Sharing a House with the Never-Ending Man by Steve Alpert ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Sharing a House with the Never-Ending Man is a memoir by Steve Alpert, an American who worked at the … Continue reading Book Review: Sharing a House with the Never-Ending Man

Sharing a House with the Never-Ending Man by Steve Alpert ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Sharing a House with the Never-Ending Man is a memoir by Steve Alpert, an American who worked at the … Continue reading Book Review: Sharing a House with the Never-Ending Man
The Child Who Never Was by Jane Renshaw Sarah wakes up one day to find that her beautiful 18-month-old child has gone missing. She begins a frantic search only to … Continue reading Book Review: The Child Who Never Was
The Milk Wagon by Michael Hewes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I admit: what first appealed to me about The Milk Wagon by Michael Hewes was the cover. That sleek, retro ’80s image kept … Continue reading Book Review: The Milk Wagon
When quarantine first started, I took the opportunity to squeeze in as many books as possible and now that I’ve started, I can’t stop! Here’s the list of books I’ve … Continue reading 12 Quarantine Reads
Recently I took part in the #LaredoEarthDay challenge for the week leading up to Earth Day 2020. My friend Marilyn made a template of activities to do each day and … Continue reading Earth Week Tunes
I picked up this book for one simple reason: My kindle was offering a free read. The promotion is going on all month and there’s a pretty good selection of … Continue reading Book Review: The Silence
Dreamseller is the addiction memoir of pro skateboarder turned junkie: Brandon Novak. One of the reasons I chose this book is because of Wolf Boys, my book club’s January read … Continue reading Book Review: Dreamseller
2019 year in books
I fell in love with Gothic literature the first time I read Edgar Allen Poe in 7th grade English class. There’s something addicting about that dark undertone that makes you glance into shadows while still not wanting to turn on the light. Poe isn’t the only writer who excels in this genre: H.P. Lovecraft writes bone-chilling horror; one of his stories spooked me so much when I was pregnant I had to set it down and still haven’t picked it up. I’ll probably do that now that my hormones are back in check.
Elements typical of a gothic novel include decaying settings or mysterious architecture, supernatural beings, curses or prophecies, romance, and intense emotions. Books can include gothic elements and still not be considered gothic literature, and many books from the late 18th and 19th centuries do just that. So even if you’re not a big fan of horror in the traditional sense, you can still find those elements sprinkled throughout the romantic era.
I’m on a bit of a kick, reading any book I can get a digital copy of, so here’s a few I’ve dove into:
These gorgeous hardcover books were purchased at Barnes and Noble
Originally posted on 15 November 2019
In terms of genres, country isn’t one I automatically gravitate towards; but there’s something about the classic country and Americana sound that speaks to me. Psychobilly band Tiger Army has always been a favorite of mine, so when I came across the singer, Nick 13’s, solo album I was hooked. I wasn’t looking for it, but the dark country sound of “Carry My Body Down” showed up on my YouTube feed with the woody bass tone from the upright, the outlaw guitar twang, and Nick13 in a suit looking like a badass.
Every song on the album has its own character: from the upbeat drive on 101, and the elegant versions of Tiger Army’s In the Orchard and Cupid’s Victim, to the melancholic and mysterious All Alone. It’s one of the reasons this album has been on repeat for the past week. Nick 13 also does a fantastic job of storytelling on each track which is essential to a good country song.
Nashville Winter is a personal favorite of mine. It begins bright and hopeful, in a major key, where our narrator is anticipating the kind of journey you set on to find yourself. A bridge in minor begins to sprinkle some doubt when our narrator states he has no reason to leave, but that doubt quickly dissipates because it’s something that must be done. Our chorus chimes in and eases us into a sweet subdominant pocket as our narrator describes his journey. A solo section of surf-toned guitar and fiddle make us want to dance with our sweethearts as a pedal steel guitar segues us into the song’s uplifting conclusion where the narrator returns home to his darling.
Nick 13 is available for digital download and on vinyl, and can be found on all streaming platforms. It’s definitely one you want in your collection and I can’t wait for his next solo release.
Originally posted 17 October 2019