Sunday, September 15, 2013

The Piper's Son was a little lacking.

The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta

Rating: 3 out of 5 hearts
328 pages
Released: March 2010
Buy it @ book depository

Award-winning author Melina Marchetta reopens the story of the group of friends from her acclaimed novel Saving Francesca - but five years have passed, and now it's Thomas Mackee who needs saving. After his favorite uncle was blown to bits on his way to work in a foreign city, Tom watched his family implode. He quit school and turned his back on his music and everyone that mattered, including the girl he can't forget. Shooting for oblivion, he's hit rock bottom, forced to live with his single, pregnant aunt, work at the Union pub with his former friends, and reckon with his grieving, alcoholic father. Tom's in no shape to mend what's broken. But what if no one else is either? An unflinching look at family, forgiveness, and the fierce inner workings of love and friendship, The Piper's Son redefines what it means to go home again.


Review

I read "Finnikin of the rock" in May and really loved it, so I thought I'd give another one of Melina Marchetta's books a go. Unfortunately, I wasn't as impressed with this. I didn't know that this was sort of a companion novel to "Saving Francesca", which I haven't read. I really wished I had read "Saving Francesca" first because I may have been a bit more invested in this.

The book is written from the third person but focuses mainly on Tom Mackee and his Aunty Georgie. Both of them weren't very interesting, so maybe that's why I didn't like this all that much. It's a shame I didn't feel as fondly for this as others did, I've seen many reviews from people who are in love with this.

After reading this though it makes me want to read "Saving Francesca" because Francesca was an awesome secondary character! I can imagine a book from her as the main character would be awesome. Another secondary character that I really liked was Tom's little sister. She isn't a big character, but she has balls and is totally cool! I wanted to read more about her.

On a side note, It was cool knowing this book is set in Australia because I got all the slang and references.

On the cover

This cover screams waking up after a big night out and not sure where you stayed. The backdrop looks exactly like a street in the city. It's not the best looking cover, but it's cool. 

What I'm listening on Audio to next: Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers





Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Good old classic movies

I love watching movies and I watch so many new movies that I thought it's time I watched some of those good classic films. Working at the library I have some perks because I was able to borrow all these for free. Enjoy all these wonderful trailers and a short review of each movie by me! :)


Some like it hot (1959) in B & W 

Starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis & Jack Lemon


This was very funny and this being my first ever Marilyn Monroe movie, she didn't disappoint! She is cute and sexy just like I imagined. It's a shame this wasn't in colour because I would've loved to see all the beautiful dresses Marilyn wears. I actually knew the two male actors in this and they were fantastic as well. Great start to my Marilyn Monroe viewing.




Gone with the wind (1939) in Colour 

Starring Clark Gable & Vivien Leigh


The clothing/costumes were fabulous, I'm so glad this was in colour! The overall movie though wasn't all that appealing to me. I didn't like it mainly because the main character, Scarlett, was annoying. Oh and the movie was four hours long and it was so depressing the whole time. I have to admit it was filmed very beautifully but unfortunately it wasn't my cup of tea. Had to wait til the end of the movie to hear the line I know - "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn!"




Casablanca (1942) in B & W 

Starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman & Paul Henreid


"Here's looking at you kid" I loved this so much! No wonder it's considered one of the best classic movies, when it was finished I wanted to watch it all over again! Something I found weird was that Humphrey Bogart has little to no expression in this, I did see him smile once and it was strange. 




A streetcar named desire (1951) in B & W 

Starring Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brandon & Kim Hunter


Was a little slow and I didn't really get what was going on. I had a slight idea but I ended up looking on the Internet to make sure I was right. Marlon Brando has a really hot body and looks nice but he is such a pig, so that puts you off him completely! At least I can say that I've seen Brando yelling "Stella! Hey Stella!"




The Seven Year itch (1955) in Colour 

Starring Marilyn Monroe & Tom Ewell


Marilyn is adorable! If she wasn't in this it would've been a little boring. The story line was quite funny, and I loved that it was in colour so we could see Marilyn in all her glory. Loved the well known subway air scene of course - "Isn't it delicious"




Calamity Jane (1953) in Colour 

Starring Doris Day & Howard Keel


This movie was loads of fun! I love musicals and this was right up my alley. Doris Day plays a fantastic character, such a light-hearted movie with a happy ending. "Whip crack away, whip crack away, whip crack away!"




Psycho (1960) in B & W 

Starring Anthony Perkins & Vera Miles


I recently watched "Hitchcock" starring Anthony Hopkins, who played Alfred Hitchcock and I enjoyed it. It made me want to watch Psycho as I have never seen it before. I thought Psycho was a really good movie. Great acting and had lots of suspense. It's not a gory scary movie, more of a psychological type of scary movie, I highly recommend it!

Have you watched any classic movies and enjoyed them?






Thursday, September 5, 2013

Not your average zombie

Ashes (Ashes Trilogy #1) by Ilsa Bick

Rating: 4 out of 5 hearts
465 pages
Released: September 2011
Buy it @ book depository

It could happen tomorrow . . .

An electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions.

Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom—a young soldier—and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP.

For this improvised family and the others who are spared, it’s now a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human.

Author Ilsa J. Bick crafts a terrifying and thrilling post-apocalyptic novel about a world that could become ours at any moment, where those left standing must learn what it means not just to survive, but to live amidst the devastation.

Review

This was not what I was expecting at all! That's not a bad thing though, it's a really good thing. I was expecting a gory zombie novel, which it is at times, but there was so much more than gore. It was a slightly romantic story where people are trying to survive during a confusing time.

Zombies aren't my favourite thing to read or watch, I think the whole idea of cannibalism is terrifying! But my boyfriend LOVES zombies and wishes the zombie apocalypse was here already... so because of this I've seen a lot of zombie movies and videogames. Normally in those movies there's usually an epidemic/viral outbreak that turns people into the undead. In this book they are called 'the changed' which is a completely different twist on your average zombies.

I think this was more scary because the idea of an electronic impulse knocking out all technology could happen now. Our society relies so much on technology that if everything was suddenly shut off not many people would survive, I know I wouldn't!

The story was very intriguing but the characters were also really easy to like as well. Although Ellie, who is an 8 year old tag along was quite annoying at times, but I guess most kids that age would find it hard to get used to living without technology. Alex is the main character and the story is told from her point of view. She is a very strong female character, but she has her weaknesses and I liked that she was both strong at times while also being weak at times because it makes her real.

There are two male characters in this that are vying for Alex's affections, but it's not a love triangle as such because they happen at different points in the novel (I don't want to give too much away). The romance was very slow paced, no insta love in this book. I like that guys who read this would not be put off because there isn't any mushy love.

Oh and that ending!! I was like "wha....??? There has to be another disc, that can't be the end please!" It was so excruciating, there are so many unanswered questions and you're left hanging. Have the changed become clever? I don't know if I should wait to get the audiobook version or just go out and read the book. I think the latter might win. I highly recommend this to people who would be put off by flesh-eating zombies because it's not a book about just that.

On the cover

That face is so creepy, I think it's the eyes that make it kind of scary - There's no pupils and they're white. I also understand now all the lines across the face, I guess they're to represent the Electro-magnetic pulse.

What I'm listening to next: The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta



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