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Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) by Brian Eno
Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) by Brian Eno
1974 | Rock
9.5 (2 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"There’s something very quirky about the two records Brian Eno made just after he left Roxy Music. They feel naturally 'him’, in a way, like he didn’t really think about it too much. He did it very quickly, in a sort of 'of-the-time’ kind of way, and those records really brought out his character more than any other music he’s done over the years, even including his ambient stuff – I think he thinks about all that ambient stuff too much, in a way. The earlier records feel like they were done with humour and fun. Obviously there’s a big cash incentive if you’re asked to produce Coldplay or U2, they’re difficult things to turn down if you’re any producer. But I think it’s been debilitating for him, he should just be more experimental. [But] I do hear a lot of good stories about his approach and the way he coaxes the best out of people as a producer. There was a bit of a connection between him and Depeche Mode – he did some remixes for 'I Feel You', which were called the Swamp mixes, and they’re typical Eno. They sound exactly like the kind of thing you’d expect him to do, and I loved them. And I thought they were great. There was a connection because Flood had worked with on the U2 records, and they’d hired a house and built a studio there, and all lived together to make a record. I said 'That’s a great idea, let’s do the same thing’. And it was a total disaster. We lived together and recorded together, and of course, it was one of the most uncreative recording sessions… actually, it wasn’t really – it was one of the most difficult recording sessions we’ve ever had. We were all living in this house and nothing was getting done, and yet, when I look back and see what we produced over a very long period of ten weeks, we recorded three of the best Mode tracks ever."

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Case Histories (Jackson Brodie, #1)
Case Histories (Jackson Brodie, #1)
Kate Atkinson | 2010 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry, Thriller
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I quite honestly don’t know why it took me so long to get round to reading/ listening to these books. I listened to Case Histories on my library’s audiobook app, and loved how the narrator, Susan Jameson, brought the story to life. The cases at first sight seem unrelated, but coincidences occur as the story goes on. They’re all quite quirky characters, which I enjoyed, particularly the sisters from case one. They ask Jackson to find out what happened to their little sister 40 years ago. Whilst sleeping in a tent in the back garden, three year old Olivia went missing. When find her beloved Blue Mouse in their deceased fathers desk drawer, they start to think that there is more to her disappearance - and it’s close to home.
Case two is about the death of a young woman at her fathers solicitors offices. After many years, the man who murdered her in broad daylight in the busy office, has still never been found.
The third case is a famous one. Tanya, a nurse, had been given the task of bringing up her niece after her sister murders her husband with an axe. However, Tanya has lost contact with the child (now a woman), and wants to find her again.
The fourth case is that of Jacksons own sister. After their mothers death, Jacksons sister is murdered on her way home from work. The murderer is never found.
It was really interesting to see how the cases wove together as the story went on, but what I really found interesting were the flashbacks to around the times of the murders.
Many of the characters are pretty unpleasant - except for the very moral Jackson Brodie - and I found that an interesting contrast.
I think that this is a series that I’m going to have to read more of. I like the Brodie character, and I’m intrigued to see if the next book is set up in a similar way.
  
If I Stay (2014)
If I Stay (2014)
2014 | Drama
Gross. My undying love for these disgustingly quirky YA slops renders me unable to rate this the easy one star it most definitely deserves - but make no mistake, this is the worst one since... maybe 𝘔𝘦 𝘉𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘠𝘰𝘶? The type of movie that does everything wrong: sterile visually, stagnant structurally, humdrum narratively, and it doesn't help that Stacy Keach (so wonderful here) is the only one in the entire movie giving a good performance - watching the normally capable Moretz attempt to emote in this is downright hysterical, that supposedly emotional hallway screaming scene had me *cackling*. Also I'd be willing to put serious money down against anyone who can find a film with worse dialogue. "Guys play music for two reasons: to get laid, and because they got rage" is an actual piece of speech uttered in this. Much of the hilarious cringe (see: the aforementioned awful dialogue) and endearing oversentimentality I find a warm familiarity with in this genre is intact, but the sickening fetishization of death and child abuse (cardboard cutout love interest: "My parents were never there... everyone leaves me...", what the movie wants us to be like: "W O W … he's so deep and profound 😍😍") in this make it feel closer to some sick exploitation piece that also isn't good. Even if that weren't the case, this relationship and its characters are lifeless even before the death plot hits and the guy is a faceless asshole that the Moretz character is just expected to bend to the whim of - and his band is fucking *horrible*. Speaking of which, funny how cultured this thinks it is because it never shuts up about punk and classical music even though it doesn't have a precious clue about either. Should have been a slam dunk, don't know why they decided to play it so indifferently. Written by that outcast from your high school who growled at people and drew Harry Potter porn at lunch.
  
Psychic Whispers (Woodward Hill #1)
Psychic Whispers (Woodward Hill #1)
Arial Burnz, AJ Nuest | 2020 | Mystery, Paranormal, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Psychic Whispers is the first book in the Woodward Hill series and I LOVED IT! This was just the right book at the right time and I fell in love with the characters of this small, gossipy, quirky town.

Inara has the ability to talk to the animals, she even calls herself Dr DoLittle. Unfortunately, before she was old enough to fully understand or use her ability, she was attacked by a pitbull. This left scars, both seen and unseen, that she is determined to work past. Nik has been the 'son gone bad' for too long in the town. The son of a man accused (but cleared) of murder, his reputation has always hung over him like a shroud. He thinks Inara is too good for him. She thinks he is put off by her scars.

Aww, come on, people. You know these two will end up together but it's not a smooth road by any stretch of the imagination. With fears on both sides, a small-town mindset working against them, oh, and plus a murder to solve whilst staying alive, these two have their work cut out for them.

There are a whole host of supporting characters that I loved and, fair warning Ms Burnz and Ms Nuest, I'll be wanting stories for all of them! 😉

The world-building is excellent with just the right attention to detail that I needed. The pacing is smooth and the steamy scenes are hot! Nik is pure alpha but Inara is no pushover.

All in all, this was a brilliant read and a fantastic opening to a new series that I will be following closely and reading ALL of them! Highly recommended by me.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
Playing with Fire (Magical Romantic Comedies #1)
Playing with Fire (Magical Romantic Comedies #1)
R.J. Blain | 2017 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This review and more can be found at my blog
https://aromancereadersreviews.blogspot.com
A Romance Reader's Reviews

This one starts with Bailey working at the coffee shop where she makes drinks for its regular but unusual breed of customers from humans to pixies to werewolves, adding a pinch of dust to each drink to give them a high. Her nemesis, Chief Quinn, comes in and she makes him a drink before he heads out, taking her boss with him, leaving Bailey to work an 18 hour shift alone. Jealously flares within Bailey as she's had a thing for Quinn since he asked her to find proof of his wife's cheating. When Bailey is asked by Quinn's former brother-in-law to help her find someone, she's reluctant but agrees, and is handed a phone. Only the phone isn't all that it seems setting in motion a series of events that throws her into Quinn's life more than either bargained for.

I enjoyed the first 40% of this more than the latter 60%. The beginning was fun and quirky. I loved the sort of love/hate thing she had going on with Quinn. I enjoyed the banter between her and some of the other cops and it was just up my street. It just seemed their will they/won't they get together thing was concluded too early in the book and I was wondering what the rest of the book would be about. It lost some of its appeal for me after the weird Gorgon vomit scene. And then I just struggled to connect with it again. I soldiered on, determined to finish it.

I also found Quinn's family very complicated. He has almost every type of creature in his family tree from angels to incubus to gorgon but he is very much human and I couldn't keep track of who was who half of the time.

I liked it enough that I'd buy more of this series.
  
The Umbrella Academy - Season 2
The Umbrella Academy - Season 2
2020 | Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Soundtrack (0 more)
This quirky show always seems to deliver!

I don't normally start out by mentioning soundtracks but from the get-go it packed an absolute punch, and became a living, breathing, essential part of the show.
There was a good range of old and modern, foreign language versions, and just a whole mix of genres - that had me looking up tracks and adding them to my playlists.
Adele's 'Hello' will never be the same again.

This season I genuinely sang, laughed, cried, cheered, and my jaw dropped. Watching programmes on my own means it is normally hard to elicit an actual physical, or emotional, response.

The show has definitely eased into a comfortable stride, and the characters were far more likeable, now that a lot of the angst is out of the way. All the characters have matured somewhat but retained many of their issues, it's what makes them them, and in any good TV show, it takes a bit of time to fully overcome these.
I have come to love and appreciate many of the characters differently from season one. Season one had a few more stand out characters, and they really pushed those ones on to the audience. Whereas this time, it felt more like an ensemble piece, with all the parts being essential (and did I mention more likeable 😅).

The show touched on some tricky themes, and resonates with the current political climate. I feel like the show dealt with these historically horrific times with an elegance and dignity that was in keeping with the feel of the programme.

A few more puzzle pieces fell into place but there is still plenty of mystery left to keep you wanting more.
The whole thing is over the top, messy, and utterly outrageous at times, but that is all part of the charm.
I am eager for the next season, and hope it isn't delayed too much.
  
Lost in Plain Sight
Lost in Plain Sight
Alan Camrose | 2020 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Thriller
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I freaking loved this! Yes you heard right, if I could sum my review up in 4 simple words that would be exactly what I would write!

So what made this so good I hear you ask?

For starters, Alan managed to bring 2 of my favourite genres together and it just worked, so well. From the 1st page I was sold, it reeled me in and didn’t let go. This was a book I could really sink my teeth into.

Told in multiple POV’s, which trust me when I say it doesn’t always work and you can easily get lost and have to go back on yourself, I can honestly say this flowed with absolute ease. Each Chapter is told by a one of the main Character’s and you know straight away whose POV you are reading as it’s a chapter heading. The main characters are relatable, quirky and I loved getting to know them.

This was really was well written and Alan is very descriptive when setting a scene. As this is not set in a fictitious world and set in Brighton, you can truly imagine yourself there, especially if you know the area well. This is one of the main reasons I loved this so much. As a fantasy lover, I am used to world building and imaginary places, but having the story set in a actual place with the fantasy element running alongside, was refreshing. Everything is there for fantasy fans…..magic, demons, fae folk, The list goes on. For thriller fans there is murder, mystery and an engaging plot.

All in all this had everything to keep me enthralled and not forgetting it had me laughing out loud in places, Alan clearly has a wicked sense of humour which clearly shines through in his writing.

I received Lost In Plain Sight by Alan Camrose for free in exchange for an honest review as part of a blog tour for Love Books Tours
  
What Fresh Hell
What Fresh Hell
Lucy Vine | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry, Humor & Comedy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I had seen both reviews were people loved this book and others found it pretty annoying and far too girly, so wasn’t sure what I would think but kept an open mind. It ended up being such an easy read, and one that I didn’t want to put down (and tried to power through after a long day at work but ultimately had to give in to sleep!).
I found the little wedding notes inserted in between some of the chapters both quirky and funny, and it took a few of them for me to realise the food was exactly the same at all of the weddings. I also liked how her gifts got less and less extravagant the further through the book we got (the coins in the carrier bag being my favourite).
It’s very relevant, and I think most women will know what it’s like to feel pressured into going to every hen do (even if there are multiple for the same person) and every wedding that you are invited to, because you don’t want to upset anyone and hope that they will do the same for you when it’s your turn. And this book deals with that feeling while also making it clear that it’s ok to say no (most people aren’t invited to as many as Lilah is in one year though!).
I loved the email exchanges about the hen do, as we all know nobody reads the emails properly and someone will always ask a question that has already been answered! I had to really laugh at the parents phone calls to Lilah, and some of the insults they used really did entertain me.
It was predictable what was going to happen in some ways, but I think that’s what made it such an easy, enjoyable read for me. It was one that didn’t need much concentration for me to follow (unlike my previous few books) and it still had a good storyline.
I will definitely be looking at more of Lucy Vine’s books in the future!