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Morning Hour by Ed Carlsen
Morning Hour by Ed Carlsen
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Rating
Although he professionally trained as a guitarist, Ed Carlsen ultimately began to translate his skills onto piano, honing a versatile performance style in conjunction with his studies on the guitar. Eventually completing his studies in Music Technology at the London College of Music, Ed is now sharing his artistic vision with the world after spending some time making music for film and visual media.

Morning Hour is his third album, set for a September 27th release date on Canadian ambient/instrumental imprint Moderna Records. Words is a fine example of minimal electronic music, and showcases an understated and ambient production style with a core of 16th note repeats that shimmer like stars on a lake. The soul of this work is rooted in life-experience: the exploration and the anxiety that comes from losing some one close to you, as well as the difficult decision to leave the darkness behind for a new light. The music video for Words, the latest from Ed Carlsen, is a behind-the-scenes look at the machinery of personal redemption. As we examine the way that an aesthetic of downtempo can be applied to the visual dimension, we are left with a lasting sense of ordered chaos.
  
Phoenix (Prophecy #1)
Phoenix (Prophecy #1)
Jessica Wayne | 2020 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
76 of 200
Kindle
Phoenix ( THe Prophecy boom 1)
By Jessica Wayne

 
Anastasia Carter is plagued by nightmares of death and coming destruction.

Countless nights she's awoken coated in sweat, unable to shake the feeling that someone was coming for her.

But nightmares are just tricks of the mind, right?

Her world is turned upside-down when dreams become reality and a violent attack rips her away from the man she loves, landing her in a world parallel to her own.

In Terrenia, Anastasia must question everything she ever thought she knew.

As she struggles to come to terms with her new reality, she discovers she doesn't have much time. Terrenia is on the brink of a war that could easily destroy not only this world, but Earth as well, and only one person holds the key.

Anastasia must find the light within to defeat the darkness that comes for them all.It was actually really enjoyable to read. Straight forward very good writing and a world and characters to love and hate!
A bit predictable in places but that wasn’t a bad thing! The book flowed well!
I read a bit of Jessica Wayne when I read a collaboration with Meg Anne and knew I’d enjoy her books!
  
The Good Liar (2019)
The Good Liar (2019)
2019 | Drama
Mirren and McKellen are acting in 2 different movies
In a time where large comic-book, CGI-infused monster fests are all the rage in the Cineplex, it is a welcome relief to find a cleverly written, acting-rich mystery story featuring two world class actors of "a certain age", defying the odds to make a memorable motion picture.

And...they almost succeeded.

Written by Twin Cities native Jeffrey Hatcher, THE GOOD LIAR tells the tale of a...well...good liar played by Ian McKEllen. His con-man, Roy Courtney, is a roguish scamp, bilking crooks and ne'er do wells out of their money. He then sets his sights on rich Widow Betty McLeish (Helen Mirren) and her millions of dollars.

We spend the first 3/4 of this film following Roy - and his con-man ways - and it is a pleasure to spend that time under the twinkling eyes of Sir Ian McKellen. He plays Roy with a bit of a light touch, driving down into the dirty work whenever he needs to, but spending most of his time outsmarting his opponents with a sly grin, a wry comment and a light step. He cares not for his marks, that is...until he meets Betty. And Mirren and McKellen have the ability to play off each other very well and this would have been a more effective film if both of them were acting in the same sort of film.

For, you see, McKellen is playing in a bit of light drama, landing his acting chops in a style reminiscent of con-man films like THE STING and NOW YOU SEE ME. Mirren, however, (who takes over the last 1/4 of the film) seems to be performing in a heavy drama like SOPHIE'S CHOICE or THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN and I think it was the tone that each of these actors brought to their roles that drove both of these fine actors to this project.

Unfortunately, the dichotomy of the different acting styles, mood and tone ultimately derails this film and brings it down a peg from the austere heights it aspires to be.

I place the blame on Director Bill Condon (Mr. Holmes) who had two very good actors - and an interesting story - and just couldn't find the correct balance point for these actors, and this story. He also is not helped by Hatcher's script which really takes a dark turn (darker than is necessary for the story) that is a bit jarring. If this film wanted to be heavy and dark, then it shouldn't have been so light and fun at the beginning - and Sir Ian's performance needed to be heavier and darker at the beginning. Or it needed to "lighten up a bit" at the end and push Mirren's performance out of the darkness and a bit more into the light.

All-in-all it's a fine, throwback. A two actor film that is in short supplies these days - so well worth seeing. Though I will always pine for what could have been had the tone been evened out between these two veteran performers.

Letter Grade: B

7 Stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
  
Remnants of Ash (Reign of Fae #1)
Remnants of Ash (Reign of Fae #1)
C K Dawn | 2019 | Dystopia, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
7
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Mere mortal. Fae hunter. Oh, and the apocalypse? Yeah, that happened!

She’s an unstoppable human. He’s an immovable beast. But the Fae have scorched the earth, thrusting it into unending darkness, and humans are next...

Through her research, University of Washington student Chloe Etain stumbled into an ancient war between the Light and Dark Fae that has culminated in her world being thrown into pre-industrial chaos. Dark Fae scum now roam free, feeding on unsuspecting humans. Chloe knows the truth though and, possibly, how to stop it. But as a mere mortal, what can she do?

That’s when the fates step in. Bram Tice, a fae hunting his own kind, vows to help Chloe. But he won’t say which Court demands his allegiance. Together, they set out to right the imbalance plaguing her world and save humanity before they turn into nothing more than remnants of ash.



This has been in my tbr pile for a while so I was looking forward to getting stuck in.
I can't really say I enjoyed it it wasn't a bad read but something was missing for me.

The storyline seemed to have a few holes and it was quite jumpy in parts (not the scary jumpy either 🤣 )
I will continue with book 2 as I don't like to give up on any series.

⭐⭐⭐