WHAT'S THE DEAL? The true story of Olympian Louis Zamperini's hellish ordeal during the Second World War. A story of true grit, resilience, and triumph out of adversity.
Sunday Brunch: New Cinema Releases and On Demand Services
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Brunch isn't really a big deal over here but I love the idea of it - and enjoy going to brunch whilst on holiday. Whenever I'm throwing together ideas for a new story, one of my favourite things to do is go Google Maps-ing for all the nice restaurants in the area. As I have dairy intolerance, I often have to watch what I eat at restaurants so it's not always a fun experience. However, the rise of all those Food Network shows and Pinterest and all the great reviews on Yelp and Chowhound allow me to live vicariously through all you gastronauts.
So, I thought I'd try and start a new feature (although I'm not good at keeping up features so we'll see) where we go for brunch on a Sunday, anywhere in the world, and have a chat. This week we'll be:
#GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Publisher: Portfolio
Format: Paperback
The founder of Nasty Gal offers a sassy and irreverent manifesto for ambitious young women At seventeen, Sophia Amoruso decided to forgo continuing education to pursue a life of hitchhiking, dumpster diving, and petty thievery. Now, at twenty-nine, she is the Founder, CEO, and Creative Director of Nasty Gal, a $100+ million e-tailer that draws A-list publicity and rabid fans for its leading-edge fashion and provocative online persona. Her story is extraordinary—and only part of the appeal of #GIRLBOSS. This aspirational book doesn’t patronize young women the way many business experts do. Amoruso shows readers how to channel their passion and hard work, while keeping their insecurities from getting in the way. She offers straight talk about making your voice heard and doing meaningful work. She’s proof that you can be a huge success without giving up your spirit of adventure or distinctive style. As she writes, "I have three pieces of advice I want you to remember: Don’t ever grow up. Don’t become a bore. Don’t let The Man get to you. OK? Cool. Then let’s do this.”
Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books On My Autumn TBR List
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's theme is: Top Ten Books On My Autumn TBR List.
To be honest, I'm still working through some of my spring and summer lists but these are some of the books that have caught my eye.
The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion
Monday, September 22, 2014
Format: E-book
Source: Netgalley
Source: Netgalley
Join everyone's favourite unconventional couple Don Tillman and Rosie in the next chapter of their love story With the Wife Project complete, Don settles happily into a new job and married life in New York. But it's not long before certain events are taken out of his control and it's time to embark on a new project . . . As Don tries to get to grips with the requirements of starting a family, his unusual research style soon gets him into trouble. To make matters more difficult, Don has invited his closest friend to stay with them, but Gene is not exactly a prime example of marital happiness, and as his life with Rosie continues to be unpredictable Don needs to remember that emotional support is just as important as his practical expertise . . .
The Rosie Project was one of my favourite reads of the year, so I couldn't believe it when I saw The Rosie Effect on Netgalley. After finishing The Rosie Effect, I can safely say that Don is still tied with Ryan Dean West of Winger as my favourite character of the year.
Ten Girls To Watch by Charity Shumway
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Format: Kindle e-book
A radiant debut novel about stumbling through the early years of adulthood— and a love letter to the role models who light the way. Like so many other recent graduates, Dawn West is trying to make her way in New York City. She’s got an ex-boyfriend she can’t quite stop seeing, a roommate who views rent checks and basic hygiene as optional, and a writing career that’s gotten as far as penning an online lawn care advice column. So when Dawn lands a job tracking down the past winners of Charm magazine’s “Ten Girls to Watch” contest, she’s thrilled. After all, she’s being paid to interview hundreds of fascinating women: once outstanding college students, they have gone on to become mayors, opera singers, and air force pilots. As Dawn gets to know their life stories, she’ll discover that success, love, and friendship can be found in the most unexpected of places. Most importantly, she’ll learn that while those who came before us can be role models, ultimately, we each have to create our own happy ending.
This was a really nice surprise. I think I found it on Goodreads in the 'Readers Also Enjoyed' little thing but I'm glad I purchased it. It's a good chick-lit type of book and those are few and far between these days. Ten Girls To Watch is a twenty-something story but not of the neurotic, privileged, 'Girls' kind that seems to be prevalent these days nor was it a typical New Adult read. Instead, Dawn (lovely name for a main character) was just so sweet and normal it made for a nice change. Much more relatable to the average young woman.
Top Ten Tuesday: Top Authors I've Only Read One Book From But NEED to Read More
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's theme is: Top Authors I've Only Read One Book From But NEED to Read More
What's Occurring?
Monday, September 15, 2014
The Pages
- I've read a couple of good'uns since the last 'What's Occurring?' post. Highlights include: The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion; Ten Girls To Watch by Charity Shumway; and #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso. Reviews to come for all. Some that were just okaaaay: The Vacationers by Emma Straub (I'm sure it would've been perfect for the pool but I read it during one of the most miserable weeks, weather wise, in London) and The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp, which I've wanted to read for so long. Spectacular is one of my favourite words after all. I probably hyped it up too much in my head. Oh, and I started Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins, another I've been looking forward to, but I just wasn't in the right mood. It seemed too twee. I'll try again later.
- I've recently reviewed: Roomies by Sara Zarr & Tara Altebrando and These Days Are Ours by Michelle Haimhoff.
- I'm currently reading: The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan and Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.
Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Underrated Contemporary YA Books
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's theme is: Top Ten Underrated Authors or Books in X Genre
I only really read contemporary YA - I don't know if these are even underrated. They're just books I've given four or five stars that I don't see mentioned very often but obviously I don't follow every blog, so maybe someone, somewhere has hyped these too!
Roomies by Sara Zarr & Tara Altebrando
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd
Format: Paperback
Source: Bookbridgr
Source: Bookbridgr
It's time to meet your new roomie. When East Coast native Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment, she shoots off an e-mail to coordinate the basics: television, microwave, mini-fridge. That first note to San Franciscan Lauren sparks a series of e-mails that alters the landscape of each girl's summer -- and raises questions about how two girls who are so different will ever share a dorm room. As the countdown to college begins, life at home becomes increasingly complex. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives . . . and each other. Even though they've never met. National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr and acclaimed author Tara Altebrando join forces for a novel about growing up, leaving home, and getting that one fateful e-mail that assigns your college roommate.
I wouldn't say I was completely wowed by Roomies but I liked it. More importantly, it is exactly the kind of book I would actually give to a 16/17 year old and at the end of the day, that's what it's all about, right?
These Days Are Ours by Michelle Haimoff
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Source: Netgalley
Six months after September 11th, New Yorkers are instructed to get on with their lives despite the terror advisories, streets filled with 9/11 merchandise, and mail that may contain Anthrax. But for Hailey, still jobless after college and living in her family's Fifth Avenue penthouse, getting on with life means getting closer to Michael Brenner, the Princeton graduate and future human rights lawyer who seems to have it all. The city feels as if it's on the brink of apocalypse, and seeking out any sort of future seems pointless. So Hailey and her friends - Katie, already working at Morgan Stanley; Randy, a trust-fund kid who wears sweaters with holes in them; and Jess, confident of her future success regardless of her present inertia - stay out all night, dream up get rich quick schemes and aspire to greatness while questioning how much that greatness really matters. But when Hailey meets Adrian, a transplanted Pennsylvanian and recent Brown graduate who doesn't belong to Hailey's privileged mileu, she begins to realize that her view of the world might not be the only one there is, and soon she is questioning everything she thought she knew.
I liked These Days Are Ours (and not just because it's set in my favourite city in the world but that helped). It is definitely more of a 3.5 than a 3 but I don’t give half ratings. The notes and Q&A with Michelle Haimoff at the end really helped put the whole thing into perspective and rounded it up nicely.
Top Ten Tuesday: My Lunch Table
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's theme is: Top Ten Book Characters That Would Be Sitting At My Lunch Table
I will preface this by saying Harry Potter characters have been excluded otherwise they would occupy the whole list.
