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Kurt Vile recommended Live At The East by Pharoah Sanders in Music (curated)

 
Live At The East by Pharoah Sanders
Live At The East by Pharoah Sanders
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"I had that record for a long time and didn't pay much attention to it. I turned Jesse onto it. He's since tried to get it, and it's like $20, but I found it in a bin for like $4, $6. I didn't pay much attention to it, but then once I got deep into him - it's an incredible performance around the same time. The first song on there, 'Healing Song', does that very similar thing where it's just a couple of chords, but on this one they have two bass players. So they have one guy that's just playing the basic chords, the other one's really walking around it in this spiritual way, and the piano player's incredible, and people are even singing along. It sounds like late '80s or early '90s pop, like I think about this Janet Jackson song, it's a prototype for African-American pop, where it's all these songs, like... It's not like, "Ah man, I love me some Janet Jackson" - that stuff just gets embedded just 'cause you hear it on the radio 24/7, [but] you know that song, 'Escapade'? There's a riff in that song that I play on my guitar as a joke, but it's actually the best riff ever, it's sort of like that: this simple hook, but obviously they take it beyond, because they're all such good players. It's just pop that you can't deny mixed with free spiritualism."

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Lantern (Danubian #1)
Lantern (Danubian #1)
Charlie Godwyne | 2023 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
LANTERN is the first book in the Danubian series, and we head to the future where we have gone back to the Dark Ages.

Wren has always known he would leave the Monastery and his lovers behind at some point, but when that time comes, he finds it harder than expected. Not only that, but the solitude of being high in the mountains with only a dog for company, is more than he can bear. Luckily for him, Uli comes along and it's a healthy dose of insta-love for both of them.

There is a lot of world-building and explanations of the spiritual side in this book, as you would expect from the first book in a series. I was enthralled by the descriptions of how life was, but would have liked more about Wren interacting with the villagers and trying to adjust to his new way of life, rather than his constant lamentations about being lonely. I would also have liked more descriptions of Ev and Soren and their relationship with Uli.

On the whole, though, this was a great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and can't wait to read the next in the series. Definitely recommended by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

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

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 16, 2023
  
HO
Heart of a Warrior Angel
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
71 of 235
Kindle
Heart of a Warrior Angel
By Lali A. Love
⭐️⭐️

Lilac Noble must face the traumatic experiences of her childhood before she can conquer the dark entities that have wreaked havoc on her family. On this epic journey, Lilac undergoes the destructive process of spiritual enlightenment in order to lift the veil of darkness and shame that has obscured her youth. As Lilac unlocks painful memories of abuse, suppressed in her subconscious from years of fear-based conditioning, she uncovers menacing secrets feeding the evil within her generational bloodline. In an attempt to vanquish the sinister energies, Lilac finds the courage to discover her inner truth, vulnerability, and authenticity, as she awakens her divine light and overcomes her debilitating fears of the past. Lilac's unconditional love for her family guides her through her process of healing and transformation, fuelling her instinct for survival and her burning desire to illuminate the world.
Spanning two continents and three generations, this inspirational novel portrays the best and worst of humanity and shows how the "tiniest spark of light can overcome the darkness of any magnitude," through forgiveness, compassion, and the most powerful force in the universe – Love.

Seems I’m in the minority with this book but I just don’t know why I kept going. This just wasn’t a book for me I don’t think alt I will say it was well written.
  
It seems that when women reach a certain age in their life, they start to feel like their value is decreasing; they are facing the empty nest, (the children are leaving home), they tend to feel like they are limited in what they can do, and there is the fear of aging.

Well, it's time to start looking at life after 40 in a different light! In this book, well-known Christian women from ages 40 to 85 give their wisdom on how to face these worries. With Spiritual wisdom, a sense of humor, these women give some incredible insight into life after 40.

You will read the writings of Lauren F. Winner, Joni Eareckson Tada, Elisa Morgan, Madeleine Engle and kay Warren.

These women will provide ideas and thoughts about aging and to look at aging with your eyes open to new possibilities and most of all to grow closer to God. Each essay provides a look into God's perspective on the later years of life, reminding us that it's always possible to serve Him with the life experiences we have.

The book is comprised of short essays, that makes it quick to read, you can put it down and pick it back up at without interruption of the book.

It was interesting and it made me chuckle a couple of times. This is a good book for those who are in the 40 and over age, or those who are approaching it. It might even be a good book to do in a group setting with women of this age group.
  
LT
Long Trail Home (Texas Trails, #3)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Long Trail Home is a compelling story about forgiveness and ultimately coming back home. Not only in the natural but in the spiritual.

We follow the story of Laura, Annie and Riley. Laura is the instructor of a school for blind children. She has sacrificed her own long term dreams for the children that she loves and adores. But when the school has been threatened to be shut down, will those dreams resurface? Annie, once was a homeless orphan. Now she has a family at the school, but will her deception be her undoing? She has found God's forgiveness but will her fellow man be as forgiving? Riley, a soldier come home to devastation after the war has found peace and refuge working at the school. But will he ever find "home" again?

I enjoyed Long Trail Home. Although the story line was a bit slow at times, there is enough action to keep it going and Vickie McDonough relays a great message. Forgiveness is the main basis of the story. God's forgiveness of the sins we have committed. Forgiveness of our selves. And the forgiveness of others. Coming clean and telling the truth can be the hardest thing to do at times. Especially when we are afraid of what others think. But the best thing we can do for our selves is to walk in the truth and trust that our Heavenly Father will care for us and protect us and lead us home.

I received a free copy of Long Trail Home from Moody Publishers in exchange for my honest review.
  
Songs From The Second Floor (2000)
Songs From The Second Floor (2000)
2000 | Comedy, Drama
(0 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"I guess I’ll have to start with Songs from the Second Floor, which is a film by Roy Andersson, who is a brilliant Swedish filmmaker who basically… He made a feature in the ’70s called A Swedish Love Story that is a really wonderful, strange, funny, acerbic commentary on Sweden that became this huge hit. I think it was the biggest hit ever in Sweden. And then he delved into making commercials for a long time, and he developed this new style over the course of something like 300, 400, 500 commercials. Then, in the early 2000s, he came out with this film that took him several years to make called Songs from the Second Floor, which is like a parody of obsessive perfectionism. He’s very similar Jacques Tati in that he works primarily with stationary wide shots, and he’s always building sets. All of the sets in his films are built from scratch, and the reason his films take so long to make is because each each vignette is one shot, and the set for that shot tends to take a month to build. There’s just like these gorgeous paintings, and there’s this really singular, dark, dry, sad wit driving everything he does. Since Songs from the Second Floor he’s come out with two other films that play like spiritual sequels, You the Living and A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence, which I think you can see on Netflix. But Songs from the Second Floor remains the most perfect of the films, in my opinion."

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Best of 1980-1990 by U2
Best of 1980-1990 by U2
1998 | Rock
8.4 (10 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"Forever when I hear this song it moves me. I think it’s relatable to anyone really, whether they’re out there looking for themselves or someone else, or what’s after this life - I find it very moving. The Joshua Tree is my favourite U2 album - they just did an anniversary tour and I was heartbroken that I wasn’t able to go. “A few years ago I was filming in Toronto and I received an invite from Bono to see U2’s show. So I go along with my friend and I roll my eyes because the invite came through his PR and I thought, ‘Oh this invite isn’t actually from him, he doesn’t actually want me to come.’ But the show was just spiritual and magical - I was hypnotised. “The PR had also invited me to his after party, and again I was thinking, ‘is this really coming from him?’ I had to work the next day at 6am and it was already midnight, but I thought ‘you know what, this is a once in a lifetime experience.’ So we go, we wait for an hour and my friend tells me, ‘let’s just wait for 30 minutes more,’ And just then in strolls Bono - he walks over and sits with me and my friend for about three hours and we just chatted about everything - music, politics, family, spirituality. It was a really special experience. He’s always been a lead singer that I have looked up to and I had so much respect for him for doing that."

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Breathe Into Me Oh Lord by Fred Hammond
Breathe Into Me Oh Lord by Fred Hammond
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"Where do we even start with Fred Hammond? I grew up going to church, the faith is really strong in my family, I don't think there was a week that passed where he didn’t get played in my house so I’ve got a great love for his music. It’s just interesting how gospel music in particular breaks the idea that music is for entertainment. Music shouldn't always be for entertainment, I think that’s an important notion. Music is a gift, music is given to us, whether you believe in nature or a creator, however you want to call it. And it's tough when you become an artist and you have to step into commerce for your art, which is tricky you know, you’ve got to make bread, but I always need things to remind me it isn't always about getting on stage and making people jiggy. Music is a spiritual thing. I think gospel music does that best. The music that resonates in some sort of deity does that best ‘cos its not trying to appeal to anyone in a way. This is like worship, devotion. And Fred Hammond’s catalogue on top of that is just so funky, so sick, the arrangements, his vocals. He’s one of my favourite artists full stop. I just geek out over his stuff. And the fact that I've just always had him in my life. It's funny when I talk to other people that didn't grow up in church and stuff they’re like, ‘Yeah, man, Fred Hammond was in my house every week too!’"

Source
  
RT
Rise to Me ( Psychic surveys book 2)
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
137 of 230
Kindle
Rise to Me ( Psychic surveys book 2)
By Shani Struthers
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"This isn't a ghost we're dealing with. If only it were that simple..."

Eighteen years ago, when psychic Ruby Davis was a child, her mother - also a psychic - suffered a nervous breakdown. Ruby was never told why. "It won't help you to know," the only answer ever given. Fast forward to the present and Ruby is earning a living from her gift, running a high street consultancy - Psychic Surveys - specialising in domestic spiritual clearance.

Boasting a strong track record, business is booming. Dealing with spirits has become routine but there is more to the paranormal than even Ruby can imagine. Someone - something - stalks her, terrifying but also strangely familiar. Hiding in the shadows, it is fast becoming bolder and the only way to fight it is for the past to be revealed - no matter what the danger.

When you can see the light, you can see the darkness too.
And sometimes the darkness stares straight back at you.


This was better than the 1st book and much creepier especially read in the dark. For someone who has mental health issues the creepy dark figures of the mind were just skin crawling. There were some cringe bits but still I really enjoyed it! The whole love beats all was a bit of a small cringe but other than that it was a much creepier book. I always didn’t mind the whole family drama it added a base to the story.
  
184 of 230
Kindle
Whispers of the Walker ( The Gateway Trackers book 1)
By E. E. Holmes
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It’s been several years since Jess and Hannah Ballard foiled a cataclysmic prophecy that could have destroyed their fellow Durupinen, an ancient clan of women who allow spirits to cross between the worlds of the living and the dead. The girls swore, after the devastation and chaos they endured, they would never get caught up in the inner workings of the Durupinen again.

They were wrong.

After breaking the code of secrecy and facing the judgement of the High Council, Jess and Hannah have no choice but to become Trackers, working to take down those who would exploit the spirit world for profit or power. Their first assignment takes them into the deep South, where Jeremiah Campbell, a self-proclaimed spiritual guru, lures wealthy and desperate devotees with promises of a deeper connection with the dead. As the girls go undercover, it soon becomes clear that Campbell is not merely the con artist they suspected him to be, and that they, and the spirit world they are sworn to protect, are once again in unimaginable danger.

It was good! We pick up with the same characters from The Gateway Trilogy and if you haven’t read those I highly recommend especially before starting this series. It was slight drawn out in a few places but it was good to see where they have all developed. I’m hoping this series is as good as the first this book is definitely on the right track.