Mini Movie Reviews!

Blogmas Day 9

So I've seen quite a few films recently and I thought it would be nice to do some mini reviews, instead of boring people with full on lengthy reviews. I went to see these two films on the same day so I thought it was appropriate to put them together. I hope you enjoy!

Film- Spectre
Franchise- James Bond
Director- Sam Mendes
My rating- 5 stars

Worth the watch? If you are a James Bond fan or enjoy these films, then it is definitely worth going to see.
After seeing quite a few mixed reviews on this film, I was hesitant going into the cinema to see it, but also extremely excited because I love Bond. This film was an absolute thrill ride! Maybe structurally it could have been improved, but entertainment wise I was extremely impressed. The plot line was highly enjoyable, along with some classic Bond humour and nostalgia. Is this my favourite of Daniel Craig's Bond films? Maybe. Its up there with Casino Royale for me. 

Film- Paper Towns
Director- Jake Schreier
My rating- 4 stars

Worth the watch? I would say yes, definitely if you enjoyed the book.
I read Paper Towns about two years ago after I fell in love with The Fault in Our Stars. I have to say that I did not really enjoy the book that much, maybe it just wasn't my thing. The whole way through reading the book, all I could think was 'this would translate so well into a film'. Its true, I think I enjoyed the film experience to the book experience, which is something that never normally happens. This film was funny and relateable, overall it was a great watch. But compared to other films I've seen recently, it just didn't quite hit the 5 star mark for me. But its definitely a good film, I laughed out loud on a couple of occasions.


So those are my mini film reviews. I absolutely love film and therefore find talking about it really fun, so I will definitely be doing some more mini reviews in future! I hope you enjoyed this post and I will see you tomorrow for another day of Blogmas,
-Darcy 

Review- Mockingjay Part 2

Blogmas Day 8

Film- Mockingjay Part 2
Franchise- The Hunger Games
Directed by- Francis Lawrence
Rating- 5 stars
Spoilers ahead!

Warning- incoherent babbling ahead.
I have definitely been putting this post off because I don't think I've accepted that this franchise is over (I watched it nearly three weeks ago now). For me, and I know for quite a lot of people, this film is the end of an era. Every year my friends and I would go to see the next film on the day it came out, and even though we had already read the books, still be in on edges of our seats. So finally watching this film was very emotional, sat right at the back of the cinema, as always, we said goodbye the our favourite characters. 

So, its safe to say that this film was a massive sob-fest, I cried, then I cried again, then I cried a little more. But thats to be expected quite honestly. I loved this film, for me it is at the same level of Catching Fire, which had been my number one of the series. I have said this before and I will say it again, Jennifer Lawrence is incredible. The way she portrayed Katniss was phenomenal and I honestly could not think of anyone at all who could do what she did. (spoilers start here) I feel like I could go on about Jennifer's acting skills and how she portrays Katniss for days, I can honestly say that she brings the same emotions to me as I got from the books. The scene with Buttercup at the end completely broke me, I had the exact same reaction as I did from the book, it was possibly my favourite scene of the whole films (maybe...)

The action was constant and there was not one dull moment for me. Something was always happening, even the more 'quiet' parts of the film were 100% engrossing, I could not have stopped watching if I tried. I think its also important to note the settings, they were done so well, the attention to detail was amazing and just so impressive. 

Josh, Liam, Sam, Elizabeth, Woody, I could go on, all of them played their parts perfectly and I couldn't ask for a better cast of characters for this film. The scene with the mutts in the sewers was completely terrifying, I was waiting for jump scares, it was so intense! Finnick's death seemed so quick but broke my heart at the same time. In the book Katniss says she sees Finnick's life flash before her eyes, I kind of wish they had added that to the film- maybe it would have made it more significant. Other than that, I cannot believe just how true to the book they stayed, there were parts which were line to line and were exactly how the book presented them. I cannot believe just how true the writers stayed to these books.

The end completely ripped out my heart. Seeing the epilogue come to life was almost surreal to me, I couldn't believe that I was finally seeing the scene that I had waited so long for. Peeta and Katniss' story was ended so perfectly, I wanted to hug the screen. I know that quite a few people did not like the epilogue, but for me it was exactly what I wanted. 

I hope you enjoyed this post, sorry about the rambling, I just loved it a lot. I'll see you tomorrow with another day of Blogmas!
-Darcy

Christmas Films!

Blogmas Day 7

So basically I was trying to resist making this post, but I seriously just couldn't. I know its not book related, but I have an obsession with Christmas films and some festive cheer is needed on my blog right now (especially due to the fact that its Blogmas!) This is a list of my absolute favorites, I hope you enjoy!

A Muppets Christmas Carol

I don't know about you, but for me it just isn't Christmas without watching this film. I have so much nostalgia whenever I put this on, the songs are so uplifting and I love The Muppets! What more could you possibly want?

Elf

Buddy the Elf and his adventures in New York. I watched this just the other day and I was still laughing my head off. Its such a light and uplifting film which is absolutely perfect to snuggle up and watch. Also, it always makes me crave spaghetti, maybe thats just me.

Nativity

I LOVE THIS FILM. Martin Freeman plays the role of a school teacher who is in charge of the annual nativity play and its pure gold. It is honestly the funniest Christmas film and never fails to crack me up, I'm so excited to re-visit it this year. No matter how many times I watch this I am always laughing.

The Holiday

I watch this film every year on Christmas Eve and it always gives me warm, fuzzy feelings. I'm not really sure what it is about this film which makes it so charming, but I will continue watching it every Christmas Eve.

Love Actually

This is one of my all time favorite films, not just under the Christmas category. Its absolute perfection, I can't really say much more about it. The sound track, the characters, the plot, the emotions, everything is just completely on point. I am legitimately dying to watch this film right now, but I'm going to wait until its a little closer to Christmas.

Home Alone

Its a classic, and (I hope) everyone has watched it. There is something about this film that just screams Christmas, but I will watch it all year round because its just that good (and I get excited for Christmas way too early) I also love Home Alone 2, both are just perfect Christmas films. Kevin you're such a disease! Merry Christmas ya filthy animal!

The Grinch

Oh, how I love this film. Growing up, I just wanted Cindy Lou's hair, as crazy as that sounds. The Grinch is such a great film, Jim Carrey plays the role amazingly and just talking about it makes me want to put it on right now. Plus Max the dog is the most adorable thing ever.

So these are the films that popped into my head, I've probably missed some of the best ones (sorry). I think its definitely time to marathon some Christmas films. Obviously I recommend all of these films if you haven't seen them yet, they are sure to make your Christmas merry and bright! I hope you enjoyed this and I will see you tomorrow with another day of Blogmas!

-Darcy

Most Anticipated 2016 Book Releases

Blogmas Day 6

2016 is going to be a crazy year for book releases. I am honestly so excited for the amount of amazing books that will be hitting the shelves next year; so I thought I would compile a list of all the books I just need. Now. I have probably accidentally missed out a couple, but these are the ones that immediately come to mind. Also, quite a few books do not have names or information about them yet, these include number 5 in the Throne of Glass series and, according to Goodreads, a new Stephanie Perkins book! So, here they are.

The Rose and the Dagger by Renée Ahdieh

The sequel to The Wrath and the Dawn, which I can safely say was one of the best books I have read this year, I hope this book is just as amazing. So beautifully written and well put together!

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

I.Just.Cannot.Wait. This is the sequel in Sarah J. Maas' new series, the first being A Court of Thornes and Roses. It was the best book I read this year, that about sums it up.

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

I literally didn't know this existed until today, when I found it I squealed a little bit. This is her spin on the Queen of Hearts, Marissa Meyer can keep re-telling fairy tales forever and they will never get boring. I am so ready for this!

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

Another incredible book which blew me away this year was An Ember in the Ashes, beautifully written and completely addictive. This sequel is now one of my most anticipated books!

Summer Days and Summer Nights, edited by Stephanie Perkins

Another twelve love stories from tonnes of amazing authors. My True Love Gave To Me came out last year and was 12 Christmas Stories, this is 12 summer stories! Super intrigued. 

Stars Above by Marissa Meyer

More Lunar Chronicles stories! If I am correct, this is a novella bind up with lots of stories all through the Lunar Chronicles. Yes please! Thankyou Marissa Meyer for all the books.

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

Finally, we are going to get this new Shadowhunter book. It feels like we've been waiting forever for this novel, after it was pushed back *sad face* In a way, though, the wait has just made me more excited...

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

It is a fact universally acknowledged that everyone needs more Morgan Matson in their life. Due to the fact that this list is lacking contemporary books, here's one. I need this in my life!

So, there it is. All the things that I have to wait way too long for. I just want every single one of these books in my hands right away, sighs. I hope you enjoyed this post and maybe found out about some new books that will be coming out next year and I will see you tomorrow with another day of Blogmas!

-Darcy

Review: Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon

Blogmas Day 5

Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon
'My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.'


My rating- 4 stars
Genre- Contemporary romance, Young Adult, illness
Review- Non-spoiler

If you are looking for a contemporary romance novel that is a little bit different, then this is your book. When I first heard about Everything Everything, I was a little bit weary of it, I really didn't think it would be my thing due to the whole idea of it. But then everyone seemed to love it, so I gave into the hype. This book is so well written and I loved the way it was set out, structurally I thought it was perfect and it was so easy to read. However, it didn't completely blow me away, I wasn't disappointed but it just hasn't really stuck with me. 

Maddy's character was fun and sweet, she was a completely likeable person but at some points could be a little reckless, it was a little frustrating, but I respected her so much because of all she had to deal with. Olly was also extremely likeable, there was something about him that just struck me as more 'real' than lots of male characters in YA, I sometimes find it hard to imagine some of the characters I come across as being real people. Maddy and Olly had such good chemistry and worked extremely well together, it was really enjoyable to read about. 

The writing in this novel is one that I can imagine people literally swooning over. It is so beautifully written in my eyes, the chapters are short and it makes it so much easier to just fly through. I can't really imagine this book as having 'long' chapters, I'm really glad it was written this way. Another aspect of this book was the drawings in it. This book has the most stunning doodles all over it, it was another factor which just made everything go by so quickly. 

Something which made this book a 4 star instead of a 5 star was that some of the story was quite unrealistic, I found myself frowning at the page a little. Although the characters were realistic, parts of the novel were quite unrealistic, which was frustrating at times. I enjoyed the ending, but it hasn't left a huge lasting impression on me. I'm glad I didn't go into Everything Everything with sky-high expectations, instead I was actually quite surprised that I found myself turning the pages so quickly. 

I would also like to add that the diversity in this book was on point, too many books nowadays have absolutely zero diverse characters and it was just so refreshing to find it in this. Looking at my bookshelf right now I am struggling to find a book with a diverse protagonist.

So that's it! I would recommend this book because it went beyond my expectations and kept me turning the pages. If you're looking for a novel that isn't typical- maybe its worth giving this one a try. If you've already read this then I would love to know what you thought of it! I hope you enjoyed this little review and I'll see you tomorrow with another Blogmas post!
-Darcy

Top 5 Winter Reads

Blogmas Day 4

Is it weird that I read according to season? There's something about reading a book about Christmas at Christmas. I don't know about you but I have always loved it, so this post is all about those books that make you feel all warm and fuzzy, perfect to snuggle up to when its freezing outside.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

This book isn't particularly 'wintry' or 'Christmassy' (I think I'm just making up words now), but there's something about it that makes is perfect to read at this time of year. If you have yet to read this, then maybe this is exactly the right time to give it a go- you will get all the warm and fuzzy feelings that are perfect when you're sat by the fire. 

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

I'm not recommending this book because I'm going to assume that everyone has read this. And if not, what is your excuse?! Harry Potter is the perfect winter read. If I want to re-read Harry Potter then I normally do it in the winter, its just such a warm and familiar book that I will keep re-reading forever, it will never get boring to me. Plus the Christmas scenes in these books make me extremely happy.

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

I wish I had read this book in the winter. Its about cupcakes and ice skating and I just think its a perfect winter romance book. If you are looking for a contemporary romance to read at this time of year then I will definitely point you in this direction. Sarah Ockler is just my obsession at the moment and this one was just so good. If you are a contemporary fan who hasn't picked up a Sarah Ockler book yet, then I highly recommend you do!

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

The perfect winter read. I will probably never stop talking about this book, its one of my absolute favourites and it is perfect for winter. I melted into this book and just completely fell in love, its addictive and adorable. Just talking about it honestly makes me want to re-read it again (which I seriously shouldn't considering I only re-read it a month ago)

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

If you want a book that revolves completely around Christmas, then this is it. Dash and Lily is the ultimate Christmas book, its a light and cute romance which is not too heavy- but ultimately perfect to read at this time of year. Its not one of my favourite contemporaries but the Christmas aspects make it a great read!




So there it is, my top 5 winter recommendations. I hope you enjoyed this post and I will see you tomorrow for another day of Blogmas,
-Darcy

My 'oops I did it again' Book Haul

Blogmas Day 3

*Insert Christmas music*
My candles are lit, I have a hot chocolate and I'm currently listening to Mariah Carey... Could I be any more festive? Its officially December and I for one am extremely hyped. Today I have a book haul for you, but firstly Blogmas!
So, if you've read the title you may have noticed it says 'Blogmas'. If you don't know what Blogmas or Vlogmas is, its basically where bloggers and vloggers make content every single day in the lead up to Christmas from the 1st of December to the 24th. I had big plans this year to partake in it, but sadly I had a huge amount of school work and lots of things to do in general and completely missed out on day 1 and 2. But now, on the 3rd day of Blogmas- I'm ready for this! I'm sorry about the previous two days, but better late than never! And what better way to start it than with a book haul? I accidentally clicked 'buy' on Amazon a few too many times... This is the outcome.

Rumors by Anna Godbersen

The second book in the Luxe series, I can't believe how cheap this book was in the 'used' section of Amazon. There is hardly any wear and tear on this book so I it was such a steal! I loved the first book in this series and am so excited to pick this up!

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter

Another used book on Amazon, again, crazy good quality! I'm so happy with this book and it has such a pretty cover (not that I should judge it by that fact). This is the second book in her Gallagher Girls series. Eventhough the first book didn't blow me away, I'm giving this series another try and I'm really excited about it.

Winter by Marissa Meyer

One of my most anticipated books of the year, Winter! This is the 4th book in the Lunar Chronicles and I adore this series. Winter is such an amazing book and I am so glad that I picked up this series. If you haven't read it yet then I recommend it for absolutely anyone.

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Sarah Ockler has been my absolute obsession of 2015! I have loved every single book that I have read by her, she is a contemporary Queen. Twenty Boy Summer is right at the top of my TBR and I can't wait, I hope I love it!

A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R Martin

I still can't believe I have this glorious box set... I love the Game of Thrones books, I am currently on A Feast For Crows and have been gradually taking them out at the library. When I saw this set for only £22 I just needed to have it, its such a gorgeous set! And it came with a free map. Just saying. 

So that is my book haul! I want to read all of these books right now but sadly I have an essay to write (yay for me) I hope you enjoyed this post and I will see you tomorrow for another day of Blogmas.
-Darcy