Caitlin Moran.

As i'm on the train to go see my best pal Tom, (whose blog you can read here), i'm reading one of Caitlin Moran's books, 'How To Be A Woman'.
Previously I read one of her other books 'How To Build A Girl' and absolutely loved it. It's one of the rare books that once I started reading it I just couldn't put it down, and ended up finishing it in 2 days.

How To Build A Girl

Even though the book is fictional, I love how honest it is. Caitlyn really doesn't hold back when she's writing and that's one of the things I like most about her as an author.  'How To Build A Girl' has so many different elements to it too. At one point you'll feel sympathetic towards the protagonist, then you'll be laughing. Then to put a real twist on things you'll be cringing at the slightly more awkward parts of the book. I found myself racing to finish the book because I just couldn't wait to find out what happens, it's such a rollercoaster of a book.

How To Be A Woman

I've read less than a chapter in 'How To Be A Woman' and already I can't wait to read the rest of it. Caitlyn sets the scene pretty much straight away and she's not scared to just jump straight into it. I obviously can't say too much about this one not having read it yet so i'll copy down the blurb for you and you can see if it's something you'd like to read!

"It's a good time to be a woman: we have the vote and the Pill, and we haven't been burnt as witches since 1727. However, a few nagging questions do remain...
Why are we supposed to get Brazilians? Should we use Botox? And why does everyone ask when you're going to have a baby?"

It goes without saying that these books appeal to the slight feminist in me. I totally recommend them if you like the sound of them!
𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕒𝕓𝕖𝕝

Rambling post #3: Dream big.

For as long as I can remember one of my biggest dreams has been to be a published author. When I was little I used to write short stories in this little book that I made, and I even illustrated the pages and designed my front cover. As a kid I was very imaginative and these stories would just erupt from my pen without even having to think about it.
Now i'm an adult, it gets harder. I still want to write a book one day, I just have absolutely no idea what to write about. I've seen interviews with some of my favourite authors like John Green and Michael Grant, and they all pretty much say the same thing.
"Write about what you know".
I've read book reviews where the critic has criticized the author for writing about something a little out of their depth. I think to be able to write about something, you need to fully understand it first, even if it takes extensive research.
I always loved how authors like J.K.Rowling, J.R.R.Tolkien, Michael Grant and Suzanne Collins created their own worlds like Panem and Middle Earth with their own rules and characters. This is the kind of book i'd love to write, I just can't think of an imaginative universe that I can create. Maybe one day I will be able to when I've experienced a little more of the world. But as of right now, I don't think this is the right path.
However, recently I sort of had a bit of a brain wave and came up with a main theme and possible name of a novel I could start writing. I'm not going to tell you what it will be about, because that would be too nice and a b it of a spoiler. It's still just an idea brewing in my mind, and if I become more and more sure that it will work, you will find things out.

𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕒𝕓𝕖𝕝

TV Obsession.

When it comes to TV series, i'm one of those people that gets easily hooked. I don't understand how people can just casually watch an episode here and there. I watched the whole of Gossip Girl in two weeks. If I didn't have a job and University to go to i'd have done it in one. Half of the blame goes to Netflix. They're very sneaky with the whole 'automatically play next episode' business. It's very easy to get stuck in a Netflix hole. But thanks to the genius' behind it, we have Orange Is The New Black, which if you haven't watched, you should. It's absolutely hilarious.

Just some of the series I have watched (my favourites are in bold):

• The Vampire Diaries
• LOST
• Pretty Little Liars
• Game of Thrones
• Made In Chelsea
• Nashville
• 90210
• FRIENDS
• Black Mirror
• Orange Is The New Black
• This Is England
• Desperate Housewives
• The Originals
• Fresh Meat
• Misfits
• The Walking Dead
• Gossip Girl
• My Mad Fat Diary
• Once Upon A Time
• Heroes
• The Big Bang Theory
• Sherlock
• Doctor Who
• Revenge
• Hemlock Grove
• The Inbetweeners
• One Tree Hill
• Prison Break
• American Horror Story
• Scrubs
• Outnumbered
• Gavin and Stacey

I'm always on the lookout for the next series I can obsess over, any recommendations would be brilliant: but if you're going to say Breaking Bad, just don't. I tried it and I honestly don't see what all the fuss is about.

February Payday Book Haul!

Whilst on my exciting week off which you can read about here, I found myself looking at my bookshelf and decided it was looking rather bare. I then decided that I'd treat myself when it came to my next payday. Of course, as it came to spending money, I lived up to this promise to myself.

I wandered into Waterstones, purposely looking for The Hourglass Factory by Lucy Ribchester, and instead walked out with 5 completely different books.

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

"Charlie is a freshman. And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it. Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But Charlie can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up."

I've already watched the film and really enjoyed it (not just because Percy Jackson and Hermione were in it). A few friends have recommended the book to me so I think it's about time I see what the fuss is about.

A Murder Most Unladylike: A Wells and Wong Mystery by Robin Stevens

"When Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong set up their very own deadly secret detective agency at Deepdean School for Girls, they struggle to find any truly exciting mysteries to investigate. (Unless you count the case of Lavinia’s missing tie. Which they don’t, really.)

But then Hazel discovers the Science Mistress, Miss Bell, lying dead in the Gym. She thinks it must all have been a terrible accident – but when she and Daisy return five minutes later, the body has disappeared. Now the girls know a murder must have taken place . . . and there’s more than one person at Deepdean with a motive.

Now Hazel and Daisy not only have a murder to solve: they have to prove a murder happened in the first place. Determined to get to the bottom of the crime before the killer strikes again (and before the police can get there first, naturally), Hazel and Daisy must hunt for evidence, spy on their suspects and use all the cunning, scheming and intuition they can muster. But will they succeed? And can their friendship stand the test?"

I was stood in Waterstones looking at this and a lady who worked there recommended it. And also sneakily included the fact that I could get this and the sequel for £10. Bargain.

Arsenic for tea: A Wells and Wong Mystery by Robin Stevens

"Schoolgirl detectives Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are at Daisy's home, Fallingford, for the holidays. Daisy's glamorous mother is throwing a tea party for Daisy's birthday, and the whole family is invited, from eccentric Aunt Saskia to dashing Uncle Felix. But it soon becomes clear that this party isn't really about Daisy at all. Naturally, Daisy is furious.

Then one of their party falls seriously, mysteriously ill - and everything points to poison.

With wild storms preventing anyone from leaving, or the police from arriving, Fallingford suddenly feels like a very dangerous place to be. Not a single person present is what they seem - and everyone has a secret or two. And when someone very close to Daisy looks suspicious, the Detective Society must do everything they can to reveal the truth . . . no matter the consequences."

As I said earlier, there was a decent deal for this book and it's prequel. I quite like murder mysteries so I'm looking forward to reading both of these.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

"This is Susie Salmon. Watching from heaven, Susie sees her happy, suburban family devastated by her death, isolated even from one another as they each try to cope with their terrible loss alone. Over the years, her friends and siblings grow up, fall in love, do all the things she never had the chance to do herself. But life is not quite finished with Susie yet . . . The Lovely Bones is a luminous and astonishing novel about life and death, forgiveness and vengeance, memory and forgetting - but, above all, about finding light in the darkest of places."

I started to read this a while ago and for some reason (I can't remember why) I got sidetracked. My Mum keeps telling me how much better it is than the film (which I also haven't seen yet), and I quite fancy actually finishing it this time.

The Humans by Matt Haig

"After an 'incident' one wet Friday night where Professor Andrew Martin is found walking naked through the streets of Cambridge, he is not feeling quite himself. Food sickens him. Clothes confound him. Even his loving wife and teenage son are repulsive to him. He feels lost amongst a crazy alien species and hates everyone on the planet. Everyone, that is, except Newton, and he's a dog.

What could possibly make someone change their mind about the human race. . . ?"

I loved reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon, and this is said to be along the same lines.

I think I have plenty to be getting on with for now!

Jurassic Park; comparing book to film.

Usually with franchises like this, it's the norm to read the book, then watch the film. I did this with Harry Potter, Twilight and The Hunger Games.

However, as I stated in my last post here, I never realised that Jurassic Park was a book, until a few months ago (i'm a slow reader). 

When I was younger I was obsessed with dinosaurs, and Jurassic Park was my number 1. When I was 8 I even wanted to be a palaeontologist (Google it). So you can imagine my delight when I discovered the novel by Michael Crichton.
On the whole, the book seems a lot gorier than the film. However, it's a lot easier for violence and carnage to come across on the big screen, whereas novels rely on the heavy use of adjectives to get their points across.
There are also a few character changes within the book. For instance, Lex, who's character is around 13/14 in the movie, is actually 8 years old in the novel. I have to say I agree with Steven Spielberg on this one. I prefer Lex and Tim's relationship in the film, and this wouldn't have been the same if Lex was 8. In the movie, Timmy is the younger and 'annoying' brother whereas Lex is the more mature and stubborn older sister. Their constant arguing and bickering provides a slight comical effect that then downplays the imminent danger that they are facing, therefore making the movie more child - friendly.
Other changes between the two include some differences to the storyline.
There are a lot of things that have been changed in transition from novel to movie. Having studied Media for 4 years I know that Spielberg will have had very good reasons for doing so, and I for one am glad he did.
I enjoyed the book, but it's still the film that makes it for me. Whether it's because I broke tradition and watched the film before the book, I will never know.

𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕒𝕓𝕖𝕝

My Top 5 Books.

Well, funny thing is, I don't have a top 5.

I love to read. Sometimes it's good to sit in a quiet room and take yourself off to another world like Panem or Hogwarts. Although I haven't read a massive array of books, (unless you count the likes of Jacqueline Wilson and Louise Rennison when I was younger) recently I've morphed into somewhat of a bookworm.

At the moment I'm reading Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. Jurassic Park is definitely my most favourite film franchise (I can assure you that no one else is more excited for JP4 this summer). It was only a few months ago that I realised the movies were developed from a novel, even though it says it at the end of the film and i've watched the film 2784018 times (that is not accurate). I'm absolutely loving it so far despite having dinosaur nightmares after reading it before I go to bed!

Speaking of film franchises coming from books, the Harry Potter series is a very close second to Jurassic Park. I read the Harry Potter books as I was growing up and from the second I picked up The Philosopher's Stone, I absolutely fell in love with the wizarding world that J.K. Rowling created. My favourite book of the series has to be The Order Of The Phoenix. I read them a long time ago so I can't really remember why, I just remember enjoying that one the most, and the fact that my Mum bought me it the day it was released. That always felt pretty special to me.

Further down the age line I was introduced to the world of Panem by one of my very close friends. Reading The Hunger Games was the first time I couldn't put a book down. So naturally, I finished Catching Fire and Mockingjay a matter of weeks after starting the first one.

Then in the past year I moved onto the likes of The Fault In Our Stars by John Green (I cried), Wonder by R.J. Palacio (I cried), The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne (I cried) and The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nighttime by Mark Haddon (I didn't cry). I also read more of John Green's books such as Will Grayson, Will Grayson and An Abundance Of Katherines.

Sat on my bookshelf waiting to be read are The Lost World (obviously), Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, Tales of Beedle The Bard, and I plan to read the Harry Potter series again because I'm such a Potterhead.

PS. I totes copied the idea for this post from my very best friend Tom. And you can read his ramblings here.

The Blair Witch Project (Spoiler alert!)

Over the years i've heard about this film through many friends, often quoting that it was "terrifying" and "one of the scariest horrors there is".

Last night I finally plucked up the courage to watch it with my cousin.

We prepared by gathering blankets and cushions to hide behind after the frightening reviews we had heard.

The film begins, and we notice that due to the camera angles and quality of the picture, that the director was aiming for a 'home-made look' which in my opinion, came off quite successfully.

However the constant jerks of the camera (which became more frequent as the film went on and the characters were running) left me feeling slightly nauseas. 

As for the 'horror' side of the film, the tension is almost unbearable. If long scenes of staring into the darkness waiting for something to jump out at you (that never does) are what you look for in a horror film then this is perfect for you. But not for me.

The whole film seems to be building you up for a huge climax to make you jump out of your seat...

It never came.

The film finished. That was it. 

The tense, dark scenes in which the characters were following noises, were just dark scenes with the characters following noises.

All in all, the tension has you on the edge of your seat for the whole movie, but leaves you disappointed at the end of the film when there is no real climax.

Not something I would choose to watch again.