New Year with Shellie and Me

By Elle Homan

This year has come to a halt as we begin to welcome the birth of another. This is the time of year when we voluntarily choose to start over. We choose to forgive and forget those who may have hurt us. We become thankful for the good and bad experiences that we have endured. We create new goals that we hope to continue within the following year (these usually end within the first week of the New Year). But most of all, we become thankful for being alive and for pursuing all the things that we once dreamt about. New Year is my favourite time of year because I can do all of the above and I do enjoy celebrating with a glass of Guinness in my hand.

I found that 2014 brought many exciting things to me. I cannot pick between them all because you will be reading forever and you will think that my ego is the size of an elephant. But, I will choose two things.

The first special thing I own is this blog. I suggested the concept of this blog just under twelve months ago to Shellie via text message (because I was too eager to wait until our scheduled meet up time). Of course, she was thrilled with the idea and she began to throw some creative (and very marvellous) ideas my way. At the time we were in the midst of completing our undergraduate degree’s (Shellie in English and me in Media Studies) but despite the pressure of university we remained keen on the idea of our new baby for several months afterwards. Then after we graduated (both with honours!) we joined WordPress and we met you. I think I write on behalf of both Shellie and myself when I express to you my gratitude in regards to you sticking by us throughout this year, because without you we would not have anyone to express our love of stories too, and for that we are most appreciative. We aim to continue to spread our message of story-telling throughout 2015 and we hope that you remain to stick by our side.

The second special thing I also own is a book. This is not just any book, oh no. It is a short story by a beautiful woman, wife, mother and writer named Giovanna Fletcher. Yes, this yummy mummy is known to many as “the wife of Tom from McFly” but I prefer to know her as Giovanna Fletcher because her talent for writing is outstanding. Her first published novel ‘Billy and Me’ was incredible and it is a story that I hope to share with you next year. Her second published book is ‘You’re the One That I Want’ which I am currently in the middle of which is (again) outstanding so far. But the book that I want to discuss with you is a short sequel to the story of ‘Billy and Me’ which is known as ‘Christmas with Billy and Me’.

This story is unique because it features the same characters as it does in the first, but due to the fact that it surrounds Christmas time, it embraces a new story. If you do not know of the first book (which was released in 2013) then I fear you may be slightly lost in regards to the current story and its characters. Despite this slight flaw, this story remains interesting and sweet. At the moment I am only on chapter 2 because this was bought for me as a Christmas present and because I aim to drag out the Christmas spirit for as long as I can. I think the blurb captures exactly what this story is about and why it is a brilliant read for over this festive time:

When a smitten stranger emails Sophie to ask her if he can propose to the woman he loves in her little teashop, the romantic in her finds it impossible to refuse. Even though Christmas is her busiest time of year she has her own sweetheart, Hollywood actor Billy Buskin, to lend a helping hand. How could she say no to making someone’s dream come true?

As Sophie and Billy work together to plan the perfect fairytale proposal for this couple, excitement in Rosefont Hill is mounting. Who is this mysterious man? And who is the lucky lady he’s about to get down on one knee for?

This short story (much like the first) has captured my heart and taught me how to love again. Sophie, Billy and the mysterious guests have shown me the beauty of romance, while also opening my heart to the thought of having a reliable man back in my life. For now though I will continue to read and I will report back to you in 2015.

Shellie and I will be taking a short break over the New Year so we can celebrate with our families and each other. We hope you have a marvellous time and we hope that you have a very Happy New Year!
See you in 2015!
Much love from,
The Hooked on Books Official Team.

Photographs taken from Google.com (2014)
Book blurb taken from Amazon.co.uk (2014)

Film: ‘A Christmas Carol’

by Elle Homan

Once again, I wish you a Merry Christmas. Did you enjoy your day? Did you eat lots of food and drink lots of sugary drinks? Did you play any board games? Oh… and what about your family? Did you visit them too? I love Christmas and I had the most wonderful time (and that was not because I was off work for two whole days).

The biggest part of Christmas I say, is watching Christmas movies. My favourite Christmas movie of all time has to be Disney’s (no surprise, huh?) version of ‘A Christmas Carol’, which as I am sure you already know, was based upon the novel written by the wonderful Charles Dickens. I find that his stories ooze Christmas.

I watched this movie on Christmas Eve. I was accompanied by my dearest parents who fell a sleep through most of the movie, while I sat in my specially bought Chrimbo pyjamas feeling completely mesmerised by the magic of Christmas. I am pretty sure that you already know my true opinion of this movie but for technicality I must establish it here right now. IT WAS AWESOME!

This movie celebrates the progression in the production stages of screen development (aka CGI) as everything you see looks REAL. I mean… look at the picture at the top of the page, go on. Now… think of how Jim Carey looks in your mind. Now scroll back up, look at the picture and you tell me that the cartoon does not look anything like JC? If you cannot see the resemblance then I think you need to watch something Carey related because it is the spitting image of this man! Don’t stop there… repeat the process with Colin Firth and his character. Just wow. Saying that, everything you see in this movie feels real which furthermore makes you feel apart of it.

What I love most about this version is that it does not differ from the original. I despise it when a story is altered so much that it becomes practically a new one. This story is exactly the same. It includes ‘Scrooge’, ‘Marley’, ‘the nephew’, ‘Tiny Tim’ and the ‘three ghosts of Christmas’. Nothing is altered in this story and that is just how I like it.

This movie is not bound to solely Christmas Eve because the story carries such a beautiful message. Watch it now. Watch it on New Year. You could even watch it in the middle of July because the message will always remain the same. Treasure your life. Be grateful for those around you. Use your time to celebrate with your loved ones and say your graces. And… buy some good presents! Enjoy the festivities!

Film: ‘The Railway Man’

by Elle Homan

This movie is proof that we (the UK) own some great historical stories and the talent to make the feeling of time pass on by. ‘The Railway Man‘ was released on 10th January 2013 and it has taken me slightly under twenty four months to see it for the very first time. It shocks me more that it was released so long ago. Where the hell have I been for the past two years?

I first discovered the availability of this movie on ‘Netflix‘ earlier this month and today I decided to divulge into this story as it is my day off from work. I must say, it was not what I was expecting but I mean that in a really good way.

This story is presented several decades after the Second Great World War and it focuses primarily upon the personal account of a war veteran named ‘Eric‘ who was later captured by a Japanese army. His story begins in the present day and in the adorable meeting of his future wife ‘Patti‘ who he meets during a pleasant train ride. This train enthusiast woos the girl by talking geeky and diverging in long-winded conversations about the progression of the train industry. After he exits at Preston train station, we assume that this love story is not meant to be but Eric proves us wrong by jumping onto another train and meeting Patti at the end of her journey. Awe. I can confirm that this is the quickest love story you will ever witness as they are hitched within the next ten minutes of the film.

After they marry, we begin to see Eric’s story unveil as he endures painful flashbacks of his time in the Japanese camp. Why was he captured? We are told by his close friend ‘Finlay‘ that Eric could not cope after the war had ended; he temporarily moved to Africa to build houses for the suffering communities and he was captured there. I must say, it was incredibly heart-breaking to hear and watch Eric go through such a horrifying ordeal. This movie goes into strong detail in regards to the level of torture that Eric was exposed to. If you are a sensitive soul, then I must say that this film will not be for you. Saying that, you could always hide behind a pillow? It is your call.

Throughout this story we crave the achievement of closure for both Eric and ourselves. But I think it would be impossible to find full closure if you experienced something as horrific as this surely? How could anyone find comfort after they found freedom? Believe it or not, Eric did.

There was a Japanese interpreter who was involved in Eric’s experience. He never once tortures him, but he never stops those who are hurting him either. He’s just the interpreter who haunts Eric during his isolation and during his freedom. Along his journey, Eric discovers that the interpreter is still alive. He lives a peaceful life in the United Kingdom while working as a tour guide assistant in a museum-like place. Eric searches for him, finds him and gives him a taste of his own medicine. Eric does not kill the interpreter but instead shows him the pain that he inflicted and how it has affected him decades after he was freed. The most shocking part of this story is that after their deep conversation they both received closure and a new friendship.

Did you know that this story withholds truth? Because I never. At the start of this movie it states ‘Based off a true story’ and I believe that to be the most shocking part of this story. Everything is true. Everything from the captivity, the isolation, the torture, the closure and the friendship.

This story showed me how positive life can be, once you let go of what was holding you back.

Too busy to read

by Elle Homan

As we may have mentioned several times over, we understand that the task of reading cannot always be carried out. Some of us are not dedicated readers, some of us do not have the time to sit down with a good book, some of us may only keep their reading skills for the purpose of carrying out daily tasks and some of us may not possess the ability to read. However, I do believe that reading is for everyone – in someway or another.

I do enjoy reading but I would not class myself as a committed reader as I am very picky. So picky that if the book does not grab me instantly then I lose interest and I close the book (usually forever). I like fictional novels the best. I enjoy reading descriptive stories which allow my imagination to run wild and I have found that they tend to keep me entertained for a longer period of time. Sometimes I do not know how I managed to achieve my undergraduate degree because my set readings were all so… serious. Although, in having this strong desire to be entertained I always like to choose the printed version of a book. I like the way a printed book makes me feel about myself; I feel intellectual, focused, energised and interesting. I also love the way the book feels in my hand, as it makes me feel as though I am actually doing something worthy with my spare time. My favourite thing of all is breaking the spine of the book. I can hear all you readers tutting away at me because I am somewhat intentionally breaking the book but this honestly means that I love the book. In my case the more the spine is broken, the more I loved the book. Hey, you should see my copy of John Green’s ‘The Fault in Our Stars‘. That is love right there!

But as of late, I have found it difficult to carry out this passion of mine. I have not broken many spines for a while – actually I have not picked up a book for a while. With Christmas and New Year looming, my work schedule has increased which has left me feeling exhausted. I find it most difficult to read a book when I’m tired as my eyes tend to glaze over and my imagination focuses upon something else. Total nightmare!

But just the other day, after flying down to an amazing price of just £0.99 I snapped up Lindsey Kelk’s e-book ‘Jenny Lopez Saves Christmas‘. This bargain was perfect for me because I love the ‘I Heart…‘ series and I love Lindsey Kelk. Only for my having my Kelk obsession, I would not normally choose to purchase an e-book because it does not give me the same satisfaction as my printed version does. But this is one e-book that I am happy to own because it is fabulous. The first paragraph blew a few of the storylines in the ‘I Heart…‘ series (I am mid-way through the Vegas one) but it is still proving to be incredibly interesting.

This e-book has made my Christmas and changed my opinion too. Double whammy!  =D

The truth about Markus Zusak’s creation

by Elle Homan

Last weekend I confessed to you my love and passion for the story ‘The Book Thief’ which was created by Markus Zusak. In my post, I primarily focused upon the visual version (aka the movie) opposed to the original printed format. In that post I made a promise to you. I promised that I would return having attempted to read the book and I would deliver my true honest opinion on this fictional story. And that is why I am writing to you this very evening.

I did not get far in that far in the book, actually I do not think I even passed the first chapter. However, I read enough to know which format I preferred and the reason why. To destroy the suspense I have to vote for the printed version aka the book and this is why…

The book (well… the first chapter) gave me chills. It moved me in the way the film never succeeded to. As a literary blogger I understand (and believe) that the printed version is always better than the visual version because that is where the true origin of the story lies. The book continued to represent this factor which furthermore impacted my thoughts on the story itself.

The opening captured my attention and my heart. I love this story to death because of its powerful essence. It is factual in the sense that it is about the Great World War but more so, as it is delivered from the perspective of the German people. This strikes more of a chord with me because I am led to believe that my surname is German; I do not know this for certain but I cannot help but wonder as to whether this is part of my history too? Then we have the book stealing. Of course, it is no surprise that I support the action of reading books considering that I am a literary blogger and co-owner of that blog. However I DO NOT approve the stealing of the books (this is something else we support here at H.O.B.). I adore the way each character treasures tales and story-telling; for example the Father is a passionate reader, the Daughter is emotionally bound to the stories and the Mother prefers to avoid reading. I love how books are valued in this (partly) fictional world.

Even though I have made several comments, I must conclude my review with my most treasured one. The opening of the story and the dialogue from the narrator. In my last post I discussed how we are introduced to a character at the start of this story – DEATH. We instantly discover the personality of this character and we learn about the value of life from the one person who ends it for us. It is strange to say but I love that the narrator is death; with every sentence he delivers I continue to picture him as the Grim Reaper or something you would see in the ‘Scream’ movies.

And the line “ONE DAY YOU WILL DIE” continues to give me the shivers. GULP!

XOXO

by Elle Homan

Today was not the best day. Why? Well… after suffering with chicken pox, a sore back and what I believe to be either a viral infection or a winter cold, I have hit rock bottom. I was allowed to leave work today due to feeling poorly and even though I do not feel that much better, I feel as though I’m finally on the mend.

My speedy recovery was all down to a television boxset marathon. The addictive series named ‘Gossip Girl‘ distracted my mind with scandalous storylines while the paracetamol, warm clothing and mountains of bottled water did their magic. I never imagined that my day would plan out as it did, but I’m glad that it has because I’m once again addicted to this story – and that included my Mum too who hitched on the G.G. ride late on in series one.

As I watched the war between the elite Manhattan snobs and the grungy Brooklyn outcasts, I began thinking more about this story. I could not help but wonder, is this what really happens in the Big Apple? Do the people on team elite despise those on team grunge? And does team grunge really desire to be apart of team elite? Well… in reality I will never know because I’m not apart of either team. I’m the wannabe screenplay writer who’s fresh out of academia and lives her boring life in the United Kingdom.

As the level of distraction grew and my illnesses (I’m including all three) slowly wore away I began thinking more about what this story was doing to me. After the first three episodes (I watched six in total) I felt apart of the gang; I was living on both the posh and the not-so-posh side of N.Y.C and I was loving it. I felt pristine; my choice of clothing felt elegant, my hair was full of long bouncy curls and my make up was irresistible. The story made me feel like a beautiful, healthy woman opposed to the scraggy, slightly dirty, tatty headed woman that I am in reality.

Even though I still only feel mildly better, I have to thank G.G. for doing exactly what medication could not, which was making me feel more humane. I am unsure if the printed/digital version of this story would have the same effect but I suppose we can always find out. Keep those books handy throughout this winter period!

Thank you again, Cecily Von Ziegesar.

That’s all for now, xoxo

A dream is a wish your heart makes.

I am sure that you will agree with me when I say that Shellie is a fabulous writer. She is, isn’t she? And that is exactly why I snapped up that talented young lady and (slightly) forced her to co-start this blog with me. I love her writing style and how her topics can be so random. Her posts always leave me feeling inspired; I like feeling this way because it forces me to not only achieve my dreams but to also write something good myself. I read her post from yesterday and again I felt the same way, but this time it was different.

Of course, I continued to feel inspired but this time I felt powerful. I felt determined and strong. So strong that I could have easily knocked down one thousand men and not even blink. I wanted to achieve my dream of becoming a screenplay writer and I wanted to (one day) become a part of the Disney crew. I also realised in that moment that I was also suffering from the unwanted condition that we call fear.

Screenwriting is a new goal for me. So new, that the idea only popped into my head a fortnight ago. It all started during my shift at my full-time job (I’m a sales assistant in a music store). I had an idea to make a ‘Disney Classics’ section and I wanted to place it at the front of the store. My manager was thrilled with my suggestion as he loved how creative I had been and how I had considered the needs of the customer. In truth, I wanted to make a Disney section because I’m a Disney addict, but hey! Anyway, I was placing the movies in chronological order and as I placed ‘Frozen’ at the end (it is number 52 in the growing sequence) I realised that I wanted to be “number 53”. I wanted my leading character to be featured on the shiny (and slightly blinding) sleeve cover and I wanted to create my own Disney mania.

Then in that moment I felt stricken by something. It was a feeling that surrounded my heart; it had infected my stomach giving me butterflies and uncontrollable hand/body shaking. I felt fear and I was subconsciously embracing it. Shellie’s post made me realise that not only did I have to figure out why I was afraid but also what I was going to do about it.

And today was that day. I realised that my fear lied within the essence of my idea; it was a new dream and for some odd reason I felt that this was wrong. I feel like slapping myself across the face because I’m aware of how stupid this sounds but I know that this feeling exists in others too. Just because it is a new idea, new dream or new thought, it is never too late to try.

Surprisingly, I soon came across a significant image which stated:

It is never to late to dream of something new.

Finally, the people have spoken! I am going to continue on dreaming and writing my first ever screen play.

Watch this space!

Elle.

My bookshelf.

Yesterday Shellie published a picture of her bookshelf; she described how it represented her personality, favourite books (many commented on her Manga interests) and her ultimate literary influences. Even though I have known Shellie for over ten years now (it’s been a very long time, trust me) I discovered more of her true personality in her bookshelf opposed to the countless pub food and wine nights we have had in our local. It amazed me.

I then challenged myself by taking my own picture and analysing what I saw. I wanted to know if my bookshelf was a clear representation of who I was as an individual and could a complete stranger detect my personal qualities? In regards to my research, it matched perfectly and my personality could actually be detected by looking solely at my bookshelf. I find this somewhat embarrassing.

I tested this on my nearest and dearest. Of course, this test may have been (slightly) biased because they do already know me but I tried anyway. I will remain confidentiality because I’m in a sarcastic mood and some of my candidates may not wish to be featured on an iconic blog (the fools!).

Candidate 1: “You are a very organised person. You can see this in the way you have organised your books by genre and publication date. Look at the Twilight series on the end. You start with Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and even the novella which was from Eclipse. Then of course, you have Breaking Dawn at the end.”

Candidate 2: “She’s right. You are very organised but look at the odd book where you’ve just threw it on top because you couldn’t be bothered. You are slightly lazy.”

Candidate 3: “You’re a very picky reader. You know what you like and which authors so that is why you have multiple ones of the same author.”

Candidate 4: “You are totally a film person. I mean look at all those movies! You have more movies than books. Ah… so that’s why you’re head of film!”

I must agree with every comment made because all of the points where spot on. That is exactly who I am and who I’m proud to be. I challenge you to do the same and see if your bookshelf forms a clear representation of you and your identity. Tweet us at @hooked_book with your pictures and the tagline #mybookshelf. Go on… it’s a bit of fun! 

See you tomorrow, Elle.

Ps. How cool is my tinsel? I love Christmas!

‘The Fault In Our Stars’ by John Green.

I decided to change my font colour to ‘indigo blue’ because I found that it captured the true essence of my chosen book for November. I chose indigo blue because it represents the glittering stars we see in the deep sky; many of us choose yellow as our colour to create stars, but I much prefer the real deep colour hence the indigo blue. This month I indulged within ‘The Fault In Our Stars’ by John Green because I saw the film, I knew the story and I wanted to see if the stars glistened more in the book compared to the DVD. They most certainly glistened more in the book than the film.

For me, this story changed my life. How? Simply by opening my eyes and encouraging me to celebrate the beauty of life and the opportunity that I have been given to enjoy it. This is something that I like to embrace on a daily basis by only living in the moment, but as I’m sure that we all do, we don’t always think only about today. We dream about what is ahead and what we have left behind. This is wrong and John Green certainly illustrates this throughout his story and the accounts of Hazel Grace and Gus.

My passion and desires lie within the characters of this book because I think they truly make the story special and they also provide the example that John Green aims to deliver. Okay, life is short and we know that it is, but what are we supposed to do in order to make it wonderful and worthy? This is where Hazel Grace and Gus enter. They show us love, friendship, passion, desires, creativity and ambition. They show us various ways to embrace the opportunities in life that we can have. And what I love most about this duo is that negativity does not exist in their world and it does not actually exist in ours. Of course, that’s if we choose not to let it defeat us. If you take anything away from this article, the book or the story then all I ask is that you never let anything beat you. You keep going and you make the most of what you have been given. You are you and that’s because you’re the only person who could handle your life. I know how ridiculous that sounds but I don’t care.

 When opening the book, I felt my stomach being wrapped in dread because I feared one particular part of the story. The cancer part. I knew it existed throughout the story and I was afraid of it. For me, my aunt is a survivor of cancer; she had breast cancer several years ago but her fight was a success and she is now my beautiful healthy aunt again. But the idea of cancer still frightens me; I’m still baffled by the fact its your own body making tumours. I don’t understand why your own body would want to hurt you or even kill you? But John Green also fights cancer; he uses the tale of Hazel Grace and Gus to create awareness of this devil and how it’s just another part of us. This somehow dissolved my fear of cancer (for now anyway).

Until reading this story I never thought it was possible to fall in love with a character. Now that I have finished the book I can admit my true desires for Augustus Waters. I love him. I really do. The way he approaches life appears to mesmerise my mind and I become lost in the dialogue. I idolise the way he sees and speaks to Hazel, by calling her Hazel Grace. The way he supports Isaac through his break-up and loss of eyesight while he fights his own battle with cancer. This man should be a prime representation of how all you other men should be. If you do become another version of Gus Waters, I can confirm that no woman will ever turn you down. I love this man and I think I always will.

Finally, I would like to thank and applaud John Green because this story is fabulous. It creates awareness on cancer, life and how men should be. He has encouraged me to not just live but to LIVE. Be the woman that I want to be and let nothing stop me. To forgive and forget if I really want to. To decline any form of negativity and forget about these plans that I have in my head but instead simply go with the flow. John Green is a story-making genius and he truly makes you feel like a glistening star.

Okay?

Okay.

Elle.

I’m not mad about the boy.

Throughout September I have been discussing how Helen Fielding’s book ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy‘ has captured my heart. I have been overwhelmed with the dramatic narrative it displayed; alongside the introduction of new characters, tragic loss of leading fixtures and the expected slime ball. In this book, I found my world of escapism. It’s amazing what you can discover in 100 pages, huh?

Yes, I didn’t pass page 100 and I did not reach the end of the book. My uncontrollable flaw of not finishing books was not to blame here, even my hectic schedule was not at fault either, but my continuous nagging emotion of being bored really took its toll. I was disappointed in this book because I didn’t feel motivated to read more. This is not what I expected from Helen Fielding.

The things I did like about the book where the characters, unexpected turns and the expected personalities. My heart is devoted to Bridget’s children ‘Billy’ and ‘Mabel’; I loved how they idolised their mother and how they uncontrollably tugged on my heart strings. This was love. Having their father (Mark) die of some horrific illness or accident (can’t remember which) was awful; I loved how Helen Fielding worked this into the starting point of the narrative because it enabled personal emotion immediately and it also made me see how life can be taken away just like that (clicks fingers). Then I was pleased to see Daniel Cleaver and his dirty dirty little personality but as I crept towards page 100 I started to feel awkward. Well done, Helen!

I still felt confused by the layout; before you think that I’m thick, I know it’s supposed to be a diary but I found it difficult to follow in novel format. But maybe that’s just me? I also felt bored by Bridget’s daily schedule; I wanted to feel inspired by her adventures opposed to feeling as though my life as a sales assistant and nursery practitioner is actually more exciting. Alongside all of these negative qualms, I hated how Bridget was so obsessed with men. I mean, this woman can rock being single so why is she becoming so stressed over texting one guy? I’m aware that my stone-heart is not as sentimental but Bridget represents independent women and how they embrace every moment in life. The old Bridget would not have hesitated in texting a man in a Leatherman jacket but instead she would have ran to the hills with him in her famous giant knickers!

I would still recommend this book to you all but I would not use it for a challenging read. This book is more for leisure time opposed to reading it within one month. However, I would love to hear what you think about this book? What is your opinion? What would you like say to Helen Fielding? Did you finish her novel?

We have now arrived at the end of September. Check back again to the blog tomorrow as Shellie will be writing to you about our chosen reads for October – they’re very fangy! Ha!

Write to you shortly, Elle.

Did you ever imagine Daniel Cleaver could be a BABY SITTER?

WARNING! This post WILL blow the starting chapters of the book, so if you are not up-to-date yet then I’d advise you to check out Shellie’s latest post instead. For those who have passed the first couple of chapters then do continue reading because I’m sure you’ll want to share your grieving comments.

In picking up Fielding’s book, I was expecting a story about true love. Instead it appears to be a tragedy as I have discovered that Mark Darcy has… died. (SOBS!) My sexy character passed away and now Bridget is left single again. However with TWO children this time, ‘Billy‘ and ‘Mabel‘. How can Fielding do this to us? to Bridget? to their beautiful children? It’s heart-breaking!

I was astounded to see that Fielding had killed off  Mark Darcy but at the same time I’m quite pleased that she did. Hold those tomatoes! I adore this character but it does make the narrative precious and unpredictable. Mark was so supportive throughout the past novels (so I’ve heard) but by killing him off, it’s made me see how life is so precious and unpredictable. I think Fielding is a genius and this move will keep us all hooked.

Not to mention those two beautiful children; Billy somehow reminds me of Mark, while I find that Mabel’s personality is SO infectious. As the reader I somehow feel connected to Bridget. I sense her level of grief throughout the novel; I want to be supportive but it kills me that I can’t actually help her. URGGGGGGH ITS FRUSTRATING!!!!!!!!

So, Bridget’s single, Mark’s gone, Daniel is babysitting and I’m grieving. What a combo?!

Elle. X

I’m mad about the boy!

8th September 2014, 8pm.

Days off (1). Tweets (several). Movies watched (2). Articles wrote (0). Day dreams of Mark Darcy (1 BILLION!)

This month I’m talking about one man. He’s sexy and charming. His voice sends flirty shivers down my spine. His charisma is HOT! And, he’s one man that I’d love to marry! I’m not talking about my fancy fella. No. I’m talking about the delicious Mark Darcy (the literary version not the also sexy Colin Firth!)

Throughout September I will be reading and blogging about Britain’s cutest duo, ‘Bridget Jones’ and ‘Mark Darcy’. I’m a mere 100 pages into Helen Fielding’s latest novel ‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy‘ and I’m already in love. I purposely chose to read this book for three reasons; the first being that it was a Christmas gift from Shellie, I adore the two published films (cannot wait for the third!) and finally this is the first literary piece of work that I ever read by Fielding. I have only touched the surface with this author; so if you are still deciding on which book to choose? Then take a look at this one because it will definitely not disappoint you.

As far as the story goes, I am hooked. I have rekindled my love for Mark Darcy, I have laughed at Bridget’s unexpected accidents and I conclude that Daniel Cleaver is the biggest slime ball in literary history! But, this trio will capture your heart and the battles they face in the first couple of chapters are heart-breaking. In the first chapter we do hear of some bad news; I won’t discuss it this week as I don’t want to spoil it for those late readers but it’s a BIG change to a story we know and love. Give this a read and let me know what you think? I’m devastated but I like those two little surprises at the start!

Keep reading and keep tweeting.

Love, Elle. X

My literary confession.

I think that my monthly deadline has become the very first deadline that I have not reached in time. Even while at university, I would complete all of my assignments one week prior to the deadline and then I would voluntarily use the remaining time in order to prepare for the next one. This time I was simply lazy; my habit of social reading kicked in and I did not complete Nicky Sparks’ ‘Safe Haven‘. However as I am no quitter, I will provide you with my true account of his book (and maybe the film too) as I divulge in telling you about how I believe it is one brilliant piece of literature!

The characters are my favourite part of ‘Safe Haven‘. Throughout the book we were introduced to several adorable, challenging and vile personalities; ‘Katie/Erin‘, ‘Alex‘, the kids ‘Josh‘ and ‘Kristen‘, ‘Jo‘ and ‘Kevin‘.  I never thought it could be possible but I felt drawn to Katie opposed to Erin; it seems crazy really as they are literally the same person but with different lives. I was in awe of how carefree Katie appeared to be; I loved how she enjoyed her own company and how even though she was terrified, she learned how to let people in. I do not believe that Katie would have been so attractive if Alex was not portrayed as this beautiful, real soul. I found comfort in Alex; he allowed me to visualise the man I wish to marry, to have children with and to be happy with for eternity.
Then we move onto the main bad-boy, Kevin. If you have been following my weekly posts you will possess an awareness of how I despise Kevin. This has not changed as I still hate him today! However I loved how he appeared to be dominant throughout the storyline; without Kevin I do not believe we would have treasured the relationship between Katie and Alex as much because Kevin made it feel unsafe. With his insightful policing tactics, I was always waiting for him to capture Katie and in those particular moments I knew that their relationship could end at any moment. It made everything feel so real.

I love how Sparks acquired the ability to interlink each character together in order to make the storyline flow. Even in the film, something is always happening; each moment is packed with action and just when you learn to relax something horrible happens. I believe that the storyline aids the characters and visa-versa. Without both of these components, I do not think I would be in awe of ‘Safe Haven‘ simply because nothing drastic happens until the latter scenes (I know the film backwards, so I know how it ends). The one thing I do adore about this storyline is the awareness that it raises upon domestic abuse.

For those who feel uncomfortable with this issue, skip the following paragraph as you are not required to read on!

I have personally never experienced or witnessed any form of domestic abuse or violence. The only awareness I possess is a single comment from my parents; claiming that “if he hits you once, he’ll do it again!” and in that moment I should escape in whatever way is possible. Sparks greatly focuses upon domestic abuse (verbal and physical) because it powers Katie and Kevin’s troubling marriage. When reading I felt frightened; at one point I had to stop reading because I felt depressed, helpless and insecure. I loathed this part of the book because of how it made me feel but at the same time I am pleased because I am now much more aware of domestic abuse than when I first started reading.

Many people always say “the book is much better than the film” and I have always agreed with this statement but this time I actually disagree. The book was phenomenal as it provided so much more detail than what the film does. In the book I found that I was more aware of particular characters such as Alex’s first wife ‘Carly‘; I saw that she had a very pure heart as she idolised Alex, their children and their life together. Also, in the book Alex’s youngest child Kristen is actually named ‘Lexie‘ in the film. Why? I have no idea at all.
Alternatively, with the film I think that the actors portrayed the printed characters excellently; Julianne Hough (Katie/Erin) and Joshua Duhamel (Alex) displayed the same amount of affection as what is represented in the book, and I thought their love appeared as attractive on-screen as it does on paper.

I would like to applauded all of those who attempted the ‘Safe Haven‘ task throughout August and to all those who actually finished the book! What did you think? Where you pleased with Sparks’ work? Where you disappointed? I’d love to know so please make sure you tweet, email or comment below. I did not discuss the ending of the novel with you today because I did not finish the book; please do not feel too disappointed in me as my aim is to write an additional piece with my “ending thoughts” very shortly.

The reading list for September will be published tomorrow. So, keep checking our blog and Twitter feed for more information. Have a beautiful day! Elle. -X-

I think Nicholas Sparks might be ignoring me.

Since the start of ‘Hooked on Books’, Shellie and I have been flabbergasted by the amount of people who have showcased their support. People have been tweeting us expressing their love for reading; they’ve been talking about old books they have been unintentionally neglecting, new books they desired to read and also how they have loved our reading choices. We even had Lindsey Kelk (Hi, Lindsey) tweet us and suggest that we should have a ‘Rubber Duck meet up’ (read Shellie’s latest posts to understand what we mean). But, we appreciate the love and support you have given us, so thank you!

My friendship with Shellie is much like my friendship with you. We support, praise, love and critique each other in the most honest and harmless way. Earlier this week, Shellie expressed to me her concern in regards to my posts:

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“You know your book?” she asked.
“Yes?” I replied.

“Is it ‘Safe Haven’ or ‘Save Haven’ because you’ve been writing both on the blog!”

“Urm… I don’t know what it is actually called! HA!” I said in a very embarrassing tone.

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At the time, I didn’t have a clue what the book was actually called. Was it ‘Save Haven‘? or was it ‘Safe Haven’? I had no clue. I decided to discover the truth, the embarrassing truth. It is actually ‘SAFE HAVEN’ (No wonder why Katie felt safe with Alex – DUH!).

Now I understand why Nicky hasn’t been tweeting me back; however all he needs to understand is that I’m so engrossed in his book that I couldn’t even remember the name! The story has continued to be both gripping and heart-felt; I’m still in love with Alex, in awe of Katie, loathing Kevin and feeling annoyed by Jo. I’m slowly creeping up to the end of the novel and it’s getting to be really good! I shall reveal my true thoughts next Sunday, so keep checking back to the blog!

In the meantime, keep reading, keep blogging and keep tweeting! Write to you shortly, Elle.

Ps. Nicky Sparks, if you’re reading this? I’m sorry. Can you send a tweet to me now too? =D

Back to the world of RADIO.

So, this has nothing to do with reading books. At all. Nothing. Nope! Instead, I want to share with you a passion of mine; it’s something that I love and have been involved in for nearly 6 years! WOW! Anyway, I’m starting off a series of podcasts and I hope you enjoy listening to them! (While you’re keeping up with HOB’s reading list, of course!)

My ‘Safe Haven’ update will return to your screens tomorrow. So, make sure you keep checking our blog! E. X

https://soundcloud.com/michelle_homan/elle-talks-music

‘Save Haven’: the next section.

So, last week I discussed my thoughts regarding my literary choice, ‘Save Haven‘ by Nicholas Sparks. My comments were appreciative as I basked within the romantic storyline which intertwined the lives of ‘Katie‘ and ‘Alex’. I spoke about how they were at the point of falling in love; they were telling stories about their past, enjoying quality time with each other, indulging in romantic kisses against wintery trees and receiving positive blessings from Alex’s children, ‘Josh‘ and ‘Kristen‘. It was sheer bliss! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!

However, we’d also been learning about ‘Kevin‘ who was represented as the man you’d never wish to meet. He’s a police officer who obtains a true talent for his work but who also possesses knowledge upon on how a man should not treat a woman! He was (and still is) a vile man. I found reading about Kevin to be difficult because he was openly abusing Katie both in a physical and mental manner. I powered on through because I wanted Katie to be free, happy and in-love with Alex and his children.

I was not as dedicated to the book this week. Why? There is a few reasons. Like any ordinary woman I struggle with bad times too, so I’ve been dealing with a bucket full of those and I generally have not been in the mood to simply read. One thing we aim to illustrate at H.O.B. is that we understand that life can get in the way of reading; we believe that you should visualise it as something remarkable, not an unwanted chore!

Alternatively, Sparks begins to indulge deeper into Kevin’s mind as we start witnessing memories that he once shared with Katie; they all revolve around his “love” for her and the earlier times when he chose not to beat her. In reality, Kevin continues to pursue a false front to everyone around him; at the moment he’s pretending that Erin/Katie is staying with her friend, who lives miles away and who is suffering from terminal cancer. To quote McFly, it’s ‘lies, lies, lies’. Kevin’s alcohol levels are still growing with each day and I’m not surprised because he appears as though he’s desperate. Then he continues to make the situation even worse as he cheats on Katie by sleeping with some nasty pasty girl who hangs around in a cop bar. After reading this particular paragraph, I lost all form of emotional connection to Kevin and I gained the desire to push him off a cliff! PIG!

However, as Kevin continues to spiral we witness Alex and Katie becoming more in love. Alex has been teaching Katie how to drive; she appears to sail through the process and despite using a fake security number, she acquires her own official driving license. I could relate to this part so much as I had a difficult time in learning to drive; I passed my theory test on the 5th time, practical on the 3rd and just like Katie, I can’t seem to get my own car. As we focus on Katie acquiring her driving license, we forget about Kevin and we forget that he’s searching for her.

Also, Katie’s next door neighbour ‘Jo‘ really struck a chord with me this week, and not in a good way! She chose to confront Katie; arguing that she should only stay with Alex if she’s fully committed as the family have been through too much heartbreak due to Carly (Alex’s previous wife) passing away. I felt that Jo had spoken prematurely and had put negative ideas into Katie’s head; she continued to make the situation worse as she flew out the door and hasn’t contacted Katie since. I was fond of this friendship and I am disappointed to see it be affected by something as silly as one individual’s opinion.

I have less than 100 pages to go before I complete ‘Save Haven‘. I promise to be more committed in finishing the book and informing you properly next Sunday upon how it ends. I can only hope that you’ve been reading along and enjoying Sparks’ literary talents. If not, you can always watch the film. It is slightly different to the book as it doesn’t focus on Kevin that much, but seeing Josh Duhamel (who plays Alex) is not a bad sight at all. Oh, mama may I?

Let the literary debate begin!
Elle.

We’re soaring, we’re flying, there’s not a Nicholas Sparks book that we can’t read.

Since the ‘Hooked on Books‘ launch last week, I have turned into an unexpected bookworm. Unlike Shellie, I haven’t struggled in finding a place to read. In fact, I discovered the beauty in reading on the bus, in my bed, on the couch, in the garden, in the bath and even on the loo! You can read anywhere, but I think you require a good book in order to make this happen, and ‘Save Haven‘ has most certainly become my “good book“.

As you can see from my picture, I’m on chapter twenty five. I have whizzed through this book but only because it possesses an incredible storyline. If you have been reading with me, you will know that by now Katie possesses a dark secret; she has been living in a world of domestic abuse carried out by her alcoholic husband Kevin (I HATE, HATE, HATE HIM) who appears to get a “kick” out of making Katie’s life miserable. At H.O.B. we do not condone any form of abuse, so I did find this part of the storyline rather unbearable. I’m still feeling haunted by the image of domestic abuse and its existence in our world; however I believe it is a good thing to possess awareness upon matters such as this, so I am glad that I continued reading.

Katie has also met Alex. I can hear all of our H.O.B. female readers sighing at the thought of his beautiful personality and desire for our Katie. During the earlier chapters, we discovered that Alex was once married to a woman named Carly and they had two beautiful children together, Josh and Kristen. Carly, Alex and the children lived happily together until Carly died of terminal cancer. Alex is now in love with Katie. With each flick of the page, their love continues to grow and it’s one of my most favourite things about this book.

At the present moment, Kevin’s alcohol in-take has started to grow and he appears to be slowly figuring out where Katie (or in his case, Erin) has ran off to. My heart pounds at the thought of him finding Katie; and the worst part of it all, is that he is getting closer and closer. I’m afraid that his next pit stop will be Southport (where Katie is currently staying) and I can’t imagine what he will do when he finds her… or will he?

I hope you keep whizzing through ‘Save Haven‘. I will be back next Sunday with more updates about the book. Keep tweeting and emailing us your thoughts, we love hearing from you!

Keep reading, Elle.

The hardest part of “crochet” is pronouncing the word!

First of all, don’t panic. This is not my post for August’s book club! I have not completed my book for this month. I have started my impeccable literary choice (Nicholas Sparks, ‘Save Haven’) but by no means have I even hit the first quarter. I will discuss this with you in more detail next Sunday, so you still have time to purchase, borrow or steal the book (only from a loved one) and catch up before next weekend. This post is about something else.

Let’s relieve your panic/stress levels by redirecting your attention toward something I discovered just last week. I have learned how to “crochet”. Now do not panic (yet again) if your brain defined those words as “croc-het” because that’s exactly what I did the first time I attempted the word. The correct pronunciation is “crow” (as in the evil bird) and “Shay” (as in the beautiful boys name). “Crochet” is another form of knitting; it allows the crafty soul (in this case, me) to create beautiful garments by using wool and one needle. It’s rather different to the typical “knitting” that we associate with old grandma’s as crochet is much quicker to produce and I think, much easier to learn!

So, how did I learn? The answer: Nanna Hazel.

Last summer I approached my Nanna and asked if she would teach me how to knit. I was very obsessed with Cath Kidson and loved the whole 1950’s era. I saw myself as a modern housewife who would never even dream of cooking her hubby a meal. Anyway, Nanna Hazel was delighted at my interest and agreed to show me. During the whole process she managed to pitch in her knitting stories. Apparently, when I was a little wee baba, she would spend hours upon hours knitting beautiful baby hats, in all different colours and styles, in hope that I would wear them each day. Baba Elle preferred to pull them off her head and throw them onto the floor! HA! However, as I’m no longer a little wee baba, I saw knitting as a creative art. I learned how to knit; I even knitted a very lengthy multi-coloured scarf for my BFF and gave it to her as a Christmas present.

So, as I am now a professional “knitter” I figured that I would be able to adopt new skills and join the world of crochet. It was much more difficult that what I imagined. At first, I felt lost. My fingers were not comfortable with only holding one needle; I couldn’t balance the wool around my index finger and the process of actually threading the wool was mind-blowing. I dropped the needle multiple times and I even started to crochet backwards! I honestly thought I would never be able to figure this one out.

Later the same evening I got the urge to try again. My familiar “not giving up” attitude arrived in my gut, I picked up the concoction and I tried again. This time it worked! The pattern flowed through my fingers and my new project began to grow. I couldn’t believe how it was all coming together!  I won’t go into detail about how you crochet because I believe it would twist your mind around in circles. If anyone would like me to show them, I can do. Just let me know and I’ll upload a vlog, discussing the step-by-step on how to crochet.

My aim is to make a bed throw for my lovely single bed and as you can see by my picture I’m on my way! I will keep you updated on the growth of my project by showcasing pictures on the blog. I’m also engaging in dressmaking, so I will keep you informed on this one too!

So, have a great week! Keep checking the blog and keep reading ‘Safe Haven‘.

Much love, E.