#AmReading + #AmWatching + #AmListening - Media Shares And #Reviews 05-03-20

The only important thing in a book is the meaning that it has for you.
~W. Somerset Maugham

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 two amazing books. So, here's what I read, along with my book reviews.

Eradication by Charles E. Yallowitz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
OK, WOW! If it wasn't for my reading time being more limited this week, I could have totally read this book in one sitting! It's an amazing addition to the series, which was a gripping read. It has an exciting plot, which alternates between being an action-packed thrill ride and an emotional rollercoaster, with some delightful moments of comedy thrown in to give you a moment to catch your breath. The way these characters are evolving is wonderful, and I can't wait to see what will happen next.

Grinders by C.S. Boyack
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is another amazing book by this author. The characters are relatable and believable people, the plot is fantastic, and the worldbuilding is incredible. It has an extremely satisfying ending too. Not to mention, it's an interesting glimpse in to possible future technological and scientific advances, as well as being a subtle but powerful reminder of where we might be heading if we don't start making wiser choices and taking care of our planet. All those elements, combined with the author's wonderful writing, make for an excellent read, which I have no hesitation at all in recommending.

• Watching:

This week I watched the first season of "Game Of Thrones" and snatches of various Disney movies.

Now, I actually tried to watch "Game Of Thrones" before, but just couldn't get in to it, because so much was happening to so many people I couldn't keep track (I usually use voices to keep track of which character is which, but there were just so many I wasn't sure where to start, so was quickly confused). However, after having been told by a few people who were fans of both the TV show and the books that the books were easier to follow, I decided to give them a read. Having enjoyed them, I thought I'd give the TV series another chance. To be honest, mostly just to see how it differs from the books, because I was kind of curious about that. Anyway, watching it with some understanding from the books to ground myself in the world beforehand - and enough knowledge of some of the main characters that I could use that to help me identify them while learning to recognize the sound of their character voices - really helped, and I'm actually enjoying the TV series a lot more this time around. Enough that I watched the whole first season over the weekend, when I hadn't gotten past episode two before. I still think the books are better though.

• Listening:

This week I haven't really been listening to anything. But, since it was St. David's Day on Sunday, he's the patron saint of Wales, and I'm Welsh, I have a traditional Welsh lullaby for you for this week, just because it's pretty.

For those who might be interested in knowing, here's a quick Welsh lesson for you: "Suo Gan" translates to lullaby. Well, the literal translation is "Lull song" (since "suo" is "lull" and "gan" is "song"). But that's how translations often work, isn't it? The point is, the song's title essentially translates to, "Lullaby." So, now you know. You're welcome.