The Opposite of Chocolate

Okay, admittedly I picked up this book because of the cute cover. I mean, who can resist a book covered in smarties?
The book follows Sapphire, who has fallen pregnant at fourteen and tackles many issues such as teenage pregnancies, death, abortion, love and choices. For me, I couldn't understand Sapphire's parent's reactions. Okay, Sapphire is fourteen. She's messed up. She has made a mistake. But she has to grow up pretty quickly and having her mum pull her in one direction and her dad pull her the other isn't going to help a confused, scared little girl. In my opinion, that is the message of the book. Choice. How old it can be made effectively. How maybe a parents decision isn't best for you. How a rushed decision and little knowledge can have real consequences.
So, if you take anything away from this book, take away it's message about choice :)

Catching up

Hey! Things have been hectic recently with school and family and such, so apologies for lack of posts. Again. I know I'm terrible.
But there have been some big changes. Like I'm in my last year before uni, which I'm already applying for. Also, I graded last night in karate to my brown belt so fingers crossed in a few years time I can go for my black! (only 2 belts left). Also I've been going to this GREAT youth group which has helped me explore my faith (I'm a Christian). If you don't mind I'd actually like to tell you a bit about my faith- you see apart from me and my Aunt, the rest of my family are Atheists. They've never held me back from what I choose to believe though. And I've successfully managed to go to my first church service since my granny died which was one of my must-do's. That and not eat so much chocolate. Oh well I've done one of them :)
Also fingers crossed I should have a baby cousin in the next month or so :D I can't wait :).
So what do you believe in? what are your must-do's? what do you think?

Borrowed from the lovely James

James is a guy who is totally sweet, and has been my friend for years. He is also rather talented in school (seriously, he's a genius), and this is a SONNET he wrote. It's amazing so I have asked if I can share it on here...
In my mind these thought keep me up all night.
With my heart pounding, as if its ran a mile,
Beating my ribcage with all of its might.
All for you; for your laugh and great big smile.
Beauty is not just on your surface skin,
But complete: hand to hand, from face to floor.
I just can't hide what I hold inside;
These feelings... Are impossible to ignore.
I don't know how to put these all across,
Does my sonnet work well at all? Are you happy? Cross?

My new favourite book

'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'  by Stephen Chbosky, who writes this amazing novel episodically, under the name 'Charlie' by writing letters to an anonymous person who he doesn't know but he is told they will help. On a basic level it is a coming of age book as Charlie who is shy and awkward goes through his freshman year. But it is so much more than that. For a start it tackles issues such as suicide, homosexuality and sex which granted many YA fiction does. But it also speaks out to you. I love Charlie. He is actually, in a sense like me.
Chbosky also uses the most beautiful language to tell his story about how a song, or driving downtown or making a mixtape for your friends can make you feel infinite. And I read it, and felt infinite too.

I think way too much at 7:30 am

Or at least that's what I thought to myself this morning, walking to school in the crisp autumn air (that makes it sound nice, actually it was freezing). So here I am walking, without my usual iPod for walks on my own, which then forces me to think. Anyone else get that?
Anyway, I think we need that. Cos sometimes we don't let ourselves think. We avoid thought processes that are too difficult to approach, or have too much going on to just have a little thinking time. But the effects are amazing. Seriously.
Really, thinking about the hard stuff actually makes things seem more manageable. So sit, and think. What do I want? What do I need? Are there any people who are dragging me down? What can I change?

these are a few of my favourite things

friends, 
family,

Pop art,
Art deco,
 60's rock n' roll,
rock and pop music,
YA fiction,
 classical fiction,
  Travelling,
 old black and white photographs,
post cards,
 romantic/comedy films,
memories
Disney.
What do you like?

Happy Birthday to me :)

Its my birthday today, so I'm now officially seventeen years old! Already (it's only 8:45 am) I've had about 13 messages telling me of this fact. And I've opened my pressies from my family cos I'm a total little kid and its impossible for me to wait. So I'm now the proud owner of tights, a charm for my bracelet, a scarf, 7 pairs of earrings and a scrapbooking kit. Win! I'm meeting my friends in about 2 hours for a day in town (probably going to my favourite art gallery) then to Pizza Hut...mmm :)

I keep getting told we have to get the pizza with the cheesy bites crust (my friends have sick minds) because we used to go there every single time we went to town and order the same thing, and cheesy bites got ridiculed, thrown in drinks etc. I'm surprised we didn't get banned for life.

I'm apparently the 'baby' of the group cos I'm the youngest so today I've invited my cousin Matt (who is 6 months younger than me) out with us, but apparently I'm still the baby. Joy.  This photo (above) was taken by me on my 16th, and it's one of my favourite photo's ever. 

and the one to the right> 
is my favourite photo ever
It was taken last year, a few days before my 16th at my family party and it's the last picture I have of my grandparents together. I love it.

A funny memory

Scott: "But how can it be 500 Days of Summer, when theres only 365 days in a year?"

Me: "Weren't you listening she's called Summer"

Scott: "oh" 

 

Quotes

My extremely disorganized friend's 18th is in November, so I decided to get him a planner for next year, and fill it with a quote per day to inspire him, lift him out of a bad mood and make him smile. And I've come across some amazing quotes...
"I think you end up doing the stuff you were supposed to at the time you were supposed to do it"- robert downey jr


Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should dance


Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending

Facts

One- When I was younger, say 3 or 4, we were in a Scottish pub, and a Scotland-versus-England rugby game was on. In a pub. Full of Scottish people. And I cheered for England. Ooops :)
Two- My favourite part of summer is the start, cos you actually get a chance at good weather for a start, but everything seems so good then, because you have so much time the possibilities of summer seem endless.
Three- The best concert I ever went to was last year, We Will Rock You (which is like Mamma Mia! but for Queen) in Alnwick Castle's garden! (where some of Harry Potter was filmed). It was amazing. And it chucked it down with rain, but that didn't matter 'cos the atmosphere was electric. It may be a British thing, but everyone just got on with it: dancing in the mud and singing along. Let's do it again!
Four- I keep EVERYTHING, pretty much. I've just found a box full of bus tickets from this year, and have come to the conclusion that Arriva Buses haven't been affected by the recession thanks to me.
Five- My favourite food is apples with peanut butter...so much so I'm off to have some now :)

Changes

Hey you may have noticed I've changed my name from the-book-thief into Becca's ramblings. This is because the blog was intentionally discussing books then I went off topic so I suppose Becca's ramblings is a better title.

Enjoy :)

(500) days of Summer

For those of you who haven't watched it, (500) days of Summer is a story about love, but its not a love story. It's now officially become one of my favourite movies- even tho I only watched it for the first time ever on Sunday. And the lead guy? Joseph Gordon-Levitt (10 things I hate about you). Oh, and it has Zooey Deschanel in it (she was in Yes Man). Match. Made. In. Heaven. And I want a blackboard wall.
But seriously, this film is Laugh-Out-Loud funny.

" Darling, I don't know how to tell you this but there's a Chinese family in our bathroom" 

To do list

I'm pretty bad when it comes to 'to do lists' cos I keep on forgetting about them, but I sorta need to work out what I have to do so here it goes...

• Finish my CV, write a cover letter and hand it out (hopefully will result in a job!!)
• Finish UCAS form 
• Finish holiday homework
• Plan my birthday party- 2 weeks today!!! Done- just need to work out times and meeting places
• Go collect AS results...:/ 
• Order books and buy stationary for next year

This could take a while...

Don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game

Iv'e noticed my august posts (all 2 of them) have been about music. Yes I love music, but this isn't my only interest, so I'm gonna talk about movies :). Top 5:
1) Lost Boys
2) Grease
3) Harry Potter 3
4) 10 Things I Hate About You
5) Titanic
What do you think, what are your favourite movies of all time?
For me, I will watch my favourite movies over and over again, and the list has been like this for several years so these I suppose are my classics. I like the way they make me feel. Like, I will always sing along to all the songs on Grease, and I will always feel happy when Kat and Patrick get together in '10 Things'. Its just me

breaking the silence

Hey! apologies for my silence I've been in Edinburgh!! It was absolutely AMAZING. I love sightseeing, and Edinburgh is definitely one of the best places to do that. And it's sorta given me a new outlook. See during the plague, Edinburgh was practically destroyed, so they just built on top of it. So...why not apply that to life? take a bad situation, bury it and move on- start again. Okay, you cant run away from everything. But you can from the little things.
At the minute, I'm loving life. This year seems to have flown by and in 2 months time I should have  baby cousin!!. And in 15 days I'm finally 17, so I wont be the baby of the group any more. Well for 2 months any way, until the first of my friendship group turn 18. Drat.

I'm also loving Regina Spektor, especially her song 'The Call' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgUL3ut4gyQ. Its amazing :) She's so talented as well. Any thoughts anyone?
Any way that's all for now so I promise not to be silent for so long again :D

Music makes the people come together

I love music. To get me to sleep as a baby my dad had to drive round with the radio on, and that probably still works now. One of my favourite things to do is to apply certain songs to certain situations or people in my life. And I like making lyric-y blog titles, just for the fun of it.
But really, the title is true, cos music does make people come together. To be annoyingly clique-y the 'indie' kids listen to indie music, the 'emo' kids listen to emo music and the 'popular' kids listen to pop music. But I don't like labels. Really, music is a fun interest but it shouldn't define who you are. Like if you would describe yourself as indie, you are allowed to try pop music too you know?
I would class myself as 'different' cos I don't really fit into any group, I'm pieces from several ones mashed together instead. I suppose thats why I like living in the UK, the clique thing isn't so obvious here. So I can listen to anything, but I dont neccessarily like everything, as that would make my interest too general. I prefer rock bands usually. However, my guilty pleasure is musicals. The only thing I can't stand is electronically altered voices, or songs that only have 7 or so lyrics, repeated over and over. I'm not really a rhythm and blues person, or a rap person either; though I do like 'Like Toy Soldiers' by Eminem. Mostly if the song has meaningful lyrics, I'll like it.
For that reason I like The Fray most of all, currently. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5Kcyd-MGnU

Stand up, speak out

Once, a stranger added me on msn and I accepted, thinking it was one of my friends with a dodgy email address. Then he/she said "you're not an ordinary girl are you?". Obviously they were promptly deleted and blocked, but it was weird that whoever it was hadn't been that far off the mark. I'm not an ordinary  girl because NO-ONE is ordinary.
A few years ago, however, I was the sort of girl who was desperate to fit in, because I was bullied and I thought if I was like everyone else I would be left alone. I'm not all that good at fitting in though, and when I moved away and started High School I had the chance for a new start- which I'm eternally grateful for. And for the past 4 years I have been focusing less on fitting in and more on being me. Of course I've had a love of books since I was tiny, so that's never changed. And I kept going to karate, but I also did things that scared the hell out of me. Like choir, being in a school play, helping in the library, going on a school exchange and basically just talking to people.
My Epiphany came when I truly realised, not everyone was going to hurt me. Okay I had setbacks, arguments with friends that brought back uncomfortable memories or just general bad days. But I forgive the people who made my life hell for 6 years and in a way I am, if not thankful, acknowledging that because of my experience with them, I am all of who I am today. Cos' there is a silver lining, you've just got to work for it. I went to counselling for a while, and that helped me become part of a key fund group with girls like me. I also started to volunteer at my school working with year 7's and 8's. And I became part of a youth group, where we do stay awakes for charity, and have quiz and karaoke nights.
But most importantly, I'm happy with who I am, and where I am. And I hope that in the future if I could just inspire ONE girl to change her life the way I did, and truly make a difference, then good can come from bad.

I needed a picture

My blog has been a tad heavy on the text lately, so here's one of my favourite pictures ever. It was taken in summer last year before the friendship group I was in fell apart. Last year was a rough year and these guys helped me through all of it and although not all of them talk to eachother I still talk to all of them. Yey me for being diplomatic :) L-R Raha, Carly, James, me, Vikki (behind), Dan, Chelsea, Alex (behind), Holly, Lou and Emma. Thank you guys <3

Venting, in a lyrical way. Not a sulky teenager way. Promise.

Remember how you used to count every breath as if each one was so precious it deserved it's own special place in time?
Remember how you asked me what I wanted to be when I was older, and my first answer was "like you"
Remember how you would laugh when you remembered the time when I cheered for our English team in a Scottish pub?
Or how you panicked when I was 5 minutes late?
Yet now we're standing here, face to face, the shells of your eyes are empty, vacant. You mutter something I cant hear about "not old enough" or "don't trust you"
Nice.
I say something back but my words are lost to the void that's between us, an entire world of space
I'm the one who's clinging; trying to stay in touch with my mother. But all the 'eh's and the sighs are getting old
So I plan to leave, and off I go- leaving you behind
And we'll count the tears as you once counted the breaths, and we'll realise that this is what we have been hiding for years
Strangers are not the people who are out on the street, they are the people you live with

Stuck on repeat

Is it just me, or are there songs you completely fall in love with, listen to them none stop for weeks then suddenly a couple of months later you think 'I haven't listened to that in a while'. Of course I end up re-falling in love with the song and the whole process starts again like its stuck on repeat. Okay it's a tad monotonous, but there's no such thing as having too much of a good thing right?

Favourite Characters

What makes a character special? so they, more than any other, reach out and pull at us until we laugh, feel pain and love as they do. We feel we want to protect them from harm, grow with them and learn from them.

Henry DeTamble (Time Travellers Wife) The amazing time traveller, he's so cultured, and has a dry sense of humour, you cant help BUT love Henry.

Julia Romano (My Sister's Keeper) I CRIED when I found out the character of Julia wasn't in the film. She's everything feminism wants women to be, independent and a free spirit, though Campbell steals some of that away from her, her life doesn't depend on him (UNLIKE BELLA SWAN, WHO I HATE)

Robert Langdon(Angels and Demons, Da Vinci Code and Lost Symbol) not only is he a symbology genius  but he's a pretty funny guy. And he's played by a fit actor. End of.

Draco Malfoy (Harry Potter's 1-7) There's something irresistible about him.

Lisbeth Salander (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) She's a computer hacker and incredibly intelligent. Also, very witty. AMAZING.

Dream Dream Dream

What is the significance of dreams? why does everyone feel the need to have a goal to work to of what they want to do with their life and push it aside saying that's never going to happen- it might if you work hard enough for it! No-one gets what they want just by sitting around and waiting for it- you've got to go out and make it happen. 
My dreams:

• Live in Paris
• Become an english lit teacher. 

Slightly obsessive

J'adore Paris. So much I have created a new Future plan eeeek.
First, I need to pass my A levels and find a tutor willing to let me self study for an additional French a level (what possessed me to take science instead of French?!) then to a gap year (hopefully in France) and hopefully a combined honours degree in English lit and French, before doing a postgrad. teaching degree at a French university, and teaching English at a French school...that's the plan anyway.

Does you inspire you?

Inspiration,  I think, can be found anywhere. In the pages of a book, in a quote, in what someone is wearing. Everywhere something is waiting to inspire you. I get inspired by hot summer evenings where the sun is only beginning to set at 9pm and everything is Pulsing with opportunity. I get inspired by authors who actually write about something for a deep and meaningful reason. I get inspired by a huge piece of blank paper that practically begs to be filled with doodles, musings, quotes and lyrics. I get inspired by fast paced music, that makes you just want to go out and achieve something. But most of all, just looking at the sky inspires me because it reminds me, the possibilities are endless.

Judge a book by it's cover

My favourite book covers and quotes :)

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince- I love the adult covers more than the kids ones but this is my favourite

"Excuse me, I have to go vomit" - Hermione Granger.

 Time Traveller's Wife- I like the vintage look cover and how Claire is the only one there, waiting for Henry because that basically says the basic plot.

"Love the world and yourself in it, move through it like it offers no resistance,  as though it is your natural element"

 1984
I like how it shows the main characters on the cover and the vintage look to it :)

"Sanity is not statistical"

 Jane Eyre- I love the colours and the way she is a silhouette it looks very pretty :)

"He made me love him without looking at me"

 Twilight- I like the contrast of the colours and how Meyer has used an apple- which symbolises temptation (Adam and Eve) and red which symbolises desire, blood, death and warning

"when life offers you a dream so far beyond any of your expectations, it's not reasonable to grieve when it comes to an end" 

 The Great Gatsby- I like how it shows the champagne which is bubbly, full of life, dry and an acquired taste (pretty much like the book itself) and has Gatsby and Daisy's silhouettes dancing in the middle (okay, I like silhouettes)

"so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back carelessly into the past" 

 The Worlds Wife- I like the colour and how it looks like a wall with photographs in frames hanging up on it

"I swear the air softened and warmed as she moved, the blue sky smiling"- Demeter. 

   The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo- unlike the edition released after the film was made, I like how the series's covers show Salander gradually turning around until finally you see her full portrait- and the real her

"He thought that orcs, unlike human beings, were simple and uncomplicated creatures"

 The Lovely Bones- I like how it shows both Susie and her killer. The killer is wearing a coat which I think is good because it relates to this quote...

"He wore his innocence like a comfortable old coat"

 Alice in Wonderland- I love how it looks hand drawn and it makes me think of childhood- being curious, wanting to know everything, and going on adventures

"I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, Sir, for I'm not myself you see"

she don't run from the sun no more

ITS FRIDAYYYYYY! so I thought Id do a recap of my week. This week Iv'e been...
Reading- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows...AGAIN :)
Explaining the plot of Harry Potter to my boyfriend
Catching up with friends like Erica, Holly and Tom who I havent seen in AAAAAAAAges
Meeting new people like James :D
Wearing my favourite new boots...they're red so apparently Im now Dorothy :)

A beach day

Today I am going to my favourite place in the world....the beach!! cos we only live, like, 5 miles away me and my friends are walking so its good exercise, I'm just worried about the size of my bag!!

1. I need to take James's medication
2. ball, bat, Frisbee etc..
3. a beach book
4. hat, sun-cream, sunglasses, glasses case, beach towel
5. picnic stuff
6. phone, money, keys, ipod
7. spare t shirt, jeans, trainers and socks (I'm being brave/stupid and wearing shorts

This could most definitely be a challenge! 

Plus theres 10-12 of us going (maybe more if the 'maybe' people show up) Oh dear. 

However, the beach seems the perfect place to read a beach book so here I go :) 

5 inspiring authors :)

1. Malorie Blackman (Noughts and Crosses) because she has written an amazing series on a dystopia where black people (crosses) descriminate against white people (noughts)
2. JK Rowling (Harry Potter) because she had no money and sent her first book to the publishers in a reporters jotter, and it was left alone for a couple of years before they published but the series is amazing :)
3. Jacqueline Wilson (Tracy Beaker etc) totally iconic children's stories and she wrote LOADS
4. Jerry Spinelli (Star Girl) It's impossible not to love Stargirl's amazing, if slightly erratic character. In my opinion she represents the creative fearless person in all of us that we're too scared to show for fear of standing out.
5. C.S Lewis (Chronicles of Narnia) I love this series and I admit to trying to walk through my wardrobe shamelessly looking for Narnia.

BALTIC

Okay so its not exactly a book review. But they have books there so it counts, I think. And they have DESIGN books. Especially about Banksy and Pop art. Give me one of them and I will love you forever :) For people unfamiliar with the Baltic its a converted flower mill in NewastleGateshead which has become a gallery for contemporary art. And I should have a world record for spending an hour in the gift shop alone. Books+little gadget-y things I'm never going to need+ lots of souvenirs that I don't need cause I practically live next to it= a very happy me. To me art and literature are on the same boat. Same goes with fashion, music etc.. Its all about self expression, and I love self-expression. The thing that captivates me is the way that a little creativity can make something that seems perfectly ordinary come alive. I'm the secret artist, the one without a particular talent but with an eye for what works, I think. I'm creative in my own little way, looking at art and evaluating it. Unfortunately the galleries were closed but I did get to go outside and watch the Millennium Bridge rotate. In all my years living here I have never seen it. And it was worth it.

Recently I've Been...

Hopelessly reachin' (sorry Mcfly song, couldn't resist)

Recently in the life of Bex...

• I'm in the process of entering the Guardian's Young Critics competition (need to type up and send away) in hope of winning £25, sweet :)
• Reviewing an Open Day (may win a hoodie- fingers crossed!)
• Planning to go to another open day this saturday focusing on an ENGLISH LITERATURE DEGREE- scary stuff, how am I applying to uni already?
• Getting my English book list for next years and probably will review on here at some point

1. Tess of D'Urbervilles- Thomas Hardy
2. Blue Remebered Hills- Dennis Potter
3. Songs of Innocence and Experience- William Blake
4. Assorted Pastoral Poetry
5. Jane Eyre- Charlotte Bronté
6. Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen
7. The Worlds Wife- Carol Ann Duffy

• I also plan to read A Streetcar Named Desire, Oranges are not the only Fruit, The Catcher in the Rye and Rebecca so keep your eyes peeled!

My story extract

I looked into his eyes and suddenly felt a rush of emotion, of fear and of determination that I have tried for so long to hide from him. I can't do this any more. I cannot physically cause him

to suffer again at my hands. He reaches out, hurt radiating out of every blemish; every pore; every flicker of gold in his chocolate brown eyes. And it breaks my heart.

But my brain short cuts this. My silly hay-wired brain. The irrational side of me reaches back, pulls him closer until not even air comes between us. Two halves of a whole. Questions swarm around me. What will our families and friends think? Will I be able to go back? Will he ever move on?. Then his lips touch mine. Softly at first, then harder until I realise he is forcing me to see that he is what I want. So I kiss back, so hard that I wouldn't be able to tell him my own name. I open my eyes and all I can see is him. Flashes of him in 10, maybe 20 years time. Designing, which is what he loves best, in a huge studio. Returning home to a wife and smiling children. His dream. And I wonder where I fit. Some distant memory in the past, the first love who broke his heart but let him live his dream. I reconcile myself with that thought, then pour my life and soul into him so he can know it wasn't his fault. It's not you it's me. Ironically I actually mean it. Then I break away and start to run head-first into my future.

A Voice in the Distance

This is the second book by Tabitha Suzuma about Flynn Laukonen, the Bipolar pianist who starred in A Note of Madness. After Jennah and Flynn's relationship FINALLY takes off at the end of the first book, Suzuma picks it up again years later. Flynn has successfully been on medication for 2 years, however when we meet them again it's all falling apart. Flynn is sinking back into a routine of mania and depression, and the question on every readers lips is: will loving Jennah be enough to save him?

Of course, we all want her to be. But she has her own life, her own dreams. So she is left with a choice- can she put up with a life of walking on eggshells to be with the boy she loved and who might take drastic action if she leaves, or would she rather be free to decide her own future.

Suzuma writes this amazingly different novel in an amazingly different way. By splitting the narrative she shows both Flynn and Jennah's sides as they struggle to cope with an illness that rules the life of Flynn and those who care about him.

When life takes over.

Okay, first off I'm gonna apologize cause my guess is when I finally type up all I'm thinking, a whole lot of it isn't going to be remotely book related. So sorry in advance.

Do you know them days, the really sunny ones when you think the world just has to be right and you breakdown in tears 'cause its not? Well I'm having one of those days.

And partially I blame the Time Travellers Wife which I was re-reading. Unfortunately that's not the sole cause and I had to learn today what actually was the reason behind me crying at Henry's death, even though I knew it was going to happen.

But then I sat and thought about the reasons why I'm happy. These are what I've came up with

a) I'm going to EDINBURGH in a few weeks

b) In 6 days time me and my boyfriend will have been together for a year, seriously that's a big achievement for me!

c) I have no more exams to worry about until January

d) I have great friends and family, they are like a life support machine

e) I have an idea for a book, and would like to share an extract I have in my head with you later

f) Beautiful things captivate me each and everyday: bubbles, butterflies, the sunset, the feeling you only get after you achieve something, vintage stuff, the smell of old books, cupcakes, rainbows, walking barefoot on slightly damp grass, sitting with a candy striped notebook and a pot of pens waiting for the ideas to explode onto the paper and become real. These are the things I live for.

g) That I have my faith back. After losing my gran I turned my back on religion, now I'm learning to accept it back into my life.

h)Second chances.

i) The add to dictionary button :P

So I'm going to share my current favourites of the week basically cause it will cheer me up. Then I promise 2 more posts: a book review and an extract from my possible-someday-book :)

Fave song: Stand in the Rain by Superchic[k]

Fave book: Even though it brought on a breakdown, I can't resist Time Travellers Wife

Fave word: Hope. It's what gets me through

Fave place: The back garden because its boiling hot and full of beautiful flowers, and I like to spend a while on the rug with my dog Harry, a Diet Coke, sun lotion and a well-read book

Fave memory: This week it will have to be lying on the grass with Scott, looking up and seeing him illuminated by a halo of sunlight and falling in love again

Fave food: White Magnums

Fave Film: The Simpson's Movie. Yellow people shouldn't make me laugh that much "Steady, steady OWWW!" but apparently they do.

Book I want to read next week: Forbidden by Tabitha Szuma...wonder if I can convince my mates to let me go to the library tomorrow- I've been known to spend hours in there.

10 favourite books

1. Let's Get Lost by Sarra Manning- Because I could identify the whole awkward teenager and backstabbing friends and a past of being bullied with Isabel. And Smith is one of my favourite characters ever.

2. The Pact by Jodi Picoult- Okay so not the nicest of plots but I found Picoult's unique take on a controversial situation clever and captivating.

3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban by J.K. Rowling-I'm a huge Harry Potter fan and this book is my favourite out of the series because I like the stuff about Sirius and James Potter's history.

4. The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffeneger- I've always liked the idea of time travel and Henry DeTamble is the best time traveller :)

5. Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause- Exactly what I want from a forbidden love story. And this time the female is the mythical creature. However my friend wasnt too impressed with me, cause I like Aiden better than Gabriel.

6. This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen- I like this book because Remy is a quirky heroine, the cynic who falls in love. And Dexter reminds me of my own boyfriend, mussy clumzy and cute :)

7. Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold- Okay I like morbid books. I just like the way Sebold writes, she is really original in a topic that hasnt really been approached by writers before.

8. Lucky Star by Cathy Cassidy- Cassidy was one of my favourite authors when I was 12/13 and I got the amazing opportunity to meet her at a book signing in my school. The first book of hers I read was 'Dizzy' and I was totally taken in by Mouse's character which is why I love this book.

9. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson- Blomkivist and Salander make a terrifyingly good pair.

10. A Note of Madness by Tabitha Szuma- I love this book because of the characters especially laid back Harry and energetic Flynn

Great Gatsby for anonymous :)

The next book to be reviewed is 'The Great Gatsby' by F.Scott Fitzgerald (Penguin Modern Classics). This again I studied for my AS and I have to say it was my favourite. Set in the pretentious societies of East and West Egg the novel presents a cynical view on the American Dream and the appearance-obsessed world. Although some people argue that Gatsby is indeed not 'great', in my opinion he is of his own right as he builds himself up from nothing (okay so his methods aren't exactly legal) just to gain the love of Daisy who looks down on him because she INHERITED her riches instead of actually having to earn them. Okay so Gatsby uses Nick once or twice but only because he is so focused on his dream. Surely everyone should have dreams and instead of just waiting for them to come true they should actually take positive action towards MAKING them true.

So I guess you could say I like Gatsby's character. On the contrary, I loathe Nick. And Daisy. And Tom. In my opinion they represent everything that's wrong with the world. But hey thats my opinion :)

A character I do like is Owl Eyes. Not only is he very funny when being totally taken aback by the fact Gatsby has REAL books with ACTUAL pages, he turns up to Gatsby's funeral when no-one else of Gatsby's 'friends' do. So maybe there's hope afterall for those corrupted rich. But then again maybe not.

My favourite part of the book is right at the end when Fitzgerald writes "so we beat on, boats against the current, bourne back carelessly into the past" as it is such an amazing quote as being a 'boat against the current' was Gatsby in general but to me the quote means that you can fight all your life but in the end you're only going to do it all again.

The Kite Runner- for Melissa :)

Since Melissa voted I am going to review 'The Kite Runner' by Khaled Hosseini (Bloomsbury, 2004). I studied this book as part of my AS and my overall opinion is that it is a worthwhile book to read. The book follows the life of Amir, as he tries to make up for leaving his friend and servant, Hassan, to get raped in an alley. I like the book because it helped open my eyes to what I had done wrong in the past, and helped me start to forgive people who hurt me. I was really inspired by Hassan's character as he just took everything and got on with his life, still smiling. Unfortunately, Im not so nice about Amir and Baba. Another good character for me was Rahim Khan as he was a sort of mentor for Amir when Baba failed. I also liked Hosseini's use of language as he used it to tie the 2 very different cultures of Afghanistan and America together. My favorite part of the book was at the end when Sohrab smiles and Amir realises that although rescuing Sohrab doesnt make everything better its the first step towards it.

Reading List

Hey today I'm doing something a little different. Here are 5 choices of books I could review...all you have to do is vote :)

1. The Great Gatsby by FScott Fitzgerald

2. Lets get Lost by Sarra Manning

3. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

4. 1984 by George Orwell

5. A book you suggest :)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

My first review is going to be Steig Larsson's 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' (Quercus, 2010)

Plot

The book starts with a rather ambiguous prologue which confuses the reader as they are unsure what the book is going to be about. Larsson then goes on to introduce one of the book's main protagonists, Mikael Blomkivist, the amusing 'womanizing' journalist. One of the sub-plots of the book is that Blomkivist is convicted of lying in an exposé of the industrialist, Hans Wennestrom and will do anything to prove he was 'set up' and expose Wennestrom as a crook.

However a cover up is in order to protect Blomkivist's magazine 'Millenium'. So, Blomkivist leaves the magazine. He promptly receives a phone call with a job interview (if only it were that easy) from Henrik Vanger, asking him to investigate the alleged murder of his niece, Harriet Vanger some 40 years previously under the pretence that he is writing the family history. He agrees to work for Vanger for a year, after being hooked by an offer of information on Wennerstrom.

On arrival to Hedeby Island, Blomkivist sets off trying to unlock the mystery. In the process he strikes a precaurious relationship with Cecilia Vanger which is on, then off, then on again, then definately off. He finds striking new leads including uncovering the meaning of some phone numbers, which are instead bible quotes with links to murders commited in Sweden. Mikael then gets in touch with Lisbeth Salander, the girl with the dragon tattoo, who is a hacker and an excellent researcher, to help him find the murders Harriet had uncovered. They are threatened several times by members of the Vanger family who fear that Henrik's 'obsession' with finding the truth about Harriet will kill him. This escalates when Henrik is taken to hospital, ill.

After several months Blomkivist accuses Martin Vanger and his father Gottfried Vanger of the murders and suspects Harriet was killed for discovering this. He is then captured and tortured by Martin Vanger, who admits to everything other than killing Harriet. Salander then saves Blomkivist and chases Martin, who then deliberately crashes his car and dies.

After that Salander contacts Plague, a fellow hacker, who arranges a team to aid her and Blomkivist to hack Annita Vanger's phone in London. Blomkivist attempts to talk to Annita but is refused and she subsequently telephones a number in Australia, where Blomkivist travels. Salander returns to Sweden where her mother has just died.

In Australia, Blomkivist locates Annita Cochrane, who is actually Harriet Vanger. They return to Sweden to tell Henrik Vanger. Henrik's lawyer Dirch Frode then reveals Henrik's information on Wennestrom is effectively useless, however Salander reveals she has hacked his computer and has all the information Blomkivist needs. The rest of the book develops their relationship and Blomkivist writing his expose, before concluding with Salander witnessing Blomkivist and his 'occasional lover' Erika Birger.

My response

A complex plot, with many sub-plots but completely worthwhile reading, with it's daringly different heroine and the irresistable Blomkivist. Witty, fun and very engaging I rarely put this book down.

1. Cover- my version is less good- I prefer the original cover
2. Plot- Complex but engaging- 9/10
3. Characters- I love Salander and Blomkivist, and found the very corrupted Vanger family's dramas more entertaining than Eastenders- 8/10
4. Overall impression- 8.5/10 :)

Hey :)

Hi I thought I would start by telling you a little bit about me...

• My name is Bex
• I'm 17, well nearly.
• I am studying psychology, sociology, science and English literature A Levels.
• I plan to do an English Literature with Journalism degree at a local University, then progress to a postgraduate teaching course.
• I love to read and the aim of this blog is to produce user-friendly book reviews.
• If you have any comments or ideas please leave a comment :)

Thanks x