Battle of the Bands: O Death R.I.P Ralph Stanley

Picking songs and ideas for the Battle of the Bands can get tough when you get distracted by other songs you find.

Here are the rules: You pick the one you like best by casting your vote in the comments. I tally them up and I will announce the winner on the 7th. I encourage you to check out the other mighty Battles and if you want to join up details can be found here!

Ralph Stanley a bluegrass legend passed away on June 23. He is the inspiration for this Battle. Bluegrass and Americana make appearances on my Battles once in a while. I'll try to keep the twang to a minimum.

The song I choose is "O Death." A traditional song dating back to the 1920's. Perhaps penned by Lloyd Chandler. Where ever the roots of this song come from Dr. Stanley turned it into a Grammy. I think the song s fitting..

Ralph singing it...

Vote for one of the contenders. Not Ralph Stanley. He already won a Grammy.

Contender One: Lauren O'Connell

Contender Two: Jen Titus

It should be an interesting battle. I look forward to seeing who wins. The winner is decided by your votes in the comments so vote away!

Hourglass Heights Review and Blog Tour

Welcome to my review of Ian David Noakes "Hourglass Heights." It is the author's debut novel but it reads like he has been honing his craft for years.

The book is 277 pages long and published by Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd.. The novel is a fun ride as it is erotic, it could be called a horror, and it is a thriller you won't want to put down.



Here is a synopsis of the book:

Who is brutally murdering the male residents of the Hourglass Heights apartment complex? At first glance, it would appear that their spouses are the killers, but Detective Marcia Tanaka believes that a serial killer is responsible.

​Through the course of her investigation, Detective Tanaka is pulled into a world of Japanese folklore and the supernatural as she explores the darker side of relationships, sex and psyche. She must learn to defeat her own personal demons before she can defeat one that is far more sinister.

Hourglass Heights combines the mystery and suspense of a supernatural murder investigation with the intense sexual exploration usually found only in erotica.

This book isn't for you if you don't want to read about sex, gruesome murders, which can be graphic at times. Not a children's book. But you wouldn't expect a book labeled erotic, a horror and a thriller to be.

The book was slow for me to get into, thankfully it was something I could overcome. The characters are interesting, human with their flaws. 

Taking place in an apartment building called Hourglass Heights the detective tries to solve a series of brutal murders. Throughout the novel she meets her own demons, sexual encounters, and the supernatural. Some writers touch on some of these things in their work in books, television, and movies however Noakes blends it all and turns the burners up to another level! A solid read and look forward to seeing what else he has in store in the future. Reading the book you can understand why it has been nominated for a couple of awards.

4 out of 5 Stars.

The author:

 Want to learn more about the author visit his website.

Interested in the book? Check it out at Amazon. 

Thanks for visiting and happy reading!