it’s an iconic, beautiful and incredible song, the lyrics have this bittersweet longing and desire that I think a lot of people can relate to. There’s regret in there, because the protagonist isn’t doing what he wants to do and it’s a perfect pop song in some ways. I was ten years old when my parents first took me to a concert and it was a Glen Campbell show. He was a big TV star with a network television show, it was a big tour and he was incredible. I didn’t know anything about concerts but I remember there were ten thousand people at The Dane County Coliseum, it was a massive show and it was eye-opening. I was probably seven or eight years old when I first heard ‘Wichita Lineman’. My Mum played music in the house all the time and music was part of the background of growing up in our household. She bought Beatles records, The Tijuana Brass, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, musicals like Oklahoma and West Side Story, Polka and Country records. She played everything and I was exposed to all of it, it was good for me growing up to be exposed to a diverse catalogue of music, I’ve never felt elitist about music."

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Ready to Trust (Hearts of Oklahoma, #2)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Ahh, Ready to Trust by Tina Radcliffe was such a sweet story! This is my first time reading a book by this author I decided to read her book after hearing so many of my bookish friends rave about her books and let me say I was not disappointed.

From the surprise of finding out you are a father to the learning curve of running a family business, Tina Radcliffe managed to make me feel immersed in the character’s choices and emotions. I enjoyed the character’s conversations with each other and their logical thoughts about the situations presented and the sweet romances that they allowed to happen between them. Add in an adorable sounding daughter, a wayward cow, and a cowhand that makes you smile, and you have a recipe for a fun lighthearted book. I will definitely be going back to read the other book in the A Hearts of Oklahoma Romance series.

The setting of this book is small-town USA, tight community, caring neighbors, family get-together’s, and food. I loved Tina Radcliffe’s description of life on a farm/ ranch and all the work that goes into it. It was a truly warm setting that I loved reading about.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars for the fun characters, the lighthearted romance, and the sense of community that Tina Radcliffe displayed. A truly enjoyable book with a lighthearted feel that I did not have to concentrate on while reading.

*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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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2324 KP) rated May Day in Books

Jul 1, 2021 (Updated Jul 1, 2021)  
May Day
May Day
3
3.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Wasn’t What I Was Expecting
Mira’s life in Minneapolis is falling apart, so when a chance comes up to be an assistant librarian and part time reporter in the small town of Battle Lake, Minnesota, she jumps at the chance. She’s not expecting her love life to be super active there, but then she meets Jeff, and it is love at first sight. At least it is for a week until she finds his dead body in the middle of the library one morning when she goes to open it. Worried that she is a jinx, Mira decides to figure out what happened. The fact that she can turn it into an article for the paper is an added bonus. Will she figure out what happened?

This series has been on my radar for years, so it was with anticipation that I picked up this book. I was very disappointed with it. While we start out with Mira finding the dead body, we then flashback to get background on the characters. The result was a slow start to the book. The mystery was decent, with enough to keep me engaged and an ending that surprised me. The characters were more types, built to create comedy instead of be real characters. And most of the jokes didn’t land, especially since they were more raunchy than funny. This definitely isn’t one of my typical cozies, and I found that content off-putting. It was almost forced into the book. I really did want to like this book, especially since I have a few others in the series already. But I will probably move on without reading them.
  
30 Days of Night (2007)
30 Days of Night (2007)
2007 | Horror, Mystery
Bloodthirsty Alaskan Vampires
30 Days of Night- has been a film ive wanted to see for couple years now and it was not disappointed. It was viloence, gory, suspenseful, thrilling and bloody.

The plot: In the far Northern Hemisphere, the small town of Barrow, Alaska, experiences a solid month of darkness every year. Though most of the residents head south for the winter, some townspeople remain behind. However, those that stay regret their decision when, one year, hungry vampires descend on Barrow to feed. Sheriff Eben (Josh Hartnett), his wife (Melissa George) and a dwindling band of survivors must try to last until dawn breaks over Barrow's monthlong twilight.

30 Days of Night was originally pitched as a comic, then as a film, but it was rejected. Years later, Steve Niles showed IDW Publishing the idea and it took off.

30 Days of Night author Steve Niles conceived of the story in the form of a comic, but—after meeting a lack of interest in initial pitches—tried to pitch it as a film. When this did not work out, Niles shelved the idea until he showed it to IDW Publishing. IDW published the comic and Ben Templesmith provided the artwork.

When Niles and his agent, Jon Levin, shopped the comic around again as a potential film adaptation, Niles found that the idea "went shockingly well," with Sam Raimi and Senator International picking up the property rights based on the original concept and Templesmith's unique mood and concepts for the vampires. According to Raimi, the potential project was "unlike the horror films of recent years".

Its a excellent vampire movie.
  
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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post

Aug 11, 2020  
Today's special guest on my blog is Melissa Lenhardt - Author of the women's fiction novel THE SECRET OF YOU AND ME. Enter the #giveaway to #win a signed hardback of the book and your choice of either a FaceTime call or virtual book club visit with the Melissa Lendhardt!

https://alltheupsandowns.blogspot.com/2020/08/book-blog-tour-and-giveaway-secret-of.html

**BOOK SYNOPSIS**
True love never fades—and old secrets never die . . .

Nora hasn’t looked back. Not since she fled Texas to start a new life. Away from her father’s volatile temper and the ever-watchful gaze of her claustrophobically conservative small town, Nora has freed herself. She can live—and love—however she wants. The only problem is that she also left behind the one woman she can’t forget. Now tragedy calls her back home to confront her past—and reconcile her future.

Sophie seems to have everything—a wonderful daughter, a successful husband, and a rewarding career. Yet underneath that perfection lies an explosive secret. She still yearns for Nora—her best friend and first love—despite all the years between them. Keeping her true self hidden hasn’t been easy, but it’s been necessary. So when Sophie finds out that Nora has returned, she hopes Nora’s stay is short. The life she has built depends on it.

But they both find that first love doesn’t fade easily. Memories come to light, passion ignites, and old feelings resurface. As the forces of family and intolerance that once tore them apart begin to reemerge, they realize some things may never change—unless they demand it.
     
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Amy Norman (1048 KP) rated The Dead Don't Die (2019) in Movies

Oct 2, 2020 (Updated Oct 3, 2020)  
The Dead Don't Die (2019)
The Dead Don't Die (2019)
2019 | Comedy, Horror
This film won't be for everyone, it is a very niche humour; if you have watched any of Jarmusch's other films you will understand how unique this film is, and how he doesn't bow down to 'conventional' film making.

I lifted the below directly from Wikipedia:

Jarmusch has been characterized as a minimalist filmmaker whose idiosyncratic films are unhurried. His films often eschew traditional narrative structure, lacking clear plot progression and focus more on mood and character development. In an interview early in his career, he stated that his goal was "to approximate real time for the audience."

This pretty much sums up the film. It is an unhurried take on a zombie film, in a small American town.
The characters are uncomplicated by the fact that they are very much one thing, and fall into strict stereotyoes i.e. straightforward, rude, weird, the nerd, the unbothered teens etc.
The cast was also huge, it was a true who's who, and each of them played to their strengths perfectly.

Bill Murray and Adam Driver were a fantastic pairing, as the slack jawed police chief, and main officer, that were undertaking the investigation of the towns unusual disturbances, and quite contentedly bumble through to the films conclusion.

The humour was painfully matter of fact, and delivered flawlessly dead pan. A style of humour I have always appreciated.

This isn't a straight up horror/zombie film, so if you are looking for a more mellow and laid back film then you may be able to appreciate this one, but it is certainly not one for the traditional horror fan.