#AmReading + #AmWatching + #AmListening - Media Shares And #Reviews 16-01-20

I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.
~Jane Austen

Welcome to this week's weekly media shares and reviews post!

*Disclaimer: no matter what's being reviewed, all opinions in this post are entirely my own, and I reserve the right to have them, regardless of who may or may not share them. Feel free to express your own in the comments, but please respect my right - and the rights of other commenters - to have opinions that might differ from yours, and to express those opinions too.

Also, please remember that I read/watch/listen to things in a variety of genres, and for all ages, so you should make sure you check that the book/movie/show/song is suitable for the intended audience before reading/watching/listening to it, especially if children are involved. I take no responsibility for anything which may happen as a result of failing to do so.

If you want to know more about the book, or the author, click on whichever it is you want to learn more about, and it will take you to the appropriate page on Goodreads. Clicking on my rating should take you to my actual Goodreads review for the book in question. Please bear in mind that the format I've reviewed on Goodreads may not be the format I actually read.

Alternatively, if it's a movie or TV show you want to know more about, just click on the title to go to a page where you can find out more details about the movie or TV show in question; the title links will usually take you to a page on IMDB.

Unless otherwise stated, all music videos are via YouTube.

OK. Let's see what I've been reading, watching, and listening to, and which song I'm going to share this week, shall we? After all, that's the point of this post, and why you're here today, right?

• Reading:

This week I read three books. So, here's what I read, along with my book reviews.

The Dalai Lama's Cat and the Power of Meow by David Michie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is another excellent addition to this series of books, which manages to be entertaining, while at the same time reminding you of the importance of mindfulness, regardless of whether you're a Buddhist, follow another spiritual path, or follow none at all.

The Dalai Lama's Cat and the Four Paws of Spiritual Success by David Michie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is another wonderful addition to this series, which I was eager to read after having enjoyed the experience of reading the previous books so much. It's an entertaining read, but also carries some serious and thought-provoking lessons, which anyone seeking to learn more about mindfulness may wish to take note of, whether you're a Buddhist, follow a different spiritual path, or follow no spiritual path at all. Not to mention, it's a great one for cat lovers in general.

Deceived by Katrina Cope
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was already excitedly waiting for this book, having enjoyed the previous ones, and the eagerness to learn what would happen only increased when I started reading it. It's a gripping read, with a main character you can't help rooting for and feeling for, not to mention wonderful worldbuilding, and a whole load of other fantastic characters. Awesome ending to an amazing series, which fans of dragons and Norse mythology will love.
*NOTE: I was given a free advanced copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review. This fact has in no way influenced my opinion of the book, nor the contents of this review.

• Watching:

I watched a little over half of "NCIS" season 12, while enjoying some pet playtime over the weekend. I also watched a new to me movie during the past week, which I've read the book for a couple of times, but hadn't gotten around to watching. So, see below this paragraph for the review for the movie.

The Thirteenth Tale (2013 TV Movie):
As a movie in its own right, this was a pretty good movie - not amazing, but pretty good. The characters and plot are both intriguing, and I enjoyed watching it. However, as a representation of the book, it really doesn't do a particularly great job; there's more suspense in the book, and some of the story threads are changed or incredibly abbreviated. So, while I enjoyed watching it, I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I enjoyed reading the book. Still, I am glad I watched it, and would do so again. As to the rating: I give my movie reviews ratings based on the merits of it as a movie, rather than how it compares to the book. So, with that in mind, I give this movie four out of five stars.

• Listening:

This week I've been listening to a little country music, but mostly I've been listening to music that arrived in my inbox via YouTube notifications for people I subscribe to on there. With that in mind, here's "Once Upon A December" by seven year old Claire Crosby for your listening pleasure.