Book Review: Silent Saturday by Helen Grant

This is one of those summaries that spoils something that isn't reveal till near the end of the book.

HE CALLS HIMSELF THE HUNTER.

He attacks without mercy, relishing the small details: the coughs, the gurgles, the stillborn screams...

SHE'S ADDICTED TO THE EXCITEMENT.

Veerle is part of a secret society that breaks into people's houses to spy on their lives. But she isn't new to danger. Ten years ago, she saw the hunter strike - and lived to tell the tale.

HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DIE IN PRISON.

But when other members of Veerle's society start to disappear, she begins to suspect her old foe may be targeting them. Now she'll have to face her own worst nightmare.

BUT HOW DO YOU FIGHT A DEAD MAN?

With magic.

This book took me a ridiculous long time to read due to life. Also slight reading stump in that made me jump therefore I feel like my review can't be fully unbias as things affected my reading of it. For example, despite interesting things going one I took massive breaks between some chapters and found it hard to keep reading at times despite wanting to know what was going on.

This book has an interesting setting as it's YA book set in Belgium, mostly the Flemish speaking part to be precise. It was written in English by a British writer who has lived in Belgium. Flemish(Belgian Dutch)/French words were scattered through out the book. Basically, this book teaches you how to swear in another language/s.

The plot revolves around a lot of coincidences with everyone from Veerle's past showing back up at the same time. The plot okay, but it does feel heavy towards the end. However, that might just be the disjointed way I read it. The plot was pretty easy to follow despite me picking the novel up and then abandoning it several times. The ending is a bit abundant, even for the start of a trilogy. It's cliffhanger of emotion.

Veerle's relationship with her mother done well. The mother is overprotected, but she not the overbearing straight up bad mothers you find in a lot YA books. It is the worst trope. The mother over protecting is exampled and grows with the situation. The characterization is done well overall.

The book is written in third person and switches focus on the characters, type to crime and thriller books.  I liked it and murder.

Overall, I give this book three out of five stars for rock shoes. It's start of trilogy (Forbidden Spaces) and I am keen to read the next one which is good considering I only pick up the first book because the last one is called Urban Legends. I will eventually review all of them. Hopefully soon as they have to go back to the library...several months ago.

Boxing Day contains no boxes.

Happy Boxing Day, the British Holiday that confuses Americans the most, despite Guy Fawkes Night being a thing.

Christmas was fun....okay that's a lie. I came home on Christmas Eve after my sister and I once again missed each other. We should have came on Wednesday. We went shopping instead and I went for a nap and then never got up at eight. I got home at like nine, after a rather slow drive. My mother was not pleased. Saying we were driving to her the drink.

I went to sleep for a while. Then stayed up all night, watched Star Wars (the original trilogy) whilst waiting for the family to wake up. My big regret of Christmas was waking them up. Life would be more peaceful. My brother is autistic and it turns out getting him what he wants, is a way to upset him. He's always a brat, because he's spoilt and literally has too much stuff. Let's not get into it.

I am adult. I got a alarm clock and a fan that will connect to it. It one of those USB ones. I am certain that was not my mother's intention when buying both. I got 3 Waterstones cards so fun on the internet is to be had. No books have been brought, as there is nothing I want at the moment.

I have to leave now, because I should be reading. SO behind. The Cram-a-thon didn't work out and don't feel like the Booktubeathon. *reading*.

Book Review: Electricity by Ray Robinson

You could say this was an "electrifying read", but that just me pushing a pun.

 Lily's epilepsy means she's used to seeing the world in terms of angles -- you look at every surface, you weigh up every corner, and you think of your head slamming into it -- but what would she be like without her sharp edges? Prickly, spiky, up-front honest and down-to-earth practical, Lily is thirty, and life's not easy but she gets by. Needing no-one and asking for nothing, it's just her and her epilepsy: her constant companion. 

But then her mother -- who Lily's not seen for years -- dies, and Lily is drawn back into a world she thought she'd long since left behind. Forced to renegotiate the boundaries of her life, she realises she has a lot to learn -- about relationships, about the past, and about herself -- and some difficult decisions ahead of her. '

This book me a long time to read, because of reasons like it was sort of for uni, but I didn't need to actually read. The book follows Lily as she tries to find her brother who she hasn't seen since she was a child whilst with living epilepsy.

Lily is a sympathetic, unlikable character. She been through a lot, but she still innocent and strangely trusting. She realistic in that she is contrasting traits. The other characters were okay, but generally unlikable except for the middle class one, who at the moment I can't think of a bad thing about her. Hmm...

This book sort of falls into the trap of a lot stories featuring main characters with disabilities and illness do, but as it just teeters on the edge I'll leave it be and not spoiler the book by discussing it. While Lily's epilepsy plays a big part of the book, as it is a big obstacle in her life, the character is not define by her disability and I think it is a decent portrayal (though, I do know very little about epilepsy other it's brain disorder that causes seizers and varys on severity). The writer has took the time to actually think about the disorder and how it affects

The seizures were represent by static of letters on the page which made the book stand out from the start and I also liked pictures of pills being used to show passing of time almost. It was nice way of giving another insight into Lily.

Overall, I give this book 4 out of five stars for padded corners. It was okay book heavy on character and also feature forest homes, child abuse and a depressing beach town.

Dead Religions (e.g. Jedi)

I am currently back home, though destined to return to the dorm once more before christmas. Ar, Christmas the holiday I am totally not prepared for. I have brought no one gifts, nor do I have any clue as what to get them. Maybe I'll became a Jehovah Witness every December and then lapse soon as boxing day comes. Though, Jehovah Witness are on my list of dumbest christian off shots, only after Morons who origins are the stupidness of all Abrahamic religions. Oh, wait I forgot about Scientology. At least someone started as a bet.

Now that I've done insulting American religions (for the week), let talk about my fun activity of completing deadlines. But barely, or not all. I've did the work now...there a other thing but I don't want to talk about other deadlines.

I saw the major film of this week. That's right Krampus. It was okay. The horror was alright, the comedy wasn't really there. They were some issues, like the German-speaking thing. Also I didn't like the design of  the top half of Krampus. It was okay, I would watch again if it was on TV or something. My little brother wanted to see it, but he's three years too young to go to see in a cinema, so I am bound to see it again.

I also saw the new Star Wars film for a few hours later at midnight. It was good. It is a good film, though there are some issues with it that I hoped will be resolved in the future films. Some can't. I can't say anything else besides fighting the urge to scream out the window major spoilers but that just a thing I like to do.

I'm hoping to read and edit videos this weekend. How likely of either is up to me? The fact I put a question mark at the end of that sentence, probably speaks volumes of this weekends predicted outcome. Gotta try.
I write to another Saturday where I will know the future and the past of that day. Or lies. We'll see.

May the Force be with you. (say that on my birthday and I will choke you with the force).

Book Review: My True Love Gave to Me. Edited by Stephanie Perkins

I hate Romance, but love short stories.

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me . . . This beautiful collection features twelve gorgeously romantic stories set during the festive period, by some of the most talented and exciting YA authors writing today. The stories are filled with the magic of first love and the magic of the holidays.

This is an anthology of romance stories. I'm not big on the romance, but I like short stories. Most of the stories didn't fall in the tropes area, so this book certainly doesn't fall in the annoying area of YA Romances. There are illustrations at the start of each story that I liked and I also the font used in the corner is pretty looking. 

Midnight by Rainbow Rowell: This story tells the tale of several New Year almost Midnight; hence the title. This is a friend romance. It was nice I like the flash back to the couple's meeting and the grimace of their relationship every New Year after that till the start of the story. 4/5 stars for Chex Mix.

The Lady and the Fox by Kelly Link: This a magic story which raises questions and gives you no answers. This is instant love where the couple only say a few sentences to each other and then it's risk your life time. I liked their interactions, I just do not get the bit where the romance came in. There's more going on with the other love interest. It took me half way through the story to pin-point what time period we were in, so therefore timeless? Well, as long Skype and Tonys are a thing. I give this tale 3/5 stars for pine needles. I would have liked it better if the ending went a darker turn. 

Angels In The Snow by Matt de la Peña: Snowed in and staving at Christmas. This book features such fun as grief and college. Its told from a boy's point of view, which chaptery bits. I liked the style,  Takes place during the immediate days to Christmas and Christmas Day. 4/5 stars for muffins.

Polaris Is Where You’ll Find Me by Jenny Han: This was an interesting idea, though basically the film Santa Claus if you developed the idea and killed off Mrs Claus and the street hoodlum. Also add elves from the Lord of the Rings, because they be hot.  Okay, they really only share the concept of Santa adopting a kid and living at the North Pole with them. This was more the issue of growing up at the North Pole the only one of breed e.g. not an elf or Santa (I hate when people say magical beings ain't human when that's so not how genetics work. It's as dumb as racism because races ain't really a thing in biology, but one is obviously a more serious issue than the other). The ending was a little underwhelming, there was more there and this is one of the shorter stories (14 pages). 2/5 stars for Tall Elves.

It’s a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown by Stephanie Perkins: A girl hears a voice in a parking lot then follows that voice to forest of Christmas tree. This story does not involve magic, despite me clearly giving a misleading description. This was favourite story so far. It was sweet and very real. The characters have witty banter with each other. 5/5 stars for Scattered boxes.

Your Temporary Santa by David Levithan: Levithan can always be grantee to bring the gay. I mean heteronormative makes everything so boring and this is the only one of these stories that isn't. A boy is convinced to pretended to be Santa for his boyfriend's 6 year old sister who flirts with teenagers for attention...why the word flirt? Charm has least disturbing connotations when referring to a child. 4/5 stars for disarranged stockings.

Krampuslauf by Holly Black: This was really a romance story, but I don't care. It has a nice friendships and magic. I also enjoyed the fake break-up. 3/5 for mysterious liquids.

What The Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth? by Gayle Forman: WHY IS MICK JAGER CONSIDER SEXY? He wasn't that hot when he was young. This story takes place on the last night of Hanukkah, which by pure coincidence is when I read this story (though just as we were only 2 hours in and it was more the night of the 13th). I think this story also takes place on Christmas Eve (24th), due to clues in the book and that was when Hanukkah was last year. This is a story about two outsiders at university bonding over Ned Flanders. I like how the girl was swept up with all her mistakes. 4/5 stars for Glass candles.

Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus by Myra McEntire: Male protagonist blows up pigeons and burns down part of a church. Depressing issues that just overshadow by a romance I don't care about. Actually, just straight up depressing, with a sappy ending.  2/5 stars for prostitute angels.

Welcome To Christmas, CA by Kiersten White: This a sweet story about food and what is a home. It also feels like a balanced story. The main character, Maria has issues outside the romance that are dealt with, instead of just being characterisation. Also this story also involves non-romantic love which is surprisingly not explored enough.  5/5 stars for lawn chairs.
 
Star of Bethlehem by Ally Carter: That was basically terrible and highly farfetch. The more interesting story is the girl who goes to New York. I want to know what the hell happen in Iceland. There's potential, but most of the story is wanting to know why Linda is hiding. The rest is just corny mush. 1/5 for corruption. 

The Girl Who Woke The Dreamer by Laini Taylor: This is slightly different but also not at all. Its the only fantasy story in book, but fits fine in my opinion with the other magical story that are in here. The main character Neve is a terrible situation and magic comes to the rescue or something like that. 4/5 stars dead flowers.

Overall, I give this book four out of five stars for . I enjoyed the majority of these stories, there's only one or two that really let the book down. A lot these stories have weird underling issues that just didn't fit in with the stories they were telling. There's some decentish diversity (as in more than one of the main characters are clearly a minority in America). Even as someone who not all about the romances in books, the characters are complex in their brief glances. Would definitely recommend for this seasonal.

I got this book for review off NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Books. I also own it and used having to do a review on it to trick me into reading it now, instead of the Summer of 2017.

Writing Terribly all the time.

Uni is over for the year. But it's also not. I still have two deallines to meet and panic over. I have tons to say and do. But also nothing to say. I want to give my terrible writing. It's all terrible, which is bad since I have my creative writing deadline tomorrow and I honesty don't know which piece is worst. I've gave up on fixing one of the stories I submitted for feedback, I just don't think I'll ever get to work unless I throw vampires into it. It still wouldn't work, but then it would at least have vampires to spice it up a bit.

I am almost attempt to summit Coincidence in War and Love as its the last short story I have any pride over (sad I know). Except it's too long, on the internet and not written during the course. There is the short Cut, but it sucks too and I shared it on the internet not thinking it would worth submitting (still do). I'll probably give the worser piece since I have no reason to keep it for anything else.

I know I'm not being over critical as all my opinions have been back up. I keep writing novels. I'm not sure if there any good. I just need to finish one. I need it to flow streight away at the start or I have nothing decent. Dragging stuff out of me is just painfully and messy.

I have list of ideas and none of them want to be on paper. I have to just write. A thousand words is just so resitive to me, because it plays on my mine. I need 2,000 when it comes to my work. My chapters tend to be that size as well. Some longer, very few shorter than by a great much.

I guess it doesn't help that I've started hate my own writing style, which is the same as hating my voice. Maybe this means I should try mixing up more. I've been inserting prose more in my stories to build the settings better. The thing my third person voice is my first person narrating badly. I also have completely forgotten to how to write action in first person. It's possible, this is because I deal more with plot and characters and was never good at it to start with.

I just wish writing hadn't became such a drag for me. Everything feels a little pressure which is of course most likely in my head.

Book Review: The Twice-Lived Summer of Bluebell Jones by Susie Day

Dye your hair. Dye Everything.

On her thirteenth birthday, Blue makes a desperate wish. To be transformed into a cool, confident teenager. Enter Red, appearing from nowhere like a wacky fairy godmother. She's only visible to Blue- in fact, she IS Blue, but a year older. With Red by her side to guide her, Blue can avoid all the gruesome embarrassments! But her future self causes a heap of crazy trouble - and there are dark secrets she's not telling...

The first full novel I have read by Susie Day. I reviewed one of her short stories which really sold me on her as a writer.

The whole of this novel is the main character to change herself and trying to make friends with "cool" people of where she is on holiday; making her a pretty realistic thirteen year old. The supporting characters are nice.

The twist was done well. It's hinted frequently through the book but not overly obvious. The ending felt a bit rushed and really let this book down. I didn't fully buy it and there is main thing that's kinda spoilerly. Here's a spoiler (highlight to see): the character just straight gives up, doesn't try to get out the situation at all. 

Overall, I give this book 4 out of five stars. I really enjoy reading this book, but the ending knocked a lot of points for me. It's on the younger side of YA. (Or older middle-grade? Teen would be so easier to use) Therefore short, which was nice read to have during the busyness of uni. Though with an important message for someone whose 13 or whatever age to hear.

Self-Destructive is fun.

I have started to procrastinating from eating, so I don't eat till I'm really tired. I am like a really advance sim. If I am a sim, then I'm clearly not the favourite one. More the one you to fill out the family then leave to it, till you get bored of your main one.

I'm procrastinating from everything else as always. Except filming and other group related stuff but also majorly procrastinating that stuff too. I have left myself with intense writing sensation that leave me depressed and lifeless.

I am at the stage where I sort of care, but don't care at all. I am past caring, because as a perfectionists I only have two working function. Numb and stressed or a odd mix of both where I do nothing.  Procrastnation, if it were a profession, then I would be one of the best.

I got both Netflixs and Amazon Prime in a matter of days. Amazon Prime is something, I would not buy except it was free and comes with fast shipping. As a video or music subscription it individually sucks. It also raises the big question, Why the hell is Pipper Pig on both? She her and SpongeBob belong together.

I have yet to actually pay for Netflixs, so far it been worth it as I have been watching large quantity of Community and am on the Epsideo 8 of 4th season so am in the majority way into it. It is not good for the whole production thing, but I enjoy it and it is relatable. The cast is good, regular or guest. Though, Alison Bree is just straight up playing the same character as My Alibi.

As for Amazon Prime there is some stuff on Prime Video. I have only used it for Mona the Vampire on mute while I'm trying to get to sleep. Nostalgia makes it so I don't need sound, but I did mange to use my phone for sound last night till I got bored of syncing it.

I'm currently catching on Doctor Who. I hadn't watched since the first part of The Zygon Inversion which was when I last decided to catch up it before. This is made difficult because my SmartTV hates BBC Iplayer. Perhaps it's bitter about BBC Three. I have now gave up and began awkwardly typing this post in the tiny window due the download version of Iplayer doesn't let you make it tiny.

I'm going to leave you now in favour of adventure and going to sleep a decentish time. If the gods allow; or my body; or whatever causes me to stay up all night.

Book Review: Need by Joelle Charbonneau

In my house, kidney donation is something to joke about.

“No one gets something for nothing. We all should know better.” Teenagers at Wisconsin's Nottawa High School are drawn deeper into a social networking site that promises to grant their every need... regardless of the consequences. Soon the site turns sinister, with simple pranks escalating to malicious crimes. The body count rises. In this chilling YA thriller, the author of the best-selling Testing trilogy examines not only the dark side of social media, but the dark side of human nature. 

  

This book is about being manipulated into doing straight up illegal and immoral things by the website, on the basis that it's anonymous and free stuff.

The main character's brother PJ or some other genetic letters for a name, needs a kidney donation eventually. Now I know about kidney donations and I don't buy that it's that serious. If he has another relapse then he'll need one. Okay, so that makes sound his kidneys are still functioning without the need of dialysis, therefore he's not at the point of "NEEDING" one. This coming from someone whose sister kidney has been at the point of failure and then it recovered. You're be surprised at how low kidney function can before you go on the donor list. If it had been the Liver then I wouldn't know anything about how senvle the need actually was. The character acts as if her brother was brink of death right at that moment. She just too desperate. He's not on the organ donation list yet.

This is a typical YA novel in that the parents are terrible and should not be allowed to have children. Okay not quite. But you know not knowing what going on with their kids and just screwing them over with lies.That being said Kaylee is unlikable.  There all unlikable characters, except the odd one or two that get screwed over before we really get to know them. Kaylee is only sympathetic next to her brother and since I didn't buy that, then none of her idiotic behaviour in the past is justifiable.  She straight up broke the law. Maybe she was meant to show people are capable of extreme acts if they can justify it to themselves but we start the book after that and she just this isolated character who is too dumb to print scene a website.

The book switches between Kaylee and someone's POV every chapter but not strict with that format. We know more than the characters, which I think it was more frustrating than tension building.

Overall, I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars for nutty cookies. The concept is interesting, though evil internet is very 80s, the execution didn't do that much for me. There's are a lot of clichés and the characters are bland extras or jerks. Though, it was easily to jump in and out of. It also takes place the Winter break after Christmas & New Year are over so if you like reading book that take place at the exact time of year you reading them, then there's still plenty of time to acquire this book for that time of year.

I got this book for Review off NetGalley and HMH Books for Young Readers.

Time Pass

You're not getting anything. Think of this as a time pass. As in Time is passing and will continue to until the world falls away.

Farewell.

Book Review: Allies & Assassins: A conspiracy of Princes by Justin Stomper

I declare myself Queen of Achenfield. Because a Queen outranks a Prince, so that's a inconsistency.

In seven days, the princedom of Archenfield will be invaded by its deadly rival. In a race against time, Prince Jared must cross the border and recruit what strategic alliances he can.

As the Prince and his team rides out, his cousin Axel Blaxland launches his own bid for the throne. Each member of the Council of Twelve falls prey to manipulation as rivalries begin to emerge and Asta Peck, newest member of the Twelve, finds herself plunged into conspiracy. She resolves to fight on Prince Jared's behalf until he is able to defend himself.In a game of power, only the strongest will survive.

Welcome back to Archenfield. Trust no-one.

I don't what it is about this series, but I can't read the books unless I have break from it. This time, it was a personal choice, not dictated by deadlines (not ones I couldn't get out of).

This book is nothing but politics. I was expecting an interesting battle of wits or violence. However, all I got was people lying to each other or petty secrets. Yes, some politics are necessary. It just goes on and with it being the whole book it was too much. In terms, of the real world, I had enough of politics at this point and was not looking for book to be so dominated by it. I'm sure there is someone out there, who would love this book because it's swords and politics but I didn't.

I started plotted possible deaths for these characters. I stopped liking the characters and just became a game of guessing how they would messed up. There was gayness. Sort of. Hinted at. I just stopped caring about the characters the more I got through the book. I was annoyed so much by the characters and their actions were clearly dumb. Obvious betrayal is obvious.

Overall, I gave this novel three out of five stars for pointless votes. I really don't see myself finishing this series. I'm still half interested in this world, but I struggled to get through both of the books in the series, so that makes me doubt that the third book would be easier/better read for me.

Let's go live in a Hole

I am officially Autistic. A panel of expectors say so. Apparently, even before I went through that test thing it was obvious. So I set things on fire for nothing. I'm applying for PIP, because a job is a thing I have not been ever able to get and with my life of filming stuff and writing essays badly, it's even harder. All the part time jobs I've found, are just not for people who have lives or just straight up clash with my classes.

I am currently done with people. My sleep pattern doesn't even make sense anymore. I got to sleep at 8pm or something on Wednesday. Was woken up several times by body to go to the toliet every two hours, which isn't even how often I go when I stay up all night and stare at the celling. Okay, it's the wall I stare at.

Uni isn't going well.I have been having problems writing. Fictional I can drag out of me. However, critical essay, I can't find what I'm being asked to do. Even talking it through, I still can't. One of them I feel I'm doing something wrong. The other I have no clue how I'm meant to drag it past three hundred words. I also we're meant to talk about the success of it when it just failure and mistakes. It somewhat works, but it's trash.

That's the thing I made. The script is fine, though we should have a reading of it to make sure it worked being spoken out loud. The acting was good, mostly. Lines should have been said though.

I am critical. Things should be good. Everything else in tolerable. Though, I'm more acceptable of my wring. Maybe because that less work and just a case of slamming keys.

I'm going to a 21st Birthday party tonight. I've been avoiding people so this should be interesting. I have tons to do this weekend so seeing the family would not have been something I would have done. No family visits till Christmas, which is three weeks for me.

Until then, you will get magical post about my desperate need to do something limitless. Also fix this damn sleeping patterns. Drugs ain't working.

Book Review: Bob's Burgers: Medium Rare by Various

Most Dangerous time travel method yet.

While Bob and Linda Belcher have their hands full running the family business, their kids Tina, Gene, and Louise have adventures that you won't believe! The producers, writers, and animators of the hit animated show Bob's Burgers proudly present all-original comic book stories, including hilarious installments of "Louise's Unsolved Mysteries & Curious Curiosities", "Tina's Erotic Friend Fiction", and "Gene's Rhymey Rhymes That Could One Day Be Songs." Whether it's Tina's daydreams of cloning back-up dancers or jungle misadventures, Louise's explorations of underground tunnels and time-stopping Wonder Wharf rides, Gene's lyrics that reimagine boring Aunt Gayle visits as epic journeys to fantasy worlds, the Belcher family hijinx are guaranteed to make you laugh!

I enjoy the show Bob's Burgers (I would enjoy it more if they had stuck with the cannibalism thing, but that's most likely just me). This contains the first 4 issues of the comic. Each issue has a segment from each of the Belcher kids that match their personality and talents with the tiny thing from Bob and Linda once in a while (just a singe page).

There is the art style of the show, but there is also different ones. Some make sense with what story being told like "Gene's Rhymey Rhymes That Could One Day Be Songs." The others were bit jarring because they were different but there were good. There also tons of alternative cover images for the comics which similar to the better fan art you find online. So some of it was amazing, others were good.

 The stories were good. They basically made up by the characters and not likely to have actually to have happened. They are lot references, such Casablanca and Narnia. Either Gene's version of Cinderella or  Louise's The Ride (the art is sickly cute). Tina's stories were just too much butts, which are her but it not as charming on paper than it is on scene.

Overall, I gave this 3 out of 5 stars for pineapples. If you're caving more of Bob's Burgers then this worth a read, but it's not quite the same magic as the show.

61 Sleepless Spiders

It once again Saturday and my sleeping pattern is a mystery I can't sort. I do not have enough energy to take the Sherlock approach of never sleeping but then passing out of days possibly. Though, I have basically been doing the passing out bit. My brain doesn't like me or sleep for the required number before waking me up, even on days that I have no reason to get out bed.

This alarming, but I also don't currently have the will to try and talk to a GP about something that can't be proved by a single test. This whole Austism thing isn't over yet and I can't begin to explore the messed up side of brain.

I do have bad sleep habits, but I can't sleep in the dark and if I'm bored, I won't go to sleep. I can't find my ipod so it's difficult to listen to music to sleep. I also think I lost my glass permanently but don't want to talk to the reception to ask about the potential of a lost and found being a thing.

I haven't been doing NaNoWriMo but I did have a shot of inspiration at 3am and wrote till 5, because sleep doesn't come when creativity is rolling along in your mind. I probably get most of my ideas when sleep deprived and trying to sleep. Also just straight up movie dreams.

Uni is stressfully because people are stressful. Also all these deadlines are up in the air and I just haven't dealt with them in the best way which is not help with missing the same class twice because of my whole no sleep thing or sleeping till the end of the world thing my brain has going on. I should probably email my tutor because I don't buy that I missed nothing in those two sections.

I think of my group had a Skype call during Children in Need. Well, I wasn't told and I have no interest to verbally talk to them during Children in Need, I have no regrets about it. I stand by it's dumb to it by Skype. Especially, with messenger you have evidence of what was said and therefore don't need to make notes of it.

On the funner, irresponsible side of things. I brought £15.25 worth of Cadbury Crunchy Spiders today. Frankly, I think the store never put them out till right before Halloween and that's why they had ton of them still. I brought 61 spiders. It doesn't look that much, but all the sums tell me it that ridiculous number. I'm going to have so much fun till 26. February 2016 when they go out of date.

I really like them as a source of chocolate, but they really just a bad replacement for the Cadbury Mint Crisp which I google to around to get that name and turns out you can buy it still in Ireland or something which does not make sense when the Cadbury factory is in England. I having literally just found this out, I now now must buy a bar to see if actually the same as the bars I got addicted to during first year.

I will type next week. I never mentioned France in this post (until now), but I never mention the terrorist attacks that happen every week. I have thoughts obvious, but I don't have the words to put them into concrete, so I'll leave it to others till my cerement hardens or I have something valid to say.

Book Review: The Lost and Found by Cat Clarke

Sometimes I think I should do reviews on book blurbs.


CAN YOU IMAGINE?
A CHILD - TAKEN.
A WHOLE FAMILY - TORN APART.

Slowly, over the years, the family put themselves back together. A little broken but strong.

Then the child (now all grown up) comes home.

THIS IS THE STORY OF WHAT'S HAPPENS NEXT.

This is the latest book from Cat Clarke and like always it was addicting. I started reading this book at 1am and was still awake at five.When I finally went to sleep I was awake four hours later to finish it.

Our protagonist and narrator is Faith and her sister disappeared when she was little.

The plot was something I worked out almost immediately. While predictable for me, I enjoyed this book a lot and the dialogue was witty and realistic. It was my favourite part of the novel, as well as the characters that said those lines.

The characterisation was good as always with Clarke, but I do feel the sister was little too perfect. Though, that is somewhat understandable.

Overall, I give it five out of five stars for awkward family moments. I really enjoyed this book. The little bit at the end summoned up the relationship the characters had with each other.

Foggy, Spooky Night

Merry Halloween everyone, the moon and the weather have combined to make the perfect Halloween where I live. I've actually got a story idea from tonight, not that I'm likely to use it any time soon. It was a foggy night and made driving in the country a nightmare.

I went to three Halloween Events this week. A horror movie showing where I saw most of Grave Encounters so now I know where that meme comes from and also V/H/S which was hilarious. I don't think it was meant to be as funny as we all found it. Hardly any of the short films had any real scares in them. It was one of those nudity for the sake of nudity ones.

In terms of horror films that's one of the worst things do. It's the thing that sinks down horror film to the Misogyny
levels of other Hollywood films. They have female protagonists that are left to deal with what evil that they have to fight. It's the one place where the audience is expecting a female point of view. Very few films work There is a whole argument in there about what that says about Society but I dropped out of Sociology. I want to film and write stuff that fixes that stuff.

My horror dream is making a female horror icon that's not the victim. There is the girl from the ring and 'Sleep Away Camp' franchise but 'The Ring' isn't that relevant any more and the latter just has issues at it's core (also not really thought as good).

The other vent was drinking whilst dressed up. Well, I wasn't drinking. Yeah, still don't know the appeal. Tonight, I went to a 4+ event to see a thing I sort of helped make in the summer. It seemed to be mostly recaps of the other films. My beautiful door opening is gone. I will never recover.

This week horror of reality is my sleep pattern is back to being whack and uni is stressfully. We need to do a presentation with each other. I could potentially get out of it, but there's whole not having the diagnosis. Screw having the actual word.

I got a letter for appointment to see if I'm magical mushroom. I'm sick of using the word and that was what came out. I usually censored the dumb shit I write when bored. I'm off to enjoyed the last of Halloween whilst I picked off the terrible job I did of my make-up this year. Cotton wool and liquid latex.

Book Review: Frozen Charlotte by Alex Bell

We get it Sophie, you have the hots for your cousins.

We're waiting for you to come and play.  
 
Dunvegan School for Girls has been closed for many years. Converted into a family home, the teachers and students are long gone. But they left something behind…

Sophie arrives at the old schoolhouse to spend the summer with her cousins. Brooding Cameron with his scarred hand, strange Lillias with a fear of bones and Piper, who seems just a bit too good to be true. And then there’s her other cousin.

The girl with a room full of antique dolls. The girl that shouldn’t be there.

The girl that died.

This is another book in the Red Eye series and so far it's my favourite. Not just because it mostly takes place in Scotland and an isle of heritage importance to me (heritage is meaningless). This involves odd Victorian dolls with a matching folk song if that doesn't scream creepy then you have never seen an a doll or know the horror of Folk singers.

The chapters are headed by lyrics of the song Frozen Charlotte. This was interesting tactic as the song isn't creepy or really at all related to the dolls. It does involves two idiots dying but that's all. Okay, maybe some people would find that creepy.

The Protagonist Sophie is a likable character, surrounded by sympathetic characters. Some of the characters are almost horror archetypes, but they didn't feel that way when I was reading it. The horror is built up well, with a extreme start but Sophie's fear gradually grows and there is an effect to create tension.

This is also involves an old house in an isolated cliff that was once a bordering School (see, it checking off a lot from the Spooky List of Horror). Also Ouija board and at least one ghost. There is one small modernisation but I think it really works and it is realistic thing someone would do.

The ending does play more like a horror film punchline than a novel conclusion(, Slight Spoiler:it really reminds me of the start of Jurassic Part II). Especially, if anything it's a prequel this novel deserves, more than a sequel.

Overall, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars for Sealed Windows. Whilst not being that scary, the horror elements are done well and I buy the story.  Also I loved anything with evil dolls that tell you to do bad things. Update: I have now reviewed the prequel, Charlotte Says.

I got this for review off NetGalley and it' is published by Stripes Publishing. (Though, I also actually owned a copy for ages, this was getting review no matter what, but I'm at uni and I couldn't take every book I own and ebooks are handy for times when feel awkward taking a book and reading it, say the student union). 

Early Horrors

As of Monday, I have not been having a very good week, after having a weekend ruined of no internet. I could blame that on being missing online deadlines, but it’s not true. I never filmed the footage, I should have, I never wrote the words I needed, nor did I completely have no access to the internet. Though, it was terrible quality and only accessible through hanging out windows where its cold. This continued to Tuesday, till noon.

I ordered the special edition of the Welcome to Night Vale novel and on blink of its publishication, I got email saying there was issue with my order of book that had already arrived, but was in the same order as the Night Vale novel. When I called to find out what the issue was, I got a place I swear was called Kingies. Eventually, I got through to Waterstones (who else would I pre-order with?) and was cut off as the customer service person said it was not being published till…I called again and it was an issue with my payment which was another five minutes of me hanging out the window because I have no internet or landline. 

I also pointlessly emailed them in a bid to confirmed that I had miscalculated the publication of the new Robert Galbraith book. In the end, it was me being idiot and everything was fine in the end.

I am idiot with money.

Yarny is shutting down next month, just in time not to be there for NaNoWriMo. I probably won't do it, because of uni deadlines. Though, maybe I will because of uni deadlines and I'm feeling creatively stifled, because doing a writing course has been me feel limited.

Next Saturday is Halloween and you might get horror. It could be creative or just life horror. However, the most horrifying thing has already happened. Life without internet. 

Book Review: Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph Fink & Jeffrey Cranor

My mother doesn't like it when I mimic the Night Vale style.

Night Vale is a small desert town where all the conspiracy theories you've ever heard are actually true. It is here that the lives of two women, with two mysteries, will converge.

Nineteen-year-old Night Vale pawn shop owner Jackie Fierro is given a paper marked 'KING CITY' by a mysterious man in a tan jacket. She can't seem to get the paper to leave her hand, and no one who meets this man can remember anything about him. Jackie is determined to uncover the mystery of King City before she herself unravels.

Diane Crayton's son, Josh, is moody and also a shape shifter. And lately Diane's started to see her son's father everywhere she goes, looking the same as the day he left years earlier. Josh, looking different every time Diane sees him, shows a stronger and stronger interest in his estranged father, leading to a disaster Diane can see coming, even as she is helpless to prevent it.

Diane's search to reconnect with her son and Jackie's search for her former routine life collide as they find themselves coming back to two words: 'KING CITY'. It is King City that holds the key to both of their mysteries, and their futures . . . if they can ever find it.

 Do you like the Night Vale Podcast? Then you probably like this book. The thing is that this book is very much written in the the style of the podcast and I have no idea what someone whose not familiar with the podcast would think it about it. Compared to other books, it would be jarring I imagine.
 
 It's interesting to see this town from another point of view, other than Cecil's (or whoever somehow took over the local radio signal). He's still there as a character and radio presenter with radio updates through out the novel, with the latest happenings in Night Vale. It also made me realise how annoying Cecil's infatuation with Carlos can be. It's not that charming when written down.

With it not being tramped inside a radio booth, sending the latest intern to their dea...to report on what's happening, we get to see a lot of Night Vale fixtures for ourselves such as the library and surprisingly where our protagonists work.

The characters are appealing and very real people despite being a very surreal setting. They deal both with the strangeness of Night Vale and struggles we all have or can have, like raising children. I do like the dynamics between the most important characters to this story.

Overall, I gave this book four out of five stars for absentee fathers. This is the Welcome to the Night Vale Novel, it very much of an extension of the podcast. The story is contend within the novel, but reference things that have been going on in the podcast since it's start. The thing is I have no idea what someone who hasn't listen to the podcast would think of it. It doesn't really matter as the podcast is free and great listening. The novel is good reading and I got the same experience from it as I do with the podcast. You should definitely pick it up, if you regularly visit Night Vale or you just a tourist.

I got this for review off NetGalley and it was published by Orbit on 20th October 2015. 
(Though, tune in this Saturday to hear my story with my odd experience of pre-ordering the special edition of this novel).

Short Story: Burning Memories

Meh. I have nothing to say this week. Here's another short repost.

Burning Memories

I woke from the the fire alarms going off, It didn't register at first just what that meant. I jumped from the bed and ran to the door when my brain started to function. I open the door I could see the an orange light coming from down the stairs. I didn't pause to see how bad it was, I felt my way to my three-years old bedroom. She was fast a sleep. Kids, it amazing what they can sleep though. I wrapped her in her in the blanket at the end of the bed. I carried her to the top the stairs to see if it was possible to get past the fire. I could see the door with the keys still in the lock. I slowly walk down the stairs with a still sleeping Kate in my arms. I made it to the door safely and use the sleeve of my pyjama top to open the door. I ran out on the front yard. I stopped running when I got to the other side of the road. I sat down on the payment. I made sure Kate was aright, she was still sleeping. We were safe, that was all that matter... for now anyway

Fire, giver of light, healthy food but so much destruction. It could flatten forests in days. It destroys homes, life's and as I watch as all my hard work go up, quite literally, in flames, the tears leaked out of my eyes. It had took us years to turn that house into our perfect home. All of it was gone, every single thing was destroyed.

It had been where Katie had taken her first steps, her first everything. It had been where we had taken our first steps as adults together. Buying our first house together, it was where you had asked me to married you. God, you had almost set the house on fire that night. You burned the dinner and there was open flames everywhere. You asked me, as we were eating the chains take-out. I of course said yes but pause just to make you even more nervous. I probably should of realised you were up to something but I hadn't expected a thing. You sneak into the house the night before our wedding, you were meant to be staying over at your Best Man's flat instead he came over here and dragged you out of our bed. You still saying that you didn't need any luck after you had me as your wife. Saying traditions were stupid but you still banged my head carrying me over the threshold. Our last happy memories as a family happen in that house and now all I had left was memories and your eyes peaking out at me from our daughter.

Everything was a blur except the fire that night. I stayed as it burned without anything to stop it, I watched as the firemen tried to put out the fire that already destroyed our home. I didn't even leave to call them, it must of been one of the neighbours. I still sat there as the sun raise and the fire finally went out leaving nothing left but ash and an empty structure that had been our home. I wasn't even sure how long I sat there with Kate still wrapped in my arms. I don't think they even noticed us sitting there until it was all over.

"I think she in shock."

Shock, yes possible, most likely. I had lost everything but nothing really. I still had Katie and I had still had you. I would always have you, won't I?