Hacksaw Ridge

Actors: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Luk Bracey, Vince Vaughn, Teresa Palmer, Hugo

Weaving, Rachel Griffiths
Director: Mel Gibson
IMDB
Trailer

Review:
 Firstly, why is the UK getting this film so damn late? And why did it not get at least one of the Golden Globes nominated? Ridiculous, this moved me so much more than La La Land. People in the cinema were clapping at the end, none of that for the musical. It's been a while since I've watched a good war movie and I wasn't sure if this was one I wanted to see, the accents put me off. Seriously. Got over that bit very quickly, Garfield's acting was incredible, he's been appearing in some amazing movies recently and I can't wait to see him perform in more!
 Based on the true story of Desmond Doss, there is a real build in backstory before getting to the actual war that they allowed some artistic license with. It wasn't bad at all, quite believable. It lasted a little while longer than expected before getting to the actual war scenes, which also then lasted longer than I thought it would but I was glued to the screen the entire way through.
 There were emotions of all ranges, yes the horror, shock and sadness you would expect from a war movie, but also lots of laughter (not expected) and a huge amount of respect at the end. Your heart is almost cleaved out of your chest and the tears have to be held back by the end. Jaw dropping moments and such incredibly heartbreaking, brilliant music have you rocking back and forth in anticipation.

 The battle scenes were chaotic, completely baffling. The camera work was excellent, Gibson knows what he's doing with a story like this. I can highly recommend this film, rent it if you've missed it at your cinema. Don't miss out on this one.

Wing Jones

Author: Katherine Webber
Publisher:Walker Books
Year: Jan 2017
Pages: 378
ISBN: 9781406369090
Genre:Young Adult Contemporary
Reading Time: 14 - 17 Jan
Binding: Paperback
Goodreads

Blurb:
 With a grandmother from China and another from Ghana, fifteen-year-old Wing Jones is often caught between worlds. When tragedy strikes, she discovers an extraordinary talent she never knew she had. Wing's running could bring her family everything it needs. It could also keep Wing from the one thing she truly wants.

Review:
 This was not a book I would have usually picked up, contemporary isn't a genre I read a lot of. I prefer far fetched fantasy, it's such a way to escape! On the 20th of February I'll be going to a Waterstones event with Katherine Webber and Stephanie Garber (author of the highly anticipated Caraval), so I wanted to read it in preparation! Despite my hesitation, I'm so glad I picked up this book, it was refreshing to have something outside of my usual fantasy binging!
 Our eponymous character is aged fifteen, naive and rejected. The odd one out, she fits in nowhere. A great central character for the book. Whilst everyone may not be part of a racial minority such as Wing, everyone feels an outsider in some way. You can relate to her, see parts of her family in your own whilst also learning about the experience of someone like Wing during teenage years. The boy crushes, family grumbles and bullying. The earlier experiences in Wing's life give her more than the average person's daily grievances, there is more depth to her character that Webber writes well into a teenager's mind.
 Another reason I often don't read contemporary is that the situations are so real. The tragedy that occurs could happen to anyone and the consequences be so much worse. Reading about Wing dealing with the trauma her family faces is both heartbreaking and encouraging. Some light can come out of such deep darkness, Wing finds the way she can escape and it's beautiful. As the reviews say, it makes you want to pull on your own running shoes and dart straight out you front door.

 It's an enlightening read, quick to chew through and an excellent debut for Webber! I can't wait to read more from her!

The Diabolical Miss Hyde (Electric Empire #1)

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Author: Viola Carr

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Year: Feb 2015

Pages: 440

ISBN: 9780062363084

Series: Electric Empire #1

Genre: Steampunk

Reading Time: Oct 15 - Jan 13 (I put it aside for a while)

Binding: Paperback
Goodreads

Blurb:
 In an electric-powered Victorian London, Dr. Eliza Jekyll is a crime scene investigator, hunting killers with inventive new technological gadgets. Now, a killer is splattering London with blood, drugging beautiful women and slicing off their limbs. Catching "the Chopper" could make Eliza's career - or get her burned. Because Eliza has a dark secret. A seductive second half, set free by her father's forbidden magical elixir: wild, impulsive Lizzie Hyde.
 When the Royal Society sends their enforcer, the mercurial Captain Lafayette, to prove she's a sorceress, Eliza must resist the elixir with all her power. But as the Chopper case draws her into London'd luminous, magical underworld, Eliza will need all the help she can get. Eve if it means getting close to Lafayette, who harbours an evil curse of his own.
 Even if it means risking everything and setting vengeful Lizzie free. . .

Review:
 Grabbed by a steampunk cover and drawn in by a mysterious blue eyed man, I'm glad I picked this one up at my local library and intrigued for the rest of the series. Not only was there fulfilling action, there was no shying from the less pleasant side of Victorian London. Whores are mentioned aplenty, but worry not, this is not another A Song of Ice and Fire book, it's mostly mentions to the true history. Carr's use of description is like poetry, beautiful and world building. I opened this book and put it back down for a long time, thrown off by the beginning a bit. I needed to get my other reads out of the way for this one before I tore through it.
 We meet both sides of Eliza in the novel, Lizzie's language is rude and feisty where Eliza speaks like a real lady and shudders at bared ankles. It's refreshing to read from the different characters, explore their different voices and attitudes whilst comparing them to the other half of themselves. The build of their relationship is one I'm looking forward to seeing adapt further on in the series. Other characters were just as excellent, so many with secrets to hide that are pretty darn out there, but I'll let you find that out.
 The murderer got me until maybe a chapter or two before the reveal, I'd had inklings earlier but that happened for a great many of the characters. That's true testament to Carr, I've so often recently guessed the twists and reveals in plots because I read so much of the same genre. I'm really glad I figured it out later than usual, it kept me reading faster as so much else went on around the murders.
 I also love that Carr used chapter names, it can be such a building part of a story, the anticipation gets higher and the reading quicker! The next instalment is The Devious Dr. Jekyll, which I must find immediately of course . . . and, yes, they have it! Must be off, I need to get to the library! 

Death Note 1; Vol. 1 & 2

Author: Tsugumi Ohba

Artist: Takeshi Obata

Translator: Tetsuichiro Miyaki

Publisher: VIZ Media

Year: Dec 2010 (Originally published weekly from Dec 2003- May 2006 in Weekly Shōnen Jump)

Pages: 386

ISBN: 9781421539645

Series: Death Note #1 (Vol.1&2)

Genre: Manga

Reading Time: Dec 19 - Jan 6

Binding: Paperback - Black Edition

Goodreads

Blurb:

Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects - and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to ride the world of evil. Will Light's noble goal succeed, or will the Death Note turn him into the very thing he fights against?

Review:

 It's taken various comic cons, suggestions, pleads and admiring glances at that gloriously black binding for me to finally buy a copy of this book. Really, what does my library have against manga? I admit, after reading the blurb, I thought what much else is there to the story? How can this go on for 6 books? But I have been surprised, and will continue to read this series for a while to come.

 The Death Note isn't as simple as it sounds, there are rules, lots of them and more yet to be discovered by myself I'm sure. As Light learns the rules he adapts the way he uses the notebook, continuing to make the story more complex and intriguing. It's also thought provoking, which any great book should do, let alone a comic. There's mystery behind what Light does and a psychology to the main character that you have to question. Is he really just a good citizen, cleaning up the world? Will the power drive him crazy? Could I do as he's done if I were in his situation? So, yes, I must read the rest of this series. . .

 But what a great idea, the Death Note is the dream of every teenager at one point or another! The fact that it's put into the hands of a teenager is brilliant, bang on the audience's territory and right up my street! The continuing black and white artwork helps set the mood, this is of course a terrible weapon and must be treated as such. But if Ryuk's unchanging facial expression doesn't make light of it nothing does. 'Hyuk! Hyuk!' Our lovable Shinigami is a fine eater of apples and monster from another world. An excellent companion for Light.

 The threat to Light and Ryuk are those on the side of the law, coming in the shape of the mysterious L and Light's own father. L is as quick as Light, this is a heads-on battle, with the mystery of the Death Note between them. Light is learning the new rules and L is fast on his heels, taking the clues as Light chooses to or not to leave them. Though L doesn't necessarily do this to save the poor people's lives that are at risk, but you can learn about that yourself.

 How the first readers allowed a week between each chapter to read this, I have no idea. It's a quick read (though with Christmas and mock exams I took longer than I should have) that I think is a wonderful addition to my shelves!

Resolutions

“Another year gone! And I must trouble you with an old man’s wheezing waffle before we seek our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were...” – Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

I don’t know where the year went, so many losses and discoveries. I certainly hope my head is fuller, heading for my A-Level exams before summer this year, but I fear my memory has inclined itself to more fictional characters and plots than textbook information and essay technique. Explain and analyse, blah bla bl...

In 2016 I discovered new favourite books and authors, continued to admire the works of Sarah J. Maas, Pierce Brown, Leigh Bardugo, Victoria Aveyard and so many more! I tried many box subscriptions, bought way too many books, met more authors and snuck myself into getting an unlimited cinema card for my birthday. Fabulous stuff!

This year, I hope to continue with the same. But with the New Year comes the tradition of resolutions, usually just the one but I’m obsessed with lists and have bundled up a fair few for myself to try and achieve this year:

-         First and foremost, begin a blog. Most specifically a book blog, hoping the continual writing will help me finally finish a first draft of my own novel. The odd film review here and there, an update on my writing progress now and again and if you, fine reader, choose to follow my on goings than thank you! I of course haven’t quite got that choice. And if you do then this first post should let you know just a bit more about myself, which the continuing of my resolutions list should do just fine!

-        Go to the gym more (shocker). I currently work on a casual contract at a gym and so get a free membership which I really need to abuse more! Not an every day thing, but at least twice a week.

-         Target myself with 10 more books than I did last year which was one per week. This year, 62 book reviews should be coming this way!

-         Walk my dog more. He’s happy without walks but I would love my dog to come and cuddle me a bit more, hopefully more loving will communicate to him through trips out.

-         Finish the first draft of my book (more of a target) let’s get the dream going!

-         Manage my money better. I should really be adding to my savings rather than my book collection, I don’t have any more room.

-         Travel more, try to get myself out of the continent for the first time or at least plan it!

-         Keep my room clean. Just got it done up beautifully, Mum will get pissed, let’s not blow it!

-         Get ready for a job when I leave college, no university for me, I’ll learn enough on the job!

-         Get out more! London for author events, out with friends, all of it. Stop being a little loner!

-       Be more artistic. All these paints will soon dry out and these white canvases are beginning to annoy me.

I’m sure there are more, but for now, that’s a good enough list to keep me occupied for the upcoming year. You’ll notice healthy eating was not on the list... let’s just say there’s no chance.

I can’t tell you much more on what this blog will be because I don’t know yet, among my interests are fantasy and sci-fi books, graphic novels, comics, TV, movies and the occasional play. I suppose you’ll see reviews of all these in the future but for now I wish you a Happy New Year and good luck with the resolutions! I hope you wish the same for me, I may need it.