Love, Simon MOVIE TALK

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Love, Simon is based off Becky Albertalli's book Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda and while everyone went crazy for that book and loved it so much... I liked it but thought it was pretty 'meh'. And, so while everyone loves this movie and thinks it's great.... I liked it but thought it was 'meh'.
I understand that the story has great significance to our society and the representation is brilliant but I think it just lacks with the general storyline. The plot is basic and cliché (blackmail over online secret identities... yawn) and the characters aren't fleshed out enough- they're not complex and are very close to be cardboard cutout characters. (Please don't hate me).
I'd say it was pretty faithful to the book but there were one or two major difference that didn't sit well with me. But, generally, it was pretty spot on.
Nevertheless, it was an easy going and entertaining movie that I liked. Am I crazy over it? No, but it was still a nice movie to watch.
Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda Book Talk

TRAILER

AMAZON

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I liked the casting for all the characters which is unusual. I was sceptical going in of Nick Robinson because he's become 'YA guy' in my head because of all the YA movies he's been in. However, I think Simon was his best role yet and he played him really well.
I'm really happy they stuck with the whole Martin-blackmailing-Simon-to-help-him-flirt-with-Abby thing. I think it worked really well and Martin was portrayed perfectly- he was exactly the annoying and stuck-up guy in the book.

The Greatest Showman MOVIE TALK

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I'm so glad I watched this film in the cinema- it's the best way to get the full experience. And I was instantly blown away because all of the songs were beautiful and the cinematography was stunning all the way through. I became invested very early on and the aesthetic of the movie was truly mesmerising.
The choreography was so brilliantly done throughout and it was an effortless and seamless performance.
This movie celebrates difference and humanity in a beautiful and seamless way.

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AMAZON

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I loved how the movie started with a flashback of young PT and Charity meeting, falling in love and starting their lives together. It gave us a nice starting point and the song, A Million Dreams, was super sweet and heart-warming to listen to.
We skip to the older Hugh Jackman, PT Barnum, with Charity and his kids. I have to say, their kids were super cute and I loved their small inputs into the story. Whether it was their own little story arcs of learning ballet and not to quit or just them showing up to the shows, they were super cute and it was heart-warming to watch PT do everything he could for them and their futures.
But the movie really picks up with PT invested in the circus and collecting the acts he wants. The song that accompanies this journey, Come Alive, is such a great tune and is full of energy that really drives the movie.

Riverdale 1x04 'Chapter Four: The Last Picture Show' TV TALK

A lot happened in this episode and all of it as compelling as always. We had major reveals (although, every episode has major reveals) and I'm so excited to see everything progress so quickly. Clues are being dropped left and right but it's still impossible to figure out who the murderer is! The whole mystery is addictive and I find myself falling into a deep obsession...

TV TALKS

Season 1:  1x01  |  1x02  |  1x03

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I like to think of this episode as the Downfall of Grundy which, let's face it, was a long time coming.
From the very beginning, Betty suspects something happening between Archie and Grundy which is a completely fair assumption.

Marvel Avengers BOOK TAG

This tag is a little outdated as it came out when Age of Ultron was released but, regardless, I still wanted to do. Just bear in mind that some of the questions are a little odd since this tag was old (eg. Black Widow's question because she is getting her own movie now. Or Ant man's question because it already came out and we're no longer anticipating it).
So, in honour of Infinity War coming out soon, let's begin the tag...

1. Iron Man- Favourite first book in a series
To All the Boys I've Loved Before- Jenny Han
This is actually my favourite in the series which doesn't happen often- books usually get better. But with this series, the first book remains my favourite and I think they actually go downhill with every book. The first book is the easiest to read as it doesn't have the heavy, depressing or irritating subjects the second two have and you can just enjoy how funny and adorable these characters are. I do love this whole trilogy but the first one will always be the best, in my opinion. Exactly like the Iron Man movies, actually.
Iron Man Movie Talk
Always and Forever, Lara Jean Book Talk

2. Hulk- A book that you can't talk about because it would make you angry. And people wouldn't like you when you're angry
Wear White to your Funeral- Lisa Acerbo
This was a book that I didn't finish because it was so awful. I even have half a book review written but have never finished because it's too irritating for me to even look back to. The writing was poor, the characters fickle and flaky, and I just couldn't get into it. The characters and their decisions annoyed the heck out of me and I just had to give up half way through because I might've seriously hurt someone if I'd carried on. It made me that angry. And you wouldn't like me I'm angry.
The Incredible Hulk Movie Talk

Rebel Spring- Morgan Rhodes BOOK TALK

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I jumped into this book so quickly because they are so damn addictive!
Rebel Spring is the second book in the Falling Kingdoms series and I would describe this series as a blend of Game of Thrones, Throne of Glass and Poison Study. So much happens in each of these books and, while there are a few relationship flaws in my opinion, the plot is addictive and the characters are amazing!
They're such quick reads because you never want to put them down and they have that great element of the fantasy genre where everything is so beautiful intricate and complex. A must-read for fantasy lovers.
Falling Kingdoms Book Talk

GOODREADS

AMAZON

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Cleo and Magnus remained my favourite characters (I love them even more now) because I still find them the most interesting and entertaining to follow. Sorry, Lucia and Jonas, but you're miles behind the others protagonists.
We started the book being introduced to Lysandra. Her village gets attacked and her brother is taken. She manages to escape and is desperate to become a rebel. I don't mind Lys generally, but she can sometimes be a bit full on and whiny. I will say that she's a brilliantly strong character that we needed. Cleo and Lucia are both strong, don't get me wrong, but more mentally- Lys is the kick-ass female character we've been missing with super Katniss vibes due to her archery skill.

Riverdale 1x03 'Chapter Three: Body Double' TV TALK

This series gets more and more addictive with each and every episode. We learnt a lot more in this episode and if feels like we've come so far since the pilot but we're only on episode three! There's so much to take in with each episode and I love trying to piece all the clues together to try and figure out this mystery.

TV TALKS

Season 1:  1x01  |  1x02

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We immediately get the clarification that Cheryl didn't kill Jason- when she said she was 'guilty', she meant for lying about July 4th. And that plot twist would've been really effective... if I hadn't guessed that from the moment the last episode ended. There was no way Cheryl killed Jason.
But she does reveal the real story behind what went down that day: Jason was running away for unknown reasons and Cheryl helped him fake his death. So, this all shows that Jason was killed after July 4th which means the killer could be absolutely anyone!

April Releases and TBR 2018

This month is going to be the death of me because so much is happening!! I'm going to see Hamilton at the West End, Westworld Season 2 starts and Infinity War is finally released! All within six days of each other and, literally, I'm going to break down sobbing in a fangirl overload. This month is going to be epic.

RELEASES
Books
Leah on the Offbeat- Becky Albertalli
The Fates Divide- Veronica Roth
Love and War: An Alex and Eliza story- Melissa De La Cruz
The Savior's Champion- Jenna Moreci 
(I'm a massive fan of Jenna Moreci's Youtube channel and I'd definitely recommend it- it's all about writing and how to get that book written, edited and published. She's really funny and her tips and tricks are brilliant for aspiring writers).

Movies
Avengers: Infinity War
Westworld Season 2


TBR
Six of Crows- Leigh Bardugo (Book of the Month)
Me and Kaitlin (Liber Amoris) have decided to read Six of Crows for our book this month and I'm super excited because I've never read a Leigh Bardugo book even though she has such a great reputation. I haven't read the Grisha trilogy but you don't need to in order to read this books so I'm looking forward to jumping straight into it.

March Wrap Up 2018

I read a lot this month and then some... and I mean a lot. I didn't watch as much but I'm super pleased with how many books I ploughed through- a record number of 14 books!!

BOOKS
Immortal Reign (Falling Kingdoms #6)- Morgan Rhodes
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I started the month by finishing off the Falling Kingdom series and, boy, was it satisfying. Everything tied up beautifully into this epic finale and I even sense a spin-off series coming following characters' children... which would be amazing and I can't wait to see where it takes us into this world!
Book Talk coming soon!

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda- Becky Albertalli (Book of the Month)
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This was mine and Kaitlin's (Liber Amoris) book of the month for March and I quite enjoyed it. It's certainly a quick and cute read but don't go jumping into it expecting lots of depth and philosophical meaning- it's not quite a John Green book. But still, I enjoyed it and can't wait to see the movie adaptation.
Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda Book Talk

Riverdale 1x02 'Chapter Two: A Touch of Evil' TV TALK

This was such a strong episode to follow the pilot- the plot thickened and we learnt a lot more about the mystery that's unravelling in this town.
So much happens in this show- it's only been two episodes but so much has freaking happened that I can't wrap my head around it! I did grow to like the characters a little more in this episode because I had serious cynical issues with the first episode and how cliche and sketchy all the characters were. This episode didn't need all the character introductions so we got to delve a little deeper into who everyone was which is fun to watch.
This series is an addictive mystery thriller and I'm already trying to figure out the murderer even though I have no idea at all... I can just feel like it'll be a big surprise. So far, this show has really impressed me.

TV TALKS

Season 1: 1x01

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I spent the entire episode mainly sceptical over Betty's mum. There was the whole thing where she bribed the autopsy guy for some reason and there would be a clear motivation because of what happened to Polly but... I think it's too obvious to be her. We're only at episode two and having such an obvious person end up being the killer would be a little anticlimactic. In shows like this, you want to be totally shocked at the final reveal. So, Betty's mum may be a complete bitch but I don't think she killed Jason.

March Book Haul 2018

This may be the shortest book haul I've done in a long while but... look at me having all this newfound self-restraint when it comes to buying books. (Or it could be because I'm broke but we'll skip over that...) So, this month, only one book to haul (although, it's a damn good book).

The Prophecy (Titan #4)- Jennifer L. Armentrout 
You may or may not know that Jennifer L. Armentrout is one of my favourite authors (along with Sarah J. Maas) and that means I had to buy this book immediately- it's basic loyalty. The Titan series is a spin-off series to JLA's the Covenant series so you'd have to read those books first but it's completely worth it! Trust me- those books are amazing. The Titan series basically follows the same characters but focuses on a different two- telling a new story in their perspectives.
The Titan series is a New Adult series compared to the Covenant books being Young Adult so these books and a little bit more... steamy, shall we say.
I love this series so much and I'm so sad to see it ending- these characters mean the world to me. They've inspired me, cheered me up and I'll always wish that they were real and that I could be their friends.
I'm so excited to read this finale and read the (hopefully) happy ending that these characters damn well deserve. And no doubt, it'll be amazing because every single one of JLA's books are stunning.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment your thoughts- what books did you get this month? Stay amazing!
Chloe

Westworld Season 2 Predictions and Theories!!!

You have no idea how excited I am for this next series!! We've had a few trailers and they all look stunning which is completely unsurprising with this show. Season 2 looks like it will be just as unpredictable and addictive as the last and there are many theories on what could possibly happen...

For obvious reasons, Season 1 spoilers ahead, as I go on to discuss what could happen in Season 2.

TV TALKS

Season 1: 1x01  |  1x02  |  1x03  |  1x04  |  1x05  |  1x06  |  1x07  |  1x08  |  1x09  |  1x10

1. Elsie and Stubbs
Both Elsie and Stubbs were taken in season 1 while they were in Westworld and it's common knowledge that they're suspected to still be alive. We saw a glimpse of Stubbs in the first Westworld trailer which pretty much confirms his presence but still nothing on Elsie.
Personally, I think she definitely still has to be alive and there's also been hints on the Westworld website to imply that she's coming back. I really hope she returns because Elsie was such a great character and we didn't see enough of her in season 1.

Game of Thrones 4x02 'The Lion and the Rose' TV TALK

This episode, overall, was very well executed and fun to watch. We had a couple of scenes and characters that I just wanted to skip over but, for the most part, it was as funny and clever and intense as it always is.
This episode in particular was extremely satisfying and will lead to such a great season ahead.

TV TALKS:
Season 1:  1x01  |  1x02  |  1x03  |  1x04  |  1x05  |  1x06  |  1x07  |  1x08  |  1x09  |  1x10
Season 2:  2x01  |  2x02  |  2x03  |  2x04  |  2x05  |  2x06  |  2x07  |  2x08  |  2x09  |  2x10
Season 3:  3x01  |  3x02  |  3x03  |  3x04  |  3x05  |  3x06  |  3x07  |  3x08  |  3x09  |  3x10
Season 4:  4x01  |


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Starting with Bran because, let's face it, Bran has the boring story-line at the moment. Bran and his group have made it past the wall now and they're headed Gods know where. Bran warged a tree and now claims he knows exactly where to go. Super.

Agent Carter 1x03 'Time and Tide' TV TALK

This episode was a lot better and I'm enjoying this show so much! It's quirky, gripping and has spot on humour that makes the whole show. Peggy is such an empowering woman and stands up for herself which was even harder in this time period. I love being able to see her journeys after Captain America and it beautifully proves that you don't need a man to kick ass.

Cap mentions: 1

TV TALKS

Season 1:  1x01  |  1x02

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We started the episode at Peggy's new residence which is a lot stricter than I thought it'd be- a girl got kicked for a boy round?! How the hell is Peggy going to stay there? I also loved the opportunity to see more of Angie because I love the girl- she's so funny!
The SSR had found Stark's number plate in the previous episode, so their first point of call was Jarvis. I absolutely love Jarvis- he took being taken in for questioning like a champ! He has such a subtle humour. They bring up a file on him that they have for an act of treason which stumped Peggy and made her doubt him but... Jarvis always has a solid explanation.

Guardians of the Galaxy BOOK TAG

I had to do this. I just had to. I watched Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 1 and 2 some time ago and I just had to do this tag. GotG has such a great set of characters that are so easily to fall in love with and this tag was so much fun to do.


1. Star Lord- An Unlikely Hero
Celestine- Flawed duology by Cecelia Ahern 
When going into Flawed, Celestine may seem a little spoilt and stuck-up to some people- definitely not hero material. But through the duology, I love how her character grows and how strong she becomes. She turns into a true heroine and I love her character development over the series.



2. Gamora- A Lethal Weapon of a Character 
Aelin Galathynius- Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas
I was trying to refrain from mentioning Sarah J. Maas in this tag but I just have to when thinking of a lethal character because Aelin is just about as bad-ass as they come. Aelin is definitely lethal because she's kick-ass, powerful and undeniably clever. She's as cunning as they come and, similarly to Gamora, has a past of being an assassin, so Aelin just had to be the answer to this question.

Riverdale 1x01 'Chapter One: The River's Edge' TV TALK

I relented. There has been so much hype around this series and so, I naturally found myself edging away from it because I don't want to be in the mainstream movement of what everyone's obsessed with. But my mum started watching it, then my brother, and then I just felt left out.
Riverdale follows a group of students within this town after a recent murder has just occurred. It's full of mystery, secrets and very stereotypical characters. I will admit that this episode was kinda cliché, corny and hecka cheesy but... it works. For me at least. The cheesiness levels of it reminded me of shows like the Vampire Diaries and Teen Wolf so, for me, it was more amusing and entertaining rather than irritating.
I feel a little conflicted with all the characters- I don't necessarily love any of them yet because they were all a little two-faced and secretive. Which... may be the whole point of this show but still. I really enjoyed the first episode- so much happened!- and I'm excited to see where the story goes.

To overview the very cliché but entertaining character stereotypes, we have:
the attractive-jock-musician-popular-dude, the bitchy-queen-bee-head-cheerleader, the new-rich-kid-with-attitude, the golden-girl-who's-pining-over-guys, the loner-guy-who-writes and, finally the -gay-best-friend. What else do you even need for a successful show?

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Starting with characters, I'll say that Betty and Kevin are the ones I solidly liked. I had issues with everyone else but these two seemed very genuine and their friendship was sweet.
At the beginning, I thought Veronica was very much a stuck-up snob but that gradually changed throughout the episode, I think. I began to like her more- her confidence and how she wanted to be a better person. I also liked her growing friendship with Betty.... until she ended up being a total bitch and kissed Archie even when she knew Betty liked him! Girl code! Veronica did have some of the best lines of the episode, though. And I loved the movie references as well.

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda- Becky Albertalli BOOK TALK

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I really enjoyed this book. I didn't love love love it like everyone else seems to but it was fun, cute and very easy to read. I will say that it was a little predictable because I knew the secret identity character from very early on but that didn't spoil it for me because it was nice to anticipate the finale reveal and pat myself on the back for being so smart (I'm saying that ironically... not).
It deals with a lot of great issues and has brilliant representation throughout which instantly gives it bonus points and makes it worthy of the praise and hype it's been getting. However, I found the plot to be a little simplistic at times and maybe a bit unoriginal (online relationship with hidden identities... how often does that happen?). I also found that a lot of the side characters weren't fleshed out enough and I forgot all about them as soon as they left the page.
Overall, it was a quick and enjoyable read but it didn't leave any lasting impressions on me- I'll probably forget half of it by next week.

GOODREADS

AMAZON

 

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I didn't think the plot for this book was very complex- it was simplistic and predictable. However, that made it an easy read and I still quite enjoyed it.
We started with the blackmail from Martin which made me immediately hate him and... that didn't change. Sure, him and Simon became sorta friends but I never grew to like Martin. There was a scary moment where I thought Simon might be Blue but that wouldn't have made any sense, thank the Gods.  

Mother's Day Best Fictional Future Mums

I did a similar post a couple of years ago (Mother's Day Best Book Mums) but that feels like forever ago and I wanted to bundle up some content as Mother's Day is tomorrow in the UK. In that older post, I talked about the best mums in fiction but today, I'm going to look at fictional characters that I think would make great mothers. (Oooh, look at me, expertly recycling content and making it look original).
So, I've compiled a list of characters that currently aren't mothers but would take on a great parental role in my opinion. Let's go!


Claire Danvers (Morganville vampires- Rachel Caine)
We have hints to Claire's future of being a mother all through the series but I had to include her on this list. Claire would be such a cool and fun mum (especially with Shane being a dad as well) and any child would totally be able to get her help with any and all homework. Claire's child would grow up to be super intelligent but also very funny (because, again, Shane's the dad and that ace humour has to be genetic).




Clary Fairchild (The Mortal Instruments- Cassandra Clare)
This may be me thinking more along the lines that Jace would be a super fun dad, but I can totally see Clary being a great mum too. I can just imagine her doing arts and crafts with her kid and getting paint all over both of them. She'd also be really protective over her kid and would organise playdates with Simon and Izzy's kid which would be too adorable to handle.

Ready Player One- Ernest Cline BOOK TALK

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This book was a nice surprise. For some reason, I went in with very low expectations despite the major hype that's always surrounded this novel.
I'll be honest, it started off a little slow and there were massive chunks of exposition that I skimmed right through because my brain couldn't handle that much information. But, once you got past that point and the action finally started, I wasn't able to stop.
This book is perfect for gaming geeks and, even if you aren't one (like me), you'll still enjoy this book. Sure, a lot of the gaming references went over my head, but that didn't spoil my enjoyment at all.

GOODREADS

AMAZON

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It took me a little bit of time to fully get into the story because there was a lot- and I mean a lot- of exposition. Sometimes, they was literally just pages of backgrounds and histories and information and, while I tried to focus on it as best as I could, it pretty much went over my head. I skim read all of those parts and it made the beginning feel a tad slow for me.

Book Recommendations for Spring Snow Days

Because the weather is crazy in the UK and has decided to mix up all the seasons (I'm convinced the apocalypse is upon us), I've decided to make the most of it and turn it into a book recommendations post. I'm going to recommend four books with wintery settings or covers that can get you into a wintery spirit even though it's spring... because that's how things are working this year.
(Also enjoy nice snowy photos of me along the way...)


Unravel Me- Tahereh Mafi
Unravel Me is the second book in the Shatter me series and I've picked it because it has a nice wintery cover which just happens to be stunning even if it has no regard to the plot whatsoever. This series follows Juliette who has a curse gift where everyone she touches dies. If that sounds interesting... read the books, because it is interesting. I love this series so much and can't wait for the fourth instalment, Restore Me, to come out this month.
Unravel Me Book Talk


This is What Goodbye Looks Like- Olivia Rivers
Switching to a contemporary stand alone, This is What Goodbye Looks Like, is actually set in winter for the most part. This means cute pictures and flirting with your ship in the snow. I've read this book twice and I loved it just as much both times. It has a lovely blend of romance, internal struggle and an edge of mystery that surrounds the whole thing.
The is What Goodbye Looks Like Book Talk

World Book Day Baking with Kaitlin!!

World Book Day is a momentous occasion for all book lovers so me and my lovely friend Kaitlin (Liber Amoris) always decide to do something to celebrate. In 2016, we went to a Rachel Caine book signing, meeting one of our favourite authors and getting our books signed and pictures taken with nervous energy. And in 2017, we went on an epic journey to the local shopping centre (admittedly not that epic) dressed as some of our favourite characters, all while getting odd looks as we took photos of our brilliant cosplays.

Now, you may be thinking, how do we top that? And the answer is: we don't.
This is what happens when you live where no author wants to come on a book tour and you have no money or travel to get you anywhere cool. Nevertheless, me and Kaitlin still managed to do something book related and we had a lot of fun doing it!

See all the pictures in the Gallery!

We decided that we'd bake some cupcakes and decorate them with bookish designs! Maybe not the most unique idea in the world but it was a lot of fun and actually was pretty successful (we were totally expecting it to fail epically).