Friday Links: Say hello to your friends...

Sad news today: prolific Australian author Bryce Courtenay has passed away. He posted a YouTube message thanking his fans a few weeks ago; it's absolutely heartbreaking.

The rest of this post is pretty silly, and there's no good way to segue, so my apologies, and here goes...

In honour of the first 20 The Baby-Sitters Club books getting released as ebooks, Ann M. Martin has named her favourites from the early series. Out of these, Boy-Crazy Stacey was totally my fave. I always liked the Claudia and Stacey books the best.

These bookish houses make me drool. My dream is to have a house with a beautiful library one day. Sigh.

Book Depository has compiled a list of the prettiest books in their collection, just in time for Christmas. I wish I had a kid to buy for so I could get some of the amazing pop-ups... or maybe I should just treat myself. Coz we all know I'm secretly nine years old at heart.

Laini Taylor gives five great writing tips, and some good advice for life, really:  "The main thing I’ve learned is that we all have to learn to work with - and appreciate - the brain we’ve been given, and not waste time wishing things were easier."

This is what season one and two of Game of Thrones would would like as old-school video games. (Spoiler: Awesome. And hilarious).

I love Robert Pattinson in interviews. He says the craziest things. He must give his publicist nightmares - or, at least, Summit's publicists. Especially with the statements he makes in this supercut of his thinly veiled disdain for the Twilight franchise. Gold.

Some sports show hosts in the US slipped an amazing amount of The Princess Bride quotes into their half-hour show, and it's the best sports show I've ever seen in my life. It's even more awesome that apparently it wasn't planned. I'm not into anything to do with sports, but I might be if they were like this all the time.

Here are the names for things that you didn't realise had names. Natiform, anyone?

True story: The Mighty Ducks totally taught me that Iceland is green and Greenland is covered in ice. Here are 32 other reasons the series rocked.

Marlon Brando sure was beautiful when he was young. Here are a bunch of photos of him, being beautiful. 

Michael Fassbender massaging Ryan Gosling = the bromance you never knew you wanted. Speaking of Ryan Gosling, click here if you want to rub his boner. Ahem.

Russell Brand interviewed two members of Westboro Baptist Church and made them look like the hateful idiots they are. Aside from being hilarious, he makes some very good, intelligent points.

Hot guys + babies = ovary explosions.

Love music history and/or pixelated gifs? This blog is for you.

YouTube Clip of the Week
Pink is amazeballs.

Friday Link Dump: BSC Fashion, Homo Sapiens and Old-Timey Hotness

I am not obsessed with The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. OK, I totally am.

What would Claudia Kishi wear today? I think the clothes on this list - along with the other updates to childhood style icons - are pretty spot on. I kinda want to buy all the things.

Love, love, love this site featuring the stories of the books people have been given by the people they love. 

There's a new Les Mis trailer out, this time with people who aren't Anne Hathaway doing some singing. I haven't seen the musical or read the book, so I have nothing to compare it to, and frankly, I'm excited.

I started this Cracked clip sending up Hollywood's version of high schoolers for the The Lizzie Bennet Diaries stars, but I stayed for the lolz. Speaking of Darcy and Fitz, this happened this week. Then this. The awesomeness of which only makes sense if you've been watching The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. If you haven't, you don't deserve the awesomeness. (Just kidding. But seriously, you should watch it.)

I love a good pun. But a bad one is often even better.

Buzzfeed has a look at the "now and then" of popular magazines, compiling their first issues alongside their most recent, and it's awesome. Some have changed so much - and others, barely at all (granted they're younger mags). And who knew Better Homes and Gardens started life as Fruit Garden and Home?!

Yep, everything is better in mini.

Are you OCD-inclined? This blog will probably make you happy.

Pedestrian has a pretty great list of their favourite music moments in movies. Some of my faves that they didn't mention include those in Pretty in Pink, Beetlejuice, Wayne's World, Reservoir Dogs and Say Anything.

These cakes filled with hidden surprises are the best things I've ever seen.  

Thing I learnt this week: Our bodies have more bacterial cells than human cells in them. Ten times more. Also: humans started wearing clothes around 70, 000 years ago. Also: Oh, just read the article on the history (and future) of Homo Sapiens; it's absolutely fascinating.

What could be better than hot guys? Old-timey hot guys.

What could be better than old-timey hot guys?* Hot guys with puppies.

Still on the subject of old-timey things, they used to give hilarious (in hindsight) advice back in the day.

Jimmy Kimmel got his viewers to torture their kids on YouTube again by filming their reactions to being told all their Halloween candy had been eaten, and of course it's hilarious. Until the end, when I may have cried just a little bit at the awesome kids who don't mind sharing, especially the little dude who's like: "I don't care that you ate all my candy, mommy, I just want you to feel happy." Awwww.

If that didn't make your heart burst with squee, this cat that adopted baby hedgehogs will.

*Well, at least as awesome, if not better.

YouTube Clip of The Week
So much logic! It's amazing.

Review: Preloved by Shirley Marr

 
First things first, I have to get some disclaimery stuff out of the way: I received a copy of Preloved from the author, because I won a competition to have a cameo in the book. BAM that's right I'm like totes famous.

The reason I'm mentioning this is not to brag (much), but so that I won't be accused of sekrit bias. Well, maybe I still will be, minus the sekrit part. But I promise I would have loved this book just as much if I had just randomly picked it up at a book shop. Bookworm's honour.

That's right, I loved this book. Like any good nerd, I have a passion for '80s pop culture. Preloved not only features a protagonist with an affinity for '80s pop culture (we first meet her when she is dressed up as Princess Buttercup from The Princess Bride - be still my heart!), but it also features a ghost from the '80s. A hot boy ghost from the '80s. Oh heeeey there Preloved, I think you might be my book soul mate. Can we be BFFs?

Speaking of BFFs, Amy is, like, totally tubular ('80s slang FTW! Uh, I mean - righteous, dude!). She was feisty and smart, but what I loved most of all was that, as she mentions herself, she is the kind of character who is normally relegated to sidekick status, while her bestie, Rebecca (more on her in a sec) is the star of the show. Not so in Preloved, and it is really refreshing. Too many YA books these days seem to have characters that are same old, same old, so when a uniquely awesome protagonist comes along, it's, like, bitchin' to the max (are you sick of the '80s slang yet? NEVER! Oh, that's just me?).

As for Rebecca, wow, I couldn't stand that girl. She is so pretentious and self-centred, and I caught myself thinking, "Amy, why are you friends with this airhead?!". But of course, I totally get it. I was the sidekick in high school to a girl who would ditch me when someone cooler came along, did things just to be seen as cool, craved the attention of boys (and got it), and subtly put me down to make herself feel better. I didn't really see it at the time - she was just my best friend. But in hindsight, wow. It's no wonder I wanted to reach into the book and shake Amy for putting up with Rebecca's crap - but, of course, she has to realise for herself that she's worth more, and this became one of my favourite parts of her journey.

Another of my favourite parts was Amy's relationship with her mum. At the beginning she has difficulty connecting with her mother, and doesn't have a lot of tolerance for her mum's extensive superstitions (which, BTW, were another fun, unique aspect of the book), but as she finds herself actually being haunted, she has to increasingly turn to her mother for help and comfort. I loved seeing their relationship grow and develop as they learned to understand each other better. I felt for Amy's mum and her fear of losing her daughter. It was so real and incredibly touching.

I just realised I've gotten pretty far into my review and I haven't even talked about Amy's love interest, Logan, yet. I think this is because, while there is definitely a love story there, Logan and Amy's relationship functions less as the main plotline and more as a vehicle for Amy to grow and explore her own life and how she feels about herself and the others around her. There is no  "ZOMG, INSTA-LOVE, 2GETHA 4EVA" crap here - and I loved it.

The only complaint I have is that I wish there was more - certain parts seemed very brief and I would have liked more details, especially regarding the backstory with Logan and the flashbacks to how he died. But Preloved as a whole was a lot of fun. It's unique and quirky, but it also has a lot of heart. It's such a refreshing read; I'd definitely recommend it to anybody who is tired of the same tedious YA stories and characters that keep appearing. Basically, Preloved is totally radical, dudes!

Rating: 4/5

Eye Candy
Logan is named after Logan Bruno from The Baby-Sitters Club (as if I could love this book any more!), and I always pictured Logan as Zack Morris. So this Logan managed to look like him too. And at the risk of outing myself as a The Sleepover Club watcher (hey, I was young! It was a guilty pleasure! It was last year), I imagined Amy as looking like Hannah Wang.

Source

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Fine Print
Published: April 2012, Black Dog Books
Get It:  Bookworld

Bookish (And Other Awesome) Links: The BSC, Mr Darcy and Trolls

Awful Library Books: the place where terrible books go to live.

These videos about the history of certain words, told in animation using paper cuttings, are awesome.

Only one of these facts about The Baby-Sitters Club blew my mind (Kirsten Dunst was a cover model for Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls!), but it's still a fun list.

Three words: Darcy paper doll. Go now. Lizzie is there too.

The story of how one man confronted his online troll. You'll never guess who it was. Intense reading. On a lighter note, this parody video about trolls made me chuckle.

As if my obsession with Joseph Gordon-Levitt wasn't already intense enough, Buzzfeed handily compiled a list of every gif from his Magic Mike dance you will ever need. And oh, will you need them.

The greatest moments in Australian history - Lego-fied. Not surprising that it's heavily sports-oriented, though I appreciate the The Castle inclusion.

The 50 most romantic photos of all time are as lovely as they sound.

Speaking of lovely, the gallery of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward will renew your faith in celebrity love. Plus Paul Newman was a total fox.

While we're on that subject - Alec Baldwin was, like, such a Baldwin when he was younger. 

I was obsessed with the Little Giants as a kid, so this kind of destroyed my childhood memories.

Have you ever seen Flamingos do their mating dance? Move over, Swan Lake...

Random YouTube clip of the week

Review: The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

Do you ever read a book that you don't dislike, but you don't really like it, either? It's just kinda "meh". That was what this book was for me. Which is disappointing, coz I was so excited to read it thanks to its brilliant premise - it's set in 1996, and two friends find they can magically log on to Facebook 15 years in the future. Seriously, how cool does that sound? It's such a unique idea and opens up so many possibilities - but unfortunately, the execution falls far short of the potential.

My main problem was with the two protagonists, Josh and Emma. Josh is OK, just an average teenager who has some funny moments - but overall he's kinda bland. And Emma, well, she's whiny, selfish and really, really annoying. The bulk of the FB-related story (which sadly becomes less of a focus as the book progresses) is taken up with her freaking out about her future husband(s) and how unfair her life is. The carelessness with which she treats not just her own future but also that of her friends is disconcerting. Plus the way she treats her family and friends in the present - and Josh in particular - is pretty awful. I didn't care for her at all.

I was also disappointed at the lack of resolution to the plot. I was hoping you'd be able to see Josh and Emma's "current" Facebook profiles to find out how things turned out after all, but the book just kinda ends. I get that the main message was that you should live in and enjoy the present, but it just felt unfinished. There were a few subplots left dangling, too, and the lack of closure made me wonder why they were even in there in the first place. They just took time away from the main story without really going anywhere.

What the book did do was make me think - if I'd been able to see my Facebook profile back in the day, what would my reaction have been? It actually made me realise that I probably would have been pretty happy with the way my life was turning out, and reminded me of all the cool things I've done and achieved over the past 10 years. Which makes me sound all braggy or something which is totally not cool - but my point is that it made me think about all the positives in my life. Which is cool.

It also made me think about how truly random, weird and occasionally frequently stupid Facebook is. It's pretty crazy that we spend so much time on it - and put so much of our information out there. But that's a whole 'nother rant. As for The Future of Us - it's a fantastic idea squandered on disappointing characters and a patchy plot. Such a shame!

Rating: 2.5/5

Eye Candy
As the setting was 1996, I just had to go back to my mid-90s celeb crushes to "cast" The Future of Us. Which essentially meant I pillaged two stars of The Babysitter's Club - Austin O'Brien for Josh and Marla Sokoloff for Emma.

 

Fine Print
Genre: Young Adult
Published: January 2012, Simon & Schuster
Get It: Fishpond

Top 5: Series That Defined My Childhood

When I think about the books that I read as a child, they always seem to be a part of a series or collection. I read individual books, of course, but I guess purely because I read more of them, it's the series that seem to have stuck in my mind the most. Here are the ones that dominated my early years:

1. Little Golden Books (Ages 1-10)

For as long as I can remember, I had a shelf full of Little Golden Books to dive into. Before I could read myself, my family read them to me, and once I learned I spent many an hour with a Golden Book in my hand. Later, as I outgrew them, I had the excuse of a little brother to share them with - though admittedly I would still pick up my old favourites when I was alone. Even as a kid I was super nostalgic, never quite ready to let go of past joys.

2. The Babysitters Club by Ann M. Martin (Ages 8-12)

I first picked up a BSC book in Year 3, but I wasn't immediately hooked (probably because it was a Mallory story), reading the books at various times, in no particular order, as I got them from the library or as gifts over the next couple of years. Then when I was around nine or 10, my mum signed me up for The Babysitters Club Club. I got my very own BSC necklace, and was sent three books a month, in chronological order, starting with Kristy's Great Idea. By the time I got over it a couple of years later, I'd racked up 112 books (not counting doubles or super specials) and countless hours of reading, rereading, watching the show and movie, and trying to start up a BSC of my own (it didn't work out - astonishingly, parents in my neighbourhood weren't quite so eager as those in Stonybrook to leave their kids with 11-year-olds as sitters).

3. Paul Jennings' short story collections (Ages 8-12)

I still have a few of these books lying around at my parents' place, and from the sad state of them - dog-eared pages and missing or torn covers - you might think I neglected them, but in fact it's a sign of how very well-loved they were. I obsessively reread them, spending time assessing each story and ranking them in order from most liked to least, from saddest to happiest and so on (the first stirrings of the book blogger in me?). I was such a nerd, I know, but at the time it didn't seem so bad, coz Jennings' books were so awesome that they were actually considered cool to read. I remember having in-depth discussions (well, as in-depth as nine-year-olds get) with my friends about each story, and competing over who had read the most. Throw in Round the Twist, the show based on the collections, and I spent much of my formative years under the influence of Jennings' twisted mind.

4. Goosebumps by R. L. Stine (Ages 9-12)

Although I wasn't quite as obsessed with Goosebumps as I was with the BSC, I still amassed a considerable collection - in addition to devoting many library visits to the series. I was hooked on the mysteries, thrills and big twist endings, and loved the ghostly ones the most. When the show hit our screens I became addicted to that, too, roping in my poor baby brother to watch it with me. I wonder if this has anything to do with all the nightmares...

5. Series by V. C. Andrews (Ages 11-14)

My auntie introduced me to the joys of V. C. Andrews, first lending me her collection and then starting me off with my own when she gave me the full Flowers in the Attic set for my 11th birthday. Looking back, I'm amazed she encouraged me to read them - they're so trashy, twisted and just a bit naughty - but at the time, of course, I ate them all up. Though I guess I turned out all right, and I'm not gonna lie, I still love them today - for the same trashy, twisted reasons I loved them back then.

Follow Friday: Five (Bookish) Facts About Me

Follow Friday is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee's View. This week the topic is, "Give us five book-related, silly facts about you." Note the key word is silly...

  
1. I have a habit of reading books while cleaning/watching TV/walking/doing assorted daily activities. I know it's a bit silly for someone who's not particularly coordinated and can't walk in a straight line under normal circumstances, but I can't help myself. Hence my affinity for Disney's Belle. That's a princess I can relate to.

2. One of the first things I do when I pick up a book is smell it. I love the way new books smell. I love the way old books smell. My nose is twitching just thinking about it.

3.When I was about 10, I was a member of The Babysitter's Club Club. I got sent three books from the series per month. I stopped at #112 because, by that stage, I had outgrown them. I got rid of my (many) doubles a few years ago but I can't bear to part with the rest of the collection... which is currently collecting dust in my parents' roof.

4. I'm obsessed with adaptations. If there's a movie or TV version of a book, I have to watch it. If there's a book version of a movie/TV show, I have to read it. Even if I don't particularly enjoy it, I still like to compare the differences.

5. I have a degree in English Literature (and History), which I don't exactly use in my everyday life. This blog is an attempt to remedy that somewhat - a refocus on my literature-loving roots!