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Pete Fowler recommended The Willows by Belbury Poly in Music (curated)

 
The Willows by Belbury Poly
The Willows by Belbury Poly
2004 | Electronic
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"I love Ghost Box. In a similar way to how British psych from the '60s looked back to a whimsical past and kids' fiction from the Victorian era, Ghost Box look back to a more modern past – specifically the '60s and '70s, which is when I grew up. It's an analogue sound that seems to evoke brutalist architecture, new towns and the like. You can imagine Ghost Box soundtracking a film about a new town built on a burial site. Jim [Jupp] and Julian [House, Ghost Box co-founder] come from Caldicot, which is a really spooky part of Wales. Lots of weird gothic architecture and a lot of weird local folklore and superstition. This record by the Belbury Poly [Jupp] presents someone's version of the past, a vision that's both real and ephemeral. It harks back to a time that wasn't obviously psychedelic but it's not obviously retro. Without being too rose-tinted specs about this record, it has a slight 'warm blanket' effect, while still being a little uncomfortable, if that makes sense. It's possibly a weird record for me to pick in a list of psychedelic records but it definitely does that thing of successfully imagining an alternate reality. I can imagine walking around this place."

Source
  
Dark Shadows (2012)
Dark Shadows (2012)
2012 | Drama, Horror, Mystery
If not for the last 15/20 minutes (sans the atrocious ending, and even then they're only mildly watchable at best) I'd very comfortably call this one of the worst movies I've ever seen - and still will. Not even distracting, and intentionally as non-fun as possible. How exciting, we get to see nearly two LONG hours of nonentities played by actors who clearly couldn't give less of a shit about being there (except for the sole good scenery-chewing of Eva Green) tepidly talk about... like, fishing and shit? Sometimes even to each other! Where's the camp? Where's the (pun not intended) spirit? Doesn't go for jokes, doesn't go for drama, doesn't go for romance, doesn't go for anything - complete and utter apathy all around. It doesn't even look good, dear God some color could have at least made this pop but no of course it's color-coded like ash and jizz. This wakes up a bit when it has a spooky haunted house vibe to it but too bad that's only like a collective (and generous) few minutes of the whole thing. What the actual hell were they thinking, how can a director possibly stoop *noticeably* lower than 𝘋𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘰 (2019)?
  
Home Before Dark
Home Before Dark
Riley Sager | 2020 | Mystery, Thriller
6
7.4 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
To the best of my knowledge, I've read all of Riley's books. I've enjoyed them, for the most part. This one felt similar to Lock Every Door, but I think I liked it better. Unfortunately, I did not like it was much as Final Girls or The Last Time I Lied. The back and forth was a tad bit confusing, but it was interesting to see the parallels in The Book and Maggie's life. I think the most interesting part was trying to determine whether or not the house is truly haunted or if her father was making everything up. To be honest, I was a little disappointed in the ending. I was kind of hoping for the house to actually be haunted - but the scene at the end of The Book (when Maggie is lifted up to the ceiling and dragged around) didn't strike me as scary so much as cliché. While the story was spooky, it certainly wasn't scary or disturbing. I conjured up so many different theories, I don't think I'd have been satisfied with any ending. But as a whole, it kept my attention and made me curious about how everything would tie together, so it was still worth reading. Not necessarily sure I'd recommend, though.
  
Really enjoyed it
Contains spoilers, click to show
Emerald O'Brien is the owner of the Chintz 'n China Tea Room where guests are served the perfect blend of teas and tarot readings. She never set out to be a detective, but once word gets out that she can communicate with the dead, there's no turning back... When the ghost of Susan Mitchell asks for Emerald's help in convicting her own murderer, Emerald can't refuse. Along with her friends-an ex-supermodel and a cop-and her new love interest, Emerald must search for clues to put the killer behind bars, and Susan's tortured soul to rest.

I absolutely loved this book! It was well written, clever ,funny and spooky. I really should not read ghost stories in the dark at 3am in the morning. I was so freaked out at one point or maybe I'm getting soft. I did genuinely enjoy the book though is was everything a murder mystery/ghost story should be! I just love Emeralds character she's not the usual skinny beautiful woman most main characters usually are, the fact she's a single mum trying to deal with daily life as well as ghost hunting and mystery solving.

Highly recommended

⭐⭐⭐⭐

  
    Fowlst

    Fowlst

    Games

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    Fowlst is an an action game about an owl who is trapped in Hell for some reason. Make your way...

73 of 235
Kindle
Miss Frost Cracks a Caper( Jayne Frost 4)
By Kristen Painter
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jayne Frost is a lot of things. Winter elf, Jack Frost's daughter, Santa Claus's niece, heir to the Winter Throne and now...private investigator. Sort of.
When Lark Bramble, an old frenemy, shows up in Nocturne Falls, Jayne finds herself reliving the painful past and trying to make responsible decisions that won’t mess up her future. But being an adult proves harder than she thought.
Finally at peace with where things stand between her and Lark, Jayne thinks everything’s cool until a chilling event at the Black and Orange Ball shatters that peace and puts Jayne at odds with the powers that be. She knows she’s on thin ice, but she’s determined to crack the caper.
Can Jayne find a way to right the wrongs she might have caused or will she forever bear the guilt of allowing herself to be snowed again?

I absolutely love this author and this quirky fun series it always makes me smile. I love the well know characters used and the spooky creatures mixed with the Christmas ones. The story is always so much fun. Absolutely recommend especially to come out of a reading slump or some light relief.
  
40x40

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2334 KP) rated The Final Draw in Books

Mar 26, 2025 (Updated Mar 26, 2025)  
The Final Draw
The Final Draw
Ridley Pearson | 2025 | Children
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Kingdom Kids Face Their Final Battle
Eli Finn and his friends are in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom for the fireworks on Friday night. But the fireworks all go off at once. And then the kids make another discovery – all the villains and henchmen have vanished from the various rides in the parks. Can they figure out the riddle they got from Tiana in time to save the magic? Or will it be lost for good?

If this is your introduction to the Kingdom Keepers universe, you will be very lost since it is the wrap up to over a dozen books across several series. But fans of the series will know what to expect here and will enjoy what we get. It’s pretty much par for the course, with lots of great scenes with Disney characters and the parks in spooky circumstances. The characters are thin, but that’s been true all along the way. Having said that, I really loved a couple of scenes with Eli and his parents that break out of some of the usual interactions with parents in middle grade books. If this does turn out to be the last adventure in the Kingdom Keepers universe, fans will be satisfied.