I borrowed this quiz from my friend Molly who posted it on her blog, and thought it'd be nice to do it myself!
1: Do you have any pets? No, sadly. I love cats and dogs, though, especially westie dogs! Having a westie one day is an ambition of mine :)
2: Name three things that are physically close to you: Pink blanket, mirror, window.
3: What's the weather like right now? HORRIBLE. It's raining. It was hailing earlier.
4: Do you drive? If so, have you crashed? I don't drive, haven't learnt yet. When my health improves, maybe!
5: What time did you wake up this morning? About 10am.
6: When was the last time you showered? Years ago. That's because I take baths, not because I'm gross ;) I used to shower with a shower seat because I can't stand in the shower, but I prefer baths now.
7: What was the last movie that you saw? Best Exotic Marigold Hotel this afternoon. Brilliant film! Hilarious - I recommend it :)
8: What does you last text message say? Something about how amazing Graze boxes are. My friend and I recently signed up for free ones and she got hers today.
9: What is your ringtone? Some generic Sony Ericsson one that came with my phone.
10: Have you ever been to a different country? I've been to France and the Turks and Caicos islands. Both in 2005, before I got ill.
11: Do you like sushi? I've never tried it, but I can't say it appeals!
12: Where do you buy your groceries? Morrisons or the co-op.
13: Have you ever taken any medication to help you fall asleep faster? Yes, I'm currently on amitriptyline. Sleep disturbance is one of my main M.E symptoms and taking ami allows me to get a decent amount of sleep, although even on ami I have phases of really bad sleep.
14: How many siblings do you have? 2. I'm the eldest.
15: Do you have a desktop computer or a laptop? I have my own laptop, but we have a PC in the house. I use both but mainly my laptop as I can use it in bed/in my room.
16: How old will you be turning on your next birthday? 22, which makes me feel old!
17: Do you wear contacts or glasses? I wear glasses and have done since I was about 13, only occasionally at first but now I'm dependant on them.
18: Do you colour your hair? Nope. I have done in the past, though. I went blond for a bit when I was 17 (it wasn't a total success).
19: Tell me something you are planing to do today? Watch The Apprentice!
20: When was the last time you cried? I honestly can't remember, is that bad? I have sensitive eyes, though, so I can tell you the last time my eyes stung and watered. It was at the bus stop earlier ;)
21: What is your perfect pizza topping? Cheese and tomato or ham and pineapple.
22: Which do you prefer, hamburger or cheeseburger? Neither, I'd rather have a chicken burger.
23: Have you ever had an all-nighter? I once tried to stay up all night before I had to catch a flight early in the morning. I ended up falling asleep on a kitchen floor. These days sleep takes priority.
24: What is your eye colour? Brown.
25: Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? I might have been able to at some point in my lifetime but I don't drink either of these now - I steer clear of heavily drinks with lots of caffiene in.
Thanks for reading! Until next time,
Sarah x
Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Tuesday, 10 April 2012
Once Upon a Time...
In my last blog post I talked about TV - specifically The Voice UK - and how recently I'd fallen out of love with television. First of all, I'm still keeping up with The Voice, despite its flaws, and have grown to love certain aspects of the show (no rubbish auditions, Jessie J) but I still have a few problems with the format, all of which are mentioned in the previous post and which I don't need to go over!
So in my opinion, TV hasn't been great lately, but over the past few weeks I've started to see change on the horizon, the light at the end of the tunnel if you will! It's very rare I find a new TV series I stick with. I'll admit this is mostly due to me missing the start of a series and just never bothering to catch up (I like an early night, shows that start at 10pm take an awful lot of effort for me to watch, a genuine excuse!) and so these days I try and make the effort to catch the first episodes of shows when they air. So far Glee is the only success story from this plan, the only show I've watched that I've been there from the beginning, but last week I added Once Upon a Time to this list.
Thanks to the Internet, I'd heard a lot about this show, mainly through fansites/entertainment sites such as Digital Spy and Hypable, as well as through Twitter (I follow a lot of Americans!). It seemed to be getting good reviews, and the lead star, Jennifer Morrison, drew me in as I was a huge fan of her whilst she was in House. So, what was Once Upon a Time all about? Even through reading bits and bobs about it online, I wasn't entirely sure. It had something to do with fairy tales - I'd figured that much out, the title pretty much gives it away! - but I didn't know much about the story, and I didn't want to know.
Any fan of American shows who lives in the UK knows the lengths you have to go to to avoid spoilers (if you're like me and actually wait for the shows to debut on British TV, rather than seek them out elsewhere) and so I decided to wait for it to appear on my telly, and avoid all spoiler-ish news posts about the show itself. Eventually, a month or so ago, trailers started appearing on Channel 5, and it was reported that the show would debut in Spring. And here it is! Episode 2 aired this past Sunday, and I've managed to see both episodes as they went out - an I achievement, given my feeble record with these things.
The show grabbed me straight away. We follow two stories, present day Emma Swan, working as a private detective, who is surprised when a young boy shows up on her doorstep claiming to be her son. Alongside this, we see the story of the past, the fairytale characters who were forced to leave their world thanks to a dark witch's curse, exiled to a present day American town with no knowledge of the fairytale characters they once were. Keeping up? Holding the story together is Henry (the young boy on the doorstep), a super sweet little kid obsessed with a fairytale book he received from his teacher. His fascination with the book? The story is real, and he's the only one who knows it. As the story goes on, we see Henry try to convince Emma that the people he's introducing her to are real fairytale characters. Understandably she sceptical. It really is a great story, and wonderful for those who love fairy tales (Snow White and Prince Charming, Rumplestiltskin, Sleeping Beauty all appearing or mentioned) and for those who love a great modern day, American drama. The flashbacks to the fairytale parts of the plot are visually stunning, making the whole thing feel even more magical.
How long this show will stay on terrestrial television is anyone's guess - it wouldn't surprise me if it turned up on Sky a series or two down the line (House, Glee) but I hope the wider audience gets a chance to see it whilst they can, it's unmissable. Once Upon a Time is on Channel 5, Sunday, 8pm.
Until next time,
Sarah x
So in my opinion, TV hasn't been great lately, but over the past few weeks I've started to see change on the horizon, the light at the end of the tunnel if you will! It's very rare I find a new TV series I stick with. I'll admit this is mostly due to me missing the start of a series and just never bothering to catch up (I like an early night, shows that start at 10pm take an awful lot of effort for me to watch, a genuine excuse!) and so these days I try and make the effort to catch the first episodes of shows when they air. So far Glee is the only success story from this plan, the only show I've watched that I've been there from the beginning, but last week I added Once Upon a Time to this list.
Thanks to the Internet, I'd heard a lot about this show, mainly through fansites/entertainment sites such as Digital Spy and Hypable, as well as through Twitter (I follow a lot of Americans!). It seemed to be getting good reviews, and the lead star, Jennifer Morrison, drew me in as I was a huge fan of her whilst she was in House. So, what was Once Upon a Time all about? Even through reading bits and bobs about it online, I wasn't entirely sure. It had something to do with fairy tales - I'd figured that much out, the title pretty much gives it away! - but I didn't know much about the story, and I didn't want to know.
Any fan of American shows who lives in the UK knows the lengths you have to go to to avoid spoilers (if you're like me and actually wait for the shows to debut on British TV, rather than seek them out elsewhere) and so I decided to wait for it to appear on my telly, and avoid all spoiler-ish news posts about the show itself. Eventually, a month or so ago, trailers started appearing on Channel 5, and it was reported that the show would debut in Spring. And here it is! Episode 2 aired this past Sunday, and I've managed to see both episodes as they went out - an I achievement, given my feeble record with these things.
The show grabbed me straight away. We follow two stories, present day Emma Swan, working as a private detective, who is surprised when a young boy shows up on her doorstep claiming to be her son. Alongside this, we see the story of the past, the fairytale characters who were forced to leave their world thanks to a dark witch's curse, exiled to a present day American town with no knowledge of the fairytale characters they once were. Keeping up? Holding the story together is Henry (the young boy on the doorstep), a super sweet little kid obsessed with a fairytale book he received from his teacher. His fascination with the book? The story is real, and he's the only one who knows it. As the story goes on, we see Henry try to convince Emma that the people he's introducing her to are real fairytale characters. Understandably she sceptical. It really is a great story, and wonderful for those who love fairy tales (Snow White and Prince Charming, Rumplestiltskin, Sleeping Beauty all appearing or mentioned) and for those who love a great modern day, American drama. The flashbacks to the fairytale parts of the plot are visually stunning, making the whole thing feel even more magical.
How long this show will stay on terrestrial television is anyone's guess - it wouldn't surprise me if it turned up on Sky a series or two down the line (House, Glee) but I hope the wider audience gets a chance to see it whilst they can, it's unmissable. Once Upon a Time is on Channel 5, Sunday, 8pm.
Until next time,
Sarah x
Monday, 26 March 2012
Opinion Piece - The Voice UK
In recent months I've found myself watching less and less television, as the quality of shows seemed to nbe on the decline, and I often found myself watching programmes that left me, well, bored. Don't get me wrong, there have been a few glimmers of hope in there, found mainly in documentaries (such as One Born Every Minute and Junior Doctors), American shows (House, Glee, New Girl) and returning shows (The Apprentice) but I wanted something NEW to jump out and grab me, and reunite me with my long lost love, good TV.
The Voice UK, which debuted on BBC One on Saturday night, seemed to fit the bill. I'd heard bits about the formula from the US show, but hadn't seen it in action, and having grown tired and fed up with X Factor, a fresh take on the reality singing show was just what I wanted.
So what's the premise? Blind auditions! Coaches instead of judges! Handpicked contestants! Sounds good so far, right? Big name coaches drew me in, too, with Jessie J, Tom Jones, Danny O'Donoghue and will.i.am making up the panel. So, the show kicked off, what did I think?
What the format did have going for it was the contestants. They're handpicked by BBC talent scouts, meaning all the acts and can sing, and to a pretty decent degree. Even the ones who didn't get through weren't being rejected because they couldn't sing. It was refreshing to go through a whole show and not have someone victimised by putting them through several rounds of off-screen auditions only for them to be laughed at by an audience and the judges. The joke acts became stale on X Factor years ago, and these days it verges on bullying. And there were some real stand out performances! For me J Marie Cooper stood out, belting out Jessie J's own song "Mamma Knows Best" and doing it in style.
There was one thing that left me hugely dissapointed, though. One of my biggest gripes with X Factor is the over-dramtic build up as we're introduced to each contestent. "Oh look, here's them pacing around looking nervous! Here's them in their bedroom singing! Here's their tale of woe accompanied by sad music!" It's been done before. I was under the impression that The Voice would be sob-story free, or there would at least be LESS of it. It's something that's been mentioned in all the promos. In reality, it's all still there. Yes the judges hear their voice without seeing them or knowing their name/story, but once they've turned around all that comes out anyway. So from now on, those who have got through WILL be judged on their image/sob story because they went and told the judges as soon as they were done singing. I don't know how the show works at later stages of the competition, and I hope it will stand apart from X Factor and continue to let the acts be themselves, but I could have done without all the build up and emotional waffle. My personal opinion, obviously.
As for the coaches, I thought Jessie J really stood out. She's clearly somebody who's passionate about music and wants the best for her acts, and as a singer songwriter who's fought her way to the top you can completely believe she's being truthful in all she says. Jessie clearly empathises with a lot of the acts, making them feel comfortable and I hope this will be reflected throughout the series as we see more of her influences on the acts. Tom Jones and will.i.am seemed to spend most of the time name-dropping, which got very boring very quickly, and the show is in danger of focussing too much on the coaches and not enough on the acts, but will.i.am showed a lot of personality and a surprising sense of humour. I'm still waiting for Danny to shine, which I think he will when it comes to acts who specialise in rocky/guitary stuff as that's really his forte. I'm glad there's somebody there so passionate about the musical side of things, and who will be great guidance to those who wish to incorparate an instument into their act.
It's not what I was expecting, and I'm not hooked. Those disappointments will stay with me but I hope that as the series progresses it turns into something I can take more seriously. I'll still be tuning in next week.
The Voice UK, which debuted on BBC One on Saturday night, seemed to fit the bill. I'd heard bits about the formula from the US show, but hadn't seen it in action, and having grown tired and fed up with X Factor, a fresh take on the reality singing show was just what I wanted.
So what's the premise? Blind auditions! Coaches instead of judges! Handpicked contestants! Sounds good so far, right? Big name coaches drew me in, too, with Jessie J, Tom Jones, Danny O'Donoghue and will.i.am making up the panel. So, the show kicked off, what did I think?
What the format did have going for it was the contestants. They're handpicked by BBC talent scouts, meaning all the acts and can sing, and to a pretty decent degree. Even the ones who didn't get through weren't being rejected because they couldn't sing. It was refreshing to go through a whole show and not have someone victimised by putting them through several rounds of off-screen auditions only for them to be laughed at by an audience and the judges. The joke acts became stale on X Factor years ago, and these days it verges on bullying. And there were some real stand out performances! For me J Marie Cooper stood out, belting out Jessie J's own song "Mamma Knows Best" and doing it in style.
There was one thing that left me hugely dissapointed, though. One of my biggest gripes with X Factor is the over-dramtic build up as we're introduced to each contestent. "Oh look, here's them pacing around looking nervous! Here's them in their bedroom singing! Here's their tale of woe accompanied by sad music!" It's been done before. I was under the impression that The Voice would be sob-story free, or there would at least be LESS of it. It's something that's been mentioned in all the promos. In reality, it's all still there. Yes the judges hear their voice without seeing them or knowing their name/story, but once they've turned around all that comes out anyway. So from now on, those who have got through WILL be judged on their image/sob story because they went and told the judges as soon as they were done singing. I don't know how the show works at later stages of the competition, and I hope it will stand apart from X Factor and continue to let the acts be themselves, but I could have done without all the build up and emotional waffle. My personal opinion, obviously.
As for the coaches, I thought Jessie J really stood out. She's clearly somebody who's passionate about music and wants the best for her acts, and as a singer songwriter who's fought her way to the top you can completely believe she's being truthful in all she says. Jessie clearly empathises with a lot of the acts, making them feel comfortable and I hope this will be reflected throughout the series as we see more of her influences on the acts. Tom Jones and will.i.am seemed to spend most of the time name-dropping, which got very boring very quickly, and the show is in danger of focussing too much on the coaches and not enough on the acts, but will.i.am showed a lot of personality and a surprising sense of humour. I'm still waiting for Danny to shine, which I think he will when it comes to acts who specialise in rocky/guitary stuff as that's really his forte. I'm glad there's somebody there so passionate about the musical side of things, and who will be great guidance to those who wish to incorparate an instument into their act.It's not what I was expecting, and I'm not hooked. Those disappointments will stay with me but I hope that as the series progresses it turns into something I can take more seriously. I'll still be tuning in next week.
Friday, 24 February 2012
JKR's New Book!
The day has finally arrived! J. K. Rowling has announced she has written a non-Potter, adult novel. This is big news, as you would expect, as it's her first novel outside of the Potter series. As a huge Potter fan, I've always been on the side of the fence that doesn't want a new Potter book, just because I feel that story is done and the ending was satisfying enough, and to go back to it wouldn't accomplish anything. Of course I love the story and the characters, and re-reading Deathly Hallows and getting to the end is just heartbreaking, but the time has come for something new!
I'm an avid reader anyway, and so the prospect if something completely different to the Potter books doesn't scare me. But what am I hoping for/expecting from her mystery new book? With no title or genre yet released, it's speculating time!
1. Genre: I'm pretty much open to anything, but what I'm expecting is along the lines of contemporary fiction or crime fiction. A blog on the Guardian website explores the latter option more thoroughly, and I think a crime novel would be a great way to go. The Potter books contained a lot of mystery and suspense and huge reveals, so I think her writing style would suit the genre perfectly.
2. Main character: Personally I'm hoping for a female perspective for her next novel. Potter proved she could write incredibly strong female characters, and yet we never got to get inside their heads. What better than a lead female character written by JKR who has the whole story to herself?!
3. The hype: So Twitter pretty much blew up yesterday when the news was announced, and that was only the announcement that a book exists. Her website has been replaces with a screen allowing you to sign up for email updates (which I've done, naturally) and she's tweeted about it (a rarity) so what's next? Clues to the title like Potter books? Midnight releases? (I hope so!)
4. Series or standalone: I was talking about this with a friend after the news was announced. Of course Potter was a series and so the end of each book came with an expectation of more, but what about this one? If it ventures into the crime genre then that leaves an opportunity for more novels. I think a standalone book would be interesting, though.
5. Writing style: We've all come to love JKR's style over the course of 7 books, and although the latter Potter books were not strictly children's books, I'm really excited to see how her writing fares when aimed at adults. Will it still feel like JKR?
There's so much more to think about, but those are just my initial ramblings. I'm so excited for this book!
Read more over on HogwartsRadio.com.
Until next time,
Sarah x
I'm an avid reader anyway, and so the prospect if something completely different to the Potter books doesn't scare me. But what am I hoping for/expecting from her mystery new book? With no title or genre yet released, it's speculating time!
1. Genre: I'm pretty much open to anything, but what I'm expecting is along the lines of contemporary fiction or crime fiction. A blog on the Guardian website explores the latter option more thoroughly, and I think a crime novel would be a great way to go. The Potter books contained a lot of mystery and suspense and huge reveals, so I think her writing style would suit the genre perfectly.
2. Main character: Personally I'm hoping for a female perspective for her next novel. Potter proved she could write incredibly strong female characters, and yet we never got to get inside their heads. What better than a lead female character written by JKR who has the whole story to herself?!
3. The hype: So Twitter pretty much blew up yesterday when the news was announced, and that was only the announcement that a book exists. Her website has been replaces with a screen allowing you to sign up for email updates (which I've done, naturally) and she's tweeted about it (a rarity) so what's next? Clues to the title like Potter books? Midnight releases? (I hope so!)
4. Series or standalone: I was talking about this with a friend after the news was announced. Of course Potter was a series and so the end of each book came with an expectation of more, but what about this one? If it ventures into the crime genre then that leaves an opportunity for more novels. I think a standalone book would be interesting, though.
5. Writing style: We've all come to love JKR's style over the course of 7 books, and although the latter Potter books were not strictly children's books, I'm really excited to see how her writing fares when aimed at adults. Will it still feel like JKR?
There's so much more to think about, but those are just my initial ramblings. I'm so excited for this book!
Read more over on HogwartsRadio.com.
Until next time,
Sarah x
Monday, 13 February 2012
House Highlights
One of my favourite TV shows, House, is to come to an end, as announced by the producers last week. I'm so sad! It really is a TV gem and one of the few American shows I've actually dedicated the time and effort to stick with, not wanting to miss a single episode. It was whilst I was ill that I started watching this show, and I am forever grateful to Channel 5 for putting it on in the middle of the day, where I happened to catch it accidentally whilst flicking through the usual daytime rubbish!
For this blog post I thought I'd list some of my favourite House episodes, those which really stand out for their absolute genius. Spoilers ahoy!
Three Stories - Series One - As House faces the moral dilemma of having to treat his ex-girlfriend's husband, we slowly start to learn more about House himself and the limp which dominates his life and fuels his drug addiction. A great look into the character of House, and an episode you'll want to re-watch immediately.
Euphoria Parts One and Two - Series 2 - If having any old patient facing life threatening, mysterious illnesses each week with a countdown to diagnose them keeping the tension up isn't exciting enough, then throw in one of House's own team falling ill with the mystery illness and you've got yourself one perfect drama! As Foreman battles against the symptoms which are slowly killing him, the rest of House's team must fight to save him, which is made tougher by Cameron and Foreman's ongoing animosity.
No Reason - Series 2 Finale - This episodes starts of as exciting as it gets really, with House getting shot. Over the course of the episode we see House's recovery, as he is forced to lie next to his attacker in a bed in his own hospital. Is all what it seems? Of course not! The twist at the end of this episode is one of the stand out moments for me, as I recall exactly just how shocked I was when I first watched this episode! Not seen it? Stop reading, now. The series ends with House's epiphany of how to potentially rid himself of his leg pain, after a dream sequence to put all other dream sequences to shame.
House's Head and Wilson's Heart - Series 4 Finale - House is involved in a bus crash and has to slowly piece together what happens and fill in the blanks in his memory. Being House, he knows something is amiss and so recovering from a head injury, goes on a mission to find out what really happens. Why did the bus crash, and more importantly, who was he with on the bus? Probably the best ever House episode, as you grab the box of tissues and mourn the loss of a character you never expected you would mourn, or even want to mourn.
Birth Marks - Series 5 - Let me hear you say road trip! Wilson and House head out to House's father's funeral, a task made harder by the fact that the two's relationship is still fraught after events at the end of series 4. This episode shows just what a great relationship these two characters have, even if they don't notice it themselves sometimes!
Both Sides Now - Series 5 Finale - One of the most defining episodes of House, that will change his future for ever. We've seen him battle drug addiction over the past 5 series, but now everything comes to a head. Will House be able to admit what's wrong and change for the better? Another one of those "I didn't see that coming!" endings, on a par of that in the series 2 finale. Also, the Huddy shipper in you will have you screaming "No!" if you're at all like me.
Help Me - Series 6 Finale - Although those sneaky House writers may have teased the audience at the end of series 5, series 6 is everything you want from the House/Cuddy storyline, as we finally get somewhere with those two! As the two of them attend the disaster scene of a fallen crane, there are lives to be saved, patients with legs to be amputated and Cuddy's engagement to address. A true roller coaster episode.
Those are just some of my House highlights, and reading those has made me realise just how much I'll miss this show when it's gone. Let's hope it goes out with a bang!
Until next time,
Sarah x
For this blog post I thought I'd list some of my favourite House episodes, those which really stand out for their absolute genius. Spoilers ahoy!
Three Stories - Series One - As House faces the moral dilemma of having to treat his ex-girlfriend's husband, we slowly start to learn more about House himself and the limp which dominates his life and fuels his drug addiction. A great look into the character of House, and an episode you'll want to re-watch immediately.
Euphoria Parts One and Two - Series 2 - If having any old patient facing life threatening, mysterious illnesses each week with a countdown to diagnose them keeping the tension up isn't exciting enough, then throw in one of House's own team falling ill with the mystery illness and you've got yourself one perfect drama! As Foreman battles against the symptoms which are slowly killing him, the rest of House's team must fight to save him, which is made tougher by Cameron and Foreman's ongoing animosity.
No Reason - Series 2 Finale - This episodes starts of as exciting as it gets really, with House getting shot. Over the course of the episode we see House's recovery, as he is forced to lie next to his attacker in a bed in his own hospital. Is all what it seems? Of course not! The twist at the end of this episode is one of the stand out moments for me, as I recall exactly just how shocked I was when I first watched this episode! Not seen it? Stop reading, now. The series ends with House's epiphany of how to potentially rid himself of his leg pain, after a dream sequence to put all other dream sequences to shame.
House's Head and Wilson's Heart - Series 4 Finale - House is involved in a bus crash and has to slowly piece together what happens and fill in the blanks in his memory. Being House, he knows something is amiss and so recovering from a head injury, goes on a mission to find out what really happens. Why did the bus crash, and more importantly, who was he with on the bus? Probably the best ever House episode, as you grab the box of tissues and mourn the loss of a character you never expected you would mourn, or even want to mourn.
Birth Marks - Series 5 - Let me hear you say road trip! Wilson and House head out to House's father's funeral, a task made harder by the fact that the two's relationship is still fraught after events at the end of series 4. This episode shows just what a great relationship these two characters have, even if they don't notice it themselves sometimes!
Both Sides Now - Series 5 Finale - One of the most defining episodes of House, that will change his future for ever. We've seen him battle drug addiction over the past 5 series, but now everything comes to a head. Will House be able to admit what's wrong and change for the better? Another one of those "I didn't see that coming!" endings, on a par of that in the series 2 finale. Also, the Huddy shipper in you will have you screaming "No!" if you're at all like me.
Help Me - Series 6 Finale - Although those sneaky House writers may have teased the audience at the end of series 5, series 6 is everything you want from the House/Cuddy storyline, as we finally get somewhere with those two! As the two of them attend the disaster scene of a fallen crane, there are lives to be saved, patients with legs to be amputated and Cuddy's engagement to address. A true roller coaster episode.
Those are just some of my House highlights, and reading those has made me realise just how much I'll miss this show when it's gone. Let's hope it goes out with a bang!
Until next time,
Sarah x
Saturday, 11 February 2012
A Bit of YA Inspiration
I thought I’d do a little blog post on my writing progress, as it’s a subject I haven’t touched on much since NaNoWriMo! So far I’ve found the editing stage to be quite frustrating, which isn’t helped by the fact I really struggle with opening sentences and paragraphs. I wanted to go through and edit my NaNo novel chapter by chapter, but so far chapter one just isn’t sounding how I’d like it yet. In the mean time I’ve started a few other stories, when bursts of inspiration hit me! These include a story about a teenager with M.E, something I’ve wanted to write about for a long time. Also, I’ve recently started a young adult supernatural story, something I never thought I’d write about, but having branched out into the young adult urban fantasy genre in my reading during the past year or so, I felt inspired to dive in there myself!
I’ll own up, with no shame, to being a huge fan of YA fiction. I honestly think it’s some of the best written fiction out there, from the plot to the humour, plus with my health problems I find the writing style a lot more accessible and comfortable to read. I don’t think an “easy-read” has to be a slight, or an insult on a novel. I’m not a book snob, I’ll read pretty much anything, but I find contemporary and teen fiction a lot easier on my tired brain, and a lot of the time more enjoyable, too. This is probably the reason that when I started writing, I immediately wanted to write for that genre. It’s my comfort zone, and I figured I might as well start writing from a teenager’s point of view whilst I can still remember being one!
Here’s a selection of YA urban fantasy/supernatural novels I’ve read over the past year, along with a plot description and my rating from Goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/thatsizgirl). I’d highly recommend them all!
Dreaming of Amelia by Jaclyn Moriarty – My rating: 4*
Amelia and Riley have transferred to Ashbury for their final year of school, and everyone is completely obsessed with them. Glamorous, talented and totally devoted to one another, the two of them drift through school in their own world. But there's more to the couple than meets the eye - they have secrets. And some of them are dangerous to share. As Riley starts to lose his grip on Amelia, the repercussions affect everyone around them.
A spellbinding story about ghosts, secrets, madness, passion, locked doors, femme fatales, and that terrifying moment in the final year of high school when you realise that the future's coming to get you.
The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong – My rating: 5*
All Chloe Saunders wants is a life like any normal teenager – the chance to get through school, make friends, and maybe meet a boy. But when she starts seeing ghosts, she knows that life will never be the same again.
Soon the ghosts are everywhere, demanding her attention. When Chloe finally breaks down, she’s admitted to a group home for disturbed kids. At first Lyle House seems okay, but as she gets to know the other patients – charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek, obnoxious Tori, and Rae, who has a 'thing' for fire – Chloe begins to realise that something strange and sinister binds them all together, and it isn’t your usual ‘problem kid’ behaviour.
And they’re about to discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home, either...
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare – My rating: 4*
'It's after dark in New York City, and Clary Fray is seeing things. The best looking guy in the nightclub just stabbed a boy to death - but the victim has vanished into thin air. Her mother has disappeared, and a hideous monster is lurking in her apartment. With her life spiralling into darkness, Clary realizes that she has stumbled into an invisible war between ancient demonic forces and the secretive Shadowhunters - a war in which she has a fateful role to play...
The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson – My rating: 5*
The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.
Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.
You can find my full reviews of these books on my Goodreads page (note: I tend to keep my reviews short and sweet, honest and personal!). Currently I'm reading An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, another YA author whose books I'm discovering a love for! My "thing worth sharing" would simply be The Fault In Our Stars by John Green, go get your hands on a copy :) You won't regret it!
Until next time,
Sarah x
I’ll own up, with no shame, to being a huge fan of YA fiction. I honestly think it’s some of the best written fiction out there, from the plot to the humour, plus with my health problems I find the writing style a lot more accessible and comfortable to read. I don’t think an “easy-read” has to be a slight, or an insult on a novel. I’m not a book snob, I’ll read pretty much anything, but I find contemporary and teen fiction a lot easier on my tired brain, and a lot of the time more enjoyable, too. This is probably the reason that when I started writing, I immediately wanted to write for that genre. It’s my comfort zone, and I figured I might as well start writing from a teenager’s point of view whilst I can still remember being one!
Here’s a selection of YA urban fantasy/supernatural novels I’ve read over the past year, along with a plot description and my rating from Goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/thatsizgirl). I’d highly recommend them all!
Dreaming of Amelia by Jaclyn Moriarty – My rating: 4*
Amelia and Riley have transferred to Ashbury for their final year of school, and everyone is completely obsessed with them. Glamorous, talented and totally devoted to one another, the two of them drift through school in their own world. But there's more to the couple than meets the eye - they have secrets. And some of them are dangerous to share. As Riley starts to lose his grip on Amelia, the repercussions affect everyone around them.
A spellbinding story about ghosts, secrets, madness, passion, locked doors, femme fatales, and that terrifying moment in the final year of high school when you realise that the future's coming to get you.
The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong – My rating: 5*
All Chloe Saunders wants is a life like any normal teenager – the chance to get through school, make friends, and maybe meet a boy. But when she starts seeing ghosts, she knows that life will never be the same again.
Soon the ghosts are everywhere, demanding her attention. When Chloe finally breaks down, she’s admitted to a group home for disturbed kids. At first Lyle House seems okay, but as she gets to know the other patients – charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek, obnoxious Tori, and Rae, who has a 'thing' for fire – Chloe begins to realise that something strange and sinister binds them all together, and it isn’t your usual ‘problem kid’ behaviour.
And they’re about to discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home, either...
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare – My rating: 4*
The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson – My rating: 5*
The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.
Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.
You can find my full reviews of these books on my Goodreads page (note: I tend to keep my reviews short and sweet, honest and personal!). Currently I'm reading An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, another YA author whose books I'm discovering a love for! My "thing worth sharing" would simply be The Fault In Our Stars by John Green, go get your hands on a copy :) You won't regret it!
Until next time,
Sarah x
Sunday, 5 February 2012
Snow!
Ok, so when it comes to snow I turn into a six year old and get majorly excited! Most of this excitement is when the snow is falling, and I can't help but sit by my window and take in the view. I honestly think falling snow is one of the most beautiful things to look at <3 But when it comes to going out in it, I have to take advantage because there have been times where I just wasn't well enough, and it feels like I'll never make up for those torturous years where all I could do was look upon the snow from afar and not go out and play in it.
The past few years we have had more than our fair share of snow, and I was starting to fear that this would be a rare snow-less winter, but yesterday the snow just didn't stop falling and by evening it was pretty thick. I've been out a few times, which has resulted in very tired legs and a very tired Sarah so I think I've had my fill for now. But this is yet another thing that has made me happy this week!
The past few years we have had more than our fair share of snow, and I was starting to fear that this would be a rare snow-less winter, but yesterday the snow just didn't stop falling and by evening it was pretty thick. I've been out a few times, which has resulted in very tired legs and a very tired Sarah so I think I've had my fill for now. But this is yet another thing that has made me happy this week!Now if it could just disappear before I have to go out for my CAB appointment tomorrow that would be great ;) Shaky legs on icy ground isn't a good combination!
Wherever you are, stay warm and stay safe!
Until next time,
Sarah x
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