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Today I finished my English Literature degree! :O Sorry for the random personal post but it felt...

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:46:36 +0100

Today I finished my English Literature degree! :O

Sorry for the random personal post but it felt like it deserved a post. Looking forward to reading and reviewing all the sequels and series that I’m behind on!

P.S. Bring on any recommendations. I’ll add them to the very long list ;)

My Week Ahead in Books...#16

Mon, 13 May 2013 18:01:11 +0100

I’ve finished The Mayor Of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy which was officially my last book I will read for university. A very odd thought. I have an exam on Friday so I’m not reading anything new yet but come Friday lunchtime my reading choices will be my own once again and I can read whatever I want! *cheers* Not that I haven’t enjoyed my uni books but there’s so many sequels, end of series, new books that I need to catch up on!

So by the end of this week I’m hoping to be reading some more of The Casual Vacancy and also I think I may start Prodigy by Marie Lu.

What’s your week ahead in books looking like?

John Green's tumblr: The Commencement Address

Mon, 13 May 2013 16:16:47 +0100

John Green's tumblr: The Commencement Address:

fishingboatproceeds:

Some people have asked to read the commencement address I delivered this morning to the 2013 graduates of Butler University. So here it is.

My own commencement speaker, who shall remain nameless, began with a lame joke about how these speeches only come in two varieties: Short and bad. This…

New Alex Rider novel! ....sort of.

Mon, 13 May 2013 13:23:00 +0100

Anthony Horowitz has announced a new novel to be released in October 2013 called Russian Roulette. It focuses on a teenage Yassen Gregorovich, the assassin from the Alex Rider series. Very exciting, glad he’s not trying to continue Alex Rider even further but nice to have something set in that world still.

This is a summary from a blog, www.empire-of-books.com. I can’t work out where they got it from but it’s a good summary.

“Every story has a beginning. For teen secret-agent Alex Rider, that beginning occurred prior to his first case for MI6, known to all as Stormbreaker. By the time that mission came to be, Alex’s father, a secret-agent in his own right, has been murdered. And when Alex’s uncle was murdered by the assassin Yassen Gregoravich, Alex was essentially left orphaned. Yet at the conclusion of the novel, when Yassen has the chance to kill a vengeful-minded Alex, he chooses not to. This story tells us why.

Much in the way that Alex’s uncle mentored Alex, preparing him for a life in espionage, Alex’s father once mentored Yassen. Yassen was the original Alex Rider—a teenager meant to work for MI6. Instead, he turned rogue assassin.”

A US cover has been released and a UK cover will be revealed this week. Who’s excited?!

The Maze Runner concept art

Sun, 12 May 2013 00:31:53 +0100

The Maze Runner concept art:

Gladers! Have you seen the concept art for The Maze Runner? The picture just looks perfect. I’m really excited because this is exactly what I imagined. There’s something very eery about it and I’m hope it looks like this in the film. I think filming has just started so it will be brilliant to get the first few stills and really see what this film is going to be like.

Maureen Johnson: LET'S DO THE COVERFLIP

Tue, 07 May 2013 01:01:56 +0100

Maureen Johnson: LET'S DO THE COVERFLIP :

noseinabook:

maureenjohnsonbooks:

I had this little idea on Twitter today. I have lots of little ideas on Twitter. And I have no doubt that this idea has been had before, because it’s that kind of idea. But it’s also the kind of idea worth repeating.

It started like this. I made a comment along the lines of, “Okay, Publishing. I…

Look at the flipped covers here.

This is such a good idea of Maureen Johnson’s. It really says a lot about the gendering of book covers. Have a scroll through some of the books that have been coverflipped. There was a great one of John Green’s The Fault in our Stars as if it has been written by a woman. That cover has become really iconic so it’s interesting to think what cover it might have had if a woman had written it. Great idea, Maureen Johnson, very good for sparking discussion.

My Week Ahead in Books...#15

Mon, 06 May 2013 15:26:58 +0100

This week I’m reading The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy as I think I’ll be writing about it for an exam next week. I’m actually quite enjoying it so far. I’m also still reading The Casual Vacancy. I’m getting through it fairly slowly though, sorry JKR I’m not enjoying it so far! It’s just so different to what I usually read. I’m hoping once I get into the story I can pick up the pace.

What’s your week ahead in books looking like?

dropitlikefscottt: Harry would have died if Hermione didn’t...

Fri, 03 May 2013 13:36:35 +0100

dropitlikefscottt:

Harry would have died if Hermione didn’t read.

My Week Ahead in Books...#14

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 23:01:37 +0100

So this week, I am finally reading The Casual Vacancy! Yes, I may be the last person left who hasn’t read it. Only 30 pages in so far.

I bought the first book in the Mistborn series the other day, The Final Empire. I really shouldn’t have, it’s a very long book and my brain is lying to myself about how much time I actually have to read. However, it looks really good so I may have to try and prioritise that…

What’s your week ahead in books looking like?

Today was my final day of lectures at University! It feels very...

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 23:01:38 +0100

Today was my final day of lectures at University! It feels very strange. I have submitted my dissertation and my last essay and I only have an exam left to do, eeks!

This picture is of a really cool book journal that my friend gave me as a little good luck present! I have wanted a proper book journal for so long so am really pleased. Looking forward to choosing what I want to read from now on and filling up this journal!

First Look: Shailene Woodley faces knives in ‘Divergent’ — EXCLUSIVE PHOTO | EW.com

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 23:45:17 +0100

First Look: Shailene Woodley faces knives in ‘Divergent’ — EXCLUSIVE PHOTO | EW.com:

theartofnotwriting:

Divergent, the highly anticipated adaptation of the first book in Veronica Roth’s best-selling YA series, only recently began filming on location in Chicago. But Shailene Woodley,…

And in true Shailene Woodley fashion, she manages to look both vulnerable and like a badass at the same time, which is why I think she’s an awesome Tris.

Oooooh, now I’m excited! Hopefully we’ll start getting more and more pictures of Divergent soon. So many YA adaptations at the moment to keep track of!

Oh hello new phone cover!

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 23:01:38 +0100

Oh hello new phone cover!

My Week Ahead in Books...#13

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:58:30 +0100

I’m excited because this week I’m reading A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle. I’m about halfway and enjoying it. As usual I can’t guess who the culprit is…I’m really terrible at reading crime fiction.

Later on this week I am FINALLY going to start A Casual Vacancy by J K Rowling. Cannot believe it’s taken me this long but looking forward to reading it because I really don’t know what to expect.

What are you reading this week?

Which YA Series Is Your Next Hunger GamesLevel Obsession?

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 23:30:23 +0100

Which YA Series Is Your Next Hunger GamesLevel Obsession?:

They’re all being made into movies or TV shows, so you’re gonna want to get started now.

I like this article because it’s a good summary of the adaptations that are being made at the moment and released within the next year or so. It asks what the next Hunger Games is and having read all of the books/series they’ve suggested I would have to say that I think Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments has the potential to reach a Hunger Games level of excitement if the film is well made. The trailers released so far look really promising and I’m hoping that the series becomes more well-known upon the film’s release. Please ignore the description of Mortal Instruments in this article, it actually makes it sound very bad with a few dodgy comparisons being made that don’t do justice to the series. It’s better than that, trust me!

In terms of what will attract The Hunger Games fans content-wise, I really think The Maze Runner will keep you entertained. The concept of the world of The Maze Runner has a similar feel to The Hunger Games and is well-written with good characters. I’m excited that Thomas Brodie-Sangster is going to be playing one of the protagonists in the film as he’s great in Game of Thrones at the moment!

This is my exact life right now! Thank you Rory Gilmore!

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 21:47:16 +0100

This is my exact life right now! Thank you Rory Gilmore!

And the title of book 3 is...

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:34:06 +0100

And the title of book 3 is...:

The last book in the Divergent trilogy has been given a name!

Have you seen the trailer for the new Romeo and Juliet coming...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 23:30:40 +0100

Have you seen the trailer for the new Romeo and Juliet coming out this year? It stars Hailee Steinfeld Douglas Booth, Ed Westwick and Damien Lewis amongst others and is out on 25th October in the UK.

I’m a big fan of the Baz Luhrmann 1996 adaptation but when I realise that that is now 17 years old (!), it’s time to see a new version!

The trailer presents a very traditional idea of Romeo & Juliet, but hey, sometimes traditional can be good too! Looking forward to seeing Douglas Booth in something other than Great Expectations because I thought he was a brilliant Pip and it would be good to see whether he can act well again in this. Also, having watched Gossip Girl, it will be cool to actually hear Ed Westwick’s British accent for a change!

On a side note, I’m really enjoying the song in this trailer.

My Week Ahead in Books... #12

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 23:30:22 +0100

Well I’ve reached the editing stage of my dissertation so again I won’t be able to read much this week. I’m so nearly finished, I’ll get back to a more full-on reading schedule soon!

I’m hoping to read A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle this week. I’m really looking forward to it as I’ve only listened to one Sherlock Holmes story on audiobook and I enjoyed it. Added bonus - I’ve got the snazzy BBC Sherlock cover with a lovely Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman doing some dramatic running!

What’s your week ahead in books looking like?

Catching Fire teaser trailer

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 16:48:00 +0100

I wanted to post a few thoughts about the Catching Fire teaser trailer.

I’m really pleased that it has the same look as The Hunger Games because I thought the locations, scenery and colours used were really well suited to the series and Catching Fire looks like it will be similarly bleak looking.

The discussion between President Snow and Plutarch helps set up the pressures that Katniss is facing and explain why it is so important that she behaves how Snow wants her to. I’m pleased that the filmmakers are properly making something of this political aspect of the books and not avoiding their full potential.

Peeta isn’t in the trailer very much but Josh looks like he’s playing Peeta’s disappointment in Katniss’ feelings well. I loved Effie’s “Chins up. Smiles on.” Her outfit looks amazing, can’t wait to see more of her in this film. Also great to see more of Gale, looking forward to him having more to do.

The only thing I’m not keen on so far is Katniss’ “Go ahead” line when she steps in to stop Gale’s whipping. It doesn’t really fit with the nature of her actions in the book:

“No!” I cry, and spring forward. It’s too late to stop the arm from descending, and I instinctively know I won’t have the power to block it. Instead I throw myself between the whip and Gale.

I like the fact that her actions in this scene are rushed and not thought through because in so many other points she can be so calculated that it is glimpses like this of the real Katniss that make her so interesting. However, I cannot judge this whole scene without seeing how it is setup in the film. This is absolutely just an initial reaction.

It’s perfect that they don’t ruin the twist in this year’s Hunger Games because that’s a great moment in the plot and I hope that moment is suitably dramatic in the film.

Overall, very excited and gutted to have to wait until November!

catchingupdates: CATCHING FIRE TRAILER!! It looks so good!...

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 07:23:15 +0100

catchingupdates:

CATCHING FIRE TRAILER!!

It looks so good! How will we wait so long for the film?! Still, great to have a trailer!

Every Page...

Today I finished my English Literature degree! :O Sorry for the random personal post but it felt...

My Week Ahead in Books...#16

John Green's tumblr: The Commencement Address

New Alex Rider novel! ....sort of.

The Maze Runner concept art

Maureen Johnson: LET'S DO THE COVERFLIP

My Week Ahead in Books...#15

dropitlikefscottt: Harry would have died if Hermione didn’t...

My Week Ahead in Books...#14

Today was my final day of lectures at University! It feels very...

First Look: Shailene Woodley faces knives in ‘Divergent’ — EXCLUSIVE PHOTO | EW.com

Oh hello new phone cover!

My Week Ahead in Books...#13

Which YA Series Is Your Next Hunger GamesLevel Obsession?

This is my exact life right now! Thank you Rory Gilmore!

And the title of book 3 is...

Have you seen the trailer for the new Romeo and Juliet coming...

My Week Ahead in Books... #12

Catching Fire teaser trailer

catchingupdates: CATCHING FIRE TRAILER!! It looks so good!...

Which YA Series Is Your Next Hunger GamesLevel Obsession?