Wanderlust Wednesday [1]

This is a weekly feature started by the every amazing Carla from The Crooked Shelf (go follow her now because she is amazeballs FACT) and each week I’ll post about a place or location that I’d love to go and visit for a holiday, a day, an hour or a lifetime.  These are all my own thoughts about the places so may not always be PERFECTLY accurate to how the places actually are but that’s part of why I’d want to go to these places: to see them all for myself.

Tokyo, Japan

I’ve always had this dream to visit Japan and there’s a lot to visit but I’m just fascinated by the 2 extreme ends of the culture that clash and also live in harmony.  You have the very traditional Japan and then the high tech flashy Japan of the future and they are amazing.  I love the art and design style of Japanese culture and would love to be able to just go and walk the streets and seeing everything.

I also love the idea that I’d be completely outside everything because it’s a whole different culture and language so it would be one of the most extreme ways to visit somewhere outside your comfort zone but still feel some safety in knowing that this all exists like a hub of society just like any other city.

I really want to visit Tokyo just once in my life.

Top Ten Books that are on the top of my TBR pile for the Fall

 

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND post a comment on our post with a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post to share with us and all those who are participating. If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. If you can't come up with ten, don't worry about it---post as many as you can!

 

So I forgot to post this so my TTT is a little late this week. MY BAD!  These are all books I either already have or will be coming out before the end of the year (because i’m not totally sure what ‘Fall’ covers.  I’m assuming it’s autumn time but I’ll just list stuff coming up)

1.       1. Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts: I got a copy sent from the publishers and it looks like a real action horror end of the world type thing so I’m game to read that.  It’s out beginning of September so it’s next on my reads but I’ve heard various reports on it so far.  I’ll see how I like it.

2.      2. Shadows on the Moon by Zoe Marriot: I won this and I’ve heard so many good things; GUSHING things that I think if I don’t read it soon one of my other blogger friends may attack me.

3.       3. Wither by Lauren Destefano:  I love the idea of the plot and the cover is so gorgeous that I had to buy it.

4.       4. Delirium by Lauren Oliver:  I’ll be honest and say I haven’t read any Lauren Oliver before but from what I’ve been told; her writing will blow your mind and plus I bought the PaperBack edition recently because it has Carla from The Crooked Shelf quoted on the back. AMAZEBALLS

5.       5. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa:  I heard about this serious yonks ago by an American book buddy that said it was like the movie Labyrinth meets faeries and that pretty much sold me.

6.       6. Betrayal by Lee Nichols:  I was sent the 1^st in this series and wasn’t too sure at first if it was going to be any different from the other paranormal YAs out there but I loved it and i’m so happy the publishers were kind enough to send the sequel too!

7.       7. Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick: I MUST KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!!!!!

8.        8. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater:  Maggie’s newest series after knocking it out of the park with the final of the Wolves of Mercy Falls series and I have high hopes this will be a real page turner too!

9.       9. Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer:  It’s been out a little while but I still haven’t bought it and each day I fear being accidently spoiled so it’s a must buy ASAP

10.   10. Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson: Again it’s one that everyone has said ‘READ’ and I really feel I should because quite frankly it sounds SO good!

Movie News: The Hunger Games Sneak Peak Trailer

With an introduction by Jennifer Lawerence herself and then this little sneaky look at just a piece of what we can expect from The Hunger Games when it comes out next March all I can say is NOM NOM NOM NOM

HUNGRY FOR MORE!

It looks dark and gritty like the book and Jennifer gives Katniss the right look too which pleases me a great deal.  Can NOT wait!

Thoughts????

Review: Della Says OMG by Keris Stainton

When you are going through all those teenage teething pains and angsty moments the one source of sanctuary that teens often turn to is a diary.  This generation may have a blog online rather than a hand written journal but I know that I had a diary like Della.  It was red with Winnie the Pooh on the front and had a red ribbon as a book marker.  I’d write all my woes and rants in it like Della but what would happen if someone had taken that diary and then start seeping pages from it online and to my nearest and dearest.  I’d want to die with fear and embarrassment.  Della handles it all WAY better than I would have but I think that she has a strength of character and people around her that makes it OK for her to freak out and be honest too.  I’m just prone to freaking so let’s just say Della is better than me at that age.

Della’s lived her life on the side lines most of the time with her funny and cool dad, ex-model mother and older sister that makes all the boys drool.  Now things are changing as her goal to get the boy she’s been crushing on for years is within reach and her big sister is off to America for the summer, she may be able to have some fun and really live her own life.  Once her diary goes missing then things become more complicated as she has no clue who’s taken it, why and when they’ll next strike out against her.  At least Della has her best friend Maddy to rely on but Maddy’s got her own problems with her boyfriend Sid and his best mate Leo and life being just as confusing.  If only my teen years were as exciting as Della and Maddy’s; I was excited when a new series of The X Files was starting. (Yes I was a geek).

 

Della says OMG wasn’t what I expected at first because from the title you might assume that it was just your average teen chick lit novel but it has a much deeper edge and a sharper wit than most.  Della is funny and smart even if she does have self confidence issues (but what teenager girl doesn’t in the 21^st century).  The family dynamics aren’t the average homely mum and dad and 2.4 kids as the parents are far more interactive and on a younger level as they’ve lived the fast pace life so know the highs and lows that their kids face.  In a way they are a teen’s dream parents because they rarely seem angry at them and are quite carefree and willing to make space for them to grow without being ‘distant’ parents.  It’s a family balance that works for them and that’s fine.  

What I really like about this story was how simple the idea behind it was and how it could happen to anyone.  There isn’t a huge exploding car chase or an alien invasion but it’s the characters that make this story interesting and worth the read.  Della’s friend’s and peers are a great mix of people from quiet to bold and confident that make her world a wonderful blend of marvel and mayhem. I won't give away weither Della finds her diary or finds out who takes it but its a great twist because the goal at the start for her is just that; to find it and find who took it.  Her life changes through out the book and it's not the main thing in her world as things happen around her and she becomes confident in herself. Della says OMG is a marvellous read and a superb way of showing that sometimes in life you have to let the small things go and relax into your own life.  Things are hard but they could be worse so why sweat the small stuff because you might miss out of the fun in the real world worrying about it all.  

Rating: 7.5/10 

Published by Orchard Books and available here and all good book sellers

The Post of Awesome [1]

So I have major love for this blog called 1000 Awesome Things which basically takes some time to post about truely awesome things in life from the small to very big.  I always read them and think 'OMG THAT IS AWESOME!'

So I'm making my own feature that will weekly showing something awesome i've discovered that week, something awesome in general or just proving to myself that there is a lot of awesome things to see.

I can be anything to just having a warm towel straight from the dryer or a moment you've personally had in the last week that you think was awesome

This week I'm posting a video.  I go on and on about My Chemical Romance (I know, you're probably sick of it) but this weekend they headlined Reading and Leeds Festival in the UK.  Not only were they awesome (duh) but after the drama in 2006 when they played and fans got beaten up by non fans and they got booed and bottled on stage because of hyped up media drama having them headline and rock it was something special.

and then Brain May walked out on stage.

MIND BLOWN.  My dad would have loved that.  One of the legends he loved with mine.  I cried watching this at home and it's amazingly awesome

What's Awesome with you today?

IMM: In My Mailbox [32]

In My Mailbox is an epic feature run by The Story Siren and my links go to Amazon UK but other book sellers are out there too!

 

A slow week but I was feeling a bit like I've been over doing the book buying and it's to be payday so just a couple this week

eBooks

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

I finally got Grab Gallery and this was the first one on there.  :)

Bought

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

 

CAN NOT WAIT TO READ!  I pre ordered this last month so I nearly jumped up and down at work when Mr Postman came in with my copy.  Also Many Congrats to Richelle and her hubby on the birth on their lovely little baby!

HAPPY READING  

XOXO

Dyslexia and Me

So recently on BBC Three they re-showed a documentary by Eastenders actress Kara Tointon called ‘Don’t Call Me Stupid’ and hopefully a few saw it or maybe it’s still available on the BBC iPlayer because not only was it a wonderful programme but it moved me to write something here about it and the subject matter.  It was about Kara’s problem with her dyslexia and not only what it is and how it dramatic affects lives by just having a small change in the way people think.  Dyslexia is a big thing for me as not only do a lot of people in my life have this condition or work with people that do but I myself deal with it daily.

For those that don’t know or don’t know 100% for sure what dyslexia is I’ll link to a full explanation here but it is basically a condition where the brain works different from others on a different level/wavelength and in return it can be different to take in information, you can have trouble with numbers, spelling, remembering sequences, reading very simple things and public speaking.  There are many degrees of it and it may just be a case of you finding it hard to read at the same speed as your friends or it can be a case of you can’t even read or write at the level you should be for your age group.  I was officially diagnosed with dyslexia in a lower level on the scale but enough that it still affects me daily.  I find it terrible trying to read out loud to others because it effect my brain is reading at a different speed to my mouth and it’s jumping around so i can always focus on the straight line.  I’ve recorded a video that both explains what it’s like for me personally and a little reading time to show what I mean.

I am not stupid.  I’m excusing my usual bashful and humble nature to tell you this.  I have 4 A Levels A-B grades, A foundation Degree, a BTEC National Certificate in Media and a 2:1 Degree in Humanities and I’m 26.  I read quicker than any of my friends and have a memory for facts and tid bits of knowledge that even shocks me.  I have a creative mind.  I can see the visual and logical patterns better than anything but if you read out a phone number to me I’d have to stop you after 2 digits because it’ll be mush in my head by then. 

If I could say anything to those that have dyslexia it would be that you are not stupid; you just process stuff differently.  The best way to describe it to others is that everyone works on FM radio and dyslexics work on AM radio.  It’s the same information and process of going in and out but the two can only work alongside each other because the way I see the world is always slightly different to others.  This is not a bad thing.  Many great people have/had dyslexia and were plain AWESOME!  To anyone that knows someone dyslexic: just remember that having dyslexia doesn’t mean you don’t go from A to get to B in any problem.  It’s just a matter of taking a different, all be it longer, path to reach the end goal. 

The key to dealing with dyslexia is dealing with it early if possible and not trying to solve the problems by using the wrong tools.  A dyslexic brain works differently so it has to learn differently.  You wouldn’t try to make a cup of tea with an umbrella and a shoelace.  That makes no sense so why try to teach someone with dyslexia the tools of learning when they can’t use them without a struggle if at all.

I’m no expert and this is all just my own opinion and thoughts so I’ll just hope that someone will read this and follow the links below to some great sites and services on the topic and even go and watch the Kara Tointon documentary.  If anything just remember that just because you or someone you know has dyslexia doesn’t mean they can’t be great and if you think you might have dyslexia; don’t be afraid, ask for help and remember that you are not alone and you are NOT stupid; you’re special.

Links to sites on dyslexia and dyslexic societies and foundations

Dyslexia Action


The British Dyslexia Association

Being Dyslexic


Kara Tointon Documentary link  Documentary link on iPlayer for those in UK

Just a few of the great people that has or had dyslexia and didn’t let it hold them back or be remembered for being great in their field:  ALL links come from and go to Wikipedia because it was the quickest way for me to find stuff and very helpful.  Thanks to the Wiki page!

• Hans Christian Andersen, Danish writer^[1]
• Ludwig van Beethoven, composer^[5]
• Orlando Bloom, actor^[7]
• Richard Branson, entrepreneur^[10
• Anderson Cooper, American journalist^[23]
• Tom Cruise, actor^[24]
• Leonardo da Vinci, Italian inventor, artist^[25]
• Thomas Edison, American inventor, scientist^[25]
• Albert Einstein, German theoretical physicist, philosopher and author^[30]
• Noel Gallagher, musician^[36]
• Anthony Hopkins, actor^[43]
• John Irving, novelist^[44]
• Steve Jobs, Founder and CEO of Apple, Inc.^[46]
• Cath Kidston, designer and businesswoman^[50]
• Keira Knightley, actress^[52]
• John Lennon, musician, songwriter^[55]
• Jay Leno, talk show host and comedian^[56]
• Mika singer-songwriter^[62]
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, composer^[66]
• Paul Oakenfold, a record producer and trance DJ^[70]
• Jamie Oliver, chef and television host^[72]
• Ozzy Osbourne, musician^[74]
• Pablo Picasso, Spanish artist, sculptor^[25]
• Keanu Reeves, actor^[79]
• Iwan Rheon, Welsh actor and singer/songwriter.^[80]
• Guy Ritchie, film director^[81]
• Bryan Singer, film director^[85]
• Kara Tointon, English actress^[93]
• Henry Winkler, actor, spokesman for the Dyslexia Foundation^[97]
• Benjamin Zephaniah, poet^[98]

Trailer: Silence by Becca FitzPatrick

OOOOO!! The excitement for this book is almost tangible!  The cliffhanger at the end of Crescendo was so amazing it was almost mean!

Here is the just released UK trailer for the 3rd and final book in the Fallen Angels series

Thoughts? Well it doesn't give away too much but really it's just enough to tease you about the book coming soon and that a LOT of drama is going to happen.  Loved the reminders and mentions of all the books in the series and the colour theme still being used.

All in all this makes for a lovely treat on a Friday afternoon!

Revolution by Jennifier Donnelly

I was originally sent this from the lovely Emma at Bloomsbury after discussing possible books to cover in my Music and Book theme week and Emma asked if I’d read Revolution and said it covered a range of music and history too.  Sadly I didn’t quite finish it in time to cover in the theme week but it floored me so much that I had to put up my review as soon as I could afterwards.  Usually the idea of any sort of historical fiction wouldn’t grab my attention but I jumped straight into this book with no real idea about the story but the cover looked pretty cool even if the book itself is fairly thick.  Never underestimate the power of good writing because I could not put it down.  I know people say that a lot when it comes to books they really have enjoyed but I was walking to work and reading it.  I had to force myself to put it down to eat lunch at work and even then I was quick in my eating.  

The story starts out with Andi and her broken shards of a life.  Her brother has died very young in an accident, her genius genetics scientist father has left the father for his work and another’s love and her mother is a hollow shell of a person just coping by painting all the time and trying not to cry.  Andi is failing out of her elite school and if it was not for the intervention of her distance father she would be lost.  He finds out the state of Andi’s mother and puts her in a hospital and takes Andi to Paris with him as he works and so she can work on her final year thesis on Malherbeau who she sees as a musical legend from the 1700s and his influence on all music since.  She happens upon a lost diary from the late 1700s in her father friend’s home whom is a French Revolution historian and fanatic.  It’s written by a girl called Alex that has just as much a tragic tale to tell from the time of revolution in France as Andi does now in her own life and Andi becomes addicted to her story.  As her family and his friend, G, work to solve a mystery of a heart that could change the history of the city, Andi goes on her own journey as she falls into the world of Alex’s past and tries to deal with her own and letting people into her life like Virgil, a music enthusiast and possible love interest if she’d just put down her barriers.

I completely fell in love with this story and it’s been quite a while since a book has gripped me so much that I couldn’t sleep for thinking about it.  I stayed up till gone 3am one night because I had to read more to take it off my mind for a while.  Andi’s character is a split between both her old and new life.  All she wants is her old life back and to escape from the new one she’s been forced to exist in.  She’s surrounded by broken people trying to stay whole so it’s no wonder she can’t fix herself or even want to when she’s trying to hold it together for the sake of everyone else.  The two stories complement each other with such perfection that when Andi craved more of Alex’s story you were more than happy to join her for the ride.  I knew a little about the French Revolution from GCSE history but what was unusual for Jennifer to do was to the history from 3 points of view: the present, the poor and the rich royalty in the past.  Most times in history the saying goes that ‘history is written by the victors’ so it’s pleasing for me as a reading to get a chance to have a fairly well rounded view of the history.

The themes weren’t constantly hammered home to death and it was a brave step to look at issues like the grieving process, teen depression and mental conditions so boldly.  It’s one of the few taboos still around in modern life and to really expose Andi like that as a character is something to be commended in my opinion.  I found the relationships between Lili and G and Virgil and Andi to be charming and think the musical influences and their varied range was just as pleasing as the historical aspect of the book.  Music from one generation influences the next and so the idea the past life of Alex was influencing Andi’s was a great parallel.

A completely gripping and haunting tale of two lives intertwined over centuries by words and emotions.  This book stayed with me for many days and lingered in my thoughts at night after putting it down.

Rating: 9.5/10

Published by Bloomsbury Books and is available here and is out in paperback in October 2011