Tremors: Review

"Underground Goddamn Monsters..."

I briefly expressed my love for this film in my post: "Best Worst Delivered Lines of All Time", but my god does does it deserve a review. Let's gloss over the fact that um...maybe I was on a Geography trip all of today and I don't have the time or energy to get together an actual post. So, yes, this film was released a long time ago. Nine years, give or take, before I was born, in 1990. But's it's relatively niche, a little bit of a cult favourite. Chances are, considering it only had a budget of $11000000, if you're a fan of B movies, you might be into it. And chances are, considering its stellar cast and great critical reception (including a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 88%) you've heard a little about it. But's here's my take on the (absolutely fabulous) piece of film.

So, first of all, what is it? I've heard it described as a "western monster film", and whilst it holds traits of other horror movies, I would not class it as scary. My brother (seven at the time he first saw it) absolutely loved it.  It also seems to run another storyline over the top - there is about as much rivalry between handymen Val and Earl, and a growing romance between Rhonda and Val as there seems to be people getting eaten by graboids. Starring Kevin Bacon as Val, Finn Carter as Rhonda and Fred Ward as Earl, we start the film in the incredibly quiet town of Perfection Valley (pop. 14). An outsider amongst the townspeople is graduate Rhonda, conducting seismology tests, who is the first to spot unusual occurrences when the ground begins to inexplicably shake. Dismissing the phenomena to unreported blasting, or drilling, the townspeople of Perfection are not disturbed.

Except when Val and Earl, the handymen become sick of the quiet life in which they wait on everyone hand and foot, and leave for neighbouring town Bixby, they discover that several people who live along the valley have been killed in strange, inexplicable and occasionally grisly ways. After finally discovering that the only road out of the otherwise isolated Perfection has been blocked, they return to town. Eventually, it transpires that the cause are these enormous worm-monsters, or graboids, that have absolutely no explanation; they travel under the ground at huge speeds, sensing vibrations and grabbing their prey.

And so the townspeople have to either fight back or escape - and it won't be easy, because the monsters are closing in.

When seen this way, it seems a little bit of tacky, but it's loveable science fiction film - the effects good only because the monsters (luckily) are completely subterranean so seldom have to be shown. It's also an amazing call back to 1950s B movies such as The Blob, They Came from Outer Space and Them! to name but a few.

When I first saw this film, I honestly thought it was quite sexist. I mean, the main character Val, when deciding what he wants Rhonda to be like dictates - "You will have long blonde hair, big blue eyes, world class breasts, ass that won't quit and legs that go all the way up", and is incredibly disappointed when he just finds a pretty, but relatively demure, bookish scientist - more interested in making sure she doesn't catch sunstroke while she figures out her data than lounging around a poolside trying to tan. However, the film was also a big "fuck you" to that trope. Whilst most B movies revolve around the male protagonist saving his love interest, this one didn't. Yes, Val did cut Rhonda loose from some barbed wire on one occasion, but Rhonda worked out their escape route off the rocks, worked out the route by which they could leave Perfection, distracted the graboid from eating Val, worked out how to escape the sunken trailer. For once, we had a film in which the girl had the answers, and wasn't afraid to get down and dirty to figure some things out. And ultimately, it transpired that instead of the film writers being sexist, it was the character Val who had misogynistic ideals - and in fact his similarly educated coworker Earl called him up on these on several occasions, eventually forcing him to confront them.

Don't get me wrong, this film plays up stereotypes. We have Melvin, the hopelessly cringey "teenage quota filler" with catchphrases such as "way to go duuuuuude," and whose only pastime seems to be pissing off the rest of the townsfolk. We have Heather and Burt, the survivalists who literally fill up every single stereotype in this category - a living room with a wall of guns, water filtration, an odd knowledge of how to make bombs, an eagerness for WWIII to launch just so that they can get to survive it. But ultimately, like with Val, this film exposes these people for being stereotypes, but also being relatively three dimensional - I explain how this is in this blog post. Essentially, whilst Melvin is an "ass-wipe" (what a good insult), he's also exposed as being incredibly afraid and hiding behind a tough guy persona. Heather and Burt are exposed as ultimately being by far the bravest characters in the film - "I'll let him take me down" and as having an incredibly sweet relationship aside from the guns and the radios - "I know, I know, he thinks he knows everything."

Ultimately, this film shows a lot about human spirit, survival and smarts - with a hilarious script, wonderfully acted roles and just enough special effects that you never know what is coming next. Tremors is a fabulous film that people of most ages (if they don't mind mild swear words - think "goddamn bastards" and "motherhumper") could enjoy. It's such a shame that all three sequels are absolutely pants.

Bella x

Lush Herbalism: Review

Is This the World's Best Skincare Product?

I am a teenager, and since I turned eleven, I've had acne. Not awful acne, although sometimes pretty bad, but by the time I began using Herbalism, it had cleared up quite a bit. I had blackheads all over my nose and between my eyebrows, and one my chin and was prone to spots, especially around my period. I also have an oily t-zone and a dry forehead, and the rest of my skin is pretty average in terms of oil. What is a person to do?

LUSH makes several of these facial exfoliator and cleaner things, but Herbalism is the one recommended for people with oily skin or problem skin. Whilst it is for people with oily skin, though, it is not at all drying. It leaves the skin feeling supple, and not stripped of natural oil, which is good as if skin is stripped of this, it tends to overcompensate, leaving you with greasy skin.

I was recommended this product by a salesperson in LUSH, and have almost finished my second small tub of this stuff. I would definitely recommend buying the smaller tubs - for one, as a teenager it is easier to budget little amounts of money over time - but also because the ingredients are so natural, it only lasts about three or four months, depending on when your pot was made. If you cleanse twice a day, and occasionally forget, you can use the small pots within this time, but it might be a little bit of a push to finish the large pots.

First off, it's middle of the range in terms of price. One pot is £6.40, but believe me when I say it will go a long way. It is also a lot cheaper than other high street exfoliating cleaners such as the ones that Vichy does, and I think it works a lot more effectively. The packaging is sturdy and when you screw the lid on, is watertight so that the product is still effective after a long period of time.

It's a little odd - it a green thing - between a paste and crumbs; the more you use it the more it crumbles. You take a pinch of it, and you add a little water - just a few drops - and it becomes an mild, natural exfoliant and cleanser which goes a long way. It's gentle enough to use as an exfoliant morning and night. As a cleanser, it removes makeup on your skin, but if, like me, you use waterproof eye makeup or black lipstick *cough* probably just me *cough* then you might want to use a baby wipe to get the last of it off after using this product.

A lot of people commented on hating the smell. I find the smell reasonably innoffensive. Unlike their facial scrub for people with perfect skin - god, I hate those people - "Let the Good Times Roll" which smelt of popcorn-ey goodness, this product smells fresh, like herbs. It is not a strong smell at all, I personally approve.

This product is a natural exfoliant, which on sensitive or skin with acne, can be unpleasant or overly abrasive, leading to horrible pinpoint bleeding. Not so for Herbalism. This product does exfoliate effectively, but the give that natural ground almonds have over using beads that most exfoliators use make it nice and sensitive on your skin. I've washed my face with this with a bleeding lip, and it did not sting, which is blooming amazing, especially as the product contains nettle!

LUSH is renowned for fighting animal testing, being entirely vegetarian (this product is actually vegan), using only natural products and safe synthetics (this product uses entirely natural products), endorsing ethical buying and being handmade. This product is no different, and I personally greatly approve of this, and it means I can wash my face without feeling guilty. 

No product is perfect, and this is no exception. The very green colour of this product can be a little messy when mixed with water, and so it can be a good idea to pull your emo fringe off your face to do this, and use your hands instead of a face cloth to avoid it being tinged green. It also might be a product to use before changing into your white dress for the day but considering you only need a tiny, weeny bit the damage is minimal.

Overall, I loved using Herbalism and will completely buy it again. I use it twice daily and have found that my blackheads are reduced, as are regular spots - but more importantly that my skin is always glowing and feels supple and soft.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory The Musical: Review

In Which I Struggle With My Love of Musical Theatre and My Hatred of This One

I love musical theatre with a passion, it's literally a massive chunk of me. Despite the fact that my music task is a lot less frivolous, I love listening to musical theatre and to be honest, if I am singing, it will be a song from musical theatre. I fall in love with the characters like that *snaps fingers* and I practically salivate all over "Once More With Feeling" which combines my two great loves - Buffy and musical theatre. It's impossible to tell you the amount of these shows I have written in my head, or directed in my head. I even have an embarrassing script for a production of "Peter and the Starcatchers" which I wrote before it actually became a stage show.

And so when, for GCSE music, my teacher announced that we would be going to see the production of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" I was absolutely ecstatic. Little did I know that but a week later, I would be using it as an example of the worst theatre show I had ever seen, in terms of things like lighting, sound and scenery in front of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and shortly after that I would be writing this. This very saddening blog post.

Despite how much I adore musical theatre, I don't get to see the shows very much at all - so I was majorly excited for this one. And I love Roald Dahl's fiction - although I do find Charlie and the Chocolate factory to occasionally come across as a little bland - and the reviews were stellar. "A lavish bonanza", "dark" and "not too sweet", I had high hopes.

The music was one of the more disappointing areas. "No one leaves the theatre, humming the scenery", and whilst I didn't, it was also the first piece of musical theatre I had ever had the privilege of watching where I left the theatre with no song stuck in my head, except "Ain't It Fun" by Paramore, which I had had stuck in my head all day. I do not even remember the songs now, writing this review, so I have to awkwardly listen to a cast recording on Spotify as I do.

The music choice was well performed, and none of the songs are bad. However, the selection isn't great. It opens with a sweet little number - Almost Nearly Perfect - which is not a bad song by any standards. However a small number sang by a child actor on a dark, with next to no movement was not the most exciting opening to a production.

By far the most interesting pieces of music in the first act were the ones in which the different children found their tickets. The songs were lively, colourful and exciting - but...they confined the staging of all of them to "inside the television", so despite their potential for a massive dance number, there was next to no movement. I must admit that of these numbers I did dislike The Double Bubble Duchess, but I'm pretty sure that was my own choice in music coming out. I have nothing against rap in musicals, but it's not my thing. In particular, the song was beautifully written and very satirical It's Teavee Time.

I didn't love the performances in the Chocolate Factory, I understand how difficult it would be to choreograph the Oompa Loompa sequences, but frankly, it was the songs that let them down here. Auf Wiedersehen Augustus Gloop is a good example of the "meh" that these songs were. About half of the song is made up of tuneless introduction singing, before actually reaching the song. In Veruca's Nutcracker Sweet we again, have disinteresting composition, although nicely performed. I was also disappointed that they used Pure Imagination, after changing Dahl's original Oompa Loompas song. If you are going to have an original score, you should have an original score and not steal songs from films.

Now, let's start on the set, because I am so interested in lighting and scenery et cetera, and in my opinion, for this play, this was the biggest downfall. The curtain lifted on the most gorgeous, intricate, almost steampunk design of a rubbish dump, in which the character Charlie climbs over to find bits and pieces he collects.

Unfortunately, this was the highlight of the set. The Bucket's house was also well done, except for the fact that in the scene where the beds moved around across the floor (it was a musical number) which made the entire set which previously had been so well done, comical and unrealistic at best.

It was inside the chocolate factory itself that really disappointed me. In terms of an arc, I had expected the first half of the story to be all dark, and then, after the Tim Burton-esque beginning, to spice up into a beautiful, colourful and intricate set. Not so. Instead, whilst we did get colour, we saw lots of scenes made up of the characters walking across a bare stage which projections on the back of the screen, which drove all too clearly the reality home that this was not real, something you want to avoid in a book, a film or musical. The scenes within the actual rooms also used relatively sparse stages - instead having the entire character of the piece determined by a few pieces at the back.

I do not say that it would both be practical to have perfectly designed sets - I instead as you to return to Matilda, another musical of another Dahl book. The set was far sparser all of the way through, in this, but it did not confine itself to the back of the stage. The 3D set aspects, which this musical was sorely lacking in, made it feel fake.

The acting was very good, but in some cases the protagonists were incredibly two dimensional. Charlie Bucket in the books is a bland good boy, and the boy who portrayed him was incredibly true to the book. However, this made it difficult for us to enjoy the plot. Indeed, my friend Kitty noted that she "wanted Mike Teavee to win because he was the most enjoyable to watch". Willy Wonka again, was two dimensional - an elusive man not quite eccentric enough to carry the storyline.

Overall, I thought that this musical was substandard, and frankly if you want to spend money on a child friendly piece of musical theatre, I would recommend "Matilda", another Roald Dahl book with a million fold better executions. This musical was certainly enjoyable, but in a kind of "well executed school play" way, and I would not recommend it.

Killing God: Review

Warning: Mild Spoilers

My god, was this book good. Good? Fabulous, amazing, heartbreaking, spirit warming, scary. Name an emotion, and to be honest this book probably will evoke it. Disgust? Check. Nausea? Check. Sympathy? Check. Awe? Check. Love? Check, check, check.

A quick disclaimer. Kevin Brook's book is called Killing God, yes, but it isn't at all a Christian bashing storyline. Dawn does have an issue with a cult, and she does some things that are quite Christian bashing, such as ruining an illustrated Children's bible. It also hints at a boy being abused by a priest but obviously individual characters do not amount to the entire church. This book remains respectful to all faiths, even if Dawn herself does not. It is also not a fantasy novel. Dawn does not set out, like Lyra in His Dark Materials, to actually kill God. Neither is it a story in which a girl attempts to bring down Christianity via protests and the like. It is a series of mental exercises she does - the novel is very much psychological and about Dawn herself, not so much about God.

Something horrible happened to thirteen year old Dawn Bundy, shortly before her father walked out of their house and never returned. Two years on, the thirteen year old girl that Dawn was once still lives inside her head. She is afraid to come out. To distract herself, in the past Dawn has set herself little challenges, but now she is ready to tackle the biggest one of all.

This year, Dawn Bundy wants to kill God. But how do you kill something that doesn't exist? And even after Dawn has tried so hard to bury the past, to bury the people it happened to - bad things have a nasty habit of resurfacing and her old problems - with new ones joining in for the ride - are returning to haunt her.

Firstly, let's begin with the writing style. Dawn Bundy writes the book from her perspective - and it reads like a fifteen year old girl, who isn't quite right in the head. It's not annoying, and the spelling and grammar is spectacular. But the sentence structure is so realistic. When you read this book, you would find it difficult to make Dawn seem anything less than real. She pulls you right into her head - and draws you into her world. The music she listens to, her relationship and worry for her mother, her dogs. They all become your problem.

At first the story is very vague - Dawn refers to things like "the thing" which she "doesn't want to think about" - but it quickly gains momentum. Although we briefly watch as she attempts to kill God, it is also clear to us from the language that her mental challenges are not so satisfying as they once were. It takes two popular, "bad girls" from school - Mel and Taylor - who pull her along as their little dolly whilst they dress her up, feed her alcohol and mess with Dawn's mother's mind.

The nice thing about the characters in this novel is that they are all multi-faceted, and we know that they are - but also, the author does not feel the need to expose all of the facets of each character. We see them as Dawn sees them - and so when she likes them, so do we and vice versa, no matter how arbitrary the assumption Dawn has made about them really is. And with a little digging into the plot, we see things that Dawn has realised unconciously, which we already know.

Mel and Taylor, may have an ulterior, more sinister motive, to dragging Dawn through their hoops - but they are also dredging up things in Dawn's mind that Dawn would like to keep buried.

We learn in a scary way, a slapdash way, a very realistic way about what happened to Dawn - but not only the one event that forced the thirteen year old Dawn to hide, but also all of the smaller events that lead up to it. This also forces into perspective the vague hints that were dropped at the beginning, and makes the whole book a lot more chilling.

Whilst ultimately, this book does not have a lot of action (except for the end, when there is a little), we also do have great struggles, beautiful struggles - all of which are psychological and happen within Dawn's fragile head. Through these, we see great character growth - possibly the most realistic and satisfying arcs I think a character has ever taken, in terms of growth. It is not your average coming of age story, but in another way it is by far the best coming of age story I have ever read.

The best thing about this book is that nothing is polished. Even books set in the real world have a tendency to not read like real life. This book reads like real life and the events - particularly the ending - are so true of real life that it is slightly disconcerting to read.

If you love psychological stories, coming of age stories, or even horror stories, this is probably a great choice for you. The references to rape, alcohol and drugs might make it more suitable to children over the age of about twelve - there are no overt references, and frankly I read it age thirteen (just thirteen) and there was nothing there I didn't already know existed.

Overall I would give the book a 10/10 rating, and would thoroughly recommend you read it. I have yet to find a book like it out there - although if you find one I would love to read it because of how great I though Killing God was.

Book Haul #1

With a Few Reviews Mixed in For Good Measure

Normally, I am of the opinion that too many hauls promote shameless consumerism. However, because I am a hypocritical bigot, and I am all for the shameless consumerism of books (and films actually, but some other time), I thought I might talk about some books I bought recently before my skiing holiday. I haven't read them all yet, but ones I have I thought I might add a quick opinion, as well as the titbits of plot I am divulging for them all.

Lolito, Ben Brooks
When Etgar is left alone for the summer holidays after his grandmother suddenly dies, he spends the time to mull over his ex-girlfriend and move on in a very, very unconventional way.
I bought this book because I genuinely found the book "Grow Up" by Ben Brooks intriguing and interesting - even if I occasionally found the sex, booze and drugs a little monotonous. Grow Up provided me with a subtle but truly beautiful coming of age story about a boy's movement back into sanity and working out what he has to do to reintegrate into society. I did not get that with Lolito - instead I got the sex, booze and drugs which were as monotonous as before, but without the character development. I expected there to be some motion at the end after several major events affected Etgar, but I never really did. Even the cover was rubbish, nowhere near as good as the clown artwork on the front of Grow Up! 2/10

Uglies, Scott Westerfeld
When you turn 16, you will have an operation which will transform you into a "Pretty", a perfectly beautiful human being. For Tally, it's all she ever wanted. But the summer before her operation, when all of her friends have abandoned her to become Pretty, she falls in with rebel Shay and things might not be so easy.
I found the cover of this book really intriguing, if a little cliche for a young adult novel. After The Hunger Games and Divergent, though, this seemed like the one that everyone thought I should read. I should warn you; this book, unlike many other books in a trilogy, does not stand alone at all. If you buy Uglies, be prepared to read Pretties and Specials - I know I probably will. The plotline in this story is absolutely wonderful! I completely recommend it. Unfortunately, the storytelling is occasionally mediocre and cliche, and worse, Tally the protagonist is incredibly annoying - the kind of character that worries and pontificates and takes next to no action until forced to. I'm sort of hoping the series improves though, because the cliffhanger at the end was definitely exciting enough for me to be forced to continue. 6/10

Nine Uses For An Ex-Boyfriend, Sarra Manning

When Hope walks in on her boyfriend of thirteen years kissing her best friend, her life is over. Their dysfunctional relationship hits the rocks hard, as she struggles to regain what little normality she can. But is normal and back to the way that they were what she ultimately wants.
This one is a slight lie, I've had a copy of this book for ages, but technically it wasn't mine - it was a friend's who moved away. But I've sent his copy back now I have his address, so I had to buy my own - it was so good! It's a really nice, really realistic read, far from the chick-flick or revenge story that the title suggested. Hope is loveable but by no means perfect, and Jack, her boyfriend is by no means the faceless evil that many cheaters are considered in books. We see them through a turbulent patch with a million obstacles, ranging from predictable to insanely unguessable! The ending, too, was difficult to precedent but incredibly believable. However, there are NO uses for an ex-boyfriend listed at all. I have no idea why it was called that. The cover too, was disappointing, especially as I have a real attachment to the cover on the other Sarra Manning novel I have read, Adorkable. 10/10

The Westing Game, Ellen Raskin
A group of people, seemingly randomly selected, move into Sunset Towers at the invitation of a man who does not exist. But not everyone in the house is what they seem. Amongst the residents, there is a bomber, a bookie, a mistake, a thief and an ornithologist. And when Sam Westing, the rich business man from up the hill dies, they are all catapulted into a convoluted inheritance game in which only two can triumph. 
Another book I had read before buying it, my god is this book amazing. The story is so convoluted - the first time I read it I had a pencil and paper so that I could work my way through some of the more subtle, significant details. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, and nobody is quite what they seem. The writing style is matter of fact and easy to read, making this one of the most accessible modern classics I've read. It's a fabulous tale of human spirit; nobody, no matter how little they appear, or how oppressed they are, or how stupid they seem, can be overlooked because everyone is as vital to the plot as the more high profile cast members. I also had the privilege of buying one with the most beautiful cover, which, if nothing else sums up the intricate nature of the plot. Absolutely fabulous, I would recommend this one to anybody! 10/10

Eleanor and Park, Rainbow Rowell
Park Sheridan and Eleanor Douglas are two teenagers living in Omaha. Eleanor and Park ultimately documents their personal growth as seen through their relationship.
I haven't read this one yet, but as "Fangirl" was released there was so much hype over Rainbow Rowell's work that I thought I could give it a go, especially as it was likened to John Green's literature and overall, with the possible exception of The Fault In Our Stars, I do enjoy his books. This young adult romance novel looked truly promising, and I did like the minimalist book cover.

The Mortal Instruments 1: City of Bones
Clary goes to a club with her best friend, and witnesses some incredibly strange, incredibly attractive teenagers sneaking around in the storeroom. She follows them, and watches as she kill a man. The problem is that no one else has noticed.
I have no idea why I am so late on the Mortal Instruments train. I mean, I've read pretty much every major teenage craze, from Gone to His Dark Materials. Somehow, this one slipped under my radar for a while, until finally, my curiousity was piqued and I decided to give it a go, even though I know next to nothing about the plot or even in detail about the genre.


What books should I read next? Any recommendations?
Yours, Bella Fern xx
@ThatBellaFern

The Fault In Our Stars: Review

WARNING: Unpopular opinions and also spoilers

[Before I complete this post, I just wanted to address some things. I have noticed that some hardcore fans over the internet have taken badly to criticism of this book, on the basis that if you haven't had cancer you can't understand it. This is not true, I can not or enjoy a book without having lived my way through it. I do not wish to offend those with cancer, and I know that it was based on a girl called Esther Earl who died of cancer. This is a purely literary criticism.]

The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green, received mostly stellar reviews, the only exception being The Daily Mail, who's main criticism seemed to be that it was offended that the book tackled cancer. John Green himself called the article "condescending", as it argued that teenagers could not handle the subject matter, which was mostly relatively tame.

TFiOS was an enjoyable read, but it was, to me at least, far from the perfection that many teenagers have idealised it to be. I have spent several enjoyable afternoons reading and rereading the novel, and I eagerly anticipate the film (especially as the soundtrack looks wonderful, and music has the potential to make a movie).

John Green spent time in a hospital working with sick children, and TFiOS was meant to capture "their complete humanity", as he believed that "we have a habit of imagining the very sick or the dying as being kind of fundamentally other." Whilst I completely agree with this sentiment, I am not entirely convinced that TFiOS managed to capture this.

The protagonist, Hazel Grace Lancaster, really didn't have very much character at the beginning of the book at all. Perhaps this was the point - to illustrate the isolation that a disease such as cancer could give a person - but it also came across as very difficult to read, in the sense that she wasn't very relatable. A character with no passions - we are told that she enjoys watching crappy TV and reading poetry, but this is never really a part of her story or personality, potentially, is difficult for the demographic of teenagers to relate to on any basis at all. Shortly after meeting her love interest, Augustus, her entire world shifts to him.

Augustus is definitively more likeable - he has interests, friends, and the kind of poetic artistry - the scene with the cigarette is particularly memorable - that many dream of. However, his intellectual obsession with metaphor is again, slightly unrelatable. I do not imply that I do not think that teenagers could grasp the concept - they do, and they run with it - I instead imply that it comes across as slightly composed as a trait, as something only a fictional character could conceivably do.

Together, as a couple, they are far more relatable. In scenes with Isaac, I really get their relationship dynamic and their discussions about "cancer perk" truly hit home the way the world views cancer. Most of the time they are an amusing and sweet couple to witness reading, although their separate identities, especially Hazel's are questionable. There is a blatant realism, that comes across in their only sex scene, which is very refreshing after reading so many young adult novels that condescend the readers with kissing scenes with "fireworks behind her eyes" et cetera.

However, I did not think that the subplot about "An Imperial Affliction" was particularly interesting or realistic. I understand why, as a character Hazel would care about that book, although most probably only because she was a cancer patient, which draws back to the idea of viewing her as her illness and not as herself. The obsession with Amsterdam read as a massively long tangent, and frankly the idea that the secretary lied seemed a little mishmashed and unrealistic - as though John Green was trying to use any means to get the pair to Amsterdam, and damn realism with it. The part in which they traveled around the Anne Frank house read like a tour guide.

The ending sequence of the book, in which we watch Augustus decline in health was sad, I will admit. I cried, but then I cry sometimes at classical songs or over old Muppets films. This section of the book struck me with a blatant realism, but whilst I felt pained for Augustus, and his loss of dignity, his loss of health, I felt far less for Hazel, who still didn't come across as particularly emotional. Whilst John Green explained to us how she felt, she never really acted in a way that showed her emotions, which made the entire sequence less realistic.

One of my favourite parts of the book was the ending, in which he managed to end in both comedy (the wedding symbolism of "I do") and the more obvious tragedy. However, this did feel a little too artistic and contrived. I didn't like the presence of the author of "An Imperial Affliction" at the end of the book, as I felt like again, it was a case of tying up loose ends that should never have existed in the first place.

Overall, I read the book as enjoyable, but far more shallow than the majority of people seem to read it as. Augustus was likeable enough, Hazel was wet and bland and dull and their storyline was, if not predictable in its storyline, then predictable in the inevitable tragedy of the outcome. Perhaps the inevitability of death was meant to play a part symbolically - "I'm a grenade", but in terms of a novel, it just comes across as potentially dull.

It would have been interesting to see Hazel reacting with someone who was not either Augustus; she did react to another friend and occasionally her mother, and she had little personality with either.

Overall, I think that the book was let down by a lack of development with Hazel's character, but was otherwise an enjoyable, if not momentously life-changing read.

"Girly" Teenage novels

"Girly" Teenage novels

(This is just a sidenote - remember that photography I was doing? Well, neither of those posts are being particularly easy to create alongside school; for a heads up - one is a review of some skincare and soapy type things and one is a DIY textiles instruction post. They will be up ASAP, but in the meantime, there is this!)

After John Green's "The Fault in Our Stars", I don't think many people could argue that all "young adult novels" are frilly and insubstantial. Despite the fact that I am a massive fan of science fiction and horror, I love curling up on the sofa with a mug of tea and "Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging." (Don't judge me, they're funny :) ) But The Princess Diaries and Louise Rennison novels are far from the only ones out there, and these are a few picks of some that maybe have a little more depth to them. They're teenage novels, but the revolving theme is not necessarily romance.

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac: Gabrielle Zevin

I cried, nay, bawled, reading this for the first time. It is a coming of age story equally as good as "The Perks of Being a Wallflower", despite the fact that the character is of age technically, when the novel begins.

Naomi forgets four years of her life after falling down her school steps, and ends up essentially stuck between being twelve and being seventeen - and as the novel progresses she begins to stop trying to fit back into the mold of who she was before the accident, and begins to try to become who she wants to be. There is a romantic subplot, but it never really takes over and it is mostly a beautiful novel about being alive and how time never stands still.

9/10

Adorkable: Sarra Manning

Do NOT be fooled by the title, which gives the illusion that it is a far more poorly written novel than it is. If you are a fan of Tavi Gevinson (which you totally should be, because she is fabulous) then you may draw some wonderful parallels between her and the protagonist, Jeane. It is told both from the perspective of Jeane - a zeitgeist and blogger in Lower Sixth form, and Michael - a high flying all rounded student about to leave for university - and it documents their unhealthy and dysfunctional relationship in some of the most realistic prose I've read in a young adult novel. There is a bit of back story about their unsatisfying childhoods, but the majority of the novel focuses on the romance. Is romance the right word for it? I don't know, but it's a fine split between love and constant arguing. It's fabulous.

8/10 

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist: Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

I must start with a plea for this one - whether you have seen the film or not, whether you enjoyed it or not, you have to disregard it when you read the book. This book is far deeper than the rom-com that was spun off of it, and it is easily my favourite young adult novel. It is based on two young punk teenagers - the straight bassist for a queercore band and the daughter of a record label giant - trying to escape equally detrimental relationships.

You really get the awkwardness that they have just met and their relationship's beginning isn't plain sailing (the entire novel happens in one night), but unlike in Adorkable and no matter what the characters may think, you can tell that they are really good for each other. There are also a lot of music references that make me glow a lottle inside.

10/10

Seriously Sassy: Maggi Gibson

This is the first in a series of three, about an ecologically enthusiastic, guitar playing teenager who is trying to balance school, getting a record deal, relationships, friends, her dad trying to become a politician and saving local woodland.

Whilst it is mostly a tweenager type book, Sassy does mature a lot throughout the series and it is still well worth the read because all of the characters are either likeable, or really fun to hate.

It's a little corny, but it is very sweet and very reminiscent of being an early teenager. It was probably one of the first "teenage" novels that I read, and I am glad because you have a fully rounded female protagonist who is wonderful.
7/10


Angel Cake: Cathy Cassidy

This story revolves around a shy immigrant, a cake baking truant and occasional arsonist, an overweight goth, a rat stealing orphan, a bitchy bully girl and all of the problems they drag along with them. Almost the entire novel revolves around the budding romance between two of the characters, Anya and Dan, although there are interesting political undertones about Liverpool, immigration, language, animal rights and families and how they don't always stay together. There are some lovely little vignettes within the story, such as the "pyjamas in the park" tale and the "angel boy" snippets, and the only issue I have with it is that everyone except the protagonists remain reasonably 2 dimensional.
7/10 

Along For The Ride: Sarah Dessen

Although to be honest, any Sarah Dessen novel will do, as they are all lovely. In fact, I'd recommend reading them all, as there are a few crossovers - although it is in no way a series. This is a story about oppression and grief, but it is also about fixing things when they go wrong, and about trying new things and about the cute dirt biker who you keep running into late at night.

It's romantic, but it's special and it is definitely worth reading, if summer novels are your thing. Don't be too disillusioned at the start - I know I was - but as a rule, from there is is all plain sailing upwards, with a heartbreak or two along the way.

You will probably end up hating a few characters, and that's okay, but the most frustrating thing about this book is how the relationship takes a bit of a backseat half the time.

8/10

Stealing Harper: Molly McAdams

This book is equally as frustrating as it is satisfying, because the protagonists spend most of the book with other people, or wishing that they were with other people. Gut wrenching and heart twisting, it is the kind of unlikely romance that makes people's hearts melt just a little bit.

She is a sheltered good girl at college and he is a slut tattoo artist. It is literally the good girl bad boy cliche, but for an amateur writer it is very well written and it does make me care about the characters, despite the fact that I think the ending is unrealistic and rushed.

Hey ho.
6/10

Would you like some more of these? Maybe with a different genre? I've barely scraped the surface, so let me know. Bella x