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Rain has made her way home to the Wisconsin Northwoods
Rain has made her way home to the Wisconsin Northwoods. Pine Lake: the family cabin originally built by her great grandfather, but added onto over the decades. Her grandfather was a published author and her mother has turned the original log-built cabin into a local library, which she shares with the entire laker community.

Rain is dealing with the death of her husband and an estrangement from her parents. She is just hoping to spend a quiet summer recharging, but best laid plans and all. First Rain is blindsided by the opening of the library, luckily she has friends Julia and Marge, to help out. Just as they get the project going, they stumble upon the dead body of a man who is reputed to be a close friend of her mother’s. Next to his body is a copy of Rain’s grandfather’s book, which should not be outside of the library under any circumstances. The mystery unfolds encompassing details from Rain’s family. Julia and Rain pick up their friendship where it left off all those summers ago growing up on the lake. Together they are impulsive and irrepressible and actually kind of fun. Other great characters flesh out Rain’s inner circle including a charismatic police officer that is prime material for romance at some point down the road when Rain has gotten things more together.

It is a terrific beginning to a new series I a looking forward to keeping up with

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
  
Killing Me Softly by Roberta Flack
Killing Me Softly by Roberta Flack
1973 | Rock
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"This was a song that I'd hear on the radio quite a bit when I was growing up. It wasn't a current song, but it was one of those that had legs, and they just kept on playing it. ""The reason it was on my mind is because I pulled it apart the other day. I do that when I'm trying to get into work mode. I might have been hanging with friends, or dealing with business or talking to my mom, so when I want to switch over to the kind of mindset where I need to be receptive to musical ideas, it sometimes helps me to just play a song that I really love - not one of my own - and pick at it. What are the chords doing here? I'm asking that kind of question. ""I heard the Fugees version - which is what brought it to mind - but the Flack one is my favourite. To get to that place in my head when I'm working, I need to do something physical, like sing and strum the guitar on a track that's not mine and just figure out what makes it tick. So in terms of 'Killing Me Softly', there's this cool trick - this cycle of fifths - where you play a chord, and then go a fifth up, and then another fifth up, and it sounds as if it's going down at the same time. You don't hear that very often, but it's on songs like 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' and 'You Never Give Me Your Money'. ""At first glance, you might say this is a sad song, because of the tone and approach, but it's not. It's just somewhere to go if you're looking for an emotional experience, because it's pure soul"

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    Games and Entertainment

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Servant: The Awakening (Servant, #1)
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I had to force myself past the first few pages due to their confusing descriptions and use of wording. Once I passed those, however, the novel went by fairly quickly.

First off, I would like to say that you can tell Fantasy/Sci-fi are not Ms. Foster's usual territory. It seemed that she was so focused on developing the romance part of the novel that she completely forgot that there was suppose to be plot development, too. She did bother to come up with a plot but it was neither creative nor original. A doctor abusing patients for their own purposes? A female heroine with special powers trying to stop an evil while a man who is her exact opposite is somehow attracted to her and demands that she do as he says to keep her safe? Nope, not original at all.

I was also annoyed by the complete lack of character history. I felt that Ms. Foster purposely made Gaby an abused victim to foster home with a lack of education. It worked out for Foster seeing as that Gaby as an educational unintelligent person who lack major social skill fit into the story rather well. I just wished that Foster had come up with a better background than that. It just seemed to like a lazy way out. Not to mention that she barely mention's Mort's history, and Luther's is just non-existent.

All in all, the story didn't seem original or well developed but I couldn't stop myself from reading it. I admit it's not a great novel, or even good for that matter. I still must also admit that I liked it and couldn't put it down. I bought the book for the paranormal aspect but ended up reading it for the romance. I just had to see if Luther and Gaby hooked up. However, Gaby's personality and mouth made it hard. I understand that they way she talked and acted was part of the character that was Gabrielle Cody, yet all her foul language and agreeableness made the novel unpleasant to read. I am not offending by cursing, but Gaby's was excessive to the point of annoying. Growing up where I have, it was unbelievable, however.

An interesting book if not taken seriously.
  
Smith's Corner: Layla & Levi (The Heartwood Series #2)
Smith's Corner: Layla & Levi (The Heartwood Series #2)
Jayne Paton | 2021 | Contemporary, Romance
9
9.3 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Layla's history is dark, and painful reading and I cried for Layla
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 2 in the Heartwood Series. I would STRONGLY recommend you read book one, Delilah & Dallas, before this one. THAT book sets this one up nicely.

I also said in my review for that book, that I made put the clues together, and made a picture, but that I was fairly certain it was going to be worse than I thought.

And I wasn't wrong.

Layla has had to be strong, for Delilah and Cora but both girls are growing up now, and moving on with their lives. Levi is one of Dallas' older brother, and is quite literally, smitten with Layla. He knows she has secrets (Dallas knows some​ of them but wont tell Levi) but Levi also knows Layla is his, and he won't let her go.

I loved that Cora plays a bigger part here than Delilah, that Cora approves of Levi, and that Cora actively helps Levi win Layla over. And he does that beautifully!

When Layla eventually tells Levi all, he does exactly as Dallas does, all Alpha-Male-Protect-whats-Mine, but he tempers his reaction, he holds it all in til he is not in Layla's presence, and I loved him for that.

Layla's history is dark, and painful reading and I cried for Layla. Layla the child, but also Layla the adult. She has a huge support network now, but she didn't always, and she still struggles with letting people in. That Levi takes his time with Layla, getting to know her and letting her set the entire pace of their relationship was probably the only way he could have gotten in.

When Layla's past comes back to cause problems, I loved that ALL the brothers came to stand with her, beside her, to see that the past stays there. And that all solves itself so differently to what I was expecting!

And we are set up nicely for Ash and Alora, who are next. Ash has a tale to tell, and I can't wait to read it!

This book contains triggers: please be mindful of those reading this book.

Creeping up from 4 stars to 4.5 stars but rounded up for the blog.

same worded review will appear elsewhere​
  
Christopher Robin (2018)
Christopher Robin (2018)
2018 | Adventure, Animation, Comedy
Endearing and Pleasant
Never was a big “Winnie the Pooh” guy growing up, but I was always familiar with the characters. Christopher Robin made me fall in love with these characters all the same. Now an adult, Christopher returns to the Hundred Acre Woods to reunite with old friends he left behind.

Acting: 10
Jim Cummings is stellar as both Pooh and Tigger. Although I don’t have a huge point of reference, I can say that it felt like he poured his heart into these characters, making them extremely lovable. His tone and inflection just have a way of making me smile. I also loved Brad Garrett voicing Eeyore. That choice is almost a given as his voice is perfect, but I loved how he took the role and made it his own. Amazing job by the cast all around.

Beginning: 9

Characters: 10

Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Reminiscent of what they did with the Snuggle bear, the characters are not quite animated, but an odd form of CGI. They don’t feel like fake creatures, rather they are a uniquely pleasant creation. Seeing them interact with Christopher Robin and the settings around them was a treat. I loved the way the Hundred Acre Woods are captured and the well-crafted closeups of the characters that evoke emotion. Especially powerful was the montage of Christopher Robin growing into a man at the beginning of the movie. It shows you just how far removed he is from his childhood.

Conflict: 7

Genre: 9
I appreciate it when a kids film can take their material and use it to appeal to adults. Christopher Robin straddles the line between adults and children extremely well and makes it an enjoyable experience for all. I smiled. I laughed. And maybe, just maybe, I got a little teary.

Memorability: 9
The movie hits you with a strong message about the necessity of growing up and the importance of holding on to yourself as you age. Watching it inspired me to remember how it felt to be fancy free without a care in the world and how good that felt. The movie does a great job of sprinkling the message in with the fun of the story.

One of my favorite scenes in the movie is when Pooh and Christopher reunite for the first time. They are sitting on park benches facing away from each other. It’s an endearing moment that helps to get the adventure rolling.

Pace: 10

Plot: 10

Resolution: 10
If this ending doesn’t move you, you are not human. Kidding, but it’s the perfect sappy ending for a sappy movie. The kind of ending that makes you want to start the movie over from the beginning and watch it all over again.

Overall: 94
First Po, then Paddington, now Pooh. I don’t know what it is about these bears that put a smile on my face, but whatever it is, it works! Christopher Robin was definitely one of my favorite movies of 2018.
  
Cold Calling
Cold Calling
Haydn Wilks | 2020 | Horror, Thriller
6
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
<b><i>People will put up with all manner of perversion, all manner of fucked-up-ness, they’ll positively revel in it, but what people won’t tolerate is boredom.</b></i>

To a certain extent, I did enjoy this, but I don't feel comfortable saying that due to the depravity and obscenity of it. This certainly has some <i>American Psycho</i> vibes to it, a book which I thoroughly enjoyed, but <i>Cold Calling</i> somehow seems to excel Bateman's darkness with Rhys' spur-of-the-moment crime. I suppose because in <i>American Psycho</i>, there is a clear underlying cultural message and in <i>Cold Calling</i>, that same message doesn't get across so easily, if it's even there at all.

Wilks' writing is good, there's no doubt about that, he keeps you reading and wanting more no matter how disturbed you feel. There's a card game scene in the middle of the novel that I got a bit tired with, but it was to develop the growing anger, boredom and hatred inside of Rhys.

This is definitely <b>NOT</b> one for the squeamish. I'm not surprised this has several low ratings, it's certainly a difficult novel to handle and is only going to be enjoyed by a very niche market.

One thing I <i>really</i> love about this book is the gruesome cover art!

Thanks to Haydn Wilks for sending me a copy in exchange for a review!