Rachel Loffler, one of our readers, tried out an Escape Club recipe, and doesn’t it look fine!
Rachel loved the look of Mandy’s Chocolate Box birthday cake and made one for her fourteen year old son. The result is fantastic. You can find the recipe here. Mandy’s Chocolate box is becoming quite famous, as it’s also featured on The Whoot.
Belinda discusses the movie vs book versions of this crazily popular story.
Book
I managed to get my hands on a copy of the unabridged audio book–cheaper than the paperback and it’s lovingly narrated by Kate Rudd.
I knew I was in for a blubber fest; YouTube is positively buzzing, and has been for years, about this book by John Green. I think the whole world will have read this book by the time the DVD comes out.
It covers themes that are well and truly in your face. There is no hiding or sugar-coating here, and in the brutally honest storytelling there is a delicate love story.
Though there were tears, there were stretches of incredible joy. Kate told the tale unflinchingly. How the heck she managed to do this through the emotions is beyond comprehension. She isn’t dissimilar to how Hazel is in the movie, so if you have a chance to give the audio book a go, I do recommend it.
Cancer is an abhorrent disease; it affects so many. When it touches and takes the lives of children, the pain is all the more excruciating. My only hope is anyone who has been moved by the book (or the film) will take the time to consider giving to charity, donating their time where possible, and striving through scientific fields to find a cure.
Okay? Okay.
Paperback, 316 pages
Published January 3rd 2013 by Penguin Books (first published January 1st 2012)
ISBN 0141345659 (ISBN13: 9780141345659)
Film
I managed to see the film in the cinema by myself on a Friday night. There were plenty of dates happening, a bunch of school girls taking up the entire row of seats in front of me, and probably about 40 of us in the theatre in total. *Sorry if I coughed too much everyone, I did try to keep it to the transitional scenes*
You could obviously tell those who had not read the book, because they didn’t always get that the actual punch line was yet to come in some scenes. Pre-emptive laughter is usually a dead giveaway.
We ALL cried our eyes out. Hugs were handed out (man, I wish I wasn’t alone) and tissues were in high demand. Boyfriends snuffled quietly and, oh jeez, we were glad the lights didn’t come up immediately. Was it worth the red noses and swollen eyes? HELL YES!
The cast was perfect. From Sam Trammell (True Blood) to Shaileen Woodley (Divergent), they could not have picked it better. I honestly hope the award season does them justice.
This was, by far, the best screen adaptation of a book I have ever seen in my life.
Verdict
BOTH. Book first, for the other tiny bits the film couldn’t fit in. Then watch the film because it is really going to be a classic. It’ll be one of those movies you put in when you want the bitter sweetness of a good, sad, love story.
Some links to consider…
http://www.starlight.org.au/Pages/default.aspx
http://www.thekidscancerproject.org.au/
A fast-paced, nerve-fraying contemporary thriller that questions loyalties and twists truths.Appearances can be deceiving.
In the Community, life seems perfect. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Pioneer invited Lyla’s family to join his group and escape the evil in the world. They were happy to be chosen, happy to move away from New York and start over in such an idyllic gated community. Now seventeen, Lyla knows that Pioneer is more than just their charismatic leader, he is their prophet . . . but his visions have grown dark.
Lyla is a loyal member of the Community, but a chance encounter with an outsider boy has her questioning Pioneer, the Community—everything. And if there’s one thing not allowed in the Community, it’s doubt. Her family and friends are certain in their belief. Lyla wishes she could feel the same. As Pioneer begins to manipulate his flock toward disaster, the question remains: Will Lyla follow them over the edge?
From the outside looking in, it’s hard to understand why anyone would join a cult. But Gated tells the story of the Community from the inside looking out, and from behind the gates things are not quite so simple. Amy Christine Parker’s beautiful writing creates a chilling, utterly unique YA story. Perfect for fans of creepy thrillers and contemporary fiction alike.
Hardcover, 352 pages
Published August 6th 2013 by Random House Books for Young Readers
Lyla and her parents have decided to move into a secluded neighbourhood (surrounded by a large thick wall) to feel safer from what they consider to be a very dangerous world. The people that live in the gated community farm their own food, keep to themselves, and make furniture to trade/sell to the local town for supplies.
All of the children have been matched up; one boy and one girl that will eventually marry and be a family of their own. They have to do their part in the community as well as attend classes. A major part of their learning is how to protect the community when trouble comes. Pioneer, the community leader, tells them that their world can come to an end one of two ways: the local towns will attack because they do not understand why the community has secluded themselves away from the larger population or the end of the world. They train to shoot guns, keep their food stocks full, and practice runs in the night to the bunker in case the end arrives.
Very early in the book, Lyla gives a tour to one of the local visitors around the community and his questions take root in her brain–questions that Pioneer does not want her asking. Her parents are happy. Her friends are content. Shouldn’t she feel the same?
What I loved about the book is how well the author draws us in. The whole story is told from Lyla’s perspective and through her actions and questions we get to know how outsiders feel about the community: also, how her parents have come to love the community and would do anything for it. But Lyla chooses to question things. Her determination is admirable, and her situation is not such an uncommon thing in today’s world. It’s very realistic.
Alexi Littrell can’t deal with what has happened to her, even though months have passed since the summer. She can’t sleep through a single night or go through a day without thinking about what has been done to her, or being reminded of it. She sees him everyday, and there’s nothing she can do and no one she can tell.
The story starts with Alexi and her family attending the funeral of her mum’s best friend. After being abused, she was murdered by her own husband and left behind her two sons. As Bodee walks onto the stage, getting ready to say his final words of parting, he can’t do it and runs out of the room.
Even though their moms were good friends, Alexi and Bodee were never close, but Alexi decides to sit without him outside the church on the curb. Her family then decides to let him move into the extra bedroom above their garage so that he can finish the school year.
But soon a connection begins to build when Alexi and her two best friends take a liking to Bodee and give him rides to and from school. Who knew Alexi would become so close with Kool-Aid Kid? Not Alexi, that’s for sure.
She also didn’t know that Bodee would be the only one she could tell what happened to her in the summer. She couldn’t say anything to her family, but for some reason Bodee seems safe. He becomes her rock, perhaps because he knows what pain and loss feels like.
During class Alexi gets her work done quickly so she can completely involve herself in Captain Lyrics and what he wrote on her desk each day. Alexi doesn’t actually know who he is, but she swoons and dreams of him every day. While Heather, Alexi’s best friend, wants her to finally meet him, Alexi is worried that he will be nothing like she imagines and is nervous.
So instead Heather gets Alexi to go out with Hayden, a football player.
When she finally agrees to date Hayden, Alexi learns that he isn’t anything like what Heather described him to be. He’s conceited, makes fun of Bodee, and drinks a lot! When he pulls her outside the dance and takes her to his truck, he starts kissing her and lies on top of her. Alexi doesn’t like it, and it brings back memories of the horrible experience she had in the summer. She doesn’t want this, but for some reason she can’t make herself say no, or say anything at all. She’s choked up and stuck.
Until someone pulls Hayden off her and starts punching him. Bodee.
At that moment she knows just how much Bodee means to her. At first she couldn’t believe the connection she felt, but now it’s real and truly happening. He doesn’t ask Alexi any questions, he doesn’t push her, and he doesn’t talk to her about it unless she wants to. Bodee helps Alexi find the confidence to leave Hayden in the dirt and to tell her family of what happened to her in the summer so she can finally become herself again.
Faking Normal is a story of true heartache, friendship, true love, and finding yourself all over again!
When I was asked to review this book, I was suckered in by the intriguing synopsis! I was dying to find out what happened to Alexi, who was involved, and how she was going to reveal her situation and overcome it.
I did my best to ignore the weird cover, and I’m glad I did because I ABSOLUTELY enjoyed the story inside! Faking Normal has my favorite cast of characters; there was no uber gorgeous girl, no super strong and good looking guy, and no extremely sensitive character that whined about everything little thing. Faking Normal had characters that were down to earth, real, and that I could connect with.
Alexi was brave and strong for trying to fight this battle on her own, but she was even stronger to let someone in after all. Bodee was her rock. He stood back and let Alexi have space to figure everything out. He was her hero without completely overshadowing her.
Alexi’s older sister was a bit snarky and mean, but she changed towards the end. Instead of fighting and arguing with her sister, she fought for her sister. I enjoyed seeing this change.
We do find out what happened to Alexi about halfway through the book, but we spend the rest of the time discovering and dissecting clues and hints about who did it to her, as well as who Captain Lyrics is.
Faking Normal is such a good read, with such a heartfelt ending. I loved it!
Belinda Hamilton reviews one of my favourite movies.
Veronica Mars the Movie (Kick started by the fans for the fans)
I think this would have to be the single most warm fuzzy moment of my weekend. I just finished watching the extra clip on the Veronica Mars movie DVD. (That is after watching the film itself, of course.)
If you hadn’t heard, after season three (2007) Veronica Mars was axed. (Bet those guys are kicking themselves now, huh?) Veronica still had more stories to tell, so Rob Thomas had an idea…
It began with a promo clip on YouTube…
Then when the project went live on the Kick Starter website on April 13 2013, these are just some of the records that were smashed to bits include:
Filming began in Early June 2013 and on 14 of March 2014 the film was available to one and all worldwide.
So now, the big question is, were the 91,585 people who donated over 5.7 MILLION dollars wasting their time and well earned money?
Hell no!
Thank you to every one of you for getting it done. Thank you to Rob Thomas for not making Veronica suck in her long awaited return to our screens. And oh what a return it was.
Ten years after graduating Neptune High, Veronica is doing her best to avoid the class reunion. As with all her best laid plans, it all goes haywire when she gets the call from one Logan Echolls, who is, yet again, up to his neck in poop and sinking fast.
Almost all of the old gang were back: Weevil, Mac, Logan, Piz, Wallace, Keith, and a 20 something year old Veronica Mars doing what she does best, being the smartest person in the room
Everything is there: the grit, the tension, the smouldering looks between Veronica and Logan, even the old theme song gets a nod.
There are quite a few shows I have been really upset to see go, Moonlight, Firefly, Dark Angel and the list goes on. I doubt, besides Firefly, that the fan bases of any of those shows would move mountains to get just one last hurrah from their favourite characters.
If you have any love for the TV series, I urge you to get the DVD and watch it.
This is certainly a master class in having the last word… and making it count.
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